Bronte didn't know what was going on. Her vision was blurry, her ears rang, and all she could feel was agonizing pain in her shoulder.
Percy held the blonde close to him, his heart beating out of his chest. "B? You okay?"
"Huh?" she asked, her head slowly turning to look at him. She felt as if her reaction time had slowed down. Her white sweater was getting darker by the second, the blood dripping down it and onto her dress.
Percy wrapped one of Bronte's arms around his neck and placed his hand on her waist. His grip was tight, as he gritted his teeth. Percy felt as if everything was his fault. The two teens had been in danger before and had each other's backs in battle, but this was the first time either of them had been hurt this badly.
Of course it had to be Bronte. If only Percy just followed her and didn't go off on his own, she wouldn't have been in this position. He wouldn't have caused her to get hurt.
Percy didn't know what kind of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast. Maybe he could defend himself if he could get my shield activated. All that it would take was a touch of his wristwatch.
But defending the di Angelo kids was another matter. And now that Bronte was injured, they definitely needed help.
"Bah! My poison causes pain, Jackson. It will not kill the girl. Let go of her and walk!" Dr. Thorn snarled with his accent.
Percy stared daggers at the man. There was no way he was going to let go of her.
Bronte, on the other hand, tried to remove her arm from his neck, stating that she could walk. She didn't want to cause any more trouble or get Percy hurt.
The raven haired boy only held onto her tighter, not releasing her. He knew she could barely take a few steps before crumbling.
Percy knew of one way to call for help. He closed his eyes as Thorn herded the four further outside. He pictured Grover's face. He focused on his feelings of fear and danger–which, considering the situation he was in, wasn't that hard. Percy watched as blood dripped down from Bronte's arm and down into the white snow, creating a small trail of their every step.
Last summer, Grover had created an empathy link. He'd sent the raven haired boy visions in his dreams to let him know when he was in trouble. As far as Percy knew, they were still linked, but he'd never tried to contact Grover before.
Hey, Grover! Percy thought. Some bad shit happened! Bronte's hurt! Thorn's kidnapping us! He's a poisonous spike-throwing maniac! Help!
Thorn inarched them into the woods. They took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights.
Bronte's shoulder ached. The wind blowing through her ripped sweater was so cold that she felt like a Brosicle.
Percy noticed the blonde shivering, and held her tighter, rubbing her uninjured arm. He didn't know whether or not she was shaking from the poison, or the cold, or even just nerves, but either way, he wanted to be there for her. "I'm so sorry, B," Percy mumbled for the tenth time.
Bronte shook her head. "I'm fine. If I don't focus on it, it doesn't hurt that bad."
Just hearing that made Percy want to shake her and demand why she jumped in front of him. Granted, he would have done the same thing for her, but he still would rather him be hurt than her.
"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."
"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"
"Silence, you insufferable girl!"
"Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. His voice quivered, but Percy was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.
Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Percy's neck, but he forced himself to keep walking with Bronte right beside him and pretend they were being good little captives.
Meanwhile, Percy projected his thoughts like crazy—anything to get Grover's attention: Grover! Apples! Tin cans! Bonnie's hurt! Get your furry goat behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends! PLEASE!
"Halt," Thorn said.
The woods had opened up. They'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, Percy sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. He could hear the waves churning and could smell the cold salty froth. But all they could see was mist and darkness.
Dr. Thorn pushed them toward the edge.
"What is he?" Bianca whispered. "How do we fight him?"
"I...I'm working on it," Percy said, his eyes moving around their surroundings.
Bianca stared sadly at him, then to the injured girl he was holding. She didn't feel all that assured, and Bronte couldn't blame her. If she wasn't fighting poison in her system, she knew they would be better off.
"I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind.
"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!"
The four kids turned. Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first Percy thought it was a switchblade, and he gripped Bronte tighter, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."
There was a garbled reply, and Percy realized Thorn was in walkie talkie mode. It seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone.
Percy glanced behind him, wondering how far the drop was. If he could just...
Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself."
"What did he call you?" Bianca muttered.
"I'll explain later," Percy said.
"You do have a plan, right?"
