Everybody waited impatiently for Poseidon to start reading the next chapter. Only one chapter in and already a fury had shown up in the story; what more was coming? They couldn't believe that a 12-year-old child who was ignorant to their existence killed the fury in one slash.

Poseidon looked at the book and started reading.

I was used to the occasional weird experience, but usually they were over quickly. This twenty-four/seven hallucination was more than I could handle. For the rest of the school year, the entire campus seemed to be playing some kind of trick on me. The students acted as if they were completely and totally convinced that Mrs. Kerr— a perky blond woman whom I'd never seen in my life until she got on our bus at the end of the field trip—had been our pre - algebra teacher since Christmas.

Everyone looked shocked that the mist worked so well. Hecate herself looked interested as to how the magic worked.

Every so often I would spring a Mrs. Dodds reference on somebody, just to see if I could trip them up, but they would stare at me like I was psycho.

It got so I almost believed them—Mrs. Dodds had never existed.

Almost.

"Grover," Clarisse shouted, "It's got to be Grover, no one else would be stupid enough to give it away."

Grover looked offended, but before he could say anything, everyone from the future started laughing and nodding.

"Give it up buddy, you know you weren't a good liar back then." Thalia said as she had trouble controlling the menacing grin on her face.

Grover blushed and looked away, ignoring everyone's teasing gaze on him.

But Grover couldn't fool me. When I mentioned the name Dodds to him, he would hesitate, then claim she didn't exist. But I knew he was lying. Something was going on. Something had happened at the museum.

I didn't have much time to think about it during the days, but at night, visions of Mrs. Dodds with talons and leathery wings would wake me up in a cold sweat.

The freak weather continued, which didn't help my mood. One night, a thunderstorm blew out the windows in my dorm room. A few days later, the biggest tornado ever spotted in the Hudson Valley touched down only fifty miles from Yancy Academy. One of the current events we studied in social studies class was the unusual number of small planes that had gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year.

"Can you please control your temper and not cause death because of your tantrums? Do you know how hard it is to manage those many souls?" Hades said angrily, though tiredness could be heard in his voice.

Poseidon looked ashamed, whereas Zeus looked like he couldn't care.

"What do you care about that? Surely, you're getting more powerful as your domain grows." Zeus countered at his brother haughtily. He looked over at Hades considerably, thinking about if he was trying to overthrow him.

Poseidon looked over at Zeus, disgusted; he didn't believe how much like their father Zeus had become.

Hades sneered at Zeus, "Only an airhead like you would think that. Do you know how much trouble your petty arguments cause me? The underworld is filled with souls and governing those souls takes both my riches and power. I do not grow powerful by the additional souls, instead I grow weaker. As the underworld draws my strength to run fluently." The amount of hatred in his words surprised everyone. Years of anger had made him bitter towards half of his family.

He let everyone go over his words. They didn't think it was that bad.

Poseidon nodded and replied, "I know how hard it is to run a kingdom brother. For what it is worth, I apologize for my part in your problems."

Athena looked at Poseidon with an open mouth. He was apologizing first?

Hades' eyes softened as he looked at his brother and nodded back. Nico picked up at Poseidon's apology, "Of course you understand Lord Poseidon, you take part in running your kingdom yourself. Not all of us can push the actual work at others and go around whoring with every piece of flesh that is in our sight."

The royal family of the sea and underworld laughed at the direct insult aimed at Zeus.

As expected, Zeus seethed in anger and looked at Nico threateningly, "HOW DARE YOU disrespect your KING?" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

Nico looked at Zeus as if he was nothing, and replied nonchalantly, "I may be an Olympian, but I do not serve you. You're not my king, I serve under the orders of Lord Perseus."

Zeus said nothing after that as he slumped back at his throne in anger.

I started feeling cranky and irritable most of the time. My grades slipped from Ds to Fs. I got into more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. I was sent out into the hallway in almost every class. Anger was coursing through me. I always had this sudden urge to destroy something; my hands were itching to punch something.

Everyone seemed surprised by the last sentences. So far Percy had shown signs of being a peaceful child, so the sudden aggression was a shock.

"He is feeling the rage of the oceans," Amphitrite gasped as she looked over at Poseidon and Triton. Shock was written on both their faces.

"The sea must be strong in him if the oceans are causing his mood shifts." Poseidon mused as he looked at the prince of the seas, who nodded, agreeing with his father. Theseus thought back to the time the seas had made him feel cranky, too, but nothing to this extent.

"Still this much anger is surprising. Is he always like that?" Poseidon asked, looking over at Percy's wives. The five of them were silent and observing everything carefully.

Annabeth looked over at Poseidon and answered. "Percy is not an angry person but when pushed, his anger surpasses even yours. And Percy is by far the most destructive child you have ever sired." She remembered seeing the ashes of Mt. St. Helens. Even some gods would have trouble blowing up a huge mountain like that.

Most of the people from the past looked afraid as they heard Annabeth's answer. Poseidon's wrath was something that was nothing to trifle with. He had leveled entire continents in his rage, and now to hear that his son was even worse. Poseidon also had birthed many destructive children, some godly monsters. How could a demigod top all of them they didn't know?

Athena, Artemis and Hestia looked conflicted. One minute the man they were reading about was the kindest, and the other he was an uncontrollable force of nature.

Poseidon and his family looked at Annabeth with wide eyes as her answer amazed them.

Finally, when our English teacher, Mr. Nicoll, asked me for the millionth time why I was too lazy to study for spelling tests, I snapped. I called him an old sot. I wasn't even sure what it meant, but it sounded good.

The headmaster sent my mom a letter the following week, making it official: I would not be invited back next year to Yancy Academy.

Fine, I told myself. Just fine. I was homesick.

I wanted to be with my mom in our little apartment on the Upper East Side, even if I had to go to public school and put up with my obnoxious stepfather and his stupid poker parties.

Nico frowned as he heard the last sentence, "Wait, Paul never played poker."

Percy's wives looked at each other; there was a dark look in their eyes. "Not Paul, Percy had another step-father before him." Annabeth answered, and it was impossible to ignore the disgust and anger in her words.

Athena, Artemis, and Hestia paid more attention to her words than anyone. It was a voice of pure hatred; they wanted to learn what caused that.

And yet... there were things I'd miss at Yancy. The view of the woods out my dorm window, the Hudson River in the distance, the smell of pine trees.

"Yeah, you just know how much he loves pine trees. He can't get enough of it." Annabeth said, wiggling her eyebrows at Thalia. She blushed and muttered a quick 'Shut up,' to her.

Everyone else looked confused but decided to stay silent.

I'd miss Grover, who'd been a good friend, even if he was a little strange. I worried how he'd survive next year without me.

"You know that would've been so good if he hadn't said that 'strange' part." Grover muttered as everyone laughed at him.

"You know Percy, he doesn't filter his thoughts or what he says." Rachel said as she laughed at him.

I'd miss Latin class, too—Mr. Brunner's crazy tournament days and his faith that I could do well.

As exam week got closer, Latin was the only test I studied for. I hadn't forgotten what Mr. Brunner had told me about making the right decisions. I wasn't sure why, but I'd started to believe that when he said that, he didn't just mean the tests.

Athena nodded frantically and yelled, "Finally." She threw her hands out in exasperation.

The evening before my final, I got so frustrated I threw the Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology across my dorm room. Words had started swimming off the page, circling my head, the letters doing one-eighties as if they were riding skateboards. There was no way I was going to remember the difference between Chiron and Charon, or Polydictes and Polydeuces. And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.

I paced the room, feeling like ants were crawling around inside my shirt.

I remembered Mr. Brunner's serious expression, his thousand-year-old eyes. You would have to make the right decision Mr. Jackson.

"Yes he would, he would have to make many decisions that would decide the fate of the world." Thalia said miserably, she once had faced a similar predicament. She was also the probable candidate for the prophecy. She knew what it was like to have that burden.

"Yeah but can you imagine anyone else making those decisions?" Annabeth asked, rubbing her back.

Thalia smiled sadly and shook her head, "No can't do, if it was up to me I would've been driven by the power. Death-breath over there would've been driven by his grudge." Thalia said, looking over at Nico.

Nico nodded wholeheartedly, if it was up to him to save the gods, he didn't know what he would do.

"What are you people talking about?" Athena asked as she heard them. It was far too early for her to figure out what they were talking about.

"It will all be revealed as the book continues." Piper said, and motioned for Poseidon to continue reading.

I took a deep breath. I picked up the mythology book.

I'd never asked a teacher for help before. Maybe if I talked to Mr. Brunner, he could give me some pointers. At least I could apologize for the big fat F I was about to score on his exam. I didn't want to leave Yancy Academy with him thinking I hadn't tried.

Chiron smiled softly as he heard that, "I wouldn't think that."

Annabeth nodded along with him, "We know Chiron. Percy just didn't want to disappoint you."

Chiron nodded and smiled at her.

I walked downstairs to the faculty offices. Most of them were dark and empty, but Mr. Brunner's door was ajar, light from his window stretching across the hallway floor.

