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Chapter Text

Percy was tired. 

And so very angry. 

She kept seeing Luke's face, the promise she had made that she just knew would barely last her lifetime. 

What was the point. 

She sighed, tilting her head back, letting her dark hair loose from the bun she had it in. 

It was short now, cut to just below her chin. Normally it was tied up, out of her face. For a few years, she had used it to hide her face. But she had given that up after Zoe. 

She wanted them to look upon her face, the face that the "Great Goddess of Loyalty" who abandoned them all, had worn. 

And suffer. 

But she did do everything possible to appear as different from "Perseleia" as possible. Short hair, dark clothes. Favouring navy, maroons, reds, black, grey, white. 

No sea colours. 

No yellows. 

The marble was cold against her back, as she sat on the steps of Olympus, overlooking New York. 

She had turned down immortality, just a mere ten minutes ago. 

It felt like a fever dream. 

"Thought we'd find you out here," a voice came. 

Percy looked back to see Annabeth and Grover walking-limping- toward her. 

She stood up, brushing the lint of her pants, adjusting the armour. 

Still red with Luke's blood. With so much blood. 

"Hey," she offered lamely. 

"You doing okay?" Grover asked, his brown eyes a bit too good at seeing for their own good. 

No. 

"I don't know," she said, knitting her fingers together. 

"But I do want to leave. You guys up for some food?" 

Annabeth and Grover grinned at her. 

She felt a smile cross her face, enjoying the moment with her friends. 

Her family, really. 

"I'm so hungry, I could eat a goat," Annabeth complained as they headed for the elevator. 

"Hey!" Grover said, nudging her with his elbow. 

"I'm proud of you," Annebeth whispered to Percy, their shoulders brushing in the elevator. 

Percy shrugged. 

"It was the least I could do. Maybe they'll sit up and do something." 

"Maybe." was echoed back to her. 

Percy couldn't find it in herself to care at this point. 

She wrapped a lock of grey hair around her fingers. 

Yet another thing that compared her to the Athenide. 

Hooray. 

She didn't want to despise this person she had never met. She didn't want to feel these things. 

But she did. 

Because the Athenide, the Athenide showed the love and compassion that the gods were capable of. And she showed the abandonment, and the isolation they commit as well. 

They all grieved her, even though she had been dead for centuries. 

Ignoring their other children whose deaths they could prevent. 

Letting them die, simply for the reason it was too painful for them. 

Percy clenched her hands into fists, trying to push back the anger. 

She just needed to sleep it off.

She grabbed Annabeth's hands, as they stepped out of the elevator though. 

She wanted that. 

Poseidon was struck by how much his demigod daughter looked like Per-her.

It was the Styx's curse, making her appear like her. 

She wasn't her. 

She was too brash, loud, disrespectful. She seemed to hate what the gods stood for, but yet she still saved them. 

She was still his daughter. 

And for that, he would still love her. 

As much as he could love anything with a broken heart. 

Athena loathed the daughter of Poseidon. 

She walked around, wearing her daughter's face, and her daughter's mannerisms and her laugh. 

It hurt, and it cracked the cold facade that had been Athena ever since her daughter had turned to water in her hands. 

Since her sobs had become the only music Athena could hear. 

She scoffed and turned away from the girl, close with her friends, her daughter's smile  . 

It had been time enough to mourn. Mourn her other failures. 

Her daughter would be avenged. And Annbeth Chase would be Athena's weapon of reckoning. 

Chapter Text

Percy scuffed her too small sneakers. They were pinching her feet now, but she didn't want to bother Mom. Mom was busy. Percy was fine. 

She inched away from the people looking at her. From the voices. 

"Unnatural eyes," they whispered, "Look at her clothes." 

Percy peered down at her jeans, with marker scribbled stars. 

She always felt off. Especially around the voices. They were so mean. 

She played with the strings of her favourite blue hoodie. 

She wore blue, all the time. Or as much as she could. 

Gabe hated the colour. She hated Gabe. 

Hated the leering. 

The smell of cigarettes in the apartment. The alcohol that coated his breath when he got in

her face. 

She hated him.  

Percy used to dream that her dad, her real dad, would come and take her away. Save her and her mom from Gabe. They would live happily ever after. 

She had given up on that dream years ago. 

She snuck up to the top of the building, the sky dark above her.

A little eight year-old, huddled in the corner. 

Mom wasn't home yet. Percy never felt safe being home with just Gabe. 

She looked up at the stars. Wishing they would swoop down and take her far, far away. 

Percy had dreams sometimes. Dreams of a different place. Of a beautiful fountain, people with kind eyes. Flowing fabrics and laughter. The sea swirling around her.Owls and horses and a sneaky raven. 

She always woke up. 

They were just dreams. 

But she still loved the ocean. 

The ebb and flow of the tides. The way it soothed. Mom didn't love Percy going to the ocean though. But she could watch it. Watch the rivers. 

And dream. 

She tilted her head back and inhaled the smoky night air, crisp on an April night. She was hungry, but not hungry enough yet. She could wait. Wait until she knew Gabe would be too entrenched to come after her. To watch her with those eyes. 

She remembered when she started going by Percy. 

Mom had called her "Percy Leia" as a joke between them for years. But Gabe had mocked that. Mocked the sunshine. Threw stones at the birds and the foxes and stubbed cigarettes into her arm when she complained. 

It was just Percy now.  

And that was okay. 

She heard owls hooting in the distance. 

And sat there, on a cold rooftop in New York. 

Alone. 

Annabeth watched Kore. 

She had asked to go by that when they turned fourteen. 

When the whispers at camp about her appearance had really started. When Mr D never looked at her face. When Chiron always looked sad talking to her. 

She had gotten Silena to chop her hair. Give her bangs. Hide her. 

She ditched the blues and greens she had loved so much. Except in private. 

Annabeth worried for her. 

The childhood dreams she had once had of finding the Athenide had died after the First War. She just wanted to be free of it all really. Like Kore. 

But then Kore went missing. 

And Athena, Minerva had forced the Mark of Athena into her palms. This quest that she didn't want forced on her shoulders. 

Kore was slumped over a deck rail, staring down at the soothing ocean below. 

Annabeth smiled. Kore hated and cared about the Greek side of her family in equal measure, and when Annabeth had heard the stories of her childhood, of the schools she had went to, she had begun to understand. 

They had shared secrets in the dark, of being bullied, being on the run. The hatred and the hurt they had endured and yet they kept smiling. Sometimes, anyway. 

Kore wore a long sleeved black turtleneck, cropped just above the waist of her grey jeans. Dull colours. 

Her hair was longer now, curlier. 

Tied up again. Showing off the face that the gods both loved and hated. 

Annabeth remembered the time in Cabin Three, when Percy had whispered to her in the dark. 

"How could the Athenide have turned her back on us?" she had asked, "She's the goddess of Loyalty, of demigods. But she's not here. If she really cared, if she was really as good as all the gods say she was, she wouldn't need to be found. She would fight tooth and nail to come back." 

The words echoed in Annabeth's mind now, haunting her, along with the quest. 

She hadn't told Kore yet. 

She would soon. 

"Are you going to keep watching me, or do you want to talk?" Kore was peering over her shoulder, flashing green eyes at her. 

Annabeth grinned at her sister and walked over, standing shoulder to shoulder a the prow of the boat. 

Facing the sunrise. 

Piper was not panicking. 

She had called Drew last night. Apologised. For everything. 

Piper didn't know why she had done that. But the urge to was so strong that she did. They both had broken down. Understanding that Aphrodite was different and so were they, but that didn't make them have to hate each other. They were sisters. 

She felt lighter, after it. 

But seeing THE Percy Jackson against the boat rail, making THE Annabeth Chase laugh, was still shocking. 

Annabeth and her were friends, of the loosest definition. And Piper hadn't really spoken to Percy since she came on board. 

But she hadn't heard Annabeth laugh like that. Ever. 

And the feeling like lightning when she had seen Percy's face up close.
She was an atom by atom replica of the Athenide in appearance. 

She remembered the film her dad had done. He had been Menelaus of Sparta, in "The Illiad". They had done months of research on it. All of the tapestries of the Athenide and sculptures, but Percy Jackson was the real thing. 

"She walks like the goddess they buried in memory—same eyes, same bearing, same echo of forgotten thunder. But they hate her for who she looks like. Who she is a reminder of. They won't ever see just Percy Jackson. They'll always see Perseleia. And that will haunt them." 

Drew's words echoed in Piper's mind.

She turned away from Annabeth and Percy, letting them enjoy the few moments of serenity as the sun painted the horizon. 

She walked right into into Coach Hedge, who watched the girls. He was silent too, but he grabbed her arm as she tried to walk by.

"The gods love her for the echo she carries, and hate her for not being the one they lost. She spends her life walking sideways through fate, hoping it won’t see her." he said, his tone melancholy as he walked away. 

Piper sat down. Echoes of Drew's words and Coach Hedge's mixed and blurred together. A truly cursed existence.

Her heart heavy. 

She couldn't imagine what that must be like. Piper had spent so much of her life hiding who she was. What she was. Ashamed of it. Percy Jackson would never get that chance. Piper rested her head on the table. What a cursed life indeed to be forever seen as what you're not.

Chapter Text

"Hey," Percy reached out to grab Grover's shoulder. 

Grover turned to her. 

"If something happens to me," she began, but Grover bleated. 

'If something happens to you, something happens to me," he shot back. 

She rolled her eyes. 

"Tell me friends, from Goode?" she asked, "Explain. I know that it will hurt Grover, but I need you to do this. Please." 

He stared at her, soft brown into stubborn green. 

"Nothing will happen," he said. 

She looked at him. Hard. 

"Fine." he said. 

She grinned at him, then turned and jogged off. 

He watched her go. Watched her form disappear.

Worry curdled in his gut. 

Gods, he hoped nothing would happen to Percy. 

He didn't think any of them could survive it. 

 Percy leaned her head against her mom's shoulder. 

She was catching up to her now. In height, at least. She offered her mom a weak smile as Paul Blofis came over.
Percy watched as her mom's face lit up. 

She had never seen her this illuminated. 

Percy fidgeted with her short hair. The grey streak taunting her. Tucking her hair behind her ears, shoving the distraction away, she offered Paul a smile too. He was kind. And he made her mom happy. 

That was all Percy had ever wanted for her mom. 

"Hey Percy," Paul grinned, the smile lines by his eyes crinkling. Her mom really has a type. 

"Paul," she nodded back, fidgeting with her jacket. 

When she had come back after-after Mount Tam. After Thalia had-. 

She had thrown out almost every single piece of green and blue clothing. Yellow too. Her mom had asked why she wanted to donate so much of it. 

Percy had dodged the question. 

Apollo's face when he had caught sight of her flashed in her mind. 

She had been wearing blue, a silver Hunter's puffer jacket on top. His eyes had widened. Tracked her features. Artemis had frowned at him. The lapse was momentary, but obvious to Percy. He didn't look at her again. Avoided her existence. She had seen the flinches the gods had done when she stepped forward at the Winter Solstice. 

Her father had winced. W i n c e d. 

Proving that he had meant it when he had said he wished she had never been born. 

Athena had gone pale. 

Apollo had pulled down his sunglasses. Zeus had glared at her. 

Dionysus had merely buried his face in his wine. 

They were all so pathetic. 

She cut her hair anyway. Threw the clothes out. Changed her look. Went skateboarding. Drew monsters to her. Just to feel like less of a failure.
Zoe and Bianca had died. 

The gods had hardly blinked. Artemis just offered Thalia the position. Offered her a way out. 

Percy shook her head to clear it as Paul turned back to her.
She pulled the zipper up and down, toeing the combat boots Silena had given her. Grey turtleneck, tucked into dark navy jeans. Black puffer jacket. Second-hand. But she felt good in them. 

"So Percy,' Paul asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Excited to meet everyone?" 

She cracked a smile at that, and watched his face light up. Gods, he was like a puppy. He really wanted this to go well for her mom. 

"Sort of?" she offered, "Nervous, I guess?" 

He grinned at her. 

"There are a few new students this year, I thought you might like an introduction." 

Percy glanced at her mom, who nodded encouragingly. 

"Sounds good." 

Paul led her over to a group of four students. A red head, blonde, a kid who looked vaguely familiar, his dark skin catching the autumn sunlight. Another person with- green hair?
Percy blinked at that. Huh. 

"Hey guys!" Paul exclaimed, with all the enthusiasm of an English teacher opening a new novel, "This is Percy Jackson! She's new too." 

They all turned to look at her.

She waved. 

"Hi." 

"Are you the kid who caused the national manhunt?" the green haired (girl, boy?) asked. 

She shrugged, "Yep." 

"Cool. I'm Alex." the green-haired kid offered. 

Percy offered her a smile. 

Then caught the red-haired girls face. 

'Rachel Elizabeth Dare?" she exclaimed. 

Rachel raised a brow, "Hi Percy Gotta-Go." 

She laughed at that. A real laugh. 

The two other kids, huddled closer together took a step forward. 

"I'm Sadie Kane," the girl pronounced, with a sound British accent, then elbowed the boy next to her, whose face Percy just couldn't place. 

"This tongue-tied dork is my older brother, Carter." 

"Hi." She tried. 

Alex shoved her-their hands into a pink parka. 

"So is your name really Percy Jackson. It's a cool name, and all, and trust I'm in no place to judge." they shrugged. 

Percy winced. 

"It's Perseus Leia Cordelia Jackson. Sort of a mouthful." 

Sadie nodded thoughtfully, "It fits the whole mysterious I-look-like-a-goddess-and-hate-it thing you've got going on." 

Percy paled. 

No. No. No. 

"Sadie," Carter hissed, his voice sort of soothing, "Gods, I'm sorry, she has no filter. That's Sadie-speak for you're ridiculously pretty." 

Percy blinked at him, her hair swishing a little. She noted his use of the word "gods." Beth would be interested in that. From the way Rachel's eyes narrowed, she wasn't the only one. 

"You think I'm ridiculously pretty?" she blurted. 

Alex snorted. 

Carter blushed, the tips of his ears going red as he stammered, "No! I mean yes- of course you're pretty, it's not that you're not not pretty-I mean models wished they looked like you- I mean!"

Sadie, seemingly taking pity on her brother, stepped on his foot. 

"Ignore the junior professor." 

Percy just grinned. 

Paul came over again, "Guys, orientation starts, you better head in!" Disconcertingly, his enthusiasm was sort of contagious. 

The Kanes nodded and followed after him, and Rachel darted over to Percy, grabbing her arm. 

"Explanation." the girl demanded. 

Percy gulped. 

Alex walked behind them, a smirk forming across her face. 

Maybe school would be interesting this year. 

Apollo replayed the Winter Solstice in his mind. Her face, over and over again. 

He painted it, and then burned those paintings. 

The girl's resemblance to her grew more and more every year. Apollo hated it. Hated this feeling in his gut of longing and self-hatred. 

He blamed the demigoddess for it, but still watched. Maybe he just enjoyed torturing himself. Her snarky responses. The not-quite loathing in her eyes. 

Watched as she blushed when the dark-skinned magician, Horus's latest favourite stumbled over his words.

It burned. 

He watched anyway. 

Loki hummed as he saw the demigoddess who is-was-will be-will never be a goddess walked with her-his daughter. Felt the swirling change around her. The longing for choice.
For freedom. 

They-she could offer it. 

Freedom. 

The one thing that he-they craved the most. 

He watched and flowed. She cackled as her daughter grew closer.
The pieces were settling into place. And although he flowed like a river, all rivers were drawn to the sea. 

Time would flow.
The game was set. 

They were ready. 

Horus watched in his favoured mind as the demigoddess approached. Wearing battle and war as bravely as she did anything.

He approved. A strong match. 

His favoured liked her. 

Whatever that meant.

Carter Kane was more complex than most of his favoured. Perhaps that was why he liked him so. But this Percy Jackson would do great things. He could feel the Loyalty wafting off her. 

He nudged his mother, making her look to the Duat. See the glow that the girl radiated. 

"Strong." his mother agreed. 

"Sadie likes her," she continued. 

He sent Carter's feelings over to her. 

They both mulled, pushing to the back of their favoured's minds. 

They would not interfere. They would allow time to run its course. 

"We must watch for the Truth. For Sunlight." his mother warned. 

Horus nodded. 

The gods of the Greek Pantheon were possessive of their own. 

Even as they hated the girl, they loved her. 

They would need to be careful. 

Carter laughed as Percy linked arms with Sadie. 

Very, very careful.

Chapter Text

Everyone was staring at her. 

From her hair, to her eyes to her face. 

Part of her felt like she should feel unnerved, or nervous about this. 

But anger raged inside of her. 

She had fought off gorgons for weeks, and carried an old lady who turned out to be a goddess into camp. 

She had destroyed said gorgons again, in front of them all, and yet they still stared. 

“Why are they all watching me?” she whispered to Frank, a Chinese-Canadian who had freaked out over introductions. 

“Most of the people here have never fought gorgons. Or seen demigods able to do..well that. There’s also the thing with your hair.”
Percy reached up, fidgeting with the hair that brushed below her shoulders, the grey streaks entwined in it. 

“What’s wrong with my hair?” She asked. 

“Nothing, nothing,” Frank backtracked, “It’s just, well, a lot like Nero Fides.”
“Hate her.” Percy responded. 

She didn’t know that, but she could feel the deep instinct to say that. Whoever that was, Percy Jackson hated her. 

“Do you really not remember anything?” Hazel asked. Dark skin, with amber-golden eyes shining. 

Hazel and Frank were about ten months apart in terms of age, although Frank was a lot taller than her. 

Percy noted that. 

“I know my name,” she began, ticking it off on her fingers, “I now know my godly parent, Pose-Neptune,” she self-corrected, “And I vaguely remember three faces, and their names. Annabeth, Carter, and Sally. I think Sally is my mom.”
With that she forced her hands back to her sides, focusing on the sights around her. 

“New Rome” was beautiful, but also felt sort of off. 

Like she didn’t belong here. 

“Come on Percy,” Hazel said, grabbing her arm, “I’ll take you to the auger first, and then the

baths! If you love water, trust that you will love these.”

Percy offered her a tight smile.

 Everything would be fine. 

Hazel was right. 

***
Everything was not fine. 

The Octavian guy would not stop staring at her. 

He killed her panda plushie. 

Rude.

She loved that thing. 

And he kept murmuring “Nero Fides,” and “returned?” to himself. 

Very, very, odd. 

And unnerving. 

He looked anaemic. And his hair looked like under-cooked noodles. 

Percy nodded to herself. 

Maybe he needed a bath. 

He glared at Hazel throughout that encounter, and Percy found herself counting the moments until it was over. 

“So earlier,” Hazel began, twisting her fingers anxiously, “You mentioned that you, um, disliked a goddess. Are there any others we should be aware of?” She peered up at Percy and Percy resisted the urge to coo at her a little. 

She was like a little kid, big eyes, and nervous questions. 

Then the nauseous feeling, as well as a hatred for the idea of having kids blossomed in her gut, and Percy turned away, fixing her eyes to the horizon. 

“I don’t know yet.” She replied, semi-stiffly, “I’ll let you know if and when the feeling to hate a god strikes again.” 

Hazel giggled. 

Percy shoved the nausea down.

Breathe. 

***
“Kneel.” the god intoned. 

Percy stayed standing, looking at him directly. 

“Ares.” she said, cocking a brow. 

His form flickered for a moment, and realisation flickered in, before the army fatigues returned. 

“Ah, you’re a child of the sea,” the god said, looking her up and down. 

Percy rolled her eyes. 

“Yet, you have seen more war and battles then all here before me.” 

Frank grabbed her hand and tried to pull her down. 

She yanked her hand back and crossed her arms. 

“Kneel, child.” the god ordered. 

“I kneel to those I respect. ” She shot back, “And I’ve beaten you once. I could do it again.”

