The War God was waiting for us in the diner parking lot. Along with the taste of blood and knives in my side there was a new sensation, burning shadows, faint but present.
My eyes narrowed.
"Well, well, well," he said. "You didn't do half bad."
He was smirking at us.
I pursed my lips but forced myself to follow my training from Triton.
"It was an interesting quest. Were our rating's good?" I held out his shield.
He laughed, "Through the roof."
He took the shield from me and spun it in the air like pizza dough. It changed forms to a bulletproof vest. He slung it across his back.
"See that truck over there?" He pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner.
Studying it I noticed a faint buzz from it. I was willing to bet that he manipulated the drivers into parking there.
"That's your ride. It'll take you straight to L.A., well, with one quick stop in Vegas."
The eighteen-wheeler with a sign on the back. I gave a mental thank you to whoever designed the sign, in white on black, nice and easy to read. KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT, WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.
"Does it have air-conditioning," I muttered.
The heat out here was already killing me, that truck was gonna be miserable.
Ares snorted, "Sorry Cuz, you're outta luck there."
He snapped his fingers and the back door of the truck unlatched.
I blinked when I suddenly felt vague shifting sands, drifting across my skin like a faint breeze had stirred them.
"Here's the supplies I promised you."
He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it to me.
It had a faint electric feel, barely noticeable.
I opened it, finding fresh clothes for all of us (did we really need leather pants though?), fifty bucks in cash, a pouch full of golden drachmas, two flashlights, and a lunch box that felt faintly chilly. I couldn't figure out where the magic in it was otherwise though.
I handed the bag to Grover, who slung it over his shoulder.
"We appreciate the reward for the quest. You also mentioned knowing something about my mom?" I questioned with a dip of my head, my fingers instinctively twisting into the proper motion of thanks before I realized that's an undersea thing, he probably wouldn't know it.
"Yeah," he said, gaze lingering on my hand. She's not dead."
My shoulders slumped, and I looked away, towards the diner.
I bit back a groan then when I saw the waitress who'd served us for dinner dragging a fry cook from the kitchen out to see us. He nodded and snapped a picture on his phone.
"What little cousin, you don't seem happy to hear that."
I tilted my head back to him, "My apologies, I already suspected that she was taken. The gold made me pretty convinced that she wasn't dead. It is nice to have confirmation now. Thank you for confirming it."
His eyes gleamed, "Well good for you Cuz, figuring that out on your own."
He swung onto his motorcycle and flashed us a smirk. My eyes narrowed on it, a faint burning shadows feel was still present, coming from there.
He revved his Harley, then roared off down Delancy Street, the knives in my side and the burning shadows leaving with him.
"Well," Annabeth said. "I guess we should get on the truck."
The three of us shared a look, but reluctantly ran across the street and climbed into the back of the big rig, closing the doors behind us.
OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO
The first thing I noticed was the smell, like the world's biggest pan of kitty litter. The second thing to hit me was the heat, it felt like I was sitting in a furnace. The third thing I felt was the way the buzzing vanished (though the taste of blood remained, much fainter than before though).
I wrinkled my nose as I looked around the inside.
It was pitch black until Grover pulled out the two flashlights, illuminating the darkness and revealing a very sad scene.
There was a row of filthy metal cages and inside them were three of the saddest zoo animals I've ever seen. A zebra, a male albino lion, and some kind of antelope.
Someone had thrown the lion a sack of turnips, which he obviously wasn't going to eat. And the zebra and antelope had each gotten a Styrofoam tray of hamburger meat. The zebra's mane was matted with chewing gum and the antelope had a dumb silver birthday balloon tied to one of his horns that read OVER THE HILL.
The poor lion was apparently too scary for the same treatment, but it was still pacing around on soiled blankets, in a space way too small for him, and panting from the stuffy heat of the trailer. He had flies buzzing around his pink eyes and his ribs were showing through his white fur.
My heart ached, these poor animals, especially the lion. It looked like it hadn't had a decent meal in weeks.
"This is kindness?" Grover snarled. "Humane zoo transport?"