I was three steps from the door handle when I heard voices inside the office. Mr. Brunner asked a question. A voice that was definitely Grover's said "... worried about Percy, sir."

I froze. I'm not usually an eavesdropper, but I dare you to try not listening if you hear your best friend talking about you to an adult. I inched closer.

"... alone this summer," Grover was saying. "I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too—"

"We would only make matters worse by rushing him," Mr. Brunner said. "We need the boy to mature more."

Nico snorted as soon as the last sentence was read, "You will be waiting a long time if you want him to mature, Chiron."

"Hey Percy is pretty mature," Annabeth countered as she looked at the son of Hades. Rachel, Piper and Reyna nodded along with her. Thalia stayed out of the matter.

Almost everyone from the future raised their eyebrows at Annabeth.

"Come on mom, just yesterday dad painted the entire Mt. Olympus pink with Hermes as a prank. Even I'm more mature than him." Danae looked over from the hearth where she was sitting with her mother. Hestia laughed as she heard her daughter.

Zeus and Hera looked like they were one second away from having an aneurysm by the mere thought of Olympus looking pink. The rest had various reactions.

Artemis was stuck thinking with horror that she married someone like that. Apollo and him were going to make her life a living nightmare.

Apollo, Poseidon, Hermes, were laughing loudly at the brilliant prank.

"And," Nico started, "Percy stole Artemis' chariot, because she refused to let him go to the bar with Apollo and Hermes."

Artemis and her hunters looked at him with an open mouth. It wasn't a surprise that the moon chariot was very dear to Artemis. She wouldn't even let her hunters ride the chariot without good reasons. Artemis didn't know what to do; she was broken out of her anger when her children started laughing.

Damon and Penelope were both laughing loudly, "Mom thought it was Uncle Apollo, she was so angry she shot him in the butt with her arrows. Uncle Apollo couldn't sit straight for two days." Penelope wheezed out, catching her stomach.

Apollo, who was laughing seconds ago, stopped immediately. Now it was the rest of the gods laughing at him. He looked at Artemis and glared at her.

Artemis looked amused and raised her hands in surrender, "It wasn't me, it was me in the future."

Apollo nodded, looking at her with narrowed eyes for a few more seconds.

"But he may not have time. The summer solstice deadline— "

"Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can."

"Sir, he saw her... ."

"His imagination," Mr. Brunner insisted. "The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince him of that."

"Sir, I ... I can't fail in my duties again." Grover's voice was choked with emotion. "You know what that would mean."

"You haven't failed, Grover," Mr. Brunner said kindly. "I should have seen her for what she was. Now let's just worry about keeping Percy alive until next fall—"

Why were they worried about my life? For a moment I panicked, thinking they had learned about my situation at home. But I didn't know how. I always made sure to hide all the bruises and wear long clothes.

Poseidon stopped reading and looked at Grover with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean by keeping him alive? Why is my son in danger that Chiron himself would be worried for his life? And what situation at home is he talking about?" His voice was like the calm before the thunder.

Grover looked confused himself as he answered, "Chiron and I were talking about keeping him safe from the monsters. But the thing about his situation at home, I don't know anything about that Lord."

Poseidon nodded, though he didn't like it. The answer satisfied him.

Artemis had a look of sadness and fury on her face. "What is his situation at home, and why does he have bruises that need to be covered?" she asked, looking over at Percy's wives with narrowed eyes. She had taken many abused victims under her, and Percy was showing every sign of someone who was being abused. She didn't like thinking that her future husband had gone through this.

Percy's wives were angry themselves, but shook their heads, "We will learn about that in the books." They refused to say anything more.

The mythology book dropped out of my hand and hit the floor with a thud.

Mr. Brunner went silent.

My heart hammering, I picked up the book and backed down the hall.

A shadow slid across the lighted glass of Brunner's office door, the shadow of something much taller than my wheelchair-bound teacher, holding something that looked suspiciously like an archer's bow.

I opened the nearest door and slipped inside. I had enough experience of hiding behind doors for fear of my life that I knew no one would catch me.

Again, Artemis noticed the fear he had and frowned. She looked at her hunters to see that they were frowning themselves. She shook her head and listened to the reading.

A few seconds later I heard a slow clop-clop-clop, like muffled wood blocks, then a sound like an animal snuffling right outside my door. A large, dark shape paused in front of the glass, then moved on.

A bead of sweat trickled down my neck.

Somewhere in the hallway, Mr. Brunner spoke. "Nothing," he murmured. "My nerves haven't been right since the winter solstice."

"No way, the kid can't possibly be stealthy enough for Chiron to not catch him." Apollo shouted.

Hermes shook his head as he looked at his brother, "I bet you 100 drachmas, Percy goes unnoticed." He said he had full confidence in Percy.

Apollo took that deal, ignoring the look his sister was sending him to not bet on it.

"Mine neither," Grover said. "But I could have sworn ..."

"Go back to the dorm," Mr. Brunner told him. "You've got a long day of exams tomorrow."

"Don't remind me."

The lights went out in Mr. Brunner's office. I waited in the dark for what seemed like forever. Finally, I slipped out into the hallway and made my way back up to the dorm.

Apollo's mouth hung open as Hermes laughed and extended his hand to collect his winnings. Apollo grumbled and gave Hermes the drachmas.

"I know this kid was good. I can't wait to see what he does in the future." Hermes said, looking at the book.

Apollo just shook his head, "I think it was because Chiron is getting senile with the years."

Chiron looked at Apollo in shock as everyone of his pupils snickered.

Artemis looked at her brother and said, "No, it's because you're stupid to not listen to me."

Apollo had a genuine smile on his face. It was the first conversation they had in a long while where she wasn't hostile towards him, "Whatever you say little sister." They hadn't spent much time because she hated males, and he came on that list. Maybe in the future they could get close again.

Artemis sighed, "I'm not your little sister Apollo, I helped mother give birth to you." She acted tiredly but loved the little arguments she had with her brother.

Thalia groaned loudly along with her hunters, "Not this again." She sighed and started, "Please start reading again Lord Poseidon, before those two starts."

Zeus looked tiredly at his daughter from the future, "You mean they fight about that even in the future?" He didn't even try to get the twins to stop arguing now, knowing it was futile.

Thalia nodded and answered, "They are even worse in the future." She remembered being on the hunt. The way Artemis and Apollo would argue constantly when they were together, always about the same thing. It always got on her nerves.

Everyone looked at Apollo and Artemis, thinking about how these two could get any worse. They were already arguing, fighting all the time. The council shuddered as they heard that they would have to deal with their dramas forever.

Artemis and Apollo looked at each other and smirked. Apollo shot a wink at Artemis, to which she just rolled her eyes.

Grover was lying on his bed, studying his Latin exam notes like he'd been there all night.

"Hey," he said, bleary-eyed. "You going to be ready for this test?"

I didn't answer.

"You look awful." He frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Just... tired."

I turned so he couldn't read my expression, and started getting ready for bed.

I didn't understand what I'd heard downstairs. I wanted to believe I'd imagined the whole thing.

But one thing was clear: Grover and Mr. Brunner were talking about me behind my back. They thought I was in some kind of danger.

"When is he not in any danger?" Piper asked as she looked around at the people from the future.

"What do you mean?" Athena asked.

"Percy is a very nice and kind person, but he is also very aggravating. If he doesn't like someone he would do everything in his power to insult them and anger them further. At any given time there are like countless Titans, and Giants trying to kill him." Piper said tiredly, the amount of times she had to charmspeak him to calm down, so he wouldn't go punching people up was surprising. Though she loved the fact that he was only influenced by her charmspeak, not her mother's.

Athena didn't know how to react to that. She slumped down on her couch as she tiredly heard the story of her future husband. What had she signed up to by marrying him? Artemis and Hestia, too, were having the same thought.

The next afternoon, as I was leaving the three-hour Latin exam, my eyes swimming with all the Greek and Roman names I'd misspelled, Mr. Brunner called me back inside.

For a moment, I was worried he'd found out about my eavesdropping the night before, but that didn't seem to be the problem.

"Percy," he said. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's ... it's for the best."

His tone was kind, but the words still embarrassed me. He reminded me of everyone that had always said that I would never amount to anything. Even though he was speaking quietly, the other kids finishing the test could hear. Nancy Bobofit smirked at me and made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.

Everyone looked at Chiron surprised, wondering how a person who had taught thousands of children for thousands of years, could be this bad at talking to them.

They also felt angry and wondered what kind of person would tell a child that he would never amount to anything. They deserve nothing less than the fields of punishment.

I mumbled, "Okay, sir."

"I mean ..." Mr. Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. "This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time."

My eyes stung, and my heart grew heavy. I could feel the water in the atmosphere getting dense as it became heavy for me to breathe.

"CHIRON," Poseidon groaned, "By the fates brother you've lived for thousands of years, how can you be this obtuse talking to kids?" He asked, and he could understand what his son was feeling. The children of the sea were deeply emphatic, words like that from the person they looked up to could be problematic.

Chiron blushed and tried to stutter an excuse, but found out that he couldn't come up with one, so he looked down to control his flushed face.

