𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘, annabeth chase

𝐢𝐯. pro tip: don't let thalia drive

   ARTEMIS ASSURED THEM THAT THE DAWN WAS COMING, BUT IT EASILY COULD'VE FOOLED SAKURA. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. Sakura stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into theeast like she was expecting something.

Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. From his gloomy face, the daughter of Aphrodite could tell that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt.

Sakura, Thalia, and Grover came up and huddled around Percy, anxious to hear what had happened in his audience with the goddess. When he finished telling them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" Percy wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good —"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh. Sakura rubbed her face, "Grandis, Grover." She said in French. The daughter of Zeus' reaction wasn't any less annoyed.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so . . . into nature," Grover swooned."You're nuts," said Thalia."Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

When the sky began to lighten, Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" asked Percy.

"For my brother. Yes."

Then, the goddess spoke up again, "It's not exactly as you think,"

"Oh, okay," Percy mumbled. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—"There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth."Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

Sakura turned around so her back could face the big light. The light and warmth intensified, and the daughter of Aphrodite felt glad. She just couldn't bear the cold anymore. Then all of a sudden — the light died, making Sakura scowl.

She turned around again to spot a red convertible Maserati Spyder. Sakura's half-brothers had been yapping about that car barely a week earlier, that's why she recognized it. It glowed — probably because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why Sakura and the others were now standing on green grass and most of their shoes were wet.

The driver got out, smiling. Looking about seventeen or eighteen, he had sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. He was tall, and the smile he had put on his face was bright and playful. The Maserati driver wore jeans loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.