The forest had a faint pine-aroma to it, like the kind Percy would find amongst his mum's plants. With every stride, the undergrowth surrendered beneath Percy's weight, releasing a symphony of crisp, crackling sounds that reverberated through the forest. The rhythmic crunch of fallen leaves beneath his feet intermingled with the hushed whispers of the wind, creating a melodic sound that broke the silence. Above, the trees stood like sentinels, their gnarled branches reading skyward in a majestic display of nature's strength. Though not colossal in height, they still overwhelmed him, looming over Percy and casting intricate patterns of shadows upon the forest floor. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of leaves, casting beams of light that illuminated patches of the forest in dappled brilliance.
"Aphrodite," Percy mumbled, "I really don't think this is a good idea." The goddess snorted.
"Percy, dear, tell me one time one of my ideas wasn't a good one." He frowned.
"Actually, I can name quite a few. That time you tried sneaking into Athena's palace. The ill-fated attempt at raiding Apollo's food. Oh, and how could I forget the time you meddled with me and Annabeth, causing us to break up-"
"Okay, okay, jeez, you didn't need to list everything out," she groaned, a playful pout gracing her lips. "Besides, breaking you and Annabeth up definitely wasn't a bad idea," she added with a coy smile. Percy's glare only intensified, his eyes narrowing in a mixture of frustration and defiance.
"And who are you to decide what's good and bad for me?" he returned. She sighed deeply.
"Percy, you forget I am millenia years older than you. I've witnessed the complexities of love in all its forms, and I know what's good for you-"
"It doesn't matter," Percy snapped. "I have the ability to make these choices for myself, and certainly do not need any gods dictating my path." The tension between them thickened, the silence growing heavy as they continued their walk, the rhythm of their footsteps filling the void left by their unspoken disagreement.
"Well, at least it worked," Aphrodite teased, a wry smile dancing across her lips. "You even admitted yesterday that you're over her and ready to move on!" Percy made a face at her.
"I am over her," Percy grumbled, "but I'm still mad at you for interfering with our relationship-"
"Look," she interjected, her voice softening. "Breaking you two up was completely unintentional and an accident, I promise Percy. You've told me off about it enough times, and it will never happen again, okay?" She mustered a warm smile and reluctantly, Percy returned it. Just like that, the tension between them began to dissipate as they made their way through the palace.
"You know, you never told me how your date with Poseidon went-"
"Eww, he's my dad!" Percy erupted at her hotly. His expression was one of disgust with a touch of revulsion. "Why do you have to make everything sound so weird and messed up?!" Aphrodite raised her hands up in mock surrender, but it was obvious she was trying (and failing) to hide a smile.
"Come on, loosen up, it's a joke," she giggled, nudging him playfully. "Besides," she added after a pause, "it wouldn't be the first time something like that had happened. Everyone knows that Zeus-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there," Percy muttered, his tone leaving no room for further discussion. The mischievous glint in Aphrodite's eyes only intensified, her smirk growing wider with each passing second. "If I had a list of The King of Olympus's affairs, there wouldn't be a library big enough to fit it in," he added with a touch of amusement. Chuckling lightly, Aphrodite ruffled his hair, causing him to growl in annoyance.
"I'm twenty for Hades sake, stop treating me like a baby!" Aphrodite made a fake crying face.
"Aww, is lickle baby Perwcy sad that he's being tweated like a teeny tiny child?" she taunted, her laughter echoing throughout the forest as Percy scowled in response.. "I'm teasing you, loosen up oh my days!" she exclaimed. "And I'm still waiting to hear how your day out with your father went."
"It went well," Percy admitted, his face softening. "However, when Zeus called that meeting, Poseidon dumped me in a room with Triton and Amphitrite out of all people." Aphrodite couldn't contain herself any longer, the sheer absurdity of the situation causing her laughter to burst forth once again.
"Oh my, that sounds absolutely dreadful," she said through a not so straight face. Percy nodded in agreement.
"It was way too awkward for me," Percy confessed, a slight shudder running through his body at the memory. "I hope it never happens again."