Grover! Percy thought desperately. Please hurry!
Maybe Percy could get both the di Angelos to jump with him and Bronte into the ocean. If they survived the fall, he could use the water to protect them. He'd done things like that before. If his dad was in a good mood, and listening, he might help. Maybe.
"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if reading Percy's thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?"
"Should we?" Bronte asked. Percy had to stifle a laugh. Even with her injury, she still found a way to make a sarcastic joke.
A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to Percy that it nicked his ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn—like a catapult, but more flexible...almost like a tail.
Even through the Mist, Bronte could see that they were dealing with some kind of monster. It was hard to decipher if she had dealt with something like him before, seeing as her vision was blotchy from the poison, but she forced herself to focus as hard as she could.
"Unfortunately," Thorn said. "You are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."
"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I..." Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other."
"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."
"Luke," Percy said. "You work for Luke."
Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when Percy said the name of his old enemy—a former friend who'd tried to kill him several times. "You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."
"The General?" Bronte asked.
Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."
They turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then Bronte heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.
"Where are you taking us?" Nico said.
"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."
"They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—"
"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well...there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway."
"The Great what?" Bronte asked. Anything to keep him talking while she tried to figure out a plan. Her mind felt frazzled and her head was spinning. She just hoped Percy was working on a plan. When he squeezed her torso lightly, she got the hint that something was brewing.
"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"
"Okay," Bianca whispered to Percy and Bronte. "He's completely nuts."
"We have to jump off the cliff," Percy told her quietly. "Into the sea."
"Not again," Bronte groaned, dropping her head onto Percy's shoulder. She had one too many experiences with jumping off of buildings or ships or literally anything stable. Guess she should add cliff to the list.
Bianca stared at him like he was crazy. "Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too."
Percy never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into them.
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the di Angelos and Percy and Bronte, knocking them to the ground.
For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over their heads.
This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis.
If you've never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened. She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part. Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it. Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it.
Thalia moved in with her spear. "For Zeus!"
Yay! Bronte thought to herself, a slurred smile making its way onto her face. She was glad that her friends and sister had finally made it to the show.
Thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia's shield as he slashed. If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.
The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind them, but no one dared to look.
Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia, and this time Percy could see how he did it. He had a tail—a leathery, scorpion-like tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down.
Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.
Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.
"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into the four.
"Who are you people?" Bianca di Angelo demanded. "And what is that?"
"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"
Bronte didn't know what he was talking about, but she didn't have time to worry about it. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward them with a snarl.
"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, Percy remembered his own shield. He hit his wristwatch, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick bronze shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from his brother, Tyson, was badly damaged. Percy wasn't sure it would even stop a second volley.
Bronte heard a thwack and a yelp, and Grover landed next to her with a thud. She tried reaching out for him, but Percy grabbed her and pulled her back. Thankfully, Grover opened his eyes slowly and shook his head. He seemed like he would be alright.
"Yield!" the monster roared.
"Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, Bronte thought she would run him through.
But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster?
The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.
"No!" Bronte got out of Percy's grasp, their hands sliding away as she ran to help her half-sister. Percy yelled–more so begged–for her to come back, but she ignored him. She wouldn't lose Thalia.
Bronte parried away a spike with Astrapí just before it would've hit Thalia's chest.
Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes."
The two girls were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. They had no chance.
Percy was on his way to Bronte, when Thorn threw another projectile at the di Angelo siblings, and he had to cover them with his shield.
Then everyone heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.
The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.
"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—"
His sentence was cut short when something shot past Bronte like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder. He staggered backward, wailing in agony.
"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply.
It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but Bronte's eyes must've been playing tricks on her. There was poison still coursing through her veins, it could have been that. No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.
The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. Bronte tried to swipe at him with her sword, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged her attack and slammed his tail into her, knocking the blonde aside.
Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions.
"The Hunters!" Annabeth cried.
Next to Bronte, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful."
Percy didn't have a chance to ask what the two girls meant. One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"
Percy couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore.
The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."
"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made Bronte catch her breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast."
She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoë, permission granted."
The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!"