Hazel gave her a weird look. 

Whatever memory that had been, it was once again out of reach. 

Finally, Frank pulled her to a knee. 

It was better than nothing. 

Octavian’s eyes remained fixed on her. 

Burning into the back of her head. 

She worried in silence. 

Agreeing to take the quest with Frank. 

He and Hazel were just kids. 

And despite the fact that the idea of children made her sick, she wasn’t going to abandon them. They helped her. 

It would get her out of this camp, away from the ever present eyes, at least. 

***

Minerva watched. 

The webs weaving, spinning, looms. 

She wasn’t right. 

She wasn’t here. 

The girl, the blonde. 

She would do. 

Minerva wanted to see her daughter. She was not a monster for sending the others to die. They understood collateral damage. In order to weave, she must cut. 

She had to. 

But she would still watch the imposter. The pretender. 

Who walked around with the face that she could not replicate. 

Minerva had been patient for so many years. 

Forgiving to so many failures. 

She has had enough. 

***

Apollo didn’t feel. 

Much. 

Of. 

Anything.

He saw the girl with her face and the anger and the grief. 

He couldn’t bear it. 

So he stayed away. Away from his children, which were once the sunspots of his life. Away from his sister, and her knowing eyes. Watchful eyes. 

He played songs that had no purpose and laughed with no meaning.

Every sunrise he suffered. 

Every sunset he forgot. 

He sighed, leaning against his lyre, watching the sea grace the shores of Delos. Feeling the grass and breeze against his skin. 

Pushing the prayers away. 

Pushing her away. 

He fixated his eyes toward the horizon, ignoring the other gods, and their simple plans. 

The sun would always rise again. 

Chapter Text

The boat cut through the water smoothly, flowing neatly into the currents. 

Frank and Hazel had passed out just a minute ago, hands entwined. 

Percy leaned against the prow of the boat, watching the sunlight reflect on the water. This was easy. It felt natural, pushing and pulling the water slightly, getting it to move where she wanted. 

She tucked a stray hair back into the braid Hazel had done, all big eyes, looking at Percy like she was her big sister.
That had made Percy’s chest feel warm, and images of girls flashed in her mind. 

A red-head, with piercing green eyes. Two blondes, one with blue streaks and a smirk, the other with stormy grey eyes and a hand outstretched. One green-haired, pink parka, leaning against a pier railing, head tilted back in a laugh. 

As quickly as the flashes came, they vanished, creeping away like morning mist. 

She sighed, tilting her head back to catch the remnants of golden hour. 

Breathing in the peace. The motions of the water were the only sound. 

“Hello.” a voice came.
Percy clamped a hand over her mouth to stop the scream, whirling whilst the boat rocked dangerously. 

Evening it out, she flicked a wrist and summoned her sword, turning to face her attacker who-. 

“Oh.” she let out, easing her posture. 

Not defenceless, but not so aggressively on the attack. 

The god raised a golden brow. 

He was standing on the water, easily keeping pace with the boat. 

“Oh?” he repeated, a laugh caressing his words. 

Percy tried very hard not to shudder. 

The way he looked at her was.. Unnerving. 

As if he knew her. 

She didn’t like it. 

He had golden hair, short enough, and bright blue eyes. Simple blue jeans and a white t-shirt. 

Ray-bans perched on his head. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen this face,” he murmured.

Percy tilted her head at him. 

“We know each other?" 

“We did. We do,” he sounded mournful, his hand reaching out to caress the edge of her jaw. 

She held herself stock-still, distinctly uncomfortable. 

“You wear it well.” he continued, lost in his own world, “So close, so close to her. The temptation to just..” he trailed off. 

Percy took a step back. 

He grabbed her arm. 

“Wait.”

“We need to move,” she said, as calmly as she could, trying to twist her arm away. 

“No.” he ordered, his grip like iron. 

“I need, ” he shuddered, his pupils dilated. Fixated on her mouth.
“Just once,” he whispered, “just once, to remember.” 

Percy felt terror and fear and horror and something deep and heavy sink into her stomach. 

Images of a boy, with cedar eyes, and dark skin. Laughing with her. Rolling a shirt up to his forearms. Holding her. Dancing. Leaning together. 

He spun through her mind. 

Carter. 

The god reached his other hand for her face, and Percy flinched. 

His hand stopped, suspended in mid-air. 

He froze. 

His hand let go. 

“Perseleia,” he begged, “ Please.” 

Percy urged the boat onwards, tears starting to pour down her face. 

“Leave me alone,” she hissed. 

He fell to his knees where the boat was. 

Looking like a sinner begging for salvation.

For what, Percy didn’t know.

She didn’t look back. 

Chapter Text

Jason watched, frozen as Reyna pushed her way through the crowd. 

He and Piper, a relationship invented by the Queen of the Gods, had decided to just be friends. A middle finger to Juno, as such. 

He felt his heartbeat triple as she strode toward them, reading her face like a poem he knew so well. 

Then Annabeth stepped forward, eyes searching. 

The crowd parted. 

Jason felt his mouth go dry. 

“Is that a goddess?” Piper murmured to him. 

Leo’s jaw dropped. 

A young woman swept through the crowd, dressed in the praetor colours of purple, with a breastplate tied over a purple t-shirt and blue jeans. 

Two others walked in her wake. 

Black hair, grey streaks. Sea green eyes that saw through you. A face carved by the gods.

She was striking. 

A leader. 

She looked like Nero Fides. Or the Greek goddess of Loyalty. 

“Hey,” she said, looking at Annabeth, a lopsided smirk, throwing off the eerily symmetrical face. 

Annaebth rushed forward and grabbed the girl in a hug. 

“Gods,” Annabeth said, pushing away to hold the girl at shoulder’s length. 

“Perseus Leia Cordelia Jackson, if you ever do that to me again, I swear,” She started. 

The Percy Jackson had the nerve to laugh. 

Laugh. 

At Annabeth Chase. 

When she was angry. 

“Trust me, you have my full permission if this ever happens again,” she said, her voice musically floating through the crowd. 

Leo was drooling. 

Jason elbowed him. 

Annabeth grabbed her in another hug. 

Jason shoved down the simmering jealousy that had struck when he had learned the girl’s name.
Hero of Olympus. 

She was a Praetor of New Rome. 

But then he thought of all the horrible things that had happened to her. 

He thought of how she would forever live in the shadow of Loyalty. 

He didn’t envy her. 

Not for that. 

***
Leo thought that Percy Jackson, or Kore, as Annabeth called her, was stunning. 

Terrifyingly pretty. 

Definitely out of his league. 

But one hundred percent his type. 

Strong, fierce, brave, beautiful and funny. 

He sighed, from where he devoured his tacos. 

Except the fact there was something about an Ancient Egyptian wizard god deal. 

“Yeah,” Leo thought to himself, appraising Percy’s side profile, did she murder someone to get that? Leo wanted to know who, and their next available appointment, “Pretty, and funny. But I’d rather not get smited by Egyptians.”

***

Kore.

Percy had forgotten she had gone by that at Goode. Ditching Perseus and Leia, and sticking with Cordelia. 

Trying to achieve some distance between herself and the goddess that haunted her steps. 

When Annabeth- her sister- had said it, it had felt right. 

Kore. 

She smiled, letting  the sun’s rays warm her skin. 

A new beginning. 

***

“What do you mean, you don’t know how you blew up New Rome?” Percy demanded. 

Leo Valdez, whose name she had heard about a minute ago just blinked and shook his head. 

So much for new beginnings. 

“Right,” Annabeth said, her curly blonde hair turning golden in the sunlight. 

“There’s nothing we can do about it now. What do you need to fix the ship? And Kore, do you think you could do some mist or fog, give us a bit of a cover?” 

Percy nodded. 

“Right then,” Annabeth’s voice faded, as Percy tried to remember which way was up in this labyrinth of a ship. 

Clearly the ADHD demigod on steroids had built it. 

She sighed, gripping the deck as she reached for the clouds swirling around her. 

It was going to be a long day. 

At least she was out of that camp. 

With the eyes that followed her. 

At least she was away from Octavian. 

He never did anything, but she could feel him. 

That was enough. 

She wanted to get back to New York. Back to Brookylnn. 

Leave this craziness behind, 

“Does the Twenty-First Nome do Iris-Messages?” she wondered aloud. 

***

Nero watched. 

And pondered. 

The goddess he had been named for was lost to history. 

But this demigoddess?
Resembling “Perseleia” in so many ways… 

She would be one to watch. 

And when the time was right, well Nero couldn’t be held accountable. 

He would hold this to himself for now. 

He wouldn’t brother Caligula and Commodus. Besides, the two of them typically over-complicated things. 

Nero had this handled all by himself. 

***

Poseidon watched his would-be daughter. 

Resembling Perseleia in every way. 

Almost. 

The girl distanced herself from Perseleia as much as possible. Poseidon supposed he couldn’t blame her. 

But he wished to see his daughter’s face. 

His little girl who had died with no explanation. 

He never got to apologise.

But the impertinent demigoddess, who he loved and despised in near equal measure walked around calmly wearing her face. 

 She didn’t care. 

The sea r a g e d. 

What it possessed once, it will again. 

She would have to come back. 

She’d have to. 

***

Hera and Juno smiled from where they hid. 

The kingdom was strong. 

The demigods were on their way. 

The plan would succeed. 

And if she was free of a few bastards?
Well, that was simply a bonus. 

Chapter Text

Percy leaned against the prow of the Argo 2. Remembering really. 

She ran her fingers over the Pit Scorpion scar. Shaped like a star, its outline was pretty, despite what she had gone through to "earn" it. 

She looked up at the sky. 

She couldn't believe it. 

Another quest. Another prophecy. 

Part of her wanted to laugh. Part of her wanted to cry. 
The sky was the colour of Thalia's eyes. Jason's eyes. 

Gods, how angry she had been at Thalia. 

Long Beach was quiet.

Most of the campers had traipsed back to the cabins. 

Percy sat alone, watching the waves rush to the shore.

Footprints dotted the sand. 

Her breath puffed out in clouds. 

She wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging herself for warmth. Dressed in a thick grey fleece, and light blue jeans. Her feet bare, the water heating them. 

She heard her before she saw her. 

Thalia. 

She walked unapologetically toward Percy. As if she belonged. As if she hadn’t just abandoned them and thrust the prophecy on Percy’s shoulders. 

Percy’s jaw clenched tightly. Remembering the look on her father’s face. The light blue she had been wearing only highlighted it. 

She pulled at the jeans she was wearing. Wanting to rip off her own skin. It wasn’t fair. 

This would never be her face. She would forever be wearing “Perseleia’s” face. 

She would never be just Percy Jackson. And she raged. 

“Hey,” Thalia said, thumping down beside her. Legs outstretched. 

Percy didn’t reply, focusing her eyes on the horizon. Listening for the harpies. She could take them now, but she wasn’t in the mood for it. 

“Listen,” Thalia started, “I know how you’re feeling, I was there, I was in your place and I just want to say-” 

“If you say “sorry”,” Percy gritted out, “I will cut out your tongue.”

Thalia’s silence was loud. 

Percy rolled her neck. 

“You were in my place. You of all people should have understood. Instead, you escaped, you got out! And I’m stuck here! Gods, Thalia, “I know how you’re feeling”. Fuck you.” 

Thalia let out a startled laugh. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Daughter of Poesidon. You’ve never been me. Abusive mother. I’ve been  on the run since I was ten years old. I’ve never had a family. Never been loved. You do everything right. Everyone watches you and fucking loves you for it. I died a nd everyone stares at me! You don’t get to throw this shit at me! You don’t get to do that!” Thalia rose to her feet, shouting at the end of her tirade.

The smell of ozone crackled in the air. 

Waves began to crash against the beach. 

“I don’t get to do that?” Percy hissed, pushing to her feet, turning to face her cousin. 

“I had an abusive step-father. I couldn’t run. Couldn’t abandon my mother.Your precious Luke tried to kill  me. I’ve been hunted by monsters since the day I was born. I walk around, and everyone flinches at the sight of me. I’m wearing the face of the person who abandoned us. The minute you open those fucking blue eyes, everyone FORGOT about me! I don’t matter. I’ve never mattered. And now,” Percy laughed hysterically, the waves rising higher and higher, “Now I’ve just been handed a death sentence. By you. My blood is on those white fucking hands.” 

Thalia screamed at her. 

Percy screamed back. 

Lightning and sea water collided. 

Both girls were slammed to opposite sides of the beach. 

They both lay there. 

Winded. 

Staring up at the stars where Zoe now roamed. 

Percy rose to her feet first, unsteadily. 

Thalia lifted her head to look at her, an expression of defiance on her face. 

Percy just let out a tired sigh. 

“Gods Thalia,” she croaked, “We are just like them, aren’t we?” 

Thalia huffed a laugh at that. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Percy began. 

Thalia scoffed, looking at her blistered skin. 

The ocean was wafting over Percy’s feet, healing the blisters swiftly. 

“But I don’t forgive you. Not for this. Not for making me feel more like a ghost than I already did. Maybe someday..” she trailed off, shaking her head. 

“But not today.”  Thalia finished. 

Percy turned and walked for Cabin Three, leaving the Lieutenant of Artemis looking up at the stars. 

****

The temple of the Wise One was quiet. 

Somber. 

It had been distanced ever since the loss of her first born. She had distanced. Removing herself from earthly concerns, aside from those of war, and bloodshed. 

But now, she crept into a room that was sealed by dust. After the Winter Solstice. 

The old door creaked open, and Athena was thrown into so many memories. 

Getting Perseleia to trust her. 

Singing her to sleep. 

Laughing and chattering about courtly politics. 

Arguments over Athena’s logic, and lack of empathy, and Perseleia’s rashness, and recklessness. 

The room was dusty. 

There were one set of footprints that escaped it. 

She came here twice a year.
Twice a year only. 

To remember. 

To allow herself to feel. 

Just twice a year. 

She collapsed onto the bed, which had long lost the scent of rain over stone, and a sea breeze. The flowers that once hugged the headboard were lost to time. 

Athena lay there for a while. 

Unseeing. 

Then the tears began to flow. 

She lost herself in emotion. 

Chapter Text

"How is everyone?" Percy asked Annabeth, leaning against her cabin door. The room was a mess, as always. You'd think Athena kids would be neat freaks, but Annabeth's mind spun around around, and around, usually resulting in a messy cabin. 

Papers were strewn everywhere, yarn tossed into a corner. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, staring intently at her laptop. 

"Everyone?" She repeated. "Like your mom? And the girls?" 

Percy squashed the urge to ask about Carter. She would talk to him herself. In time. 

"How are they?" she asked, crossing her arms. 

"Your mom, she's tired. Worried. Paul was worried too. They hate that you got pulled into this again. We never can quite escape it." Annabeth sighed, "They've been amazing though." 

She smiled at that. Paul and her mom were amazing. They deserved everything. 

Percy anchored herself on the calm sway of the boat on the water. 

"And the girls?" she prompted. 

"Less fun without you," Annabeth answered, "I haven't seen them all in one place since that day at Rachel's house. Somethings going on with Alex too. And my cousin." 

Percy thought back to that day. 

Everything had felt so much simpler then.

“So,” Sadie started, from where she sat on Rachel’s bed, braiding Percy’s hair. 

Rachel and Annabeth were in the corner doing their nails. 

And Percy was next to fast asleep, the feeling of her hair being braided soothing. 

Rachel and Annabeth had become close after the Labyrinth. Most did after a death-defying incident like that, Percy supposed. 

“So?” she echoed, yawning. 

‘What are you going to do about Carter?” Sadie asked, finishing the braid. 

Alex looked up, to where she (currently) was aggressively attacking a dress with scissors.
“Oh, Carter?” she said in a sing-song voice, “I see the way he looks at you.”

Percy went bright red. 

“Carter’s just being nice. He gets being in someone else’s shadow,” Rachel and Annabeth scoffed.
“Besides,” Percy said, throwing her hands up in the air, “He likes Zia. That Zia Rashid girl.” 

Sadie started to laugh. 

Alex blinked in surprise, “You really think that?” she asked, tilting her head like an owl. 

Percy folded her arms and looked away. 

“Kore,” Sadie said in between giggles. 

“Guys, she’s serious,” Rachel noted. 

“Why do you call me Kore?” Percy deflected, turning to Sadie. 

Sadie twirled a hair around her finger. 

“You said you don’t like “Percy” all that much since it reminds you of someone. So, Cordelia then. Still your name. Kore, for short. Greek-inspired to boot, matching that weird thing you and Annabeth have going on. Carter thought of it actually,” Sadie said, wrinkling her nose in a way that made her look a lot like her older brother. 

Kore. 

“Isn’t it an epithet for Persephone?” Percy asked Annabeth. 

She nodded thoughtfully, “Kore,” she tried out, “I like it. Suits you.” 

“Kore.” Percy repeated, “Persephone always returns to her mom. They really love each other. I like that.” She nodded to herself. 

Missing the smiles that were traded around her. 

“But in all seriousness,” Alex began leaning toward Percy, “You’ve got to notice the massive crush Carter has on you. And it’s so sweet that he doesn’t push, and is happy to just be your friend, but it’s so obvious you like him.” 

Kore shook her head. 

“I’m telling you,” She enunciated, “He likes Zia. Whoever that is,” she shrugged, trying to play it off. 

Her purple jumper rose with the motion.

Sadie smoothed down the shoulders from where she sat. 

‘Kore,” she began, “You are one of my best friends. And I love you,” she winked, “But Carter likes you. I would know, I’m his sister. I live with his yearning for you. And the way he laughs when he reads your notes, the way he lights up when he sees you, the way he stresses about looking good, just in case you compliment him?” Sadie shook her head, “It’s obvious to everyone but you.” 

Kore sat back, leaning against Sadie’s shins. 

“Is it?” she whispered. 

Annabeth came over, nails blue, and still drying. 

“I know, that obvious affection makes you nervous. You have this ridiculous notion that when people get to know you, they won’t like you. That they hold you up to someone else, and you forever fall short,” Percy shrunk away from those words, “But Kore, Percy, you are amazing,” she emphasises, “Honestly. You are loyal, kind, and beautiful. Maybe try looking into the mirror, and seeing what we see?” 

Kore was silent. 

“He really likes me?” she asked hopefully. 

Alex threw a pillow at her. 

She laughed. 

“But Percy,” Sadie, said seriously, “Don’t hurt him. That’s my brother. Please.” 

Percy looked at her. 

Hugged her, hard. 

Kore. She who returns. 

She likes it. 

Chapter Text

“Right,” Annabeth leaned toward them all, hair pulled back out of her face. 

“Frank and I get tar, and Hazel, Percy and Leo get the lime and the Celestial Bronze then?” She asked, looking around the table for confirmation. 

She wasn’t comfortable leaving Percy to go with someone else. But Percy believed she was best suited. 

“It’s a lake,” she had said, shrugging, “Daughter of a Sea God, should be fine.” 

Then she had moved to conversation to Iris Messages, and Annabeth knew she should dig deeper, but sometimes, sometimes Percy wasn’t ready to talk about things.

And that was fine. Annabeth had been working on burying her natural curiosity. 

*** 

They landed on an eerily white beach. 

“What does lime look like?” Hazel asked, scanning the surrounding area, “Are we looking for those weird green fruits?” 

Leo snorted at that. 

“No, it’s like white powder. Calcium carbonate,” he explained. 

Percy watched the way Hazel’s eyes traced Leo’s profile, brow wrinkled as if she was trying to place him. 

“White powder,” she repeated, “Like the beach?” 

Percy crouched down, looking at the sand. Weirdly round shapes. 

“Exactly,” Leo whipped out a little trowel from his toolbelt. (Percy wanted one, but for food. She could finally master smuggling food into a cinema). 

“Well, Miss Metal Detector,” he said, bowing to Hazel, “Lead the way to the Celestial Bronze.” 

