When you think about a demigod quest, what comes to your mind? Sleeping in the woods? Fighting monsters? Cryptic messages from gods who have their own agendas? Moments of self-reflection that drive growth?

Well, you'd be right—in theory, anyway. That's usually what these quests are supposed to be like, but our trip to Santa Monica wasn't really any of those things. The only time our backs were ever against the wall was when they had all of the first-class passengers wait to board, and we had to wait for a lady with a stroller to go first.

You see, ever since my uncle visited me, monster attacks were few and far between. I had no way of knowing for sure, but I had this nagging suspicion that they knew I was going to retrieve their lord's symbol of power or something.

Not that I was complaining. With the money he fronted us, Piper and I got another one of those Amtrak trains all the way to Santa Monica. Not the run-down, rinky-dink one we'd been on earlier, either. This one was sleek and futuristic.

And, even though we'd been first-class to start with, we'd mysteriously gotten upgraded to our own private cabin—complete with a television, our own waitstaff, unlimited snacks, and a built-in bathroom.

On the way to Santa Monica, the train veered through rolling plains and desert landscapes, passing by miles of towering rock formations that glowed orange under the fading daylight. Cacti dotted the horizon, and every once in a while, the view opened onto a winding river or a sleepy small town that felt a world away from the hustle and bustle we'd just left behind.

Piper and I got to know each other a bit better between reruns of Friends.

When I first learned that Piper's mother was Aphrodite, I assumed that meant she would be all style tips and heart-shaped doodles—some of the girls at camp were like that—but she was nothing like the stereotype. She was grounded and had a knack for reading people that went far beyond her inherited charmspeak.

She mentioned her father, Tristan McLean, a famous actor—but never in a braggy way—more like it was just another puzzle piece she was still fitting into place.

During the quieter moments, while the laugh track rolled, she'd open up about how strange it felt to have a parent plastered on movie posters and magazine covers. In return, I told her all about my mom—how she'd been offered a life of luxury by my dad but chose to earn everything herself; how she cared for me so deeply she was willing to marry Smelly Gabe.

Between back-to-back episodes, she and I shared enough stories, jokes, and insecurities that the days seemed to blur—and, for once, our quest felt almost normal. I could lean back and imagine a life like this and just forget about all the pressure around me.

Even if it was just for a second.

The only downside of the whole thing was that it was nighttime when we arrived, and I wasn't really in the mood to die at night.

We walked into one of those hotels—you know, the kind that screams corporate America, with stuffy businessmen waddling around in suits, dragging wheeled luggage like it's their security blanket. The kind of place where you half-expect to see a convention on Innovative Ways to Waste Time in Meetings.

It was sort of funny, actually. Piper and I walked into the hotel, and no one paid us any attention. We squeezed through the entrance, sandwiched in between two men in suits. The bellhop didn't even spare us a second glance.

No one really made a big deal out of the two dirty children who just walked in. Maybe they thought we were hobos. I mean, we were in Santa Monica. We saw our fair share of hobos as we got off the train, but you'd think hotels would be a little stricter about who can enter.

My dirty sneakers squeaked against the floor as we wandered around. The tiles were so polished I could practically see my reflection—honestly, it made me feel a little guilty for messing it up. That is, until one of the receptionists gave me the look. You know, the one that says, wow, did this garbage bag just grow legs and walk in here?

And just like that, any guilt I felt was gone. Poof.

I steered Piper toward his check-in desk.

The bald man sitting behind it looked up at me, fighting the urge to be annoyed. He plastered on a wooden smile and said, "Greetings, as a reminder, this isn't the YMCA. We do not cater to young street urchins, and our hotel does not allow loitering."

"You'll cater to these ones," I said, smiling as sweetly as possible. "Our benefactor, Mr. H, should have called ahead."

Piper shifted at my side, her fingers twitching as if she wanted to speak up, but I shot her a glance, hoping she'd let me handle it. We were supposed to be keeping a low profile, after all—not that it was easy when a receptionist was practically glaring a hole through my forehead.

The man's eyes flicked to Piper for a moment, then back to me, annoyance now etched into every line on his face. "Really?"

"What's your name?"

"Ricardo," The bald man said. His nose wrinkled. "Sir."

"Well then, Ricardo. I happen to be Mr. H's nephew. Do you want me to call him and have him confirm? I'd be more than happy to refer you to him."

