Stark's Deadly Daughter (S.P.N.D. Book 4)

Chapter 24: A Pine Tree Becomes A Girl

When we reached the hill, I expected to see the Fleece missing from the pine tree, but it was still there, glittering in the first light of dawn. The storm had broken and the sky was bloodred.

"Curse the titan lord," Chiron said. "He's tricked us again, given himself another chance to control the prophecy."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The Fleece," he said. "The Fleece did its work too well."

We galloped forward, everyone moving out of our way. There at the base of the tree, a girl was lying unconscious. Another girl in Greek armor was kneeling next to her.

Annabeth had been attacked? But why was the Fleece still there?

The tree itself looked perfectly fine, whole and healthy, suffused with the essence of the Golden Fleece.

"It healed the tree," Chiron said, his voice ragged. "And poison was not the only thing it purged."

Then I realized Annabeth wasn't the one lying on the ground. She was the one in armor, kneeling next to the unconscious girl. When Annabeth saw us, she ran to Chiron. "It...she...just suddenly there..."

Her eyes were streaming with tears, but I still didn't understand. I was too freaked out to make sense of it all. Percy leaped off Chiron's back and ran toward the unconscious girl. Chiron said: "Percy, wait!"

Percy knelt by her side, and I joined him as soon as I could get through the crowd. She had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes that were somewhere between punk and Goth- a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket with buttons from a bunch of bands- some of which were a mystery to me.

She wasn't a camper. I didn't recognize her from any of the cabins.

"It's true," Grover said, panting from his run up the hill. "I can't believe..."

Nobody else came close to the girl.

I put my gloved hand on her forehead. Her skin was cold, but my fingertips tingled as if they were burning.

"She needs nectar and ambrosia," I said. She was clearly a half-blood, whether she was a camper or not. I could sense that just from one touch. I didn't understand why everyone was acting so scared.

I took her by the shoulders and lifted her into a sitting position, resting her head on my shoulder. It was hard to let someone this close. Her hair was brushing my cheek, but it was better than her skin. It was as if I could smell her skin, almost sickening to me. It was hard not to throw her off of me and run away to throw up then check to make sure my gloves are fully on, but she needs help.

"Come on!" Percy yelled to the others. "What's wrong with you people? Let's get her to the Big House."

No one moved, not even Chiron. They were all too stunned.

Then the girl took a shaky breath. She coughed and opened her eyes. Her irises were startlingly blue- electric blue. The girl stared at me in bewilderment, shivering and wild-eyed. "Who-"

"I'm Lillian, and this is Percy," I said. "You're safe now."

"Strangest dream..."

"It's okay."

"Dying."

"No," I assured her. "You're okay. What's your name?"

That's when I knew. Even before she said it.

The girl's blue eyes stared into mine, and I understood what the Golden Fleece quest had been about. The poisoning of the tree. Everything. Kronos had done it to bring another chess piece into play- another chance to control the prophecy. Even Chiron, Annabeth, and Grover, who should've been celebrating this moment, were too shocked, thinking about what it might mean for the future.

"I am Thalia," the girl said. "Daughter of Zeus."

***

It was the end of summer, and I was back in my room at Stark Tower.

Stepping into my closet, I take my box off the shelf, bringing it back to my room and setting it on my bed. When I open it, I am greeted by a pair of thin black gloves, half hidden underneath pictures and drawings and trinkets from over the years.

I grab the gloves before taking off the white ones from C.C.'s. No longer are they the pristine white there were before. Now they are dirty from the makeup that I wiped off on them and mud. From the quest and back at camp.

Black lines spread from the scar given to me by pitch like a disease, the once-pale skin around it now a sickly gray. Anyone who looked at it would have assumed it was killing me, but instead it made me feel just as alive as ever, maybe even more. Instead it was me who would be doing the killing if they touched my hand.

I put on the black gloves and lay the white ones down in the box.

Carefully I shut the box, locking the contents away.

***

A/N: I didn't realize we were on the last chapter! Congratulation's to whoever made it this far, because this was long. The next book will the the Titan's Curse, which I will likely start publishing tomorrow or the day after.

And sorry this chapter was shorter than usual, but the story itself was pretty long. See you all soon!