Percy laughed. 

Leo’s eyes widened as she did. 

Gods, he reminded her of Grover. Of Harvey too. 

She pulled a little at the empathy link as they walked. Grover was sleeping. That much she could tell. 

She also got a really weird craving for enchiladas. 

“Get down!” she hissed, grabbing Hazel and Leo. 

She caught sight of a motorbike, and a lady perched on it. Definitely some type of goddess. 

And her last meeting with a god, had been uncomfortable to say the least. 

Apollo. 

She felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise up, and she squashed the memory determinedly. 

“What-?” Leo started, but then stopped, “No...” 

Percy peered at the lady again, her face still shadowed to her. 

“How?” Hazel began, her hands shaking“No, that is impossible. She should be dead.” 

Percy racked her brains. 

"Do you guys trust me? She asked as they lay flat against one of the sand-lime dunes. 

‘Yes." They confirmed. 

Percy stood up then, brushing sand off her red jumper, and adjusting her grey jeans. 

“Come on then.” 

Hazel and Leo, both still dressed in the bright attire of Camp Half-Blood and Jupiter respectively, stumbled after her. 

Percy didn’t know what goddess she was. 

But just figured that it was unlikely she’d want to kill them. 

Then the lady turned, and Percy saw her face. 

Her own face, looking back at her. 

With silvery streaks in her hair matching Percy’s simple grey ones. Biker gear, but a visible blue t-shirt underneath. 

Percy tripped. Her breath stuttered. 

“You.” she breathed. 

Perseleia tilted her head at Percy. 

“How interesting.”

Percy-no, no,  no, Kore inhaled. 

Her eyes narrowed as she took in the goddess. Biker outfit. Fortune cookies. Weird tires. 

It was on the tip of her tongue. 

“Aunt Rosa.” Leo blurted, “You look like my Aunt Rosa.” 

Perseleia threw her head back, and laughed. 

Laughed Kore’s laugh. 

She scowled at her, feeling the familiar pull in her gut as she searched for nearby water. 

“Mrs Leer,” Hazel whispered, her shoulders rounding as she curled into herself, “She, she was my teacher. Dead now, of course.”
Hazel glanced at Leo after that, then quickly away. 

“And you,” Perseleia stood finally, tilting her head like Annabeth as she focused in on Kore. 

“Who do you see?”

“I see,” Kore’s voice cracked, “I see Perseleia. My own face.” 

There was silence.

Perseleia threw her head back in laughter. 

“Of course. The one person you will never escape. She follows you in every mirror. In every eye. Except his, of course.” 

Kore’s brow wrinkled in confusion. 

“Nemesis.” Hazel said. 

The goddess or retribution. Vengeance. 

An eye for an eye. 

Nemesis looked at her again, and sighed, “Are you sure you don’t want-”
“No.” Kore-Percy interrupted, “Leave me alone.”

Hazel inhaled the blatant disrespect, but the goddess merely vanished. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Percy said, staring at the spot the goddess had been. 

She watched as Leo slipped the fortune cookie into his pocket. 

***

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Percy groaned. 

There were nymphs fangirling. 

Over a boy.
Who was staring at his reflection in the water. 

“Oh my,” Hazel cursed. It was sort of adorable how she said that and then peered around to make sure no one heard. 

“My.” a voice repeated. 

‘Did you hear something?” Percy asked. 

Leo shook his head, “Of course it's over a dude.”

“He’s not a “dude”,” a nymph corrected them, a banner in hand, with a big.. Heart on it?
“He’s the love of my life!” she cried. 

‘No mine!” another nymph cried. 

“He belongs to me! I’m going to marry him!” a third argued. 

Percy stared at the boulder next to her. 

Slamming her head into it would probably hurt less than whatever the hell was going on. 

She groaned.

“Excuse me,” she whispered, pushing through the crowd, elbowing nymphs out of her way. 

“Let me just,” she continued. 

The nymphs hissed and jeered at them, Leo and Hazel hurrying after. 

“Bronze is just up ahead,” Hazel muttered to Percy, tugging on her sleeve. 

Percy spotted the guy then. 

He was pretty. 

Not handsome. 

Pretty. 

Ew. 

“Hey there,” she said, tapping him on the shoulder, ignoring the nymph’s outraged gasps. 

The boy shrugged his shoulder, staring into the water where… 

Holy Mother of Ares. 

Of course he was looking into the Celestial Bronze. 

“Excuse me,” she tried again. 

He peered over to her this time, looking her up and down. 

“My lady,” he murmured, before turning back to the water, reaching out to his reflection. 

“I am so, so perfect.” he said. 

Narcissist much? 

Narcissist. 

Wasn’t there a myth about a boy and his reflection? 

“Mhm,” Percy hummed, “Whatever, are you using that?” 

The boy looked down. 

“That’s me. I know you love me, as I love me, but you cannot have me. I am too perfect.” 

Percy snorted. 

The glade went silent. 

“Are you laughing at Narcissus?" a nymph hissed. 

Percy turned to her, frowning. 

The nymph paled, the green from her complexion fading. 

“My lady,” she said, stumbling backward, “I am so, so, sorry My lady, we didn’t know.”
Percy raised a brow at that.

Turning back to the water, she flicked her wrist, causing the water to shoot the Celestial Bronze high in the air. 

“Um, Percy,” Hazel said, “In the myth, Narcissus gets very aggressive when someone tries to do that. Echo says that he goes, well, ballistic.” 

“Ballistic.” A voice came, and Percy peered around to spot a nymph standing by Leo, shifting into the rocks. 

Percy looked down at the boy, who rose to his feet, looking rather ugly as he frowned at her. 

“Give it back,” he demanded, the nymphs creeping over to him, “It is me. Paints me in bronze. I must have it.” 

Percy took a step closer, keeping the small spout of water up. 

“You must? ” she repeated, cocking her head at him, “Well, that’s a real pity.”

With that, she raised her knee, and got him where the sun, well.. didn’t shine.

Narcissus doubled over in pain, and the bronze flew over to Percy like a frisbee. 

“What..?” Leo stared at him. 

‘What do we do?” Hazel cried. 

“Gods, I thought it was obvious,” Percy cried, breaking into a sprint, lugging the bronze, “We run! I don’t want to see what it feels like to be on the other side of a boulder.” 

The three bolted, Echo alongside them. 

The bronze was heavy, but Percy had the longer strides, so they were well in pace. 

She could hear screaming now. 

“Shit, shit, shit, shit,” she mumbled, ignoring Hazel’s pointed outcry. 

“Go for the Lake,” she cried, and passing the bronze over to Hazel, formed a wave that should wash them over the deck of the Argo Two. 

Where they lay collapsed, Echo with them. 

“Let’s never do that again,” Hazel panted. 

Percy broke into laughter. 

Echo shifted until she was beside Percy. 

“Going to return?” Percy asked. 

“Return.” Echo replied decisively. 

“Godspeed.” She said, clasping the nymph’s shoulder, before easing the lake and sending her off. 

“You’re Ethan’s mother,” Kore said, focusing on the moss behind Peresel-Nemesis’ head. 

The goddess merely hummed in response. 

“I wish I could stay,” she crooned, running her fingers along her bike, “But I have Tyche to compete with. Stupid fortune cookies. That little do-gooder won’t do much against me.”
The water was getting closer now. 

Kore gripped it tightly, slipping her hand down to her pocket. 

“The Celestial Bronze is up ahead,” the goddess continued dismissively. She bent down, and snatched a fortune cookie out of the bag, throwing it to Leo. 

“When no answer comes, break this. It will grant you what you seek. For a price, of course,” 

She peered back at Kore again. 

“Beware two of my own await. The Flower and the Lost Voice. You will not escape this unscathed Gentle One.” 

Kore stepped forward, the water swarming her, crystallising into blades of ice. 

“I am not her. Don’t call me that.” 

Chapter Text

Percy flipped the drachma in her hand. 

Would she call him? 

Would it even work? 

She grabbed one of the pictures Annabeth had stuck on her walls, hoping to spark Percy's memory. She smiled at it. The four of them were squashed into it together. Laughing. 

It was the summer before it all. 

After she found out about Carter. After Carter had found out about her. 

She smiled at the memory of it all.

Carter rushed through the streets of Brooklyn. You would think, being the Eye of Horus, monsters would think to leave him alone. 

But no. 

He was spending his summer, learning as much as he could. 

This is usually when Sadie would interject and rant about him day-dreaming about a certain girl, or trying to build up the courage to call her. 

But she wasn’t part of this world. And Carter just couldn’t pull her in, despite his feelings. Despite the way she understood how he felt suffocated in his father’s shadow. Despite the way when she laughs she throws her head back and her eyes crinkle and-. 

Back to the matter at hand.

He ducked into the nearest mall, glancing behind him nervously. Sadie was in London, with her “British mates” so he was handling this solo. 

He slowed his run to a walk, trying to seem less suspicious, though as a black teen in Brooklyn, he still got the odd look. But his shirts and slacks seemed to dissuade most people. 

He had been going to a museum showing when he was semi-ambushed, explaining the posh attire. 

He hurried into a clothes shop, and glanced behind him, keeping his steps even. 

No sign of it. 

Then he walked right into someone. 

They both lurched backwards, and the girl toppled over, the clothes in her arms pulling her down. 

“Oh my gods,” Carter began, hand outstretched to help her up, “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was-”
“Carter?” Percy asked, from where she was sprawled on the floor. 

His heart stopped, skipped a beat. She was here. And everything else seemed to fade away for a second. 

All he could see were those beautiful green eyes, looking at him, seeing him, full of concern and laughter. And all he could think about was how badly he wanted to kiss her. 

But he was in a department store. She was on the ground. And the Apshait was chasing him. Planning to eat him.

Shit. 

He couldn’t get her mixed into this. 

He heard the stomping from behind him. Of course, on the day he runs into the literal girl of his  dreams, he’s being chased by a dung beetle Apshait that escaped the Duat and now wants to consume his flesh. Ideal. 

“Carter?” Percy repeated, getting to her feet. 

Of course she looked amazing. Slim cut, crimson cargo pants (Carter was all too familiar with that colour) black combat boots that looked a lot like Sadie’s, a white tank top, and a black cropped hoodie, the zippers open. She had these awesome fingerless gloves on, and he could just about see these twin rings on her index fingers. 

Her hair was short, now brushing her collarbone. He realised how long it had been since he’d seen her. His heart thumped painfully in his chest. 

With her striking green eyes, she was stunning. Carter would pay money to see her in blue, or green.

“Carter Kane?” Percy asked, waving a hand in front of his face. She was close enough now he could smell the scent of rain over stone and jasmine and sea salt. He wanted to close his eyes and breathe her in. 

Instead he took an anxious step back, his hand going to the back of his head. 

‘Hey Percy,” He started, and turned toward the exit, “Gotta run!” 

‘Oh no you don’t,” Percy grabbed his arm and linked it with hers, matching his quick pace. 

She smiled at the sales lady who looked horrified at the sprawl of clothes on the floor. 

“Oops,” she muttered, then turned to him again. She was close enough he could trace the freckles that dotted her cheeks. 

Gods, he had missed her. 

“She has a strong spirit,” Horus’s voice said, “I approve. A betrothal we should announce. A wonderful wife to the pharaoh."

“What?” Carter exclaimed back, thinking hard at the god, “I’m fifteen, she’s fourteen! We’re not getting married!” 

Horus just sighed. 

“What is going on?” Percy hissed, taking them outside, “You look like you’ve come from a fancy meeting, you keep glancing behind us like someone’s chasing you, and you’ve been running. Spill.” Her voice brokered no argument. 

Holy Horus, she was beautiful when she was annoyed. 

Focus Carter! A voice annoying like Sadie’s came. 

“I- it’s complicated!” He blurted, unlinking their arms, wincing at the flicker of hurt that crossed her face, “I have to go!” 

“CARTER KANE!” a voice bellowed. 

No, no, no she was still here.
“Carter..” Percy asked, her eyes wide, “What is that ?”

Carter blinked.
She could see it? She could see something? 

“What do you see?” he cried, grabbing her arm, and pulling her into a run. 

“I see a massive dung beetle that is glowing, and why is it so big?!What is going on?”
Carter both wanted to scream with terror and jump with joy. 

"CARTER KANE!" the voice came again, "I WILL RIP YOUR SOUL FROM YOUR BODY, AND FEED ON YOUR REMAINS. I WILL DISMEMBER YOU, PIECE BY PIECE, UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT!"

“I can explain,” He said, pulling them to the side. A deserted alleyway. Perfect.

Now he just hoped she wouldn’t think he was possessed. 

“So can I,” she cried, “Gods, Carter, I’m so sorry, this is all my fault.” 

He paused. 

Gods. 

Why did she say “Gods”. 

“What do you-?” he started but stopped. 

As she flicked her wrists, and dual niuweidao swords appeared in her hands. Glowing a bronze colour. 

He could hear Horus laugh at him. 

Then she sprinted. 

And the sewers beneath them exploded, grabbing the beetle, swirling around her like a deadly force. Like a hurricane. 

Carter’s jaw dropped open. 

She was lethal.

“Excellant form,” Horus’s voice said, “She could teach you a thing or two.” 

“Shut up!” he responded. 

He wondered what style of magic she was using to do that without words. 

Then she sliced of the demons head, leaving sand in its place 

She stood above it. 

“Sand?” he heard her mutter, “They’ve never turned into sand before.”

There was a before. 

Who was attacking her? How could he make them stop? That was Percy, one of the most amazing people he’d ever met who just beat Apshait like it was nothing.

Percy turned to him, her swords now back into her twin rings. That was fascinating. How did she use the Duat to do that?

“Carter!” she rushed toward him, “Look, I can explain, it’s really my dad, and I have these powers, and these things are drawn to me, though I’ve never seen that before, and I didn’t know hanging out with you would do this, and I’m so sorry, and-”
He stopped her with a hug. 

“Thank Ra you’re okay,” he said into her hair, “That was amazing.”
She stiffed for a split second, then relaxed into him, her head fitting perfectly into the curve between his neck and his shoulder. 

“Wait a second,” she pulled back, her green eyes narrowing, “Ra?” 

Carter nodded at her. 

“Do you follow the Path of Nephthys?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

“I’ve never seen a magician do magic without hieroglyphics before. Or the words. Is that a specific thing?”

Percy took a step back, confusion coating her face. 

“Wait- magician? ” she enunciated, screwing her face like the word had a bad taste, “Like from a kids party?” 

It was now his turn to be confused. 

He heard Horus laughing even harder. 

“Like from the House of Life?” he confirmed, “Y’know, like Egypt. The Egyptian Gods?” he waved his hands toward the sand that was blowing off in the wind, “Apshait.” 

“Apeshit?” Percy said, her voice rising, “Egyptian gods ?” Her eyes blew wide. 

Carter took in her face, her body language. 

She had no idea what he was talking about.
Fuck. 

“I’m Greek, Carter,” Percy said, placing her hands on his chest, “As in Greek gods.”

Carter froze. 

Holy. 

Horus’s. 

Father. 

Of. 

Hell. 

“Oh,” he replied, his voice tinny. 

‘Oh.” Percy agreed.

“So Egyptian Gods?” Percy asked, from where they sat on the pavement. 

They were “waiting” for one of Carter’s friends to pick them up. She felt very apprehensive of that. 

Carter’s skin glowed in the sunlight.
It was unfairly distracting.
Easier to stare at his skin than at those soft, all-knowing brown eyes that made her-. 

Breathe. 

“Yep,” Carter sighed, then tapped his head, “I think Horus likes you more than me,” 

“He’s in your head,” Percy said flatly, “I have to share you with a god that knows your deepest, inner personal thoughts.” 

Carter choked. 

Percy blinked for a second than thought back over what she just said. 

“Oh my gods,” she exclaimed throwing her hands in the air, “I didn’t- I-Oh my gods,” she put her head in her hands, “I’ll just let the earth swallow me whole now.” 

Carter reached out hesitantly, the tips of his ears still red. 

“Be glad you didn’t hear what Horus said after you said that,” he intoned solemnly, “If there is ever a chance Horus could pick you over me as the Eye he would in a heartbeat. I feel so very offended.” 

Percy leaned into him then, his arm wrapping awkwardly around her shoulders. She could feel his heartbeat from where her head rested on her shoulder. 

CRACK. 

Percy leapt to her feet, a sword unsheathed and stood in front of Carter as-. 

A limousine?

“Um, Carter?” she turned, jabbing a thumb at the limousine. 

Carter calmly stood up, fiddled with his shirt, and tapped on the glass on the driver side. 

Percy dropped her sword. 

A little-man? Sat-Stood? In the drivers seat. 

He had an aggressive mono-brow, and although he was wearing suit, Percy could see the hairy sticking out from the collar, the red welts on his hands. 

However, compared to some other things she’d seen he was sort of adorable?

“Hi,” she waved, picking up her sword, slipping it back into ring form. 

“Hey Bes,” Carter said. 

The man- Bes- looked her up and down. 

Slowly. 

“This is the girl Sadie says you’ve been moping about?” He asked, one half of his brow raised in suspicion. 

Percy blushed. 

Carter pulled at the collar of his shirt, “ Bes ,” he hissed. 

“She looks like that goddess,” Bes continued, and Percy paled, “The faded one. Better than that other magician girl though.”
Percy winced. 

“I’m Percy, um,” she paused, glancing at Carter who currently was cradling his head in his hands, “Lord Bes?” she tried sheepishly. 

Bes grinned, showing off yellow teeth. 

“Nice manners. Trying to make a good impression?” he asked, his voice gravelly. 

“She killed the Apshait,” Carter said, flowing over the Egyptian word with ease. She liked the way he sounded when he spoke Egyptian. It was nearly hypnotic. 

“She’s coming to the Twenty-First Nome, with me.” he clarified. 

Bes huffed. 

“In the back, kids.”
He nodded at her as they got in though. 

Closest to approval she would probably get. 

***

Carter was anxious. 

They hadn’t spoken much after the whole, “mythology” bombshell. 

She slid into the limousine though. She laughed at Bes’s antics. She didn’t look at him. 

Though she did grip his arm when Bes went vertical up a building to get them to the Nome, her eyes squeezed shut.

He slid out of the car, and offered her a hand to help. Which she batted away. 

Then she saw it. 

“Wow,” she breathed, “You live here? ” 

“Welcome,” he said, waving the doors open, “To the Twenty First Nome, of the House of Life.” 

And instead of his wonderful, dramatic entrance, Philip the Crocdile came bounding out, saw Percy and stopped dead. 

Walt came out after him, followed by Jaz. 

Carter wanted to crawl into a hole and die. 

The two of them turned Philip back into a statue. 

Then turned, and spotted him and Percy. 

Oh, no, no, no. 

“Hey man,” Walt said, lifting a hand, then turning to Percy, “New initiate?” 

Carter felt his ears flush red. 

“Walt,” Jaz hissed, elbowing him, “That’s Sadie’s friend. Percy.” 

When Walt still look blank, Jaz pulled him down and whispered. 

Percy stared at her feet, very intently throughout the exchange. 

‘Anyway,” Carter nearly bellowed, putting his hand out for Percy, “Let me show you something.” 

She slipped her hand into his, and, ignoring Jaz’s coos, they headed inside. 

Attempted to head inside. 

Percy walked toward the entrance, and then pulled back, wincing. 

“I don’t think your house likes me,” she tried. 

Carter blinked for a second. 

‘She’s a demigod, kid” Bes called from the car, “Different pantheon. Different rules. She’s got to be invited. Invoke Xenia. ” 

Carter nodded. 

“Well then,” he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “I, Carter Kane, current, um, Eye of Horus, formerly invite Percy Jackson in?” he attempted. 

Percy slowly inched her foot in. 

“Huh,” she said, “I wonder if I could invite you into camp. Mr D would have an aneurysm. Would be awesome.”

