𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒, p. jackson¹

four.

chapter four !

ARTEMIS ASSURED them that dawn was coming, but sanju wasn't sure. they had spent hours at the camp, and now it was colder and darker and snowier than ever. even up on the hill, westover hall's windows were completely lightless. sanju and percy stood shivering in the snow( unlike the hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable ), and artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something.

bianca sat off to one side, talking with nico. sanju could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the hunt. thalia and grover had come up behind sanju and percy in the meanwhile and huddled around him, anxious to hear what had happened in their audience with the goddess. when he told them, grover turned pale.

"the last time the hunters visited camp, it didn't go well." sanju winced at the memory. the hunters of artemis had burnt down the aphrodite and apollo cabins, declaring them to be vain and irritating.

"how'd they even show up here?" percy wondered. "i mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"and bianca joined them," thalia said, disgusted. sanju opened her mouth to argue, or agree, she wasn't sure yet, but decided to remain quiet. "it's all zoë's fault. that stuck-up, no good ─"

"who can blame her?" grover said. "eternity with artemis?" he heaved a big sigh. thalia rolled her eyes.

"you satyrs. you're all in love with artemis. don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"but she's so. . . into nature," grover swooned.

"you're nuts," said thalia.

"nuts and berries," grover said dreamily. sanju snorted. "yeah."

finally the sky began to lighten. artemis muttered, "about time. he's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"you're, um, waiting for sunrise?" percy asked.

"for my brother. yes." percy just looked adorably confused. "it's not exactly as you think," artemis said.

". . . oh, okay." percy still looked confused, but he started to relax. "so, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a ─"there was a sudden burst of light on the horizon; a blast of warmth.

"don't look," artemis advised. "not until he parks." sanju averted her eyes, but someone was already covering them for her. she glanced over and saw percy holding a hand over her eyes. she blushed and looked away, because it felt so natural, so normal, that it scared her.

the light and warmth intensified for a few minutes, then suddenly died. she looked, and saw it was percy's dream car, except it was in red. it was glowing, and the snow had melted around the car in a perfect circle.

the driver got out, smiling, looking about seventeen or eighteen, with sandy hair, golden eyes, and a bright, playful smile. he wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless t-shirt. maybe, in another life, sanju would have found him attractive, but she looked over at percy, his sea green eyes, and his dark hair, shining in the light coming from the car, and suddenly apollo seemed to dull in comparison. however, there was still a power emanating from him. she could see how he had been the cause of so many heartbreaks and so much tragedy.