Y/n's Pov:
Flying straight up to Zeus's palace, with thunder and lightning swirling around it, was even worse than having to fly in the night.
We circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus. I'd only been there once before, travelling by elevator up to the secret six hundredth floor of the Empire State Building. This time, if it was possible, Olympus amazed me even more.
In the early morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colours, from blood-red to indigo. Apparently, no one ever slept on Olympus. The twisting streets were full of demigods, nature spirits, and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes. Winter didn't seem to exist here. I caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things I couldn't name. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reed pipes.
Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing Whitehall of the gods.
Our pegasi set us down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before I could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.
Blackjack neighed.
"Yeah," Percy said.
I didn't know why, but I had a sense of doom. I'd never seen all the gods together. I knew any one of them could blast me to dust, and a few of them would like to.
Blackjack neighed at Percy.
Percy looked at the pegasus.
Blackjack hung his head low neighing softly.
Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving Thalia, Annabeth, Grayson, Percy, and me alone. For a minute we stood there regarding the palace, the way we'd stood together in front of WestoverHall, what seemed like a million years ago.
And then, side by side, we walked into the throne room.
~
Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations—even the newest one, Zoe, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn. I choked back a sob.
All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall, and I'm telling you if you've ever had a dozen all-powerful super-huge beings turn their eyes on you at once... Well, suddenly, facing monsters seemed like a picnic.
"Welcome, heroes," mother said.
"Mooo!"
That's when I noticed Bessie and Grover.
A sphere of water was hovering in the centre of the room, next to the hearth fire. Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw us, he cried, "You made it!"
He started to run towards Percy, then remembered he was turning his back on Zeus and looked for permission.
"Go on," Zeus said. But he wasn't really paying attention to Grover. The lord of the sky was staring intently at Thalia.
Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.
Grover gave me a bear hug. I chuckled. "It's good to see you too, G-Man."
Grover gave Annabeth, Grayson, and Thalia big hugs. Then he grasped Percy's arms. "Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!"
"Do what?" Percy asked.
"Heroes," mum called.
Mother slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease amid the giant Olympians. She walked toward us, her silver robes shimmering. There was no emotion on her face, just like every time she saw me. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.
"The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told us. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."
There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods as if they weren't all happy with this plan, but nobody protested.
"At my Lord Zeus's command," Artemis said, "my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been permitted to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes..."
She turned to face the other immortals. "These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?"
She looked around at the assembled gods, meeting their faces individually. Zeus in his dark pin-striped suit, his black beard neatly trimmed, and his eyes sparkling with energy. Next to him sat a beautiful woman with silver hair braided over one shoulder and a dress that shimmered colours like peacock feathers. The Lady Hera. On Zeus's right, Poseidon. Next to him, was a huge lump of a man with a leg in a steel brace, a misshapen head, and a wild brown beard, fire flickering through his whiskers. The Lord of the Forges, Hephaestus.
Hermes winked at me. He was wearing a business suit today, checking messages on his caduceus mobile phone. My uncle, Apollo leaned back on his golden throne with his shades on. He had iPod headphones on, so I wasn't sure he was even listening, but he gave me a thumbs-up. Dionysus looked bored, twirling a grapevine between his fingers. And Ares, well, he sat on his chrome-and-leather throne, glowering at me while he sharpened a knife.
On the ladies' side of the throne room, a dark-haired goddess in green robes sat next to Hera on a throne woven of apple-tree branches. Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. Next to her sat a beautiful grey-eyed woman in an elegant white dress. She could only be Annabeth'smother, Athena. Then there was Aphrodite, who smiled at me knowingly and made me roll my eyes. All the Olympians in one place. So much power in this room it was a miracle the whole palace didn't blow apart.
"I gotta say"—Apollo broke the silence—"these kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite: "Heroes win laurels—"
NO! PLEASE!
"Um, yes, first-class," Hermes interrupted like he was anxious to avoid Apollo's poetry."All in favour of not disintegrating them?"
THANK YOU, HERMES!
A few tentative hands went up—Demeter, Aphrodite.
"Wait just a minute," Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia, Percy, and me. "These three are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here—"
"Ares," Poseidon interrupted, "they are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits."
"My daughter will not be blasted to bits either," mother told Ares.
"Nor my daughter," Zeus grumbled. "She has done well."
Thalia blushed. She studied the floor. I knew how she felt. I'd hardly ever talked to my mother, much less gotten a compliment.
The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward. "I am proud of my daughter as well. But there is a security risk here with the other three."
