Indigo Eyes

Chapter 47

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

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

"No!" Zoë said. "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 trying to form the word correctly. "Yerrr. We do not need yerrr help."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Forget it."

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

"Or do they?" Mr D mused, swirling his Diet Coke under his nose like it had a fine bouquet. "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?"

Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to decide whether or not to let my only daughter go on a quest where she will most certainly die."

Cressida had that glazed look in her eyes, similar to the one she had when she was staring at the silver Hunters pamphlet, like there were a million thoughts rushing through her head. And all Percy could do was offer her a supportive smile.

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

Zoë grimaced but Thalia clearly won that round.

"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." But the look he shared with his children told Percy that maybe he wasn't so unhappy about it after all.

"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.

"Yep," Cressida hummed as she took another sip of the soda.

"Yes, Lord Dionysus."

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

And his children all laughed as Pollux reached for the can.

"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."

"Three and three," Percy piped up and everyone turned to him, making him a little self-conscious. "Three Hunters and three from Camp Half-Blood. That's fair."

"No," Zoë said instantly.

"Why the hell not?" Thalia asked.

"I would prefer to take all the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers," she answered but before she could continue, Chiron spoke.

"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 shows the trail. What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best."