La pace di Bianca - AnimatedAxolotl, SummerHome - Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms (2024)

Chapter 1: I Get Lost In The Junkyard Of The Gods

Chapter by SummerHome

Chapter Text

Bianca Di Angelo was close to death, she knew that when she climbed into Talos, but she needed, wanted to live, she panicked and looked around the control center in Talos and noticed an eject button.

“Oh f*ck it”, Bianca says, “if I die I die” and she hits the eject button and goes flying out of Talos and into the air

Bianca falls on the sand and is immediately hit with a wave of pain, she looks around and notices that she is stuck under a fridge

“Oh great,” Bianca says sarcastically, “I’m stuck under a fridge, that’s perfect”

“I hope everyone finds me soon”, Bianca mutters under her breath

“I need to tell everyone the truth before something else happens.”

Bianca sighs

Bianca falls asleep without realizing it

4 hours later

Bianca wakes up to a loud noise and movement outside the fridge

She hears Percy and Thalia arguing over gods knows what, probably about how to get her out from under the fridge

“I can hear you guys, and the best way to get me out from under this fridge is for someone to grab the fridge and someone to grab me” Bianca states

“Ok” “Got it,” Percy and Thalia say at the same time

Percy goes to move the fridge and Thalia gets ready to grab Bianca

“Ready?’ Percy asks

“I'm ready,” Bianca says

Percy grabs the fridge and Thalia rushes to grab Bianca

Thalia pulls Bianca out from under the fridge and places her on the sand

Bianca looks around and sees that Zoe’s eyes were red and puffy, Thalia looked like she was about to start tearing up, Percy had this look on his face and Grover’s eyes were red and puffy

“We thought you were dead,” Grover says with a shaky voice

Bianca just starts to sob in response

“Bianca, what's wrong?’ Thalia asks with gentleness in her voice

“Im sorry,” Bianca says

“For what?’ Thalia asks in a confused manner, waiting for an answer.

“For not telling you guys the truth from the beginning,” Bianca says in between sobs

“So go ahead, tell us the truth” Thalia snaps

“It’s a long story” Bianca mutters

“We have time Bianca,” Percy tells her gently

“Ok,” Bianca says

“I've been lying about what I know,im not a clueless child like I made you guys believe, and it’s a lot”

“I was in the Lotus Casino and Hotel, i went in when I was 12 and Nico was 10, and I do actually have memories of my childhood”

“I was born on February 16th,1929 in Venice, Italy, Bianca Ramona Di Angelo,” Bianca said with fondness in her voice

“Nico was born two years after me on January 28th,1931, he was such a happy baby, always smiling and giggling”

“My mama, my poor mama, she didn't deserve what happened to her”

“Bianca, What happened?” Thalia asks

“Zeus” Bianca spits out

“He killed my mother in cold blood because of my father”

“And I do know who my godly parent is”

“it’s Hades, I’m a daughter of Hades”

Everyone gasps in perplexity and shock, Zoe and Grover both start to cry, Thalia just stares in disbelief and Percy has this look on his face like he has no idea what to think.

“My childhood was as good as it could be in fascist Italy,” Bianca says quietly

Bianca is 7 years old and has a sip of wine for the first time.

Bianca is 7 years old and uses her powers for the first time.

Bianca is 8 years old and learns how to bake.

Bianca is 8 years old and learns how to play the vio lin and viola.

Bianca is 9 years old and learns how to play the harp and cello.

Bianca is 10 years old and Maria is teaching her how to play the piano.

Bianca is 10 years old and teaches Nico how to play the piano.

Bianca is 11 years old and smokes a cigarette for the first time.

Bianca is 11 years old and has her first kiss with a boy.

Bianca is 12 years old and learns how to cook.

Bianca is 12 years old and learns how to speak French and Spanish.

Bianca is 12 years old and watches her mother die.

Bianca starts to sob again and Thalia pulls her in for a hug.

“Im sorry for not telling you guys the truth,” Bianca says in between sobs

“Bianca, it’s not your fault,” Thalia says gently

“You are 12 years old and traumatized, and I don't even know why Artemis recruited you for the hunters, Zoe said that they only recruit 12 years old and under if it's a bad situation” Thalia states

“I think we have more important things to think about Thalia” Percy snaps

“You know, like finding Annabeth and Artemis,” Percy says

Chapter 2: I find the dam snack bar

Chapter by SummerHome

Chapter Text

“Brilliant idea, Percy,” Bianca says sarcastically

“First let's get out of this dump,” Thalia says

Thalia looks around and sees a tow truck at the edge of the dump

“Over there, let's see if that old thing has any gas left in it,” Thalia states

Everyone walks over to the tow truck. Thalia hops in the driver's seat and sees that there's a full tank of gas and the engine starts.

“Let's get out of here,” Thalia says

Percy and Grover hop in the pickup bed and Zoe and Bianca go in the front with Thalia

“The skeletons are still out there’ Thalia reminded us “We need to keep moving”

Zoe falls asleep, and it’s just Thalia and Bianca

“Bianca, why did you join the hunters?” Thalia asks gently.

‘I thought it would be safer for Nico. I just want to protect him, he's all I have left, don't you get that Thalia” Bianca snaps.

“Yeah, I do get that, I get that you want to protect him, but this won't protect him, it will hurt him so much and gods, I know what it's like to want to protect someone, but this is not the way to protect Nico” Thalia says, pain in her voice

“I'm sorry for snapping at you,” Bianca says

“It's fine,” Thalia says

“Bianca, could you tell me more about your childhood, i want to know more about you and your life,” Thalia says gently

“Yeah, I'll tell you about some memories,” Bianca says quietly and starts to tell Thalia more about her childhood

Bianca is 5 years old and her mama, Maria di Angelo is pushing her on the swings, Nico is being held by Hades who is watching Bianca play.

Bianca is 7 years old and is making friends for the first time

Bianca is 9 years old and becomes fluent in English

Bianca is 11 years old and realizes something about herself, that she has an attraction to girls

“Wait, hold up, what was that last memory you shared?” Thalia says curiously

“Nothing,” Bianca states

“You can trust me, Bianca, I promise,” Thalia says gently

“Ok, ok, ok,” Bianca says panicking

“Bianca, breathe, it’s ok,” Thalia says trying to calm Bianca down

“Do you wanna know why im panicking, do you wanna know why im panicking, f*cking gods Thalia, I like girls” Bianca snaps out

“Oh sh*t,” Thalia says with shock laced in her voice, Bianca starts to sob

“Bianca, it’s ok,” Thalia says while pulling Bianca into a side hug

“It’s not, it's unnatural and a sin,” Bianca says with venom in her voice

“Bianca, angel, it’s ok nowadays to like the same gender, sure in some places it's illegal but times have changed since the 1930s. in some places, it's even the norm, and you know what? Don't care about what people have to say, you are such a cool kid who has been through so much, and we can work on the internalized hom*ophobia you have” Thalia tells Bianca

“Really?” Bianca asks, tears running down her face

“Really, plus you are less annoying than Percy who gets on my nerves every five minutes” “Hey!” Percy yells from the bed of the truck

“I'm going to take a nap,” Bianca tells Thalia “Wake me up if there are any problems with the skeletons”

“Ok Bianca,” Thalia says

30 minutes later

Bianca is woken up by Thalia cursing in anger

“What's wrong?’ Bianca asks

The tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because

the road dead-ended.

Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. "Great. What

now?"

Bianca scanned the horizon along with everyone else, There wasn't much to see. Desert in all directions, occasional clumps

of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing interesting. The

river itself wasn't massive, maybe fifty yards across, green water with a few rapids, but it

carved a huge scar out of the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below us.

"There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river."

“We could, but how? Bianca asks in confusion

"No," Percy said, "I think we should go farther upstream."

Grover said, "But—"

"Come on," Percy said. "A walk won't hurt us."

We followed the river for about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to

the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but Percy

left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying IOU two canoes.

“Oh great, my favorite thing, water” Bianca said sarcastically

"We need to go upstream," Zoe said. It was the first time I'd heard her speak since she fell asleep after leaving the junkyard. "The rapids are too swift."

"Leave that to me," Percy said. We put the canoes in the water and started to get in

Bianca looks around the river and sees that it’s so calming, especially after her breakdown

Percy and Thalia seem to be having a conversation about something and Grover looks nervous for some reason

As it turned out, Percy didn't even need to control the currents. As soon as we got in the river, Percy looked over the edge of the boat and found a couple of naiads staring at him.

They looked like regular teenage girls, except for the fact that they were underwater.

“Hey,” Percy said

They made a bubbling sound that may have been giggling.

“This sounds so weird not understanding anything,” Bianca said

“Agreed,” Thalia said

“We're heading upstream,” Percy told them. “Do you think you could—”

Before Percy could even finish talking the naiads each chose a canoe and began pushing us up the river. We started so fast

Grover fell into his canoe with his hooves sticking up in the air.

"I hate naiads," Zoe grumbled.

“Why?” Bianca said curiously

A stream of water squirted up from the back of the boat and hit Zoe in the face.

"She-devils!" Zoe went for her bow.

"Whoa," Percy said "They're just playing."

"Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me."

"Forgiven you for what?"

She slung her bow back over her shoulder. "It was a long time ago. Never mind."

We sped up the river, the cliffs looming up on either side of us.

Bianca looked around and saw that Percy and Zoe were having a quiet conversation about something

“Oh my gods,im so bored” Bianca states

“You're lucky Bianca, we have to stop anyway,” Percy said

“Why?” Bianca said

“Look,” Percy said while pointing to something

"Hoover Dam," Thalia said. "It's huge."

We stood at the river's edge, looking up at a curve of concrete that loomed between the

cliffs. People were walking along the top of the dam. They were so tiny they looked like

fleas.

"Seven hundred feet tall," Percy said. "Built in the 1930s."

"Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said.

Graver sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."

Zoe stared at us. "How do you know all that?"

"Annabeth," Percy said. "She liked architecture."

"She was nuts about monuments," Thalia said.

"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled. "So annoying."

"I wish she were here," Percy said.

The others nodded. Zoe was still looking at them strangely.

"We should go up there," Percy said. "For her sake. Just to say we've been."

"You are mad," Zoe decided. "But that's where the road is." She pointed to a huge parking garage next to the top of the dam. "And so, sightseeing it is."

“Finally something fun to do” Bianca stated plainly

We had to walk for almost an hour before we found a path that led up to the road. It came up on the east side of the river. Then we shuffled back toward the dam. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river seven hundred feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.

“Oh my gods, this is cool,” Bianca said, sounding excited

"Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. "We should eat while we can."

Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"

Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"

"Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries."

Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom."

“I need to find the dam gift shop,” Bianca said looking like she was about to burst into giggles

Maybe it was the fact that we were so tired and strung out emotionally, but Percy started cracking up, and Thalia and Grover joined in, Bianca was trying not to laugh but failed, while Zoe just looked at us. "I do not understand."

"I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.

"And..." Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam T-shirt."

“I want to buy a dam book,” Bianca said while giggling

Percy stopped laughing and looked confused

Grover had stopped laughing too. He was looking around, confused. "Did I just hear a cow?"

"A dam cow?" Thalia laughed.

“Yeah, a dam cow Thalia” Bianca said while giggling and smiling

"No," Grover said. "I'm serious."

Zoe listened. "I hear nothing."

Thalia was looking at me. "Percy, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Percy said "You guys go ahead. I'll be right in."

"What's wrong?" Grover asked.

"Nothing," Percy said " I just need a minute. To think."

“Come on guys, let's go to the dam snack bar,” Thalia said

“I am hungry, so let’s go,” Bianca said

We walked to the snack bar, Thalia and Bianca talking about something

“How are you feeling Bianca?” Thalia asked, concern laced into her voice

“Honestly, I feel like sh*t, I haven't talked about feelings for a while, and I've never told anyone about how I feel, it feels cathartic to finally talk to someone about, what was the word you told me?” “sexuality” ‘Yeah, it feels good to talk about my sexuality, you know, with the internalized hom*ophobia and religious trauma, Thalia, I want to feel like myself, I've been thinking since the junkyard, and, I want to leave the hunters,” Bianca said, rambling

Thalia gasps in shock “Honestly, I didn't expect you to stay in the hunters for that long, Percy and I totally did not bet on it”

“You want to what?” Zoe said angrily “You heard me, I want to leave the hunters, I’m 12 years old, and I want to live my life outside of the hunters, I won't raise Nico but I'll live my life, no matter how short it is”

“Lady Artemis personally offered for you to join the hunters, and this is what you do in response to that” Zoe shouted

“Lady Artemis is also a protector of children, and she would want me to choose my fate, maybe if you didn't have a stick up your ass you could see that” Bianca snapped back

“And it’s not like im going to break my vows,I’m going to leave the hunters peacefully, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Bianca said with a firm tone

Percy came running up to us “We need to leave," Percy gasped. "Now!" But we just got our burritos!" Thalia said. Zoe stopped arguing with Bianca, muttering an Ancient Greek curse. "He's right! Look."

The cafe windows wrapped all the way around the observation floor, which gave us a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill us.

Bianca counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more on the west side, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols.

"Elevator!" Grover said. We bolted in that direction, but the doors opened with a pleasant ding, and three more warriors stepped out. Every warrior was accounted for, minus the one

Bianca had blasted to flames in New Mexico. We were completely surrounded.

Then Grover had a brilliant idea

"Burrito fight!" he yelled and flung his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton.

Bianca wasn't sure what the other kids in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other, shrieking and screaming.

The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere.

In the chaos, Thalia and Percy tackled the other two skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then we all raced downstairs, Guacamole Grandes whizzing past our heads.

"What now?" Grover asked as we burst outside.

“I don't f*cking know’ Bianca screamed

The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around us. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages. They didn't look happy about it. They drew batons and advanced.

"Four against eleven," Zoe muttered. "And they cannot die."

“There's no way I could kill them right now,” Bianca said

"It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling.

“We are dead, it was nice knowing you guys,” Bianca said sadly

"Thalia," Percy said. "Pray to your dad."

She glared at Percy. "He never answers."

"Just this once," Percy pleaded. "Ask for help. I think... I think the statues can give us some luck."

Six skeletons raised their guns. The other five came forward with batons. Fifty feet away. Forty feet.

“Do it!" Percy yelled.

"No!" Thalia said. "He won't answer me."

"This time is different!"

"Who says?"

Percy hesitated. "Athena, I think."

“I think Percy has lost his mind,” Bianca said

Thalia scowled like she was sure that Percy had gone crazy.

"Try it," Grover pleaded.

Thalia closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a silent prayer.

The skeletons closed in. Percy raised Riptide to defend himself. Thalia held up her shield. Zoe pushed Grover behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton's head. Bianca was front and center and had an arrow nocked

A shadow fell over us. It looked like maybe it was the shadow of death. Then Bianca realized it was the shadow of an enormous wing. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze and all five of the baton-wielders were swept aside.

The other skeletons opened fire. Percy raised his lion coat for protection, but he didn't need it.

The bronze angels stepped in front of us and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both angels slashed outward, and the skeletons went flying across the road.

"Man, it feels good to stand up!" the first angel said. His voice sounded tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built.

"Will ya look at my toes?" the other said. "Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?"

The skeletons were getting up again, reassembling, bony hands groping for their weapons.

"Trouble!" Percy said.

"Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled.

Both angels looked down at her. "Zeus's kid?" Yes!

"Could I get a please, Miss Zeus's Kid?" an angel asked.

"Please!"

The angels looked at each other and shrugged.

"Could use a stretch," one decided.

And the next thing we knew, one of them grabbed Thalia and Percy, and me, the other grabbed Zoe and Grover, and we flew straight up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below us and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains.

“I hate heights” Bianca screamed.

Chapter 3: I summon sketons and then faint

Chapter by SummerHome

Chapter Text

"Tell me when it's over," Thalia said. Her eyes were shut tight. The statue was holding on to us so we couldn't fall, but still, Thalia clutched his arm like it was the most important thing in the world. Bianca had her eyes closed and looked nauseous

"Everything's fine," Percy promised.

"Are... are we very high?"

Percy looked down. Below us, a range of snowy mountains zipped by. Percy stretched out his foot and kicked the snow off one of the peaks.

"Nah," Percy said. "Not that high."

"We are in the Sierras.'" Zoe yelled. She and Grover were hanging from the arms of the other statue. "I have hunted here before. At this speed, we should be in San Francisco in a few hours."

"Hey, hey, Frisco!" our angel said. "Yo, Chuck! We could visit those guys at the Mechanics Monument again! They know how to party!"

"Oh, man," the other angel said. "I am so there!"

"You guys have visited San Francisco?" Percy asked.

"We automatons gotta have some fun once in a while, right?" our statue said. "Those mechanics took us over to the de Young Museum and introduced us to these marble lady statues, see. And—"

"Hank!" the other statue Chuck cut in. "They're kids, man."

"Oh, right." If bronze statues could blush, Bianca swore Hank did. "Back to flying."

We sped up, The mountains fell away into hills, and then we were zipping along over farmland and towns and highways.

“I really hate heights, and the sky, and actually im not going to finish that sentence because it would get me blasted out of the sky,” Bianca said, rambling nervously

“Want me to finish the sentence?” Percy asked

“I just said I didn't want to get blasted out of the sky,” Bianca said

“Fair point,” Percy said

Grover played his pipes to pass the time. Zoe got bored and started shooting arrows at random billboards as we flew by. Whenever she saw a Target department store—and we passed dozens of them—she would peg the store's sign with a few bulls-eyes at a hundred miles an hour. Bianca was trying to one-up Zoe and failing

Thalia kept her eyes closed the whole way. She muttered to herself a lot like she was praying.

"You did good back there," Percy told her. "Zeus listened."

"Maybe," she said. "How did you get away from the skeletons in the generator room, anyway? You said they cornered you."

Percy told her about the weird mortal girl, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who seemed to be able to see right through the Mist.

Percy thought Thalia was going to call him crazy, but she just nodded.

"Some mortals are like that," she said. "Nobody knows why."

“One of my roommates back at Westover swore up and down that she saw a man with one eye, now that I think about it she probably was clearsighted,” Bianca said

"Well, the girl was annoying," Percy said. "But I'm glad I didn't vaporize her. That would've been bad."

Thalia nodded. "Must be nice to be a regular mortal." She said that as if she'd given it a lot of thought.

“Wake me up when we get to San Francisco,” Bianca said

"Where do you guys want to land?" Hank asked, waking Percy and Bianca up from a nap.

Bianca looked down and said, "Wow."

"There," Zoe suggested. "By the Embarcadero Building."

"Good thinking," Chuck said. "Me and Hank can blend in with the pigeons."

We all looked at him.

"Kidding," he said. "Sheesh, can't statues have a sense of humor?"

As it turned out, there wasn't much need to blend in. It was early morning and not many people were around. We freaked out a homeless guy on the ferry dock when we landed. He screamed when he saw Hank and Chuck and ran off yelling something about metal angels from Mars.

We said our goodbyes to the angels, who flew off to party with their statue friends. That's when I realized I had no idea what we were going to do next.

“So what do we do now?” Bianca asked sarcastically

After a brief discussion, we agreed that we needed to figure out just what this mystery monster was.

"But how?" Percy asked.

"Nereus," Grover said.

Percy looked at him. "What?"

"Isn't that what Apollo told you to do? Find Nereus?"

The old man of the sea," Percy remembered. "I'm supposed to find him and force him to tell us what he knows. But how do I find him?"

Zoe made a face. "Old Nereus, eh?"

"You know him?" Thalia asked.

“My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him. Unfortunately, he is never very hard to find. Just follow the smell."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

"Come," she said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee."

“Great, it's a game of follow the leader,” Bianca sighed

We stopped at the Goodwill drop box. Five minutes later, Zoe had me outfitted in a ragged flannel shirt and jeans three sizes too big, bright red sneakers, and a floppy rainbow hat.

"Oh, yeah," Grover said, trying not to bust out laughing, "you look completely inconspicuous now."

“Percy you look even more ridiculous than usual, and that’s saying something," Bianca said, giggling a little

Zoe nodded with satisfaction. "A typical male vagrant."

"Thanks a lot," Percy grumbled. "Why am I doing this again?"

"I told thee. To blend in."

She led the way back down to the waterfront. After a long time spent searching the docks,

Zoe finally stopped in her tracks. She pointed down a pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch.

"He will be down there somewhere," Zoe said. "He never travels very far from the water, He likes to sun himself during the day."

"How do I know which one is him?" Percy asked

"Sneak up," she said. "Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell... different."

"Great, And once I find him?" Percy asked

"Grab him," she said. "And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster."

"We've got your back," Thalia said. She picked something off the back of Percy’s shirt—a big clump of fuzz that came from who-knows-where. "Eww. On second thought... I don't want yourback. But we'll be rooting for you."

“Yeah,” Bianca said enthusiastically

Grover gave Percy a big thumbs-up.