"Mother!" Annabeth said. "How can you—"
Athena cut her off with a calm but firm look. "It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their oath not to have more children. Only Hades kept his word, a fact that I find ironic. As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the three elder gods... such as Thalia and Percy... are dangerous. Nevertheless, I do not agree with the danger coming from the girl. Yes, Artemis had a child, but so did I, and we are still both virgins. Therefore, as thickhead, as Ares is, he has half a point."
"Right!" Ares said. "Hey, wait a minute. Who you callin'—"
He started to get up, but a grapevine grew around his waist like a seat belt and pulled him back down.
"Oh, please, Ares," Dionysus sighed. "Save the fighting for later."
Ares cursed and ripped away the vine. "You're one to talk, you old drunk. You seriously want to protect these brats?"
Dionysus gazed down at us wearily. "I have no love for them. Athena, do you truly think it safest to destroy them?"
"I do not pass judgment," Athena said. "I only point out the risk. What we do, the Council must decide."
"I will not have them punished," Artemis said. "I will have them rewarded. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favour, then we are no better than the Titans. If this isOlympian justice, I will have none of it."
"Calm down, sis," Apollo said. "Jeez, you need to lighten up."
"Don't call me sis! I will reward them."
"Well," Zeus grumbled. "Perhaps. But the monster at least must be destroyed. We have an agreement on that?"
A lot of nodding heads.
It took me a second to realize what they were saying. Then my heart turned to lead.
"Bessie?" Percy asked. "You want to destroy Bessie?"
"Mooooooo!" Bessie protested.
Poseidon frowned. "You have named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?"
"Dad," Percy said, "he's just a sea creature. A really nice sea creature. You can't destroy him."
Poseidon shifted uncomfortably. "Percy, the monster's power is considerable. If the Titans were to steal it, or—"
"You can't," Percy insisted. He looked at Zeus. Percy probably should have been afraid of him, but he stared at him right in the eye. "Controlling the prophecies never works. Isn't that true? Besides, Bess—the Ophiotaurus is innocent. Killing something like that is wrong. It's just as wrong as... as Kronos eating his children, just because of something they might do. It's wrong!"
Zeus seemed to consider this. His eyes drifted to his daughter Thalia. "And what of the risk? Kronos knows full well, that if one of you were to sacrifice the beast's entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we can let that possibility remain? You, my daughter, will turn sixteen on the morrow, just as the prophecy says."
"You have to trust them," I spoke up. "Sir, you have to trust them."
Zeus scowled. "Trust a hero?"
"Y/n is right," my mother said. "Which is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoe Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, I must speak to you privately."
Zeus beckoned Artemis forward. He leaned down and listened as she spoke in his ear.
My heartbeat thumped in my ears. Was this it? Would I finally join the hunters? Did my mother finally become proud of me?
Percy grabbed my hand. "Y/n," he said under his breath. "Don't."
I frowned at Percy. "What?"
"Look, I need to tell you something," Percy continued. "I couldn't stand it if... I don't want you to—"
"Percy?" I said, squeezing his hand. "You look like you're going to be sick."
And then Artemis turned."I shall have a new lieutenant," she announced. "If she will accept it."
I squeezed Percy's hand in excitement as I tried to hide my smile. My hand bounced against my outer thigh uncontrollably.
"Thalia," Artemis said. "Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?"
Stunned silence filled the room. I stared at my mother, unable to believe what I was hearing. I felt like I was going to cry. My heart ached and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. Nevertheless, I managed to put a happy face on.
I looked at Thalia. Both Annabeth and Thalia were looking at me worriedly.
"Y/n/n..." Thalia started.
"Don't," I interrupted. "I'm fine. If you want it, get it."
"Are you sure? I don't have t if it makes you feel sa - "
"Thalia." I grabbed her shoulders. "I'm fine."
She looked at me apologetically. Then she turned to my mother.
"I will," Thalia said firmly.
I tried to ignore the aching of my heart as I pushed back the tears.
Zeus rose, his eyes full of concern. "My daughter, consider well—"
"Father," she said. "I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again."
She knelt before the goddess and began the words I remembered from the Hunter's oath. An oath I thought someday I'd say. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men..."
Afterwards, Thalia did something that surprised me almost as much as the pledge. She came over to Percy, smiled, and in front of the whole assembly, she gave him a big hug.
Percy blushed. PANG! Jealousy. Again.
When she pulled away and gripped his shoulders, Percy said, "Um... aren't you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?"
"I'm honouring a friend," she corrected. "I must join the Hunt, Percy. I haven't known peace since... since Half-Blood Hill. I finally feel like I have a home. But you're a hero. You will be the one of the prophecy."
"Great," Percy muttered.
"I'm proud to be your friend."
She hugged Annabeth, who was trying hard not to cry. Then she even hugged Grover, who looked ready to pass out, as somebody had just given him an all-you-can-eat enchilada coupon.
Lastly, she hugged me. As she did, she whispered into my ear. "I'm sorry she didn't choose you. You would've made a much better fit than me."
"No," I dismissed. "Don't say that. She chose you for a reason, Thals. And hey, not all is blue. You're my sister now! How cool is that?"
Thalia gasped as she let go of me. "I have a sister now!"
"Yeah!"
"You're my sister!"
"Yeah!"
Thalia hugged me tightly again. Then she went to stand by Artemis's side.
"Now for the Ophiotaurus," Artemis said.
"This boy is still dangerous," Dionysus warned. "The beast is a temptation to great power. Even if we spare the boy—"
"No." Percy looked around at all the gods. "Please. Keep the Ophiotaurus safe. My dad can hide him under the sea somewhere, or keep him in an aquarium here in Olympus. But you have to protect him."
"And why should we trust you?" rumbled Hephaestus.
"I'm only fourteen," Percy said. "If this prophecy is about me, that's two more years."
"Two years for Kronos to deceive you," Athena said. "Much can change in two years, my young hero."
"Mother!" Annabeth said, exasperated.
"It is only the truth, child. It is a bad strategy to keep the animal alive. Or the boy."
Poseidon stood. "I will not have a sea creature destroyed if I can help it. And I can help it."
He held out his hand, and a trident appeared in it: a twenty-foot long bronze shaft with three spear tips that shimmered with blue, watery light. "I will vouch for the boy and the safety of the Ophiotaurus."
"You won't take it under the sea!" Zeus stood suddenly. "I won't have that kind of bargaining chip in your possession."
"Brother, please," Poseidon sighed.
Zeus's lightning bolt appeared in his hand, a shaft of electricity that filled the whole room with the smell of ozone.
"Fine," Poseidon said. "I will build an aquarium for the creature here. Hephaestus can help me. The creature will be safe. We shall protect it with all our powers. The boy will not betray us. I vouch for this on my honour."
Zeus thought about this. "All in favour?"
To my surprise, a lot of hands went up. Dionysus abstained. So did Ares and Athena. But everybody else...
"We have a majority," Zeus decreed. "And so, since we will not be destroying these heroes... I imagine we should honour them. Let the triumph celebration begin!"
~
There are parties, and then there are huge, major, blowout parties. And then there are Olympian parties. If you ever get a choice, go for the Olympian.
The Nine Muses cranked up the tunes, and I realized the music was whatever you wanted it to be: the gods could listen to classical and the younger demigods heard hip-hop or whatever, and it was all the same soundtrack. No arguments. No fights to change the radio station. Just requests to crank it up.
Dionysus went around growing refreshment stands out of the ground, and a beautiful woman walked with him arm in arm—his wife, Ariadne. Dionysus looked happy for the first time. Nectar and ambrosia overflowed from golden fountains, and platters of mortal snackfood crowded the banquet tables. Golden goblets filled with whatever drink you wanted. Grover trotted around with a full plate of tin cans and enchiladas, and his goblet was full of double-espresso latte, which he kept muttering over like an incantation: "Pan! Pan!"
Gods kept coming over to congratulate me. Thankfully, they had reduced themselves to human size, so they didn't accidentally trample partygoers under their feet. Uncle Apollo had his hands on my shoulder for a long time.
"You see this amazing girl? That's my niece right there!"
"Are you sure she's not like, a half-niece?"
"Nope! Full niece!"
I made some excuses and wove through the crowds that were dancing in the palace courtyards. I was looking for Percy. The last I saw him, he was talking to Hermes.
Then a woman's voice behind me said, "You won't let me down, I hope."
I turned and found Artemis smiling at me.
"Mother... hi."
"Hello, Y/n. You've done well."
Her praise made me uneasy. I mean, it felt good, but I knew just how much she'd put herself on the line, vouching for me. It would've been a lot easier to let the others disintegrate.
"I won't let you down," I promised.
She nodded. I had trouble reading God's emotions, but I wondered if she had some doubts.
"Your friend Luke—"
"He's not my friend," I blurted out. Then I realized it was probably rude to interrupt."Sorry."
"Your former friend Luke," Artemis corrected. "He once promised things like that. He was Hermes's pride and joy. Just bear that in mind, Y/n. Even the bravest can fall."