Here was my favorite teacher, in front of the class, telling me I couldn't handle it. After saying he believed in me all year, the one person who believed in me except my mother, was now telling me that I was destined to get kicked out.

"Right," I said, trembling. I tried to control my emotions; it wasn't unusual for me to face disappointments.

"No, no," Mr. Brunner said. "Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say ... you're not normal, Percy. That's nothing to be—"

"Thanks," I blurted. "Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me."

"Percy—"

But I was already gone. I wasn't going to stick around any further to listen to what a disappointment I was. I had enough of that already.

The past gods felt their hearts sadden. What kind of things had this 12 year old child experienced for his thoughts to be like this? Something seriously was wrong with him.

Annabeth gripped Thalia's hand tightly as she tried not to lose control. Something the other four of her sister wives understood. They knew why Percy's thoughts were like this. And they hated that he had to go through this.

Artemis, Athena, and Hestia's suspicions grew stronger that their future husband was abused as a child, both mentally and physically. They felt a strange kind of protective fire burn within them.

On the last day of the term, I shoved my clothes into my suitcase. The other guys were joking around, talking about their vacation plans. One of them was going on a hiking trip to Switzerland. Another was cruising the Caribbean for a month. They were juvenile delinquents, like me, but they were rich juvenile delinquents. Their daddies were executives, or ambassadors, or celebrities. I was a nobody, from a family of nobodies.

Zeus frowned as he glared at nothing, "We are not nobodies." He growled at the book.

Athena smirked, looking at Poseidon. "I don't know father, Poseidon might count as nobody," she teased the Lord of the seas.

Hades laughed loudly and nodded, while Hestia smiled, looking at them. Thinking 'this was how a family is supposed to be.'

Poseidon glared at her before smirking smugly. "Is that how you talk to your future father-in-law niece?" The shit eating grin on his face was unwavering. Finally, he had the upper hand in his rival; now it would be fun.

Athena looked sick as she realized the fact that Poseidon was going to be her father-in-law. She opened her mouth to retort, but couldn't as she blushed hard from head to toe.

Satisfied with himself, Poseidon started reading again.

They asked me what I'd be doing this summer and I told them I was going back to the city. What I didn't tell them was that I'd have to get a summer job walking dogs or selling magazine subscriptions, and spend my free time worrying about where I'd go to school in the fall.

"Why would a 12 year old child need to work that hard?" Hermes asked as he looked at the people from the future. Even now in the past, that sounded serious.

"You will learn everything in time, we can't say anything now." Rachel said and refused to say anything, along with Percy's other wives. Much to the annoyance of the gods and goddesses.

"Oh," one of the guys said. "That's cool."

They went back to their conversation as if I'd never existed. The only person I dreaded saying good-bye to was Grover, but as it turned out, I didn't have to. He'd booked a ticket to Manhattan on the same Greyhound as I had, so there we were, together again, heading into the city.

"Yeah sure Grover, just follow him to his home, that's not going to be suspicious at all." Annabeth teased her friend.

Grover looked at her dead serious, "I didn't have any other way to look after him. His powers were getting very strong."

Annabeth nodded and sat back to hear the reading.

During the whole bus ride, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle, watching the other passengers. It occurred to me that he'd always acted nervous and fidgety when we left Yancy, as if he expected something bad to happen. Before, I'd always assumed he was worried about getting teased. But there was nobody to tease him on the Greyhound.

Finally I couldn't stand it anymore.

I said, "Looking for Kindly Ones?"

"That has got to be the bluntest way to pop that question." Apollo laughed and shook his head. Beside him Hermes gave him high-five, they were going to become best-friends with Percy.

Amphitrite had a soft smile on her face, "He gets it from you," She said to Poseidon and shook her head. Her husband had no tact and was very blunt with his approach to things, seems like his son had taken after his father.

Grover nearly jumped out of his seat. "Wha—what do you mean?"

I confessed about eavesdropping on him and Mr. Brunner the night before the exam.

Grover's eye twitched. "How much did you hear?"

"Oh ... not much. What's the summer solstice dead-line?"

"Yep... not much just the whole thing," Grover muttered as he remembered how he nearly had a heart-attack.

Nico laughed loudly along with Annabeth and Thalia as Grover looked like he was having a heart attack right now. They couldn't help but pity the poor satyr for having to deal with Percy. They too had suffered with the same thing.

He winced. "Look, Percy ... I was just worried for you, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon math teachers ..." "Grover—"

"And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs. Dodds, and ..."

"Grover, you're a really, really bad liar." His ears turned pink.

Like they had turned pink now, he wished that people had forgotten how scared and nervous he used to be. But it seems that thanks to Percy more people will learn of his past adventures. OH NO! A horrible thought occurred to him as he realized that they were probably going to read about Percy's quest on the sea of monsters.

That meant that they were going to read about the island of Polyphemus, and probably of what he had to do in order to survive. He shuddered at the memory of acting like he wanted to marry the Cyclops.

"What's the matter Grover? You look like you've seen a ghost." Annabeth asked him. His mind had gone to another place. Pan too, looked at him worriedly.

"It's nothing, just realizing how much of our quests are going to be revealed. It's going to be seriously embarrassing if they learn everything." Grover said, and they all thought about it. Percy knew almost every deep secret of most of them. They didn't know how they felt about their life being put in a book for the public.

Clarisse looked at Grover and started laughing. She turned to Annabeth and wheezed out, "Remember the island, and what Grover was about to do?"

Annabeth laughed as she remembered exactly what Clarisse was talking about. She looked at Grover to further tease him, before she could even start he interrupted her. "You say one word and I will tell everyone what you named your pillow after your third quest." Grover threatened and Annabeth stopped.

She couldn't believe he would use that against her. She had told him in a moment of weakness. How could a friend threaten her like that?

Everyone else from the future and past looked genuinely confused. They couldn't understand the inner jokes they had going on.

Percy's wives pulled Annabeth for a quick discussion. They had nothing to hide from each other so they asked her what the name for the pillow was.

Annabeth blushed hard and answered, "After Percy had come to rescue Artemis and me from Atlas' trap. My feelings for him grew so I named my pillow 'Cuddle Percy,'"

There was a moment of silence when all four other wives of Percy exploded in laughter. Even Reyna was holding her stomach as they had trouble controlling their laughter.

Athena, Artemis and Hestia looked confused about what they were laughing about. They felt sad that they weren't included in their little group.

Damon looked confused what was wrong with his moms so he went to sit with his Uncle Apollo and Uncle Nico.

From his shirt pocket, he fished out a grubby business card. "Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer.

"He fished out, does he always relate things to the sea?" Athena asked, she still looked frowning that she would marry a sea-spawn.

"Of course he does, he is a son of the sea," Poseidon replied, puffing his chest out.

Athena rolled her eyes but refrained from saying anything.

The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes, but I finally made out something like:

Grover Underwood

Keeper

Half-Blood Hill

Long Island, New York

(800) 009-0009

"What's Half—"

"Don't say it aloud!" he yelped. "That's my, um ... summer address."

"He is not going to like that Grover, he would take it the wrong way." Rachel said remembering how much Percy hated rich people.

"Why?" Poseidon asked what his son's reason was.

"Percy hates rich people and people with authority. They always turn dicks and see Percy below them. And most of the people that bullied him in school were rich people." Rachel informed them.

Poseidon frowned but went back to reading.

My heart sank. Grover had a summer home. I'd never considered that his family might be as rich as the others at Yancy.

"Okay," I said glumly. "So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion."

He nodded. "Or ... or if you need me."

"Why would I need you?"

"PERCY," Everyone from the future groaned. They still couldn't believe how he spoke whatever he thought before wording it better.

"He didn't mean it, Grover, you know how much he needed you," Annabeth assured him after seeing his sad expression.

Grover nodded at her.

It came out harsher than I meant it to.

Annabeth gave Grover a look that screamed; See what I told you.

Grover blushed right down to his Adam's apple. "Look, Percy, the truth is, I—I kind of have to protect you." I stared at him.

All year long, I'd gotten in fights, keeping bullies away from him. I'd lost sleep worrying that he'd get beaten up next year without me. And here he was acting like he was the one who defended me.

"He lost sleep because of me?" Grover asked, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew how much Percy cared for him, but to lose sleep over him worrying.

Everyone from the past looked shocked that the boy cared so much for his friend.

"Grover," I said, "what exactly are you protecting me from?"

Annabeth scoffed as she answered, "Almost everything. Every single monster in the entire Greek Pantheon was after him one way or another. Even the mortals had arrests warrant out for him."

The past gods looked conflicted at how to feel about that. What kind of trouble or fate did the hero had? To have every single monster out looking for him. Even Heracles didn't have this much trouble, and he was cursed by the queen of heavens.

There was a huge grinding noise under our feet. Black smoke poured from the dashboard and the whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs. The driver cursed and limped the Greyhound over to the side of the highway.

After a few minutes clanking around in the engine compartment, the driver announced that we'd all have to get off. Grover and I filed outside with everybody else.

We were on a stretch of country road—no place you'd notice if you didn't break down there. On our side of the highway was nothing but maple trees and litter from passing cars. On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand.

