Annabeth Chase
Annabeth resisted the urge to punch the stupid grin right off Drew's face. For one, she doubted Percy would be overly impressed. For another, her being out cold would undermine the 'talking to' part of the entire operation.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Drew purred, her tone dripping with false sweetness.
"All of you! Out!" Annabeth snapped at Drew's little gang, letting a hard edge enter her voice. The other girls, who had been lounging around the room, glanced nervously at Drew before scrambling to obey Annabeth's command, clearly preferring to risk Drew anger over Annabeth's who had fostered a track record over the years of being perfectly happy to resolve conflicts by kinetic means.
Annabeth stood tall, watching the last of Drew's cabin mates scurry out of the room before turning her full attention back to Drew. The daughter of Aphrodite remained reclining on her chaise, a small, mocking smile playing on her lips as she met Annabeth's glare with a defiant tilt of her chin.
"Really, Annabeth? That was unnecessary," Drew said, her voice oozing with false innocence. She crossed her legs elegantly, as if she hadn't a care in the world. "But then again, you've always been a bit... rough around the edges, haven't you?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You've been causing trouble again, Drew. Chiron's fed up, and frankly, so am I. It's time for you to knock it off."
Drew's eyes flickered with something like amusement. "Trouble? Oh, please. I'm just doing what I do best: looking out for the best interests of my cabin. Piper's been absent, so someone has to step up. And let's be honest, Annabeth, you know that I'm good at what I do."
"Good at it? You make everyone miserable around you!" Annabeth said.
"You should watch that attitude, baby," Drew continued, as if she hadn't heard anything at all. "Men don't like women who cause drama. Maybe you should learn to quiet down."
Annabeth remained quite unimpressed. She knew that Drew could not care less about what anyone felt.
Annabeth took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. Drew had always had a way of getting under her skin, but this time, Annabeth wasn't going to let her. The girl was a master manipulator, using her charms peak and cunning to get what she wanted, but Annabeth had faced much worse than Drew Tanaka. This was just another obstacle to overcome.
"Let's cut to the chase, Drew," Annabeth said, her voice steady. "You're making life difficult for everyone around here. Chiron wants you to step back, and honestly, so do I. If you don't, there will be consequences."
Drew's smile widened, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Consequences? From you? Annabeth, let's be real. What are you going to do? Lecture me to death? Or maybe you'll send Percy to do your dirty work?"
Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "This isn't about me or Percy, Drew. This is about the camp, about everyone here who has to deal with your attitude. You think you're untouchable, but you're not. We've all put up with you for long enough."
Drew sat up a little straighter, her smile fading slightly as she seemed to sense the shift in Annabeth's demeanor. "And what exactly do you plan to do about it?"
Annabeth took a step closer, her gaze never leaving Drew's. "Seaweed brain, can you cover your ears for a moment?"
"Annabeth," Percy began, but then sighed. "Fine..."
Hoping he actually was, Annabeth leaned closer. "What I am going to do? I am going to make you disappear," she said in a very soft voice. "That is, if you don't play ball. And weather I gift you to Ares for his next blood day party or whatever he has, stuff you in a princess Leia costume and make you Percy's problem, or end you altogether and dump you in the next body of water depends on what is most convenient to me at that moment. The thing is, no one cares. You have no friends, so when I get rid of you, no one will ask any questions. No one here will actually miss you."
Drew scowled at her. "You would not dare. My mother-"
-could not care any less," she finished, and made a mental point to apologies to Aphrodite later. She really needed to prove a point, though. "We are talking about a goddess that let her favorite daughter, Silena, end as the new god on the block's private fellatio dispenser, and you think she cares about you?"
Annabeth could see the flicker of doubt in Drew's eyes, the brief hesitation before she masked it with her usual arrogance. But Annabeth knew she had hit a nerve, and she pressed forward, her voice steady and cold.
"Face it, Drew," Annabeth continued, reaching forward and hooking a hand behind the Daughter of Aphrodite's neck. "You've overplayed your hand, and now you're alone. No one is going to bail you out this time. Not Aphrodite, not your little sycophants, and certainly not me. You're in my world now, and you'll play by my rules, or you won't play at all."
Drew's smug facade faltered, her lips twitching as if she were trying to come up with a retort, but couldn't find the words. She shifted uncomfortably, her earlier confidence draining away under Annabeth's cold gaze. Finally she released drew and stepped back. "Oh, and if you ever try to charm speak me again, I will not bother coming up with some elaborate means of getting rid of you. I will make you my own bitch."
She lightly tapped Drew's cheeks twice, not enough to hurt her, only enough to remind her that Annabeth was perfectly happy to resolve this by kinetic means, something Drew simply had no recourse to. Not that she would actually ever make good on that threat. Frankly she simply had no need for someone like Drew on a leash. Frankly she wasn't particularly squeamish at the prospect of locking troublesome women into cages at that point. No, if Drew ever got put on a leash, she very much doubted that Ms. Glamour Girl Tanaka's looks would be enough to compensate the unfortunate soul holding the other end for her personality. Then, Drew was very pretty, there was no denying that... She decided that if she ever went off the deep end, and Percy really annoyed her, Annabeth would recommend Drew as a mistress.
Drew swallowed hard. For the first time since the confrontation began, Drew seemed to realize she had no more cards to play. Her lips parted as if she was about to say something, but no words came out.
"Do we understand each other?" Annabeth asked, her voice turning into a poor imitation of the sickly sweet tone Drew so favored. "I am not going to let you turn Camp Halfblood into a stage for your private little power fantasies."
"Fine," Drew muttered, seemingly buying her half bluff. Annabeth smiled at Drew. Who would have thought that believable threats of enslavement and sexual exploitation would be enough to strong-arm someone?
She turned around to Percy, who was staring at her pointedly. His finger demonstratively plucked in his ears and she made a rotating motion with her finger. "It's settled?" Percy asked, pulling his fingers out of his ears.
"It is," she said. "Right Drew?" she called out without turning around.
Drew hesitated, her gaze flicking between Annabeth and Percy. Finally, she nodded, her voice subdued. "Yeah, it's settled."
Annabeth didn't bother to turn around. She could feel the shift in Drew's demeanor, the sudden lack of defiance in her tone. Satisfied, she gave a small nod, as if closing a chapter. "Good. I not to hear any more complaints about you. If I do, we'll have this conversation again."
She left the Cabin without saying another word, letting her threat hanging in the air.
Annabeth breathed in the cold air and they began heading towards the camp fire. "Out of curiosity, what did you tell her?" Percy asked lightly.
"You do not want to know," Annabeth said.
"You mean I wouldn't like it?" Percy asked.
Annabeth hesitated. "Yeah, kinda. Just bluffed a bit, made threats. She believed it..."
As Annabeth and Percy walked away from the Aphrodite cabin, the crisp winter air nipped at their faces, both figuratively and literally putting Annabeth's less than elegant attempt at conflict resolution behind them.
"Well, whatever you said, it worked," Percy remarked, glancing at Annabeth with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. "Though I have to admit, I'm a little curious about what you told Drew that could actually get through to her."
