Ch.7
All rights belong to Riordan
(Percy's Perspective)
While driving through the city, Artemis and I engaged in casual conversation about our day, with Hermes occasionally chiming in from the driver's seat.
As we continued our journey, I couldn't help but admire the breathtaking beauty of Olympus at night. The illuminated skyline served as a stark contrast to the bustling streets of New York, instilling in me a newfound appreciation for the divine city. Despite the similarities between the two locales, there was an undeniable allure to Olympus that resonated deeply with me. Perhaps living here wouldn't be such a bad idea, I pondered to myself.
My reverie was abruptly interrupted by Hermes, who lowered the window between the front and back of the car to address us. "Percy, Artemis, we're almost there. Please remain seated until the car has stopped and I've opened the door for you."
We both nodded in acknowledgment as Hermes closed the window. After a few more minutes of driving, we felt the car come to a halt. "Ready for dinner?" I asked Artemis, breaking the silence. She responded with a smile and a nod, her anticipation evident. "Where did you plan for us to go?"
"That's a surprise, although you'll find out when we get out," I teased, a hint of amusement in my voice. Artemis laughed before glancing around to ensure she hadn't forgotten anything, as we patiently waited for Hermes to let us out.
Finally, the wait ended as Hermes opened the door with a flourish. "Percy, Milady, you're free to exit the vehicle," he announced, his voice tinged with a touch of theatricality.
Eagerly stepping out onto the sidewalk, I was immediately struck by the grandeur of our surroundings. The restaurant before us was a sight to behold, adorned with majestic statues depicting the Big Three, which explained the reservation rule. Positioned at the forefront of the entrance, Hermes had parked the car with ease, with the position of the car and walkway reminding me of a premiere or high end event in Hollywood.
Taking a moment to soak in the splendor of the scene, I stepped aside and turned to Artemis, extending my hand to her to exit the vehicle.
Artemis gently squeezed my hand before gracefully stepping out of the vehicle, her movements freezing as she took in our surroundings. Her shock quickly morphed into pure delight as she realized where we were.
"Percy, how did you get reservations here?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. I chuckled before answering, "Son of the Big Three, remember?" She smiled widely and enveloped me in a warm hug. "Thank you, Percy. I've always wanted to eat here but never could get a reservation." "Yeah, Dad told me, so he took care of it."
Her gaze shifted to the imposing statue of my father, and she remarked, "Remind me to thank him for this." I couldn't help but tease, "I think he's thanking you, courtesy of Zoe's existence." Artemis laughed, her laughter echoing in the night air. "Fair enough, I suppose."
Turning back to Hermes, who had been observing our exchange with amusement, I smiled. "Percy, I will be back to pick you guys up after dinner. See you soon." With a wave, he glowed with a golden light and vanished along with the car, leaving us to enjoy the evening alone
I turned back around, strolling alongside Artemis towards the front door, where an attendant awaited us. "Milord, Milady, Welcome to Divine Brilliance. It's been a while since we've had an Olympian guest. Whose name is on the reservation?"
"Percy Jackson," I replied confidently. The attendant's demeanor shifted as he scanned his list. "Ah yes, I found it. Lord Poseidon paid for the full bill ahead of time, and you guys have the VIP area. Please, follow me."
With a nod of gratitude, we trailed behind the attendant as he led us through the restaurant. Passing through a velvet curtain, we were greeted by a breathtaking sight that left us both breathless. The space was meticulously designed, exuding an aura of ancient Greek elegance. Tables were strategically arranged, and at the center of it all, our designated table awaited us.
Taking the lead, I pulled out Artemis's chair, gesturing for her to take her seat before settling into my own. As we got comfortable, the attendant returned, presenting us with a delicate arrangement of silver roses. "Courtesy of Percy Jackson and Lady Demeter, Milady," he announced with a smile.