He lunged at Thalia and Bronte, knowing they were weak and dazed.
Annabeth yelled, "Bronte!"
The blonde seemed to understand what Annabeth's look meant, because she sprang up–staggering a bit–and hoped in front of Thalia, her sword shaking in her grasp.
Thorn seemed to be getting angrier by the second. He thrust his tail at Bronte, but she parried it away. Her whole body was shaking from anger and fear, but she didn't let that stop her. She would defend Thalia, even if it was the last thing she did.
But Bronte was getting tired. Her blocks were getting sloppy and her reaction time was slowing. Sweat beaded down her face, despite the cold temperature. Bronte didn't have much left in her.
"No!" Annabeth cried, running from her hiding spot behind Percy's shield. "Protect them!" she yelled at Percy, pointing to the di Angelo siblings.
Annabeth charged the manticore.
"Get back, half-blood!" the girl with the circlet said. "Get out of the line of fire!"
But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life.
"Fire!" Zoë ordered.
"What? No!" Percy screamed.
But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!"
And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.
"Annabeth!" Percy and Bronte yelled.
Bronte stumbled to her feet, and started to run after her, but their enemies weren't done with them. There was a snap-snap-snap from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire.
Thalia dove in front of Bronte, pushing the blonde further into the snow, as bullets crashed into the ground around them. Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter.
"Mortals," she announced. "Are not allowed to witness my hunt." She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night.
Thalia sat up off of Bronte, yelling at the girl. "Why the hell would you do that?"
Bronte, who still laid face down in the snow, mumbled, "What?" She turned her face, staring at her half-sister, with the same glowing eyes.
"Why didn't you save her?" Thalia demanded. She angrily picked up snow and threw it back on the ground, not noticing Bronte flinch at the action.
The blonde wondered if it would be better if she just put her face back in the snow and suffocated herself. It would have been better than Thalia yelling at her. "Annabeth told me to save you, though."
"I didn't need saving! She did! And you just sat there and did nothing!"
Bronte's eyes welled with tears. She was in so much pain and did the best she could, yet it still wasn't enough.
The Hunters advanced on the demigods. The one called Zoë stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste.
"Zoë Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."
Zoë scanned the rest of them. "Five half-bloods and a satyr, my lady."
"Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."
"Annabeth," Bronte said solemnly, turning on her back to face the sky. She winced in pain, shutting her eyes tightly as she held her shoulder.
"You have to let us save her!" Percy told the hunters.
The auburn-haired girl turned toward him. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."
Bronte tried to struggle to her feet, but a couple of the girls held her down. "You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs, young maiden" the auburn-haired girl said.
"Let her go!" Percy demanded. He capped Riptide and dashed towards Bronte. "Who do you think you are?"
Zoë stepped forward, intercepting him. She looked as if she was going to smack him.
"No," the other girl ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoë. He is simply distraught. He does not understand."
She was right. Percy didn't understand. He didn't understand why they were forcing his friend into the snow and not letting her get up. He didn't understand why he couldn't go and see her. He didn't understand why they couldn't go and save their other friend.
The young girl looked at Percy, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
After seeing Dr. Thorn turn into a monster and plummet off the edge of a cliff with Annabeth, you'd think nothing else could shock Percy. But when this twelve-year-old girl told him she was the goddess Artemis, he said something real intelligent like, "Um... okay."
That was nothing compared to Grover. He gasped, then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so...you're so...Wow!"
"Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!"
Percy knelt beside Bronte in the snow, propping her up. "Are you okay?"
Bronte held her head in her hands. She felt like she could be sick all over her pink converse. "I don't feel good," she said, her head pounding and her ears ringing louder. Percy's voice seemed to muffle, as if he were in a tunnel very far away.
"Shit," the raven haired boy mumbled, feeling around his pockets for extra ambrosia and nectar. He swore he packed them, but guess not. "Hey, Grover!"
Grover snapped out of his trance, running over to the pair. He hated leaving his favorite goddess, but let Bronte take a sip of nectar from his canteen.
She felt warmth spread throughout her body, the poison slowly leaving. Bronte felt a little stronger, but drained. She sat up a little more, with the help of Percy, and blinked hard, her vision finally coming back.