She smirked, a glint of mischief in her gray eyes. "Less about getting through, more making direct threats."
"Well, if it works..." Percy said. "Hey," someone called them from behind. They stopped and turned around to find Travis jogging up to them.
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked. "Thought you might avoid camp after the Silena incident."
"Chiron asked us to have words with Drew," Percy explained, and Travis nodded slowly, as if this made a lot of sense to him.
"It should be handled now. I think Drew understands the problem now," Annabeth followed up.
"So, anything else going on at camp that I should know about?" Percy asked lightly.
"Katie is a slut, otherwise same old same old," Conner declared, as he joined them a moment later.
Silena Beauregard
The entire building, despite much of it being carved out a sheer granite, shuddered. "What was that?" Sally asked, instinctively grabbing little Estelle and pulled her to her chest.
"Silena, someone is trying to blow up the place," Khione announced, stepping into the room. Despite literally being immortal, there was a trace of concern on her face. Then, considering her current situation, divinity and immortality did not spare a girl from getting into a very unpleasant situations. In her shoes, everything that could replace Percy as her jailer would be a lot less desirable.
Silena quickly pushed aside her initial surprise and rushed over to one of the wall displays with two crossed bronze swords, and yanked one of them out.
"How many are there?" she asked, her voice steady, though her heart pounded in her chest.
Khione closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating. "It's hard to tell. Something powerful is up there, but with this collar I could not say what."
Sally looked pale, her grip on Estelle tightening. "What should we do?"
Silena glanced at her, then at the baby nestled in her arms. "We need to get you to safety. Juniper!" she called out, her voice carrying a note of urgency.
She looked around, but the Dryad was nowhere to be seen.
"Okay, Paul, Khione, Sally, you three go upstairs. I will see what I can do about this mess. I just finished cleaning the bloody top floor," she declared and stalked towards the door before looking over her shoulder.
"Move!" she yelled, just as she heard Mrs O'Leary bark like a cannon blast.
Silena's grip on the sword tightened and rolled her shoulders before hurrying up the stairs, trusting her guests to do the prudent thing and lie low. "Oh sweetie," she thought to the heavens. "Your crib is under attack! At least I think it is! Could you move your pretty face back here and bring your psychotic girlfriend with you?"
Unfortunately, she got no answer before rounding the corner and stepping out into absolute pandemonium. The windows she had striven to keep spotless had burst in with the explosion, cold wind and snow sweeping into the lounge and bar area. Just then, Mrs. O'Leary lit off like a torch and launched herself across the length of the pool and into a group of figures she could not make up through the cloud of kicked up snow and smoke.
Silena cursed under her breath as she hurried through the house, kicking off her slippers as she went. She could fight barefoot—bunny slippers, not so much. She made a dash toward the atrium, but before she could reach it, three scowling pubescent girls appeared around the corner to confront her. Though they lacked the signature attire of her favorite gang of angry lesbians, their sour expressions were a perfect match.
Putting one and one together, Silena remembered Percy's recollections of his fight with Circe, and came to the conclusion that these were probably her followers. The ugly yellow light playing across the foremost of the girl's hands was another dead giveaway. Unlike them, though, Silena had fought in a war. She was as surprised to see her as she was them. Unfortunately they hesitated. Silena did not make the same mistake.
She closed the last three steps in a run, and before the girl could even begin to do something with her magic, Silena struck. Resisting the impulse to run her through, and perhaps lose mastery of her sword, she sidestepped the girl and cut into her flank, the celestial bronze biting through jacket, shirt, skin, and flesh.
The first girl crumpled to the floor, clutching her side in agony as she fell. Silena didn't waste a moment and fortunately death had not impeded her instincts. Hesitation was a flaw that one was usually only afforded once. She knew what had happened afterwards.
The next girl lunged at her, grabbing her sword arm with both arms and began to try to tear the weapon from her hand. That was a problem. Now Annabeth, with her five nine, could have shrugged the bitch off. Unfortunately Silena was a shorty, and a light shorty at that. Normally, she would rely on her big godly boy-toy/owner to handle situations relating to her physical safety. That was like half the reason to be a concubine. Or she would seek Annabeth's help.
However, neither of them were there, and she was all alone. Still, she hadn't spent the entire war on the wardrobe, and one did not get to be Annabeth's and Clarisse's friend without learning how to fight dirty. She also had only moments before number three would join and overwhelm her. She twisted her wrist to angle her sword downwards and avoid hurting herself with her weapon, and punched the ugly in the face with the heel of his hand. Okay, she wasn't ugly. She was a pretty brunette, with doe eyes, perfect makeup, and even had a good sense of fashion, with her dark fur coat and high heals. Despite being completely impractical for a fight, as a daughter of Aphrodite, she almost felt bad, as she felt that cute nose crack under her hand. The girl sputtered, and as her hands went up to cover her nose, Silena delivered a swift cut across the brunette's abdomen, completely ruining the coat in the process.
She went down screaming just in time for her to deal with the third girl who had chosen that moment to finally lunge at her. Silena spun on her heel, bringing her sword in a wide arc. The flat of the blade connected with the girl's temple, sending her sprawling into a wall and she followed up by a swift stab into the lower flank, where the tip sank in a hands depth in. Not her hand either, more Percy's hand, so a pretty deep wound.
The girl went down and Silena found herself standing in a growing pool of blood. Before shock could settle in, Silena forced herself to continue. Her dog was still hauling in pain, followed by a loud crash and a splash. She rounded the corner and found another group of maybe a dozen or so girls occupying with throwing balls of fire at the pool, where Mrs O'Leary had retreated to avoid the worst of the flame.
Silena's heart pounded as she assessed the situation. Mrs. O'Leary, though powerful, was at a disadvantage against so many opponents wielding fire. The hellhound could handle a lot, but she couldn't exactly swim and fight at the same time, not to mention fire was one of the few things that could really hurt her.
Silena had to act fast. She scanned the room quickly, noting the position of her enemies. They were scattered, most focused on the pool, hurling flames at the massive, black-furred hellhound as she struggled in the water.
Silena burst forward, her blade finding the top of a blond's skull before anyone was the wiser. The young woman went down like a marionette, and Silena drove her sword in between the ribs of another.
The second girl crumpled, clutching her ribs with a gurgled cry. Before the others could react, Silena was already moving. She pivoted, her feet light and quick as she closed the distance between her and the next target. The attackers, caught off guard by the sudden assault, hesitated—something Silena took full advantage of. At least, that was the plan. A bronze leg struck her thigh, and Silena screamed as her leg gave way. By the time the rest of the intruders realized they were under attack, a firm grabbed Silena's hair from behind and twisted her head around, while a second grabbed her throat with a deathly pale hand with unnaturally long, pink painted claws.
The pale hand tightened around Silena's throat, cutting off her breath. The sharp claws dug into her skin, and she winced as the grip in her hair twisted painfully, forcing her head to the side. She gasped, trying to catch her breath, but the pressure on her windpipe made it nearly impossible. Her vision blurred, the edges darkening as panic began to set in.
"I don't make a habit out of killing other girls, but Jthe nastiest of them seem to pop up in Jackson's orbit," a cold, mocking voice hissed from behind her.