Artemis's eyes widened in surprise, her expression shifting from shock to joy as she glanced at me. "I didn't want to spoil the surprise, so Demeter told you I was getting flowers for my mom," I explained, unable to contain my laughter. Her smile warmed my heart as she gingerly reached out to touch the flowers.
We started conversing more before the menu arrived, and we settled in for the evening.
After dinner, we stepped out of the restaurant and strolled down the walkway, where Hermes promptly appeared with the car. "Percy, Artemis, how was dinner?" he inquired, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. "It was exquisite," Artemis replied happily, proudly displaying the flowers she had taken with us. Hermes beamed before courteously holding the door open for her. "Milady, I would like a word with Percy if that's okay," he requested. She nodded understandingly before releasing my hand and slipping inside the car, allowing Hermes to close the door behind her.
Alone with Hermes, I braced myself for the conversation that was to come. "Percy, your father asked if you and Artemis would attend the movie premiere happening on Olympus tomorrow night," he revealed. "Most of the gods, major and minor, are attending, and Lord Poseidon thought it would be good for you to go with Artemis. Everyone can see she, at the very least, has some feelings for you, and your dad wants to take advantage of the premiere tomorrow to get people used to that."
I stood there, stunned, unsure of how to react. The revelation of Artemis's feelings and my father's plans left me conflicted, bouncing between gratitude and frustration. "Why would Dad care what Artemis thinks of me?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all. "Well, to put it bluntly, if you were with Artemis, that would give us an excuse to grant you immortality, which is something your dad is desperate for you to have," Hermes explained candidly. "Even Athena thinks it's a good idea."
"But he's also not willing to tell you to be with her only to gain immortality; he only wants you to be with her if you want to. Immortality is just a bonus for him, but he understands if you don't feel that way about her," Hermes continued, offering insight into my father's motives.
I nodded, digesting Hermes's words as I contemplated what to do. Perhaps it was time to have a conversation with Artemis about our relationship and the potential outcome. Accepting immortality could alleviate her fears about Zoe losing her father, and that idea weighed heavily on my mind.
"Alright, I'll talk to Artemis about it, and we'll see about attending tomorrow night," I finally responded, a sense of acceptance flowing through me.. Hermes smiled warmly before nodding and opening the car door. "Thank you, Percy. Now let's get you home," he said, ushering me into the car before closing the door behind me.
"What did Hermes want to talk to you about?" Artemis inquired as we settled into the comfort of the car. "Oh, Dad wants us to attend a movie premiere tomorrow night. Apparently, most of the gods will be attending, so he wanted us to go," I explained. She nodded thoughtfully before a question occurred to her, and she tapped on the driver's window.
The window rolled down, and Hermes looked through the mirror at Artemis. "Yes, Milady?" he inquired. "For tomorrow, should we bring Zoe with us?" Artemis asked. Hermes shook his head. "No, Lord Zeus wants Zoe to go with the minor hero gods. So you guys can figure out outfit coordination if you'd like, but Zoe needs to be with them while you and Percy are with us."
Artemis nodded before turning away from the window, which Hermes promptly rolled back up. As we arrived at Artemis's home, Hermes let us out once again before waving and vanishing with the car. "Artemis, it's getting kind of late. Should we retrieve Zoe from the others in New Rome?" I asked. She nodded before taking my hand, and with a flash, we were gone.
When we materialized, we were greeted by the sight of all the hero gods sprawled around the room in various sleeping positions. "Where are we?" Artemis inquired. I shrugged, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. "I have no idea; I've never been here before. The room seems to be themed around me or my dad, but there's also silver running through it," I noted, gesturing to the ceiling.
Chuckling softly at her puzzled expression, I made my way to the main bed where Zoe lay fast asleep. Grinning, I scooped her up into my arms before turning to Artemis, who wore a tender smile as she gazed at our sleeping daughter. "Do you want to leave a note for the others?" I asked. She nodded before waving her hand, conjuring a piece of paper that read, "Zoe is home with us. Do not freak out when you wake up and she's not here. We'll see you guys tomorrow night -Artemis."
