𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲.

Tension in the house or commons

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

Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful."

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

Zoe grimaced, but it was clear Thalia had scored a point.

"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," Zoe 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."

Mr D nodded, "just checking, you're right of course."

"Zoë is right, Artemis's presence in the council is crucial. We have very little time to find her and I fear, even less to locate the monster she was searching for. Now we must decide who goes on this quest."

"Three and three." Percy hadn't spoken this entire meeting it was easy to forget he was even there.

Everyone turned to look at him, even Thalia who had been blatantly ignoring him since capture the flag.

"We're supposed to have six," he said looking around nervously, when he caught Lilia's eyes she gave him a quick nod and a smile, he nodded back. "Three hunters, three campers, that's fair."

Thalia and Zoë exchanged looks.

"Well? Thalia said. "It does make sense."

"I'd prefer to take all my hunters, we need strength of number. It is our quest after all."

"Four hunter, two campers." Chiron offered, though it sounded more like an order.

Zoë didn't argue and neither did anyone else despite it being unfair.

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

Zoe picked up a Ping-Pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first.

"This monster the bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be."

Everyone looked to Dionysus as he was the only God present and Gods are supposed to know things.

"Well, don't look at me. I'm a young god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty titans. They make for terrible party conversation." He said while flipping through a magazine.

"Chiron," Percy said, "you don't have any ideas about the monster?"

Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father, Poseidon, would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."