"Easy Kelli," another sweet voice chided, slowly approaching. She was of average height and her dress was chosen by someone with a good eye, for it fit her body and olive skin tone very well. Her hair was long, and silky dark, and her face beautiful, with a narrow nose, and proud features.
"You must be the beautiful Silena Beauregard," a melodic voice greeted her, the woman's green eyes sparkling with malicious amusement and glee. "Now, I am looking for my aunt. Perhaps you have heard of her. Her name is Circe."
Ms. Crazy Eyes dropped two glowing golden peals that shattered into an unreasonable amount of golden smoke on the marble tiles. The smoke spilled out for a moment, before beginning to gather in the gym area into two dragons with shimmery golden scales, their shoulders nearly on one level with Silena's.
The dragons formed quickly, their serpentine bodies twisting and coiling as they solidified from the golden smoke. Each one was a display of deadly beauty, shimmering in the dim light of the atrium. Their eyes glowed with an inner fire, and their fangs gleamed like polished ivory as they snapped at the air.
"So, Silena," the woman said, beaming at her.
"Why don't you be a good girl? Tell me where Circe is and I won't burn your pretty face off. Unless you think your master will still want to fuck you once I've melted it off?"
The hand around her throat clenched so hard that her gasp stayed trapped in her throat. "Look at those tits, he could always just put a sack over her head..." Kelli mused.
"Then we will burn those off, too," Medea said thoughtfully. Kelli was choking her so hard that it felt as if her head was about to pop off. "She can't tell us anything like that, you know..."
"Sorry," Kelli said sheepishly, and released her throat, allowing Silena to gasp for air.
"She..." Silena spluttered between breaths, massaging her throat, though the hand in her hair never disappeared. "Atlantis,... under water!"
"No, she isn't," Circe said offhandedly. "Percy Jackson has not mastered teleportation yet, so he can't fuck her if she is under the ocean, and I know from a reliable source that he rarely leaves Olympus." The strange woman smiled, insanity burning in her eyes, and raised her hands. "Now, I don't judge, Circe was his by right of conquest. However, I do need her help. So, tell me where she is..."
"You know half of Olympus will be here in a moment. Good look searching the place," Silena spat. The woman only chuckled a deep, throaty chuckle and pulled a silver pendent from a pouch in her belt and showed it.
"You have betrayed the gods before, Silena," the woman promised, grabbing her jaw hard. "As you have undoubtedly guessed, I am the great sorceress Medea. Between Circe and myself, we could break whatever leash your owner has on you," she promised, rubbing her thumb across Silena's lower lips. "Rouge Vie by Chanel. Good taste," she then murmured, glancing at Silena's lipstick smeared across her thumb. "Just join us. No one is coming to help you. We know your master and the daughter of Athena are gone. Many made the mistake of dismissing them in the past, but they have defeated just about every deity and monster unfortunate enough to cross their path. I will not share the errors so many others have consistently made. Even your more useful sister, that brat, is absent. You see, we chose the time of our attack well. And with this,.." she declared, swinging the pendant in front of her eyes. "We have all the time and privacy we need. I got this little thing from Gaia, a token blessed by the lord of Time."
When Silena said nothing, Medea laughed. "Oh, you love him? Do you?" she asked, and the surrounding women sniggered. "Darling, you are a set of tits to him. What do you think will happen? That he'll turn around and make you his wife for your loyalty. If you are lucky, he will let you push out his brats! The gods never repay their debts. Your faith is misplaced!"
The words stung, she could not deny it, and her perhaps her feelings were visible on her face, because Medea smiled. "Tell me, where is Circe?" asked again, her voice suddenly richer and deeper, ringing like bells in her ears.
Before she could answer, the pool exploded, dousing them in ice and nearly frozen water, and a massive hellhound burst forward. She barely had time to register the horrible state Mrs O'Leary was in. Entire patches of her thick coat were burned down to the naked muscles underneath. However, her eyes, a clear green, burned with fury. One of the girls, a dark-skinned teenage girl with curly hair, was too close. She barely had time to turn around, her eyes wide with fear, much less cast a spell, before the hellhound's massive jaws closed around her torso, crushing it as if it were no more than a wicker basket.
Medea, however, remained unfazed, her manic grin widening as she watched the chaos unfold. "So, the mutt still has some bite left in her," she purred, her voice dripping with sadistic amusement. "How adorable."
Kelli released her hold on Silena's hair, shoving her roughly to the ground before taking a few cautious steps back, her eyes never leaving the raging hellhound. The other sorceresses, those who weren't already fleeing, began casting protective wards, summoning flames, and conjuring shields in a desperate attempt to defend themselves against the beast.
The dragons too lunged forward, golden flames washing over Mrs O'Leary. Howling in pain and rage, the hellhound surged forward, trampling two more girls under her paws as she threw herself at one of the dragons. The beast was less than half her weight, and was swept away like a twig in a riptide. The melee of thrashing claws, fangs, and supernatural golden flames crashed through one of the marble support columns. The entire build shook, and fire engulfed Medea's hands. The other women also seemed to be getting their shit together, because they too began preparing to use magic themselves.
Silena took her moment and scrambled, ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg, and knocked into Kelli with her shoulder, sending the demon staggering back against a wall. She ran with Mrs. O'Leary's howls ringing in her ears, and did not look back. She knew that if she did, she would stop. When she reached the stairs that led down into the house, Mrs. O'Leary howled one more time as a particularly bright flash of light lit up the courtyard, then silence fell.
"Baby, Percy. Could really use your help here. Like now!" she prayed as she rushed further down and fetched another sword from one of the wall displays. Though if that stupid pendent Medea had been so proud of was anything to go by, her prayers might not be getting very far. Where had everyone gone? Quite frankly, there weren't too many places to go. She rushed a floor further down and finally found Khione, Paul, and Sally holding Estelle in the master bedroom. Paul unlocked the door when she knocked and she rushed in.
"By the gods, Silena! What happened to you?" Sally cried and Silena looked down at herself, realizing she was covered in blood.
"Not mine," she said hastily, though wasn't entirely sure that the claim was true.
"What is going on?" Paul asked.
"Medea, a demon, and I assume a bunch of Circe's and Medea's friends are here to break out Circe," Silena summarized. "I killed a few, but Mrs O'Leary is MIA and we are running out of options! They fucking waited for Percy, Annabeth, and Piper to be out of the house. At least the baddies still do the monologuing thing. They set this up! Waited for Percy and Annabeth to be away," she said as she headed over to the nightstand, leaving out that they considered Piper a bigger problem than her. If she were in Annabeth, she would be seriously miffed by this. Fortunately, she told herself, she was above such pettiness.
She opened her hand and reached inside just as the door to the bedroom burst open and Kelli emerged, leading a gaggle of seriously miffed looking young women.
Kelli laughed, a sound that sent a chill down Silena's spine. "Oh, fancy seeing you here, Khione," the demon said, as if only just then noticing their resident drop dead gorgeous ice princess. "Serving that seaweed-scented brute, the collar suits you."
Khione, who had been dusting herself off after tumbling into the bed, raised an eyebrow. "My point stands..."