Aphrodite took a moment to adjust her frilly blue shorts, blue for Percy, and pull it up a little higher. The slight movement immediately attracted Percy's attention. He looked her up and down. The goddess had gone for a tight-fitting, deeply V-cut black shirt, paired with a miniscule blue skirt that daringly flirted with the boundaries of modesty, reaching only up to mid-thigh. Her luscious hair cascaded freely down her shoulders, a shimmering waterfall of luxurious strands.
"Done looking?" Aphrodite's voice teased, causing Percy to hastily avert his gaze, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"I was merely examining the… uh… the forest trees, yeah." Aphrodite rolled her eyes in amusement.
"Sure you were," she giggled. "It's fine Percy, I don't mind you checking me out. I am the goddess of beauty after all," she declared with a mischievous smile. "It's an instinctive reaction for men and women to look me up and down. Honestly, if you didn't check me out, I'd be inclined to believe you're gay, so if anything it's a good thing. Plus, if you're really interested, I'm sure I can free up some time in my schedule for the two of us-"
"Aphrodite, how many times do I have to tell you," Percy interjected with an exasperated sigh, his frustration momentarily overriding his embarrassment. "We're not doing that!" he emphasised, his voice firm. "Besides, I'm just slightly worried for you, that's all. I highly doubt the hunters will take any liking to this attire…"
"A woman can try," she pouted playfully, "and don't worry about Artemis or the hunters. If only you knew what us goddesses used to wear in the old days, way before skirts and jeans were invented. We have a long history of pushing boundaries when it comes to fashion. Besides, it's not like I can change my outfit now, the hunters have already seen us now, and I'm not turning all the way back."
Sure enough, a couple hundred feet ahead, amidst the sprawling forest, Percy caught sight of two girls donned in the unmistakable attire of the hunt. Clad in sturdy hunter parkas to withstand the chill of the wilderness and donning thick boots that seemed ready to conquer any terrain, they stood like sentinels, their bows at the ready. Their piercing gazes locked onto Percy and Aphrodite, unwavering and watchful. As the two immortals made their way closer to the hunt, the two hunters didn't make any movement towards them, but loaded their bows, as if to say 'we're not in the mood to be messed around with.' Fortunately, or unfortunately, Percy had a goddess with him, and an Olympian at that. Aphrodite had flashed them to a small, isolated forest in a place Percy didn't recognise. She'd said that Artemis had put up some spells to prevent flashing, or at least it prevented most immortals from flashing in, courtesy of Hecate. The stronger immortals could easily overcome the barriers, but they generally didn't bother the gods.
"State your name and purpose here," the elder hunter said in a firm yet calm tone as they approached. Her fiery red hair cascaded like a waterfall, obscuring her face and adding an air of mystery to her presence. Her eyes, sharp and piercing, bore into them with unwavering intensity. A sense of authority emanated from her, commanding respect and demanding obedience.
"We're here to visit your mistress," Aphrodite said calmly, although to Percy it sounded more like an order.
"She doesn't like surprise visits, much less from his kind," the younger hunter said, jerking her head towards him. This hunter came off as eleven years old, her chestnut brown hair framing her face, emphasising her youthful features. She looked Spanish, but then again Percy was terrible at guessing ages and nationalities.
"He's here to visit his cousin, under both my and Artemis' agreement. As for me, Artemis will most certainly make an exception. Now before I make a scene, it would be wise to let us in. I do not condone disrespect from your kind. The only reason I haven't exerted my wrath upon you is because my protégé here would become very angry to say the least." Aphrodite spoke with respect, but her threat was evident. The elder hunter, her expression a reflection of her years of wisdom and experience, maintained her stoic façade. After a tense moment of contemplation, she conceded, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance
"Wait here," she finally said, before turning around and swiftly dashing towards the heart of the camp.
"Well what's your name darling," Aphrodite asked the younger hunter, trying to make small talk.
"I'm Sophie," she mumbled. "And don't call me darling!"
"Oh please," Aphrodite giggled, rolling her eyes. "You'll get used to it after a while. At least Percy has." The hunter frowned, her eyes narrowing.
"Percy Jackson?" she asked, to which he nodded.
"That's me," he said, trying for a smile which she didn't give back. "How did you know it was me?" The huntress shrugged.
