𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 | P. Jackson, A. Chase¹

3. 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳

"Half-human and half-what?"

There was a pause as the girls looked at each other. Annabeth turned back to Percy. "I think you know."

"God," Percy said after a long while. "Half-god."

Annabeth nodded. "Your father isn't dead, Percy. He's one of the Olympians."

"Or maybe a minor god," Olivia said. "But I personally do think he's an Olympian."

"That's... crazy," Percy breathed.

"Is it?" Annabeth asked rhetorically. "What's the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?"

"But those are just-" Percy cut himself off. "But if all the kids here are half-gods-"

"Demigods," Annabeth said. "That's the official term."

"Or half-bloods, specifically for the half-humans," Olivia added.

"Then who's your dad?" Percy asked, turning to Annabeth.

Annabeth's hands tightened around the pier railing. "My dad is a professor at West Point," she said. "I haven't seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history."

"He's human," Percy realized.

"What?" Annabeth scoffed. "You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?"

"Annabeth, cool it," Olivia said warningly. "How many myths are there about some goddess running around with a mortal guy?" Olivia asked. "Not even Aphrodite did that often. There's a reason all the gods have half-blood kids and not the goddesses. Especially when it's a goddess like your mother."

Annabeth stared at Olivia in begrudging defeat. Her stubborn pride shown in her eyes as she looked away. "Whatever."

"Who's your mom, then?" Percy asked.

"Cabin six," Annabeth answered.

"Meaning?"

Annabeth straightened. "Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle."

Percy nodded turned to Olivia. "And who's your... godly parent?"

Olivia's smile widened as she pointed to it. "Cabin seven," she said. "Big shiny golden one. Apollo."

Percy turned back to her. "Wait, your dad's Apollo?" he asked incredulously.

Olivia tilted her head. "Yes. Why?"

Percy looked confused. "I thought you guys would be glowing or something," he said. "Like blindingly bright."

Olivia's smile widened, and Percy blinked rapidly, covering his eyes. "Okay, there it is."

"Careful when she smiles like that," Annabeth warned Percy. "Olivia controls light. Very random ability from her dad."

Percy nodded as his eyes readjusted. "Got it," he said, rubbing his eyes. "And my dad?"

"Undetermined," Annabeth said, "like I told you before. Nobody knows."

"Except my mother," Percy decided. "She knew."

"Maybe not, Percy," Annabeth sighed. "Gods don't always reveal their identities."

"My dad would have," he countered. "He loved her."

"Yeah," Olivia said. "My mom knew who my dad really was years before I was born. And if your mom was helping you on the journey here, Percy, clearly, she knew about this stuff. Sometimes, the mortal parent doesn't even learn their lover was a god."