Carter laughed, and gestured inside, Percy moving to walk beside him.

“There is something I want to show you,” he began, but then stopped. 

Most of the kids were in between lessons, so the living room was crowded. 

Carter ducked around and brought them into the library, watching as Percy marvelled at it all. 

He also glared at Justin when he stared at her-when he got in their way. 

“There’s a lot of scrolls here,” Percy noted, spinning around the library. She was twisting her hair anxiously, and the guilt re-surfaced in his gut. She was already dealing with one crazy mythological world. He had to drag her into another. 

“So,” Percy trailed off, turning back to him, “You said you wanted to show me something?” 

Carter grinned. 

“Hey buddy,” he tried, thinking at Horus, “Do you think you could?” 

Horus sighed. 

Carter waited. 

Percy looked confused. 

Then, a shimmering black portal appeared. 

“Did you just-?” Percy asked, turning to Carter, a grin spreading across her face. 

“Let’s just say, a god in your head sucks, but it does come with a few advantages,” Carter shrugged. She laughed and she curtsyed. 

“Gentleman first,” Percy proclaimed. 

***

Passing through the portal was one of the weirdest things she had ever done, it had felt like she was falling, and hands were pulling at her, this way and that. Similar to shadow travel, but the feeling of not belonging was a new experience all together. 

Then she stumbled on an Egyptian boat. Wearing a linen sheath dress, with Ancient Greek lettering, and weird bangles. Heavy bangles. And Greek sandals too, her hair braided and out of her face. 

“What the-” she started, and she heard Carter curse behind her. 

Oh. 

He was wearing traditional Egyptian clothing. He was shirtless. That was distracting. 

“Where are we?” she asked, waving a hand around. 

It felt like she was pushing through water. It felt both familiar and alien. 

“The Duat, the outer reaches of it.” Carter explained. 

“Do-it?” she tried, “It looks a lot like Erebos.” 

Carter tilted his head at her, a silent question. 

“The Underworld,” she simplified. 

“You’ve been there?” he exclaimed. 

She shuddered, “Not fun. Trust me.” 

The Duat began to take greater shape around them, forming into a green-blue lake of sorts, soft sandy shores in the distance. 

“The Duat is influenced by your perception, your preferences,” Carter explained, walking over to the prow of the boat, leaning against it. Then he cursed again, hopping in one place. 

She laughed, “Splinter?”
He nodded, “Ancient Egyptians clearly don’t believe in footwear.” 

He looked at her outfit, “Greek inspired, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I have, once, centuries ago,” a deep voice came. 

A tall, bald, muscular man appeared on the deck. One eye silver, one gold. He had a weid side ponytail that Percy was going to ignore. 

His gold eye. 

She shivered. 

Kronos. 

That was something she would have to explain to Carter. And Sadie. Not going to be a fun conversation. 

“Hello, Daughter of the Seas,” Horus inclined his head. 

She nodded her head in respect, inwardly panicking on how to greet a foreign deity. 

“Um, Lord Horus,’ she tried. 

His bright smile told her that was correct. 

Phew. 

“Carter,” the god said, crossing his arms. They were dressed similarly, and she could see where Horus drew inspiration from his.. Host?
Gods, that made him sound like some sort of parasite. 

Carter waved a hand, “Hey man,” 

The god sighed. 

“I appreciate the sentiment of showing her your world, but now is not the time. Her presence draws things to you,” he paused, turning to Percy, “I apologise for the intrusion. I assure you, that this domain will be accessible to you again. But, today? It is best you both leave.” 

Percy nodded. 

His presence was eerie. Not quite overwhelming, but different than what she was used to. She could already hear the lecture from Chiron. 

Another portal appeared on deck, and this time, Carter held her hand. His hands were calloused, like hers, and smooth and warm and comforting. She squeezed it lightly. 

“I was right, Carter,” Horus said, turning to the magician, “About what I said earlier. Think on it.”
 
Carter choked, and the two of them stepped into the portal. 

When they landed in the library, nausea began to rise in Percy’s throat. 

“Carter,” she started, “I don’t feel so-.” 

Black spots filled her vision, and the world rushed away. 

When Percy opened her eyes, she was floating suspended. In the ocean. 

A dream then. 

She spun around, looking for something, anything. 

“Peaceful,” she commented, watching the sunlight reflect on the water high above her. 

“Daughter.” a voice commanded her attention. 

She turned. 

Poseidon. 

Looking like a fisherman. Looking like he had on their very first meeting. She immediately backed away. She didn’t trust him. Wouldn’t. 

After all, she was just a mistake he was sorry had ever existed. 

She fixed her green eyes on his, forcing him to look at her. He looked away after a few seconds. 

Coward. 

“Joining another pantheon, are we?” he asked, his voice accusatory.

She blinked, momentarily surprised. 

“Why do you care?” she snapped, before she could stop herself, she continued, “You have all made it clear that I’m not welcome or wanted. What is it to you what I do? Wouldn’t it be better if I died? Less of a “security risk””

Poseidon’s face furrowed in anger. 

‘Mind how you speak to me, child.”
She crossed her arms defiantly.

“Isis and Horus have been bragging about you. About their Eyes. I would be wary,” he intoned. 

She rolled her eyes. 

A lecture. She dreamed of lectures now. Great. 

“The sea always returns,” he continued, forcing her to pay attention, “And it is very possessive. It runs in your veins. You are mine, child.” 

She felt fury rise in her. 

“I belong ,” she stressed, “To myself.” 

“You will learn,” he warned, “To be of the Greek Pantheon is never to leave. I have watched those others, those who think they can take what does not belong to them. That boy. ” he spat. 

She laughed. She couldn’t help it. 

“Are you trying to warn me off boys? Guess what “Dad”, you’re fourteen years too late. I can and will hang out with Carter as much as I want to.” 

He scoffed at her. 

“No. You will not.” he ordered. 

She shrugged. 

“Let me hold your hands while I tell you this,” she said, leaning forward, “I. Don’t. Give. A. Fuck. What. You. “Order”. Me. To. Do.” she paused for breath, “I will take the prophecy. For Nico. Not for you.” 

With that, she woke up, panting heavily in a room, surrounded by floating candles. 

“Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty,” a perky blonde said. 

Percy swallowed, her throat dry. The girl handed her a glass of water.

“First time dealing with Egyptian magic?” she asked sympathetically, “It happened to all of us too. Probably worse for you with all the “cross-pantheon bullshit.” 

Percy chugged the water, then watched as Carter rushed in. 

Looking like he was going to star in the next Karate Kid. 

She huffed at her own joke. 

“You okay?” he asked worriedly, placing his hands on her shoulders. 

Percy couldn’t believe how comfortable she was with it. She hated physical contact. But now from him. 

“I’m fine,” she said soothingly. 

‘Now, what’s this I hear about a basketball court, and a pool?”

Chapter Text

 Asclepius stared at the blank wall of the clinic. Ever since the girl had come before the gods at the Winter Solstice. Ever since he had seen her face, really seen her face.

He was lost in memories. Lost in the times. 

He couldn’t remember how long he had been staring at the wall for. 

How long had it been since he had been to Camp Half-Blood? 

He didn’t visit the other camp. He couldn’t bear their “Nero Fides”. 

But this girl.. She looked like mo-Perseleia did. The black hair, the grey streak. The eyes that once were filled with kindness and compassion, were now cold. Detached. 

It was as if she wasn’t listening to a word anyone said. 

Her eyes were fixed on the Ophiotaurus. 

No god was looking right at her. 

They missed the minuscule flinch when Athena brought up the danger of her very existence. 

When they- the Olympians voted on her death. 

When Athena voted that the girl who wore her daughter’s face-should die. 

Asclepius had turned away. 

When she was guaranteed to live he focused on her. 

Watched when her father raised a hand, not in violence. 

He watched her reaction to it. 

His blood turned to ice in his veins. 

That wasn’t a natural response. No child should at like that when a hand is raised. No child should hunch in on themselves, like that. 

No child should be afraid to look people in the eye like she was. 

He eyed the long sleeves. 

Part of him wondered what they were hiding, whilst part of him knew. 

He had left the “party” early. 

Thrown up. 

But he couldn’t go visit. Something in him screamed at the thought. And whenever he attempted to bring her up with his father, Apollo froze. His father was unable to deal with the trauma of losing her, and in such, was losing everyone else. 

He prayed to a goddess long gone to save them all, staring up at the starry sky she had once resembled. 

He prayed for salvation. When he knew there would be none. 

***

Apollo dug his nails into his hand so hard golden blood was drawn. 

He stared indecisively between the rainbow before him, and the golden drachama in his hand. 

Then he threw it in. 

“Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow,” he began, “Please accept my offering.”
He waited. 

“You have,” a soothing voice began, “One message remaining. Do you wish to view it?” 

Tears rose to his eyes, “Yes,” he croaked out. 

The water condensed, into a single form. 

Her. 

Perseleia. 

“Hi Sunshine!” she said cheerily, the Ancient Greek flowing off her tongue. She was radiant. A green and blue ombre peplos, like the oceans, with golden owls embroidered on it. She wore a gold himation. 

A nod to him. To them. 

Pearls in her hair. She had no veil. The silvery streaks in her hair glowed. 

He absorbed it. Absorbed her. Feeling how his heart pounded and every atom of him longed for her. 

Only ever her. 

“I promised Mother,” she paused, coughing, and he felt his heart leap in his throat. Even centuries after her death, the effect she had on him-. 

“I promised Mother,” she repeated, “Athena, really. Spending the day with her. And you would not believe what ο ανόητος πατέρας μου has done.” She groaned in frustration, and he felt a soft laugh come from him. Intermixed with the tears steadily pouring down his face. 

“I can’t be around him right now. Fool upon fools. A CYCLOPES, I mean,” she broke off into a bout of cursing, that both her mothers’ would have been horrified by. 

“Anyway,” she continued, smoothing down her peplos, “I just wanted to let you know αγαπητέ. I will see you soon. Send my love to your mother and Artemis. And keep some for yourself and Asclepius!” she winked, and waved her hand through the message. 

“Do you wish to save this message?” the voice asked. 

“Yes,” he croaked, freezing the image of her smiling in his mind. 

He fell to his knees, the tears falling fully now.

He had told no one of his true keepsake of her. From the day before she died. 

Her parents deserved to see it. 

But it was his, and he loved her. 

Only ever her. 

The sun burned, and the sun mourned. 

He felt the grief like an ever present force gripping his heart. 

“Oh Perseleia,” he said, “ζωή μου, why did you leave us?” 

***
Poseidon refused to. 

He felt her presence in the seas, and simply turned a blind eye. He couldn’t. 

He kept all his children away from her. 

His family couldn’t take another heartbreak. 

Amphitrite had been so angry when she had heard. 

“You broke an oath on her name,” she had hissed, “Our daughter’s name.” 

He had. 

He had failed her. He would always fail her. 

He was too stubborn. Too foolish. He didn’t apologise in time. He thought he had more time. 

And now he would never truly see her again. 

He felt the urge to smite the girl, his daughter, and smothered it. Despite his hatred for the girl, he loved her all the same. Loved her so much it felt like poison in his veins. He wished to be done with this torment. With Styx’s cruel designs. 

He slipped into her room. 

Abandoned nearly. 

Untouched since the day she had left in a temper. 

Since the day that had split them apart. 

He thought he was doing the right thing. 

And he had lost her. 

He sent a hurricane toward California. Hearing the mortals scream for mercy. 

His mercy had died the day her heart had stopped beating. 

***
Dionysus stared at his coke can. 

Ridiculous. 

You chase after one nymph, and your “father” becomes furious that you’re like him. 

He kept drinking though. It didn’t numb the pain. Not like the wine had. Not like the wine had for centuries. 

But it was enough. 

And when it became too much, he would shift to his Roman form, and hide away in his rooms. Lose himself to the madness and the voices that plagued him. 

At least in those visions he could see his mother again.

His wife again. 

He heard her voice and wanted to summon veins to rip it from her throat. Wanted to turn into a cheetah and tear that face-that face that wasn’t hers off. 

He wanted to watch as those eyes that dared to mock him fluttered shut. At least then he could suffer without her. 

He let the voices coat his mind for a while, a brief release. 

Then he heard footsteps approaching. 

“Penelope Jameson,” he said, cracking an eye open. He could feel his domains roar at the fact that she too was splinted. 

Ripped at the seams.
She was afraid of him, afraid of this form. Afraid of the smell of alcohol. Afraid of what he represented. 

As long as it kept her away. 

The girl folded her arms sullenly. 

She attempted to distance herself so much from his mother he wanted to laugh. Nothing would ever be enough. She’d discover that in time. 

“Where’s Chiron?” she snapped, her voice accusatory. 

He was transported to scoldings from his mother for turning people into dolphins for a split second. 

“I am not his keeper.” he merely replied, turning away. 

She groaned, but bit her tongue. He could see the anger forming in her eyes. 

That was all that was ever there when she looked at him. At them. 

Anger. Accusing. Betrayal. And cold detachment. And, occasionally, the calm simmer of hatred.

He closed his eyes again. 

“Begone,” he demanded. 

He heard the footsteps receding. 

He needed another Coke.

Chapter Text

"Okay," Leo said, as they all assembled for dinner. He was waving his fork like it was some sort of weapon. 

"Craziest thing you've ever done on a quest," he asked pointing around the room, "Jason and Pipes excluded, I was there for those." 

Piper rolled her eyes. Hazel giggled. 

Percy wrinkled her brow in thought. 

"Medusa?" she asked, turning to Annabeth. 

"Underworld?" Annaberth responded. 

"First or second time?" Percy clarified, "The Garden of the Hesperides, or holding up the sky?" she tried. 

"The Labyrinth," Annabeth countered, "Death match in the arena, Pan, Lord of the Wild."

Percy hummed, "Maybe jumping from the St.Louis Arch to Mississippi River?" 

Leo interrupted, "There was a lot there, but how did you even make that?" 

Percy shrugged, "Thought it was closer." 

Annabeth rolled her shoulders, "Circe's island. The sirens, those were bad." 

"Um, you didn't have to stop Annabeth Chase from drowning herself, I did," Percy shot back. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Lotus Eaters, the Casino." 

Percy shuddered, "I exploded Mount St.Helen's once, accidentally helped release Typhon." 

Suddenly the table was in silence. 

'You did what?" Jason asked, eyes wide, "I can't do anything like that." 
Hazel shook her head, "Of course you exploded a volcano." 

Annabeth glanced at Percy, looking at the way her knuckles went white. 

'It wasn't quite that simple," she began.

“Are you sure?” Annabeth asked. 

Percy couldn’t really make her face out, with all the smoke. 

“Yes.” she replied determinedly. 

“I’ll take care of the monsters.  Get out of here!” 

Annabeth caught Percy in a hug. Squeezing her tightly. 

“Gods, be careful Seashell,” she said. 

Percy huffed a laugh at the joke, Annabeth mocking her close-mindness when she was a kid. It had grown into more though. It had always been more. 

Annabeth handed her the Yankees cap, and then vanished into the maze. 

Percy yanked it on, tightening it over her hair. 

It felt like she was wrapped in some weird kind of material. How did Annabeth wear this thing?
She could feel a presence. Not overly hostile. So then, clearly, not urgent. 

She jumped down, hearing the telekhines screaming. 

Gods, her heart was beating so fast. 

She sprinted for the volcano. Maybe Hephastus could do something?

She had seen the classes they had earlier. The sheer amount of telekhines. What they were building. 

She couldn’t let that scythe reach Luke. 

No matter what. 

She twisted one of her rings into a sword. Creeping low, she looked for the senior telekhines. 

There. 

She lunged. Golden dust exploded out. She could hear the telekhines beginning to chant. 

“I can see you d-d-daughter of the Sea God!” 

Well, there goes that plan. 

Annabeth will kill her if she ruins this cap. Which means she has to stay alive long enough to get killed later. 

Their sleek black bodies prowled towards her. Oh gods, she didn’t want to die by seals. That would be so embarrassing. 

The first one threw a glop of molten rock at her, setting her pants alight.

Two more splattered across her chest, setting her shirt on fire.

She screamed, swatting at her clothes in sheer terror. A small part of her heard her sword clang to the ground. 

Strangely, it felt only warm at first, but it was getting hotter by the instant.

She couldn’t explain what happened next. 

Pain and terror were clouding everything. All she could do was scream. 

Then it boiled through her veins, setting her very soul alight. 

An explosion, a tidal wave, a whirlwind of power simultaneously throwing her upwards and forcing her down. 

Fire and water collided, exploded. The battle as old as time was waged anew. 

The steam in the air boiled, and she was thrown upwards, out of the heart of the volcano, simply just caught in the jetstream of it. 

All she could feel was pain and terror. 

Then all went black. 

***

Percy blearily opened her eyes, groaning. 

“Rest,” a voice came. Female. Other. 

She tried to sit up. 

“Rest.” the voice insisted, “You have sustained many injuries. You must rest. ” 

The darkness embraced her once again. 

***

When she opened her eyes again, she was alone. In a cave, illuminated by crystals. It was very bright. 

She stood up slowly, then glanced down. She was clean, and wearing Ancient greek style clothes. Some sort of dress. Her hair was loose. The dress was green and blue. 

Of fucking course it was. 

She wanted to rip it off her skin. 

Then she froze. 

How did it get on her skin? Terror and shame and anger hit her like a truck. Clenching her fists, she hurried out of the cave. 

She found her gardening.  A small pond with water lilies beside her. She was planting some weird type of flower.

The only other person, it seemed, on the entire island. 

“Who are you?” Percy demanded. 

The girl stood up, brushing down her white dress. There probably was a fancy name for it, but Percy didn’t give a flying fuck. 

She turned. 

Almond-shaped eyes, caramel-colored hair braided over one shoulder, and a timeless face stared back at Percy. 

But those eyes, those eyes weren’t human. And the way they looked at her was near predatory. 

“Hello, Percy Leia Cordelia Jackson,” she-it, said, “You may call me Calypso.” 

Even Percy, who didn’t know much of Greek myths, knew of her. 

She took a step back. 

‘Calypso, from the Odyssey, Calypso?” she clarified.
The titaness’s face hardened for a minute. 

“That man,” she spat, “Ungrateful swine.”

Percy decided that was all she needed to know. 

She turned for the beach, and was about to make a run for it, when a cold hand closed around her wrist. 

“So many scars,” the girl hummed, using her other hand to trace a finger along them. 

“A hero, it is true. And to look like the favoured child of the gods? A curse and a blessing.”
Percy wanted to peel her skin off, 

“Let me go,” she demanded, but her voice came out shaky as Calypso’s hand continued to trace upwards. 

“So beautiful,” the titaness continued, lost in her own murmuring. 

Her grip grew tighter, and tighter, and tighter. 

“You’re hurting me!” Percy cried. 

With a start, the titaness dropped her hand and backed away. 

“Apologies,” she said, her voice cool and cold, “It has been so long since I’ve had company. Especially one so beautiful.”

Percy took a few steps back,”I want to leave. Now.”
“You’re healing,” the titaness said pointedly, “after blowing up a volcano. I saved you,” she stressed. 

“I feel fine ,” she hissed back, continuing to step away from the volatile goddess. She was determinedly keeping her brain away from thoughts of what the titaness wanted from her. 

“Do you?” the titaness asked, stepping forward, swaying her hips, “Forever in Perseleia ’s shadow. Forever of never being enough. Are you fine, Perseus Jackson?” 

Percy scowled at her, flicking a sword out and pointing it at Calypso. 

“Don’t try and tell me how to feel. Don’t try to get in my head.”

The titaness raised her hands, her full lips curving in a smile. 

“If you wish to leave, truly wish it, I suppose you can,” Percy turned, but then the titaness continued, “Or, you could stay with me. Forever.”

“What?” she croaked. 

