eleven
how to be the dancing queen
IT SEEMS PERCY'S INSANE IDEAS rubbed off on Lennon because while Thalia went straight for Luke, Percy and Lennon charged at Atlas.
He laughed as they approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armor. "Go on, then!"
"Percy! Lennon!" Zoë said. "Beware!"
She was reminding them of ancient rules. It meant that if they choose to fight him, he could attack back with all his strength.
Percy swung his sword, and Atlas knocked him aside with the shaft of his javelin. He flew through the air and slammed into a black wall. Lennon glanced at where he'd fallen. It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real.
"Fool!" Atlas screamed gleefully, swatting aside one of Zoë's arrows. "Did you think, simply because you could challenge that petty war god, that you could stand up to me?"
Lennon brought her attention back to him as he swung his javelin down on her. She raised her sword and planted her feet. Her sword clashed with the javelin and she strained as she held the weapon back above her.
"Stupid girl!" He seethed. "Luke told me about you. You're inconsequential but..." He chuckled gravelly. "It seems you're dense too. That curse though... I won't kill you, fate already has plans for you,"
He pushed and Lennon was sent stumbling back. As soon as she was gone he'd turned his attention back to Percy, who was charging at him. She didn't matter, it was Percy he wanted to fight.
She watched as Atlas's javelin slashed toward Percy. But he looked like he was struggling, he couldn't hold up his sword. Lennon sent an arc of blazing light to Atlas, blinding him and weakening his blow. It still hit Percy but luckily, it didn't send him flying through the air.
"I'm getting tired of you," Atlas growled. His javelin came at her so fast she didn't even see it coming. She flew far through the air, hitting one of the quickly appearing walls.
She hit the wall with a thud and her head hit the ground. A sharp pain was sent through her head. She groaned weakly and tried to blink through the pain. She could barely sit up. Everything around her was a blur. She could hear signs of fighting. A yell of protest and the whistle of arrows.
Through her daze, she fixed her eyes on Annabeth who wasn't too far from her. Eventually, she was able to make her way to her.
"Hi,"
A weak smile appeared on Annabeth's bruised and tear-stained face. "Hi,"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, I should be asking you that. Are you okay?"
Lennon grinned weakly and gave her a shaky thumbs up. "Me? I feel like I'm the dancing queen... only seventeen."
Despite everything going on, Annabeth let out a small, pained laugh.
A quick moment of clarity shot through Lennon and she looked at Annabeth. "I need to get you out of—"
"I've got it," Annabeth held up her unbound hands, Lennon's sword in her hand.
Lennon nodded tiredly. "Good, we need to..." Her vision went fuzzy again. Seeing Annabeth had made her forget about the pain coursing through her body.
She scanned the area around her, trying to figure out what was going on. She could see the fuzzy outline of Percy carrying something. What was it?
She blinked and time sped away. Annabeth was no longer by her side. She was yelling something to Thalia who— oh. Her spear was pointed at Luke's neck.
"He's a traitor!" She could faintly hear Thalia yelling.
Against the logical part of her brain telling her to stay put, Lennon struggled to stand up. When she was finally upright, her head immediately went light. She strained against her body to get to Annabeth.
She reached Annabeth as Thalia kicked Luke off the cliff's edge. A traitorous part of her heart felt sad at the sight. She couldn't erase the time when Luke felt like a big brother to her, as much as she wanted to. She followed the others as they looked over the edge where his broken form lay on the rocks.
One of the giants looked up and growled, "Kill them!"
Annabeth grabbed her arm and pulled her back as a wave of javelins sailed over their heads.
Lennon blinked and they were in front of Artemis who held Zoë in her arms. Her eyes were open and she was breathing but... the look on Artemis' face. They were talking but it was all faint mumbling to Lennon.
"The stars," Zoë murmured. "I cannot see them."
Those words Lennon could hear. In her dazed state, she was worried for her friend.
Another blink and Lennon could hear a machine gun. Some talking and then, "That's... my dad!"
There was movement around Lennon but she couldn't pay attention to it. She was too busy trying to deal with her lightheadedness. She tried to blink away the shining spots in her eyes with difficulty. She could barely see in front of her.
"Lennon! Come on! Can you stand?" That was Percy's voice.
She turned and opened her mouth but no words came out. Instead, she swayed and lost her balance, almost falling. He caught her in his arms and she slumped into his shoulder. The sharp pain in her head was unbearable.
Soon the sounds of the world faded away from her and her sight became black.
The taste of blueberry waffles filled Lennon's mouth. She hadn't had her mother's blueberry waffles since she'd lived with her. She'd never realized how happy the taste made her.
The sound came back to her and she opened her eyes to a starry night. Percy was looking down at her worriedly with ambrosia in his hand.
"Morning," She paused. "Or... night?"
"Are you okay?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yup," He watched her with an anxious look. "Really, I'm fine. No more woozy head, see," She sat up just in time to see that they were landing in Crissy Field.
Annabeth immediately ran to give her father a hug who, apparently, had shot at the monsters in his Sopwith Camel.