"That won't be needed," Ricardo cleared his throat and looked back at the monitor screen. I heard a few mouse clicks. "Ah. Found it. You were just under a different reservation."

"Was I?

"Yes. Sir. Mr. H has requested that you and your companion be placed in the presidential suite for the night," He sniffed and slid a key across the table. I held the key in my hands—it was one of those rectangular ones, but there was a giant skull on it instead of a room number. "Top floor."

"Ah. You're a good man, Ricardo," I said. At the mention of the presidential suite, every single adult in line behind us looked at us with wide eyes. I think one lady even bowed a little.

Piper and I shuffled into one of the elevators. I tried to ignore the surprised gasps of the adults behind us as I hit the topmost button. Was this place really that great?

A couple of minutes passed, and we walked onto the carpeted floors. Red lines and golden swirls crisscrossed from left to right, framing a beautiful lotus pattern that continued until one singular door.

I took a second to look out the window. It perfectly showcased Santa Monica—the buildings were lit up. The night lights were on, casting a warm and colorful glow over the city. People were walking on the sidewalks, laughing and smiling with ice cream cones.

A feeling of dread settled in my stomach. No one knew what was about to happen tomorrow. All these people were just going to keep living their lives, unaware of the fact that a whole other world existed, right under their very noses.

"Fancy," Piper spoke up from behind me, drawing me out of my macabre thoughts. I think she could tell I was stressed out. She put a hand on my shoulder. "It's a good thing your uncle really likes you."

"Yeah, I guess," I said, my eyes still trained on the bustling city. I looked a little past it towards the pier. I shook myself a bit. "Let's check out the room."

Piper shot me a worried glance but nodded. We both walked towards the room. As we got closer, the card floated out of my pocket. It spun in place a few times and then disappeared. The door opened itself.

Sharing a shrug, we stepped into the doorway. I didn't have much experience with hotels, but man, this one was insane.

It was a suite with two separate bedrooms and a bar stocked with candy, sodas, and chips. There was a hotline to room service built into the wall. Fluffy towels and water beds with feather pillows peeked out of the rooms, and, in the living room, the east wall was dominated by a flatscreen screen television with satellite and high-speed Internet. Beyond the rooms, the balcony had its own hot tub, and there was a note pinned to the entrance.

'Sup, Perce? Hope you got to Santa Monica alright. Order whatever you want for dinner—it's on me. Might show up with your old man later, I'll keep you posted. Try to get some sleep tonight.

- H

I crumpled the note in my hand and smiled. Even if I was going to die, at least my last night would be nice.

"This place is legit," Piper commented from behind me as she peered over my shoulder. She brushed by me and walked further into the room. "Looks like there's a message for you."

I followed her gaze to the television, where a goofy photo of a wide-eyed cat clinging to a telephone pole took up the entire screen. Over the cat's head, a glittery caption sparkled in red: Hey Percy! We're hanging out downstairs! Come say hi right meow!

"Huh."

"Huh is right," Piper snorted. She undid her braid, and ran a few fingers through her tousled hair, wincing as she found knots. "You're telling me an Olympian—one that could explode both of us like a pair of Fruit Gushers—took the time out of his day to do that?"

I defended, "He's a chill guy."

"Clearly," Piper said as she flopped onto the couch. A low groan escaped her lips, "Damn, this is comfortable. I might take a nap and eat something. Do you want me to order you some food or something while you're down there?"

"Eh, maybe. What were you thinking?"

"Something greasy," Piper fumbled around for the remote. The cat flickered away as a football game took its place. Piper rested her head on the edge of the couch and curled into a fetal position. "Like a pizza. With double cheese."

My stomach grumbled. "You're talking my language, now. Save me a slice and we'll call it even."

"Deal."

I grasped the door handle. "See you later, Pipes."

"Bye!"

I stepped back into the hallway, and my stomach did a series of somersaults as a voice said, "Hello again."

Aphrodite.

She looked different, somehow, though. Rather than changing her appearance constantly, she was set on one.

Aphrodite's features were delicately heart-shaped, and she looked like if someone had blended the best of Adria Arjona and Jessica Alba into one stunning face and slapped blonde hair on top—a combination I never realized I needed in my life until I saw it.