“Stay,” the titaness continued, her voice lilting and melodic, and so soothing , “With me. Here. You will always be enough for me. I will always choose you. You could be young, and live forever, away from the prophecy. Away from death.” 

Percy felt herself drifting, thinking of what that would be like. 

Then a boy’s eyes appeared, angry and sad, so lost. Nico. She owed him this. It was her fault Bianca died. He deserved an explanation. He deserved not to have the prophecy thrust onto his shoulders. 

She snapped back into herself, green eyes narrowing. 

“I said, “ she emphasised, “Stay out, of my HEAD!” 

Water exploded from the pond nearby. 

Percy sprinted for the beach. 

For the water. 

“NO!” Calypso screamed, “NO NO NO!” The titaness ripped after her, and Percy felt like she was going to be sick. 

“YOU HAVE TO STAY!” Calypso screeched, “YOU HAVE TO! I WON’T BE ALONE ANYMORE. I MUST HAVE YOU!” 

Percy felt tears pouring down her face, her feet hitting the salt water. 

A hand grasped around her wrist. 

“ Stay with me forever .” Calypso ordered. 

With the strength that flowed through her veins when she hit the water, she tore the goddess off her, a raft now forming beneath Percy’s feet. 

“Never.” she threw at the titaness, then clung onto the raft, “Take me home!” she cried, “Take me home!” 

She was pulled off into the distance, Calypso screaming behind her. 

Percy curled up on the raft and sobbed. 

Chapter Text

Percy stumbled up to camp, sliding off the raft onto Long Beach. 

Her eyes felt raw. She felt raw. 

She shuddered at the smell of cinnamon and juniper that came off her clothes. She needed to rip this thing off. 

She stumbled up to camp, but it was empty. 

“Where is everyone?” she murmured. 

Then she found them. 

Oh. 

Her funeral. 

How nice. 

Should she take a seat? Maybe lie in the shroud. It looks comfortable. 

Then she saw blonde hair, and grey eyes. 

“Percy was my best friend,” she was choking out, “She was a sister to me. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her,” then she looked up, “She’s-she’s” her eyes caught sight of Percy, “She’s right there!”

The entire crowd turned around to her. 

“Hey.” she said, exhausted. 

A body crashed into her. 

“You’re okay!” Annabeth cried, “Twelve days! Gods, Percy, we thought you were dead!” 

“I can see that,” she replied, “Hey, Wise Girl? You’re crushing me a little.”

She also couldn’t bear the feeling of someone’s hands on her skin. 

Annabeth held onto her shoulders and looked her up and down. 

‘Where have you been?” she demanded, “What are you wearing?” 

Clarisse’s eyes suddenly glimmered with understanding. She nudged Selina. 

“Annabeth,” Selina said softly, “Maybe you should…” 

“Percy?” Annabeth asked, tilting her head like an owl, “Are you alright?”
“She exploded Mount. St Helen’s,” A voice said, “It’s a wonder she’s breathing.”

The voices and eyes starting to spin. Her breath was coming too fast. Why wer they all looking at her? 

It was too much. 

“I-I,” she started, panicking rising in her throat.

Then she fainted. 

*** 

Dionysus stared as the girl waved sheepishly. 

He hadn’t seen her in blue since she was twelve. But in Ancient clothes? 

He couldn’t move. Couldn’t tear his eyes away. 

When he first saw her, he had thought- he had thought-. 

He had thought she was finally back. 

Mother. 

She looked too much like Perseleia. He cursed the Styx for this. Gods, her hair unbound, the grey streak catching the light, going a soft silvery colour. 

He wanted to throw up. 

He wanted a drink. Needed a drink. Multiple drinks. 

He could hear the Athena-spawn asking the girl if she was alright as she swayed on her sandalled feet. 

She exploded Mount. St Helen’s,” he snarked, “It’s a wonder she’s breathing.” 

He wished she wasn’t breathing. Wished he could hide her face in the shroud, and reburry this pain. Shove it away. 

She fainted. 

She looked like mother had when she had fallen to her knees. Eyes rolling back into her head. 

Blood, everywhere. 

He turned away. 

“Get her to Cabin Three,” Chiron suggested. 

‘Get her out of those ridiculous clothes,” Dionysus ordered. 

Then a thought struck him. Where did she get those clothes?
Unless…

No. 

Surely not. 

He peered back at the girl, thinking of how she had stiffened up under touch. Panicked and fainted with the gazes on her. 

Calypso. 

Well shit. 

He wasn’t going to be the one to tell Chiron. Or Poseidon. 

He cracked open a Coke and sighed. 

Gods, he missed wine. 

Chapter Text

“So..” Jason said, “Kansas.” 

Piper nodded, “Toto, I think we’re in Kansas again.” 

Jason gave her a weird look. Leo laughed. 

“Have you never seen the Wizard of Oz?” Leo asked, raising a brow, “Really dude? I can’t defend this.” 

“The Wizard of Oz?” a familiar voice came, “There’s no place like home. Gods, was Kansas always so humid?” 

Percy strolled on deck, sunglasses perched on her nose. She was wearing a Camp Half-Blood tank top, navy shorts. White jumper wrapped around her waist. 

Her scars looked like constellations. 

Frank huffed a laugh. 

Annabeth followed out after Percy, similarly attired. 

“So,” she said, turning to Piper, “I hate to get straight to business, but you said you had a vision of this?” 

Piper nodded, unsheathing her blade. 

“Percy, Jason and I. Highway sign, Topeka Thirty-Two I think. I saw Dionysus, or maybe Bacchus too.” 

Jason nodded, fidgeting with his Camp Jupiter shirt. 

“So the three of us head out then?” Percy asked, turning to everyone, “Three is the best number for a quest.” She nudged Annabeth, “Right ‘Beth?” 

Annabeth rolled her eyes and nudged her with an elbow, “Already going stir-crazy, hm? Get out of here.” 

Percy grinned, and turned to Piper and Jason, “To the highway!”

_________________________________________________________

After thirty minutes of sweaty walking, pushing through corn stalks, they stumbled onto the highway. 

“Topeka Ten,” Jason read. 

Percy groaned. 

“I’m not walking the rest of the way,” She turned to the horizon, “Can you get yourself a ride, Blondie?” 

Jason smirked. 

Percy closed her eyes, seemingly focusing. 

Piper took the opportunity to take the girl in. She was symmetrically flawless, striking too. She could see why Percy was a leader. 

If Percy looked at her, with those green, green eyes, and told her to jump, she’d ask “How high?”

“There’s mine,” Jason said, pointing to the storm clouds gathering in the distance. 

“Too slow,” Percy snarked, pointing at a black winged shape. 

Piper was familiar with Tempest, Jason’s venti stead, but she wasn’t sure what Percy was doing. 

Then the black shape got closer. 

“A black pegasus?” Piper exclaimed in wonder. 

“Blackjack,” Percy answered, “An old friend.” Her voice was fond, a light smile gracing her lips. 

The pegasus slowed as it approached Percy nuzzling her hair. 

Percy combed it softly, and watched as a steed made of a storm galloped toward Jason. 

She let out a low whistle. 

“Nice ride Grace,” she said approvingly. 

Piper eyed Tempest. 

Something about the venti made her nervous, like it would become nebulous. Intangible. While she was riding. And she’d fall to her death. 

“Thanks, Jackson,” Jason tried, “To Topaka Thirty Two then?”

Percy grinned, and swung a leg over Blackjack. 

“It’s like the pegasus races back at camp.” The horse whickered in response. 

“We never had those!” Piper cried. 

“Oh, they’re during the summer. It gets really competitive. I’m not allowed to compete anymore. Something about Poseidon being the god of horses making it unfair, not sure,” Percy tapped her heels against Blackjack.

“Lead the way,” Percy gestured. 

Topeka Thirty Two greets them, as both “steeds” slowly fall to a walk. 

“You guys see the wine god anywhere?” Jason asked, peering around, at the endless road, and miles upon miles of corn fields. 

Percy huffed a laugh as the pegasus whickered, “Maybe if we say we have Diet Coke he’ll magically appear?” 

“I don’t drink Diet Coke,” a voice said, “Diet Pepsi. You aren’t Ceres, are you?” 

They all turned around, to see a younger version of Mr D standing there. 

Or maybe Mr B? 

Piper wasn’t sure. 

Similar bright leopard spotted shirt, androgynous face, but he was slimmer. Longer hair. Sharper features. 

Glowing purple eyes that were fully focused on Percy. 

“Mother?” he asked, and his form shifted again, “I thought you were dead. How are you here? Why are you mortal?”

Percy shifted uncomfortably, “Well..” she started, but the god hurried over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. 

“You do not remember,” he said, “I can fix that. You can fix everything. Loyalty is the key. Maybe Ceres led me to you, on purpose. The Earth Mother rises, you know, you know, that must be why you returned,” 

‘Lord Bacchus,” Jason tried, but the god whipped around, eyes blazing with an uncanny fire. 

“What mortal dares ,” he began but Jason raised his hands in surrender. 

“Jason Grace,” he offered, “I did you a favour, up in the wine country?” 

The fire in the gods' eyes dimmed, “Ah, of course. Escorting my mother, are we? How noble.” 

Piper saw how Percy was paling. She hated this, Piper could tell. It was time to get her out of it. 

‘Lord Bacchus,” she offered, pulling out her sweetest smile, “She,” Piper gestured at Percy, “Is helping us with our quest. We are here to humbly ask for your assistance. By her recommendation, of course.” she tried. 

Bacchus’s eyes took on a slightly manic glow. 

“Mother was always too soft on demigods,” he said, shaking his head, “I could help you. But rules are in place for a reason.” 

Piper and Jason shared a glance. 

Percy was staring at the ground, before clearing her throat. 

‘Rules?” she asked, “I was unaware of any rules?”

Bacchus tilted his head at her. 

Percy looked ready to run at any second. 

‘Mother,” he started, then froze. 

“Oh, no,” he said, eyes widening. 

“This was a trap. Ceres isn’t here. Mother, we must leave now! ” 

He lunged for Percy, who hurried backwards. 

“A trap?” she stuttered, “What do you mean?”

Bacchus reached for her, “I will heal the cracks in your mind. You will come back to us. You must. Please. ” Tears were pouring down the god’s face now as he begged her in earnest, “The Earth Mother senses me, us.”

Percy pulled herself straight, looking Bacchus in the eyes, “I swore an oath to stay,” she intoned, “And so I shall.” For a moment, Piper could see what Bacchus, in his split state, did. A regal goddess, despite the clothes and the unruly hair, there was something divine about Percy Jackson.
Piper just wished she could put her finger on what. 

Bacchus looked at her for a long moment. 

Tears poured down his face. He pressed something into her hand. Piper couldn’t make out what. 

Then the god vanished in a grape scented cloud. 

“We need to move,” Piper said, as Percy stared down at her hand, “Jason,” she started, but Jason wasn’t looking at her. 

Then she heard a rough laugh. 

Gold eyes met her own. 

“We will live again.” 

_________________________________________________________________________

Piper watched in horror as Percy straightened, eyes a dull bronze. 

“Live again,” she repeated. 

‘Guys?” Piper tried, her voice cracking, “What are you doing?” 

“ Sweet Child of Aphrodite,” a voice came. Gaia’s voice. 

“I only need one child of the Big Three. I can sacrifice the child of Jupiter, and you, or the child of Poseidon, and Hades. I am not picky. But one must die today. And it is your choice.” 

Piper could feel tears welling in her eyes. 

Percy and Jason were clearly possessed by something. What could she do?
How could she let this play out?

“Choose.” Gaia repeated, “Or they shall.” 

Piper’s breath stuttered. 

She glanced at Jason, her best friend. She glanced at Percy, someone who had a life, friends, a family who were looking for her. 

“No!” she screamed out in to the fields of Kansas. 

“Then we shall,” Percy and Jason said at the same time, swords now unsheathed. 

It wouldn’t be a fair fight. Not if whatever was inside them could control them. Everyone knew how powerful Percy Jackson was. 

Blackjack cantered anxiously as the sparring began in earnest. Swords clashed and spun, matching the eyes of the wielders. 

“What are you?” Piper cried. 

Jason turned to her, “We are those who will live again.” 

"Not much of an answer,” she grumbled. 

Then paused. 

He had answered her.
They were capable of thought. Which meant they were capable of being compelled. 

“What are you, exactly?” she demanded, layering her voice with the honey-sweetness of charm speak. 

She could see Percy shudder. 

“Eidolons,” Jason rasped out, narrowly dodging Percy’s blades. 

What the fuck were those?

At least she had her answer. They could be compelled. 

“Jason, NO!” she screamed, and Jason stumbled backwards, lurching away from the strike. 

Percy swept his feet out from under him, and his head hit the tarmac. 

Hard. 

She raised her sword. 

“Percy!” Piper yelled. 

The eerie bronze eyes looked at her. 

“You won’t hurt him,” she coated her voice in it now, pushing, begging to be understood, “You will just knock him out.” 

“I will just knock him out?” Percy asked, her voice stilted and robotic as she looked down at Jason’s form. 

Piper smirked. 

“I wasn’t talking to you.” 

Percy crumpled as Blackjack whacked her on the back of her head with his hoof. 

“Yes!” Piper cried, jumping up and down.

“Choice forestalled,”  Gaia intoned, “For now.” 

Piper shuddered as the presence left, then looked at the two prone bodies. It was a long way to the ship. 

“Well Blackjack,” she said, “I don’t suppose you could help here too?” 

Chapter Text

Annabeth shoved the papers on her desk around. She could not find her phone anywhere.

She had to call the Kanes- well Sadie’s phone. Percy was currently unconscious, and as badly as she wanted Percy to be the one to ring the phone, she owed them an answer. 

Both of them. 

She moved to her bed, giving up on the desk. Moving the duvet aside, she lifted up the pillows, dislodging papers, grabbing her laptop an inch before it hit the ground. 

“Where are you?” she hissed. 

Getting into a crouch, she finally found it under a jumper. She made calls scarcely, but this was an emergency. 

Flicking through contacts, she finally found Sadie’s number. 

“Hey, Sadie?” Annabeth said, “I’ve got news.” 

_________________________________________________________________________

Sadie sighed, spread out on one of the sun loungers near Philip’s pool. The last few days of summer holidays. Bliss. 

She watched as Carter slowly walked out, rubbing his temples. 

“Hey,” she called, waving her hand. 

He walked over, rolling his eyes. Loose linen mandarin collar shirt, dark green cargos. Crocs. 

She sighed. Only a slight improvement. Thank Isis for Percy’s influence. 

“Can you get me some watermelon?” she asked, flipping through the scroll. 

“Seriously Sadie?” He sighed, but paused before turning inside, “Have you heard from Annabeth or Percy? It’s been two days, and it's not like them.”

Sadie yawned, “They’re probably at camp. Canoeing. Climbing lava walls.” 

He rolled his eyes, and turned to head inside, “I’m not getting your watermelon.” 

She sighed, closing her eyes. Oh, he would. Eventually. 

Then her phone rang. 

Jumping with surprise, she toppled off the sunlounger. 

Groaning, she picked up the phone. 

“Hello?” she snapped. 

“Sadie, it’s Annabeth,” the blonde’s voice came through the phone, tinny, and sounding stressed. 

“Hey!” she cheered into the phone, “What’s up? We haven’t heard from you or Percy in ages!” 

“Sadie,” Annabeth sounded serious, “Something is wrong.” 

_________________________________________________________________________

Carter rumaged around his room. 

“What are you looking for?” Horus’s voice flowed into his mind, sounding pleasantly amused. 

“Looking for something.” he shot back. 

“For your girlfriend? ” Horus teased. 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re either actually interested in my life, or you’re jealous.” Carter grumbled. 

There. 

He fished the amulet. Shimmering with an opalescent light, a lotus flower. 

“A lotus flower?” Horus asked, his voice suddenly serious. 

Carter smiled at it fondly, it was stunning, and eye-catching, but not too big. He had asked Walt to make it. It was on a bronze chain- to match her rings. 

He smiled at the thought of her. 

“It’s to celebrate over a month, Horus.” he said, watching it reflect the light. 

“Besides,” he continued, “It’s got the Eye of Horus detailed in the wiring on the back. Just in case.”

Horus laughed. 

“Carter?” Sadie’s voice came,knocking frantically, “Carter?!” 

Carter grumbled as he made his way over to the door, necklace still in hand.

‘What?” he snapped, “I’m not getting you watermel-”
He stopped, staring at her glassy eyes, tears pouring down her face, 

“Sadie?” He asked softly, putting his hands on her shoulders, looking down at his little sister. 

“Carter,” she choked out, “It’s Percy. She’s gone! No one knows where she is- it’s been three days Carter.” 

Carter froze. 

“What?” he asked, his ears ringing. 

Horus was silent. Everything was silent except for the ringing in his ears and the words repeating over and over again. 

She’s gone. 

She’s gone. 

She is gone. 

“Carter?” Sadie asked, her shoulders shaking. 

“Phone.” he said. 

She handed it over, her hands trembling. 

“Annabeth.” he said, his teeth gritted, “Tell me what exactly happened. And where you’ve checked. I can send it out to the House of Life. If you don’t find her- we will.” 

Annabeth’s voice came through the phone, shaky with sobs as she detailed waking up and Percy simply not being there. 

“Gods.” he cursed, “Fucking Greek Gods. One of them took her.” 

He turned to Sadie. 

“Apollo?” she asked, her jaw set. 

“Talk to Isis,” he answered, “No stone unturned?” 

Sadie smiled grimly. 

“Not a stone underturned.”  

Chapter Text

“Just give us a second,” Percy said, pulling Annabeth below decks. 

They were far off Charleston. The Romans wouldn’t follow them. They were heading to Long Island. 

Annabeth flinched as she remembered the look on Jason’s face when he saw Reyna. When he had apologised. 

Percy glanced at her, worrying, as she yanked Annabeth inside her cabin. 

Annabeth moved slowly over to the bed as Percy paced the floor. 

“What was that?” Percy finally spoke, her green eyes fixed determinedly away from Annabeth. 

“I dont-” she tried. 

“Not that bullshit, ‘Beth. Not with me. I know you. Know you too well.” Green eyes glimmered glassily for a second, before she blinked and turned away. 

“It’s,” Annabeth sighed, “It’s a quest.” 

“Quest.” Not a question. 

“For my mother.” 

“Athena, then.” 

“Maybe Minerva,” Annabeth shrugged, “She seemed, confused when I saw her. Lost. Looking for something. Someone.” 

“Someone.” 

“Her daughter.” 

“You are her daughter.” 

Annabeth laughed dryly, “Her first daughter. The only person she ever loved.” 

Percy turned to her. 

Pereseleia’s face. 

Annabeth wanted to scream. 

“She wants you to look for Pereselia.” Percy said flatly, “The dead goddess.” Thunder rumbled. They both flipped middle fingers near-automatically. 

“No.” Annabeth replied. 

Percy was silent. 

Annabeth looked down at her hands. 

‘She wants me to find a statue. The statue. The last mortal visage of the Athenide. Pillaged from Athens by the Romans and lost to time.” 

“The Athena Partheneous.” Percy finished, well used to her architecture rants, as well as the sculpture ones. 

Annabeth looked up at Percy, “Follow the Mark of Athena.” 

Percy paled. 

“Percy,” Annabeth stood, now on the offensive, "What do you know?” She looked at her sister, reaching for her hands, gently stopping the trembling. 

“Wisdom’s daughter walks alone. The Mark of Athena burns through Rome,” Green met grey, fear sparking in the ocean depths. 

“Ella’s prophecy.” 

Annabeth glanced down at the bronze mirror-like surface. Once said to be the glass of the hand-mirror of the Athenide. 

“And,” Percy coughed, “I had this dream,” Annabeth’s eyes snapped to her. 

She reached out then, and the two hugged tightly. 