With that, she placed her hand on my shoulder as we flashed away, back to her home.
(Outside View)
The next morning, Reyna was the first to wake up. Stretching lazily, she opened her eyes to the dim light filtering through the windows. With a contented yawn, she sat up and glanced around the room, a soft giggle escaping her lips as she took in the sight of everyone's haphazard sleeping positions. However, her amusement quickly turned to concern when she realized Zoe was nowhere to be seen.
Jumping out of bed, Reyna's heart began to race as she frantically scanned the room, her eyes darting from corner to corner in search of her missing friend. When her search yielded no results, she wasted no time, rushing to the bedroom door and sprinting down the hall towards the kitchen and sitting area.
Not finding Zoe there either, she immediately went to wake everyone up. She approached Jason and Piper first, who were closest to her. "Jason, get up." Jason mumbled, slightly opening his eyes.
"What's up, Reyna? I'm tired." Reyna looked annoyed. "Zoe's gone." Jason's eyes flew open, and he sat up, catching Piper before she was thrown off the couch. She looked at him in anger before noticing the worried and scared expression on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Zoe is missing." Piper's eyes widened in horror and fear as she leapt off the couch to help look for her.
The rest of the group stirred from their sleep as their friends shook them, their expressions mirroring Reyna's growing sense of dread as they learned the reason for being abruptly woken up. After a frantic search of the entire house turned up empty, they gathered downstairs, their minds racing with worry and uncertainty.
"Where could she have gone?" Hazel asked, her voice tinged with concern. Frank shook his head, his brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't know, but I don't think she would leave without leaving a note behind or something," he reasoned, his words echoing the sentiments of the group.
Reyna turned to Jason, her expression grim. "You're going to have to go tell Thalia she's gone. Unlike the rest of us, her lightning doesn't affect you, so have fun with that," she instructed, her tone tinged with sarcasm. Jason nodded, a knot forming in his stomach as he prepared to deliver the troubling news to his sister. With a deep breath, he flashed out of the room, steeling himself for the inevitable pain he would receive, courtesy of his sister when she found out.
When he arrived at camp, he noticed it was late morning, so the hunters wouldn't be in their cabin. He walked to the archery range, cringing the whole way, preparing for Thalia's inevitable outburst. When he arrived, he saw her with the younger hunters and walked over. Thalia noticed him first and strode over with a mix of concern and curiosity etched on her face. "Hey Jason, what's up?"
"Well, wehadabigsleepoveratourhouseandwhenwewokeupZoewasgone," he blurted out, his words tumbling over each other in his haste. Thalia's brow furrowed in confusion, then she narrowed her eyes, her gaze piercing. "Say that again, but slower so I can understand you," she demanded. Jason gulped, feeling the weight of her scrutiny. "We had a sleepover at our home in New Rome, and when we woke up, Zoe was missing, and there's no note anywhere."
Jason braced himself as her expression hardened, a storm brewing behind her eyes. "You had one job, Jason. ONE! What am I supposed to tell Lady Artemis? That you lost her daughter while you were asleep?" Thalia's voice rose with each word, crackling with frustration. Jason tensed, feeling the air grow heavy with impending doom. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashed down at his feet, sending him staggering backward. "Thalia, we were all asleep, how could we have prevented this?" he protested, his voice tinged with desperation. She held his gaze, her eyes ablaze with anger, before finally dropping her gaze, the fury fading into resignation. "Yeah, I know. I'll call Lady Artemis," he nodded, his shoulders slumping as he picked himself up from the ground.
Thalia tried Iris-messaging Artemis, but her frustration only deepened as her call failed to go through. She shot Jason a helpless look, not knowing what to do. "Maybe try Percy?" he suggested tentatively. Thalia's heart sank at the thought of facing the wrath of Kelp Head when he found out his daughter was missing, but she knew it was their best shot at resolving the situation. She took a deep breath and Iris-messaged Percy, her hands trembling slightly with apprehension. Relief flooded through her as the call finally connected. When Percy appeared, he was sitting shirtless at a table, the familiar surroundings of Lady Artemis's home in Olympus visible behind him.