"What do you want?" Silena demanded, decided that as the most senior person around she should be doing the talking. "You have what you came for! Just take the bitch and go!"
"Where is the key?" the demon kissed.
"Key?" Silena asked innocently.
"To the cage, those bars and locks are celestial bronze," Kelli sneered. "Drop that little sword. Ladies, if they resist, kill them. You are coming with us."
Silena glanced around at her companions, realizing they were out of options. If she made a move, Paul, Sally, and little Estelle would be dead before she could even reach the attackers—and her own fate would be just as grim. She doubted that her immortality or eternal youth would protect her from the wrath of magical fire. Even Khione, a full-fledged goddess, wouldn't fare much better against the raw destructive power of the sorceresses. Khione wouldn't die, she was a goddess after all. But with her powers so tightly contained, Silena doubted it would be an enjoyable experience for her either. For now, they had to comply—or risk losing everything.
Reluctantly, Silena dropped her weapon and raised her hands, stepping forward. Khione brought up the rear, looking almost bored, as their small group was escorted to a lower floor. They passed by groups of young women and girls, all of them glaring at them.
"Percy," she prayed silently. "If you are planning to step in here, now would be a really great time." To add to the situation, little Estelle seemed to have picked up on the tension was now bawling her lungs out.
The largest group had gathered outside the vault door, which, unfortunately, they hadn't actually bothered to close. Medea and what Silena presumed was the core group of her followers were already inside, standing in front of Circe's cage. Circe, for the first time since being imprisoned, was smiling triumphantly, her eyes glinting with a dark satisfaction as if reveling in her imminent freedom.
"Finally," Circe purred, her voice low and silky. "I thought I might rot in this cage forever. You've done well, Medea. Perhaps you're not as useless as I once thought."
Medea smirked, unbothered by the slight. "Oh, I assure you, aunt, I am far from useless."
"So it might see, now open this cell so that me might leave Olympus before we overstay out welcome," Circe declared.
The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, an uneasy silence settling over the group as they awaited the next move. Silena's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Medea and Circe exchange words. Paul held Sally close, Estelle's cries echoing in the background, a stark contrast to the grim scene unfolding before them.
Medea stepped forward, her hand reaching for a pouch on her belt, presumably where the key to Circe's cage was hidden. Circe, still in her cell, eyed her niece with cold amusement. Medea pressed her hand with whatever she was holding to the lock and there was a pale silver glow, though nothing happened.
"Medea," Circe chided. "That lock is celestial bronze. A crystal bound unbinding spell will get you far. As I told you, this lock has a key..."
Medea's eyes narrowed, frustration briefly flickering across her face. Circe's calm, mocking expression only served to stoke the anger simmering beneath Medea's calm facade.
"I know the lock requires a key, Aunt," Medea spat, her voice tight with irritation. "But it would have been simpler if you could have at least informed me where your idiot jailer keeps it."
Circe leaned back against the bars, an almost bored look on her face. "Oh, I would've thought you capable of solving that little puzzle, niece. Then again, perhaps your time outside of the mortal realm has dulled your talents."
Medea's fingers twitched, her anger barely restrained, and Silena watched the exchange, her mind racing. They still had a slim chance—if Medea couldn't figure out how to open the cage immediately, it might give them enough time for Percy or anyone from Olympus to intervene. But she couldn't count on that. They needed to stall. She knew that all bets were off the moment they bothered to search for her. Her key-chain not only containing the both figurative but also literal key to both Circe and also Khione's freedom. But she couldn't count on that.
Medea rounded on her. "You, slave. Where does your master have the keys?"
Forcing herself to stay calm, she shrugged. "Do you really think my lord would tell me where he keeps his keys? Probably with him, I guess..."
Medea's gaze snapped to Silena, eyes narrowing. "Guess?" she hissed. "You are walking a thin line, girl."
As Medea's eyes bored into Silena, the tension in the room thickened like a noxious cloud. Silena met her gaze with as much defiance as she could muster, forcing herself to keep her voice steady. Medea was as dangerous and unpredictable as a racoon on rabies.
"I'm telling the truth," Silena said, trying to keep her voice steady, though her mind was spinning. "He doesn't leave the key out for anyone to find, especially not me. Remember, I am a traitor to Olympus as much as you or Khione are! My duties rarely expand past the end of Lord Perseus's bed." She forced herself not to look back at how Sally would react to this, but hoped the closest thing she would likely ever have to a mother-in-law would understand that she was playing a role.
"It is true," Khione backed her up, her voice as cool and gentle as falling snow.
"You lie," Medea accused her, doubt settling in her eyes. "It is common knowledge that you are his favorite little pet. If not, you would not have challenged us upon entry, nor denied me your assistance."
"You attacked my dog," Silena growled, forcing every ounce of indigence she could muster in her voice.
She was slightly taken aback by Circe's gleeful attention to everything unfolding. One would expect the sorceress to be desperate for freedom from her cell. No matter what distractions or tricks Medea had conjured to keep the rest of Olympus at bay, they were still working on borrowed time. She had to know that. Yet, this spectacle seemed to be the most enjoyable entertainment she'd had in quite some time.
Suddenly Sally screeched in alarm and Silena looked around just in time to see Kelli hoisting Estelle out of Sally's arms by her leg and stepped out of the mother's reach. Looking livid, Sally stepped forward, raising her fists, clearly hellbent on violence. However, perhaps by accident or by purpose, Khione blocked her path. It was probably for the best two, because of noticing her range.
"Hey," Paul bellowed, also stepping forward only to pause when Kellie stroked over Estelle's throat with the tip of her claw like nail on her index finger. "Mr Blofis, you were a pretty dope teacher, which is why I haven't killed you yet," Kelli said brightly. ´
Kelli's grip on Estelle tightened as she dangled the baby by one leg, a malicious grin spreading across her face. "Step any closer, and I'll make sure little Estelle here won't have to cry for much longer," she sneered.
Sally stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide with terror. Paul's fists were clenched by his sides, but the helplessness in his expression mirrored Sally's. Silena's heart raced. She knew they were running out of time, and things were about to get a lot worse if they didn't act fast.
"Not able to get through the cell door and threatening a baby?" Khione asked coolly. "Oh, how far the mighty have fallen? This is the worst planned rescue mission of the century."
Medea looked unimpressed, still eyeing Silena with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. "This is all very amusing," she said dryly. "But I'll ask one more time." She took a step forward, her eyes boring into Silena's. "Where is the key to Circe's cage? Either you start being useful or the little goblin there hanging there starts bleeding."
"I am hungry," Kelli underlined the threat helpfully, showing off her wickedly sharp teeth.
Silena's mind raced. Estelle was dangling by a thread—literally—and she was all too aware of how unpredictable Kelli was. She had to think fast, stall, and find a way of their mess. For a moment she considered just releasing Circe and hope they would go, but something told her that this wouldn't be the case. The moment they stopped being useful...
She kept her eyes on Medea. The sorceress was the real danger here, she told herself.. Kelli was just a rabid dog under her control.