‘Have fun Percy, we are just going to wait here for you” Bianca said

“So who wants to play truth or dare” Bianca asked, sounding bored

“We don't have time for childish games” Zoe snapped

“I'll play with you Bianca,” Thalia said “It’s better than sitting around doing nothing”

“Im going to play my reed pipes while you guys are doing that,” Grover said, pulling out his reed pipes and sitting on a bench

“Ok truth or dare, Bianca” Thalia said

“Truth,” Bianca said

“What's the stupidest thing you have ever done?” Thalia asked

“I fell into a canal in Venice while trying to save a stray cat during the wintertime, I got soaked and caught a cold but I saved the cat, it was worth it,” Bianca said, sounding proud of herself

“Truth or dare Thalia?” Bianca said

“Truth,” Thalia said,

“Have you ever kissed anyone?” Bianca said, being nosy

“Yeah actually, my first kiss was a girl in my 4th-grade class and I had my first kiss with a boy about two months later,” Thalia said

“Truth or dare Bianca?”

“Dare”

“I dare you to jump in the water,” Thalia said, smirking

“Ok, hold my stuff”

“I wasn't serious about that”

‘I know, I'm still going to do it anyway,” Bianca said, shrugging off her jacket and bow

“I'll be right back, take a picture”

Bianca ran to the nearest pier and jumped in the water, Thalia snapped a photo with Bianca’s camera that she brought with her on the quest

“Dare finished,” Bianca said while shaking off the water “It's freezing”

“And Percy is currently wrestling with a homeless man, so I think that's our queue,” Bianca said

We ran down the steps from the pier.

"You got him!" Zoe said.

"You don't have to sound so amazed," Percy said.

“I don't know, I thought it was a miracle that Percy managed to capture the person we needed,” Bianca said

Nereus moaned. "Oh, wonderful. An audience for my humiliation! The normal deal, I suppose? You'll let me go if I answer your question?"

"I've got more than one question," Percy said.

"Only one question per capture! That's the rule."

Percy sighed. "All right, Nereus. Tell me where to find this terrible monster that could bring an end to the gods. The one Artemis was hunting."

The Old Man of the Sea smiled, showing off his mossy green teeth.

"Oh, that's too easy," he said evilly. "He's right there."

Nereus pointed to the water at Percy’s feet.

"Where?" Percy said.

"The deal is complete!" Nereus gloated. With a pop, he turned into a goldfish and did a backflip into the sea.

"You tricked me!" Percy yelled.

"Wait." Thalia's eyes widened. "What is that?"

"MOOOOOOOO!"

"Ah, Bessie," Percy said. "Not now."

"Mooo!"

Grover gasped. "He says his name isn't Bessie."

"You can understand her... er, him?"

Grover nodded. "It's a very old form of animal speech. But he says his name is the

Ophiotaurus."

“The ophro what?” Bianca asked

"The Ophi-what?" Percy asked

"It means serpent bull in Greek," Thalia said. "But what's it doing here?"

"Moooooooo!"

"He says Percy is his protector," Grover announced.

"And he's running from the bad people. He says they are close."

"Wait," Zoe said, looking at me. "You know this cow?"

Percy looked impatient, but Percy told them the story.

Thalia shook her head in disbelief. "And you just forgot to mention this before?"

"Well... yeah." It seemed silly, now that she said it, but things had been happening so fast.

Bessie, the Ophiotaurus, seemed like a minor detail.

"I am a fool," Zoe said suddenly. "I know this story!"

"What story?"

"From the War of the Titans," she said. "My... my father told me this tale, thousands of years ago. This is the beast we are looking for."

“I’m sorry, what?” Bianca said

"Bessie?" Percy looked down at the bull serpent. "But... he's too cute. He couldn't destroy the

world."

"That is how we were wrong," Zoe said. "We've been anticipating a huge dangerous monster, but the Ophiotaurus does not bring down the gods that way. He must be sacrificed."

"MMMM," Bessie lowed.

"I don't think he likes the S-word," Grover said.

“Well duh, I wouldn't wanna hear about be sacrificed,” Bianca said

Percy patted Bessie on the head, trying to calm him down. He let Percy scratch his ear, but he was trembling.

"How could anyone hurt him?" Percy said. "He's harmless."

Zoe nodded. "But there is power in killing innocence, Terrible power. The Fates ordained a prophecy eons ago, when this creature was born. They said that whoever killed the Ophiotaurus and sacrificed its entrails to fire would have the power to destroy the gods."

"MMMMMM!"

"Um," Grover said. "Maybe we could avoid talking about entrails, too."

Thalia stared at the cow serpent with wonder. "The power to destroy the gods... how? I mean, what would happen?"

"No one knows," Zoe said. "The first time, during the Titan war, the Ophiotaurus was in fact slain by a giant ally of the Titans, but thy father, Zeus, sent an eagle to snatch the entrails away before they could be tossed into the fire. It was a close call. Now, after three thousand years, the Ophiotaurus is reborn."

Thalia sat down on the dock. She stretched out her hand. Bessie went right to her. Thalia placed her hand on his head. Bessie shivered.

Thalia's expression bothered me. She almost looked... hungry.

"We have to protect him," Percy told her. "If Luke gets hold of him—"

"Luke wouldn't hesitate," Thalia muttered. "The power to overthrow Olympus. That's... that's huge."

"Yes, it is, my dear," said a man's voice in a heavy French accent. "And it is a power you shall unleash."

The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged.

Percy looked up. We'd been so busy talking, we'd allowed ourselves to be ambushed.

Standing behind us, his two-color eyes gleaming wickedly, was Dr. Thorn, the manticore himself.

"This is just pairrr-fect," the manticore gloated.

He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was torn and stained. His military haircut had grown out spiky and greasy. He hadn't shaved recently, so his face was covered in silver stubble. Basically, he didn't look much better than the guys down at the soup kitchen.

"Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," the manticore said. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!"

On either side of him stood two armed security guys, some of the mortal mercenaries Bianca had seen in D.C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case we tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around—walking down the waterfront, shopping at the pier above us—but Bianca knew that wouldn't stop the manticore from acting.

"Where... where are the skeletons?" Percy asked the manticore.

“He doesn't have them, he's too afraid I'll use them to my advantage and kick his ass back to Tartarus,” Bianca said, smirking

He sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General thinks I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!"

“Aw are you so scared of a 12-year-old that you won't use the undead, that must suck for you,” Bianca said, fake symphony coating her voice

“Foolish child, who do you think you are” He demanded

“I am Bianca Di Angelo, Daughter of Hades, and I'm the person who’s going to send you back to Tartarus where you belong” Bianca summoned skeletons and commanded them to take out the mortal mercenaries, the mercenaries were knocked out and then Bianca fainted

Percy Pov

"We beat you once before," I said

"Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas... that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."

Zoe notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head.

"Wait!" Percy said. "Zoe, don't!"

The manticore smiled. "The boy is right, Zoe Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory."

"What are you talking about?" Thalia growled. She had her shield and spear ready.

"Surely it is clear," the manticore said. "This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring its entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus."

No one spoke. It made terrible sense. Thalia was only two days away from turning sixteen.

She was a child of the Big Three. And here was a choice, a terrible choice that could mean the end of the gods. Doomsday was happening right now.

I waited for Thalia to tell the manticore off, but she hesitated. She looked completely stunned.

"You know it is the right choice," the manticore told her. "Your friend Luke recognized it. You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you shall gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear."

"Thalia," I said, "snap out of it!"

She looked at me the same way she had the morning she woke up on Half-Blood Hill, dazed and uncertain. It was almost like she didn't know me. "I... I don't—"

"Your father helped you," I said. "He sent the metal angels. He turned you into a tree to preserve you."

Her hand tightened on the shaft of her spear.

I looked at Grover desperately. Thank the gods, he understood what I needed. He raised his pipes to his mouth and played a quick riff.

The manticore yelled, "Stop him!"

"Grover," I said, "tell Bessie to dive deep and stay down!"

"Moooooo!" Grover translated. I could only hope that Bessie got the message.

"The cow..." Thalia muttered, still in a daze.

"Come on!" I pulled her along as we ran up the stairs to the shopping center on the pier. We dashed around the corner of the nearest store. I heard the manticore shouting at his minions,

"Get them!" Tourists screamed as the guards shot blindly into the air.

Zoe grabbed Bianca and carried her, We scrambled to the end of the pier. We hid behind a little kiosk filled with souvenir crystals—wind chimes and dream catchers and stuff like that, glittering in the sunlight. There was a water fountain next to us. Down below, a bunch of sea lions were sunning themselves on the rocks. The whole of San Francisco Bay spread out before us: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the green hills and fog beyond that to the north. A picture-perfect moment, except for the fact that we were about to die and the world was going to end.

"Go over the side!" Zoe told me. "You can escape in the sea, Percy. Call on thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus." She was right, but I couldn't do it.

"I won't leave you guys," I said. "We fight together."

"You have to get word to camp!" Grover said. "At least let them know what's going on!"

Then I noticed the crystals making rainbows in the sunlight. There was a drinking fountain next to me...

"Get word to camp," I muttered. "Good idea."

I uncapped Riptide and slashed off the top of the water fountain. Water burst out of the busted pipe and sprayed all over us.

Thalia gasped as the water hit her. The fog seemed to clear from her eyes. "Are you crazy?" she asked.

But Grover understood. He was already fishing around in his pockets for a coin. He threw a golden drachma into the rainbows created by the mist and yelled, "O goddess, accept my offering!"

The mist rippled.

"Camp Half-Blood!" I said.

And there, shimmering in the Mist right next to us, was the last person I wanted to see: Mr. D, wearing his leopard-skin jogging suit and rummaging through the refrigerator.

He looked up lazily. "Do you mind?"

"Where's Chiron!" I shouted.

"How rude." Mr. D took a swig from a jug of grape juice. "Is that how you say hello?"

"Hello," I amended. "We're about to die! Where's Chiron?"

Mr. D considered that. I wanted to scream at him to hurry up, but I knew that wouldn't work. Behind us, footsteps and shouting—the manticore's troops were closing in.

"About to die," Mr. D mused. "How exciting. I'm afraid Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?"

I looked at my friends. "We're dead."

Thalia gripped her spear. She looked like her old angry self again. "Then we'll die fighting."

"How noble," Mr. D said, stifling a yawn. "So what is the problem, exactly?"

I didn't see that it would make any difference, but I told him about the Ophiotaurus.

"Mmm." He studied the contents of the fridge. "So that's it. I see."

"You don't even care!" I screamed. "You'd just as soon watch us die!"

"Let's see. I think I'm in the mood for pizza tonight."