Her makeup was flawless, enhancing every curve and angle without looking overdone. When she smiled at me, warmth flooded through my chest, and for a moment, it felt like the entire hallway was glowing just for her.

She didn't look modern, though, if that makes any sense. Her hair was adorned with gold circlets and flowers. She was dressed in one of those Greek-style dresses that flowed down from her shoulders. Gold bands covered her wrists, too.

All in all, she looked exactly like what I would've imagined a Greek princess would've looked like.

A barely visible pink aura shined around her skin. Was that there the last time? If I'd been a little smarter and a little less out of it, I could've confirmed my thoughts with an active version of [Mana Detection].

Did the Game make puberty come sooner, too? I wasn't this devastated by her very presence last time. Maybe it was because I was in a dream, and there was some sort of little jelly layer protecting my mortal brain from her presence.

Every step she took was absolutely mesmerizing, and a part of me began to wonder if she was actively trying to embarrass me.

"Do you like what you see?" Aphrodite said softly, walking over to me. The gold made a light chiming noise with every step she took. She softly placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to look into her eyes.

You know, I'm really not going to lie to you. I think I wanted to go for a witty comeback, but it ended up sounding something like, "Um uh gah."

"How sweet," She said tantalizingly, smiling at me warmly. Her eyes glinted. "I missed you too."

"Aphrodite," I managed to say eventually, though my thoughts were spinning like a pinwheel in a hurricane. Through the chaos, I recalled the pink energy I'd seen when the Chimera went down. I was pretty sure it was the only reason I survived. "Back on the, uh, arch. Um. Thanks for the save."

"Of course," Aphrodite said, patting my cheek. A bit of her teasing tone from the dream was back, "It'd be a shame to let someone this cute die."

My insides felt like they were coated in ice. "Was I actually going to die?"

"Mm," The folds of Aphrodite's dress got stuck as she stepped forward and hit the elevator button, and I instantly averted my eyes. The woman was a goddamn tease! "It's hard to say. The poison was burning through your bloodstream fast enough, but you were also headed for the water. I think it likely would've been close. A matter of seconds either going one way or another."

"Damn," I imagined my lifeless body smashing into the water, splashing into the junk of the riverbed. "Just like that, huh?"

"Just like that."

Ding!

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped through. Aphrodite waved her hand, and the button panel changed. The light bent and twisted in the elevator. I blinked, and below the emergency button, a solid black one emerged.

She clicked it.

"This will probably take a while," Aphrodite said, with an absolutely unnecessary stretching motion. I tried to look away, but the inside of the elevator was covered in mirrors, so I saw every angle—every graceful, unfairly perfect angle. It was like the universe had designed this moment specifically to make me stare, and, yeah... mission accomplished. "Oh, stop it. You're adorable. Getting all flustered."

"I'm not flustered."

"'Are you sure?" Aphrodite whispered, stepping closer to me.

"Okay, I'm flustered."

"Honest, too. You're seeming like quite the catch," Aphrodite teased me again, and I felt like hitting my head against the elevator wall and shattering the glass. "You look rather dashing yourself."

"Thank you," I spoke up, not believing a word of what she'd just said. I hadn't showered in a real shower since last week, I was still wearing the same dirty clothes I'd worn in my battle against Medusa and the Chimera, and to top it all off, my eye was covered in a Subway napkin since I'd lost the linen wrap from Medusa. "That's quite the compliment, coming from you."

"Well, I suppose it is," Aphrodite said, humming softly. Her eyes met mine, and pink electricity crackled in her irises. For a second, the black faded, and I saw my mom, sleeping peacefully. "Before I forget to mention, your mother is now under my protection."

"I haven't even completed my part of the deal yet, though," I pointed out.

"Mm. You will," Aphrodite shrugged. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "You see, the reason I wanted to tell you is that there was a slight...complication...with our bond..."

"What kind of complication?" Those words were almost at the bottom of the list of things I wanted to hear from Aphrodite at the moment. Complications almost always meant a bad thing.

"Well, you see, because I recognized your mother as my family, our bond immediately changed, as well," Aphrodite cleared her throat. "This wasn't entirely my doing, of course, but in the Olympian Council's marriage registry, you and I are listed as husband and wife."

"Huh?"

