The Missing Gods

Chapter 14 - We Get Some Advice

After we tended to our wounds with what little supplies we had left, we agreed that I would take the first watch. Annabeth's breathing slowed as she drifted to sleep in my lap, still holding the wound Aegipan had left which had mostly healed by now.

I found myself squinting angrily through the bright mist and relaxed my face. There were so many questions but not enough answers about this quest—a feeling I'd had before. Why couldn't the gods just give it to us straight? Why couldn't Hera just tell us what was going on?

I shook my head, trying to loosen the thoughts in my brain, and peered down at Annabeth. I wondered whether the gods' tokens of power had been sold on the godly black market yet, and if we would ever find them again. My dad will be pretty upset when I have to tell him I fell asleep and lost his trident.

I heard scuffling far off to my left and snapped my head up, searching for its source. I thought I saw a person, gliding through the mist as though they were hovering. I quickly tapped Annabeth awake, holding a finger to my lips and then pointing at the figure. Annabeth slowly sat up, gesturing toward the figure, so we both stood and silently walked closer.

"Hello Perseus, Annabeth," a woman said, trailing her finger through the magnificent golden scales she held. "I heard from Rumor that you had arrived."

I held my breath as I looked at her, noticing a resemblance to someone I'd met before. She had beautiful braids of hair piled on her head and was wearing stereotypical traditional Greek robes. The scales she held balanced in her hand were intricately woven, looking as though they were made of liquid gold.

"Are you... Are you related to Nike, by any chance?" I asked, as Annabeth leaned forward beside me.

The woman sighed softly as she replied. "Unfortunately, yes. Nike is my sister. She can have quite an attitude, can't she?" She looked me straight in the eyes, and I shivered. It seemed like she was examining me, searching for some type of knowledge.

"Uh, yeah, she was a little overwhelming," I said, remembering the way Leo creatively described her as "pumped-up espresso crazy."

The woman searched my face, chuckling as if she knew my thoughts. "I am Dike," she said. "Goddess of Justice."

"I thought the goddess of Justice was blindfolded?" Annabeth questioned.

"That is my Roman counterpart, my dear. The Greeks did not believe in blind justice. Do you?" It felt like this lady was looking straight into my soul as she asked her question, which I didn't like one bit.

"Are you an Astrothesiae as well then?" Annabeth asked politely. I suddenly had a million questions, starting with what the heck was an Astro-thewhatever, and ending with what the heck did Annabeth know that I didn't?

"I am, child of Athena," Dike replied with a kind smile, "Though Perseus seems to think the knowledge you are withholding from him is unfair, child. Unjust." Her eyes again met mine, sending shivers down my spine for the second time.

"Can you read our minds?" I asked her, feeling more than a little violated.

"No, Perseus, I can only judge what you deem fair. I am like Janus, in this respect. While he has choices, I preside over judgements. I come to you both only to warn you, and to give to you. Be careful of the stars, young ones, for they are not blind, and they are watching your every step. Time is useless here, but your courage is not, have faith that the scales will become balanced once more soon enough."

"As for my gift," Dike added, her golden scales starting to glow brighter, "as my sister Nike can foresee victorious outcomes, I too can foresee future judgements. Use my words as advice, for if you do not, everything will be lost, and the scales will be crippled."

"Daughter of Athena," Dike began, "you have a stubbornness in you that can be dangerous. You are grounded by your roots, don't let this prevent you from challenging your own thoughts and values. Those who do not question their own intelligence will always be half as confident as you. Intelligence and emotion will balance you, child, allow yourself to walk their paths equally."

"Son of Poseidon, you have the heart of a lion, and your soul is just. You have a thirst for fairness and justice that I have not seen in a millennia. Remain confident in yourself, for you provide for others what they cannot provide themselves. Continue your path, Perseus, and remind yourself that courage and kindness can balance the scales equally."

Her scales had been growing white-hot, drowning everything in our vision, until we unshielded our eyes to see that Dike had disappeared. I looked at Annabeth, who was looking pale, and tried to steady my own hands before reaching out to her.

"How did she know..." Annabeth began, before shaking her head slowly and then looking at the ground, holding my arm around her as if it were a venomous snake.

"She seemed nice," I joked, trying to break the tension that hung on in the air. Godly prophesies and advice couldn't be ignored, but I knew Annabeth was in no mood to talk about it. I suggested we lay down for a bit and try to get some sleep again, since it had been interrupted the first time. Annabeth gladly laid down, resting her head on her elbow.

"I know where we are now, Percy," she said miserably.

"I know where we are too," I said, trying to shake both Hera's motives and Dike's words out of my head.