¹On This Spring Day.

006.

"Yes," Zoë agreed. "Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her."

"You're missing something, as usual," Thalia said. "Campers and Hunters combined prevail. We're supposed to do this together."

"No!" Zoë dismissed the daughter of Zeus. "The Hunters do not need thy help."

"Your," Thalia grumbled. "Nobody has said thy in, like, three hundred years, Zoë. Get with the times."

Zoë hesitated, like she was thinking of taking Thalia's advice. "Yerrr. We do not need yerrr help."

Thalia huffed. "Forget it," she said moodily.

"I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron said. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

"Or do they?" Mr. D mused. "One shall be lost. One shall perish. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

"Mr. D," Chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

"Sorry, my dear centaur," said the god. "Just trying to be helpful."

"We're supposed to work together," Thalia insisted stubbornly. "I don't like it either, Zoë, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?"

Zoë's silence was more than enough. Thalia was right; fighting against a prophecy was certain death.

"We must not delay," Chiron warned. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter solstice."

"Oh, joy," Dionysus muttered. "Another dull annual meeting."

"Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoë said. "She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations."

"Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?" Dionysus asked.

"Yes, Lord Dionysus."

"Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on."

Nico snorted. Violet clamped her hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"I must agree with Zoë," said Chiron. "Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest."

"Four and two," Percy spoke up. There was some silence before he spoke again, as if he was debating on whether to finish his thought or not. "We're supposed to have six. Four Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's way more than fair."

"Well," Thalia said. She sounded like she hated to say it. "It does make sense."

Zoë grunted. "I would prefer to take all the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers."

"You'll be retracing the goddess's path," Chiron reminded her. "Moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You will have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: The bane of Olympus will show the way. What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best."