Young Gods | L. Castellan

| 58 |

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | Luke is worried that if he breathes, Artemis will turn him into a jackalope or something similar

"LEAVE Luke out of this. We don't need to involve him in family affairs." Freyja held a protective arm out in front of her boyfriend, a scowl appearing on her face as she watched her parents. "Luke, go inside."

"I wish to speak to him."

"No." Freyja shook her head, as Luke's hand found hers, squeezing gently to try and calm her. "You manipulated me into killing him. Why the hell would either of us want to speak to you, or any of the other members of the Parthenon?"

"To hear what I have to say."

"I owe you nothing." Freyja shook her head. "I owe you none of my time. Come on."

Freyja tugged Luke along behind her, leading him away from her parents and to their cabin so that they could have a movie night, and not focus on her parents and what they wanted. Luke obliged, trusting Freyja's gut instinct and also not wanting to put her any further on edge than she already was.

"Zeus sent me to find you." Artemis called at their backs, though Freyja just kept walking. "If I don't go back with a location, he'll kill the Hunters and your friends from camp. The one who gave up immortality, and the daughter of Athena."

Freyja froze, tensing as Luke did, both of them twisting to stare at Artemis with wide eyes.

"You are not the only one with oaths." Artemis didn't approach, staying beside Loki. "You are not the only one who was bound to something else, nor the only one who was living in fear of what would happen if they did not obey."

"He's threatening Annabeth?" Luke questioned. 

"He doesn't need to threaten them. The next Great Prophecy has already begun, and she's been nominated for the quest." Artemis revealed. "Percy has been missing since soon after you left. Zeus has asked me to bring you back."

"I am not going back there."

"Freyja, please, think on this. There are people's lives at stake, not only yours or his, or mine or Loki's, but children."

"So why is the Parthenon not standing up to him?"

"The Parthenon is split." Artemis hissed. "You split it when you left, and now most gods are battling their Roman and Greek forms to try and stay in one. No one is in a fit state to make a decision."

"Then Zeus will do nothing."

"Zeus will do something." Artemis nodded her head, finally stepping towards her daughter. Immediately, Freyja was backing away and grabbing for her sword. "Zeus is paranoid and scared, and scared men make poor choices. People will die."

"I have left."

"Jason is on that quest." Artemis pulled out her final card to try and convince Freyja to come back. "Jason is there and Dara, Layla's cousin. Both of them are on that quest."

"That's impossible. Jason is safe, in the Roman camp and Dara isn't even a demigod! She's a mortal!" Freyja shook her head. "Jason is Zeus' son. He wouldn't harm his only son."

"He's panicking!" Artemis cried. "I am begging you, Freyja, you have to come back and fight. One final time."

"It's always one final time." Freyja shook her head, still clinging onto Luke. "I never get to leave. No one would let me leave, but I finally did it. I left. I am out!"

"Then are you comfortable with children's deaths being on your hands?"

"Artemis!" Loki stepped in. "She's said no, there's nothing more that we can do. If she does not want to, we can not force her."

Luke took that time to press his hand to Freyja's back and lean down to her ear.

"Bubbles?" She huffed. "Should we think about it?"

"I don't want to fight."

"I know." Luke clung onto her, trying to soothe her stress and the tension that was in her body. "But the others, the kids, they shouldn't have to either. One last job and then we're gone? We make them swear on the Styx, or swear on something that they can't get away from."

"Luke, I cannot fight and I cannot leave. Do not make me." Freyja shook her head. "Do not make me leave your side again. That's what started this mess in the first place."

"Then I'll come with you." Luke offered. "I'm not leaving your side. Not again."

Freyja turned to look up at him, eyes wide and for the first time in a while, Luke could see the fear in them. He rested his hand on her cheek, leaning his forehead against hers as she clung onto him.

"One last thing, for the kids. Then we're gone, we'll fake our deaths again or something." Luke offered, managing to get a laugh out of Freyja even if it was only a quiet one. "I'm with you, Bubbles."

"Fine." Freyja whispered into his ear, before sighing. Turning, she looked back at Artemis and Loki, who were arguing in hushed tones, waving their hands and shaking their heads. "I don't want to go."

Both of her parents froze, staring at her and Luke.

"I don't want to go, but if it is the only way to keep Jason and Annabeth and Percy and Dara safe, then I'll go." Freyja sighed, trying to fight down the fear that was welling up in her about having to go back to a place that had caused her so much pain, and so much grief. "But after that, I am out. I do not want to see anyone from this world again, all debts are clear and I owe you nothing anymore."

"Freyja-" Artemis stopped herself, suddenly coming to the realisation that she had lost her daughter the moment that the first prophecy had come into play, and she would never get her back again. 

"Those are my terms." Freyja stood firm, folding her arms across her chest as she stared down at Artemis. "That is the only way that I will come back. The only way."

"Then I will see what I can do." Artemis promised, as Freyja nodded. The younger woman looked at her mother once more, taking in Artemis' form, the way that her eyebrows furrowed and how she tensed as she turned away from her daughter. One part of her wanted to call out after the woman, tell Artemis that she would still keep in contact with her, but another part of Freyja knew that she could no longer do that. Time and outside factors had impacted her relationship with her mother far too much for her to ever live in peace whilst keeping in contact with her family.

Maybe in years to come, when she was more recovered than she was now, she could reconnect. But for now, Freyja put her back to the woman, brushing past Luke and into the house once more as she tried to think of how she would be able to cope with another war.

Hiya,

This is fun. Freyja's having to go back, as is Luke and we've literally got like possibly one more chapter and an epilogue before we move onto the companion book, Angel of Death, where the rest of this stuff takes place. It's gonna be good fun.

Question of the Day ; Okay, favorite non-demigod in the PJO series? (like Tyson or Grover etc.) Mine would be Mrs. O'Leary

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx