𝐈𝐈. 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀 | 𝐏𝐉𝐎 𝐗 𝐇𝐏

seven

"Big collection," Lilith said, staring at the collection with wide eyes.

Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?"

"Just this year. Before that..." He knit his eyebrows.

"What?" Lilith asked.

"I forget. That's weird."

He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"

Lilith smiled and pressed on her ring, it morphed into her beloved sword. "I haven't decided what to call it yet."

"Cool!"

"So who's your godly parent?"

"Hades." She smiled

Nico's jaws dropped and he jumped excitedly, "That's so cool!"

He went on asking questions. Did she fight a lot with the hunters, since they hated half-bloods, If the Underworld was scary. Can she raise the dead, or which school she was going to.

Lilith answered all his questions happily, occasionally reaching out to pinch his cheeks, to which he just let out a toothy grin to. Lilith watched as he played his card game with Grover, admiring the cheerful attitude he had after nearly being killed by a manticore. Percy said that he acted a lot like her, and she questioned herself, she wasn't that cheerful, was she?

"Percy Jackson." Zoe called out to him.

She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that Percy had to resist the urge to sit up straightand say "Yes, ma'am."

She studied him distastefully, like he was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch. Lilith let out a small giggle at her expression, earning a look from her cousin.

"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee." Zoe then turned towards Lilith, "Lilith." She gestured for the demi-god to follow.

"I'll be back Nico." She sent the boy a smile, earning a thumbs up and an adorable smile.

Zoe led them to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved them inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl, who I still had trouble thinking of as Artemis.

The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others.

"Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess said. "Lilith." She patted the empty space next to her.

Lilith skipped over to the goddess and plopped down beside her. Percy sat across from the two girls on the tent floor. The goddess studied him, which made him uncomfortable. She had such old eyes for a young girl.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.

"Uh... a little."

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" Percy asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forgetthemselves."