"Dad! You flew... you shot... oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
Lennon leaned against Percy— who held an arm around her to keep her stable— as they watched the exchange.
Her father blushed. "Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose."
"But the celestial bronze bullets! How did you get those?"
"Ah, well. You did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in Virginia, the last time you... left."
Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. Lennon noticed Dr. Chase was very careful not to say ran away. "I decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings," he continued. "Just a little experiment." He said it like it was no big deal, but he had a gleam in his eye.
"Dad..." Annabeth faltered.
"Annabeth, Percy, Lenon," Thalia interrupted. Her voice was urgent. She and Artemis were kneeling at Zoë's side, binding the huntress's wounds.
They ran over to help, but there wasn't much they could do. No regular medicine would help. It was dark, but she could see that Zoë didn't look good. She was shivering, and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading.
"Can't you heal her with magic?" Percy asked Artemis. "I mean... you're a goddess."
Artemis looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do. But I can try." She tried to set her hand on Zoë's side, but Zoë gripped her wrist. She looked into the goddess's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.
"Have I... served thee well?" Zoë whispered.
"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."
Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."
"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."
Lennon could see that it wasn't just the poison killing her, but also her father's final blow. Zoë had known all along that the Oracle's prophecy was about her: she would die by a parent's hand. And yet she'd taken the quest anyway.
She looked at Lennon, gripping her hand. "I wish we could have been friends for longer,"
Lennon smiled as her eyes began to water. She gave Zoë's hand a squeeze. "You're an amazing friend and an amazing person." It was unfair that they had had such little time together. They'd just become friends and she was losing her.
Zoë gave her a weak smile then saw Thalia and took her hand. "I am sorry we argued," Zoë said. "We could have been sisters."
"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything."
"Perhaps not all men," Zoë murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"
He wasn't able to speak but he brought out Riptide and put the pen in her hand. She grasped it contentedly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword." A shudder ran through her body.
"Zoë—" he said.
"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."
A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."
"Stars," Zoe repeated. Her eyes were fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.
Thalia lowered her head and Lennon grabbed her free hand, holding it. Lennon tried to hold back her own tears. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders.
Artemis cupped her hand above Zoe's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoe's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoe's body shimmered and disappeared. Artemis stood, said a kind of blessing, breathed into her cupped hand, and released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.
For a moment nothing was different. Then Annabeth gasped. Looking up at the sky, Lennon saw that the stars were brighter now. They made a new pattern—a gleaming constellation that looked a lot like a girl's figure—a girl with a bow, running across the sky.
"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."
It wasn't easy saying their goodbyes. The thunder and lightning were still boiling over Mount Tamalpais in the north. Artemis was so upset she flickered with silver light. Lennon hoped she didn't lose control and accidentally appear in her fully divine form.
"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."
The goddess set her hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You are brave beyond measure, my girl. You will do what is right." Then she looked quizzically at Thalia as if she weren't sure what to make of this younger daughter of Zeus.
Thalia seemed reluctant to look up, but something made her, and she held the goddess's eyes. I wasn't sure what passed between them, but Artemis's gaze softened with sympathy.
She looked at Lennon and nodded. "You fought well Lennon. Apollo would be proud,"
Then she turned to Percy. "You did well," she said. "For a man."
She mounted her chariot, which began to glow. They averted their eyes. There was a flash of silver, and the goddess was gone.
"Well," Dr. Chase sighed. "She was impressive; though I must say I still prefer Athena."
Annabeth turned toward him. "Dad, I... I'm sorry that—"
"Shh." He hugged her. "Do what you must, my dear. I know this isn't easy for you." His voice was a little shaky, but he gave Annabeth a brave smile.
Then Lennon heard the whoosh of large wings. Four pegasi descended through the fog: three white-winged horses and one pure black one.
"Blackjack!" Percy called from beside her.
The pegasus made a noise.
"It was rough," Percy responded. It still threw her off how he talked to animals like some Disney princess.
"Nah," He said aloud. "These are my friends. We need to get to Olympus pretty fast."
Percy said something to Blackjack about Dr. Chase not going with them. The professor was staring openmouthed at the pegasi.
"Fascinating," he said. "Such maneuverability! How does the wingspan compensate for the weight of the horse's body, I wonder?"
"Why, if the British had had these pegasi in the cavalry charges on the Crimea," Dr. Chase said, "the charge of the light brigade—"
"Dad!" Annabeth interrupted.
Dr. Chase blinked. He looked at his daughter and managed a smile. "I'm sorry, my dear, I know you must go."
He gave her one last awkward, well-meaning hug. As she turned to climb aboard the pegasus Guido, Dr. Chase called, "Annabeth. I know... I know San Francisco is a dangerous place for you. But please remember, you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe."
Annabeth didn't answer, but her eyes were red as she turned away. Dr. Chase started to say more, then apparently thought better of it. He raised his hand in a sad farewell and trudged away across the dark field.