He looked ready to right back out to beat up the truckers with his reed pipes, and I would've joined him with my knife, but just then the truck's engine roared to life making the trailer start shaking. We had to sit down so we didn't fall over as the truck started moving.
We huddled in the corner on some mildewed feed sacks and tried to ignore the flies. I pulled out the med kit and pulled the blanket out so we could sit on it. I flicked open my waterskin and spread a thin layer over the blanket, activating the woven sea grasses that started rapidly cooling off, giving us a nice chilled seat.
I then dug through the kit to see if there was anything I could use to help the animals, maybe I could coat them in some water to cool them off?
Grover was trying to talk to the animals, speaking in goat bleats, but they just stared at him sadly.
I perked up when I noticed a water jug. I grabbed it and twisted my fingers to guide the water out of the jugs, then wrung the dirt and impurities out of it with a twist of my wrist (something I got good at over the years of cleaning the rivers near home). I flicked my fingers and guided the water into their bowls.
"Can we switch the foods?" Annabeth asked.
"I could use my trident?" I offered.
Getting agreement from her and Grover, I summoned my trident from my bracelet charm, using it to drag the foods out of the cages and switching the food. The lion got the meat and the zebra and antelope got the turnips split between them.
" Thank you, Prince."
I blinked, staring at the zebra.
I mean, I guessed it's a kind of horse? And I could talk to the Pegasi at camp…
"Uafoto," I said.
Wait if I could talk to it we could probably let it out. But then, the cage probably gave it a relatively steady place to stay while the truck moved. Probably best to not let it out.
"Why'd you say ua-foe-toe?" Annabeth asked, Grover giving me a strange look.
"It said thank you."
Annabeth blinked, "Yeah but what does ua-foe-toe mean- wait you can understand zebras?"
"I mean," I shrugged. "I think it's horses, and zebras are connected to horses I guess? I've never really looked into them. And uafoto means 'you're welcome'."
She hummed, giving the zebra a thoughtful look.
"What language is ua-foto?"
"Halmaheran," I said as I shoved the medical kit back in my bag.
Grover interrupted our language conversation to ask Annabeth to cut the balloon off the antelope's horn, which she did while Grover kept the antelope calm.
"Can I cut the gum off the zebra's mane?" She asked, looking at the zebra.
We considered. It would probably be dangerous with the truck bouncing around, but if I could keep the zebra calm enough we might be able to manage.
We decided to ask the zebra.
"Hey," I said softly, settling in front of the zebra's cage. "Would you let us get that gum out of your mane?"
"You wish to help me, Prince?"
I nodded, "Yeah, I want to help. But you'll need to stay very still so we can cut the gum out safely okay?"
The zebra nickered, leaning towards me, " As you wish, Prince."
I opened the cage carefully, and Annabeth leaned in to cut the gum out. I gently pet the zebra's nose, soothing it and keeping it still.
Once she finished we closed the cage again, promising to help them get out of here in the morning.
I also paused to carefully coat them in water, cooling them off.
The lion made an almost but not quite purring sound, settling down to bask in the cool water. The antelope and zebra did similar, a soft thank you from the zebra making me smile.
The three of us then settled on the nice and chilled blanket (I made a mental note to thank Lagi when I next saw him, this blanket was amazing).
Annabeth dug through the bag and pulled out the lunch box, opening it to find sandwiches, fruit, chips, water, and Oreos.
We left the sandwiches, but did all grab some fruit and chips, nibbling half-heartedly while settled on the blanket. I reminded myself that we were nearly to Los Angeles, where my mom was, and where the Bolt would hopefully be.
I had no idea what would happen next, but we seemed to be doing alright so far.
"Hey," Annabeth said suddenly. "I'm sorry for freaking out at the water park, Percy."
"It's okay," I assured her.
"It's just…" She shuddered. "Spiders."
I nodded, "Because of the Arachne story. She got turned into a spider because she challenged your mom to a weaving contest. Though the myths vary on who won."
She nodded, "I mean technically the myth is Roman, but Arachne's children don't seem to care. They target children of Athena, not all of us but some of us… They really don't like me, if there's a spider within a mile of me, it'll find me. I hate the creepy little things. Anyway, I owe you."
"We're a team, remember?" I flashed her a smile. "We're all in this together."
