Reincarnation to the Past

Chapter 93

Sorry for the late update, guys. I was kinda busy with college and then had to go back and re-read the PJ's Greek Gods books to brush up on some of the facts I wanted to include in the story. 

As an apology, I will upload the next chapter tomorrow and then returning to the weekly schedule (hopefully this time I will be able to keep it without a hitch).

Now, while many of you may be Artemis fans, since she was one of those who betrayed Percy's expectations to protect her throne (in this book), Percy does not view her in a positive light. It's not just her but every god/goddess except the three who voted for him. And his accusations may seem a bit unreasonable but just go with it for the story's sake.

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Persea's POV

We were seated in a different tent. I had given Artemis a pill that would get rid of the remaining effects of the aphrodisiac and they obviously had questions, so against my better judgment, I stayed back, if only to make sure they'd keep my identity a secret. It was just the three of us: myself, Artemis and Zoë.

"I'm surprised!" Artemis exclaimed for the nth time while staring at me in astonishment or fascination, "I've never seen a demigod daughter of Poseidon. Heck, I've never seen a child of Poseidon who looks so much like him!"

"Yes, cause that's what I want—to see dear old daddy's face every time I look in the mirror!" I retorted sarcastically, because can you blame me? This is the last situation I wanted to be stuck in. I was getting a migraine just sitting here, looking at her and being reminded of the past. While I had come to terms with Percy's death with the help of Lì, I was nowhere near ready to be in their presence. But I forced myself to stay. If today was an example, there's no telling when I'll be thrust their way, and I refused to cower like a coward. I refuse to let them rob me of my will to live or my sanity a second time. So I remain seated, if only to prove to myself that I am strong enough to do so.

"Are you not fond of your father?" Artie's brows shot up at my attitude but if she was offended by my disrespect, she chose not to show it.

"You mean of the man who slept with my mother and never bothered to take responsibility for the offspring that resulted from their dalliance? Or the man who abandoned me and left me to rot?" Ya, she definitely didn't like my tone, from the way her right eye twitched just now or the way her smile faltered but to her credit, she plastered it back on and upped the wattage.

"Thank you for helping me!" Her fake chipper tone kept ringing in my head, intensifying the migraine. "What may I call you?"

"PJ is fine." I didn't want to give her my name, or the version of the name I was using. If my enemies in the future called me Perseus Jackson ,then I suppose my enemies of this time could call me PJ. Persea was reserved for Lì and a few other people I liked.

Artemis stood up with a gasp and exclaimed "It's you! You're PJ?" before looking to Zoë for confirmation. When the brown hair, brown eyed huntress nodded in affirmation, somewhat guiltly. A look of anger and betrayal flashed across Artemis' face. I assumed that meant Zoë did not tell her about our meet, though I did have my face—save for my eyes—covered. "I wanted to thank you. I don't know if your aware but we took your request and—"

I broke her off at that point, "I know. I was there and saw it. Bit gruesome for my taste but that was why I requested your help. I suppose."

If she didn't like me interrupting her, she definitely didn't show it. Though if I were a man, she would have turned me into a jacklope by now. Talk about double standards! "I was wondering if you'd be interested in joining the hunt. We could do with demigods like you and since you aren't fond of your father, I could help keep you away from his sight."

I burst into laughter at that point, earning an offended and furious look from Artemis and Zoë, respectively. I couldn't help it. The fact that I, of all people, was being invited to join the hunt. The situation just seemed unreal. For one, my soul was that of a male. And the one who was asking me to join her was the very person who voted for my execution. I never expected it from her; honestly, I always assumed she was a just person who fought for what she felt was right. But I was wrong; she was just like most of the other gods—strong to the weak and submissive to the strong. Just when it suited her, and unjust when it harmed her.

"Firstly, I have a fiancé who I have no intention of leaving, so thanks but no thanks. And secondly, no offense, Artie, but I don't really like you one bit!" I force out as I push down the anger that clawed to reach the surface. Zoë looked furious at my comment.

"Excuse me! I will not tolerate such insolence!" she exclaimed raising up in fury at my use of her nickname.

"Come now Artie, forgetting everything else, we are cousins after all." I return with a smirk

She curbed her anger and sat down, taking a deep breath before speaking. "What do you mean you don't like me? Why save me then??"

"Do you remember where you fainted?" I asked, having expected that or atleast a similar question and having already decided how I'd play it out.

Her brows scrunched together as she tried to recall what happened before she fainted, "RIGHT! That girl! I was comforting that blonde girl!" she shouted out as the memory came to her.

"Yes. That girl. I did it because of her. Did you know that she has suffered worse than you? That at the age of six she was pushed into a river by her brother, almost drowned and ended up with a high fever. And while her mother spent hours on her knees kneeling on the hard ground under the scorching hot sun, begging her husband for medicine to feed his daughter, her husband's consort, the mother of the same boy who pushed her in the river, took pity on her and offered some medicine." I paused as I recalled the memory, the reason was why I decided to help Artemis after all. I had never been more disgusted by that family than when I recalled this memory. "But instead of medicine, what was actually given was a strong aphrodisiac."

Zoë's eyes widened in horror while Artemis looked down right furious. As they should be! "Canyou imagine? She was a six-year-old girl. She was forced to suffer the same symptoms as you did. She had to take an ice bath while having a high fever to get rid of the effects of the aphrodisiac. She almost died that day. She was bedridden for nearly two weeks. That incident made her young body all the more weak and fragile. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. I took it upon myself to make sure she never suffered again. And that is why I helped you when I would have much rather left you be. I couldn't exactly turn a blind eye to you when I swore never to let her suffer again. I'd be a hypocrite if I let another suffer from the same issue."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I knew she seemed traumatized by I didn't know all such stuff happened to her." Artemis sympathized. That was who she was. She'd empathise with women, though when it is convenient for her. "Men should just cease to exist!" she exclaimed frustrated.

I snorted again, taking her by surprise, "You act as though all women are innocent. It was after all a consort who fed her the aphrodisiac!"

"I did not mean to insinuate—" she started but I interrupted harshly.

"What? That only men are the spawns of tartarus? That all women are blameless. Newsflash Artie, all the traitors, cheaters, backstabbers of the world are not just the male race. Sometimes there are men who do everything right, men who are loyal to the fault, men who treat their woman with respect while the woman stomps over all his efforts. For every bastard males, there is always a bitchy female. And you Artie, you're not so different from the other gods. You cannot be trusted."

"How dare you!" she glowers and spat "You don't know anything about me!"

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