"An old-fashioned fruit stand?" Zeus asked leaning forward, he could remember that it was an indication of something important, but he couldn't remember what.

Athena and Hestia realized what this meant and they both grew nervous. Sure he must be the God of fate now, but he was just a child in the book. A meeting with the fates wasn't something to scoff at. They didn't know what it meant.

The stuff on sale looked really good: heaping boxes of bloodred cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice. There were no customers, just three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs in the shade of a maple tree, knitting the biggest pair of socks I'd ever seen.

I mean these socks were the size of sweaters, but they were clearly socks. The lady on the right knitted one of them. The lady on the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn.

All three women looked ancient, with pale faces wrinkled like fruit leather, silver hair tied back in white bandannas, bony arms sticking out of bleached cotton dresses.

The weirdest thing was, they seemed to be looking right at me. Their gaze was cold and unforgiving; like they were figuring out if I was worth it.

Everyone gasped as they realized it was the three fates. Why would he be meeting the fates so early in his adventures? Not even Percy's wives had known about this meeting with the fates. Once Percy gets here he was going to have to deal with 5 angry women.

"Why would the fates show themselves to him this early. They never do something without any cause." Poseidon asked, afraid, for his son. He knew that he didn't die but his future could be filled with pain if the fates took personal interest in him.

"They were probably there to see if he had what it would take to be the prophecy child." Rachel said she was the goddess of prophecy and sight. The only ones who understand the will of fates better than Percy were her and Apollo.

"What is this prophecy you speak so much about?" Athena asked, she had noticed how they always called Percy the prophecy child. The prophecy must be significant with the books if they were emphasizing so much on it. Yet, they hadn't told the prophecy.

Apollo too looked interested, for some reasons the fates had blocked him from seeing things about the future.

I looked over at Grover to say something about this and saw that the blood had drained from his face. His nose was twitching.

"Grover?" I said. "Hey, man—"

"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?"

"Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all."

"Yeah Percy, not funny at all," Hermes muttered as he was nervous by the mention of the fates. He seriously liked this hero so far, now he was scared for him.

The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors—gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. I heard Grover catch his breath.

So did everybody in the room. Not even the gods had ever seen the fates snip somebody's life cord. It was a terrible omen, an omen of death. So why were the fates so intent on showing this untrained demigod that? What possible reason did they have for that?

"We're getting on the bus," he told me. "Come on."

"Yes please Percy get on the bus," Many shouted in the throne room. Including Hestia, Athena, and Artemis, they didn't want him to see the snipping of his own cord.

"What?" I said. "It's a thousand degrees in there."

"Come on!'" He pried open the door and climbed inside, but I stayed back.

"Damn it, do all the sea-spawns have to be so thick headed?" Athena shouted at Poseidon, enraged.

Poseidon bit back a retort as he realized that she was worried. He couldn't even blame her; sometimes he too wished that his children hadn't inherited his stubbornness, as it always led them to trouble.

Percy's five wives were all pale, they didn't know how to react to that. They knew that Percy was safe now and that the fates had no control over them. But that didn't help them with the fear for Percy in the books.

Across the road, the old ladies were still watching me. The middle one cut the yarn, and I swear I could hear that snip across four lanes of traffic.

Everybody inside the throne room flinched like they could hear the snip too. All blood had seemed to rush out of their faces.

Her two friends balled up the electric-blue socks, leaving me wondering who they could possibly be for—Sasquatch or Godzilla.

No one laughed at the joke as they were still too sombered from what had just been read. The snipping of the strings of life was nothing to laugh about.

At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life.

The passengers cheered.

"Darn right!" yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. "Everybody back on board!"

"Now that thing works?" Kymopoleia asked, enraged at what her brother had just gone through.

"It was the will of fates, they wanted him to see it. One way or another that moment would decide his fate." Apollo answered and looked at Rachel for confirmation. They shared a domain of prophecy, she was the only one who could understand things along with him.

Once we got going, I started feeling feverish, as if I'd caught the flu.

Grover didn't look much better. He was shivering and his teeth were chattering.

"Grover?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you not telling me?"

He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. "Percy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?"

"You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, man? They're not like ... Mrs. Dodds, are they?"

"No, they are much older and far more powerful than the furies." Zeus said, talking to the book. Thinking about the warning the fates gave him, only the fates had the power to scare everyone like that.

Many gods nodded along with Zeus.

His expression was hard to read, but I got the feeling that the fruit-stand ladies were something much, much worse than Mrs. Dodds. He said, "Just tell me what you saw."

"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn."

He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost—older.

Almost everyone seemed surprised by his deduction. It was the warding sign of the nature spirits. Older than the birth of the gods, if the child could sense that much than he must be really sharp.

"The kid is observant, far more observant than any demigod I have ever seen. If he continues he might reveal many secrets the gods had tried to cover." Hades muttered darkly, wishing that the kid never travels to the underworld.

The gods grew scared and nervous from Hades' comment. There were too many things they wanted to remain in secret. They wished that the child never stumbled upon them.

He said, "You saw her snip the cord."

"Yeah. So?" But even as I said it, I knew it was a big deal.

"This is not happening," Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I don't want this to be like the last time."

"What last time?"

"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth."

"Why can't they never get past sixth grade?" Athena asked as she leaned forward slightly. Her daughter was laying with her head on Athena's lap. It was the first time Athena interacted with her children, and some motherly feelings were starting to form in the goddess.

"It's because when they reach the sixth grade they are about 12-13 years of age. Their scent grows stronger making them a beacon for the monsters." Grover answered thinking of how much Percy's strength was starting to grow. To the point that it was even overwhelming Grover, he didn't want to think how much the monsters could sense him.

"Grover," I said, because he was really starting to scare me. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me."

This seemed like a strange request to me, but I promised he could.

"Is this like a superstition or something?" I asked. Remembering how my mom used to freak about whenever I told her something weird that happened to me. Like some pretty ladies waving at me from the lake or the sea.

"Naiads," All of Percy's wives hissed.

"What's wrong with naiads?" Triton asked, they were all creatures of water. He quite loved them.

"They are too flirty, they always try to find some reason to touch Percy and rub against him." Annabeth growled in jealousy. She may have 8 other women she would have to share Percy with, doesn't mean that he was game for everybody. Piper, Reyna, Thalia, and Rachel nodded along with her.

Amphitrite nodded agreeing with her and glared at her husband and son, who had gotten a dreamy look in their eyes.

No answer.

"Grover—that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?"

He looked at me mournfully, like he was already picking the kind of flowers I'd like best on my coffin.

Poseidon shut the book and threw it at Hades. Hades grumbled about reading a book but complied when Persephone nudged him. He didn't want to seem interested in the story but he was. He wanted to learn about the wars in the future and how it affected him. If his children were among the one who fought, and how did his child become a god? Because there is no way that Zeus was giving one of his sons godhood.

He opened the book and read the title. Grover unexpectedly loses his pants.

Everyone started laughing at the flushed face Satyr, while the hunters made, "Eew," noises.

Confession time: I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal.

"Percy," Groaned the majority of the people present. What was wrong with him, he just promised Grover like five a few minutes ago.

Thalia laughed loudly, "Sure the Kelp-head would ditch you, it's your fault you hadn't thought of that." Grover glared at her which only caused her to laugh harder.

I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover was freaking me out, looking at me like I was a dead man, muttering "Why does this always happen?" and "Why does it always have to he sixth grade?"

"To be honest even I would have ditched him, if he acted like that." Piper admitted chuckling. Thalia, Nico, and Annabeth nodded agreeing with her.

Grover blushed as he realized how bad he sounded. He was freaking out and scaring Percy. He cringed at how awkward both him and Percy used to be.

Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up, so I wasn't surprised when, as soon as we got off the bus, he made me promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. Instead of waiting, I got my suitcase, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown.

"East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," I told the driver.

A word about my mother, before you meet her.

"Kind," Annabeth said softly, remembering how Sally had always treated her like a daughter. She missed how the two of them would sit on her apartment and talk about how stupid Percy was as a child.

"Awesome," Nico muttered, Sally always made sure he was fed whenever he visited. She used to make him cake because he liked it at Percy's 15th birthday.

"Understanding," Clarisse smiled, once when she was out on a mission. Sally had let her stay in her place for the night to relax. Like Sally did with many others.

"The perfect mom," Thalia said with a wistful look on her face. She remembered how Sally had comforted her after they became familiar. One night she had told Sally all about her mother and Sally had soothed her to sleep. It was the first time in a very long while she felt like she had a mother. And now she really would've been her mother after she married Percy.

The gods looked surprised as everyone kept saying one after other nice things about Sally. She must be really kind and generous for everyone to gush about her. They wanted to hear more about her to know why their children were talking about this mortal with such fond and wistful smile.

Poseidon smiled seeing their reaction, happy that he had a child with a good woman. If what the future were saying was true, then she must've really stolen his heart.

"How do you all know her?" Artemis asked, smiling. She commanded the spirit of a brave woman. This was the woman who would give birth to the man she would marry. Maybe it was her influence that made the man what he was.