I paused, "Have you ever tried talking to the spiders?"
She gave me a look.
"I'm just saying, my dad made horses and I can understand them. Technically your mom made spiders-"
"Percy, I'm not talking to the creepy crawly death bringers."
Grover snorted where he lay next to us.
"Okay, okay," I said, hiding a smile.
Annabeth nibbled on an apple slice. "In the Iris message… did Luke really say nothing?"
I munched on my chips while I considered how to answer. The conversation with Luke made me feel rather uncomfortable, I didn't like what was insinuated. I really didn't like how he spoke.
"Luke said you two go way back. He also mentioned something about Grover and a oak tree.
It was a bit hard to read their expressions with the flashlights pointing out.
Grover let out a mournful bray.
"I should've told you the truth from the start," His voice trembled. "I thought if you knew what a failure I was, you wouldn't want me along."
I pursed my lips.
"You were the satyr who tried to rescue Thalia." It wasn't a question.
He nodded glumly.
"And, the other two half-bloods, those were you and Luke," I looked at Annabeth. "Right?"
She put down her piece of fruit.
"Like you said, Percy, a Half-Blood child alone wouldn't have made it far. Athena guided me towards help, Thalia was twelve and Luke thirteen. Both of them had run away from home too. They took me in, watched out for me, trained me. They were… amazing monster-fighters, even without training. We traveled north from Virginia without any real plans, fending off monsters for about three months before we ran into Grover.
"I was just supposed to get Thalia to camp," he said, sniffling. "Only Thalia. Khiron gave me strict orders: don't do anything that might slow down the rescue, get her to camp safely no matter the cost. I couldn't just leave Luke and Annabeth though, I thought I could do it. I thought… I thought I could lead all three of them to safety."
He looked away, a miserable expression on his face.
"It was my fault Thalia died. I messed up, I got scared and took wrong turns… If I hadn't been so afraid, if I'd just been faster and smarter…"
"Stop it," Annabeth snapped. "No one blames you. Thalia didn't either. You did everything you could-"
"She sacrificed herself to save us," he said in a choked voice. "Her death was my fault. The Council of Cloven Elders said so."
"They don't sound very smart," I said. "I mean, you're good, but if that was your first assignment… that wasn't smart to send a satyr on such a dangerous first assignment. And they certainly shouldn't blame you for not leaving two kids to die."
"Percy's right," Annabeth said. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for you, Grover. Neither would Luke. The Council is full of old sots that shouldn't have the power they do. Even Mr. D said it wasn't your fault, didn't he make them suspend judgement?"
Grover sniffed, "Yeah… But still, I've got to be the lamest satyr ever. I found the two most powerful Half-Bloods of the century, and I screwed up getting both of them to camp."
"You're not lame," Annabeth insisted. "You've got more courage than any other satyr I've met. Name one other who would dare go to the Underworld. I bet Percy is really glad you're here right now."
She kicked me in the shin.
"Ow," I muttered. "But yeah, it's not luck you found us. You've got a big heart Grover, the biggest of anyone I know." Except maybe Samoa. "It's why you're going to be the one who finds Pan."
I heard a deep sigh, and waited for Grover to reply, but his breathing only got heavier. When the sound turned to snoring, I realized he'd fallen asleep.
I snorted, "He did that all the time at Yancy, I still don't know how."
"Me neither," Annabeth said. "But that was really nice of you to say."
"I meant it," I said firmly. "You mentioned before, on the train, that someone you knew had had dreams of Hades…"
She winced, "I did."
"That was Thalia, wasn't it?"
She looked away, "Yeah."
We rode in silence for a few miles. I nibbled on my chips, the Zebra munched on a turnip and the lion licked the last of the hamburger meat off his lips and looked at me hopefully.
I wondered if I could pull the meat off the sandwiches for him.
Annabeth was rubbing her necklace as she stared off, looking deep in though.
"That oak-tree bead," I said. "Is that from your first year?"
She looked, as if she hadn't realized what she'd been doing.