"It's an old, traditional thing," Aphrodite waved her hand. She toyed with the hem of her dress, glancing at me with an expression hovering somewhere between amused and apologetic. "Whenever a deity formally claims a mortal—or their kin—in front of the Council, certain…clauses come into effect. I believe the term is conjugal something-or-other."

I felt my jaw unhinge.

"Conjugal?" I echoed. "That sounds important. And scary."

She arched a brow, pink sparks still dancing in her eyes. "Oh, it is important. And possibly scary. But let's focus on the not that big a deal part, shall we?" She drew out her words, slowly and carefully, as if I were some skittish animal she was trying not to spook. Well, it was too late! I was already spooked! "It's just a technicality. A formality. The Council wrote it up centuries ago for, like, really archaic reasons. And I'd argue it's mostly symbolic…unless you do something to officially consummate it."

"Consu—are you serious right now?" I sputtered, practically choking on my own words. My brain was already short-circuiting at the idea that Aphrodite, the literal goddess of love, was essentially calling me her husband. Consummating just about anything was going to make my head explode like a Chinese New Year parade. "I—I'm a teenager!"

She sighed, shaking her head as though I was the one being ridiculous. "Yes, dear, that's exactly why we're not going to do anything about it. I mean, do you see a white picket fence or little cherubs in diapers anywhere? This isn't a fairytale. I'm not marching you to the altar tomorrow, and I'm certainly not telling you to do anything you're not comfortable with."

My head spun. "So this is just…paperwork?"

"Paperwork, yes, but Olympian paperwork. Which, as you might guess, contains unusually robust fine print," She gave me a quick, playful wink. "Don't worry, cutie—no one's forcing you into a honeymoon in the Eros Suite with a pair of fuzzy handcuffs. It's just a side effect of me claiming your mother as family, which, in turn, binds you to me in the eyes of old magic."

"But—"

"Look, if it helps, we can discuss it later," Aphrodite said breezily, as though we were chatting about the weather. She reached out and patted my shoulder, sending a weird jolt through me—like static electricity but, you know, romantic static. "Right now, the important thing is: your mom is safe under my protection, and you don't need to worry about this silly…registry business."

I took a breath, trying and failing to calm the swirling cyclone of confusion in my head. "So, it's just a big cosmic misunderstanding?"

"Precisely!" she said, beaming. "Though, Percy, you'll have to find a way to stop being this adorable, or I'll take you up on that consummation offer."

The tips of my ears burned. "That's not funny."

"Who said it was a joke?"

The doors slid open. I stepped out, and my vision was instantly assaulted by a cacophony of light. The passive version of [Mana Detection] was telling me that there were three really powerful entities in the room, each like a star going supernova behind all that glare.

I felt like I'd just walked onto a stage, spotlight blazing, with no script in hand.

A soft, feminine voice spoke up. "Everyone, dim your auras. He can sense them."

Was that Hestia?

The light dimmed. Dark spots still danced in my vision, but I felt a comforting hand land on my shoulder, accompanied by the slight smell of sea breeze.

"Dad?" I said, confused about what was happening. Why would my dad and Hestia be here? I thought this was just a dinner.

"We have a lot to talk about, son," My dad replied, a little sternly. My vision returned to me fully as I was led into a seat.

Aphrodite took the seat next to me, her bangles rattling as she scooted her chair forward.

I took a second to try to gauge my surroundings. I knew I was probably somewhere in the Underworld, but where?

All right. First impressions.

I was in a pretty cozy room. Honestly, it looked like a library or study of some kind—but, like, a rich guy version.

Bookshelves stretched towards an impossibly high glass ceiling. A nice shag carpet covered the floors. A roaring fire crackled pleasantly somewhere in the room. I was sitting at a table somewhere toward the middle of all of this.

The ceiling was layered—if that made any sense. Like, it spread outward from the center in waves, almost as if it was blowtorched by the world's biggest fire. Even though it was completely dark outside, it was pretty light inside.

The flames flickered, splashing everyone's shadows on the walls.

The table had my dad, Hestia, and Hades sitting around it. Well, and me and Aphrodite, but you already knew that.

There was a big bag of Chipotle in the middle along with some soda cans and napkins, and Hades was humming as he bit into a burrito. There was also a pile of notebooks and tacky-looking pens with skulls on them.

"Nephew," Hades greeted with a wave between bites. He snapped his fingers, and my very own bag of Chipotle appeared in front of me.