"Alright, alright," Silena said, raising her hands in a placating gesture. "I'll tell you where the key is. Just... just don't hurt her."
Medea's expression softened into a predatory smile. "Good girl. Now, where is it?"
Silena swallowed hard, trying to buy herself more time. She couldn't just hand over the key. Percy had to be close. He had to be. "It's... it's hidden in the house," she said slowly. "There's a secret compartment in the library with a book that needs to be pulled," she said, improvising widely at that point.
"You are lying," Medea hissed.
"Do you think he keeps the bloody keys in here?" Silena asked incredulously. "Remember, he wants to keep us here. Right!"
"Stop messing around," Circe snarled. "And open the cell already."
Just as she turned around to leave they caught a break. One of Medea cronies shoved her in the foot, sending her staggering into Khione and a moment later both of them were on the crowd with Khione's somehow ending on top of her, Sally cry of alarm ringing loud in the confined room.
As Khione's cool weight settled on her, Silena realized that the game was pretty much up. Within a minute, she would have played her last card, and one way or another they would be coming to very serious harm. There was one last card left for her to play, and she knew it was a bit of a Hail Mary.
Trying to mask her moments my putting on a show of pushing Khione off, she slipped the key-chain from her pocket and felt for the smallest one while moving her hand up to the back of Khione's neck. It was a lot easier said than done, blindingly trying to find the small keyhole through the goddess's thick silky mane of dark hair.
"Hey, what are you doing there?" one of the females asked.
Silena's heart raced as she struggled to maintain her composure. "Get of me, uh! Fuck you are heavy, why does Percy have to want you too be chubby!" she complained, improvising the insults as her hand fumbled with the key behind Khione's neck, desperately trying to unlock the collar without making it too obvious. The cool weight of Khione atop her helped mask her movements, but one of Medea's cronies had clearly noticed something suspicious.
"She is trying to take the collar off. Stop them!" the crony shouted, stepping forward.
Panic surged through Silena as she realized time had run out. Her hands trembled, but the key finally clicked into the lock on Khione's collar. With a swift twist, the latch popped open just as hands seized Khione, dragging the goddess away from her. The room's temperature plummeted instantly, and in the next heartbeat, Silena found herself lying in knee-deep snow, the biting cold seeping through her clothes as wetness crept across her skin.
"Kill them!" Medea screeched, but it was too late. The goddess, her usual faint glow replaced by a frozen radiance was slowly rising to her feet, her hair whipping around as a blizzard rose around her. A glittering circlet of ice had settled upon her head like a crown. Kelli simply dropped Estelle down into the snow, her fangs growing to their full length, and lunged for the goddess.
What exactly Khione was planning to do with Kelli at that moment they would never know because Paul seemingly came out of nowhere with a right hook that would have impressed even Clarisse, the force of which snapping Kelli's head back. The she-daemon face-planted like a marionette whose strings had been cut and did not rise again.
Medea and her companions finally seemed to have finally gotten their heads around now facing a goddess, and were summoning magic. Some conjured up fire, others glowing mist and light. "Take her down," Circe screeched, apparently realizing that the figurative question mark hovering over her release, had just gotten a lot bigger.
Medea sent a wave of golden fire rolling across the jail house towards Khione and the rest of them, including the cronies standing behind them.
As the wave of golden fire surged toward them, and while Sally and Paul dove away Khione started playing for real. As the goddess raised her arms, icicles began grow in the corners and along the walls like stalactites and stalagmites, and the temperature drop so deep that the air stung in her lungs.
With a sharp gesture, Khione summoned a towering wall of ice that rose from the floor, absorbing the brunt of the flames before shattering outward in a burst of frozen shards. The ice splinters shot out like deadly missiles, one exploding against the wall right next to Silena's heads. Screams erupted again as another struck one of Medea and Circe's following in the abdomen. Whatever the ladies had anticipated, a few of them clearly hadn't signed up to go mano a mano with a hacked off goddess.
The rest Medea's sorceresses scrambled to defend themselves, conjuring magical shields, but several more of them were struck down by the freezing projectiles, their screams echoing through the chamber. Kelli also finally seemed to have recovered from getting her bell wrung, and scrambled to her feet, looking at Paul in disbelief. "You hit me," she gasped in disbelief, touching her bloody nose. "You were my favorite teacher at that shithole school..."
Medea snarled, her eyes blazing with fury as she unleashed another wave of fiery magic, making all the lights in the ceiling explode in the process, and casting them in twilight. But Khione was faster. She swept her arm in a wide arc, and a frigid wind howled through the room, carrying with it a barrage of snow and ice that slammed into Medea and her followers. The temperature plummeted even further, turning the ground beneath their feet into a treacherous sheet of ice.
Khione, now fully unleashed, stood tall, and proud. The hoodie and sweatpants she had been wearing had been burned away by ice, leaving behind only a light chiton. She moved with the grace of an ice queen, her arms guiding the storm around her like a conductor leading an orchestra. The sorceresses, despite their combined powers, were clearly outmatched. Several of them were already frozen in place, their limbs stiff as ice crept up their bodies, while others struggled to fend off Khione's wrath.
Circe, still trapped in her cage, watched the battle unfold with a mixture of frustration and fury. "Do something, Medea!" she screeched, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Before we're all buried in this frozen tomb!"
When Silena moved, she felt her own pullover cracking as the frozen fabric broke out of the position, her eyes locking on the pendent that Medea had been so proud off. It also occurred to her that while it was all good and fun that Medea and co were getting a pasting, she had no reason to be confident that the goddess's wrath would be particularly discriminating and wouldn't just turn on herself or on Paul, Sally, and Estelle. Even more important that she escalated the situation and brought outside help into here. The mortals were huddling in a corner, trying to stay out of the way as much as possible.
"Get out of here!" Silena screamed at them over the howling blizzard, her voice barely cutting through the storm. She pushed herself up from the snow-covered ground, wincing as the cold bit at her exposed skin. The mortals—Paul, Sally, and little Estelle—were huddled together, their faces pale with fear and cold.
Khione's fury was palpable as the room filled with ice and snow, her power now fully unleashed. Silena knew that staying any longer in the goddess's wrath was a death sentence, for friend and foe alike.
Sally hesitated, clutching Estelle tightly to her chest. "What about you?" she yelled back, her voice shaking as she tried to shield her child from the worst of the cold.
"I'll be fine!" Silena lied, forcing a smile that she hoped looked convincing. "Just go!
Khione and Medea were now at it for real, trading elemental blows with lances of fire and ice. The other sorceresses, still trying to fend off Khione's relentless assault, struggled to maintain their magical shields and dish out in return. The room had turned into a battleground of extremes, the blistering heat of Medea's flames clashing with Khione's bone-chilling frost. Silena knew it was only a matter of time before one side gained the upper hand. Though Silena liked the goddess, she still didn't entirely trust her. It was best for all parties involved, if this disaster was resolved on her terms.