I wanted to slash through the rainbow and disconnect, but I didn't have time. The manticore screamed, "There!" And we were surrounded.The manticore threw off his coat and transformed into his true self, his lion claws extended and his spiky tail bristling with poison barbs.

"Excellent," he said. He glanced at the apparition in the mist and snorted. "Alone, without any real help. Wonderful."

"You could ask for help," Mr. D murmured to me as if this were an amusing thought. "You could say please."

When wild boars fly, I thought. There was no way I was going to die begging a slob like Mr. D, just so he could laugh as we all got gunned down.

Zoe readied her arrows. Grover lifted his pipes. Thalia raised her shield, and I noticed a tear running down her cheek. Suddenly it occurred to me: this had happened to her before. She had been cornered on Half-Blood Hill. She'd willingly given her life for her friends,

But this time, she couldn't save us. How could I let that happen to her?

"Please, Mr. D," I muttered. "Help."

Of course, nothing happened.

The manticore grinned. "Spare the daughter of Zeus. She will join us soon enough. Kill the Others."

You know how you feel when all the blood rushes to your head, like if you hang upside down and turn right-side up too quickly? There was a rush like that all around me, and a sound like a huge sigh. The sunlight tinged with purple. I smelled grapes and something more sour—wine.

SNAP!

It was the sound of many minds breaking at the same time. The sound of madness. One guard put his pistol between his teeth like it was a bone and ran around on all fours. Two others dropped their guns and started waltzing with each other. The fourth began doing what looked like an Irish clogging dance. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so terrifying.

"No!" screamed the manticore. "I will deal with you myself!"

His tail bristled, but the planks under his paws erupted into grape vines, which immediately began wrapping around the monster's body, sprouting new leaves and clusters of green baby grapes that ripened in seconds as the manticore shrieked, until he was engulfed in a huge mass of vines, leaves, and full clusters of purple grapes. Finally, the grapes stopped shivering, and I had a feeling that somewhere inside there, the manticore was no more.

"Well," said Dionysus, closing his refrigerator. "That was fun."

I stared at him, horrified. "How could you... How did you—"

"Such gratitude," he muttered. "The mortals will come out of it. Too much explaining to do if I made their condition permanent. I hate writing reports to Father."

He stared resentfully at Thalia. "I hope you learned your lesson, girl. It isn't easy to resist power, is it?"

Thalia blushed as if she were ashamed.

"Mr. D," Grover said in amazement. "You... you saved us.

"Mmm. Don't make me regret it, satyr. Now get going, Percy Jackson. I've bought you a few hours at most."

"The Ophiotaurus," I said. "Can you get it to camp?"

Mr. D sniffed. "I do not transport livestock. That's your problem."

"But where do we go?"

Dionysus looked at Zoe. "Oh, I think the huntress knows. You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost. Now good-bye. My pizza is waiting."

"Mr. D," I said.

He raised his eyebrow.

"You called me by my right name," I said. "You called me Percy Jackson."

"I most certainly did not, Peter Johnson. Now off with you!"

He waved his hand, and his image disappeared in the mist.

Bianca's POV

“I had the weirdest dream, Mr. D inflicted madness on Dr. Thorn, and he's gone now?” Bianca said groggy

“Not a dream Bianca” Thalia said, looking a little dazed

“What did I even do? Bianca asked, sounding confused

“You summoned 10 skeletons, commanded them to knock out the mercenaries, and then promptly told Dr. Thorn that you are a daughter of Hades, so that’s perfect, and then you fainted” Thalia summarized

Percy looked at Zoe. "What did he mean... 'You know where to go'?"

Her face was the color of the fog. She pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer.

"The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home."

Chapter 4: We're Entrusted With a Car (So We Blow it Up)

Chapter Text

"We will never make it," Zoe said. "We are moving too slowly. But we cannot leave the Ophiotaurus."

"Mooo," Bessie said.

He swam next to Percy as we jogged along the waterfront. They'd left the shopping center pier far behind. They were heading toward the Golden Gate Bridge, but it was a lot farther than Bianca had realized. The sun was already dipping in the west.

"I don't get it," Percy said. "Why do we have to get there at sunset?"

"The Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset," Zoe said. "We can only enter their garden as day changes to night."

"What happens if we miss it?" Percy asked.

"Tomorrow is the winter solstice. If we miss sunset tonight, we will have to wait until tomorrow evening. And by then, the Olympian Council will be over. We must free Lady Artemis tonight."

"We need a car," Thalia said.

"But what about Bessie?" Percy asked.

Grover stopped in his tracks. "I've got an idea! The Ophiotaurus can appear in different bodies of water, right?"

"Well, yeah," Percy said. "I mean, he was in Long Island Sound. Then he just popped into the water at Hoover Dam. And now he's here."

"So maybe we could coax him back to Long Island Sound," Grover said. "Then Chiron could help us get him to Olympus."

"But he was following me," Percy said. "If I'm not there, would he know where he's going?"

"Moo," Bessie said forlornly.

"I... I can show him," Grover said. "I'll go with him."

Percy stared at him, he knew a lot of things about Grover that everyone else didn't, but this seemed especially shocking to him.

"I'm the only one who can talk to him," Grover said. "It makes sense."

He bent down and said something in Bessie's ear. Bessie shivered, then made a contented, lowing sound.

"The blessing of the Wild," Grover said. "That should help with safe passage. Percy, pray to your dad, too. See if he will grant us safe passage through the seas."

"Dad," Percy said. "Help us. Get the Ophiotaurus and Grover safely to camp. Protect them at sea."

"A prayer like that needs a sacrifice," Thalia said. "Something big."

Then Percy took off his coat.

"Percy," Grover said. "Are you sure? That lion skin... that's really helpful. Hercules used it!"

"If I'm going to survive," Percy said, "it won't be because I've got a lion-skin cloak. I'm not Hercules."

Percy threw the coat into the bay. It turned back into a golden lion skin, flashing in the light. Then, as it began to sink beneath the waves, it seemed to dissolve into sunlight on the water. The sea breeze picked up.

Grover took a deep breath. "Well, no time to lose."

He jumped in the water and immediately began to sink. Bessie glided next to him and let Grover take hold of his neck.

“Wait, Bianca, do you want to go back to Camp Half-Blood with Grover?” Percy asked.

“Hell no! I'm finishing this quest with you guys,” Bianca scoffed, rolling her eyes at the thought.

“Ok then. " Percy turned back to Grover and Bessie, "Please be careful. "

"We will," Grover said. "Okay, um... Bessie? We're going to Long Island. It's east. Over that way."

"Moooo?" Bessie said.

"Yes," Grover answered. "Long Island. It's this island. And... it's long. Oh, let's just start."

"Mooo!"

"Well, that is one problem addressed," Zoe said. "But how can we get to my sisters' garden?"

"Thalia's right," Percy said. "We need a car. But there's nobody to help us here. Unless we, uh, borrowed one."

“I mean we are on a strict time limit, so I vote for stealing one.” Bianca offered.

"Wait," Thalia said. She started rifling through her backpack. "There is somebody in San Francisco who can help us. I've got the address here somewhere."

"Who?" Percy asked.

Thalia pulled out a crumpled piece of notebook paper and held it up. "Professor Chase. Annabeth's dad."

---

"Hello," He said in a friendly voice, "Are you delivering my airplanes?"

Thalia, Zoe, Percy, and Bianca looked at each other warily.

"Um, no, sir," Percy said.

"Drat." He said, "I need three more Sopwith Camels. "

"Right," Percy said. "We're friends of Annabeth."

"Annabeth?" He straightened as if Percy had just given him an electric shock. "Is she all right? Has something happened?"

None of the teens answered, but their faces must've told him that something was very wrong. He took off his cap and goggles.

"You'd better come in," he said.

We went inside and the home looked lived in, Two children were arguing over something and a woman walked over to us.

"Who are our guests?" she asked.

"Oh," Dr. Chase said. "This is..."

He stared at them blankly.

"Frederick," she chided. "You forgot to ask them their names?"

We introduced ourselves a little uneasily, but Mrs. Chase seemed nice. She asked if they were hungry. And they admitted that they were, so she told them she'd bring us some cookies, sandwiches, and sodas.

"Dear," Dr. Chase said. "They came about Annabeth."

She just pursed her lips and looked concerned. "All right. Go on up to the study and I'll bring you some food." She smiled at Percy. "Nice meeting you, Percy. I've heard a lot about you."

Bianca smirked at that, clearly, she wasn't the only one who could tell that Percy and Annabeth had something going on.

Upstairs, we walked into Dr. Chase's study and Percy said, "Whoa!"

The room was wall-to-wall books, but what caught Bianca's attention were the war toys. There was a huge table with miniature tanks and soldiers fighting along a blue-painted river, with hills and fake trees and stuff. Old-fashioned biplanes hung on strings from the ceiling, tilted at crazy angles like they were in the middle of a dogfight.

Dr. Chase smiled. "Yes. The Third Battle of Ypres. I'm writing a paper, you see, on the use of Sopwith Camels to strafe enemy lines. I believe they played a much greater role than they've been given credit for."

He plucked a biplane from its string and swept it across the battlefield, making airplane engine noises as he knocked down little German soldiers.

Bianca looked at him distastefully, did he forget why they were there?

Zoe came over and studied the battlefield. "The German lines were farther from the river."

Dr. Chase stared at her. "How do you know that?"

"I was there," she said matter-of-factly. "Artemis wanted to show us how horrible war was, the way mortal men fight each other. And how foolish, too. The battle was a complete waste."

Dr. Chase opened his mouth in shock. "You—"

"She's a Hunter, sir," Thalia said. "But that's not why we're here. We need—"

"You saw the Sopwith Camels?" Dr. Chase said. "How many were there? What formations did they fly?"

"Sir," Thalia broke in again. "Annabeth is in danger."

That finally got his attention. He set the biplane down.

"Of course," he said. "Tell me everything."

It wasn't easy, but they tried. Meanwhile, the afternoon light was fading outside. They were

running out of time.

When they'd finished, Dr. Chase collapsed in his leather recliner. He laced his hands. "My poor brave Annabeth. We must hurry."

"Sir, we need transportation to Mount Tamalpais," Zoe said. "And we need it immediately."

"I'll drive you. Hmm. it would be faster to fly in my Camel, but it only seats two."

"Whoa, you have an actual biplane?" Percy asked.

"Down at Crissy Field," Dr. Chase said proudly. "That's the reason I had to move here. My sponsor is a private collector of some of the finest World War I relics in the world. He let me restore the Sopwith Camel—"

"Sir," Thalia said. "Just a car would be great. And it might be better if we went without you. It's too dangerous."