Percy sighed, staring at the pink on her cheeks. Bronte had small snowflakes on her eyelashes, and when she blinked, it looked like she was wearing white mascara. "Why would you do that, B?" he asked.
Bronte looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. She completely misinterpreted his question, but couldn't help but feel guilty. "I–I was helping Thalia!" she exclaimed quietly, although her voice was shaking. She was getting choked up with her words, scared that Percy was now mad at her too. "I wanted to save Annabeth! I did! But–"
"What? No! That's not what I'm talking about," Percy said softly. "I'm talking about this." He pointed to her shoulder, which had slowly stopped bleeding. Her white sweater was ruined, but she was freezing and didn't want to take it off. "Why would you jump in front of me?"
Bronte laughed dryly as a tear slipped down her face. She knew this conversation would come up, and her answer was stupid, really. Oh, I actually like you and would literally do anything for you. Your life was in danger and you matter more than me. Plus, it would be a lot better if you lived instead of me. "You would've done the same for me, wouldn't you?"
Percy sucked in a deep breath of air. It was true. He would've jumped in front of her in a heartbeat. He could still hear the sadness in her voice, so he decided not to pry any further.
Instead, he stood up, lending a hand to her. She took it silently, and tried not to stumble on her way up, yet still did. It was pitiful and Bronte didn't need anyone's pity.
"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out."
Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of them in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who...who are you people?"
Artemis's expression softened. "It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?"
Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.
"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but..." She faltered.
Percy guessed she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her.
"What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."
"You are a half-blood," Zoë Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."
"An Olympian...athlete?"
"No," Zoë said. "One of the gods."
"Cool!" Nico said.
"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"
Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—"
"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"
"Bianca," Thalia said, her anger residing slightly. "I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well...Our lives are dangerous."
"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell."
Thalia turned away. Even Artemis looked pained.
"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."
"Then why won't you let us go look for her?" Bronte asked.
"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Daughter of Zeus? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."
"Oo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"
"He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."
"Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said.
Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains...Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?"
"And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real."
"That's why Grover has been watching you," Percy said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."
"Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"
"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves. Bianca was surely going to faint right there.
"Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia said. "You're freaking her out."
"Hey, my hooves are clean!"
"Bianca," Percy said. "We came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."
"Camp?" she asked.
"Camp Half-Blood. It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."
"Sweet, let's go!" Nico said.
Bronte smiled at the boy, still trying to understand where she knew the siblings from. They looked so familiar, and there was something that told her that she had met them before. She just couldn't seem to remember when or where.
"Wait," Bianca shook her head. "I don't—"
"There is another option," Zoë said.
"No, there isn't!" Thalia said.
Thalia and Zoë glared at each other. Percy didn't know what they were talking about, but he could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, they seriously hated each other.
It just came to Bronte's mind what Zoë was getting at. She now knew where she heard about the 'Hunters of Artemis'. She hadn't remembered earlier, because she had poison in her veins, but now it was clear. Annabeth had told her about them and what they do during a girls night at camp last summer.
"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoë, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."
"Yes, my lady."
"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."
Bronte stared at the young girl, knowing what was to come next. She wondered what the outcome was going to be.
"What about me?" Nico asked.
Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while...as a favor to me?"
Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"
Nico and Grover walked off toward the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff. Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp. Zoë gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things.
As soon as she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. "The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so...Argh!"
"Thalia," Bronte said slowly. "You don't think Artemis would ask Bianca to–"
"What the hell were you thinking?" Thalia asked, turning to Bronte furiously. "Where were you back there? You should have been helping Annabeth! And then in the gym! What, did you think you could have taken Thorn on by yourself? You knew he was a monster!"
"Woah!" Percy interrupted, stepping between the sisters. "Do you seriously think it's her fault? You can't blame this on her!" He turned to Bronte, just to see her staring at the ground sadly. He knew for a fact that she was beating herself up over Annabeth, but it wasn't her fault. And that made him pissed. "I'm the one who went after Thorn, so if you wanna yell at someone, yell at me!"
"Fine!" Thalia said, angered by the fact that Bronte didn't say anything. "If we'd stuck together, we could've taken him without the Hunters getting involved. Annabeth might still be here. Did you think of that?"
Bronte shook her head, disagreeing with Thalia's argument. She needed to speak up against Percy's behalf. He was just trying to help. "It's not his fault," she said softly. "We saw the di Angelo's and if he didn't go with them, then something worse would have happened."
"Worse than losing Annabeth?" Thalia retorted.
Bronte looked down. If Annabeth was here, everything would have been better. Maybe it should have been her who jumped off the cliff.
Percy's jaw clenched. He hated how Bronte was being treated. What he hated even more, is the fact that she would defend him, but not herself. Because although the di Angelo's were part of the reason he left the gym, it wasn't the sole reason. The way Grover looked to Thalia instead of him for answers and the way she manipulated the Mist–something he couldn't do, made him feel as if he was useless. He needed to prove himself. To whom, he didn't know.
The daughters of Zeus looked down and saw something navy blue lying in the snow at their feet. Annabeth's New York Yankees baseball cap. Thalia didn't say another word. She wiped a tear from her cheek, turned, and marched off, leaving the two demigods alone with a trampled cap in the snow.
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire.
One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats, completely unafraid, but Percy decided he would stick close to Bronte and the tents.
Falcons watched them from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight, as if they were on guard duty, too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it was almost pleasant sitting by the fire.
Almost...except for the pain in Bronte's shoulder and the guilt weighing her down. She had this dark part of her mind that was constantly reminding her that she could have done more and she should have saved Annabeth. But then there was a lighter part of her mind that told her she gave everything she had. She knew that there was nothing she could have done, but the question of 'What if?' was always there, nagging her into thinking that she was wrong. She was guilty. It was her fault.
Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped Bronte fix up her wounded arm.
"It's green!" Nico said with delight, his eyes on the blonde's injured arm.
"It's gross," Bronte corrected, staring in disgust at herself.
Percy snorted, kneeling next to her. "It's your arm, B."
"It's still gross."
"Hold still," Grover told Bronte. "Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean that out."
Bronte winced as he dressed the wound, but the ambrosia square helped. She tried not to make a face, but Percy had noticed her discomfort and held her hand. What he didn't expect was her to squeeze it as hard as she could.
Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, Bronte didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. She recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot.
"Big collection," Bronte said, shuffling through the cards.
Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."
"You've been playing this game a long time?" Percy asked.
"Just this year. Before that..." He knit his eyebrows.
"What?" Bronte asked.
"I forget. That's weird." He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"
Bronte twisted her lightning bolt ring, revealing Astrapí.
"Cool! But, um...how does it turn back into a ring?" Nico asked, bouncing in excitement.
"I just have to twist the lightning bolt," Bronte explained, showing the boy up close. "My dad made it for me."
Nico's jaw dropped in awe. "Is your dad really Zeus?"
The blonde nodded. "Yup."
"Woahhh." He then turned to Percy. "Are you really the son of Poseidon?"
"Well, yeah," Percy said as if it were obvious.
"Can you surf really well, then?"
Percy looked at Grover and Bronte, who were trying hard not to laugh.
"Jeez, Nico," Percy said. "I've never really tried."
"Yes he has! He's great!" Bronte commented. "He tried to teach me, but I sucked ass– uh, butt!" Her eyes widened as she realized she just cursed in front of a child.
He went on asking questions. Did Percy fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? (Percy didn't answer that one, but Bronte did. She said yes.) If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff? (Percy tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one.) Was Bronte his girlfriend? (At this point, Percy was ready to stick the kid in a meat-flavored sack and throw him to the wolves.)
Bronte's eyes widened at the question, but she couldn't help looking at Percy for his answer. Not like her entire life depended on what he thought of her, but it kind of did. She wanted to know if her stupid crush was worth it or not.
But Percy didn't answer. Zoë Nightshade came up to them, sparing him the embarrassment. "Percy Jackson."
She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that Percy had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say 'Yes, ma'am'. She studied him distastefully, like he was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch. "Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."