Annabeth was the first one to answer, "I knew her because she was the mother of my bestfriend and boyfriend, and the only parent figure in my life for a long time."

Athena frowned, hearing that she knew that she wasn't able to look after her due to the ancient laws, but what about her father? Surely he must have looked after her. If not then why?

"One day I went to Percy's apartment to talk to him and Sally saw me. She saw how thin I was and forced me to have dinner with her. She continued cooking stuff for the next few days and feeding me." Nico smiled, Sally was just like his mother.

Hades looked at his child through a soft smile. Most of his children go through life harder than normal demigods because they aren't welcomed anywhere. It was nice to hear that there was someone in the future to look after his son.

Clarrise went after her, "Sally was the kindest soul I had ever met. She knew the hardships demigods go through as she saw her own son go through it. So she made it her personal mission to help whoever she could. If we were out on a quest or some mission during the wars, she would open her house for us. Give us a place to rest for the night, prepare hot meals for us. She was like a safehouse for every demigod."

"One time Artemis had to go away for the night due to some work on Olympus and we weren't in the woods to set up a camp. Sally humbly offered to let the entire hunt stay in her apartment with her. She cooked food for every single one of us along with her husband." Thalia informed the gods of her mother in law.

To say the gods were surprised would be an understatement. They expected her to be a decent person. But she turned out to be a goddess in mortal disguise. Even Zeus and Hera couldn't help but smile and admire a woman like that.

Hestia felt her heart blaze happily. If she had known Sally they would be good friends. The mortals displayed the same qualities she had and admired. Athena too smiled hearing about Sally.

Artemis and her hunters were all smiling widely as they heard the adventures of the mortal woman known as Sally Jackson Blofis. If she were a maiden Artemis would've loved to have her in the hunt.

Amphitrite leaned towards Poseidon and whispered in his ear, "I can see why you were attracted to her. She is like the sea, untamable and unstoppable." She knew her husband loved people who were a little untamable and rebellious.

Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world, which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.

Everyone frowned at that. A woman like her deserved to get the best the world had to offer, not a lifetime of pain. She didn't deserve a life like that.

Annabeth answered the barrage of questions Athena had. Considering things like what's a plane, novelist, college and diploma. Satisfied Athena sat back at her couch smiling.

The only good break she ever got was meeting my dad.

Poseidon puffed his chest out and looked around the room triumphantly. Zeus and Hades rolled their eyes at him and snickered when Amphitrite hit him on the head.

All the other gods looked amused at the three brothers.

I don't have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. My mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad. She has no pictures.

See, they weren't married. She told me he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important journey, and he never came back.

Lost at sea, my mom told me. Not dead. Lost at sea.

"Damn Uncle Poseidon, that's some women you got." Apollo complimented.

"Not the truth but not a lie either, you don't meet a woman like that in every dynasty." Hermes appraised Sally.

Poseidon smiled, despite not knowing her he knew that he must have loved her a lot. If she was the way the kids described her, there was no way he wouldn't.

She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me on her own. She never complained or got mad. Not even once. But I knew I wasn't an easy kid. I was a disappointment, I got into fights, and would argue with the teachers. But still she loved me.

All the goddesses smiled, that was how a mother is supposed to be. A mother loves her child despite the nuisance and problems their children create. They didn't ignore the fact that Percy had called himself a disappointment again.

Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. When I was young, I nicknamed him Smelly Gabe. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.

Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and I got along ... Well, when I came home is a good example.

As soon as the name Gabe was read, the room's temperature had dropped to a freezing degree. Panicked gods looked for the cause of it and found the five wives of Percy radiating so much power and hatred that they shivered.

The cold unforgiving look they had was nothing they had seen before. The utter look of hatred scared them.

Poseidon, Amphitrite, Artemis, Athena and Hestia leaned forward when they saw their reaction. It looked like the answer would come out finally.

I walked into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.

Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home."

"Where's my mom?"

"Working," he said. "You got any cash?"

"WHAT?" Almost everyone in the room shouted in rage. They thought they had heard wrong, but Hades read it again.

"He asked a child for money?" Apollo growled. He was the patron of children, how dare the mortal ask the child for money for gambling. If he was here right now Apollo would've forced the heat of the sun to burn him to his death.

That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?

Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something.

Aphrodite gagged as she imagined what he must be like, "Even I can't help him with that."

He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. I don't know why he hadn't been fired long before. He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made me nauseous, and on beer, of course. Always beer. Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds. He called that our "guy secret."

Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out.

There was a sharp intake of breath from most of the people from the future. Their eyes were wide and a look of horror depicted their features. The four children of Percy went still.

The people from the past looked confused. They didn't know the importance of those words that got such a reaction.

Chiron was the one who asked the question. "What does that mean?" He asked.

The future people looked at each other to see who would answer. No one wanted to so Clarrise stepped in, "It means hitting someone until they fell unconscious." She growled as she answered. She never knew Percy was abused as a child.

Everyone looked horrified at the thought of someone hurting a child. It was one of the most horrifying acts to hurt a child.

Hestia, Athena and Artemis' eyes darkened. So it was true, he had suffered through abuse. They wanted to go to the future and kill the man personally. Even the peaceful Hestia looked murderous, the hearth representing exactly what she was feeling.

Poseidon looked downright murderous. The winds along the room picked up and started forming a miniature hurricane. He controlled himself before he could do much damage and gripped his trident tightly. Amphitrite looked the same, she didn't like hearing that her future child had to go through that.

See we had an arrangement.

"Why would he need to have an arrangement with a man like that?" Apollo asked. He was getting angrier by the second. What had happened to him in the future that he would disregard the problem of children.

No one dared to answer. But if one were to look closely they could see tears starting to form on the eyes of Percy's wives. Only Artemis, Hestia and Athena seemed to notice this.

The beatings started when I was 8 and the first time he hit me I told him I was going to tell my mother. But he said that if I did, he would hit my mother instead of me. So we came to an arrangement that he could punish me anytime considering I don't tell anyone. I didn't want my mother to get hurt so I agreed, and suffered through it.

The throne room was shaking as Poseidon was losing his self-restraint. The situation with his son was getting worse as the story was read. He prided himself in being a good father, he never would've let his children suffer like this. Not even his monstrous child. What was wrong with him in the future, why was he ignoring his child's suffering?

Everyone sent a concerned look towards Poseidon. His children looked scared as their father grew angrier. They knew how much Poseidon cared for his children. This must be making him want to drown the entire earth below the seas. No one wanted to witness the moment when Poseidon finally lost control.

Amphitrite motioned for Hades to continue and kept squeezing her husband's hand to calm him, but even she wasn't assured how long it would work.

Artemis and her hunters looked surprised that a boy could love his mother so much.

He was craft too. Gabe used different things to torture me. One day he even went as far as to beat me with a whip.

The moment everyone was afraid of happened. Poseidon exploded in a mighty roar and everyone was thrown back from the earthquake that rattled the mountain. His usual green eyes were red from anger. His trident glowed with so much power that promised destruction.

Everyone knew that Poseidon wasn't going to calm down on his own.

His siblings, the five elder gods, jumped from their seats to control their brother. Zeus used the winds to slow him down, while Hades summoned shadows to restrain Poseidon. Hera and Demeter tried to hold him down. Hestia sent soothing words toward her brother.

After a lot of work, he finally calmed down. Zeus and Hades were sweating profusely from the power they had to use. They had forgotten how much power their brother held and why they never went against him.

Poseidon sat back at the couch considerably calmer, though the look of fury in his face, and the glare never left him.

After Hades threw another cautionary glance at his brother, he began reading again.

Anyway that's not important.

"How is that not important?" Artemis asked through gritted teeth. She commended the boy for loving his mother so much, but his abuse was also important. How can one call that type of torture not important?

"Percy has a habit of neglecting his injuries and pain." Annabeth grumbled, but it was clear from her voice how much she hated it.

Artemis herself cursed in her mind. Of course she would fall for a martyr.

"I don't have any cash," I told him. He raised a greasy eyebrow.

Gabe could sniff out money like a bloodhound, which was surprising, since his own smell should've covered up everything else.

Athena and Hestia turned towards Percy's wives so fast it might've given them whiplash. They figured out why Sally married him, they just wanted confirmation.

Annabeth nodded, answering their unasked question. Both goddesses slumped back to their couches sadly. No woman should have to go through that.

Artemis looked at Athena asking what was wrong. The wisdom goddess shook her head and mouthed 'I'll tell you later.'

"You took a taxi from the bus station," he said. Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?" Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at me with a twinge of sympathy. "Come on, Gabe," he said. "The kid just got here."

"Am I right?" Gabe repeated. Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony.

"Fine," I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. "I hope you lose."

"I can make that happen," Dionysus spoke for the first time since the reading began.

"You were listening?" Apollo asked surprised that his half-brother was paying attention to something.

"Of course, I just don't interrupt like all you sorry people." The wine god said taking a sip of his happy juice.

"Your report card came, brain boy!" he shouted after me. "I wouldn't act so snooty!"

I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn't my room. During school months, it was Gabe's "study." He didn't study anything in there except old car magazines, but he loved shoving my stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on my windowsill, and doing his best to make the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer.

