chapter six
say hello to the sun
(and be severely disappointed).
NINA HAD TRUSTED that Artemis knew dawn was coming, but after at least an hour of darkness and snow, she started losing hope. Without Bianca or Nico to entertain her, and with Thalia, Percy and Grover huddled up by themselves, she was feeling pretty lonely and bored. She kept gazing up at Westover Hall, her school (or . . . previous school?). Nina thought about her friends, about Macy and Aisha. She wondered if they were worrying about her, or if they even knew she was gone.
Artemis had explained to her something about the Mist. It was like a sort of magical barrier between the mortal world and the godly one, and the way people perceived it. The goddess had told her that the Mist would come up with a logical explanation for Dr. Thorn's disappearance, maybe even cause the students and staff to forget he existed entirely. Nina didn't want that to happen to her. She didn't want her friends (the few she had actually made over her time there) to forget her existence!
Nina was glued to her phone, alternating between texting Macy and texting Aisha, or checking her message inbox. No new texts.
She reread her old texts, purely out of boredom (but also to distract herself). It took her a bit of time to read, since she was dyslexic, but she powered through. For sanity's sake.
neens <3: Guys, I'm about to steal some of those muffins from the front desk lady.
neens <3: Looks so fucking scrumptious.
ayyysha: what kind
neens <3: Blueberry
ayyysha: bitch get me some too
macy's department store: please thats grand larceny dont
neens <3: No, grand larceny is when you steal something really valuable.
macy's department store: muffins are valuable
ayyysha: the jail time is worth it. MUFFINS MUFFINS BRING ME THE MUFFINS
Sighing, she texted their group chat again. guys are you getting my messages? No response. stupid fucking mist. (She had to whisper the words into her phone so it would type out, so the audio-to-text she had would hear her.) After a good ten minutes of no replies, she clicked her phone off and put her head in her hands.
She had never felt more isolated.
Glancing over at the di Angelos, she felt guilty for thinking that the Mist was being unfair. As Bianca confessed her allegiance with the Hunt, Nico's face crumpled. He must've been feeling abandoned, like his entire world was falling apart.
Switching her gaze over to Artemis, who stood alone at the cliffs edge, staring east and awaiting sunrise, she found herself walking over. "Hi," she greeted the goddess again.
"Hello, Nina."
"I have a question."
Artemis turned to her, tilted her head. "Ask away."
"So you're waiting for your brother, right? Apollo?"
She nodded. "Yes." The moon goddess rolled her eyes. "He's ever so lazy during wintertime. Always rushing around."
"Um, okay," said Nina. "Anyways. He's the sun god, right? So he's going to drive his sun chariot over to meet us?"
"Correct," Artemis agreed. "He'll take you to camp in it. The chariots have a very nice view," she remarked mildly.
"I bet. Apollo drives his sun chariot over the sky and stuff. But you're the moon goddess, so shouldn't you have been driving your moon chariot across the night sky all this time?"
Artemis turned to face her fully. "Well, I have been, actually." Nina frowned, because . . . what? "We gods can split our essence into fragments. We can literally be in two places at once, doing multiple things at once." She gestured over to the moon sinking into the newly golden horizon, and Nina was shocked to see a flash of silver gleam from the full moon's distant surface. Perhaps a fragment of Artemis was waving at her. Artemis━the one who stood beside her━watched as Nina's eyes lit up in amazement. The goddess smiled. "You're a very curious girl, Nina."
Nina looked back at her, blinking as if she was vaguely realizing that there were, in fact, two Artemis's at once. She cocked her head to the side at the comment, considering it.
"This is a very curious world, I'd like to know as much as I can," she decided.
The sky brightened further, and Nina could now see the sun glittering in her line of sight. Soon enough, her fellow half-bloods (because she was a . . . half-blood. Right), the ones that weren't Hunters━though some of the Hunt had gathered around Artemis protectively as Percy, Grover, and Nico joined━had joined them watching the sun greet the clouds.
"About time," Artemis grumbled irritably.
"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" Percy asked her.
"For my brother," Artemis agreed. "Yes." She did that thing again where she read people's minds. "It's not exactly as you think," she told Percy. Nina made a mental note to ask about that later.
"Oh, okay," said Percy. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a━"
The sunlight in the distance burst into flames and sped towards them at the speed of . . . well, light. The group was shrouded in a blast of warmth.
"Don't look," Artemis suggested. "Not until he parks."
Nina gratefully took this advice. She wanted to ask why, but she figured she could save that question for Apollo himself. The heat intensified so fiercely that Nina's dress and jacket (because she still hadn't changed) were melting off her body. Her mary janes felt glued to the ground. The light was blinding, even through her eyelids, turning the skin she saw a bright red.
When the light died very abruptly, Nina hesitated for only a moment before looking. In front of her was parked a red convertible Maserati Spyder, which was so cool, first of all, and secondly, it was literally glowing, that was how hot it was. The snow around the car (or . . . chariot?) had melted in a perfect circle, so Nina was now standing on vibrant green grass (how was it so healthy, when the snow had been covering it all that time?) with sopping wet heels.
The driver of the car got out, smiling beautifully, and Nina just about died.
He looked maybe three years older than Nina, but her instinct━which must've been a godly thing━told her that he was much, much older. His hair was fluffy and deep brown, hair only slightly darker than his skin as opposed to Artemis's pale complexion, tall as hell, with a playful but bright grin that brought heat to Nina's cheeks.
Literally. He radiated warmth, and she was pretty sure he was steaming.
Yeah. This guy was a god, for sure.
This was Apollo.
"Oh . . . my god? Oh, my god," she observed.
Thalia muttered, "Wow, Apollo is hot."
That snapped Nina out of her trance. "Um. Thalia?"
