First Lie || Deception Book I ||

Hidden Identity

"Are you suggesting that we are to blame for this!?" Zeus roared, standing up.

I flinched.

"Father, please, calm down," Athena said soothingly. "Take a moment. Please don't be too harsh on the girl. She understands first hand how this thief, whoever they may be, feels. Let me talk to her."

Zeus glared at me as he sat down again.

"Clari," Athena said. "Look at me."

I did, meeting Athena's grey eyes, as she stared at me sympathetically. "Look, I know this is hard for you to do right now. You don't want to send another demigod to their death. But rest assured, we will not harm him. Zeus forgot to mention to you that we cannot simply smite random demigods whenever we want to, especially if they serve another master. So, please, don't worry about us killing him."

"Wait, what?" I said in confusion, relaxing.

Athena held up her hand. "I'm not done yet. We will not blame you for wanting to keep this information from us, but remember whose side you are on."

"I have no intention of turning," I replied crossly. "I owe you all my life. The only reason others joined his side was that he's promised them something better," I said, cutting across Athena.

"You know that's not the truth though," Athena said.

"Yeah, and though he lies, the only reason they believe him is because they believe that anything is better than what they have right now. Imagine living in the Hermes cabin for years, unclaimed, lonely, and feeling abandoned by your parents. Wouldn't that be enough to change anyone's allegiance?"

I noted guilt flashing across Hermes' face, along with nearly every other Olympian, and though Zeus' expression remained blank, his eyes softened slightly.

"Alright," Hera finally said. "How about this. Continue to watch over him and work on getting closer to Kronos' army. After all, since Percy is alive, I'm sure that he will try something again soon, and his identity will be revealed. Sounds okay for you?"

I nodded. "Thank you."

Zeus glared at Hera but kept silent, leaning back against his throne with a sigh. "Very well. Since you have nothing to report, you may go. Keep an eye on them, get close to them, and strike when the time is right." He stared at me for a heartstopping moment before looking away, and I sank to the floor, my legs no longer capable of holding me up.

"I feel that this person will try something else before camp is over," Athena added, leaning forwards in her seat. "The quest to get the bolt to Tartarus did not succeed, nor was Percy killed in the Underworld. So keep an eye out, alright?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I got it."

Hecate nodded at Zeus, and said, "I'll be leaving too if it's alright with you."

Zeus waved his hand at her. "Go ahead."

I bowed again and left the throne room, and finally released my tension once I was in the garden.

I collapsed against a tree. That was a nightmare, I thought to myself. I was so sure that Zeus would blast me outright. And I wonder what Luke is going to try? Athena's never wrong, after all. I just hope it's not something too horrible.

"Clari?" my mother called.

"Oh, hi mom," I said, pushing myself off the tree. "What's up?"

Hecate stared at me silently, her blond hair swaying softly in the breeze. I could swear that guilt flashed across her eyes, but it disappeared so fast that I thought I was imagining things. Still, tension crept back in my body. "Is there something wrong?"

Hecate shook her head. "Why would there be something wrong?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"I just wanted to see you and say goodbye before you left for camp," my mother said. "And to wish you good luck with your mission."

"Thanks," I replied. "That reminds me, I should probably get going."

Hecate nodded and vanished into the shadows, me staring after her. Why did I feel like my mother was hiding something from me? I racked my brain but came up empty. I sighed. The lie I was living was increasing my paranoia by a thousandfold, and I felt that any second, the web I'd so carefully weaved would come apart.

"Come on, Ava," I sighed, heading back down towards the elevator. "Worry will do me no good. Let's go get Ally some chocolates."

Avalanche bobbed her head and trotted behind me obediently, seemingly sensing my mood.

Half an hour later, my backpack full of chocolates for Ally, a couple of books I'd spotted through a bookstore window, and other things like medical supplies and rope to keep up the pretense that I'd been on an errand, I materialized in a cloud of black smoke at the top of Half-blood Hill.

Hidden and unseen, I looked out over the camp, the sparkling ocean in the distance, the groves of trees and the winding stream, the rolling hills and lush grass, the plump strawberries in the fields, and the campers below in the camp, seemingly unaware and unaffected by the looming disaster.

I'd barely been here a year, yet it already felt like home. I'd met people, made friends, and, though it had been hard, had fun. I sighed. "Well, most of the shit's done and over with. Let's just try to enjoy the rest of the summer, yeah?"

Avalanche twitched her furry ears in agreement and bounded down the hill. I laughed and sprinted down after her towards the bright summer ahead of me.

***
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