I dropped my suitcase on the bed. Home sweet home.

"That isn't a home," Hestia said. A home is supposed to be where a person feels safe.

"Percy despite loving her mother very much never considered that place home. For him Camp was his home." Annabeth answered, that was one of the things she had common with Percy. Finding home at the only place they felt included in.

"Understandable." Hestia replied.

Gabe's smell was almost worse than the nightmares about Mrs. Dodds, or the sound of that old fruit lady's shears snipping the yarn.

But as soon as I thought that, my legs felt weak. I remembered Grover's look of panic—how he'd made me promise I wouldn't go home without him. A sudden chill rolled through me. I felt like someone—something—was looking for me right now, maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons.

Poseidon turned to glare at Hades furiously, causing the lord of dead to gulp. Poseidon was still angry about his son's condition. He prayed to the fates that it wasn't his furies again, or he might just end up on the wrong side of Poseidon's trident.

Seeing that the glare wasn't going anywhere he continued.

Then I heard my mom's voice. "Percy?" She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted.

Hades and lots of others present sighed in relief. Though for different reason.

Hades because Poseidon wasn't looking at him murderously now. And the others were just relieved to hear that the boy was safe.

My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as old. When she looks at me, it's like she's seeing all the good things about me, none of the bad. I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Gabe.

"You know if someone asked me to describe Percy. That's exactly how I would describe him." Nico smiled, he could now see the similarity between the two.

Those who knew Sally also smiled, Percy was just like her.

"What is he like?" Artemis asked, this was the first time they talked about his personality. She wanted to learn more about him.

"Percy is charismatic, anyone who meets him instantly like him. When he looks at you it's like his smile is warming your heart. The amount of compassion in his eyes for his loved one is overwhelming." Piper said smiling. She loved her husband with all her heart.

"He is kind towards everyone unless you have harmed someone innocent. He wouldn't care if it was his wives or his father. If you do something wrong, he would call you out for it and deliver justice himself. On top of everything he is a just person." Reyna said smiling. It was one of Percy's best quality that he isn't biased in matters of justice.

Artemis smiled softly as she heard their answer. He truly sounded like a good man.

"Oh, Percy." She hugged me tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"

Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She'd brought me a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when I came home.

"CANDY," Penelope squealed in a high pitch tone and ran towards Annabeth.

Annabeth looked away from her and tried to ignore her. But one look at her little silver eyes had her melting. "You're a little demon aren't you?" Annabeth asked her step-daughter. To which she just smiled and nodded.

Annabeth summoned some blue candies for Penelope and handed it her. Penelope kissed Annabeth's cheek in excitement, "Thanks mom," She said and ran back towards the hunters.

Artemis looked surprised and pleased as she saw the relation her daughter had with her step-mother. She was thankful that she didn't get someone like Hera for a step-mother.

We sat together on the edge of the bed. While I attacked the blueberry sour strings, she ran her hand through my hair and demanded to know everything I hadn't put in my letters. She didn't mention anything about my getting expelled. She didn't seem to care about that. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right?

I told her she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her.

All the women cooed at how cute Percy was. They loved how much he loved his mother. And wished that they had a child like him.

From the other room, Gabe yelled, "Hey, Sally—how about some bean dip, huh?"

I gritted my teeth.

My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe.

"Or a god," Aphrodite mused as she looked at Poseidon. Amphitrite glared at the love goddess which had her flinching. Damn. The queen of seas could scare somebody.

"Or just a good man, who can keep her happy." Piper replied, remembering how much Paul and Sally loved each other.

The goddess of love smiled at her daughter and nodded.

For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy. I told her I wasn't too down about the expulsion. I'd lasted almost the whole year this time. I'd made some new friends. I'd done pretty well in Latin. And honestly, the fights hadn't been as bad as the headmaster said. I liked Yancy Academy. I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convinced myself. I started choking up, thinking about Grover and Mr. Brunner. Even Nancy Bobofit suddenly didn't seem so bad. Until that trip to the museum ...

"What?" my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. "Did something scare you?"

"No, Mom."

"Don't lie to your mother," All the mothers in the room shouted at once.

I felt bad lying. I wanted to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid.

"To be honest that does sounds stupid." Hermes commented.

He was glared at by multiple mothers in the room. The most terrifying one was Amphitrite.

She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push me.

"I have a surprise for you," she said. "We're going to the beach."

My eyes widened. "Montauk?" "Three nights—same cabin."

"When?" She smiled. "As soon as I get changed."

"What's Montauk?" Poseidon asked, his son seemed very excited about it.

"Montauk is a beach, Percy loves going there." Thalia answered, remembering him blabbering about the place.

Poseidon smiled hearing about the love of seas his son had.

I couldn't believe it. My mom and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn't enough money.

The smile that was adoring Poseidon's face immediately turned into a snarl. "HOW DARE HE," He bellowed. "The seas are his birthright, to keep him away from the seas is sacrilegious."

Everyone looked wary of Poseidon as he looked ready to obliterate everything in sight.

Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?" I wanted to punch him, but I met my mom's eyes and I understood she was offering me a deal: be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here.

"I was on my way, honey," she told Gabe. "We were just talking about the trip."

Gabe's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"

"I knew it," I muttered. "He won't let us go."

"He better," Poseidon muttered and started describing in real graphic detail of how he would torture him.

Everyone looked shocked at the graphic images Poseidon pushed into their head. Some looked downright sick. Meanwhile Hades was listening to every one of his brother's threats. He had a scroll with him where he kept writing everything for future use.

"Poseidon," Athena shouted. "There are children present here," She yelled at him and tried covering Sophia's ears to spare her of any nightmares.

Poseidon blushed as he looked at his grandchildren looking at him with wide eyes. He muttered a quick apology to them.

"Of course he will," my mom said evenly. "Your stepfather is just worried about money. That's all. Besides," she added, "Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works."

Gabe softened a bit. "So this money for your trip ... it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"

"Yes, honey," my mother said.

"He tried to control what she spent on clothes?" Aphrodite growled and a dark aura surrounded her. Every single goddess got a dark look too.

Artemis snarled internally. This was why she hated the male gender. They try to control everything.

"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back."

"We'll be very careful."

Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip ... And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game."

Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week.

"Do it," Everyone shouted.

But my mom's eyes warned me not to make him mad.

Why did she put up with this guy? I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought?

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now."

"She put up with him because of you Kelp Head." Thalia sighed, she didn't like hearing about what Percy and Sally had gone through. It was always the people with the kindest heart that suffered. Sally was the epitome of kindness and sacrifice. She suffered too much and finally when she was getting the life she deserved. It was ripped away from her, because someone was stupid enough to drunk drive.

She wiped the tears away from her eyes and looked around. It seemed only Artemis and Annabeth had heard her. Annabeth slipped her hand to hers and intertwined their fingers.

She smiled at Annabeth and looked around. When no one was looking she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss at her lips. Unbeknownst to them a silver maiden had seen the little display of affection.

Gabe's eyes narrowed. His tiny brain was probably trying to detect sarcasm in my statement. "Yeah, whatever," he decided. He went back to his game

"How could he have noticed the sarcasm?" Travis asked, perplexed.

"Yeah, I swear I could hear the sarcasm of Percy's voice even in the past." Connor agreed with his brother. How someone could have been so stupid they didn't know.

"Thank you, Percy," my mom said. "Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about... whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?"

For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes—the same fear I'd seen in Grover during the bus ride—as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air.

But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken. She ruffled my hair and went to make Gabe his seven-layer dip. An hour later we were ready to leave.

"Finally, get away from that disgusting piece of shit. Asshole should just die in a fiery explosion until his bones turn to ash." Surprisingly such dark thoughts were spoken by the usually peppy Will Solace.

Nico and everyone from the future could only watch him with wide-eyes. They had never seen the doctor Will Solace speak ill about anyone.

When Will caught everyone staring at him he blushed hard, "What, even I can hate abusing assholes and wish for their death." He turned to Nico, "You should add him as the personal toys for the furies so they could conduct all sorts of torture on him."

Nico drooled hearing his boyfriend speak that way, "I don't know whether to be horrified by your dark thoughts. Or to kiss you so hard you won't be able to think straight."

Will's blush deepened and he muttered, "I would like the second option." Causing Nico to smirk widely.

Apollo and Hades heard their children and looked at each other in surprise. Apollo winked at Hades, causing the Lord of Dead to glare at him.

Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom's bags to the car. He kept griping and groaning about losing her cooking—and more important, his '78 Camaro—for the whole weekend.

"Not a scratch on this car, brain boy," he warned me as I loaded the last bag. "Not one little scratch."

Like I'd be the one driving. I was twelve. But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame me.

"Disgusting piece of shit. He cares for his car more than his wife and stepson." Clarisse growled.

Everyone nodded agreeing with her that Gabe was a disgusting piece of shit.

Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can't explain. As Gabe reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I'd seen Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe. The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he'd been shot from a cannon. Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn't stay long enough to find out.