“Twin giants,” Percy whispered around her neck, “Rome. Twelve days. A creature lurking in the dark. Tapestries. Nico-they said Nico’s name, I think. Beth, I haven’t seen him since- Since New Rome. What if they took him?” her voice rose in pitch, “What if they hurt my little brother?” 

Annabeth stroked Percy’s hair as the girl sobbed. 

Tapestries. 

Darkness. 

Weaving. 

Her blood felt cold. The shadows were too large. 

“Percy,” she said softly, “What’s the rest of the prophecy?" 

Percy took in a shuddering breath. 

“Wisdom’s daughter walks alone, the Mark of Athena burns through Rome,” she paused for breath, then continued, “Twins snuff out an angel's breath, that holds the key, to endless death.” 

The lights flickered, but Percy didn’t stop. 

“Giant’s bane stands gold and pale. Won through pain from a woven jail.” 

Annabeth’s breaths were coming too loudly. 

The lights kept flickering. 

All eight eyes were watching her. 

“No,” Percy said, putting the pieces together. 

“Her,” Annabeth swallowed, “Archane, Mother of Spiders. She guards the Athena Parthenous. Woven jail.” 

Percy stared at her in horror. 

“Angel’s breath,” she murmured, then tensed, “Nico di Angelo. Di angelo. Angel. Shit. We have to get to Rome.” 

“Twelve days?” Annabeth asked, grabbing her wrist as she bolted for the door. 

‘Twelve days until they kill Nico,” Percy’s eyes looked wide, terrified, like an animal about to bolt. “Twelve days until they burn down Rome.” 

Chapter Text

“The Strait of Gibraltar," Percy said, waving her hands. 

They were above deck, near Festus’s head, sea spray catching the light.

“It’s a bunch of rocks,” Frank replied, looking unimpressed, “After all the work it took to get here- I feel underwhelmed.” 

Hazel snorted. 

“There is an island, just over there,” Leo said, nails in his mouth. 

“Spit those out,” PIper chided, “I swear if you choke and die on those I will mock you forever.”

He rolled his eyes. She glared. 

Annabeth looked worn. Tired. They had spoken in more detail over the last four days, particularly with the whole possession thing, and when talking about freeing Nico.

Percy glared at Jason’s head. They weren’t going to abandon him. 

Besides, a trap isn’t a trap if you know the trapper’s trying to trap you. It’s a faceoff. They could take two short giants. 

“Do you guys remember who guards the Strait?” Annabeth asked, only to be greeted with blank faces. 

She sighed. 

‘Heracles.”

The hair on the back of Percy’s neck stood up. She repressed a shudder. 

“I should go.” Jason said, blonde hair glinting in the sun. His blue eyes looked distant. Despite being Thalia’s brother- it was hard to see a resemblance between them.

Piper fidgeted with her braid, “Will I go?” she asked, “Charmspeak can work on immortals, to a certain extent.”

“Let’s not forget why he’s exiled there,” Percy said sharply, “He attempted,” she paused gesturing for a moment, ‘Something-I can’t exactly remember, but he’s dangerous. He’s on an island surrounded by water. So I should go too.”

She looked around. 

Annabeth opened her mouth to protest. 

“Three is a strong number,” Percy advised, "Especially for a quest.” She scuffed the toe of her shoe for a minute before clearing her throat. 

“Besides, Jason’s his brother, in a way. The two of us could keep him occupied long enough for us to escape.” 

Jason looked at her and nodded. 

Annabeth stepped forward, “Before,” she winced, “Before you go down, there’s someone you need to talk to.” 

She nodded. 

“We all should eat..something,” Hazel offered, despite the way she was clutching her stomach, “You guys take a minute.”

____________________________________________

Percy followed Annabeth to the side of the ship, shaded, cool and quiet. 

“This is becoming-” Percy started but then Annabeth shoved something in her face. 

“Um, what?” she said, trying to figure out what the weird black soap bar was. 

“Answer the phone.” Annabeth snapped, before turning and walking a bit away. 

Percy sighed. 

She lifted the phone to her ear. 

“Hello?”

_____________________________________________

Carter inhaled sharply, as he heard it. Heard her voice. 

“Hello?” happened again, “Anyone there?”

 He sat across from Sadie, the phone currently pressed up to his ear. 

“Percy,” he croaked out, “It’s me, it’s Carter.”

______________________________________________

“Carter?” Percy said, staring out at the water. 

Her legs felt shaky. She should sit down. 

She sank down to her knees. 

“Hey,” He said, his voice deeper than it had been the last she heard it, “It’s been a minute.” 

She laughed. 

“Tell me about it,” She leaned her head against the side of the Argo Two. Shutting her eyes. 

“Annabeth filled us in mostly,” he continued. Has his voice always sounded so chocolatey? She couldn’t remember. 

“But I wanted to hear it from you. Gods, Percy, love, how are you?” He sounded worried now. 

Percy wasn’t sure why exactly since her brain was currently replaying the way he had said “love” over and over again. 

“As good as can be expected,” she finally replied, once her brain had decided to work, “Pissed at Hera. Freaking out a little. Six months of my life. Gone. I-,” she broke off into a bitter laugh, “I’m so angry, Carter.” 

“This Hera,” he started, and now she could hear his anger, “Horus is going to have a long fucking talk with her. And then, I will.” 

She sighed. 

“I miss you. You and Sadie. But you in particular. Sorry for missing our date.”

He laughed, “That’s something you shouldn’t be apologising for. Where are you guys?” 

She smiled, “Just hit the Strait of Gibraltar. No Egyptian artefacts here. She glanced up, and saw harpies beginning to fly in her direction. 

“I-,” he began on the phone. 

“I’ll Iris-Message you later,” she decided, “And Sadie too. Send her my love. And Bes. Definitely Bes.”

She could hear Sadie’s voice in the background.
“Always,” Carter replied, “I missed you Percy. So much.” 

Percy bit her lip. 

“I love you,” she said, “Shit, harpies. Bye!”

Slamming the end call button she stared up at the harpies. 

“I told him I loved him,” she whispered, “And then hung up the phone.” 

She laughed, picturing Carter.
“Soon,” she promised herself, running a fingertip over her lips. Then she unsheathed a sword. 

Chapter Text

Piper watched as Percy trooped back over to them, a few minutes after Annabeth. Blush evident in her cheeks, and she was covered in feathers. 

“Harpies?” Annabeth asked, raising a brow as she sipped her orange juice. 

“Worth it,” Percy replied dreamily, snatching the juice out of her hand. 

“Go get changed!” Annabeth ordered, waving her hands at her and grabbing her glass back, “You leave in thirty minutes!”
Percy just grinned and slipped her the phone. 

“Someone’s in a good mood,” Piper noted, sliding next to Ananbeth/ 

‘She Iris-Messaged her mom last night, and got a lovely phone call,” Annabeth said, smiling into her glass. 

‘From who?” Hazel asked, curiosity coming off her in waves. 

“Oh, just one Carter Kane, Pharoah of the House of Life.” Annabeth said nonchalantly. 

“Pharoah,” Piper repeated dumbly, “like a “king” type Pharoah.” 

Annabeth nodded.

“Wow,” Hazel said, “Photos?”

Annabeth grinned, “Don’t tell Percy,”

The three of them gathered around the phone, as Annabeth displayed photos of Percy laughing, with a boy in a variety of clothing, with dark skin, curly hair, and amber-brown eyes. White teeth. 

“Ooh,” Piper cooed, “They’re adorable. Look at the way he looks at her!” 

Annabeth grinned. 

Hazel smiled, “Look at how she looks at him.”

“Are you three done?” Percy stood there, white shorts, grey tank top, sage green cropped jumper over it. 

Annabeth grinned, “Missing your boyfriend already ?” 

“Hush,” Percy shot back, fidgeting with her hair as she tied it up in a high ponytail. 

“Percy,” Annabeth reached out, “Take a cap, and sunglasses. Something about Heracles and, you know,” Understanding passed between them and Percy nodded. 

Piper, Jason and Percy trailing just a beat behind landed on the beach. 

A man stood there, waiting for them. 

Percy felt nausea in her gut. Felt her breaths stutter. It was like someone was choking her. 

He was wearing a purple chiton. Lion cape. Black hair, and the sharp electric blue eyes all the children of Zeus and Jupiter seemed to share. He seemed to be appraising them, his gaze lingering on Piper’s face, and Percy’s legs. 

Freak. 

“Well,” he said, his voice echoing, “Welcome brother mine. I am Hercules.” 

That explains the purple chiton. 

Piper looked as grossed out as Percy felt. Jason rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Hello,” he said. 

There was a beat of silence before Piper cleared her throat. The god’s eyes raked her body up and down, then flicked back to Percy again, a slight frown on his face. 

She sent a prayer of thanks to Annabeth. The shadow of the cap and sunglasses hiding her face. 

“Um, Hercules,” Piper started, then corrected, “Lord Hercules,we’ve come to ask for safe passage through the Strait.” 

The god stared at her lips. Nausea was rising in her throat now. Why was it so hard to breathe?

“Ah,” he rumbled, “I see. I understand the perils of a quest better than most. God of Heroes, you know. “ 

Piper hummed in response. 

“Well, something simple seems fair enough, no?” the god continued, taking a step toward Percy. She sidled backwards, towards the surf. The sun seemed to be burning hotter. 

“Tell me, brother, who sent you lot on this quest? Father? Athena? Ares?”

“Apollo,” Piper said, just as Jason blurted out, “Hera.” 

Fuck. 

“Bitch.” Percy muttered before she could stop herself.

The god’s face looked confused. 

“Apollo, or Hera?” He asked, then glanced at Percy, “And are you insulting me, or her?” 

Percy restrained herself from saying both. 

Barely. 

‘Her.” she gritted out, lowering her voice. 

“Both,” Piper said, “The prophecy was from Apollo, but Hera, unfortunately, was also present.” 

Piper was really trying her best here. 

Both of them had inched so they were slightly behind Jason, particularly with the way the god was leering. 

The god scoffed, his countenance now colder. 

“I was going to make it easy, but because of Hera,” he paused. 

“There is a river god, on the other side of the island,” he started, “bring me his horn, and I’ll grant you safe passage.” 

Percy rolled her eyes. 

“And,” the god said, now staring directly at her, “I want to see this one's face.” 

Well, shit. 

Percy could feel her hands shake slightly. 

‘Why?” Jason asked. 

‘She seems,” the god paused, leering toward her,”Familiar.” 

Percy sighed. 

“I’ll do it,” she began keeping her voice low, “if you swear on the Styx, not to touch me, or come near me.”

The god looked offended. 

“For my comfort,” she continued.

He rolled his eyes, “very well, I do so swear on the Styx not to touch or go near this girl,” he waved his hand vaguely in her direction, and thunder boomed. 

Percy inhaled, and then pulled off the cap and sunglasses. 

The god’s pupils dilated, and he took her in again. Took a few steps forward. She took two steps backward, calmly summoning her sword. 

“You,” he hissed. 

She raised her chin defiantly. 

He reached for her. 

“Your oath,” Piper snapped. 

The god stared at her, lust filling his eyes, clenching his fists, his knuckles white. 

“So I did,” he said. But he didn’t move. 

“Let’s go talk to the river god,” Jason said, calmly walking between them and offering Percy a hand.
She grasped it tightly, Jason squeezed back lightly, centering her. 

“Walk fast,” she whispered. 

Piper took Percy’s other side. 

She could feel Hercules stare after her. His eyes roaming her form. 

This was not going to end well. 

“There has got to be an artefact somewhere nearby,” Carter said, eyeing Pigeon Horus, who had come to ask after Percy. It was almost adorable how invested Horus was in their relationship. 

‘Why do you want to get to the Strait of Gibraltar so badly?” Horus asked, preening his feathers. 

‘Percy’s there.” 

Silence. 

Carter crossed his fingers behind his back. 

“Your betrothed?” Horus asked. 

“No,” Carter started, then paused. 

Sorry Percy. 

“Yes,” he sighed, “She’s there. Sadie, Walt and I need to get there.” 

Horus looked at him with his judgy little pigeon eyes. 

“Gather your things, Carter. We leave at once!” He flapped determinedly toward the door. Then bonked into it. 

Carter strangled his laugh. 

“Hold on,” he whispered, looking down at the lotus flower pendant, “I’m on my way.” 

__________________________
The air was muggy, and humid. 

They pushed through reeds and trees, and Percy regretted choosing to wear shorts, despite the heat. 

Sweat was dripping off the three of them, and Percy had put her cap back on to keep her hair out of her face. 

“This is torture,” Piper said, “I get why they banished him here.” 

Percy snickered. 

“It’s weird how he goes by the Roman name, right?” Jason asked, eyes fixed ahead. 

“I mean, the Greeks are more powerful, older,” Percy speculated. 

“In Roman times they did think that Hercules was the epitome of a man though.”
Jason furrowed his brow in thought, “I just can’t remember why..”

As he spoke, they came to a beautiful river. 

Percy took in a breath, staring at the way sunlight reflected on the water. 

She reached a hand toward it.
“WAIT!” Piper yelled. 

But Percy was pulled under. 

She floated suspended for a moment, until a bull-man thing appeared before her. Another Minotaur type monster? Really?

She glared at him, and he took in her face, her hair now floating free above her. He paled, and Percy opened her mouth to speak with him when she was shot out of the water. 

She landed, dry, in a heap on the riverbed. 

Shaking her head, she climbed slowly to her feet. 

“To answer, your question, Son of Zeus,” the Bull-man said, slowly, rising above the surface.

‘They regale the Tale- known as the Rape of Loyalty.”

Percy felt sick. 

“I am sorry, my lady,” the god apologised, bowing slightly to her. She waved back, winded. 

“Excuse me,” Piper tried, but Percy could see her fidgeting with the dagger. Piper was mean with that thing- she took out a flock of harpies and a griffen.

“Are you the river god Achelous?” she asked. 

The god nodded stiffly, “Yes.” 

Jason inched away from the water. 

“And you are here to retrieve my horn.” the god stated. 

_________________________________
Piper wanted to curse. 

Percy looked dazed, and sick to her stomach. And Jason was clearly anxious being this close to the water. 

The one person who had to handle this-was her. 

Of course. 

“I truly am sorry,” She offered, “We don’t like him much either, the way he leers ,” she shuddered. 

A true shudder. She had felt uncomfortable, and he had only briefly glanced at her. Percy had looked one word away from bolting. 

“I have tried before, to save a woman from him.” the god said, “It did not end well.”
Jason let out a yelp, and was pulled under the water. 

“JASON!” Piper screamed. 

“I am merely trying to save my Lord’s daughter, and you, from another son of Zeus. They are all the same, you know.”
How long had Jason been under there for? Ten seconds, twenty?

“Jason’s not like that,” she pleaded, “Please.” 

She glanced at Percy, “Please do something.”

“How do you know?” the god asked her. 

She couldn’t breathe. 

Thirty, forty seconds?
“Please,” she begged, unsheathing her dagger, but keeping it behind her back, layering her voice with charmspeak, “Let him go. I’ll stay away from him, if you let him go .”

“Stay away,” the god murmured, “Let him go?” 

“Yes,” Piper nodded fervently. 

The god lowered himself down to her.
NOW. 

Piper jumped, kicked him hard in the gut, and sliced off his horn in one smooth movement. Percy was watching, baffled. 

“PERCY!” Piper yelled, “GET JASON OUT OF THE WATER!” 

The daughter of Poseidon flicked her wrist, brow furrowed. 

Jason was thrown out of the water, panting on the river bank. 

“I am sorry,” she said, as Achelous looked at her, a shocked look in his eyes. 

With that, Percy twirled her fingers, making a whirlpool in the centre of the river, pulling the god in. 

“Run!” Piper cried. 

Percy stumbled, and lifted Jason to his feet. They began a near drunken wobble to the trees. Piper clutched the horn in her hand. It was cool to the touch.

They finally stumbled well into the tears, and Percy and Jason fell to their knees, panting for breath. 

“You,” Piper gasped, “Guys okay?” 

Percy snorted, “Quick thinking.” 

Piper shook her head, “Luck.” 

Percy’s green eyes met her, “No, that was some real hero stuff, Piper. I know you don’t think that it’s you, and that being a hero is, honestly, stupid. But you were scary brave there.” 

Piper felt her heart glow a little at the praise.
“Thanks.”

Jason rose to his feet. 

“Let’s just get this over with.”

They both nodded. Piper had enough of this island to last a lifetime. 

_____________________________

They found the god where they had left him.
His gaze felt like ants crawling up and down her skin. 

“The cornucopia, I assume?” the god said. 

Piper nodded, clutching it tightly. 

“Hand it over, and you’re free to go.”
Piper handed it to Jason, who smoothly passed it over to the god. 

“Very good,” Hercules said, running his fingers across the ridges. 

“Now,” he said, his eyes glinting, “One more thing.” 

He lunged for Percy, knocking her to the beach. 

“You swore an oath!” she screamed, but he blasted Jason and Piper backwards,and wrapped one hand around her throat. 

She kicked and struggled, but against the god of strength?

“I swore an oath,” he hissed in her ear, his breath sour, “to not touch the girl. You are no girl Pereseleia. You escaped me once. I refuse to let that happen again!” 

Percy felt herself beginning to choke, his grip was tight, too tight. 

Feeling the pull in her gut, she shot high-pressure water at him from the surface. 

She struggled to her feet, unsheathing her swords. 

Jason and Piper were struggling in bindings of wind. She was on her own for this. 

“You will be mine ,” Hercules hissed, “The Rape of Loyalty, once again.” 

She spat at him. He ripped forwards.
Spinning away, she sliced his torso. 

Stabbed the space behind his knees. 

“No wonder the gods abandoned you here,” she yelled, “You aren’t fit to be a god.”

He roared at her. 

‘It is your fault you tease! You did this to me !” 

She hissed at him, summoning a wave to pull him out. 

He dodged it, sprinting toward her once again. 

She spotted something black, and shimmering out of the corner of her eye, but had to re-focus on the fight. 

Spinning and ducking, she evaded. 

But she could feel herself tiring. She had hit her head. She didn’t have long. 

She stabbed forward, aiming for his crotch. 

He grabbed the sword a centimetre away- and yanked it away, pulling her forward. 

He wrapped his hands around her neck, pulling her head up to him. 

“ Mine ,” he breathed, “ at long last. ” 

She kicked and struggled, but he lifted her up off the ground so they were eye-to-eye. Her vision was fading. 

Then suddenly, a familiar sword stabbed him through the middle, then through the crotch, and he screamed, and dropped her. 

“ HA-DI !” A voice cried, and Hercules was blasted to the other side of the island. 

Percy fell to her knees, gasping for breath. 

“Hey, love,” a voice said. 

She looked up, into familiar amber eyes. 

‘Carter?” she croaked, massaging her throat. 

“I love you too, for the record.” he said, falling to his knees beside her in the surf, wrapping her gently, so gently in a hug. 

She sobbed. 

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe that worked!” Sadie cheered, as they crept onto the Argo Two. 

Carter’s arm securely around Percy’s waist as she leaned into him, ambrosia in her hands. 

“How did you guys get here?” Annabeth asked, gently hugging Percy before hugging Sadie. 

“More important question,” Percy interrupted, “What’s the deal?” she flicked her finger between Walt and Sadie, “No more puppy-eyed death god?” 

Sadie turned bright red. 

Walt laughed a little anxiously. 

Carter whispered into Percy’s ear. 

She burst out laughing. 

“How did you get here though?” Annabeth asked again, as Percy doubled over and clung to Carter for support. 

“Carter told Horus that his,” Sadie paused, as Carter froze, “His “betrothed”, Percy, was in trouble. Horus got us here, under the condition that we leave in a day.” 

Percy choked, now fully on her feet again. 

“Betrothed?” Annabeth asked, eyes wide, “Since when? He surely didn’t propose over the phone call?” 