"Just a hunch," she replied. "I've had my fair share of stories about you, courtesy of Thalia and Lady Artemis." Percy's eyes widened in both surprise and confusion.
"Wow, Artemis mentioned me? How come?" Sophie wrinkled her nose.
"Apparently you played a minor role in saving Olympus. And why do you call my mistress by her name? Treat her with respect, she's a goddess!" Of course Aphrodite saw this as the perfect moment to intervene.
"Hang on," she began, frowning. "Did Artemis say Percy played a minor role in saving Artemis-"
"Leave it," Percy mumbled. "I prefer it this way."
"No, I won't leave it!" she snapped. Aphrodite's eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on Sophie, a flicker of indignation and protectiveness igniting within her. "You're my protégé, Percy. If someone disrespects you, I take it as if they're disrespecting me, and the last time a hunter tried disrespecting me… well it was an unpleasant experience for everyone."
Had the elder hunter not come running back, Percy was sure that Sophie was about to be transformed into a bear to be hunted. Luckily for him and Sophie, the hunter was jogging back towards them, only this time she wasn't alone.
"Aphrodite, Percy, what brings you here?" Artemis inquired. Her voice held little emotion and sounded commanding if anything. The goddess was in her sixteen year old form, dressed in a flowing, sleeveless Grecian gown, the fabric cascading like moonlight around her figure. Her auburn tresses were meticulously tied up in an elegant ponytail, accentuating her regal features, while a gleaming hunting knife rested comfortably within easy reach.
"Artemis!" Aphrodite squealed like a child, running and hugging Artemis… or at least trying. Artemis quickly dodged her hug before fixing her with a look of annoyance.
"Aphrodite, stop playing games with me before I send you out of here! What are you even doing here, surely you have something better to do." She shook her head.
"Nah, nothing fun to do as of today, so I've decided it's time to have a nice, long conversation with you, one I've been saving for a while." A flicked of vexation passed through Artemis' face.
"Well what is it?" she asked with an exasperated sigh. Aphrodite smirked.
"Let's take this into your tent. I doubt it's going to be a five minute conversation, and you should listen when I say you won't want anyone to overhear this." Artemis's stern gaze lingered on Aphrodite, and for a moment the two just stared at each other. It was clear that the moon goddess didn't want a chat with Aphrodite, but even Percy could tell her curiosity had been piqued. Finally, she relented, her voice tinged with a touch of begrudging acceptance.
"You have twenty minutes, not a second longer," Artemis finally said, glaring at her fellow Olympian. "Walk with me." Artemis began to walk, only to suddenly stop in her tracks and turn to face Percy.
"Thalia is with some of the older hunters near the archery range," the goddess told him. "I'm sure she will be… delighted to see you." Percy could've sworn he saw a flicker of amusement on her face. "My hunters shouldn't mind taking you there." With that, the goddess of the moon turned around on her heel, walking side by side with Aphrodite towards the biggest tent in the camp.
"Never in a million years would I have guessed that person was Lady Aphrodite," the younger hunter grumbled, leading Percy towards the archery range.
"You're lucky she didn't vaporise you on the spot," the older one chuckled, though her expression was sinister. "Olympians are not to be messed around with, especially Olympians that don't like the idea of maidens-"
"I know, I know!" the younger one, Sophie, said, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I didn't know, that was it. Honestly, the goddess of love was one of the last people I'd expect to visit here." The older one nodded her head.
"And to see Percy Jackson with her is definitely a surprise," the elder one mused. "Did you know he's Thalia's cousin?" Sophie made a face.
"Well Thalia did say he's a son of Poseidon," Sophie replied, her tone laced with indifference. "So I guess it's not that surprising, but still, the world works in mysterious ways." Percy, feeling slightly uncomfortable at how openly they were talking about him, as if he weren't present, interjected with an awkward smile.
"You guys do know I am right here…" Percy's voice trailed off, his words hanging in the air. Briefly, the elder hunter cast him a sideways look before going back into conversation with Sophie, only this time they were much quieter, talking in whispers.