"How is that possible? That magic could only be done by nature spirits or gods. A demigod shouldn't be able to do that." Pan asked, looking around. It might be a minor protection warding but still it was powerful magic. No demigod despite being a son of big-three should be able to do it.

Most of the gods nodded, wary of the demigod. Even when he didn't know of his heritage he was able to do what no trained demigod could do.

"Percy was the most powerful demigod to ever live. His power outweighed many gods and Olympian." Thalia informed them, she had seen the kind of power Percy wielded many times in her life.

The gods looked shocked, he surpassed their powers as a demigod. How powerful is he as a god himself?

Heracles bristled in anger as everyone gave more and more praise to Percy. He couldn't believe that some other demigod was getting the attention he deserved. He looked at Thalia in hatred, he hadn't forgotten how she had insulted him earlier. He would make sure to deal with her later.

I got in the Camaro and told my mom to step on it.

Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.

"It wouldn't affect him, in fact he might enjoy it more," Poseidon mused and looked at his wife resting with her shoulder against him. Amphitrite nodded against Poseidon's shoulder.

I loved the place. We'd been going there since I was a baby. My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. It was the place where she'd met my dad.

"Oooh Romantic," Aphrodite cooed.

As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the color of the sea.

"Her eyes changed?" Amphitrite asked, Hades nodded after reading the part again.

"That must be what drew you to her, she must have some sea-blood in her." She whispered to Poseidon who nodded.

We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.

I guess I should explain the blue food.

"Oh my gods..." Travis gasped.

"It's happening," Connor said, as shocked as his brother.

"Praise the fates, our wish is being granted," Leo continued after the brothers. Equally dramatic as the sons of Hermes.

Frank, Hazel, Clarisse and everyone from the future except Percy's wives and children looked excited as well.

The gods looked confused and looked at each other to see if they had missed anything. When all of them looked confused they turned to the children. "What are you all talking about?" Poseidon asked.

"Percy has a habit of eating foods colored in blue. He won't tell us why he did that, only his wives and children know, and they too have refused to say that." Nico said, shooting a glare at Thalia.

The gods looked amused by their reaction and motioned for Hades to continue.

See, Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue. She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop. This—along with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano—was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like me.

"Oh," was the satisfied reply of them when they learned why Percy ate blue food.

Nico snorted, gaining everyone's attention. "Percy's rebellious streak is unmatched. The boy only listens to a handful of people."

Thalia nodded laughing, "He only listens to Annabeth, Artemis, Reyna and his mother Amphitrite."

Poseidon looked shocked, he knew his children were rebellious but what they were saying it seemed like he was extreme. "He doesn't listen to me?" He asked, surely his son must listen to him.

Thalia shook her head. "So why only those four?" He asked again.

"He is scared of them," Thalia answered.

Amphitrite nodded satisfied with herself. She looked at Triton who nodded too saying he too was scared of his mother.

Artemis was surprised to say the least. Happy that even after being married she hadn't lost her touch to scare males. She looked towards her son who had started laughing all of a sudden.

"One time Dad did something that made Mom mad. She was so angry that dad swam to the bottom of the Mariana trench to avoid her wrath. He wouldn't come out for a whole day. In the end Grandma Amphi had to drag him out of there." Damon laughed remembering how his father looked.

Artemis laughed herself, as she heard her son talk about his father. Her hunters shot her an approving nod for scaring a male.

"Grandma Amphi?" The queen of the seas raised an eyebrow.

Damon straightened himself, "I am sorry My Lady if I offended you. That's what I call you in the future."

Amphitrite's expression softened, "It's alright my dear, I liked it. Keep calling me that." She assured him and he nodded.

When it got dark, we made a fire. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. She told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop.

Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk—my father. Mom's eyes went all misty. I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of hearing them.

"None of us do," All the demigods in the room sighed. Sure some may be immortals now but they remembered how it felt to hear about their parents.

The gods looked surprised to hear their children like that. Many of them wanted to know their children personally too but were refrained by the ancient laws.

"He was kind, Percy," she said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes."

"You know Percy does look a lot like uncle Poseidon," Nico commented offhandedly.

Mom fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."

"Again with the sea references." Athena grumbled again. No one said anything to her though they did look amused.

I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years. Why would he be proud of a disappointment.

Poseidon frowned hearing his son's thoughts. "I would always be proud of my children. And all those things he listed are unimportant to me. He is a half-god, he doesn't need validations from some mortals."

"How old was I?" I asked. "I mean ... when he left?" She watched the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin." "But... he knew me as a baby."

"No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born."

I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember ... something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.

Zeus leaned forward and looked at Poseidon with narrowed eyes, "Interference with our children is not allowed brother."

Poseidon turned towards Zeus and glared at him, "Do not tell me what I can and cannot do little brother." He snarled. The King of Gods flinched from the venom in his voice.

"He is my son and I will do whatever it takes to show him that I love him." Poseidon's eyes softened a bit.

"Why so much protectiveness towards a half-blood brother?" Hera asked, "Why go to so much trouble for a bastar..." She didn't get a chance to speak further.

A trident was pressed against her throat, she looked up to see the storm filled eyes of the Lord of the Seas.

"Finish that sentence and see what trouble I can cause for my children. Remember Hera, you may be a queen, but I'm a king of my own right. I don't bow to either you or your husband." He threatened her and got back to his seat.

Apollo whistled appreciatively, "I knew there was a reason you are my favorite Uncle P."

Poseidon laughed at his nephew.

I had always assumed he knew me as a baby. My mom had never said it outright, but still, I'd felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he'd never even seen me ...

I felt angry at my father. Maybe it was stupid, but I resented him for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry my mom. He'd left us, and now we were stuck with Smelly Gabe.

Immediately Poseidon looked regretful and ashamed. To hear his son say that about him hurt. "I do not know why I am ignoring his pain and existence." He pleaded to himself, he turned towards Annabeth. "Please tell me there is a reason for my negligence."

Annabeth nodded, "There is a good reason, and it will be revealed later. I can't tell you about it now."

Poseidon nodded and started thinking what could be more important than his son's well being for him to ignore him.

"Are you going to send me away again?" I asked her. "To another boarding school?" She pulled a marshmallow from the fire.

"I don't know, honey." Her voice was heavy. "I think ... I think we'll have to do something."

"Because you don't want me around?"

"PERCY," most of them shouted at once. His mother was already devastated about sending him away and here he was troubling her more.

"If he was here, I would've knocked him out myself." Annabeth hissed and glared at the book Hades was holding. She could imagine how much it would've hurt Sally to hear that.

Hades looked at the glare Annabeth was sending towards the book and gulped. That was one vicious glare he had ever seen.

"I can see why our brother is scared of her," Triton whispered to Rhode and Kymopoleia, both of whom nodded whole heartedly.

I regretted the words as soon as they were out.

"You better," Annabeth growled.

My mom's eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I—I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."

Her words reminded me of what Mr. Brunner had said—that it was best for me to leave Yancy. "Because I'm not normal," I said.

Chiron looked ashamed that his words still bothered the young demigod so much. Even in the future he should have worded his thoughts better.

"Chaos he is dramatic," Artemis commented to which the future snorted.

"You have no idea," many muttered.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought YancyAcademy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe." "Safe from what?"

She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to me—all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me, some of which I'd tried to forget.

"Like what?" Apollo asked, leaning forward on his couch. What had happened to him?

"Well I could just read about it if you people don't interrupt me at every single time." Hades grumbled and glared at the sun god. Apollo raised his hand in surrender.

During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground. When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed me when I told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head.

"A cyclops?" One of the hunters asked.

Annabeth had a knowing look on her eyes, "AH! Poseidon must have sent him to look after Percy." She surmised.

Poseidon agreed with her, that sounded like something he might do.

Before that—a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into. My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.

"Like me," Heracles shouted, though he didn't like the fact that someone else was able to do what he did.

There was a growling sound coming from where the hunters were sitting. Artemis and her hunters were staring daggers at the minor god of strength. Artemis couldn't believe that her future husband was anything like Heracles, or she wouldn't have married him.

The smell of Ozone filled the room and when they turned Thalia was crackling with electricity. "MY HUSBAND is nothing like you." She growled out. Nobody could ignore the hatred she had for the minor god.

Heracles looked scared and angry. She was really starting to bug him.

In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move. I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I had sliced my math teacher into dust with a sword. But I couldn't make myself tell her. I had a strange feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, and I didn't want that.

"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," my mom said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy—the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it."

"Foolish," Dionysus commented, "That's how they are usually killed, because their parents are selfish."

Just as he commented a strong blast of pressurized freezing water hit him in the face. In anger he looked to see the Lord of the Seas was glaring menacingly at him.

"A mother wishing to keep her child with her and spend time with her children, is not selfish nephew. It is the sacred act of love." Poseidon growled and there was an unsaid warning in his tone. Say something wrong and feel the wrath of the seas.

Dionysus smartly kept his mouth shut.

"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"

"Not a school," she said softly. "A summer camp."

My head was spinning. Why would my dad—who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me born— talk to my mom about a summer camp? And if it was so important, why hadn't she ever mentioned it before?