Her shoes slipped over the icy floor as she moved closer to Medea, sticking to the wall. The sorceress did not pay her any heed, and with her followers had begun falling to the goddesses' rage like flies. As she drew closer, she noticed that the pendent, now hanging from Medea's wrist, was glinting unnaturally. Only the fates knew if she could actually break the bloody thing, but what had they always said. The best way to contain a goddess's power was to contain the goddess itself. She hoped the same would apply to a bloody sorceress. Medea had also backed up a few steps, so far in fact that she was now nearly standing in front of the open door of Khione's former cell.
She was just about to launch herself forward when her left flank exploded into searing pain and she looked behind her just in time to see a wickedly sharp claw like fingernails coming towards her face. Instinctively she pulled her right arm up, catching the fiends wrist with her lower arm. The block saved her face, though bruised her arm.
Kelli too hissed in pain, grabbing her wrist, her eyes glowing with pure malevolence.
Silena barely had time to react as Kelli lunged at her again, claws aimed directly for her throat. Silena twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the demon's nails grazed her shoulder, leaving burning streaks of pain in their wake. Silena stumbled back, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to stay on her feet.
"You're tougher than you look," Kelli sneered, her eyes glowing with malicious intent. "But not tough-" Kelli's eyes widened in alarm and pain and looked down. A narrow ring of ice had risen up around her feet, and from it nails of the frozen water seemed to have grown into her feet, penetrating both her flesh and bronze one. The ice almost looked organic and alive the ice grew in height, sending out more spears of ice to penetrate ankles, and then calves in the process.
Kelli screamed in fury as the ice began to pierce her legs, her movements becoming more frantic as she tried to wrench herself free but the ice kept rising, and the ice needles kept digging into her as it did. Her eyes blazed with hatred, and she lashed out wildly with her claws, but the ice held her fast. Silena took the opportunity to back away, clutching her bleeding shoulder. The pain was sharp, but adrenaline pushed her forward as she assessed her options.
Khione had turned her attention fully toward Medea now, leaving Kelli for the ice to handle. The storm around the goddess grew in intensity, the wind howling through the broken windows, snow swirling in blinding gusts. Medea's face was twisted in concentration as she conjured fire in an attempt to counter Khione's assault, but it was clear she was struggling. Frost had begun to creep up her arms, and her fiery defenses were weakening.
As Kelli thrashed against the ice that imprisoned her, Silena knew that her window of opportunity was closing fast. The room was a battlefield of extreme elements—flames crackling on one side, biting cold on the other. The pendent, still dangling from Medea's wrist, was glowing with an unnatural light. It was now or never.
With a deep breath, Silena ignored the searing pain in her shoulder and lunged forward, her eyes locked on the pendant. She dodged a stray icicle that Khione had summoned and closed the distance between her and Medea. Just as the sorceress was about to unleash another fireball, Silena grabbed the pendant and yanked with all her might.
Medea shrieked in fury, her focus shattered as Silena ripped the pendant from her wrist. The golden chain snapped, and the glowing trinket tumbled to the ground, pulsing weakly in the snow. In that instant, the world seemed to hold its breath. The golden light surrounding the pendant began to flicker and dim, its magical energy waning rapidly.
"You stupid girl!" Circe screamed. "Get the pendant or half of Olympus will be upon us!"
Medea's eyes blazed with fury as she turned on Silena, her hand raised to cast a terrible spell. But Khione, seeing her chance, unleashed a devastating blast of icy wind that knocked the sorceress off her feet and sending her skidding right into the open cell door.
The remaining sorceresses scrambled, some fleeing, others frantically trying to maintain their magic, but it was clear the battle was lost. Khione, with the full force of her divine power unleashed, could not be denied. Medea screamed in rage as she began to rise to her feet, golden fire dancing around her fingers in the process. Something very loud and heavy crashed up stairs. Something, she realized, that was coming about.
So Silena did the first stupid thing that came to her mind and charged, her feet slipping on the frozen floor, but still managed to kick Medea in the chest and sent her skidding further into the cell. So far so good, but she landed hard on her back hard after failing to catch her feet. Ignoring the pain flashing through her body, she scrambled backwards and then kicked the cell door closed. Metal slammed on metal, and the locked clicked in place.
Medea screamed in fury, her voice even rising over Circe's yells, echoing off the walls of the cell. She slammed her fists against the bars, golden flames licking at the metal but doing nothing to free her. Silena panted, lying on the cold, frozen floor, her heart racing as she watched Medea rage helplessly in the cage.
Khione, stepped forward, her icy aura radiating with a cold so intense it made the air crackle. She raised a hand, summoning a thick sheet of frost that encased the cell bars, reinforcing the lock and trapping Medea and Circe inside, cutting off their screams. Though she could still see their blurred shapes hitting the ice.
Silena rounded on where she had last seen Kelli, only to find a wiry pillar of ice standing where the demon had been, coated in golden dust. A dozen motionless bodies lay strewn across the floor and the cries of a few more injured echoed around the frozen room. Though she could heard fighting above them, heavy fighting in fact.
"That was fun," Khione mused, and rolled her shoulders. "I can finally hear myself think. I really hate sorcerers."
Finally, once on her feet, and stamped on the pendant, bending it beyond recognition. "Come on," she urged. "There is still fighting upstairs."
Khione gave her a long look. Her skin was glowing in faint cold light, and frozen mist seemed to be.
Khione gave her a long look. Her skin glowed faintly, the cold light reflecting off the frost-covered walls, and the frozen mist swirling around her. She was wearing the same simple white dress she had first seen her in, though the circlet of ice resting on her head was certainly a new addition.
She could see the goddess's breath in the air as Khione stepped toward her, a deadly calm settling over her features.
"There's still fighting upstairs," Silena repeated, though her voice was hoarse, each word a strain on her aching throat.
The goddess sighed. "Very well," she said and began to stroll in the direction of the door.
While some of Medea's followers had decided to cut their losses, more than enough seemed to still be willing to put a fight. And from the sounds of it, those dragons were not nearly done yet.
As Khione led the way out of the basement, the temperature began to slowly rise as the ice-covered room behind them faded from view. Silena followed, her shoulder throbbing from Kelli's earlier attack, but adrenaline kept her moving. The sounds of battle grew louder with each step, the clashing of weapons and the roars of the dragons echoing through the halls above.
Suddenly an African American woman stumbled into their way and then collapsed, a silvery arrow sticking from between her shoulders. A moment later a thunderclap shook the upper floor of the building.
The goddess didn't even slow down, stepping over the corpse with little concern and began to make her way up the stairs only to be cut off by two familiar face. Amberly and Juliette, two of the huntresses that had recovered Khione with Percy, rounded the corner and skidded to a halt when they came face to face with a Khione that was clearly in full possession of their power.
"You guys had a party and didn't invite us?" Amberly asked, feigning offense.
"Yeah," Silena replied, wincing as she adjusted her injured shoulder. "Medea and a few of her followers tried to free Circe. We've got Medea contained in the basement, but... there are two dragons and a bunch of crazed followers still on the loose."
"Dude," Juliette, forever a fourteen-year-old cut in indignantly. "Your bar is fucked. This is the only place on Olympus that lets me get shitfaced."
Suddenly they heard footsteps and the two girls turned around to see Thalia storming towards them, bearing both her spear and that nasty shields with her. "Where the fuck are Percy and Annabeth," she demanded. "And why is Elsa all 'Let it go'!"
