The Titan's Daughter | complete

11. Ahomana Meets My Grudge-Holding Dad

Thysía's POV

WE TOOK SHELTER in an old warehouse. Ahomana went for a walk and left me to comfort the dying pegasus while trying not to bump my slowly healing arm.

Yes, I said dying. We couldn't know yet, but we didn't have any ambrosia left, and Chrysós was in bad shape. Ahomana had been hoping to find first aid.

I stroked the horse's neck with my good hand and examined his injuries for the thousandth time. Chrysós's knees of his formers were badly scraped, and his left shoulder too had been cut from the concrete. His whole left side was littered with scratches and bruises, and there was a particularly nasty one on his cheek. And his left wing was a mess - it was broken in multiple places.

The pegasus was laying on his right side with his head in my lap. He had a sad look in his eyes, and I tried not to look at them. I wouldn't look too manly if I started bawling.

Dallas probably would. And speaking of the boyish golden girl, She still hadn't turned up. We had no way of contacting her or knowing if she was okay except by Iris-Message. Ahomana would probably talk to her while he was out finding out where we were.

I looked out of the huge bay doors. I knew I'd been here before. It was familiar. I knew if I got up and walked around I'd remember, but I was crippled and I didn't want to leave Chrysós.

I looked back down at the once regal pegasus. His eyes had closed. I frowned.

I hoped he was just sleeping. I reached out with my good hand and checked his pulse. It was slow, but it was there. Just.

I started to panic. Chrysós couldn't die. He was part of our family now. He had a quest to finish. He had to go home safe and have a happy life.

He couldn't die.

What could I do, though? I had no way of contacting -

I heard footsteps and I snapped my gaze up to see Ahomana walking into the warehouse.

"Oh my god Mana he's dying!" I said in one breath, eyes wide.

Ahomana blinked, then I could see the panic setting in. "I talked to Dallas-"

Footsteps echoed through the warehouse. I thought this place was abandoned?

Ahomana slowly looked around, then his eyes locked onto something. I followed his gaze and saw what he was looking at.

I almost had a heart attack. I knew where we were now.

There was a bulky man getting into one of the numerous machines. It was a forklift. He had tattoos on his biceps, and he wore a fluorescent yellow working vest.

And he was unfortunately my dad, Christopher. And I played to the gods he didn't spot us.

I slowly put my finger too my lips and shook my head at Ahomana.

But Chrysós gave us away. He let out a long, mournful sigh. I looked down as Ahomana froze. The pegasus had his eyes open again. I almost cried.

But we had a problem.

My dad had spotted us. He started to walk over to us and I tried to hide my face in my shirt.

"Aye, whatcha doing in here?" He demanded.

"Sorry, we were just passing through." Ahomana said, as if we didn't look like homeless people that had jumped off a cliff. Not to mention the pegasus.

And I knew my dad could see it. He was a clear-sighted mortal. So he obviously knew who we were.

"Oh I know that. Demigods don't usually stay." Christopher looked away from Ahomana, who was blinking in surprise, and turned his steely grey gaze on me.

"Show yer face, boy. What're you hiding?" He slurred at me with narrowed eyes.

I shot a pleading look at Ahomana, who was starting to look extremely confused.

"Sir, if I may ask, how do you know about demigods?" He asked, trying to save me.

But my dad wasn't having that. He reached out and before I could do anything he gripped my shirt with a grimy hand and pulled it away from my face.

I tried to turn away, but he'd already seen me.

He jumped backwards with his eyes wide. Then his expression turned deadly. "You."

I smiled sheepishly. "Hey dad."

"Wait dad?" Ahomana frowned, looking between us, "Thysía, who's your godly parent?"

It struck me that I'd never actually told either him or Dallas who my mother was.

"Iphigenia." I said quietly.

"Iphigenia-" He was cut off by my father's deep voice.

"You have nerve coming back here, boy."

I swallowed and avoided his eyes.

"Get you and this beast out of this city and don't come back." He gestured to Chrysós.

That was the last straw.

I carefully got out from underneath the pegasus's head and laid it on the ground.

I stood up and screwed up my face in pain as pain shot up my arm.

And then I looked my father dead in the eye and said, "You don't tell me what to do anymore."

Christopher narrowed his eyes. "Why you good for nothing piece of-"

"Be quiet." I told him in an icy tone.

He raised his hand threateningly. I heard Ahomana yelp. I'd forgotten he was there.

I took a swing at my father and, being shorter than him, I hit the bottom of his nose and I heard a satisfying crack as I broke his nose. He crumpled backwards and hit the concrete, falling unconscious.

I spat at him and turned back to Ahomana, who was looking at me with a confused expression.

"I've got somewhere for us to stay, and you can tell me what you found. " I said.

I looked down at Chrysós. We weren't going to be able to get him to Michigan City.

"I met a demigod." The islander said, "He gave me some ambrosia after I explained our situation. He also gave us a way to get west."

I nodded. "Tell me later. Chrysós needs ambrosia."

He handed a few squares of a golden brownie looking thing and I knelt down to start healing the pegasus.

I could only hope he'd be okay.