"Yeah," she said. "Every August, the counselors pick the most important event of the summer, and they paint it on that year's beads. I've got Thalia's oak tree, a Greek trireme on fire, it washed up on the beach that summer and we had a cool bonfire, a kentaur in a prom dress, the party ponies are crazy, a golden sun, the Apollo cabin decided they wanted to learn to make light… Mr. D had to call Apollo to fix it, and then the red tree, the Dryad wanted Connor and Travis dead for messing with her tree like that."
I nodded, listening with interest, "And the college ring? It's your father's?"
"That's none of your—" she stopped herself, looking away. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."
"You don't have to tell me," I murmured. "I shouldn't have pried."
"No… it's okay." She took a shaky breath. "We talked before, how your mom is nice, but my dad isn't… he sent me the ring, two years ago, folded up in a letter. It was his main keepsake from Athena, he wouldn't have managed his doctoral program at Harvard without her…"
Annabeth fingered the necklace.
"Well he, he said in the letter… he apologized for being a jerk, he said he loved and missed me and wanted me to come back home and live with him."
I frowned, "So… he tried to improve?"
She snorted, "Yeah supposedly, I believed him, and I tried to go home for the school year. It didn't work… my stepmother didn't change at all. She didn't want her kids in danger living with a freak like me. Monsters attacked, we argued. Monsters attacked, we argued. She refused to listen to me, just kept pointing to her kids, said I was endangering them with my 'pagan religion'... she basically called me possessed one time. My dad never spoke against her."
She was staring at the wall, her expression pained.
"I didn't even make it through winter break. I called Khiron and came right back to Camp Half-Blood."
I considered her, that didn't sound pleasant at all. I thought of mom, and Gabe. She never spoke out against him either, she just defended me in her own quiet way.
Was her dad trying the same? Was her stepmom that horrible that he was afraid of what she'd do if he went against her?
"Maybe you should tell your dad," I said softly.
She looked at me with a frown, "What?"
"Well… does he know that your stepmom was hurting you with her actions? Was he there for the fights and stuff?"
She pursed her lips, "He couldn't have not known about them."
I thought to my mom again, who I never once told about Gabe hurting me, who still didn't know about all the time I spent in the sea or the friends I'd made beyond my vague mentions of them.
"I'm not so sure… parents can be kinda dumb."
Her lips twitched slightly.
"I'm not going to hurt myself more," She murmured. "Not for his sake."
I nodded, "That's fine. You should take care of yourself first. But maybe you could send a letter, being in contact with him doesn't mean going to live with him."
She studied me quietly for a long moment.
…
"Yeah… I suppose it doesn't."
We sat quietly for another few miles.
I thought of the war we're trying to prevent; how crazy it seemed that we were going to succeed. We were twelve (going on twenty-something for Grover) and we were having to stop a war that would destroy the country.
What would the other Gods do? Would they join the war? Would it be like the Trojan war? Years of war with no clear winner? Just ending in a massacre?
"So…" I hesitated.
"Yeah?"
"If the Gods fight… Will it end up like the Trojan war again? Have there been major wars between the Gods in recent years?"
She turned to look at me, her lips pursed.
"Well, there was the war that happened while World War Two was going on. It was kind of right alongside it from what I understand. The actual cause isn't talked about much, but I think it had to do with a Hades kid messing with all the spirits from World War One."
She shifted positions, expression tight.
"The details are murky, but Some Poseidon kids got angry about it and some Zeus kids sided with the Poseidon kids… there were a lot more of them back then you know."
I nodded, I'd figured that was the case.
"Well, the war was bad, sure the mortals war was a big deal, and really horrific on its own, but the Godly war going on then too… well, it was really bad and definitely upped the death toll on both sides. I know that one or two Zeus and Poseidon kids sided with the Hades kid, I think that was the only one of the time actually…"
"Makes sense, I don't think there are any examples in the myths of Hades having kids."
"Yeah… actually I can't think of any… Half-Blood kids of his are recent." She frowned in thought before shaking her head. "Regardless, it was a nasty war. And the Gods didn't even get that involved themselves."
I grimaced, "So this one would likely be worse."
"Probably." She sighed, "I don't know what the war will be like, I do know that no matter what happens I'll side with you, Seaweed Brain."