As they neared the archery range, the air buzzed with a sense of anticipation, focus and precision. Seasoned hunters moved with grace and agility, their bowstrings taut, and their gazes fixed on distant targets. The rhythmic thud of arrows hitting their marks created a melodic backdrop to the scene, captivating Percy's senses and striking him with awe.
Thalia saw him first. Of course, Percy would've loved nothing more than to sneak up behind his cousin and scare her out of her wits, but it was hard to sneak anything past these hunters. Besides, it wasn't like he could do anything with two hunters right behind him, their bows at the ready.
"Well look at the cat who dropped in!" she grinned, strolling up towards him. Percy opened his arms in a welcoming gesture.
"What can I say, I always come at the right times!" he smirked. Thalia rolled her eyes, but the twinkle in them revealed her enjoyment of his antics. Leaning in, the hunter wrapped her arms around Percy in a tight hug, which he gladly returned.
"Boy did I miss you," she confessed once they'd broken up. Percy's grin transformed into a sheepish smile as he realised just how long it had been since they'd last spoken with each other..
"Yeah, I had some stuff to sort out-"
"I'm not in the mood for your pathetic excuses," Thalia retorted. "Let's face it, you've screwed up big time. You broke up with Annabeth, something that I didn't find out for a very long time, mind you. Then, you stayed with Death Breath and Lord Hades for two years, completely cutting off contact. And don't even get me started on the fact that you became a god and didn't bother to tell me. No excuse is going to make me budge." Percy nodded solemnly, recognizing the truth in Thalia's words.
"I'm sorry then," he admitted with a sigh. Her expression softening, Thalia broke into a smirk.
"Now that's the response I was hoping for," she said warmly, clapping him on the back. For a brief moment, the two demigods stood in comfortable silence, relishing the familiarity and comfort of each other's presence. However, as the serenity settled between them, Thalia's gaze shifted to something behind Percy, her eyes widening in bewilderment.
"Phoebe?" Thalia called out, her voice tinged with both surprise and curiosity.
Percy whipped around on his heels, only to find himself staring face to face with a tall woman who exuded an air of power. Her fiery ginger hair, shaved on the slides only increased her fierce features. She was built like a wrestler and fixed Percy with a cold stare.
"Boy," she spat, her voice dripping with venom, emphasising the one syllable with seething hatred. In most situations, Percy liked to think of himself as a calm and composed person, but he wasn't about to let her hostility slide.
"Girl!" Percy retorted, mirroring her tone perfectly with a smug smile. As a sudden silence fell over the camp, Thalia couldn't help but cover her mouth, struggling to contain her laughter. It was evident that very few individuals had the audacity to stand up to Phoebe. It was obvious few people ever stood up to Phoebe.
"Male!" she yelled, raising her voice as if trying to assert her dominance.
"Female!" Percy fired back, his mock glare displaying a mixture of defiance and amusement. The exchange between them intensified as they continued to trade gender-based insults.
"Incompetent man!" she said, raising her voice with disdain. Percy paused, furrowing his eyebrows as if he was trying to think of a response. Then, all of a sudden, a lightbulb clicked in his head, and his lips twisted into a mischievous smile.
"Person with two X chromosomes!" Percy declared, smirking widely. The unexpected response caught Phoebe off guard, a momentary flicker of confusion crossing her features. From the reaction around them, it seemed like most of the other hunters were also perplexed.
"Two X chromosomes is male, isn't it?" A hunter Percy didn't recognise interjected. This was enough to break the mounting tension and finally everyone burst into laughter, the cam filling with a sense of relief.
"No wonder you failed biology," Thalia snickered, playfully punching the sheepish hunter.
Phoebe's lips curled into a mischievous grin as she approached Percy, her previous hostility dissipating like a wisp of smoke. The once icy coldness in her eyes had transformed into a more calm one.
"Sorry about that," she lightly chucked, "I just couldn't resist the chance to call you a 'boy' again, you know, for old times sake. "How are you Percy?" she asked, offering him a spud. For Phoebe, a spud was as crazy as Artemis giving him a hug or Amphitrite actually liking him: it was a big thing.