"Luke fell pretty hard," I agreed. "He's most likely dead."
Artemis shook her head. "No, Y/n. He is not."
I stared at her. "What?"
"I believe you mentioned it before. Luke still lives. I have seen it. His boat sails from SanFrancisco with the remains of Kronos even now. He will retreat and regroup before assaulting you again. Poseidon will do his best to destroy his boat with storms, but he is making alliances with Poseidon's enemies, the older spirits of the ocean. They will fight to protect him."
"How can he be alive?" I said. "That fall should've killed him!"
Artemis looked troubled. "I don't know, Y/n, but beware of him. He is more dangerous than ever. And the golden coffin is still with him, still growing in strength."
"What about Atlas?" I said. "What's to prevent him from escaping again? Couldn't he just force some giant or something to take the sky for him?"
My mother snorted in derision. "If it were so easy, he would have escaped long ago. No, my daughter. The curse of the sky can only be forced upon a Titan, one of the children of Gaia and Ouranos. Anyone else must choose to take the burden of their own free will. Only a hero, someone with strength, a true heart, and great courage, would do such a thing. No one in Kronos's army would dare try to bear that weight, even upon pain of death."
"Luke did it," I said. "He let Atlas go. Then he tricked Annabeth into saving him and used her to convince me to take the sky."
"Yes," Artemis said. "Luke is... an interesting case."
I think she wanted to say more, but just then, she changed the subject.
"I am not sorry for not letting you join the hunt."
This caught me off guard. "What?"
"Prophecies are there for a reason, and they must happen. You must fall in love. I cannot let you join the hunt."
I thought for a bit, letting that sink in.
"I'm not that mad about not being able to be a hunter," I told her. "I'm sad because you pay no attention to me! Yes, I understand you have 'godly' things to do, but c'mon mum, I'm the only child you have!"
"Y/n - "
"If you wanted so much to have a child, why were you never there? Why did you leave me in an orphanage for seven years? I thought I wasn't special. I thought I was unloved. I wanted to die! And you couldn't care less as you ran through the woods with your adoptive daughters."
There was silence. Well, not really. Between us two there was silence. The music was still blaring, and the people were still dancing and chatting.
"I bet you wanted me to die when the rest were choosing who to kill," I spat at her. "It was all show."
Artemis glared at me. "Congrats. You found out."
My face fell. "You never wanted me, am I right?"
Her face was emotionless. "Be good, my daughter. We may not speak again for some time."
And just like that, she was gone.
My heart ached. I wanted to scream, to cry, but I couldn't.
"Hey, Y/n/n," Annabeth chirped. Then she noticed my face. "Whoa. What happened to you? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I slumped on the wall. "I think I've had enough of death today."
Annabeth put her hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay? D'you wanna talk about it?"
I shook my head, smiling. "Not now. I've gotta enjoy the party."
She nodded. "Want some punch?" she asked smiling.
"Nah. Dionysus probably spiked it."
Annabeth laughed. "Yeah. He most likely did."
We stayed on the side, enjoying each other's company. Then Grayson came along.
"Guys, don't try the Punch, it's spiked," he warned.
Annabeth and I shared a look. "Knew it!" we laughed.
Suddenly I remembered. "Right! I was gonna look for Percy!"
Annabeth smirked. She shoved my arm. "Ooh. You go, girl."
My face heat up. "Whatever."
As I walked away, I heard Grayson tell Annabeth, "I ship it."
I swam through the bodies on the dance floor.
"Oop! Sorry, Demeter!"
"No worries, child."
"My apologies, Hecate."
"What?"
I finally recognized his familiar raven hair.
"Percy!" I said, running through the crowd. I stopped short when I saw who he was talking to. "Oh... mum."
"I will leave you," Artemis said. "For now."
She turned and strode through the crowds, which parted before her as if she were carrying Aegis.
"Was she giving you a hard time?" I asked.
"No," Percy said. "It's... fine."
I studied him. I had never noticed how much he'd changed. He looked more mature than last year...more...attractive?
I realized something new. He too, had a grey streak on his hair, much like me (A/n: if possible). I touched the new streak of grey—our painful souvenir from holding Atlas's burden.
"So," I said. "What did you want to tell me earlier?"
The music was playing. People were dancing in the streets. Percy said, "I, uh, was thinking we got interrupted at Westover Hall. And... I think I owe you a dance."
I smiled slowly. "All right, Seaweed Brain."
So he took my hand, and I don't know what everybody else heard, but to me, it sounded like a slow dance: a little sad, but maybe a little hopeful, too.