Thalia raised an eyebrow, her electric-blue eyes flashing with annoyance as she watched Khione ascend. "Great, as if we didn't have enough to deal with," she muttered, before turning back to Silena, Amberly, and Juliette. "Okay, let's get a handle on this. We have those dragons contained for now."
"Two golden ones," Silena confirmed, wincing as she shifted her injured shoulder. "What the fuck is going on?"
"Apparently Medea and a bunch of her cronies tried to bust out Circe. We have Medea contained downstairs with Circe, but a bunch of her little friends are running amuck. Sally, Paul, and Estelle are also around here somewhere. Mrs O'Leary and Juniper are MIA..."
Thalia cursed. "Well, let's mop this up. The goddess should be arriving soon. And keep Khione on a short leash!"
"You think I can make her do anything, plus Khione here is on our side," Silena proclaimed, though still wasn't entirely confident that this was entirely true.
"Well, then she can help wrap this up," Thalia added, pointedly not looking directly at Khione and speaking of her as if she weren't there. "Artemis should get here any moment."
Thalia glanced at her two fellow huntresses. "Ladies, head down and ensure that Medea and Circe stay secure."
"Will do," Amberly said and after fist-bumping Juliette and then the two girls hurried past Khione and Silena, leaving them and Thalia to stand in an awkward silence.
"Shall we get to it?" Khione finally asked with an air of eager anticipation, clearly relishing the opportunity to use her powers again.
"Fine," Thalia agreed grudgingly.
The top floor had been in serious need of renovation when she fled downstairs and now was barely recognizable. The Hunt had clearly mobilized in some force and in a very short notice if some of the half down hair due and improvised clothing was anything to go by.
They weren't alone. A giant of a biker stood in the midst of a group of baddies, swinging a flaming great sword, the blade leaving behind ribbons of flesh and blood as it true burning arcs. "Six bitches, seven bitches, eight bitches," Ares counted gleefully as he waded through the group of women desperately trying to defend themselves against the Olympians onslaught. 'Good for him', the part of her that spent too much time with Percy thought to herself, 'at least he could count'. Once again she had serious doubts in her mother's choice of boy-toys.
The rest of the hunt were busy dodging spells, shooting arrows left right and center, or otherwise locked in combat. Despite clearly being caught off foot by having their leadership and most powerful practitioner removed, Medea's henchwomen weren't quite done yet, nor were the two dragons. One was snapping at a group of huntresses, the other was bathing furniture in fire. "Could you handle that one?" Silena asked, nodding at the closer dragon, the one intent on burning her bloody home down.
"Fine," the goddess said and began to advance, frozen vapor gathering in her hands as she raised them.
It was then that a tall, pale man in a dark Italian suit stepped out of the atrium, casually dusting off his collar, and then looked around as if mildly annoyed by the commotion. One of Medea's friends, a dark-skinned young woman, made the mistake of chucking a fireball in his direction, which evaporated before it even found its mark.
The man looked around, dark eyes flickering to the young woman. A heartbeat later, the young woman collapsed to the floor and didn't move again. As if on cue Khione paused and looked over a shoulder and for a moment the two gods acknowledged each other with a glance before the goddess of snow continued on her way over to the dragon.
He spotted Silena, nodded, and began to stroll over to her. "Ms Beauregard, I was hoping to inquire whether your master was here."
"He is not here, Lord. I fear though that we are in the middle of something," Silena pointed out politely.
Hades looked around, his gaze settling on Khione for a moment who seemed to be having a dandy time shucking lances of ice at a dragon which now seemed to have far bigger concerns than arson.
Hades's dark eyes flicked back to Silena, a small frown tugging at his lips. "Indeed," he mused, his voice cold and calm, completely at odds with the chaos swirling around them. "It appears you've all been quite busy without the need for a godly audience." His tone held a subtle layer of sarcasm, but there was an edge of curiosity too, as if he were sizing up the situation.
Silena stood straighter, trying to project more confidence than she felt. "Medea and Circe tried to break out, but we've managed to contain them for now. The rest..." She gestured to the still-writhing battle around them. "It's a bit of a work in progress."
Hades sighed, surveying the destruction with mild disinterest. "Typical. Always some petty mortal or demigod thinking they can rewrite fate." He raised a hand lazily, and with a flick of his wrist, one of Medea's cronies collapsed, clutching her chest as the life drained from her in seconds. Especially because at that moment a twenty or thirteen-year-old girl dropped from the roof onto the dragon, holding two daggers, each as long as her lower arms and both glowing as if they were forced from moonlight. She drove the daggers under the base of the dragons skull, and with a bone shaking scream, it evaporated into gold dust.
The sorceresses finally seemed to acknowledge the Lord of The Underworlds presence and accept that all bets were off. Two more fell to Ares blade, while a third was struck in the chest by a silvery arrow. The remaining turned around ran, though Ares caught one unfortunate soul and threw the shrieking girl over his shoulder. "Tell the punk I am still going to fuck him up. This was just a really good scrapping," the god of war bellowed over to her before stalking back in the direction of the ruined Atrium, completely ignoring the other women rushing for the door. "Put the girl down!" Artemis called after him halfheartedly, though didn't follow when she wasn't heeded as the captured sorceresses screams slowly faded. It suddenly became very quiet, aside from the groans of the wounded, and the crackling of fire.
"Your mother has an interesting taste," Hades mused somewhat drily, his dark eyes glinting.
She had nothing on that, he was right of course. Fortunately she was saved from finding a good answer by Artemis, who came strolling over, glaring daggers at Hades, and for a moment Silena thought she might start putting her actual weapons to used.
"What is going on here?" the goddess demanded.
Silena repeated the briefing, and the goddess groaned as she watched Khione finish off the second dragon. "And you let her loose?"
"It was that, or let Circe walk right out. Now I have both her and Medea under lock and key," Silena said defensively.
"And what is he doing here?" she asked pointedly.
"He can hear you," Hades replied pointedly, seeming almost perplexed by his nieces seemingly childish refusal to directly engage with him.
"Lord Hades, I take it, has come here hoping to meet with my master," Silena replied as neutrally as possible. "Who unfortunately, as I explained, is not here at the moment."
"What do you want with him," Artemis demanded, glowering at the lord of the underworld. Given Artemis was running around in her preferred form, that of a prepubescent girl, it was hard for Silena to take her quite as serious as she probably should, especially when she was refusing to directly talk to Hades.
Thalia, looking somewhat weary joined them. "Uncle," she greeted Hades, awkwardly clearing his throat. The god nodded curtly.
"I, my dearest niece," Hades replied, his voice as soft and smooth as velvet, "Have come to visit my most illustrious nephew."
The room fell silent as Hades's words hung in the air. Artemis's silver eyes flicked between Silena, Thalia, and the Lord of the Underworld, her hostility barely concealed. Thalia stood uneasily, clearly uncertain about the nature of Hades's visit, nor how long her mistresses temper would hold, but smart enough to shut up.