"Because the more you learn about your heritage, the more your powers and smell grows. The monster wouldn't leave you after that." Athena said, no one told her that she was talking to a book. Though they were surprised to hear the soft voice she used for the sea-spawn.

"I'm sorry, Percy," she said, seeing the look in my eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I—I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp ..." She turned toward the fire, and I knew from her expression that if I asked her any more questions she would start to cry.

"I swear all the mothers use that expression as a weapon against their children." Triton accused his mother, the amount of times she had made him do stuff by that expression was uncountable.

"Not only you son, they use it against everyone." Poseidon agreed with his heir.

Every male started putting their agreement about how the women in their life use tears against them.

"Oh hush," Amphitrite whispered to her husband and son.

That night I had a vivid dream.

It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagles wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.

Everyone turned to the two brothers in sync. It wasn't unusual for both of them to fight but this seemed a little extreme.

The two brothers glared at each other. Zeus turned to Hades, "Why are you goading us to fight harder, what is your endgame."

The room's temperature darkened and the black flames in Hades' eyes returned. "Don't blame this on me, I don't know who is goading you but it isn't me. I already told you I don't want any additional souls in the underworld, and you two fighting would only cause more trouble in my realm." He stopped and took a deep breath. He looked at Zeus, "You're a king no? Make sure to not accuse someone without proof."

Zeus red in face with anger nodded. His suspicion was still on Hades, but for now he would look for other possibilities.

I ran toward them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other, but I was running in slow motion. I knew I would be too late. I saw the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes, and I screamed, No!

I woke with a start. Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.

"This isn't good. You two are having the worst quarrel in history." Hestia spoke, she didn't like fighting in her family. The mortals would lose countless lives because of her brothers' anger.

Everyone nodded agreeing with her, what kind of omen was waiting for them in the future?

With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, "Hurricane."

"She definitely had some connection with the sea, if she could recognize the hurricane just by the thunderclap," Amphitrite observed.

I knew that was crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten. Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end.

Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice—someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door. My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.

"Please don't be a monster," Hazel started whispering again and again. Frank put an arm around her to comfort her. She relaxed by his side. Considerably calmer than before.

Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't... he wasn't exactly Grover. "Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"

My mother looked at me in terror—not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come. "Percy," she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

"Oh nothing much, just that a fury attacked him. The three fates made him see the snip of someone's life cord. And that he ditched the one person who was trying to keep him safe." Grover spoke much to the amusement of others.

"Come on, that was decades ago, just forget it, Goat boy." Thalia grinned at him.

Grover muttered something that didn't reach anyone's ears.

I was frozen, looking at Grover. I couldn't understand what I was seeing. "O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yelled. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

I was too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly. I was too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover didn't have his pants on—and where his legs should be ... where his legs should be ...

"I mean I would be shocked too if I suddenly saw my bestfriend without his pants on... Thinking about it I did saw Percy without his pants on one time, and it was magnificent." Thalia spoke much to the shock of everyone.

The other four wives of Percy blushed and nodded, agreeing that it was magnificent to see Percy without his pants on.

"Oh do tell," Aphrodite giggled, leaning forward.

"MOM! We are not going to talk about our husband's thing in front of everyone." Piper blushed a dark shade of gold as she looked down to hide her face.

Artemis, Hestia and Athena were blushing hard too.

My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before: "Percy. Tell me now!" I stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and my mom stared at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning. She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, "Get to the car. Both of you. Go!"

Grover ran for the Camaro—but he wasn't running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me. I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked.

Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.

Hades closed the book and looked around to see who should read next. He threw the book towards Apollo hitting him in the chest. "Maybe you should read so you understand how annoying it is when everyone interrupts."

Apollo sat the book by his side and looked at the future.

"So when is he getting here?" Apollo asked, he wanted to meet his future brother in law. He would like to see what was special about him that her sister broke the millennia old vow she had for him.

"I think he will arrive any moment now. When we arrived from the future, he was visiting the Primordial Council for something. He will be done in an hour or less." Annabeth informed him.

The gods and goddesses' eyes widened as they heard of the Primordial Council. They had only heard of the council before, never seen any sign of its existence.

"He has seen the council of Primordials?" Zeus asked, perplexed, he had never met more than one Primordial at a time.

"Percy is very close to the Primordial, he attends the meeting whenever something regarding earth is the matter." Annabeth said. Where was Zeus going with this?

"So why were they discussing those matters with him, I'm the King they should talk to me." Zeus argued, he couldn't believe that the Primordials were talking to the sea-spawn instead of him. The honor of sitting in the primordial council should go to the King of Gods.

Many looked at him disgusted. His greed for power and influence was pathetic. They couldn't wait for him to get put in his place.

"Well the Primordials all agreed that they would much rather take a trip to void, instead of listening to your annoying voice." Nico replied, smirking, the Zeus in future was getting better, but this one was at the peak of his vanity. He would love to put him to his place every time he stepped out of line.

Every single person present except Zeus and Hera laughed loudly. They all agreed that they would too, much rather do anything instead of Zeus ranting about his might.

Zeus had enough of the disrespect and before even thinking he chucked his master bolt towards Nico. His action was so quick that no one could stop him. The entire throne room exploded into a loud boom and a bright light covered them.

When the light died down it revealed that the place where Zeus had thrown the bolt was reduced to ashes.

"Zeus what did you do?" Athena and Hestia asked with wide eyes as they observed the place where the bolt was thrown at.

Everyone looked at Zeus in horror, didn't he notice that his own son was sitting in the line of his bolt. Nico was sitting with Will and Apollo. Damon had joined them in the middle of the reading to sit with his Uncle Apollo and Nico.

Hades rushed to check on his son to see if he was okay. Artemis, Penelope, Danae, Sophia and Percy's wives ran to look at the injured immortals. All four of them were unconscious. Their faces charred from the lightning.

"Someone please heal my family," Penelope cried as she hugged the unconscious form of her brother. Danae, and Sophia sobbing as well as they saw the injured form of their brother.

Hestia shot from her hearth and engulfed them in a warm light to heal them. Given that the god of healing was injured himself. Poseidon covered Damon in seawater to heal him faster. Hades shot dark energy in his son to heal him as he was a being of the underworld.

Artemis turned towards Zeus and there was a fury in her eyes no one had seen before. The moon outside, despite being day glowed so bright it dimmed the sun. Her eyes were blazing infernos of silver pools filled with tears. She summoned her bow, her symbol of power and nocked a divine arrow and pointed it towards Zeus. "What did you do Zeus?" Her voice was deathly calm as she looked near ready to drop him dead. He went too far when he injured her brother and her son. The son she didn't get a chance to know.

Zeus could only look at horror at what he had done. He looked around and everyone was looking at him with hatred, disgust and horror. He could not believe what he had done. He looked at his daughter Artemis, who was looking at him with such hatred that he had never seen before in anyone. All of his children were looking at him in disgust, but one thing was clear. There was fear in their eyes. The same fear they had for Kronos. That's the first time the thought hit him that he was like his father.

Hera stood up from her throne outraged, "Artemis, stand down, now." She summoned her scepter and looked threatening. She didn't understand what the big commotion was. She couldn't care less about the well-being of the people injured.

Hades turned a furious gaze at his sister, "You will stay out of it this time Hera or I swear upon my name that I would hang you by your neck at the fields of Punishment, and let the furies experiment whatever they want on you." His eyes were burning with a fire that would have dug a hole through the mountain to the underworld itself. He could suffer anything as long as his children were safe, but now Zeus had gone too far.

Hera looked scared out of her fucking mind. She couldn't believe the last time Hades had threatened her. She had forgotten that while she was a queen, Hades was an emperor himself. He didn't answer to her.

Before anyone could say anything the entire mountain shook from rage. This was the biggest earthquake anyone had experienced. Even when Gaea herself fought them a decade ago, the earth hadn't trembled like this. Mortals outside of Olympus were safe & sound, but the same couldn't be said for the immortals on the mountain.

"ZEUS," Three synchronized voices yelled as the three fates appeared in battle regalia. Their faces were one of anger and fear. Angry at Zeus and fear for something they didn't know.

The minor gods were trembling in their seats from the anger rolling off the fates. They looked dead set on annihilating anyone in their sight. This was the first time they had seen the fates personally deal justice.

Hera tried to stand in front of Zeus and beg the fates to spare him, but the fates didn't relent. Just a wave of their hand and Hera was thrown against the walls of the throne room. Zeus looked like he wanted to dig a whole and die in it. The fates raised their spears, and were about to strike him down when they stopped dead in tracks.

If the gods' eyes were working properly the fates looked scared. "He is here," Clotho whispered and both Atropos and Lachesis nodded. The gods couldn't figure out what the weavers of destiny would be scared of. No one noticed the savage smiles adoring Percy's wives' faces.

"Who is here?" Artemis asked as she cradled her son's head on her lap. They had gone back to their seats. Apollo was sitting with Hermes looking at Zeus in horror while treating Will. Hades had taken Nico to his couch, and Hazel was checking her brother all over.

The fates looked at Artemis and answered in unison, "Destiny has arrived."