✔︎ PERFECT WORLD ━━━━━ p. jackson¹

009.

"But how is that even possible?"

"It's because you're her legacy," Violeta said, putting a hand on Vivi's shoulder, "Your my granddaughter and with me being the goddesses daughter, I let this gift go down to you."

Vivi let the information sink in. Gods were a strange thing.

"What does each string mean?"

"It's a one string, but connected to different part," Violeta explained, "From hand to hand is a friendship. From shoulder to shoulder is a family. From eye to eye is an enemy. And from heart to heart is lovers. . . which, you might have seen between you and the son of Poseidon."

The girl's eyes widen; warmth spreading through her body.

Violeta let out a laugh, "I've see it too. You're meant to be."

"But. . . what if it's connected to someone's spot of mortal life?"

"Then. . ." Violeta smiled softly, "You are their mortal life."

Depressing is not a word that usually describes Mount Olympus, but it looked that way now. No fires lit the braziers. The windows were dark. The streets were deserted and the doors were barred. The only movement was in the parks, which had been set up as field hospitals.

Will Solace and the other Apollo campers scrambled around, caring for the wounded. Naiads and dryads tried to help, using nature magic songs to heal burns and poison. As Grover planted the laurel sapling, Vivi, along with Percy, Annabeth and Violeta went around trying to cheer up the wounded. They passed a satyr with a broken leg, a demigod who was bandaged from head to toe, and a body covered in the golden burial shroud of Apollo's cabin. Vivi didn't know who was underneath nor she wanted to find out.

"You'll be up and fighting Titans in no time!" Percy told one camper.

"You look great," Annabeth told another camper.

"Keep your head up," Vivi said to a unclaimed child.

"You did your best and that's what we need," Violeta told one Aphrodite child.

"Leneus turned into a shrub!" Grover told a groaning satyr.

They found Dionysus's son Pollux propped up against a tree. He had a broken arm, but otherwise he was okay. "I can still fight with the other hand," he said, gritting his teeth.

"No," Percy said. "You've done enough. I want you to stay here and help with the wounded." 

"But ─ "

"Promise me to stay safe," Percy said. "Okay? Personal favor."

He frowned uncertainly and Vivi did too. It wasn't like the two boys were good friends or anything, so it felt kind of weird and awkward. Finally he promised, and when he sat backdown, Vivi could tell he was kind of relieved.

"I'll stay with the boy," Violeta said, "Help the wounded and have an eye on the unclaimed."

Vivi nodded and hugged her grandmother. "Thank you," she whispered, "Thank you for everything you've done."

"And I'll do more to make sure you're safe."

Vivi, Annabeth, Grover, and Percy kept walking toward the palace. That's where Kronos would head. As soon as he made it up the elevator ─ and Vivi had no doubt he would, one way or another ─ he would destroy the throne room, the center of the gods' power.