"He's the sun god," Percy told the Daughter of Zeus.
"That's not what I meant."
"Isn't he literally your brother?" Nina asked her, pursing her lips awkwardly.
"Oh. Forget I said anything," Thalia cringed.
"Little sister!" the sun god called to the aggravated moon goddess. His grin seemed to get even larger, his teeth so white they were blinding. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"
Artemis grit her teeth and sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister!"
"Hey, I was born first!"
Nina furrowed her eyebrows. "What? I thought she was born first." She was suddenly aware that everyone turned to look at her. Nina blushed. "Well, I mean . . . I read that Artemis helped your mother give birth to you, and that's why she's the goddess of childbirth . . ." she trailed off. Everyone kept staring. "Um . . . sorry."
Apollo pointed his finger at her. "That is propaganda. That shit is fake. Don't believe it."
"Liar," Artemis told him.
Apollo looked offended. "I'm the god of truth! I never lie!"
"Untrue," said Artemis. "You lied to yourself when you said that hairstyle looked good."
Apollo threw his hands up. "Why are we attacking me all of the sudden?"
The moon goddess continued. "And she's right. I am older than you."
"Well, I look older," he defended.
"Then why do I always feel like a babysitter whenever we're together?"
The Hunt, Percy, Thalia, Nico, Grover and Nina all watched the exchange in varying levels of shocked silence. Nina felt guilty that she started this argument.
"So, what's up?" Apollo asked, interrupting and choosing to ignore Artemis as she started to say something about being twins and millennia. "Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?"
Artemis clenched her jaw. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."
"Sure, sis!" He suddenly held his hands up in a sort of placating gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."
Every Huntress groaned in exasperation.
The god cleared his throat dramatically.
"Green grass breaks through snow
Artemis pleads for my help
I am so cool."
Safe to say Nina was significantly less attracted to this man now. He grinned at the crowd, waiting for applause, perhaps.
Nina broke the silence.
"Oh, man," she said. "I didn't need to hear that."
Apollo ignored her, which Nina found pretty offensive to be honest.
"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis told him, unimpressed.
The literal god of poetry frowned. "Was it?"
"Yes," the goddess said snidely. "What about I am so big-headed?" she suggested.
"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm," he muttered to himself. Nina had no idea what a haiku was, but Artemis suggested it had to be more than four, and Apollo suggested it had to be less than six, so Nina easily found five syllables that clicked right into the poem.
Zoë turned to give an explanation to the non-hunters. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from sparta━"
"I have a proposal," Nina told the god. "What about, I'm so annoying? I don't know, I think it fits."
Apollo narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh, I'm going to hate you immensely, aren't I?"
"You are the actual god of poetry and you are struggling to create a poem. Are you kidding me?" she asked him.
"Oh, whatever," the god said. Then, he muttered quieter, "I am so awesome. That's five syllables. Bitch." He got louder again, "Anyways! Transportation for the Hunters, you say, sister?" he asked the goddess.
"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis gestured to Nina and her companions. "Some of Chiron's campers."
"No problem!" He analyzed the group. "Let's see . . . Thalia, right?" he landed on the first person. "I've heard all about you."
Thalia waved awkwardly. "Hi, Lord Apollo."
"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister," he told her offhandedly. Nina gave Thalia a look, and the older girl stuck her tongue out at her. "Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time━"
"Brother," Artemis interrupted. "You should get going."
"Oh, right." He looked at the boy next to Nina. "Percy Jackson?"
"Yeah," he answered. "I mean . . . yes, sir."
Apollo didn't say anything, must've been rare for him, and he turned his narrowed gaze onto Nina. "Are we sure we can't just leave this one here? Who knows? Maybe she'll get hypothermia and die or something," he added, a little hopeful.
"Apollo," Artemis chided. Her voice was strangely forceful, like she was conveying an unspoken message. "This is Nina Champion."
"Oh." Apollo straightened. He gave a withering sigh, as if trying to act casual. "I guess she can come. I suppose." He shook his head, like he couldn't believe he was saying that. Nina had successfully bullied one (1) god. "Well!" he cheered up. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way━west. And if you miss it, you miss it."
"Cool car," Nico remarked.
"Thanks, kid."
"But how will we all fit?"
"Oh." The sun god seemed to notice the problem, finally. "Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose . . ."
He took out his golden car keys, twirled them around his index finger once before clicking a button. The Maserati's glare brightened, and when it died out, the car had been replaced with a shuttle bus.
"Right," he said, gesturing at the door. "Everybody in."
Zoë commanded the Hunters to load up. As she picked up her camping bag, Apollo said, "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that."
The Huntress reared back, eyes going dark in anger.
"Brother," Artemis scolded. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart."
"Sorry, I forgot," defended the literal god of knowledge. "Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"
"Hunting," she said shortly. "It's none of your business."
"I'll find out," said Apollo. "I see all. Know all."
The moon goddess snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!"
"No, no!" he gasped. "I never mess around!"
She rolled her eyes, then turned to Nina and the gang. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."
Zoë stood up straight. "Yes, my lady."
Artemis turned to Nina. "You have until the solstice to make your decision," she repeated. "Choose wisely."
"I'll make the right choice," Nina promised.
Artemis knelt, putting a hand to the ground as if sensing the earth's vibrations. As she rose, she furrowed her eyebrows, troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found." She turned to her brother, giving him a nod. Her eyes shimmered with moonlight.
She dashed into the woods in a blur of silver, and melted into the shadows.
Apollo turned to them and gave a bright grin. His car keys spun around his index and middle fingers. "So," he started. "Who wants to drive?"
𖦹 nina being apollo's worst nightmare and artemis's biggest fan is very funny to me. this girl will be on his ass constantly and he is so done.