"Hunter's, this is Percy Jackson!" Phoebe yelled over the laughter, grabbing the attention of her fellow sisters. She pointed towards Percy, drawing their focus to the young man standing amongst them. "This man is the only male Zoe ever called a friend. If he managed to convince Zoe that there are decent males in the world, then that speaks volumes and is good enough for me! So, let it be known that Percy Jackson is my friend, and I expect everyone to understand and respect that. Should anyone dare to harm or insult him, rest assured, they will have to answer to me." A couple of hunters shot Percy raised eyebrows, as if they didn't understand what was so special about him. To them, he was merely another male, trying to hang around with the hunters.
"So what's been happening recently then," Thalia asked as the rest of the hunt went back to their daily duties.
Percy shrugged, his eyes meeting Thalia's as he replied, his voice carrying a tinge of resignation.
"Honestly, not much has happened. Well, aside from becoming a god, that is." He could almost hear the scepticism dancing in his cousin's sigh. Thalia's eyes rolled, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Oh, you know, just casually ascended to godhood, no big deal," she waved off his nonchalant response, her words dripping with mock indifference. "But seriously, Percy, spill the beans! At least tell us what your domains are now?" Now, there were only three hunters around him: Thalia, Phoebe, and a third hunter Percy had briefly seen a few times, but didn't actually know by name. She seemed far older than the others, twentyish, with an athletic form and short, brown hair.
"Well," Percy began in a quieter tone, "the Fates granted me the domain of Floods which is pretty cool, and Rivers as well, probably because of my father. I'm also the god of Leadership-"
"I knew it!" Thalia smiled warmly. "The way you single handedly led us to victory against the Titans… It was clear since then that no one else could show true leadership quite like you."
"You guys were with me," Percy mumbled. "If anything, it was a team effort."
"Modestly," Phoebe nodded, her voice carrying a measured respect. "A sign of a decent leader." Percy scoffed.
"Decent, is that all I get?" She nodded.
"You may be a valuable friend for Zoe during her final days, and someone in Artemis' good books, but at the end of the day, you're a man. Sure, you've done well… for a man, but when it comes to comparing our strengths and weaknesses, you simply cannot ascend to our level. It's nothing personal, just a fact. Take it or leave it." A flicker of protest welled up within Percy, his desire to defend worth gnawing at his core. Yet, he wisely chose silence. Some battles were better left unfought.
"Phoebe, give him a break," Thalia said with an exasperated sigh, before turning back to Percy. "Did they give you any more domains, or is that it?" Percy looked at her uneasily, aware of the ever-shifting dynamics of the conversation.
"I also got Comfort, Illusions and Metamorphosis," he said, watching their faces go from amusement to shock to awe to confusion in a matter of seconds.
"Meta-what-what-what?" Phoebe asked. Internally Percy sighed. He was starting to get bored of explaining the meaning of his domain."
"Met-a-mor-pho-sis," he said, spelling it out like he would for a five year old. "It's the art of change and transform-"
"Boring," Phoebe quipped. Percy couldn't get over how blunt she was. It was like talking to a brick, only it was a violent brick that had tendencies to hate guys. "I wanna know more about illusions, that sounds really cool!"
"I haven't actually begun learning it yet," Percy admitted. "Supposedly, Hecate is gonna help me, but I still have to visit her. Me and her aren't on the best terms," he added as Thalia raised an eyebrow. His cousin nodded slowly.
"Anything else you want to tell me?" Thalia asked, her voice carrying a mix of sinisterness and challenge. "Any more secrets you've got since the last time we met. Honestly, I'd hate to find out that you're keeping stuff from me because then I'd need to beat you up-"
"Try to beat me up," Percy corrected, smirking mischievously. "Let's face it, in a fight, I'd give you a run for your money, especially with my newfound godhood. But no, to answer your question, no more secrets from me." For a moment, Percy debated telling her about Aphrodite being his mentor but decided against it. The hunt didn't exactly like her, and Percy knew that Thalia would have… an explosive reaction to it.
Phoebe's sharp retorts and Thalia's playful demeanour were paused as the third, older hunter decided to finally say something.
"Phoebe, Thalia, I have some stuff to do," she said firmly and uncomfortably. The two nodded, and the hunter excused herself, walking into the distance.
"That's Atalanta," Thalia said, noticing Percy's expression of confusion. "She's our healer, probably the best healer there is, aside from her father, Apollo of course. Don't take it personally that she left like that. Atalanta and guys… don't go well."
"Why not?"
"Atalanta joined the hunt for a completely different reason to everyone else. See, a long time ago, Atlanta experienced a love so pure and powerful that it consumed her heart. She had found her soulmate, and her life was going perfectly, but Fate dealt her a cruel hand. The very man she loved so deeply was brutally taken from her, slaughtered by another." A heavy sigh escaped Thalia's lips as she recounted the tale. "It was Artemis who found her, heartbroken, and helped her overcome all the trauma and grief. She's much better now, but the wounds run deep. When it's just the hunters, she's brilliant company, and a good laugh, but in the presence of men, the walls she built around herself become impenetrable." Percy nodded. It wasn't his business, and he didn't want to pry, but he felt some pity for her. Losing a loved one was never easy.
"It seems I've told you everything about my godhood," Percy said, "why don't you fill me in on what's been going on with the hunt over the last few years. You guys have grown so much in size!" Thalia smirked and Phoebe had a proud look on her face.
"So after the whole Orion incident, most of our hunters had moved on, into the Underworld."
"Lady Artemis was heartbroken when she found out," Phoebe interjected, a hint of anger flashing across her eyes. Thalia nodded sadly.
"I've never seen her so devastated before, but anyway ever since then, we've been trying even harder than before to recruit new hunters. Luckily, a year back we ran into a group of demigods who had been on the run for at least a week and had definitely seen better days. Lady Artemis offered them shelter, food, and a warm bed for the night. The next day, each and every one of them pledged their allegiance to her. You've met two of them already, I think. You know, the two hunters who were on border duty." Briefly, Percy nodded. It was nice to know that his cousin was still doing well, quietly growing the hunt's numbers in the background, and thus growing Olympus' defences.
"Actually, that makes me want to ask, how did you even convince the guards to let you in?" Thalia asked, tilting her head to one side. "They're a mean duo, no one can ever get past them. Was Artemis already there perhaps?" Uneasily, Percy's eyes darted around, looking at anything but the two hunters, something Thalia wasn't oblivious to.
"Percy," she pressed, her voice laced with a stern tone. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Her piercing gaze bore into his troubled expression, demanding honesty.
"Ah, well, you see, I didn't exactly come alone," Percy mumbled.
"Well who did you come with?" Phoebe asked impatiently. He sighed.
"I may or may not have come with my mentor."
"Mentor?" Thalia frowned, eyeing him suspiciously. "I didn't know you had a mentor."
"Zeus and Athena saw it fit for me to receive training about godhood and my domains. Most of my domains are gonna be covered with gods that share similar powers, like Hecate, Hypnos and some friends like Frank. The actual training of godhood and divinity is taught to me by my mentor, and they're the one that helped me enter the hunters camp." Phoebe seemed satisfied with his answer, but Thalia didn't. Narrowing her eyes, she asked the question he was praying they wouldn't ask.
"Okay, so who is your mentor then?" Immediately, Percy's heart sank like a stone in the depths of the Mariana Trench as Thalia and Phoebe's insistence grew more persistent.
"Do you really need to know?" Percy sighed, his voice tinged with resignation.
"Yes!" Thalia's voice carried a sharp edge, her frustration seeping into every syllable.
"Fine! My mentor is Kypris," he confessed. For a second, Thalia just stared at him in confusion, her brows furrowing as she tried to process the unfamiliar name.
"Kypris? Isn't that a country?"
"Eh… it is yeah, but like many other things, it has another meaning to it." At this, Phoebe had reached her limit of patience, irritation radiating from every fibre of her being.
"Percy," she began with an uneasy calmness, "tell us who this Kypris is or we'll chase you all the way around the camp until you're so fatigued you can't even open your eyes. "And then," she continued, her voice taking on a darker tone, "we'll tie you up against a tree until you tell us." Percy let out a nervous chuckle.
"She's joking, right?" he asked an amused Thalia.
"Only on Mondays," Phoebe interjected, her tone filled with a sinister playfulness that sent a shiver down Percy's spine.