"Uncle," I said, bowing my head a little. I checked inside the bag—how did he get my order completely correct? "It's nice to see you too, Lady Hestia."

"I'm happy to see that you are well, my champion," Hestia replied, a beaming smile on her face.

I looked around the room again and noticed everyone was sort of looking at me weirdly. Well, except Aphrodite, that is. She looked like she was on Instagram. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"It's the napkin, nephew. They don't know you have Medusa's eye," Hades said, munching on his burrito. He flicked his hand, and the Subway napkin fastened around my eye disappeared.

Instantly, Poseidon yelped and nearly dropped his plate of nachos. He stood up, and there was a warbling noise as a shield of water formed around him.

Hestia, who'd been sipping hot chocolate, spat it back into her mug and pushed back from the table as the fire from the fireplace roared out, swirling around her eyes.

"Brother!" Poseidon snapped, eyes darting warily between me and the Lord of the Underworld. He looked down at his body like he was expecting chunks of stone to start forming and snapping off."You didn't warn us!"

Hades shrugged, still chewing. "Where's the fun in that?"

The silence that followed was so thick, a butter knife wouldn't have even come close to cutting it—we'd need my dad's trident. I tried not to look anyone in the eye, terrified that I'd accidentally petrify my own family.

Hestia finally spoke, voice soft. "Percy…can you, um, control that power of yours?"

Before I could stammer out an answer, Hades let out a low chuckle that rattled in his chest. "Relax, relax! I'm just messing with you all."

He patted his stomach contentedly, then snapped his fingers again. A soft shimmering noise filled the air, and a pair of translucent, faintly glowing glasses popped into existence over my nose.

"There," Hades said, brushing burrito crumbs off his lap. "They'll filter out any petrifying side effects—and, might I add, look quite stylish. Plus, I sprinkled some magic on there for you. Only you can take them off. They won't, like, fall off or something. Had that happen to me once on a rollercoaster. $500 pair of Ray-Bans, by the way. Damn near exploded the whole resort."

Poseidon dropped back into his seat with a scowl, eyes still fixed on me. The water splashed out of existence as he crossed his arms. "Really not funny, Hades. I do not appreciate you using my son as a means of entertainment."

Hestia exhaled shakily, placing a hand over her heart. "I agree with Poseidon."

"Bah, you're acting like I slapped a costume on him and told him to reenact Fiddler on the Roof," Hades looked utterly satisfied with himself. "Besides, a little jump scare never hurt anybody. Well…not permanently, anyway. I just wanted to break the ice. Before our meeting."

"Oh," I said, my voice barely a squeak.

"Look, son, you're not in any trouble. We've all known there was something different about you from the moment we met you," Poseidon began slowly, setting down his half-eaten plate of nachos. A dollop of queso clung stubbornly to his beard, "For me, it was the moment you sensed mana. Normal demigods don't do that—they aren't usually so attuned to their powers, especially not a day after learning their heritage. And they certainly don't just instinctively figure out new abilities. Still, though, you're going to be a bit out of your depth tomorrow."

"What your father is saying is that we know you're quite capable," Hestia amended. "But the truth of the matter is, tomorrow is going to be an incredibly trying day. For you, for us, for all of Olympus. We need to talk about plans and contingencies. I'll begin. What do we know about Ares?"

"We know he's a stupid, spoiled little fucking brat," Hades snarled, and for a moment, my laid-back uncle disappeared. His eyes changed from a warm brown to a menacing black. Hades—no, The Lord of the Dead resembled pictures I'd seen of Adolph Hitler, Napoleon, or the terrorist leaders who directed suicide bombers.

Hades had the same intense eyes, the same kind of mesmerizing, evil charisma.

Hopelessness began to pour into the air. His clothes started to flicker, shadowy faces appearing in the folds of his jacket and shirt—faces of torment. It was like the material was stitched with trapped souls trying to get out.

The fire in the room got smaller. Numbness crept into my joints, tempting me to lie down and just take a little nap. He lounged in his seat looking lithe, graceful, and dangerous as a panther.

— - —

~ You've forcibly developed a skill by being blasted with your uncle's Killer Intent!

[Skill]: Detecting Bloodlust

[System Denomination]: Passive

[Attribute Group]: WIS

[Level]: 1

[Description]: Bloodlust is simply the user exuding pure killing intention, and having it affect their opponent, themselves, and others around them, up to the point of paralyzing them with fear. When the bloodlust is particularly strong, it can even give the victim visions of their own gruesome death.