Carter buried his head in his hands. 

“Enough of that!” Percy declared, interrupting Sadie just as she opened her mouth, “I can’t believe that the two guys you liked,” she pointed at Walt, “Are now just one guy? Is this some weird threesome thing?” 

Sadie froze. 

Walt coughed, “No!” he threw his hands up, “It’s not- I-um,” he looked to Sadie for help.
Sadie looked like she was relieving the torture of trapping Apophis. 

“Right,” Percy drawled. 

Carter placed his hands on her shoulders than. 

Piper’s mouth dropped open, and Leo drooled as Percy smiled at him. A full proper, delighted, stunning smile. 

“Gods,” Carter whispered, "You have no idea how much I missed that."

Percy blushed, and grabbed his collar, pulling him into her with a kiss. 

“Enough of that,” Sadie called waving her hands at them, “It’s bad enough he has to date one of my best friends. I can’t be witnessing it.” 

Percy laughed. She felt lighter than she had in months, Carter was here , his arms around her waist.

Then he hissed, “Huh,” he said, hand on his neck, “I think I just got a sunburn.” 

“That’s weird,” Percy said, turning her head to peer at it, “Normally they don’t show up until like the evening after.” 

Annabeth bit her lip worriedly. 

“So,” Leo jumped in, “You guys can teleport? Could you teleport us to Rome, or Greece?” 

Sadie and Carter exchanged a look. 

“In theory,” Sadie began, “Yes, as long as we have an artefact with us here, and an artefact to hit off of.” She reached down into her pocket, and pulled out a mini obelisk. 

“Did you steal that from the British Museum?” Piper asked, eyes narrowing. 

Sadie put a finger to her lips. 

“But,” she winced, “Isis is very adamant about not interfering in other pantheons' quests. We could interfere there, because one of our own was in trouble,” she jabbed a finger at Percy., 

“Horus is the same,” Carter chimed in, “We have to leave tomorrow morning. I wish we could do more to help, but” he shrugged, “Our hands are tied.”

“Um, excuse me,” Frank said, “What do you mean Percy is one of your own? I thought she was a demigod?” 

“Oh, I am.” Percy grinned. 

Carter began to explain but Sadie clamped a hand over his mouth. 

‘Ignore stick in the mud. They’re betrothed.” Percy buried her face in Carter’s shoulder, shaking with laughter. 

“And you don’t hear them denying it.” Walt chimed in. 

Carter shook his head. 

“Traitors, both of you.” 

__________________________________________________

The sun was dipping below the horizon, when finally Percy could talk to Carter alone. Well, more like stare at Carter alone. 

She fidgeted with her clothes, tutting to herself. 

“Dressing up for a boy,” she sighed.
She wore a loose linen shirt, striped with blue cropped at her mid section, high waisted navy shorts, and sandals. Her hair was pinned with a trident comb. 

Inhaling, she slipped above deck. Leo was tinkering with Festus, and Walt, Sadie, Annabeth and Hazel were chatting in the living style room. 

She wandered around, looking for him. 

He was looking down at the water, now a sea green hue. He was striking against the sunset, deep olive linen top, straight leg ochre cargo-pants, and high top sneakers. His shirt had a mandarin collar, putting his neck on display, the Eye of Horus amulet glinting the the remaining sunlight. 

“Looking for something?” She asked, bumping him with her hip, “Or, someone?” she batted her eyelashes at him. 

He let out a short bark of laughter, and turned, putting his back to the railing and crossing his arms. 

Percy gave herself a few seconds to appreciate those arms. 

Blinking, she looked up at him.
It was so much further to look now than it had been a few months ago. They both had grown up, a lot. 

“Hey,” he said, “Have I ever told you how much I love blue on you?” 

She smiled up at him, interlocking their fingers. 

“Have I ever told you how much I love green, on you?” she countered. 

He just smiled. That smile that stole the breath from her lungs.
Her knees felt a little weak. 

It was lethal. 

He laughed then, his mahogany skin made for this time of day. 

“I wore green, a lot,” he admitted, “The colour of your eyes. In some way, I always carried it with me. It was like carrying you with me.” 

She put her head on his shoulder, “I remembered you. When Hera took-,” she broke off, “I remembered you. Always you.” 

Carter inhaled sharply. He looked at her like he was mesmerising every inch of her face. 

“I have to tell you something.” He paused, then looked into her eyes. Soft amber meeting sea green. 

“ I didn’t know how much space one person could leave behind until you were gone.

Every day, I’d look out at the water and wonder if you were under the same sky, if you were okay, if you were thinking of me.
Six months of not knowing, it was like holding my breath underwater, just hoping I’d surface and find you waiting.” he looked away, out at the water, at the horizon before continuing.

“But now… you’re here.
You’re here, and I can finally breathe again.” he laughed a little, running his hands over his scalp. 

“I felt like I was drowning.  I had just realised,” he gestured, “Everything. And then you were gone. And I didn’t know, didn’t know what to do? How to help.” he broke off. 

He put a hand into his pocket. 

Percy could feel the tears pouring down her face. Gods, he was perfect. What had she done to deserve him?
He pulled out a little box, and opening it, sat a lotus pendant, glittering an opalescent pearl. He took it out with shaking fingers. 

He spun it, and she saw the Eye of Horus, gently embossed on the back. A symbol of protection. 

“I’m pretty sure you already know that this is a lotus,” he said nervously, “and maybe I’ve rambled  a little much, maybe this is all too much, but I-.” he stopped himself, watching the pendant sway in the wind, on its bronze chain. 

“In ancient Egypt, it meant love,  the kind that survives death and darkness and time.
In Greece, it meant true devotion, the kind that always finds its way home.” he tore his eyes away from it, and Percy found she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“I didn’t get this because it was pretty,” he finished, opening the clasp.
“I got it because it’s us .” 

She moved her hair aside, and he fastened it around her neck. 

She turned to him. Always him. Oh, Carter. 

“ I told you already, I didn’t remember anything, but you, really. Us. This. This feeling that I’m made of light around you.” she cleared her throat softly. 

You know ,I have to leave soon, and I don’t know if I’ll make it back. Gods, I don’t know,” she looked up at the sky. 

‘But Carter?” She said, “I stopped wearing blue, green. I stopped doing the things I loved . You reminded me of who I was. Of what I wanted.” she rested her hands on his face, feeling him lean a little into her palm. 

“But before I go…” she trailed off, “I want you to know this —I’m yours.” She looked up at him, putting her hands over his heart. Feeling his heart beat under her palm.

“No matter what happens. In this life, and the next. I will always find you Carter.” 

She kissed him again, slower. Softer. A goodbye kiss. A kiss of beginnings. He tasted like chocolate, and fresh coffee beans. His hands were in her hair. 

He rested his forehead against hers, savouring the moment. 

The sun finally set behind the horizon, lingering to cast that moment in gold. 

Chapter Text

The world circles the sun, once ever 365 days. It admires her beauty from afar, never touching. 

Closest to her heart, is Mercury. A mere 88 days, always rushing ahead, but yet still glowing in her presence. 

The most beautiful to her eyes is Venus. 

She takes her time, spending ever second of 224 days with her. As much as she can, whilst watching as the sun only grows bigger and brighter. 

Neptune, forever distant. Eternal. By the time he completes circling around her, she's but a memory, 60,190 days. 

Uranus is almost as slow, further away. Colder. But she is swifter than Neptune, if barely. 30,687 days. 

Pluto has never circled the sun. He runs in a ellipse around her. He is further away. Freezing but burning. 90, 580 days. 

He yearns for her. Burns for her. But is too slow. Too far away. 

She is captivated by the Earth. By the comets and meteors that speed around her. 

Apollo is the sun. The god of the Sun. The Golden God. 

But he has never felt more like Pluto. 

He watches, lyre silent in his hand as she- as the one who is her but isn't, is with another. Loves another. 

He feels this pain in his chest. Like his heart is breaking. 

But he buried that part with the clothes she had left around the place. The sandals kicked in a corner. The paint splatters left from her abstract art. 

To see a her, love another.

He wanted to scream. 

When she had kissed him, he had lost himself. Lost control. Burned him. 

He barely stopped himself from cooking that pathetic magician whole. 

Instead he plagued Heracles. Shot arrow after arrow of plagues. Of burns. 

“You’ll give him sunburns?” 

He didn't know why he had watched. He had until the two had sealed it all with a kiss. 

If salty tears joined the ocean, lost in as the sun painted the horizon, who would ever know? 

***

Horus passed it along, whispering to the Greek naiads and nymphs, satyrs. 

He watched the gossip spread. 

Dolphins, belugas, owls and ravens. 

He grinned. 

And waited. 

“Horus,” was hissed. Seafoam and fangs. Inky darkness and phosphorus. 

“Poseidon,” he nodded his head. 

Roses and dove feathers formed. 

“Is it true?” Aphrodite hurried forward, “we don't intermix often, but this!” 

She pressed a fluttery hand to her chest. 

Horus merely handed her a phone. “Get it on Hephaestus TV?” He asked. 

Aphrodite's eyes gleamed red, a shark smile splitting her lips. 

“Absolutely.”

“Horus.” Poseidon snapped, “leave my daughter alone.” 

Horus folded his arms, regarding the sea god calmly. 

“You hardly treat her as a daughter,” eyes of many creatures burned in anger, eerie fire within, “Besides, I cannot control this Eye. A powerful alliance, the Pharaoh of the House of Life, and the Princess of the Sea. Rather like your daughter Benthesikyme, don't you think?” Poseidon hissed. 

Horus blinked his eerie eyes at him. 

“He may live,” the god threatened, “for now.” 

Horus dipped his head in acceptance. Staunching his urge to cheer, he sent a part of him to go check on Carter. 

*** 

Bleed.

Burn. 

Die. 

War.

Blood.

Death.

The sound of a single flute floats across the battlefields. 

He snapped his eyes open, continued preforming his katas, swirling and spinning. Like the sea. Like his niece. 

He blinked. He was finished. 

He smelled blood. Saw red. 

Threw a dagger at the dartboard with a photo of Percy Jackson on it. Apparences are where the similarities with his niece ended. They were like night and day. 

“Attempting to burn a hole through her head?” A voice lilted. 

He huffed. 

Blood from her lips. A warrior. Strong. 

War incarnate. Such a line they danced across. Why do people war? 

For love. 

She held out a phone. 

“Look at your favourite demigoddess. She looks an awful lot like a certain someone here, hm?” 

Percy Jackson in blue. 

Perseleia. 

He could feel the tusks form and vanish. 

Fail. 

Stab. 

Lunge. 

Rip.

Tear. 

He remembered Perseleias voice, her face in Troy. 

He had sworn to protect her. Now she was dead, and this upstart was rubbing salt into the wound of his failure. Loosing one of the few people who saw him. 

“What is the point of this?” He demanded. 

“The boy,” Aphrodite cooed, “Is the Pharaoh of the House of Life. Anyone who marries him- joins it. Joins him.” 

The phone falls crushed to the ground. 

Aphrodite smiled. 

Oh Horus, look what you've  started.

Chapter Text

Annabeth gagged. 

The Cult of Nero Fides. 

After stumbling away, she had fallen to her knees and puked profusely. Gods, she missed sitting in the sun with Percy. That had been only a few hours ago, but it felt like years. 

The things the Romans had preached about Annabeth’s first sister… were simply horrifying. She was the ideal woman, they basically had destroyed her personality, making her just a catalyst in the story of Troy. 

Shaking, she slowly got to her feet. There was more to come. She had to be ready. 

***
“Woah,” Percy said, still covered in ichor and bleeding scratches from the fight with the giants. 

She was shaken from the way Bacchus had screamed when she got hurt. The sun had blazed just that bit hotter, and she barely managed to avoid a spear to the gut. A feeling like deja vu had coursed through her, and she had felt something watch her when her blood dripped red onto the sands. 

But now. 

In front of the Athena Pathernous, she felt.. Like she had seen it before. 

“Is that Nike in her hand?” She asked Annabeth, as she helped her slowly to her feet. 

Annabeth shook her head, her voice tight, “Loyalty, in the palm of my Mother’s hand.”

Athena’s eyes gleamed in the stillness.

They were not watching her.

They were judging .

“This,” the goddess said, her voice echoing not through stone but through Perseleia’s bones, “is how they remember me.”

She gestured, almost gently, to the statue—towering, golden, perfect. The spear gleamed with celestial sharpness. The aegis coiled with serpents that never moved and yet somehow breathed. In her palm, Nike stretched tiny wings, frozen in the gesture of eternal victory.

“I designed her myself,” Athena continued. “Pheidias did well, for a mortal. It is a portrait of truth, not flattery.”

The light glancing off the statue’s eyes struck her directly—too bright, too precise. She flinched. Her breath caught, shallow and quick. The gold blurred. Her heart beat in the wrong rhythms. She remembered her scream echoing off obsidian walls. The endless fall. The judgment.

Percy blinked hard. 

“I- Let’s get you onto the ship,” she said, slinging her arm around Annabeth’s waist as a support. 

They took one step forward. 

Annabeth stumbled. 

“What-” she began, then screamed. 

She was pulled backwards, off her feet, hurtling toward the chasm Archane had created when she fell. 

Web. 

There was a web on her leg attached to Archane. That bitch was pulling Annabeth down with her. 

Percy lunged for her, Annabeth hanging off the chasm, Percy splayed out on the temple floor, cracking under the strain. 

“Hold on!” She cried, “HELP!” she screamed. 

Her voice should have echoed, but it was as if someone muted it. 

She slid further, closer to the edge. 

“Hold on, ‘Beth,” she said, locking her eyes on Annabeth’s grey ones, “I’ve got you, you’re going to be just fine, okay?” 

Tears were streaming down Annabeth’s face. 

The statue watched, impassive. 

“Let go,” Annabeth whispered. 

“No!” Percy said, “No way in Hell, Annabeth.” 

“That’s where this goes, Percy,” Annabeth’s voice, sounding resigned, continued, “Tartarus. I won’t drag you down there with me. I can’t do that.” 

“You’re not dragging me down there because you’re not going to fall!” Percy insisted. 

Her torso was now half way over the edge, feet scrambling for something, anything to hold on to. 

She slid further, barely managing to twist her torso in time to grab the crumbling tiles. She could see the cracks spidering up them. 

“Percy!” A voice cried. She looked up. 

Nico. 

A too thin face, pale from a lack of sunlight reached for her hand, his eyes big and dark in his face. 

“Nico,” she whispered. 

“I am not letting you two fall,” he tried, tears forming in his eyes. Tears were streaming down Percy’s face now too, as she memorised him, just in case it was the last time she would see him. 

Just in case. 

“I already lost one sister, I can’t lose the two of you!’

Percy’s heart broke. 

“You won’t.” she promised. 

Nico’s eyes blinked at her, even as she knew they wouldn’t be able to stop Annabeth from falling, and that Nico was too gaunt to lift both of them. 

She didn’t have much time. 

“Take them to the House of Hades,” she said, “Promise me, promise me, that you’ll get them there. We’ll meet you there, Nico. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that!” Nico cried out, hands tight around her wrist. 

“Please,” she begged. 

He looked at her. 

One. 

Two.. 

“I promise,” he said. 

“Good. She replied, “I swear, that I will follow you. We’ll see you on the other side Nico. Get them there.”

Then, she let go, grabbing Annabeth in a hug. 

They fell. 

**

Nico screamed. 

But it was too late, they were already lost to shadow. 

Lost to the abyss. 

“Take them to the House of Hades,” Percy’s voice rang in his ears. 

He looked up. 

The statue was secured tightly. 

He could see them slowly turning. 

Seeing him standing alone, toward the hole that was growing by the second. 

He heard Hazel’s anguished cry, Piper’s gasp of horror. Jason froze. Frank fell to his knees. 

Leo.
Leo looked like he had failed . 

Like this was all his fault. 

“Get the ship ready to move!”Nico cried, “We sail for the House of Hades, now!”

He grabbed the rigging, hissing at the lack of strength in his arms. 

He remembered seeing Percy as she opened the jar, relief pouring through him like water. The way she had slid in front of him, hiding him from the giant’s view. 

Percy had never, ever given up on him, chasing him through the Labyrinth, comforting him when he believed he was a monster. Trusting him when he had betrayed her. 

He stood on deck, watching as the parking complex fell in on itself. 

“She promised,” Nico whispered to himself, slowly turning away, “Percy never breaks an oath, unless she had to. Unless there was no other way. She promised. ” 

He held that tightly. 

He prayed to gods he knew were no longer listening. 

He prayed to a goddess long dead, her visage so similar to his sister’s haunting him. 

She had to survive Tartarus. She would. 

“I’m sorry,” a voice broke into Nico’s mourning. 

Leo stood there, his face smeared with engine oil, grease. Tear tracks streaked his face. 

He held out the broken fragments of a fortune cookie. 

“I saved Frank and Hazel,” he said, “It was from Nemesis.”

An eye for an eye. 

“I saved them,” his voice broke, “And the cost, was Percy and Annabeth.” 

Chapter Text

The Athena Parthenous caught the light. 

Athena gasped. 

The fractures, the stray threads in her weavings, she could see now. 

Perseleia. 

Her daughter.  She sat resplendent in her mother’s hand. She could see her.

She wove quickly, both sides of her working in unison, feeling the flow. 

Her face, formed beneath Athena’s hands, beautiful and distant and warm, and cold and gone. 

Athena stared at the tapestry for a long moment.
But she couldn’t see her daughter. 

She couldn’t see her daughter. 

She saw Percy Jackson. 

She saw Annabeth Chase. 

She saw the oath sworn, and the fall. The fall 

Down 

Down 

Down. 

She screamed, dropping the tapestries. 

The memories surged through her, things she had long forgotten. 

Promise me you’ll love them. 

They are your children. 

Mother? 

Mama?

I love you. 

For my mother.

Follow the mark. 

Promise that you won’t abandon them. Promise me. 

She heard the screams echoing throughout the years, the struggles her children, her children suffering. 

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, falling to her knees, “I failed you. I failed you all. I broke my promise to you. I failed them. I’m so sorry.” 

The goddess of wisdom, of warcraft. 

A mother. 

Percy Jackson’s eyes looked at her from the tapestry, dressed in an Ancient Greek chiton. 

Athena breathed deeply. Grabbed wool. 

Her daughter had fallen.
Athena had failed her beautiful Annabeth. She had no right to her anymore. 

But she would try. 

For the rest of them. For the camp they all had held so dear, starting with Perseleia, and ending now, with her youngest. 

She set the threads, eyes shimmering between dull grey and startling silver. Athena was a mother. She was a warrior. Minerva wasn’t. 

But she could learn. She could understand. 

She began to weave. 

A shroud, for her children who had fallen because of her madness. 

***
Clarity shattered through the sea storms and freshwaters, separating Poseidon and Neptune once more.
He was cursed with a vision. 

Of Percy. 

He saw her. 

For the first time, he saw Percy Jackson, daughter of Sally Jackson. 

But she was falling. 

Falling to the Pit. The Bane of their very Existence. 

He felt the Earth shake, and sea storms form. 

His little girl-no. 

Sally’s little girl. 

He focused on the ship. She had sworn to meet them at the House of Hades. Poseidon would make sure they arrived. 

He blessed them with favourable winds and no storms. 

Then he turned, and watched his daughter fall, salt water seeping from her eyes. His greatest regret. His biggest failure. 

He watched, tears pouring from him as well. The ocean wailed, losing the green of her eyes, the blue that she favoured. 

Until Sally’s daughter once again stepped into the sea, those colours would not appear. 

He could feel the madness creep upon him once more, Neptune’s grasp, the war between Greek and Roman. 

He clung to Percy, blessing her with strength, bravery, and the hope of survival. Hades child had made it out alive. 

Percy was so strong, despite everything. She smiled, despite everything. She was the best of him. So much like her mother. 