"Thalia? What's wrong?" Percy's voice cut through the tension, his concern evident as he observed her troubled expression. He couldn't discern if she was scared, angry, or both, but knowing his cousin well, he settled for both.
"When Jason woke up, Zoe was gone, and they don't know where she is," she explained, bracing herself for his potential anger. However, she was taken aback when he didn't seem angry, just confused.
"Zoe's here with us. We picked her up last night. You guys didn't find the note we left?" Percy's words brought a flood of relief to Thalia's troubled mind. She turned to look at her brother, her anger dissipating as she registered his confirmation.
"No, the entire group searched the place top to bottom, and there was no note," Percy continued, shaking his head in bewilderment. "Artemis left a note for you guys when we picked her up. I don't know why it wasn't there then. Both of them are currently still asleep, but Zoe is fine. We'll see you guys tonight."
Thalia nodded, relief washing over her as Percy waved his hand, dissolving the message. Turning to Jason, she spoke quickly, urgency lacing her tone. "Go back and tell the others Zoe is with them in Artemis's home on Olympus before they tear down the whole city looking for her."
Jason nodded in understanding before swiftly flashing away.
When he arrived, the others were sitting around the dining room table, their expressions a mixture of concern and anticipation. Reyna looked up as he appeared, her eyes searching his face for answers. "How did it go?" she inquired, her voice tinged with apprehension.
Jason couldn't help but smile at the eager faces awaiting his report. "Thalia blasted me with lightning as expected," he began, earning a sympathetic wince from his companions, "but we called Percy, and apparently Zoe is with them at Artemis's home on Olympus. He said they left a note for us, but sometime between them picking her up and Reyna waking up, it vanished."
The group exchanged puzzled glances, a collective look of confusion on their faces. "Who would take the note from the room, letting us know what happened?" Piper voiced the question on everyone's mind, her tone laced with disbelief.
"I'm not sure, but maybe they were hoping we would get in trouble with the gods for losing Zoe," Reyna suggested, her brows furrowing in thought as she considered the possibility. The room fell into a contemplative silence, the weight of uncertainty hanging heavy in the air.
"Well, at least she's safe with her parents," Hazel interjected, her words infused with a sense of relief. The group nodded in agreement, their smiles reflecting a shared sense of comfort. Yet, despite the reassurance, the lingering question still lingered. Who would come into their home for the sheer purpose of getting them in trouble?
After Zoe had woken up and explored her mom's home, the family hung around the house until Zeus called a meeting to plan that evening's event. When they got there, they decided for Percy to stay near Zoe at all times in case any of the gods tried anything.
(Percy's Perspective)
Artemis opened the door first and led the way in. When we arrived, all the other gods were already present and seated in their respective thrones. Artemis flashed to her throne while Zoe stayed with me. The gods turned their attention to us, each exhibiting their own distinct reaction to our arrival.
Dad looked happy to see us, as did Zeus surprisingly. Hera was smiling warmly at Zoe, which I wasn't sure whether to be happy about or suspicious. Ares was busy staring at Aphrodite, to no one's surprise, who was busy rotating between looking at herself in a mirror she was holding or side-eyeing Ares. Demeter was smiling warmly, her eyes flickering between me and Artemis, probably eager to hear our thoughts on the flowers she had given me.
Hermes was checking messages on his phone but looked up and smiled at us when we came in. Athena was trying to look straight-faced, but I could tell she was holding back a smile. Mr. D was sleeping, true to his usual behavior at meetings. Hephaestus was engrossed in his tinkering, his attention fully absorbed by whatever project he was working on. Apollo was staring uneasily at me like he couldn't decide whether to shoot me with an arrow or yell at me. I still don't know what his problem is with me, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.
A.N I had some help on this chapter to make it more descriptive and flow more nicely. let me know if I should continue to use that offered help or not. thanks!