[Leveling]: At [Level 1], you can slightly withstand an opponent's bloodlust—as long as your opponent's current level is less than or equal to half of your current level!

— - —

I didn't realize I was shaking like a leaf in the wind until Aphrodite placed her hand over mine, gently, and squeezed.

"Brother," Poseidon's eyes glowed. A well of power rose from his side of the table, and the legs of my chair began vibrating. "Control yourself."

"My apologies," Hades said gruffly as the presence receded. He took a long sip of his drink. "We know that he isn't working alone."

"How do we know that?" Hestia asked. She unwrapped her shawl, and midnight-black hair tumbled down her shoulders. She waved her hand, and from somewhere deep in the library, a whiteboard wheeled itself in front of us. "Is there proof?"

"Gods can't steal each other's symbols of power, sister," Poseidon reminded as a marker squeaked against the board. "Not directly, anyway. For him to have gotten his hands on not just one, but two symbols of powers, he would have needed a plan. A good plan."

Hestia tapped her index finger against her cheek. "The kind he couldn't make by himself?"

"Even if he could," Hades sighed. "He'd need someone to do his dirty work. Someone who isn't as tied down by the ancient laws as we are."

"A mortal?" Aphrodite suggested, her fingers still wrapped around mine, as though trying to keep me calm. "And an experienced one, at that. We're talking about theft on a divine scale—that would require someone willing, or maybe crazy enough, to steal a god's symbol of power. A typical demigod wouldn't stand a chance."

Poseidon grunted, scribbling a rough diagram in his notebook. I took a peek. Whatever it was probably made sense to him but looked more like frantic squiggles to me. "Exactly. Whoever did it must be formidable—talented enough to evade our notice until now."

Hestia tilted her head, studying the board with a slight frown as the marker jotted down bullet points. "But what would they gain from helping him? Surely they realize the gods won't stand for such treason. To Aphrodite's earlier point, it would have to be someone either skilled—and confident—enough to not fear getting caught, or someone who's willing to sacrifice everything."

"Or both," Hades smirked, though his gaze kept flicking back to me—maybe checking that I hadn't keeled over from his outburst earlier. "Mortals have their reasons for everything, dear sister. Money, power…revenge, even. That kind of motivation can twist people into doing anything."

Aphrodite squeezed my hand a bit tighter. I could feel her pulse through her fingertips, calm and composed in a way I wasn't. "Don't let it rattle you, Percy. The last thing we need is for you to lose hope."

My throat felt dry, but I managed a nod. Hestia's conjured whiteboard stood like a sentinel, covered in hasty sketches and scribbles—gods' names, question marks, underlines. It all connected into one big, messy web that screamed one thing loud and clear: some mortal had helped Ares swipe the lightning bolt and Hades' helm.

The worst part was the nagging certainty that I actually knew the thief. My stomach twisted as an image of Luke flashed through my thoughts.

Our paths don't end here. You're heading off, and at some point, we'll see each other again. When that happens, we'll pick up where we left off—and maybe then you'll see how deep this really goes.

"It's highly unlikely that his partner will be there tomorrow," Poseidon mumbled, resting his chin against his trident. "We know what Ares is like. He's nearly as prideful as his father. From his view, it makes more sense to handle the situation itself."

"That's both good and bad," Hades shook his head and leaned back into his chair. "It means Percy won't have to worry about being blindsided. It also means he'll have to fight Ares one-on-one until he activates the rite of battle."

"We can't get involved until then," Poseidon said, a bit of anger seeping into his tone. He shifted his gaze to Hades and Aphrodite. "He's not nearly as prepared as he should be. You two have been meddling with him the whole time! Coddling him! Keeping him from getting experience!"

"Yeah, no, that's actually fair," Hades replied, actually agreeing with my dad. He sort of shrugged at me. "Sorry, kiddo. And brother—lay off me and use that brain of yours for a second. Why the fuck would I let my helm fall into the wrong hands just to let the kid get some experience. I'll give him a real quest once this all blows over. I've been meaning to have someone clear out some places for me. Until my helm is back, safe and sound, you bet your barnacle-encrusted, mermish—"

"Brother," Hestia warned, and Hades fell silent.