I smiled, "Thanks, I'm glad you're my friend."
She nodded, gaze determined, before laying back and settling down.
"We should get some sleep," She mumbled.
"Night," I whispered.
OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO
I floated in the air, above a tall peak.
Medusa was helping Lara climb over some high rocks, the sky dark and filled with stars.
Lara looked older, eighteen or nineteen maybe.
Years had passed since I last saw her.
"We're almost there," Medusa murmured. She had a parcel tucked under one arm as she steadied Lara, who had almost stumbled back, with the other.
The two climbed higher, Medusa helping Lara get over the really steep parts.
Finally, they reached the top, me alongside them.
I gasped, the top was covered in soft flowers, thousands of wildflowers spread out. The sky above (though Lara couldn't see) was filled with millions of stars, glittering like jewels.
"It smells so nice here," Lara murmured, tilting her head and breathing in.
"That would be the flowers, red poppy, capparis spinosa, chrysanthemum, and anchusas."
"Wow," murmured Lara. She bent down to gently run her fingers over the flowers. "They sound beautiful."
"Not nearly as much as you are," Medusa murmured.
Lara blushed, "Why have you brought us here?"
Medusa led her through the flowers, Lara stepping carefully to avoid stepping on the flowers, her brow furrowed as if in concentration.
"It's been three years now, three years since you washed up on the beach. I have come to realize that…"
"Yes?" Lara asked, tilting her head towards Medusa.
"I care for you greatly. I wish for… I wish to be able to court you. Properly."
Lara's eyes widened as she opened her mouth. Then closed it.
There was a long moment where she seemed to register what Medusa said.
I felt like I was intruding, like this wasn't for me to see. But I couldn't leave.
"I-"
"If you don't wish for it, I understand. I will respect your choice regardless."
"No, that's not, it's just," She flushed. "I hadn't realized you liked me like such. I… also hold great admiration for you. I would- I would be honored."
Medusa lit up, a brilliant smile on her face as she swept Lara into a hug, the package held awkwardly in hand.
"I'm- I'm very happy."
She suddenly stepped back and handed the package out to Lara, "My apologies, I meant to gift you this at the start."
Lara carefully took the package from her hands, fumbling slightly as she unwrapped it.
It revealed a soft fur (fox fur I think) shawl. The kind that looks like a mini cape and goes around your shoulders.
"It's so soft," she whispered, running her fingers through the fur.
"Fox fur," Medusa said. "I gathered the pelts myself. The softest I could find. I wanted to do this this proper way, with the proper gifts."
Lara shifted, fumbling with the clasp on the shawl, before managing to throw it over her shoulders, fixing the clasp shut.
She lunged forward suddenly, wrapping Medusa in a hug.
"Thank you."
The two hugged, Medusa's snake hair hissing softly as the snakes threaded through Lara's hair, starlight bathing the scene in a gentle light.
I smiled, my heart lifting. They looked so happy.
"Lara, I lov-"
My dream shifted.
I guess I'd gotten used to my dreams to other places and times, so having a normal nightmare was strange.
I was being forced to take a standardized test, but I was wearing a straightjacket. All the other kids were leaving for recess, and the teacher kept chiding me, Come on, Percy. You're not stupid, are you? Pick up your pencil.
And then I realized something was different, I looked over and saw a girl sitting there, also wearing a straitjacket. She was my age, with unruly black, choppy-cut hair, dark eyeliner around her electric blue eyes, and freckles across her nose.
I knew who she was, Thalia, daughter of Zeus.
She struggled against the straitjacket, then glared at me in frustration and snapped, Well, Seaweed Brain? One of us has to get out of here.
She was right, I needed to get out of here. I wanted to find out who the Titan is. I needed to go back to the cavern.
The straitjacket melted off and I fell through the classroom floor. The teacher's voice changed to a smoother, deeper tone and echoed from the depths of a great chasm.
The familiar sensation of shifting sands curled over me.
"-and the exchange went well, things are going exactly as they should. I will have what I need soon."
I was back at the dark cavern, the first time I'd been able to purposefully guide my dreams. I wonder if I can do that again?
"And he has no suspicions My Lord?"
