𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑 • PERCY JACKSON

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟒: 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒

"You named her Salem?" Eris asked, scratching her head, "L-Like from Sabrina The Teenage Witch?"

Willow shrugged, "Hades named him, I think he named him after the Salem Witch Trials I doubt he's even seen an episode of Sabrina The Teenage Witch."

"Oh," Eris muttered, taking a step back when Salem's narrow eyes moved from Willow to Eris.

"He's an anxiety pet," Willow said, "He's supposed to calm you down or something. I didn't really do to much research about it, Hades did all the research."

"Hades?"

Willow nodded, "He's been doing a lot of research, Charon's been telling me he's been reading a lot of mental health books for kids," she told Eris, "he came up with the idea of Salem I think he thought Salem would help you, I guess."

As if on cue Salem leaped from Julie-Albert's arms and into Eris's.

   Eris flushed, "Uh.." she muttered as Salem rubbed his head against her chest.

   "See," Willow said, "he likes you."

   "Um...I-I guess."

     "He has abilities as well," Jules-Albert spoke  up for the first time. "He can shadow-travel. A gift from Lord Hades himself."

   Eris pulled her eyes away from Salem, "Shadow-travel?"

   Jules-Albert nodded, "Yes, he has the ability to travel to and from the Underworld through shadows. I believe your father gave him that so he could send you letters...I also believe he has taken a liking to Salem."

    Eris couldn't picture the big mighty lord Hades liking a cat but then again Hades did like Cerberus, she had seen him play fetch with him a couple of times probably when he thought no one was around.

   "Additionally," Jules-Albert reached in his pocket and pulled out a envelope, "this is a letter from Lord Hades."

   Eris shifted Salem to her other arm, "Thanks," she muttered, taking it before tucking it away in her back pocket.

   A part of her wanted to rip up the note, she didn't want anything from Hades. She didn't even want to see him again. All this time she was at camp or in foster care he could've helped her or done something but instead he did nothing. Eris had feeling that even if she stopped hating him one day she'd always resent him.

   "Um," Eris uneasily petted Salem's head who purred, "How am I supposed to take care of him? Pets aren't exactly allowed at camp."

    Willow bit her lip, "About that..." she looked around uneasily, "how would you feel about going back into foster care again?"

Eris recoiled as if she was slapped, "W-What? No!"

"Eris—"

"Willow, do you remember what happened when we were in the system?" Eris asked shakily, "They made us shave our heads because they couldn't take care of our hair, they didn't feed us enough. Willow some of them were just racist...just no."

"I-I understand that," Willow said, "I...I don't think camp is good for you anymore. I mean you spend your days here hiding away painting because people avoid you that's...that's not healthy. I don't think you were ever really accepted here...I see the way you are you don't enjoy it here," she added softly, "and I know the foster care system is bad but what if I told you I did some research and handpicked them myself. Hades pulled a couple of strings for me."

  Eris blinked, "R-Really?"

   "They're good people, Eris. I made sure of that. I choose them and they'd love you," Willow told her, "Think about it you can finally go to school, make some friends, people who are actually...nice to you. I mean have thought about what your going to do when you turn eighteen."