"But today's a Tuesday," Percy frowned, taking a few nervous steps back.
"Precisely!" Phoebe declared triumphantly, a sly grin forming on her lips. "Now are we gonna find out who Kypris is the easy way, or the hard way?" Percy gulped.
As he opened his mouth in protest, the pressure reaching its peak, a sharp and thunderous voice pierced the air.
"THIS IS WHY I DON'T LET YOU INTO MY CAMP!" Artemis screeched. The camp fell into a hush silence, no one daring to breathe, and Phoebe and Thalia exchanged a sideways glance.
"Saved by the bell," Phoebe muttered under her breath, before she and Thalia began jogging towards where the sound had come from, the anger of Artemis outweighing their curiosity for the moment. Percy trailed closely behind them, his heart still pounding in his chest. One lie, he couldn't even get away with that. He sighed, wondering how he'd get out of this situation.
When they reached the site of Artemis' outcry, he and the hunters were confused. Two goddesses were in the middle of a heated argument. Percy couldn't tell what it was about, but it must've been serious because Artemis's face was tinged with a fiery shade of crimson and she was in a much older form.
"Artemis," Aphrodite pleaded, "come on, be reasonable. It's time you gave it a chance." The moon goddess only glared at her fellow Olympian, her regal stature unyielding.
"I was always reasonable," Artemis retorted, her tone laced with a bitter tinge. "But it was always repaid with betrayal and disappointment. Every. Single. Time." Aphrodite shifted uneasily.
"Be that as it may, you said it yourself, we're in a new era. Things aren't the same as they were ten years ago. We've had to battle against Typhon. Kronos rose back from the dead, sort of. Olympus is being rebuilt. The Giants wanted a rematch. Gaia got spawn-killed. We must adapt with this change, Artemis. Even our pantheon has evolved with the addition of a new god who also has a vote on the council." For a fleeting moment, Artemis's steely gaze softened, her defiance momentarily wavering in the face of Aphrodite's persuasiveness. However, it quickly came back.
"You're not changing my mind," Artemis said firmly. Aphrodite only smirked wider, a spark of mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Ohh, is that a challenge I hear?" she asked coyly. The moon goddess's response was swift and cutting.
"Don't even try it," she snapped.
"My Lady, what's going on?" Thalia's frown deepens, her voice full of curiosity and concern. "And why is she here?"
"Is that disrespect I hear in your voice?" Aphrodite teased, though her tone was anything but playful. There was an undercurrent of seriousness, a weight that bore down upon the atmosphere.
"Thalia, unless you're here to ask me something, go back to your tent please," Artemis said wearily, as if talking to Aphrdoite had drained her of all her energy. For a moment, it seemed like Thalia was gonna go back, until she hesitated, as if a thought, long forgotten, had resurfaced with her.
"Lady Artemis, before I go, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," the goddess sighed. Thalia took a deep breath, summoning the courage to voice the question that had nagged at her thoughts.
"Who's Kypris?" Upon hearing the name, Artemis' eyebrows furrowed, as if she was struggling to remember.
"Who's asking?" Aphrodite interjected, also frowning. "It's been a while since I've heard that name."
"I asked my mistress," Thalia pointed out, struggling to keep the rudeness out of her tone. She knew all too well the wrath that Aphrodite was capable of unleashing, especially when she was disrespected, and she had no desire to become the target of the goddess's ire. It may not be now, but eventually, Aphrodite would find her revenge.
"Okay sure, you asked Artemis, but I am Kypris, so it'd be nice if you could tell me why you wanted to know." Thalia just stared at her, mouth wide open.
"Kypris?" she repeated, as if confused. Aphrodite nodded.
"Yeah, it means Lady of Cyprus, you know, seeing as I first appeared on that island." As his cousin slowly turned to face him, Percy could only brace himself for what was coming.
"You… You're learning from Lady Aphrodite?" Thalia's words came out as a whisper, filled with equal parts of anger and accusation. The magnitude of Percy's secret, his choice to keep this from her, struck a deep chord within her. "Why are you with her! Out of all the gods and goddesses, you chose HER!" Her voice was rising now, trembling with indignation. Percy, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and frustration, attempted to offer an explanation. He desperately wanted Thalia to understand the circumstances that had led him to this point, but this was his mess now. Perhaps he should've just been straight with her before…
"Thalia, I had no choice, it was a direct order from Zeus," Percy tried to explain, but she was far beyond reasoning with at this point.