A voice I knew, though I couldn't place it. I frowned, trying to identify it. The only sensation was the shifting sands, I couldn't sense anything else.
"He will aid us, I have spoken to him as well. He has no suspicions towards the thief, and while his loyalties are strong, I am able to work with them rather than against them."
"I could have brought you what I stole directly—"
"You?" Mr. Pit Voice said with slight scorn in his voice. "You have made your limits clear. Your attempt was a failure, though you managed to steal the items you failed to deliver them like was needed and would have failed entirely if not for my intervention."
"But My Lord—"
"Be at peace, clever little thief. The six-month delay is not as disastrous as it could have been. My traitorous son's anger has only grown, and Poseidon has become desperate enough to throw his son into his brother's path. While the expense of my power is displeasing, I will regain strength quickly once the items are in my hands. You need not worry, soon you will have all I have promi-"
He broke off.
"Ah I see we have a little listener."
I stiffened when I felt his focus shift to me.
"Hello, Little Half-Blood. It has been some time since you have visited me."
"You summoned him, My Lord!?"
"No, the Little Half-Blood brought himself hither."
"It's Percy," I corrected (again).
"Of course, Little Percy."
"But that's impossible!"
"Perhaps for you, but this child of the sea is rather powerful," The Titan said.
"Were you talking about me? It's not very nice to talk about people behind their back Mr. Pit Voice."
I felt a faint prickling on my fingertips.
"Oh, is that the sea kid again? I love that kid."
"My Lord?" The voice I sorta recognize questioned.
"Go and rest, your sleep will be free of dreams."
The other was suddenly gone, leaving only me and the Pit Voices.
"Ha, you just kicked him out."
The gold-eyed pit voice ignored his laughing friend.
"And how goes your journey to the west, Little Percy?"
"It's not Little Percy it's just Percy," I insisted. "And it's going fine… Did you do something?"
My eyes narrowed as I glared at the pit.
"Who's that one?" asked a new voice, bringing with it a feeling of numbness edging my senses as I blinked at the faint spots in the corner of my vision. "I thought you only had one obnoxious minion right now."
I bristled. "I'm not His minion!"
"Right, follower then."
"I'm not His follower either! I don't even know His name!"
"Oooh, you're one of the poor saps he's screwing with then."
"Hyperion I will throw you to Nyx." Snapped Mr. Pit Voice.
I brightened, wow so that was Hyperion, cool. He was still mean though.
"Does that mean you're not going to tell me your name?" I asked in disappointment. "And do you talk to a lot of kids through dreams?"
"Yeah brother dearest, do you talk to a lot of kids through dreams?" snickered the other voice, the prickling one.
"Ignoring my idiotic siblings, you are the only one I speak to that brings yourself to my… humble abode."
I frowned, "So you bring others to speak to you? Why?"
"I am simply requesting assistance," The voice spoke smoothly. "In exchange I offer aid to them, as I am doing with you. Bring me the Bolt, and I ensure that your mother gets returned to you safely"
"I still don't have the Bolt," I pointed out. "And I really can't let a war happen. I'm one of the sea's princes and I have a duty to the people that live in it. I can't let a war happen."
"He sounds like Okeanus," muttered Hyperion.
"Hush," chided Mr. Pit Voice. "An admirable goal, Little Percy. You need not worry, Okeanus will not allow war. Should it reach that point He would step in and prevent it."
I pursed my lips, "I still have to stop it from reaching that point. Sorry, I don't think I can help you."
The voice hummed. "I'm sure a compromise can be found in time."
"But we don't have time. The summer solstice is only like, six days away now."
The voice chuckled, "I have all the time in the world. You need not worry Little Percy. You wish to protect the sea, I understand. But you must see what you are doing in aiding the Gods. These are the Gods you would protect."
I opened my mouth to question him, to ask what he meant, but I was falling suddenly, my vision black.
OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO
Triton POV
I hummed as I finished the responses to the generals. Once this was done I had a more personal letter to write.
Mevu might not be letting me leave, and I might not be able to assign the quest I wanted to without meeting with the quest goers in person, but there was still one thing I could do.
One particular deity owed me a favor.
It was time to cash in on that favor.