Changing the Future

Chapter 50

Silena frowned. "But-"

"That's a good idea," Annabeth said. "Connor and Travis, you two lead."

The Stolls seemed to like that- getting handed an important responsibility right in front of their dad. If I remembered correctly, the last time the Stoll brothers got to lead anything, they toilet paper rolled every cabin at camp, especially the Artemis cabin since the Hunters had been there for a weekend. How else did you think that the cabins caught on fire so easily when the Hunters retaliated?

Hermes turned to me, clearly confused. "Didn't we...?"

I waved off his question. "Let them have their moment. It'll give the rest of us some privacy."

"I see."

"My lord," Annabeth said. "Kronos is going to attack New York. You must suspect that. My mother must have foreseen it."

"Your mother," Hermes grumbled. He scratched his back with his caduceus, and George and Martha muttered Ow, ow, ow. "Don't get me started on your mother, young lady. She's the reason I'm here at all. Zeus didn't want any of us to leave the front line. But your mother kept pestering him nonstop, 'It's a trap, it's a diversion, blah, blah, blah.' She wanted to come back herself, but Zeus was not going to let his number one strategist leave his side while we're battling Typhon. And so naturally he sent me to talk to you."

"But it is a trap!" Annabeth insisted. "Is Zeus blind?"

I cringed at the comment. "Watch your wording," I warned. "Zeus will still kill you where you stand if you're disrespectful." To further cement the fact, thunder rolled through the sky.

"I'd watch the comments, girl," Hermes agreed. "Zeus is not blind or deaf. He has not left Olympus completely undefended."

The god gestured to the protective dome overhead before patting me on the back as well. "Andromeda here has been trained for this exact reason. She is bound to Olympus for the rest of her life, and as such, she is our last line of defense."

Luke, who had refused to leave with the others, scowled at his father. "Stop treating her like some pet, and treat her like a person, Hermes," he said, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"Luke, you don't-" I began.

"No, Andy, you always put others before yourself, but not this time." Luke took a deep breath, which seemed to calm him down. "At least ask if she wants to be here, Dad. Don't force her to risk her life for the rest of us."

Hermes looked at me expectantly. "Well, then. Do you want to be here, Andy, fulfilling your duty as you promised us all those years ago?"

"I do."

"There you have it, Luke," Hermes said, stabbing his caduceus into the ground. "She stands firm in her decision. Now, before I go, there was something I had to tell you all..." He scratched his head in confusion. "But for the life of me, it seems I can't remember what the message was."

"Please, Hermes," Annabeth pleaded. "You said my mother wanted to come. Did she give you any messages for us?"

The god frowned. "I'm positive that she did, but I can't remember." Hermes looked around, a genuine look of surprise on his face as he realized that he was standing in the middle of an empty throne room. "Wait, why am I here? Wasn't I fighting Typhon just now?"

The four of us in the room glanced at each other, unable to believe what we were seeing. Since when did gods, especially the messenger god, forget what they were sent to do? Not to mention, this never happened in the books.