"Ohh, but it didn't matter to you, did it? After all, who wouldn't want to date the goddess of love-"
"We're not dating!" Percy retorted firmly. Unfortunately for him, Aphrodite decided to interject with a mischievous smirk, stoking the flames of Thalia's anger.
"Not yet at least," Aphrodite chimed in, causing him to glare angrily at her.
"Thalia, what's the issue here?" Artemis asked. The daughter of Zeus only threw her hands up in exasperation.
"The issue is Percy kept this from me, even when we agreed there would be no more secrets between us! Not only that, but it's Aphrodite as well!" Shuddering, Thalia took a deep breath, calming and composing herself. "Percy is a good man, My Lady. I don't want to see him get ruined by the likes of her," she said in a controlled measure. Aphrodite opened her mouth, as if to say something, but Artemis raised her hand. The moon goddess paused for a moment, a sadness, almost tinged with wisdom playing across her features.
"Well that's the true test, isn't it my hunter? To see if, when the chips are down, can Percy show the world why he's a man, not merely a boy swayed by the whims of desire and list. If he cannot resist the sugar talk of Aphrodite, and succumbs to her ways, then he is no different than the other males. Only time can tell us, my dear hunter, but let us not give our hopes up. It wouldn't be the first time Percy defied the odds, showing the world that he is capable of achieving the impossible."
Thalia stared at Percy, before eventually running up and hugging him tightly, something that caught him by surprise.
"Don't do anything stupid," Thalia's voice was soft, almost a whisper, as she spoke into his ear. Her words held a gentle caution, a plea for him to tread carefully. However, just as swiftly as she had embraced him, Thalia pulled back and delivered a punch to his arm, a gesture that contained both frustration and concern. With a swift turn, she dashed off towards her tent, leaving Percy in a state of bewildered amusement and a slight throbbing in his arm.
"Ow!" Percy yelped, rubbing himself. Women, he thought with a sigh. Such fine, complicated beings.
"Aphrodite, get out of here now," Artemis ordered. "Percy, it'd be best for you to get out as well, but don't worry. Thalia calms down really fast. I doubt it will be long before the two of you will see each other again." Nodding respectfully, Percy thanked Artemis for her hospitality, before quickly following Aphrodite out of the camp.
"Why are you so embarrassed of me being your mentor?" Aphrodite protested, her voice carrying a tinge of hurt. Percy waved it away.
"I'm not sure why you're surprised, but forget that. What were you and Artemis arguing so fiercely about?" The goddess sighed, as if still burdened by their disagreement.
"I'm trying to convince Artemis to do something she hasn't done in a while, and she's adamantly refusing."
"Honestly, I'd refuse too," Percy remarked casually. Aphrodite's eyes widened in disbelief at his response.
"What!? You don't even know what it is." Percy shrugged.
"I don't need to know the details," he retorted, a teasing smile dancing on his lips. "If it's your suggestion, it's probably a bad one." Aphrodite huffed in mock indignation, crossing her arms in front of her.
"I'll have you know, I've had some rather decent ideas in the past," she countered, " but that's besides the point. It's time to move on."
"Move on? You're giving up that easily?"
"No!" She sighed. "Plan A has failed, so it's time to do the only logical thing." Percy leaned back slightly, his brows furrowing in intrigue.
"And what is that?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. Aphrodite regarded him with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
"Plan B," she replaced with a touch of exasperation. "Honestly, I thought you were smart enough to know that. Come now, my apprentice. It is time to show you why they call me one of the smartest Olympians."
Percy didn't have the heart to tell her how wrong she was.
Okay, so this is the first official meeting with the hunt, so how did I do!? I felt really nervous writing this lol, because I wasn't sure if people would liked what I did with Phoebe and Atlanta, but please do review and tell me!
Also, I can finally confirm that next week, I'll be publishing a new book as well on here, so definitely stay around for that!