The Dissonant Notes Of Fate

Eight

A/N: Hello, it's TripleHomicide here. As I said, I might be going on a hiatus but I will try to complete the Titan's Curse section of this story before I do. Do tell me what you think about this chapter. As usual, don't forget to point out any mistake I might have made and please leave a comment or review to tell me what you think, and a vote or kudos if you liked the chapter.

And also, if you haven't, check out my new story, Perseus: Excidium Troiae.

Enjoy the story!

PERSEUS pursed his lips as they walked on. It was morning already and the others seemed rejuvenated from the rest they had had. He hadn't been able to sleep the night before, afraid that he might end up back on Ogygia if he dared to shut his eyes. He was feeling okay though. Immortals didn't need sleep. He could run on his reserved energy for several weeks before he would need to rest. He wanted to spend every moment in the mortal world now. He didn't miss his Island. Not one bit.

His mind drifted to the girl he had seen when he had been transported away from the questers. He still couldn't believe it. He wondered how the others would feel when they found out. But it made sense. Her mother worked for his family, The Titans. She definitely had a hand in her daughter working for them too. Perseus looked down, eyes on the snow as they walked. The others were oddly quiet. Thalia hadn't killed Zoë yet, which he assumed was good, Luke seemed a bit sobered up, Grover was on edge, nibbling on a piece of wax paper, and the two hunters kept on exchanging furtive glances, as if worried that something bad was about to happen.

He knew they were nervous. They were getting closer to their destination. And the time for him to separate Thalia and Luke from the others was drawing nearer. Once they were separated, his pet would come for the daughter of Zeus. Atlas had explained it all in detail. Her fatal flaw was lust for power and they would play on that. They would use the cow-serpent hybrid to turn the prophecy child against the Olympian gods. And Luke...they would make Luke pull out his sword, finally freeing him and setting into motion the chain of events which would lead to the Fall of Olympus.

Perseus ran a hand through his hair, pushing his wild black hair out of his eyes. He looked up and examined the mortal settlement they had walked into. His eyes picked up a sort of sign but he couldn't tell what it said. Next to him, the satyr spoke, reading from the metal signpost. "Welcome to Cloudcroft, New Mexico."

So that's what it said.

Cloudcroft was the smallest place he had been to so far. He found that oddly amusing since he had only been on Ogygia after the war and Othrys before his punishment, and then Camp Half-Blood and the museum since the dream-transportation had begun. He could see a few mortal buildings around. There was snow everywhere and he stared, a bit fascinated. It never snowed on Ogygia. He was getting sick and tired of the summer. It was extremely cold in this tiny place but he didn't mind. It didn't bother him. As long as he had golden ichor flowing through him, he would be okay. He had a natural resistance to extreme temperatures.

He spotted Thalia slowing down so she was level with Luke, who was a few feet behind the hunters. Perseus moved forward, knowing they were about to discuss something of importance. He came up next to the son of Hermes, who turned to glance at him. Although Luke couldn't see him, Perseus knew he could feel his presence. Luke's eyes narrowed, but then he turned so he was facing Thalia. Grover made his way to Thalia's other side and Perseus observed as the three friends talked in low voices.

"I spoke with Hermes last night," Luke began. "He got us here."

His expression was blank but his eyes were hard. Perseus continued to stare at him, confused. Then a memory resurfaced and he remembered a discussion he'd had with the god of the forge a few years back. Most of the demigods were ignored by their godly parents and thought they didn't care for them. They did but as the ancient laws forbade direct interference in the lives of the demigods and mortals, they were left to fend for themselves. The gods could only watch and sometimes helped out a bit when they were sure Zeus wouldn't get to know about it. But help from the gods was rare and the demigods' lives were horrible. Get to Camp Half-Blood, or die. It took him a few seconds but he guessed that Luke and Hermes were probably going through a bump in their father-son relationship.