"I'm sorry, too," Aphrodite added, playing with my knuckle. "But I made the deal, and you agreed. We both knew we'd need the protection if this was escalated to the council."

My dad literally face-palmed, dragging his hand down his face like he was trying to physically pull himself together. "Are you—okay, let's run this down, shall we? Which part are you sorry for? Is it the part where you sent your daughter to him instead of directly to camp, putting him in even more danger? You told me you'd do it on the way back! Or maybe you're sorry when you decided to rope him into a deal without telling him the full consequences? Or—oh, wait—was it when your actions indirectly cost him his eye?"

"Brother," Hestia repeated. Poseidon stopped talking, and I made a mental note of the fact they both respected—or feared—my aunt enough to listen to her instantly. "You need to calm down. You're worried for him; as are we. Lashing out at everyone here isn't going to fix that."

"I must return to Atlantis," Poseidon calmed down a little bit. Honestly, I was surprised he calmed down at all. If his temper was anything like mine, that could've gotten really ugly. He stood up abruptly and walked over to me.

I was a little confused, but he bent down a little and hugged me. It was a little awkward, but I appreciated the gesture.

"Tomorrow will be difficult," My dad told me, pulling away. "But you can do this. I know you can."

My eyes felt a little warm. "I won't let you down."

"I know," He smiled at me. He waved to Hestia and Hades. "Sister, brother, I take my leave."

Poseidon gave Aphrodite another sour look. He then became a hologram, then a wind, and then he was gone, leaving only the smell of a pleasant sea breeze lingering behind.

"What about the contingencies?" I asked.

"Let us worry about that," Hestia gave me a kind smile. "Allow me to speak to your uncle for a few moments. Aphrodite, would you mind escorting him back to his room?"

Aphrodite's fingers stilled on my hand. "Certainly, Lady Hestia."

Hades tossed me another bag. "Some food for later. I know you might get hungry—there's some for Piper in there, too."

Aphrodite smiled pleasantly at me again and led me back into the elevator. The door closed as Hestia started to talk to my uncle about something.

As the elevator hummed to life and we began ascending, the silence between Aphrodite and me felt anything but empty. She stood beside me, perfectly composed, her golden bracelets tinkling faintly with the motion of the elevator.

Meanwhile, my thoughts were doing their best impression of an angry swarm of bees.

"So," Aphrodite began, her voice as smooth as the elevator's glide. "Eventful evening, wouldn't you say?"

"That's one way to put it," I muttered, watching the floor numbers tick up on the display. My reflection in the mirrored walls caught my eye, and I frowned. Disheveled hair, dirt-streaked face.

Yep, I was definitely the spitting image of presidential suite material.

Aphrodite turned slightly, giving me a sidelong glance. "You handled yourself well back there, you know. Not many mortals can keep their wits about them when the gods start bickering. Especially with Hades tossing out his…theatrics."

I snorted. "Yeah, well, let's just say I'm getting used to that sort of thing. Pretty sure I qualify for hazard pay at this point."

She laughed softly, the sound warm and musical, and for a moment, it chased away the lingering tension in my shoulders. Bulbs of pleasure sprouted in my chest.

"Hazard pay," she repeated, shaking her head. "You've got a good sense of humor, Percy. That's rare—especially for someone in your position."

"My position?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "You mean the whole reluctant pawn in a game of Olympian politics thing? Yeah, a real laugh riot. Maybe I'll add it into my stand-up routine after this."

Aphrodite's lips quirked into a smile, but there was something else in her expression—something softer, almost wistful. "It's more than that," she said quietly. "You're…different. Special."

I blinked, not sure how to respond to that. Compliments from Aphrodite were like getting hit with a tidal wave of glitter—sparkly, overwhelming, and impossible to shake off. "Uh, thanks, I guess?"

As we stepped out of the elevator, the hallway stretched ahead of us, quiet and elegant, with the same intricate carpet patterns and soft lighting as before. Aphrodite slowed her pace as we approached the door to my room, her expression unreadable, though her eyes still held that unnerving mix of warmth and mystery.

"Here we are," she said softly, stopping just short of the door. I turned to face her, already bracing myself for another cryptic remark or teasing comment.

Instead, she surprised me.

She leaned in, pressing a soft, feather-light kiss to my forehead. The gesture was so quick, so fleeting, that it felt more like a whisper than anything else. Her warmth lingered for a moment, and my brain promptly short-circuited. "Uh…what was that for?"

"For luck," she said simply, her smile turning playful again. "And maybe just a little because you're adorable when you're flustered."

I groaned, covering my face with one hand as she stepped back, clearly enjoying herself. "You're impossible."

"Perhaps," she said with a soft laugh. "But you'll thank me tomorrow. Sweet dreams, hero."

Before I could say anything else, she turned and walked away, her golden bangles tinkling softly with every graceful step. I stood there for a moment, staring after her like an idiot, until the sound of the elevator doors closing snapped me out of it.

Shaking my head, I muttered to myself, "Yeah, sweet dreams. Right."

I opened the door to my room and stepped inside, dropping the bag of food onto the table before flopping onto the ridiculously soft bed.

As I stared up at the ceiling, the warmth of that forehead kiss still tingled faintly, and for reasons I didn't fully understand, it made me feel a little more ready for whatever tomorrow might bring.

Just a little.

[Original Author's Note]

AN: Hello, everybody! It's been a little bit, sorry about that. I decided to take a little break from writing just because it was starting to feel a little too much like a chore, but I'm back! Little bit of a fluff chapter, but eh, you need those. Can't have action all the time.

Drouppi: I see your point, but I don't really see it that way. The overall pairing is decided, yes, but there's a lot that can happen between now and them actually getting together. It won't be as black and white as you'd expect.

Tiwa Vol: I got you.

kyuubi7: That would be really cool, actually. Thanks for the idea!

darkpegasuzz: I generally update every 3 or 4 days. I took a little break, but yeah, I'm going to get back to it.

Yesirsski: Thank you for your kind words! Your review was well-written, I really appreciate your feedback!

Posaitan: As always, good to hear from you. I'm not too sure what I'll do with the Styx, but you're right, it is an AU, so I'll work something out.

Alpha: Nope, I think the time power is cool. I get the explanation thing, but I'm trying to break the mold, here. I want my story to be different, and if that means giving him unusual powers, so be it. Let's have some fun.

NuclearPenStrokes: Is that true? I've never heard of that, jeez. Might have to go outside and try it myself.

PHD in oof: Oh, really? I thought all caps looked good…if you guys read this part, let me know if you think all caps look good on the status screen or not. Thanks for your review, though, you've been with me from the start.

And, as always, thanks to everyone who had nice stuff to say about my story

Even you guys who didn't love it, thanks for being respectful.

See you soon. Let me know what you thought.

-Maroon

[Patch Notes]

[4/19/21]: Again, not much to change here. The conversation between Aphrodite and Percy is different, although the outcome ends up being the same, with a bit more mystery involved.

The only major thing I changed was Percy revealing his abilities. Far and away, the biggest thing that turns people away and makes them drop the story based on what I've seen is the reveal of Percy's powers- so I had him lie a bit. You'd be right if you read this chapter wondering how Percy lied to four gods, but the thing is, he didn't lie. He just told a portion of the truth.

Now, if you hated that Percy revealed his powers because it painted a huge target on his back, you may not love the avenue I took to let him lie, but I still think it's not too bad. Gamer powers are way more broken than a version of zenkai, which, for my non-DBZ fans, is an ability that is genetically exclusive to Saiyans that allows a Saiyan's power to increase substantially after recovering from near fatal injuries. Percy basically writes off his mana usage and exponential growth as a part of that power, even citing his tactical mind as a result. That's the only lie there, and even then, it's a version of the truth.

[2/27/22]: Updated visuals. Might go back and tighten up the chapter a bit, too, but we'll see.

[10/20/22]: Grammar. Visuals.

[01/12/25]: Lots of changes here. Piper and Percy's relationship has evened out a bit more, as I've been course-correcting them. Aphrodite, too, is a lot more balanced now, and a bit more in control than she was before. She's still manipulative, but in a way more subtle way now. Also, because Aphrodite helped Percy with the Chimera, so far, the gods have no reason to grill him like they did before, and instead, the meeting is used to prep for the battle with Ares and talk about contingencies. Lastly, Hades gives Percy a pair of enchanted glasses so he doesn't have to keep fighting with his depth perception all off. Oh, and visuals and polish, but you can expect that in every chapter.