Silena, still nursing her wounds and trying to maintain some semblance of calm, could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on her. "Thals," Silena asked simply to break up the argument, "Can you check on Sally, Paul, and Estelle? Also, see if your girls can find Juniper, I have not seen her since the beginning of the attack."
"Will do," the daughter of Zeus said and hurried off back into the house.
Khione, meanwhile, was busy examining the now-vanquished dragons, her icy demeanor unbothered by the tense exchange. Though as if sensing her gaze, Khione looked over at her, sighed, and strolled over to join them, the temperature dropping from cold, to freezing in her presence.
"Visit Percy?" Artemis scoffed, folding her arms. "Since when have you taken an interest in the affairs of my cousin?"
"Since I have invited him to offer his council in the underworld, an offer I am hopeful he will in good time accept," Hades replied, a cold smile pulling the edge of his lips up. "My wife, you see, appreciates his humor."
Artemis crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "If you think you can turn him into your personal advisor in the Underworld, Hades, you might be sorely mistaken."
Hades chuckled softly, his deep voice resonating through the ruined room. "No need for hostility, niece. I simply offer opportunities. Percy is quite capable of deciding for himself. After all, he's not a child anymore. Shall we postpone this argument for a more fitting setting?" he asked. "After all, the Lord of the Sky and the Queen of the Heavens, are about to grace us with their presence."
Suddenly, a clap of thunder shook the ground, and a blinding flash of light filled the ruined courtyard as a pair of towering figures materialized in front of them.
Zeus, with his sharp features and piercing electric-blue eyes, took in the scene with a slow, deliberate gaze. His expression was unreadable, but the storm brewing in his eyes betrayed his annoyance. Hera, ever regal, stood beside him with her head held high, her cold beauty framed by the golden light that seemed to emanate from her.
"Explain this madness," Zeus demanded, his voice booming like thunder. He surveyed the carnage, his eyes lingering on the frozen bodies, the burned furniture, gathered huntresses and the wounded scattered around the room.
Hades, ever composed, inclined his head slightly. "Brother," he greeted with a faint smile. "I arrived too late to prevent this chaos, I'm afraid. However, it appears the situation is now under control."
Hera's gaze, however, was fixed on Silena. "And you, child of Aphrodite," she said, her voice dripping with both curiosity and disdain. "What part have you played in this disaster?"
Silena straightened, forcing herself to meet the goddess's gaze despite the weight of her scrutiny. "Medea and Circe attempted to break out of their confinement," she said evenly. "With the help of some followers. But we've managed to contain them—thanks to Khione here."
Hera glared at the goddess, clearly contemplating violence.
"And why is your master's bitch off her leash?" she asked coldly.
"Without her I would be dead, and both Circe and Medea would be gone now," Silena said forcefully before Khione could rise to a challenge she could only lose in.
"It is I who has the responsibility to mind this household in Lord Perseus's absence, and it was my choice to take a collar off, a choice that has been vindicated," Silena said politely but firmly. "If and when he chooses to restrain her again, he can do so when he returns."
"We are forgetting the bigger picture, once again," Artemis growled. "We were attacked on Olympus, and were caught off guard after all that has happened!"
"Granted, Medea used some sort of trinket from Kronos that temporarily cut us off form the rest of Olympus," Silena offered helpfully.
"That hardly makes it better," Hades said smoothly, and Silena was getting the distinct suspicion that the lord of the Underworld was enjoying every moment of his siblings annoyance.
Khione, her glowing ice crown shimmering with cold light, remained impassive, though Silena could sense the thinly veiled disdain the goddess of snow had for being addressed as a "bitch off her leash." But Khione kept her regal poise, her eyes fixed on the Olympians with the detached coldness of a glacier.
Artemis, standing between the icy goddess and the towering forms of Zeus and Hera, glanced at Silena with a hint of approval. The Hunt had fought valiantly, and Silena's quick thinking had stopped Medea and Circe from escaping. Yet, there was still a storm brewing, one that the daughter of Aphrodite wasn't sure they could withstand without Percy.
Zeus's eyes flickered with electric intensity as he stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "Your master, Perseus, has been absent during a direct attack on his residence, an assault orchestrated by mortals and sorceresses. This should not have happened, and it certainly should not have been handled by the likes of... you," he said, his voice carrying the weight of a storm, letting the walls tremble with his unveiled temper.
Silena clenched her fists but maintained a neutral expression. "With all due respect, Lord Zeus, we did what needed to be done. Medea had a pendant that shielded them from Olympus's detection. They caught us by surprise. But we contained the threat. Circe and Medea are locked away, and their followers scattered," she said, her voice even, despite the fear clenching her stomach.
Zeus's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps you misunderstand, daughter of Aphrodite. The failure was not yours alone," he thundered, his gaze sweeping to Artemis, whose face remained stony, and then to Hades, who gave a slight, amused smile.
Hera, still glaring at Khione, crossed her arms. "And yet, here we are, cleaning up this mess after you allowed the goddess of snow to run amok. Tell me, girl, do you truly believe you have the authority to release her, even if it was in defense?"
Silena hesitated. She knew Hera's trap. If she admitted to overstepping, it would justify any punishment. If she stood her ground, she risked the wrath of the Queen of Olympus. But she had little choice. She squared her shoulders. "I will let my master decide if he wishes to punish me or not. With all due respect,..."
"A phrase commonly fallen back upon when there is a distinct lack there off," Hades cut in helpfully. Hera's eyes flashed with anger at Hades's remark, but she remained silent for a moment, her lips pressing into a thin line.
Silena chose to pointedly ignore the heckler. "Khione is not the problem here," Silena continued. "The problem is that Circe and Medea managed to mount an attack on Olympus in the first place. We responded with the best means available to us. Without Khione, Medea would be free right now, and I would be dead."
Hera's cold gaze lingered on Silena for a moment longer before she turned her attention to Khione, who remained stoic and unflinching under the scrutiny.
Zeus, still bristling with thunderous energy, spoke once more, his voice filling the room like the rumble of distant storms. "This is not the first time Olympus has been tested. And each time, the threats grow bolder. If my nephew, your master, had been present—"
"He wouldn't have," Silena interrupted, surprising even herself with the boldness. However she was the warden of this household, and would not be talked down to in her own home. It would also set entirely the wrong precedent. She quickly added, "They boasted how they had waited for Percy and Annabeth to leave."
"Not an unreasonable precaution on their side," another voice declared and Silena was startled to find Athena standing right behind her. "The sea spawn consistently punches above his own weight class, and my daughter can not easily be dismissed either. As they have learned when they accosted her mere days ago in her home down in the mortal world. At least we now know why, they were trying to free Circe. I imagine they were attempting to take her hostage and force Percy Jackson to make an exchange."
Thalia chose just that moment to return with Sally, Paul, who were looking around the courtyard in dismay. Little Estelle was far too busy screaming her head off, which now that she thought to it did not help their situation.
The huntress stepped up to her and leaned so close that only she could hear. "Juniper's bush is heavily damaged. That might explain why she is not around."
Her heart felt like it had dropped right out of her stomach, when she remembered how Juniper had suddenly disappeared, and realized that the dryad had likely suffered a terrible blow during the explosion, and she had barely acknowledged it.