They all mounted their pegasi and together they soared over the bay and flew toward the eastern hills. Soon San Francisco was only a glittering crescent behind them, with an occasional flicker of lightning in the north.
Lennon had been to Olympus before for camp field trips but it was still breathtaking seeing the ivory hall of the gods. Their pegasi set them down in the outer courtyard in front of huge silver gates. The gates opened by themselves.
They stood there for a minute, just like they'd stood back in Westover Hall. The only difference was when they were standing in Westover Hall, they weren't nearly as close as they were now. Side by side they walked into the throne room.
"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.
"Mooo!" That's when Lennon noticed Bessie and Grover.
A sphere of water was hovering in the center 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 toward them, 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.
It was painfully awkward and it made Lennon squirm in anxiety. Her eyes found her father's on the left side of the throne room. He had black sunglasses pushed atop his head. He gave her a comforting smile.
Lennon also noticed Aphrodite who gave her a knowing smile, as if she knew something she didn't. Her eyes immediately darted away.
Grover gave her, Annabeth, and Thalia hugs before grasping 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," Artemis called.
The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. She walked toward them, her silver robes shimmering. There was no emotion on her face. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.
"The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told them. "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 mumbling and shuffling between the gods 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 given permission 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.
Lennon glanced around the room, taking in the fact that all the Olympians were in one place. It suddenly made her insanely nervous.
She glanced at her father once more to see he had pushed his sunglasses atop his head. He gave her an approving nod before speaking.
"I gotta say"— He broke the silence—"these kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite: "Heroes win laurels—"
"Um, yes, first class," Hermes interrupted like he was anxious to avoid Apollo's poetry. "All in favor of not disintegrating them?"
A few tentative hands went up—Demeter, Aphrodite.
"Wait just a minute," Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia and Percy. "These two 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."
"Nor my daughter," Zeus grumbled. "She has done well."
Thalia blushed and studied the floor.
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 those two." She said gesturing at Percy and Thalia.
"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. As thickheaded as he is, Ares has 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."
Lennon watched the scene, she felt incredibly awkward watching them.
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 favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian 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 agreement on that?"
A lot of nodding heads. Lennon caught on to what they were talking about, and it seemed Percy had too.
"Bessie? You want to destroy Bessie?" He asked.
"Mooooooo!" Bessie protested.
Posiedon 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," He insisted, looking at Zeus. "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. Lennon hoped he'd listen to Percy, she barely knew Bessie, but it would pain her to know that an innocent creature would be killed. His eyes drifted to his daughter Thalia.
"And what of the risk? Kronos knows full well, 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," Annabeth spoke up. "Sir, you have to trust them." Lennon nodded at Annabeth's words.
Zeus scowled. "Trust a hero?"
"Annabeth is right," Artemis 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.
Percy's eyes darted to Annabeth. "Annabeth," He said under his breath. "Don't."
Annabeth frowned at him. "What?"
"You're my best friend and—"
"What are you talking about?"
Lennon glanced over at him. He looked like he was in distress. He thought Artemis was going to ask Annabeth to join the Hunters. Annabeth wouldn't join, would she? Lennon would miss her deeply if she did.
"I shall have a new lieutenant," Artemis announced. "If she will accept it."
"No," Lennon could hear Percy murmur.
"Thalia," Artemis said. "Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?"
Stunned silence filled the room. Lennon glanced at the girl with a smile. Annabeth squeezed Thalia's hand with a smile and let it go as if she'd been expecting this all along.
"I will," Thalia said firmly.
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 recited the Hunter pledge. When she finished she went over to Percy with a smile, giving him a big hug. Lennon even noticed a hint of pink on his cheeks. She pulled away and gripped his shoulders.
"Um... aren't you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?" Percy asked slowly.
"I'm honoring 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," He muttered.
"I'm proud to be your friend."
Then she looked moved to Lennon, grinning before hugging her. After a beat, Lennon returned the hug without a tight squeeze.
"You'll be a great Hunter Thalia," she whispered before letting go of her.
Thalia muttered a warm thank you.
Lennon was surprised to realize her eyes were watering. "Gods, I feel like I've known you forever,"
Thalia laughed at her words before going to hug Annabeth, who was trying hard not to cry. Then she hugged Grover, who looked ready to pass out. Then Thalia 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," He 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 bad strategy to keep the animal alive. Or the boy."
The goddess' words sent a shock of panic through Lennon's body. They were talking about killing Percy! She glanced around the hall, meeting eyes with her father in urgency.
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 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 honor."
Zeus thought about this. "All in favor?"
Luckily, a lot of hands went up. Dionysus, Ares, and Athena abstained.
"We have a majority," Zeus decreed. "And so, since we will not be destroying these heroes... I imagine we should honor them. Let the triumph celebration begin!"
AUTHORS NOTE:
hi everyone, ik i dropped off the face of the earth but i'm back!!! happy thanksgiving, i'm thankful to all of you who continue to read this.
anywho, that whole gods deciding scene was a headache to write. it's kinda crazy that i'll be done with titans curse next chapter.