Dr. Chase frowned uncomfortably. "Now wait a minute, young lady. Annabeth is my daughter. Dangerous or not, I... I can't just—"

"Snacks," Mrs. Chase announced. She pushed through the door with a tray full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and co*kes and cookies fresh out of the oven, the chocolate

chips still gooey. Thalia and Bianca inhaled a few cookies while Zoe said, "I can drive, sir. I'm not as young as I look. I promise not to destroy your car."

Mrs. Chase knit her eyebrows. "What's this about?"

"Annabeth is in danger," Dr. Chase said. "On Mount Tam. I would drive them, but... apparently, it's no place for mortals."

It sounded like it was really hard for him to get that last part out.

Mrs. Chase nodded. "Then they'd better get going."

"Right!" Dr. Chase jumped up and started patting his pockets. "My keys..."

His wife sighed. "Frederick, honestly. You'd lose your head if it weren't wrapped inside your aviator hat. The keys are hanging on the peg by the front door."

"Right!" Dr. Chase said.

Zoe grabbed a sandwich. "Thank you both. We should go. Now. "

They hustled out the door and down the stairs, the Chases right behind them.

"Percy," Mrs. Chase called as they were leaving, "tell Annabeth... Tell her she still has a home here, will you? Remind her of that."

"I'll tell her," Percy promised.

They ran out to the yellow VW convertible parked in the driveway.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Thalia demanded.

Zoe glared at her. "I cannot control traffic."

"You both sound like my mother," Percy said.

"Shut up!" they said in unison.

“Bianca, you ok?” Percy asked.

“Yeah I'm fine, I'm just thinking about what I'm going to say to Artemis after this. ” Bianca sighed.

Zoe weaved in and out of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. The sun was sinking on the horizon when we finally got into Marin County and exited the highway. The roads were insanely narrow, winding through forests and up the sides of hills and around the edges of steep ravines. Zoe didn't slow down at all.

"Why does everything smell like cough drops?" Percy asked.

"Eucalyptus." Zoe pointed to the huge trees all around us.

"The stuff koala bears eat?"

"And monsters," she said. "They love chewing the leaves. Especially dragons."

"Dragons chew eucalyptus leaves?"

"Believe me," Zoe said, "if you had dragon breath, you would chew eucalyptus too."

Ahead of them loomed Mount Tamalpais.

"So that's the Mountain of Despair?" Percy asked.

"Yes," Zoe said tightly.

"Why do they call it that?"

She was silent for almost a mile before answering. "After the war between the Titans and the gods, many of the Titans were punished and imprisoned. Kronos was sliced to pieces and thrown into Tartarus. Kronos's right-hand man, the general of his forces, was imprisoned up there, on the summit, just beyond the Garden of the Hesperides."

"The General," Percy said. Clouds seemed to be swirling around its peak, as though the mountain was drawing them in, spinning them like a top. "What's going on up there? A Storm?"

Zoe didn't answer. Bianca got the feeling she knew exactly what the clouds meant, and she didn't like it.

"We have to concentrate," Thalia said. "The Mist is really strong here."

"The magical kind or the natural kind?" Percy asked.

"Both."

The gray clouds swirled even thicker over the mountain, and they kept driving straight toward them. They were out of the forest now, into wide open spaces of cliffs and grass and rocks and fog.

“I do not like this. " Bianca shivered nervously, suddenly wondering if she would have been better off heading to camp with Grover.

Percy, who was staring out the window, suddenly jumped. "Look!"

"What?" Thalia asked.

"A big white ship," Percy said. "Docked near the beach. It looked like a cruise ship."

Her eyes widened. "Luke's ship?"

"We will have company, then," Zoe said grimly. "Kronos's army."

Percy looked like he was about to say something but he was interrupted.

Thalia shouted, "Stop the car. NOW!"

Zoe must've sensed something was wrong because she slammed on the brakes without question. The yellow VW spun twice before coming to a stop at the edge of the cliff.

"Out!" Thalia opened the door and pushed Percy and Bianca hard.

They rolled onto the pavement. Bianca's head smacked into the ground. Hard. She must have passed out because when she opened her eyes, part of the VW's fender had impaled itself in the street. The smoking hood was spinning in circles. Pieces of yellow metal were strewn across the road. She let her eyes close again. Everything was so bright.

“Bianca! You need to wake up! " Thalia shook her.

“What happened? " Her brain felt so foggy, she couldn't comprehend what was happening around her.

“Dr. Chase's car was struck by lightning, I got you and Percy out, and then you fainted,” Thalia said, shaking.

Bianca nodded grimly.

"One shall perish by a parent's hand" she muttered. "Curse him. He would destroy me? Me?"

"Hey, that couldn't have been Zeus's lightning bolt. No way." Percy said.

"Whose, then?" Thalia demanded.

"I don't know. Zoe said Kronos's name. Maybe he—"

Thalia shook her head, looking angry and stunned. "No. That wasn't it."

"Wait," Percy said. "Where's Zoe? Zoe!"

Thalia helped Bianca get up and they ran around the blasted VW. Nothing inside. Nothing in either direction down the road. They looked down the cliff. No sign of her.

"Zoe!" Percy shouted.

Then she was standing right next to Percy, pulling him by his arm.

"Silence, fool! Do you want to wake Ladon?"

"You mean we're here?" Percy asked.

"Very close," she said. "Follow me."

Sheets of fog were drifting right across the road. Zoe stepped into one of them, and when the fog passed, she was no longer there.

"Concentrate on Zoe," Thalia advised. "We are following her. Go straight into the fog and keep that in mind."

"Wait, Thalia." Percy started, "About what happened back on the pier... I mean, with the manticore and the sacrifice—"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You wouldn't have... you know?"

She hesitated. "I was just shocked. That's all."

"Zeus didn't send that lighting bolt at the car. It was Kronos. He's trying to manipulate you, make you angry at your dad."

“Percy is right” Bianca agreed.

She took a deep breath. "Guys, I know you're trying to make me feel better. Thanks. But come on. We need to go."

If it hadn't been for the enormous dragon, the garden would've been the most beautiful place Bianca had ever seen. The grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of a five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glittering with golden apples, and not yellow golden apples like in the grocery store. Real golden apples.

Bianca couldn't describe why they were so appealing, but as soon as she smelled their fragrance, she knew that one bite would be the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted.

"The apples of immortality," Thalia said. "Hera's wedding gift from Zeus."

“The apples look so alluring. " Bianca mumbled.

Maybe it was the head injury, but the way they shimmered in the fading light was stunning.

“Keep moving, Bianca, don't give in to the temptation” Thalia stated.

That didn't do much to make her less tempted, what made her wary was the sight of a dragon coiled around the tree. The serpent's body was as thick as a rocket, glinting with coppery scales.

He had more heads than Bianca could count, as if a hundred deadly pythons had been fused. He appeared to be asleep. The heads lay curled in a big spaghetti-like mound on the grass, all the eyes closed.

Then the shadows in front of them began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like voices from the bottom of a well. Four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoe.

They all wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders. It was strange, but Bianca had never realized how beautiful Zoe was until she saw her siblings, the Hesperides. They looked just like Zoe—gorgeous, and probably very dangerous.

"Sisters," Zoe said.

"We do not see any sister," one of the girls said coldly. "We see three half-bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."

"You've got it wrong." Percy stepped forward. "Nobody is going to die."

The girls studied him. They had eyes like volcanic rock, glassy and completely black.

"Perseus Jackson," one of them said.

"Yes," mused another. "I do not see why he is a threat."

"Who said I was a threat?"

The first Hesperid glanced behind her, toward the top of the mountain. "They fear thee. They are unhappy that this one has not yet killed thee."

She pointed at Thalia.

"Tempting sometimes," Thalia admitted. "But no, thanks. He's my friend."

"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus," the girl said. "Only enemies. Go back."

"Not without Annabeth," Thalia said.

"And Artemis," Zoe said. "We must approach the mountain."

"You know he will kill thee," the girl said. "You are no match for him."

"Artemis must be freed," Zoe insisted. "Let us pass."

The girl shook her head. "You have no rights here anymore. We have only to raise our voices and Ladon will wake."

"He will not hurt me," Zoe said, for once, her hardened stare seemed a bit more vulnerable like she was trying to convince herself of what she was saying.

"No? And what about thy so-called friends?"

Then Zoe did the last thing Bianca expected. She shouted, "Ladon! Wake!"

The dragon stirred, glittering like a mountain of pennies. The Hesperides yelped and scattered.

The lead girl said to Zoe, "Are you mad?"

"You never had any courage, sister," Zoe said. "That is thy problem."

The dragon Ladon was writhing now, a hundred heads whipping around, tongues flickering and tasting the air.

Zoe took a step forward, her arms raised.

"Zoe, don't," Thalia said. "You're not a Hesperid anymore. He'll kill you."

"Ladon is trained to protect the tree," Zoe said. "Skirt around the edges of the garden. Go up the mountain. As long as I am a bigger threat, he should ignore thee."

"Should," Percy said. "Not exactly reassuring."

"It is the only way," she said. "Even the four of us together cannot fight him."

Ladon opened his mouths. The sound of a hundred heads hissing at once sent a shiver down Bianca's back, and that was before his breath hit her. The smell was like acid. It made her eyes burn, her skin crawl, and her hair stand on end. The eucalyptus was strong, but Zoe seemed confident still. Bianca decided to trust her judgment.

Thalia went left. Percy and Bianca went right. Zoe walked straight toward the monster.

"It's me, my little dragon," Zoe said. "Zoe has come back."

Ladon shifted forward, then back. Some of the mouths closed. Some kept hissing. Dragon confusion. Meanwhile, the Hesperides shimmered and turned into shadows.

The voice of the eldest whispered, "Fool."

Bianca couldn't help but agree with her.

"I used to feed thee by hand," Zoe continued, speaking in a soothing voice as she stepped toward the golden tree. "Do you still like lamb's meat?"

The dragon's eyes glinted.

Percy and Bianca were about halfway around the garden. Ahead, she could see a single rocky trail leading up to the black peak of the mountain. The storm swirled above it, spinning on the summit like it was the axis of the whole world.

They'd almost made it out of the meadow when something went wrong. Bianca felt the dragon's mood shift. Maybe Zoe got too close. Maybe the dragon realized he was hungry. Whatever the reason, he lunged at Zoe.

Two thousand years of training kept her alive. She dodged one set of slashing fangs and tumbled under another, weaving through the dragon's heads as she ran in their direction, gagging from the monster's horrible breath. Percy drew Riptide to help.

"No!" Zoe panted. "Run!"

The dragon snapped at her side, and Zoe cried out. Thalia uncovered Aegis, and the dragon hissed. In his moment of indecision, Zoe sprinted past up the mountain, and they followed.

The dragon didn't try to pursue them. He hissed and stomped the ground, but he was well-trained to guard that tree. He wasn't going to be lured off even by the tasty prospect of eating some heroes.

Bianca ran up the mountain as the Hesperides resumed their song in the shadows behind them. The music didn't sound so beautiful to her now—more like the soundtrack for a funeral.

At the top of the mountain were ruins, blocks of black granite and marble as big as houses. Broken columns. Statues of bronze that looked as though they'd been half melted.

"The ruins of Mount Othrys," Thalia whispered in awe.

"Yes," Zoe said. "It was not here before. This is bad."

"What's Mount Othrys?" Percy asked.

"The mountain fortress of the Titans," Zoe said. "In the first war, Olympus and Othrys were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrys was—" She winced and held her side.

"You're hurt," Percy said. "Let me see."

"No! It is nothing. I was saying… in the first war, Othrys was blasted to pieces."

"But… how is it here?"

Thalia looked around cautiously as we picked our way through the rubble, past blocks of marble and broken archways.

"It moves in the same way that Olympus moves. It always

exists on the edges of civilization. But the fact that it is here, on this mountain, is not good."

"Why?"

"This is Atlas's mountain," Zoe said. "Where he holds—" She froze. Her voice was ragged with despair. "Where he used to hold up the sky."

They had reached the summit. A few yards ahead of them, gray clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on

the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress. Artemis, her legs were bound to the rock with celestial bronze chains. She was holding the roof of the world.

"My lady!"

Zoe rushed forward, but Artemis said, "Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now."

Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. I had never seen a goddess in pain before, but the weight of the sky was clearly too much for Artemis.

Zoe was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis's protests and tugged at the chains.

A booming voice spoke behind us: "Ah, how touching."

They turned. The General was standing there in his brown silk suit. At his side were Luke and half a dozen dracaenae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. Annabeth stood at Luke's side. She had her hands cuffed behind her back, a gag in her mouth, and Luke was holding the point of his sword to her throat.

Percy met her eyes as if trying to ask her a thousand questions. There was just one message she was sending him that even Bianca could understand: RUN.

"Luke," Thalia snarled. "Let her go."

Luke's smile was weak and pale. Bianca couldn't help but feel thrilled at how frail he looked.

"That is the General's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again."

Thalia spat at him.

The General chuckled. "So much for old friends. And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

"Do not respond," Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him."

"Wait a second," Percy said. "You're Atlas?"

The General glanced at Percy. "So, even the stupidest of heroes can finally figure something out. Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl."

"You're not going to hurt Zoe," Percy said. "I won't let you."

The General sneered. "You have no right to interfere, little hero. This is a family matter."

He frowned. "A family matter?"

"Yes," Zoe said bleakly. "Atlas is my father."

Chapter 5: Zoe goes Stargazing(or my dad pays child support)

Chapter Text

The horrible thing was: that Bianca could see the family resemblance. Atlas had the same regal expression as Zoe, the same cold proud look in his eyes that Zoe sometimes got when she was mad, though on him it looked a thousand times more evil.

"Let Artemis go," Zoe demanded.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you."

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

Bianca looked over to Percy, who was staring desperately at Annabeth. She was trying to tell him something. She motioned her head toward Luke. But all he could do was stare at her. Bianca hadn't seen much of her before, but something about her was strange. Her blond hair was streaked with gray

"From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, as if she'd read Bianca's mind. "The weight should've killed her."

"I don't understand," Percy said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaea first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled.

"Unless someone else takes it from you."

He approached them, studying Thalia, Percy, and Bianca. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," Percy said. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," Percy said

Bianca would have laughed if the situation wasn't so dire. Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia.

"As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. If Bianca didn't know to hate his guts so much, She almost would've felt sorry for him.

"Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand, and next to them, a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus.

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Luke..." Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

"Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!"

Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth. Let her go."

"If you join me," Luke promised, "it can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, if you don't agree..." His voice faltered. "It's my last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please."

Bianca didn't know what he meant, but the fear in his voice sounded real enough. She believed that Luke was in danger, she just didn't know whether or not she should feel bad about it. His life depended on Thalia's joining his cause. And Bianca was afraid Thalia might believe it, too.

"Do not, Thalia," Zoe warned. "We must fight them."

Luke waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp.

A sacrificial flame.

"Thalia," Bianca said. "No."

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, Bianca saw images in the mist all around them: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around them, made of fear and shadow. It looked spectacular.

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here," Luke promised, in a voice so strained it hardly sounded like the Luke that Bianca had heard so much about. "Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed toward the ocean, and Bianca's heart fell. Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the Princess Andromeda was docked, was a great army.

Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things Bianca couldn't even name. The whole ship must've been emptied, because there were hundreds. In a few minutes, they would be here.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Luke said. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help."

For a terrible moment, Thalia hesitated. She gazed at Luke, her eyes full of pain, as if the only thing she wanted in the world was to believe him.

Then she leveled her spear. "You aren't Luke. I don't know you anymore."

"Yes, you do, Thalia," he pleaded. "Please. Don't make me... Don't make him destroy you."

There was no time. If that army got to the top of the hill, they would be overwhelmed. Percy met Annabeth's eyes again. She nodded.

He looked at Thalia and Bianca, and they all seemed to have decided it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to die fighting with friends like this.

"Now," Percy said.

Together, they charged.

Thalia went straight for Luke. The power of her shield was so great that his dragon-women bodyguards fled in a panic, dropping the golden coffin and leaving him alone. But despite his sickly appearance, Luke was still quick with his sword. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When his sword met Thalia's shield, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

Percy did the stupidest thing he possibly could have done, he attacked the Titan Lord Atlas.He laughed as Percy approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted intofull Greek battle armor.

"Go on, then!"

"Percy!" Zoe said. "Beware!"

Percy didn't seem very good at heeding warnings, considering that he immediately swung his sword, and Atlas knocked him aside with just the shaft of his javelin. He flew through the air and slammed into a black wall.

It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real.

"Fool!" Atlas screamed gleefully, swatting aside one of Zoe's arrows. "Did you think, simply because you could challenge that petty war god, that you could stand up to me?"

Percy charged again, he was going to get himself killed if he kept that up. The javelin point slashed toward him like a scythe. He raised his sword, right as Bianca was wondering if she needed to step in, but he suddenly froze. Groggily, he tried to dodge, but the javelin caught him in the chest and sent him flying like a rag doll. He slammed into the ground, right by Artemis.

Bianca took that as her cue to take over and immediately nocked an arrow which soon found a place between the cracks in Atlas's armor. His face contorted with pain, and he seemed to only just then have realized that she was there.

He opened his mouth to say something, but while he was distracted, not only did Zoe shoot him again, but Artemis was free from her burden, and she wasted no time joining in the fight.

Somewhere she found hunting knives, because she immediately became a blur of silver, keeping Atlas busy while Zoe and Bianca shot arrows into the weak spots in his armor.

Bianca spared a glance back at Percy. He wasn't doing well. If Artemis had been under pressure, Percy looked like he was suffocating under the weight. Too much longer and he could die. A strand of his hair was slowly turning silver, just like Annabeth's.

In her moment of distraction, Atlas shoved Artemis aside and went straight for Bianca. The shaft of his javelin hit her in the side, and the force sent her across the room. Bianca couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. All she could feel was pure, intense, burning pain. Is this what it felt like to die? Black spots filled her vision, they were all that she could see.

But just as quickly as the pain had started, it began ebbing away. She felt a warmth wash over her, and the spots disappeared. Instead, her vision filled with a beautiful purple glow. Like the evening sky, right after the sun dips into the horizon.

Bianca realized that she was crying and that she had the strength to pull herself up now. She stood, still shaky, but presently unharmed, and realized that the glow was coming from overhead.

Atlas was staring at her, or, more specifically, the symbol hovering in the air.

A helm, just like her father's.

Her father. Hades.

Bianca had been claimed.

Artemis got over her confusion before Atlas, and used it to her advantage, she glanced at Percy, who nodded ever so slightly, and used Atlas's disorientation to send him flying, right where Percy was, returning him to his rightful place holding up the sky.

Percy collapsed where he was, clearly exhausted, and Bianca ran to help.

She looked up right as Thalia backed Luke to the edge of a cliff, but still, they fought on, next to the golden coffin. Thalia had tears in her eyes. Luke had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat.

He lunged at Thalia and she slammed him with her shield. Luke's sword spun out of his hands and clattered to the rocks. Thalia put her spear point to his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Well?" Luke asked. He tried to hide it, but Bianca could hear fear in his voice.

Thalia trembled with fury. Behind her, Annabeth came scrambling, finally free from her bonds. Her face was bruised and streaked with dirt.

"Don't kill him!"

"He's a traitor," Thalia said. "A traitor!"

Bianca suddenly realized that Artemis had run off toward black rocks where Atlas must have flung Zoe.

"We'll bring Luke back," Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He… he'll be useful."

"Is that what you want, Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear.

"No!" Annabeth shouted. But it was too late.

Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away.

He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed.

Bianca helped Percy up and they rushed to the cliff's edge. Below them, the army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped in amazement. They were staring at Luke's broken form on the rocks.

Despite how much Bianca hated him, She couldn't stand to see it. She almost felt like he was still alive, but that was impossible. The fall was fifty feet at least, and he wasn't moving.

One of the giants looked up and growled, "Kill them!"

Thalia was stiff with grief, tears streaming down her cheeks. Percy pulled her back as a wave of javelins sailed over their heads. They ran for the rocks, ignoring the curses and threats of Atlas as they passed.

"Lady Artemis!" Bianca yelled.

The goddess looked up, her face almost as grief-stricken as Thalia's. Zoe lay in the goddess's arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open. But Bianca could feel her life force, or what was left of it at least...

"The wound is poisoned," Artemis said.

"Atlas poisoned her?" Percy asked.

"No," the goddess said. "Not Atlas."

She showed us the wound on Zoe's side. Bianca had almost forgotten her scrape with Ladon the dragon. The bite was much worse than Zoe had let on. She could barely look at the wound. Zoe had charged into battle against her father with a horrible cut already sapping herstrength.

"The stars," Zoe murmured. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia," Percy said. "Come on! We have to get her some."

No one moved. Grief hung in the air. The army of Kronos was just below the rise. Even Artemis was too shocked to stir.

They might've met their doom right there, but then from the air came a strange buzzing noise. Just as the army of monsters came over the hill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

"Get away from my daughter!" Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering.

"Dad?" yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

"Run!" he called back, his voice growing fainter as the biplane swooped by.

This shook Artemis out of her grief. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe.

"A brave man," Artemis said with grudging approval. "Come, We must get Zoe away from here."

She raised her hunting horn to her lips, and its clear sound echoed down the valleys of Marin. Zoe's eyes were fluttering.

"Hang in there!" Bianca told her. "It'll be all right!"

The Sopwith Camel swooped down again. A few giants threw javelins, and one flew straight between the wings of the plane, but the machine guns blazed.

Bianca realized with amazement that somehow Dr. Chase must've gotten hold of celestial bronze to fashion his bullets. The first row of snake women wailed as the machine gun's volley blew them into sulfurous yellow powder.

"That's… my dad!" Annabeth said in amazement.

They didn't have time to admire his flying. The giants and snake women were already recovering from their surprise. Dr. Chase would be in trouble soon. Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by the most beautiful deer Bianca had ever seen. It landed right next to them.

"Get in," Artemis said.

Annabeth helped Percy and Bianca get Thalia on board. Then they helped Artemis with Zoe. They wrapped Zoe in a blanket as Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air.

"Like Santa Claus's sleigh," Percy murmured, still visibly dazed with pain.

Artemis took time to look back at me. "Indeed, young half-blood. And where do you think that legend came from?"

Seeing them safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed them like an honor guard. It must have been one of the strangest sights ever, even for the Bay Area: a silver flying chariot pulled by deer, escorted by a Sopwith Camel.

Behind them, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of Mount Tamalpais, but the loudest sound was the voice of Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggled under the weight of the sky.

They landed at Crissy Field after nightfall. As soon as Dr. Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug.

"Dad! You flew… you shot… oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

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.

Bianca 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. Bianca could understand all of a sudden why Athena, Goddess of Crafts and Wisdom, had taken a liking to him. He was an excellent mad scientist at heart.

"Dad…" Annabeth faltered.

"Annabeth, Percy," Thalia interrupted. Her voice was urgent.

Bianca and Artemis were kneeling at Zoe's side, binding the huntress's wounds.

Annabeth and Percy ran over to help, but there wasn't much they could do. They had no ambrosiaor nectar. No regular medicine would help. It was dark, but anyone could see that Zoe didn't lookgood. 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 Zoe's side, but Zoe gripped her wrist. She looked into the goddess's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

"Have I… served thee well?" Zoe whispered.

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoe's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."

But it wasn't just the poison that was killing Zoe. It was her father's final blow. She 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. Atlas's fury had broken her inside.

She looked to Thalia and took her hand.

"I am sorry we argued," Zoe 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," Zoe murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

He said nothing but 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."

Bianca, who was knelt by Zoe, clutching her hand, finally figured out what to say to her dying friend.

"You- You're gonna go to Elysium. " Bianca said shakily.

Zoe nodded slightly.

"And you deserve it more than anyone else there, don't forget that. "

A shudder ran through her body.

"Zoe-" Bianca said, watching her life force start to slip.

"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 fixed on the night sky, and she did not move again.

Bianca became acutely aware of the tears streaming down her face, she mouthed a silent prayer to her father. Her hand slipped into her pocket, and she pressed a drachma into Zoe's limp hand. For Charon.

Thalia lowered her head. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders. Bianca watched as 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, Bianca didn't see anything different. Then Annabeth gasped. Looking up in the sky, she saw that the stars were brighter now.

They made a pattern she had never noticed before, 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. This made Bianca nervous because if she suddenly lost control and appeared in her fully divine form, they would disintegrate by looking at her.

"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. Bianca wasn't sure what passed between them, but Artemis's gaze softened with sympathy.

She looked to Bianca, "My brave young huntress, I'm sorry you had to lose a sister so soon. "

Bianca didn't know how to respond. The guilt of wanting to leave the Hunters came crashing down onto her, all at once, at that exact moment.

"I.. " Her mouth felt impossibly dry, "I didn't know her as well as I should have. My father will take good care of her, I know he will. "

Artemis nodded, and then she turned to Percy.

"You did well," she said. "For a man."

Percy looked like he wanted to protest. But something, hopefully, common sense, stopped him.

She mounted her chariot, which began to glow. We averted our 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 Bianca heard the whoosh of large wings. Three pegasi descended through the fog: two white-winged horses and one pure black one.

"Blackjack!" Percy called.

Bianca completely forgot that Percy could talk to horses. That is until he responded. She ignored all of Percy's horse conversation, deeming it irrelevant.

The pegasus must have asked Percy if Professor Chase would be joining them because Percy assured the horse that he was not. Rather than being offended, 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?"

Blackjack co*cked his head.

"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 a pegasus, 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.

Bianca stepped towards a pegasus, but it nickered and stepped back. She stared at the ground, embarrassed that even a pegasus was afraid of her.

"Porkpie!" Percy scolded, "That's my friend! "

The pegasus whinnied in response.

"I don't care, she's one of Lady Artemis's hunters, be nice! "

Thalia mounted the pegasus first and helped Bianca up. 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.

Thalia was so exhausted she fell asleep on Porkpie's back. Bianca knew she had to be tiredto sleep in the air, despite her fear of heights, but she didn't have much to worry about. The pegasus flew with ease, despite carrying two tired demigods.

They flew over a town, an island of lights in the middle of the dark. It whisked by so fast they might've been in an airplane. Percy and Annabeth flew side by side, talking to each other. Bianca couldn't hear them and instead focused on making sure Thalia didn't fall.

The towns were zipping by faster now, islands of light thicker together, until the whole landscape below was a glittering carpet. Dawn was close. The eastern sky was turning gray.

And up ahead, a huge white and yellow glow spread out before them, the lights of New York.

Bianca could hear the last of Annabeth and Percy’s conversation

"You don't believe me about Luke," Annabeth said, "but we'll see him again. He's in trouble, Percy. He's under Kronos's spell."

Percy glared at her like she had just killed his dog

"There it is." Thalia's voice; she'd woken up. She was pointing toward Manhattan, which was quickly zooming into view. "It's started."

"What's started?" Percy asked.

Then Bianca looked where she was pointing. High above the Empire State Building, Olympus was its own island of light, a floating mountain ablaze with torches and braziers, white marble palaces gleaming in the early morning air.

"The winter solstice," Thalia said. "The Council of the Gods."

Chapter 6: the gods vote on how to kill everyone(or bianca gets more trauma)

Chapter Text

Flying was bad enough for a daughter of Hades, but flying straight up to Zeus's palace, with thunder and lightning swirling around it, was even worse.

They circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus. Bianca had never been there before, but it looked even more intimidating than anyone could have described.

In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo. Apparently, no one ever slept on Olympus. The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes.

Winter didn't seem to exist there either. Bianca caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things she 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 white hall of the gods. Their pegasi set them down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before anyone could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.

Bianca didn't know why, but she had a sense of doom. She'd never seen all the gods together, and she knew any one of them could blast her to dust, and a few of them would like to if they knew who her father was.

Percy had a silent interaction with the pegasi, then Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving the four young demigods alone. For a minute, they all stood there, completely wordless, and then, side by side, they 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 the Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn. Bianca felt a fresh wave of grief wash over her when she saw Zoe.

All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall, and Bianca's grief was replaced with petrifying terror. She wanted to puke, but at the same time, knew that would be a terrible idea in front of the 12 Olympians.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.

"Mooo!"

That's when she 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 them, he cried, "You made it!"

He started to run toward 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.

Percy looked nervously at his father, Poseidon. He was dressed similar to how Bianca would have imagined: beach shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and sandals. He had a weathered, suntanned face with a dark beard and deep green eyes.

Grover gave Annabeth 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?" He 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 in 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 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 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 anyone 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 sparking with energy. Next to him sat a beautiful woman with silver hair braided over one shoulder and a dress that shimmered colors like peaco*ck feathers, Lady Hera.

On Zeus's right, Percy's father Poseidon. Next to him, 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 Percy. He was wearing a business suit, checking messages on his Caduceus mobile phone. Bianca could hardly believe that he was Luke's father, they looked nothing alike. The only resemblance had to be their eyes, which held the same hidden exhaustion.

Apollo leaned back in his golden throne with his shades on. He had iPod headphones on, so Bianca wasn't sure he was even listening, but he gave the group 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 Percy 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 gray-eyed woman in an elegant white dress. She could only be Annabeth's mother, Athena.

Then there was Aphrodite, who smiled at Percy, her eyes flicking slightly towards Annabeth, before she looked at Bianca. Her appearance was gracefully fluid. Her hair color, which had seemed golden at first, looked like a silky black now, in a way that made Bianca question whether she had even seen it as blonde in the first place. She was so gorgeous. Bianca felt her face grow hot, and she had to look away.

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-"

"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. She studied the floor, clearly happy to be recognized by her father for her deeds

Lady 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 two,"

"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."

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. It took Percy a second to realize what they were saying, he gasped when he realized it

"Bessie? You want to destroy Bessie?"

"Mooooooo!" Bessie protested.

Lord 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 "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," Annabeth spoke up. "Sir, you have to trust them."

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.

"Annabeth," Percy said under his breath. "Don't."

“Thalia, are you hearing this?’ Bianca mouthed, the words barely making a sound.

“Dude, he is such a dork,” Thalia whispered back.

Annabeth 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?" she said. "You look like you're going to be sick."

“Bianca, your chance to leave the hunters is coming up, speak up after me” Thalia whispered into Bianca’s ear, her voice firm.

“Thalia, what's going on?” Bianca whispered back, confusion clouding her nervousness.

“You can do this, I know you can, I believe in you” Thalia whispered

"I shall have a new lieutenant," she announced. "If she will accept it."

"No," Percy murmured.

"Thalia," Artemis said. "Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?"

Stunned silence filled the room. Percy stared at Thalia, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Annabeth smiled. She squeezed Thalia's hand and let it go, as if she'd been expecting this all along.

Bianca looked at Thalia and nodded to her, thinking of what to say after Thalia pledged herself.

"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 began the words Bianca remembered from her oath, what seemed like so long ago. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the hunt."

Bianca took a deep breath, walked up to Artemis’s throne, and knelt before her as Thalia had just done a few minutes ago, and spoke

“Lady Artemis, I am so grateful to you and the hunters, but I almost died in the junkyard of the gods and I realized that I wanted to do other things in life besides being a hunter, I want to grow up and live my life, I won't raise my brother anymore but, I want to leave the hunt.. if you would allow me. ”

The gods looked at Bianca who was shaking nervously, Artemis spoke up after a few moments of thought.

“Bianca Di Angelo, when I recruited you to be one of my hunters, but I realized that you might not want to be a hunter for long and when I thought you died in the junkyard, I realized that if you survived, you would want to leave the hunters, and I dreamt of your argument with Zoė at the Hoover Dam, and I was proven right before I left for Olympus at Crissy field, I could read your thoughts, and you aren't the first one of my hunters who joined at a young age to leave shortly after joining the hunt and you won't be the last. Young demigod, I release you from the hunters of Artemis, do good, Bianca. “

“Thank you Lady Artemis” Bianca said, bowing to Artemis and going back to stand with Percy and Annabeth, Thalia came over a few minutes later and hugged Percy.

When she pulled away and gripped Percy’s shoulders, Percy said, "Um... aren't you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?"

"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," Percy muttered.

"I'm proud to be your friend." Thalia said

She hugged Annabeth, who was trying hard not to cry. Then she hugged Grover, who looked ready to pass out and finally, she hugged Bianca.

“I told you that you could do it, Bianca, you’re a great kid, I'm so proud of you.” Thalia said

Bianca sniffed, she wanted to start sobbing at Thalia’s praise but wiped her eyes.

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," 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 honor."

Zeus thought about this. "All in favor?"

A show of hands went up. Dionysus abstained. So did Ares and Athena. But, everybody else voted in favor of letting them live.

"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!"

The festivities were so glamorous and loud that Bianca almost got overwhelmed by the amount of gods and goddesses in the same room, all radiating power incomprehensible to her.

Bianca was sitting down, resting her head on the table with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, who kept chugging expressos and chanting “Pan! Pan! Pan! ” over and over again. While in the middle of glaring at Grover for being so loud, she spotted her father walking up to the table out of the corner of her eye.

“I think my dad wants to talk to me,” Bianca said out loud, suddenly feeling nervous.

Did the Olympians know that she was another undesirable demigod? She didn't even have the blessing of Artemis anymore, and she wasn't at risk of being the prophecy child with Percy still alive, so, in their eyes, she was just dangerous.

Hades beckoned her towards him, and, with limbs of jelly, she reluctantly obliged. The corner of the room he led her to grew even darker as they stopped there, as if he didn't really want anyone to notice them together.

“Father-”

“My child, we've been over this. “ Hades gave her a pointed look.

“Dad, “ Bianca corrected, “Do they know? Are they gonna kill me?”

His expression changed multiple times over the course of a second, “Kill- No! No, they wouldn't- they won't kill you. You don't need to worry about that, I swore to your mother that I would keep you safe. Unlike my brothers, I don't break my promises. “

Bianca let a smile slip, but regained herself, “When will you tell them, then? “

Hades put a hand on her shoulder, “You don't need to worry about that. I'm not here to break any sort of bad news to you, Bianca, I merely want to congratulate you on your successful quest. “

“If you call getting thrown into a wall, claimed mid-battle, and watching a huntress die successful then, yeah! “ Bianca faked a grin before rolling her eyes.

He didn't seem to have a response to that.

“She's in Elysium. “

“What? “

“Zoe, the huntress, she made it to Elysium. I would have allowed her entry regardless, but she rightfully earned it either way. “

Bianca almost burst into tears on the spot. Before she could think to stop herself, she pulled her dad into a hug, surprising both of them.

After a few awkward moments, she pulled away. “Sorry, I wasn't thinking-”

“Don't apologize. “ Hades smiled.

They stood in stiff silence for a few seconds, before Bianca cleared her throat.

“How's Nico been? Do you know? “

“He still doesn't remember, but he's been settling into camp well. Hestia informed me that he's very social. “

“That sounds like Nico alright.. I- I never should have joined the hunters. I don't wanna raise him but I need to be there for him. You're not mad at me for leaving him too, are you?”

Hades stared at Bianca incredulously, “Mad? No, I'm not mad. Maybe at myself for putting the burden of raising your brother onto you, but not at you! “

Bianca nodded, too emotional to speak.

“It's not an excuse for not being there, but.. You're just so much like your mother. When I see you it's like looking at her. Nico too, both of you are like miniature Maria's. “

Another nod. Bianca looked like she wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she immediately closed it again.

“I can tell that you're uncomfortable, and I just want to remind you that my brothers won't hurt you-”

“No! “ Bianca interrupted, “Sorry, no. That's not- I mean- Would you still love me if I was bad? “

“Bad? What do you mean? You're not bad. Have you joined the Hermes boy? “

“Never! I just mean- Mama's church always talked about how bad it was if.. Girls can't like other girls, right? and.. I just- I think about girls in the way that people tell me that I should think about boys! I don't.. Like boys. “ Her lip quivered, and she felt like vomiting on the ground.

Hades covered his mouth, his eyes widening. Bianca had never seen anyone, especially a God, so shocked.

“Your mother didn't want me to tell you this, you or Nico.. But, it will do you some good. You might remember, that when you were around 6, Maria and I took you two out for a picnic? “

“Mhm.. What about it? “ Bianca wiped a stray tear off of her face.

“Do you remember your mother’s friend, Seph?” Hades asked.

“Yeah.. She was weird. Like she felt tired and radiated energy at the same time. I think Lady Artemis gives off the same vibes, just generally powerful. Why..? “ Bianca trailed off, having a feeling that she knew what her dad would say next.

He hesitated, “Bianca.. Your mother also felt attraction towards women, as well as men. That ‘friend’ of hers is my wife, Persephone, whom she was dating as well.”

“What? Are you kidding me? “ Bianca wanted to scream, and if she hadn't been at a party on Olympus, she would have, “My whole life I felt like I was weird and different, and Mama was just like me? I get why she hid it from us but you waited this long to tell me? It would have helped to know growing up! “

“Bianca-”

“No Dad, why didn't she tell us, why?” Bianca said, tears streaming down her face

“She- We wanted to protect you, both of you, from my brothers, from the war, everything. It hurt Maria so much to keep it all from you two, but she loved you both so much. I promise. We both love you so much. “ He hesitated, looking around for a moment, “I must go.. Be good, Bianca, you'll hear from me soon. “

Before she had a chance to protest, Hades melted into the shadows, leaving Bianca gaping and alone. After a few moments, she decided not to return to the sensory overload of Percy's table. She wandered through the halls, keeping the buzz of the party in mind as she went. It wasn't long before she, already lost in her thoughts, almost tripped over someone.

“I'm so sorry- Thalia? Why are you sitting on the floor? I thought the hunters left already.” Bianca asked, confused to see her friend again.

“Artemis started to catch up with some of her minor goddesses' friends and she told us that we could mingle until we have to leave before sunrise” Thalia explained, Bianca noticed that she was holding something in the palm of her hand and sat down next to her

Bianca narrowed her eyes, “What's that?” She asked, knowing exactly what Thalia was hiding in her hand.

“Nothing I need to be showing you. “ Thalia retorted, trying to shove it into her pocket.

“Very funny, Thals, I can see the pack of cigarettes, though. “

Thalia unclenched her fist, glaring slightly at Bianca, “How'd you know? “

“Talent.” Bianca smirked.

“Want one?” Thalia asked, extending her hand.

“You know what, why not?” Bianca said, feeling rebellious.

Thalia lit two up and handed one to Bianca, Bianca grabbed it and took a drag, lost in thought, they sat there for a few minutes before Bianca spoke up.

“How do you deal with learning life-changing information, Thalia?”

“What, like learning that you were a tree for 6 years? And that your best friend is a traitor to Olympus?” Thalia asked sarcastically.

“No, more like.. like your mom wasn't the person you thought she was.” Bianca sighed.

“I mean from what you told me your mom was practically perfect, so I'm going to assume she was hiding something? To protect you and Nico?” Thalia guessed.

“Yeah, I don't wanna talk about it, though.” Bianca admitted, still lost in her thoughts

“That's fair. Anyway, give up the cigarette. I should be a good role model, and that involves me not giving my cousin a cigarette. “ She outstretched her hand, and Bianca sighed and handed her the cigarette.

After a few more moments of silence, Bianca spoke again, “Is it weird that I'm.. Nervous? To see Nico again? He could scream at me for leaving him, and I'd deserve it. I'm scared. “

“Yeah, but he still loves you. He'll probably break your ribs hugging you first, then he'll scream. “

“You're right.. I just- I have a weird feeling.” Bianca sighed.

“Pretty soon, you'll have to find out. “ Thalia gestured to the rising sun.

She stood, helping Bianca up before hugging and exchanging personal goodbyes. They walked together, back to the party, and were immediately pulled away into their now separate groups. Bianca stopped paying attention, being only aware of Argus picking them up in the camp van before she zoned out again.

Bianca sat in between Percy and Annabeth in one of the camp SUVs, lost in thought and fidgeting with the Hades figure.

“Bianca, you ok?” Percy asked, slightly concerned.

“I'm nervous to see Nico again.. and I know I shouldn't be, but I'm scared and-”

“Hey, it's ok. Breathe,” Percy said, rubbing Bianca’s back.

Bianca started to cry, and it took Percy and Annabeth the entire drive back to camp to fully calm her down.

“I'm sorry! “ Bianca sniffled for the dozenth time, “I'm sorry, I need to go clean myself up, if any of you find Nico, can you tell him where to find me? “

“Of course! Take your time. “ Percy looked around, as if trying to figure out where everyone at camp would be.

“I gotta get back to my cabin, my siblings will be worried. “ Annabeth hugged Bianca, “Good luck! “

After splashing her face a couple of times, Bianca sat down on a bench in front of the big house, anxiously waiting for Nico. It wasn't long before she heard him, or his screaming.

“Bianca! “ Nico wailed as he ran to her, faster than she had ever seen anyone run.

She jumped up, catching him when he threw himself at her. They both started crying, and Nico held true to Thalia's prediction, nearly breaking her ribs.

“I thought you were dead! “ Nico sobbed, “I had a dream- You weren't moving- Stuck under something- And then- Last night- a Huntress died! “ He buried his face in her shoulder.

She only then realized that she was crying too, “I left them! I left the hunters and I'm not going back. I'm not gonna leave you again, Neeks! “

They could have been there for hours and she wouldn't have cared, all of her guilt was crashing down on her, heavier than anything she could imagine. After a lot of sniffling, Nico finally stood, wiping his tears and snot with his jacket sleeve.

“Do you wanna see what I've been doing while you were gone? “ He asked, a glimmer of his childlike demeanor returning.

Bianca didn't have a choice, not that she would have cared, she didn't even protest as he dragged her, still slightly crying, towards the Hermes cabin.