Bronte stood up, but Zoë put a hand out in front of her. "Not you."
"Oh," Bronte said. She then shrugged and sat back down on the log. "Okie dokie."
With Percy gone, Nico had directed his questions to her.
Can you fly? (Bronte said yes, but when Nico said to prove it, she changed her answer. Grover laughed at her, which caused her to throw snow at him.) Does she get along with Percy since their fathers always argued? (Bronte smiled and crossed her fingers, saying, "We're like this.") Is Percy her boyfriend? (Bronte didn't answer that one. Her cheeks heated up and looked to Grover for help, but he just put his hands up in surrender and avoided the conversation.)
Let's just say, Nico had a lot of questions for such a small boy.
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
Zoë led Percy to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved him inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl, who Percy still had trouble thinking of as Artemis.
The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others.
"Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess said.
Percy sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied him, which made the boy uncomfortable. She had such old eyes for a young girl. "How is your friend? Is she healed?" Artemis asked.
"Bronte?" Percy asked, although she couldn't have been asking about anyone else. "Oh, uh, yeah, I think she's okay now."
Artemis nodded pleasingly. "She is a brave, fierce maiden."
Percy silently agreed. He feared if he talked Bronte up to who she was, then the hunters would take her away from him.
"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.
"Uh...a little."
"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."
"Go astray?" Percy asked.
"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."
"Oh."
Zoë sat down at Artemis's right. She glared at Percy as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was his fault, like he'd invented the idea of being a guy.
"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp..." She looked at Zoë. "Which one was it?"
"That boy in Colorado," Zoë said. "You turned him into a jackalope."
"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the...mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."
And so Percy told her.
When he was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."
Zoë sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"
"Yes."
"What scent?" Percy asked.
"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten." She stared at him intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."
"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"
"No, no. After that."
"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."
Zoë's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand. "Go on, Percy," the goddess said.
"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"
"Stirring," Bianca corrected.
"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"
The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.
"Maybe he was lying," Percy said.
Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."
Zoë looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."
"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."
"But, Artemis—"
"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."
"As...as you wish, my lady."
"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."
"You know what the monster is?" Percy asked.
Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."
"Can goddesses pray?" Percy asked, because he'd never really thought about that.
A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."
"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"
"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."
"What?" Zoë blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"
"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."
Zoë muttered something about foolish campers.
"And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"
Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."
"Wait," Percy said. "Thinking about what?"
"They...they've invited me to join the Hunt."
"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."
"It is not the only way for a girl," Zoë said.
Percy couldn't believe he was hearing this. "Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and...I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?"
"To begin with," Zoë said, "immortality."
Percy stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?"
"Zoë rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal...unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."
"What oath?" Percy said.
"To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."
"Like you?"
The goddess nodded.
"So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—"
"Not just half-bloods," Zoë interrupted. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"
"Which are you, then?"
Anger flashed in Zoë's eyes. "That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice."
"Bianca, this is crazy," Percy said. He wished Bronte was there to talk to the young girl instead. She was always better with her words than him. "What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."
"Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do."
"Hey!" Percy protested.
"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us."
"A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility."
"Bianca, you can't do this," Percy said. "It's nuts."
She looked at Zoë. "Is it worth it?"
Zoë nodded. "It is."
"What do I have to do?"
"Say this," Zoë told her. "'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"
"I...I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."
"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"
Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"
Zoë nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."
"I accept it," Artemis said.
The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel...stronger."
"Welcome, sister," Zoë said.
"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life."
Percy couldn't speak. He felt like a trespasser. And a complete failure. He couldn't believe he'd come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to some eternal girls' club.
"Do not despair, Percy Jackson," Artemis said. "You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."
"Great," Percy said, trying not to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?"
Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoë, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."
Zoë didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her. As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of the raven haired boy. "I'm sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do."
Then she was gone, and Percy was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess.
"So," he said glumly. "We're going to get a ride from your brother, huh?"
Artemis's silver eyes gleamed. "Yes, boy. You see, Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
i feel like i write depressing stuff and then add in a meme or two and some flowers and its all okay... whoops.
hope you guys are liking it so far!!