𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 | P. Jackson, A. Chase¹

4. 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴

Um, boss, Blackjack said nervously. Seeing as how we're wrapped in vines nine hundred feet in the air, you might want to talk nice.

The grapevines coiled tighter around Percy, and he could see the white van was getting farther and farther away. No! Not when he was so close to getting out of here and saving Olivia's life.

"Did I ever tell you about Ariadne?" Mr. D asked out of nowhere. "Beautiful young princess of Crete? She liked helping her friends, too. In fact, she helped a young hero named Theseus, also a son of Poseidon. She gave him a ball of magical yarn that let him find his way out of the Labyrinth. And do you know how Theseus rewarded her?"

Percy didn't exactly care, but he figured he might as well finish the story for Mr. D. "They got married," he said. "Happily ever after. The end."

Mr. D sneered again, a dark look on his face. "Not quite," he responded. "Theseus said he would marry her. He took her aboard his ship and sailed for Athens. Halfway back, on a little island called Naxos, he... What's the word you mortals use today?... he dumped her. I found her there, you know. Alone. Heartbroken. Crying her eyes out. She had given up everything, left everything she knew behind, to help a dashing young hero who tossed her away like a broken sandal."

"That's wrong," Percy said. "But that was thousands of years ago. What's that got to do with me?"

Mr. D regarded Percy with cold, uncaring eyes. "I fell in love with Ariadne, boy," he shot back. "I healed her broken heart. And when she died, I made her my immortal wife on Olympus. She waits for me even now. I shall go back to her when I am done with this infernal century of punishment at your ridiculous camp."

Percy's mouth dropped as he stared at the god in front of him. "You're... you're married? But I thought you got in trouble for chasing a wood nymph-"

"Olivia reminds me a lot of her," Dionysus interrupted him. "Kind, sweet, full of joy. Just wanting to help their friends in any possible way they can. And one betrayal from the man they believed they'd always rely on sent them the other way. My Ariadne lost her family and her kingdom, her status as a princess. She was distraught, in tears. Your Olivia lost her smile, her light, her carefree nature. Anger was her poison."

"I don't see how-" Percy began.

"My point is you heroes never change," Dionysus huffed. "You accuse us gods of being vain. You should look at yourselves. You take what you want, use whoever you have to, and then you betray everyone around you. So you'll excuse me if I have no love for heroes. They are a selfish, ungrateful lot. Ask Ariadne. Or Medea. For that matter, ask Zoë Nightshade."

"What do you mean, ask Zoë?" Percy asked.

He waved his hand dismissively. "Go. Follow your silly friends."

The vines uncurled and vanished.

Percy blinked twice, amazed. "You're... you're letting me go?" he questioned. "Just like that?"

"The prophecy says at least two of you will die. Perhaps I'll get lucky and you'll be one of them. But mark my words, Son of Poseidon, live or die, you will prove no better than the other heroes, and whether she likes it or not, Olivia will see it just the same as Ariadne once did. You sons of Poseidon are no good."

"How-"

"Now listen to what I say next carefully," Dionysus warned him. " I am letting you go for many reasons, including saving Apollo's daughter. But my greatest reasoning is my own daughter."

"The daughter you forced to go on this quest?" Percy snarked.

"I made my Alice to go on this quest because I know her destiny when it is done," Dionysus countered. "After what her mother put her through, she deserves to be happy. But I know from Olivia's premonitions that sometimes, though rare, a future can go astray. And now I want you to make Alice's future is secure. So no matter what you will have to do, even if it costs you your life, you keep my daughter alive. Are we clear?"