So much like Perseleia. 

He saw his youngest immortal daughter in his mind. 

He saw Percy too. 

He had loved Perseleia. Always would. 

But her time was over, and perhaps it was time. Time to smile when he heard her name. Time to remember her with love. 

Time to hear her laughter, and not her screams. 

He slowly, like the waves, trailed away from shore. 

Let. 

Her. 

Go. 

***
His sun had slipped through the cracks. 

He had just about made it out. 

Just about had seen the fall. 

The failure seeped into his bones. 

If he had been faster, smarter, kinder.. 

If he had been there for his children. If he had done as she wished, instead of burying himself in his grief. 

He saw her smiling and felt the agony beat in his chest. 

“I promise Nico,” Percy Jackson managed. 

A promise of Loyalty. 

He saw Perseleia, cupped in the statue’s hand. A silver of her essence in the statue, left to inspire love, loyalty and hope. 

Hope. 

He could try. Once again, maybe. 

Both sides of him were raging. He was on Delos, and yet he could still see this. See this without the headaches, without the agony. 

They were the constants. 

He felt regret now. Late, as always, but this deep ache inside him. They would die for a cause that wasn’t even theirs  to begin with. 

They would die because the gods themselves had failed them. Abandoned them. 

Because they were cowards.

Their children truly were the best of them. 

But with the small silvers of himself that he could barely get out, he passed by the Athena Parthenous, even as part of him screamed to stop, to look at her. 

But that was a pale imitation. 

He slid them down to Percy Jackson and Annabeth. So young. 

He wrapped them in blessings of healing, of survival. Of sunshine, a bright light to carry within. 

It wasn’t enough. 

He fell to his knees on the sandy beaches of Delos. Watched as the colour seeped out of the water. 

No tears could come, just an endless silent scream.
For there was no music that could be played, no song to be sung. 

Chapter Text

Did you know falling into Tartarus feels just like falling in love? 

Your heart stutters—once, twice—then starts to race like it’s trying to escape your ribs. You forget which way is up.

 The wind steals your breath, but not the scream caught in your throat. And for a moment, just a single heartbeat, it feels like flying. But then the darkness catches you, wraps around your ankles like it’s always known you were coming. 

And the fear doesn’t feel like fear anymore. 

It feels like surrender.

The adrenaline rushes through your body, and for a moment, you feel simply invincible. 

Then you realise. There is no coming back from this. 

Annabeth had shut her eyes. 

Percy could feel herself screaming, but no sound. 

She had promised Nico she would meet him.
“I’m sorry,” she said. 

They fell. 

Hurtling through clouds of poisonous gas, burning fire, freezing rain. 

She remembered the stories they would tell, of Tartarus, the Underworld. Someone had said it takes nine days to fall fully, that Taratrus is as far from Hades’s realm as the earth is from the sky. 

It feels more like it takes a single heartbeat—drawn out, split open, repeated over and over, until time forgets how to count.

Percy feels like she is relieving the same moment over and over again. 

Her arms are wrapped so tightly around Annabeth, the two clinging to eachother. She’s been by her side since the beginning. It makes sense they’d be together for the end. 

Poetic. 

She thinks the Fates would enjoy it. 

After a while, Percy starts to hallucinate, seeing things and people that aren’t there. 

Her father.

A sword being offered to her. 

Flowing blues and greens. 

A raven’s feathers turned black beneath her touch. 

An olive branch. 

Gold. 

Silver. 

Images and colours speed behind her eyeballs, but she can’t make sense of it. Any of it. 

She just hopes. 

Hopes  that she will see sunlight again. Her mom. Carter. Sadie.Grover. Paul. 

She feels something familiar, and yet other. Water like the time Thalia, Nico and her were pulled into a quest. 

She softens it for their impact.

Any chance of survival. Any. 

Annabeth’s ankle is still broken. The web is still attached to her leg. 

They fall. 

Then cold water hits her lungs and her body and her heart and her soul and she doesn’t know or feel anything. 

Luke. 

Silena. 

I wish you’d never been born. 

Wincing. 

Hiding.
Mistake.
Mistak e. 

Mistake. 

You will never be enough. Never be her. Give up. Give in. You are one of us. 

Flailing, Percy feels Annabeth. Sees faintly the glimmer of golden hair. 

Water obeys her.
She forces the river back, forcing the waters to silence.
“I am the Daughter of Poseidon," she breathes, “You obey me.” 

They release her, enough so she can grab Annabeth. Pull her to shore. Get the ice-cold water out of her lungs. 

The burning heat in her hands causes her to look down. A beach made of glass shards. 

She stumbles, lifting Annabeth, still senseless. 

Whispering in her ear, of sunshine, strawberries, books by the lake, she grabs Annabeth and her backpack and hauls them off the shore. 

They fall again then.
Shorter this time. 

Annabeth’s eyes open, grey meeting green. 

“Percy,” she croaks out. 

She waves back. 

“We need to move.” Annabeth says urgently, “Monsters.”
Tartarus. 

The breeding place for monsters. Of fucking course.

She nods, ignoring the pain in her side, her knees, her hands, her head.
Still spinning from the bright colours of the fall. 

She and Annabeth lean on eachother. 

“Where are we going?” Percy hisses. Annabeth is soaked to the skin. She flicks her wrist, drying her. 

Percy could feel blisters forming on her skin, her throat drying, eyes watering. 

Everything burned. 

She looked down. 

The ground, wasn’t ground. It was a type of flesh. Blisters forming. 

Percy gags. 

“That was t-the River Cocytus," Annabeth manages, “river of w-wailing spirits, e-eternal torment.” 

Percy nods, content to rest her voice and focus on getting away from the river. 

“We need to f-find the River Phlethgton.” Annabeth says, “River of Fire.”
Percy speaks before she can stop herself, “Burning alive doesn’t sound like a great way to go.” 

Annabeth shakes her head, her teeth still chattering, “T-trust me.”
Always. 

Percy looked up at the burning red clouds. Promising acid and flame and pain. 

“Lead the way.” 

They continue, the things monsters were drawn to the most, right in the den. 

Lambs to slaughter. 

Percy realised after a while, Annabeth couldn’t see what she did. Everything was dimmer to Annabeth. 

She didn’t see the skin. The bodies. The promises of pain and suffering. 

Percy didn’t tell her.

Then her eyes narrowed. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. 

The shadows moved wrong.

Not just flickering — crawling. Clinging.

She could hear the constant groan of the Pit, even as they stumbled over rocky surfaces, toward fire. 

A cliff side. 

“Oh fuck no.” Percy whispered.

‘We h-have to climb down,” Annabeth rasped. She was getting worse too. This Pit would kill them if given the chance. 

A memory slid through Percy’s mind. Nico’s voice, and her own. 

“Sometimes I’m so scared, that one of them will hit me, and blood won’t come out but monster dust. That I’m one of them,” Nico had whispered those thoughts into the night. 

“Sometimes I think I am.” Percy admitted, “My father is the Father of Monsters. I worry that they’ll strike me down, and I’ll wake up in the Pit. That it’ll prove I’m nothing but a weapon in the hands of the gods.” 

She shoved the memory away. 

The two climbed slowly down the rock cliff face to the side of the fiery river, glowing gold and orange in the shadows of Tartarus. 

They hit the river bank, and Annabeth fell to her knees, groaning in effort.
“Cup the w-water in your hands!” She said, reaching for the burning river.
“But-” Percy began. 

“DO IT!” she ordered. 

Percy reached out, hands shaking of their own accord. It burned beneath her skin. A welcome warmth. The first sensation she’d had. 

Is this how Icarus felt?
Flying too close to the sun, beautiful, blissful agony?

She saw Annabeth pouring it down her throat, and wincing, did the same. 

It Burned. 

Burning her alive. Destroying her. 

She keeled over, writhing in pain. 

But after a few minutes, the pain lessened. The blisters and pain in her throat weren’t so bad. 

She stood, offering Annabeth a hand. 

“Follow the river?” she asked.
Annabeth merely nodded in confirmation.

Then Percy felt it again. 

"Do you hear it, daughter of Athena? The thread remembers. Every lie your mother spun, every drop of ichor spilled on silken strands. I am not here to kill you. I am here to collect the debt."

A voice cackled from the shadows. Percy saw something move.

She twisted a ring, summoning a sword. Annabeth dropped to the ground, and Percy smoothly impale the Weaver. 

Stepping forward, twisting the sword, she let herself smile viciously. 

“You may be a monster Athena created,” she purred, “but look around, Arachne — so am I.”

“I’ve walked through the guts of nightmares, stared into the eyes of death, and kept going. You think your little thread scares me?” she pulled out her sword, and plunged it back in, watching death creep into the Weaver’s eyes. 

“Now let’s see how well you unravel. ” she promised. 

Percy turned to Annabeth. 

“I’m glad she’s gone.” Annabeth said, looking down at the dust. The red-orange glow the only light. 

“There are many more here,” Percy said, cleaning her sword.

“Many that we’ve faced,” Annabeth added. 

Percy managed a smirk, Then we’ll keep cutting them down until Tartarus is the only hell left for monsters to rot in.” 

Chapter Text

“Only you can move it.”
Hazel held her head in her hands.

Firstly, Percy and Annabeth fall. They fell into Tartarus. Percy was gone, and Hazel could do nothing. 

Leo wasn’t sleeping much anymore, constantly working on the ship to get them there faster. 

Nico had tried to assuage him of the guilt. But it was literally eating Leo alive. 

And Hazel? 

She was stuck, with a gods dammit weasel, and she was supposed to just FIGURE OUT how to use the Mist, or else they all died in the House of Hades and Percy and Annabeth would never make it out of Tartarus. 

She sighed, thumping her head on her window. 

At least they were flying instead of going over water. She didn’t think she could handle being seasick and trying to figure this all out. Plus, they didn’t have their sea person. 

Gods, she missed Percy. 

She was like the big sister Hazel had never had. She was smart, and fun, and broken too. 

Hazel wished she could have been there, could have done something, anything. 

She heard a knocking on her door. 

“Hazel?” 

She lifted her head. 

Frank stuck his head in. 

“We’re here.” 

The House of Hades. 

Piper shuddered. 

It felt eerie. Wrong. Stilted.
She could picture ghosts still coming to worship the God of the Dead. She dismissed those thoughts. 

For now, they had to focus on getting into the actual temple. 

“Archaologists believe that this has foundations, deep ones, which is unusual, but they began to hypothesise the Altar of Hades was kept below the ground, close to the Underworld," Nico said, picking his way around the ruins. They all followed closely after, tightening armour straps, or in Piper’s case, fidgeting with her dagger. 

“They were right, but dug in the wrong spot. And around two hundred meters too shallow,” Nico said, walking around and arch to a-. 

Oh. 

Piper could see it. 

And part of her wanted to go down those stairs, leading eerily into the dark, the rest of her wanted to run screaming. 

“Only those who truly look, can see,” Nico said, shrugging, as he pointed up at an Ancient Greek inscription. 

“Leo and I should lead the way,” Hazel said, stepping forward. 

Piper wasn’t that sure about the girl. She was sweet, but young, and she had these eerie golden eyes. Plus she had died in the 1940s, so that was a little bit unnerving. 

She nodded though. 

Children of Hades and Pluto had a unique ability with cave systems and stuff, Leo found it fascinating. 

Piper was more of a sunshine person. She did not find it fascinating. 

But Leo had been different ever since Khione had blasted him off. 

He had still looked wracked by guilt, but also more confident in his abilities. He seemed more capable in himself. 

She wondered where he had gone. What he had seen. 

He smirked a lot when he saw things in groups of nine, for some reason?
Also he had this ridiculous chain mail vest he insisted on wearing. 

Piper mentally slapped herself, Focus.

Leo calmly ignited his hand, and Hazel began the descent. 

***

Piper was in the middle of the group. 

Most likely to survive part, really. The front could get eaten by something, or squashed, and same with the back.

She mentally congratulated herself. 

And tried to center her breathing. She hated cramped spaces. Just the thought of being stuck down here gave her a bad feeling. 

Jason put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. She gave him a tight smile in reply. 

She could just tell he missed Reyna. Gods, she wanted to throw the two of them in a closet and lock the door. 

She focused on that thought, instead of what was happening. 

Then the tunnel opened up and they came to a cavernous space.
“Is this?” Frank started, but Nico stalked forward. 

“The First Trial.” he said calmly, “There are three. You have to pass each one to make it down to the Underworld.” 

Three. 

Piper wanted to tear out her hair. 

Of course it wouldn’t be so easy as to just follow a tunnel. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. 

The Doors of Death were here. So, logically, that meant a lot of monsters were too. 

She stepped a little bit forward, “What is that?” 

On a stone pedestal, a single gold chalice appeared. 

“That, that wasn’t there a moment ago,” Hazel whispered, looking around. 

Nico walked over, and picked it up. 

“We have to drink it.”
“What?” Leo cried, “We don’t know what that is! It could be poison!” 

Nico raised a brow at him, “It is poison.”

Leo stared at him. 

Nico sighed, "Frank? he asked, turning to him. 

Frank unzipped his backpack he had insisted upon, and took out... rice cakes?

"Rice cakes?" Leo asked. 

Frank shook his head, "They were given to us by the god of agriculture. Supposed to help with the poison so it doesn't, you know, kill us." 

The rice cakes were divided, and Piper choked hers down. It was unbelievably dry, and had the same flavour as cardboard. 

Yum 

Nico finished chewing, and slowly raised the chalice to his lips. He took a single sip, grimaced, and handed the chalice to Hazel. 

“You drink the poison to represent the line between life and death, and the temptations of crossing. From this point onwards, no matter what you hear, you cannot leave the group. We can’t split up.” 

Hazel sipped, and passed it to Jason, to Frank, to Piper, and finally to Leo. 

Piper grimaced as Leo passed the chalice back to Nico.
It had tasted like sour apple juice, and something else. 

She gagged a little. 

“Now what? She asked weakly, looking around. 

Nico’s face was pale in the firelight. 

“Now, we continue to descend. Percy and Annabeth are waiting for us. We can’t let them down.” 

The mosaics around them depicted scenes of death, drachamas and other offerings to the dead,  and weirdly, a lot of cows. 

Piper felt uncomfortable. 

Being vegetarian, she didn’t eat meat, for reasons such as it is none of your goddamn business, and she does eat a whole lot of spinach to make up for the iron deficit in her diet. 

Gods, she’s not stupid. 

Everyone looked on edge. Frank looked like he was a word away from clamping his hands over his ears and running, whereas Jason looked morbidly curious. 

The tunnel opened once more, into a still pool of water. 

It was opaque. 

Piper immediately felt uncomfortable. 

“Second trial?” Leo asked despondently. 

Nico nodded,
“Represents the rivers of the Underworld, the crossing the spirits take to reach Hades’s palace. 

“So it’s like crossing the Styx, than?” Jason asked. 

Nico pulled a face, “No, crossing the Styx, the actual river, is a different thing entirely. Ask Percy.”

Piper wanted to pause, and ask Nico, but the boy began wading into the water.

‘“Don’t breathe it in,” he advised, “Swim directly across.”
Frank calmly entered the water and turned into a swordfish. 

Oh, that asshole. Piper was tempted to beat him upside down with her dagger. Hazel grabbed onto his fin, and they both gently swam ashore. 

“I hate swimming,” Leo muttered, but he entered the water anyway. 

Jason did too, looking back at her.

Shoving her mental outcry to the farthest recesses of her mind, she waded into the icy cold water, hissing as it brushed her skin. Dunking her head, she began to gently make her way across.

“Guys!” Hazel’s voice called from the other side, “There’s something moving in the water, you need to move now!”

Piper felt her heart race at those words. 

Her ears were full of water now, she couldn’t hear much. 

Gods, she wanted this to be over. 

Then something grabbed her leg. 

She screamed, water filling her mouth. 

She was pulled down, down, down. 

Then she met a pair of familiar eyes. 

***

Piper screamed out bubbles. She couldn’t breathe. 

It was too dark, she couldn’t see anything, and she needed to close her mouth or else she’d drown. 

Fumbling she searched blindly for her dagger, eyes screwed shut tightly. 

There.
She wrapped her hand around the pommel and unsheathed it, and stabbed whatever it was pulling her down. She sliced herself in the process, but the grip loosened and she kicked toward the surface. 

A shark crashed into the water, chasing after her. 

Frank. She grabbed the dorsal fin, breaking the surface. 

“Piper!” Jason yelled, reaching for her as she gasped for breath. 

She grabbed his hand and was pulled onto the other side, struggling for breath. 

“The water is receding,” Hazel noted, “Frank needs to get out of there.”
Frank crashed ashore, shifting from shark to demigod in one smooth movement. 

“Go! Now!” he cried. 

They all rushed for the tunnel, as the water reared up and crashed behind them, attempting to flood the tunnels. 

“Faster!” Nico yelled, pushing ahead. 

Piper still couldn’t breathe well, but she pushed through it. Pushed through it all.

Run. 

The water crashed, soaking the ground. They were barely ahead of it. 

Not fast enough. 

The tunnel split before them.

“It’s coming down!” Hazel screamed, “Go left, go left!”
Hazel and Leo darted left, but the minute the two had crossed the threshold, the earth above crumbled and cracked in. 

Piper glanced behind them. 

“Not enough time!” She cried, “Go right!”
Piper, Jason, Frank and Nico dived right, barely missing the second landslide. 

“Shit.” Jason cursed. 

They had been separated. And now, Piper, Jason, Frank and Nico were without a guide. Without a way through the temple. 

Shit. 

***
Hazel slammed her hands against the rock, feeling the scrapes. 

“No!” she screamed, “No! NO!” 

She felt tears pouring, but all she could feel was this cold, icy rage. 

“Hazel,” Sammy-Leo said. He rested his hand gently on her shoulder. 

“We have to keep going. Percy and Annabeth need us.” Hazel rested her hands against the rock for a second more.
Then, exhaling slowly, she nodded, ignoring the blood drip, drip, dripping from her hands. 

Leo eyed the blood, but didn’t push. 

“Which way?” he asked, glancing forward.
Hazel glanced down at her feet. Feeling the diamonds, just beneath. Feeling the tiny tremors, the cracks, the shifts. Becoming one with the caverns. 

“Straight ahead. Then left.”
Leo nodded, igniting his hand.
Hazel resisted the urge to shield her pocket. Shield Frank. 

Leo wasn’t going to turn that on her. She-he was fine. Frank would be fine. She knew it. 

For now, she had to focus on saving Percy and Annabeth. She had to believe that they were fine. She could deal with the consequences later. 

***
“Hazel?” Leo asked, eyeing the corridor, “What are those?” 

Hazel bit her tongue. Drawing blood. The iron, sharp taste filled her mouth.
“Bones.” she answered, her whisper echoing in the oppressive chamber, “Sacrifices.” 

Leo looked sick. 

“I can sense them.” she continued, “Up ahead. Metal. But not. A different sense. Shadows and bones.” She glanced at him. Her pupils were heavily dilated. There was a ring of gold surrounding the black. 

“The Doors.” Leo said. The shadows seemed to grow larger, and darker, just at the mention of them. 

Hazel nodded, unsheathing her spatha. 

“Be ready.” She warned. 

The two slowly entered. The cavernous opening before them was decorated in gold and jewels. Designs depicting a swirling dance of death.
Hazel swallowed deeply. 

It felt like a warning. 

She could see the once Altar of Hades. Broken down the centre, the once perfect obsidian cracked and broken. 

Behind them, the Doors of Death. Resplendent in black and silver swirls. Hazel could see the shifting colours hidden within the black, like a raven's wing. 

Like souls trapped inside. 

They were shaking against weird chains, binding them, trapping them. 

The room was empty aside from that. 

Hazel took a step forward. 

The earth cracked beneath her feet. 

“Hazel..?” Leo asked, his eyes widening as he looked at the altar.

She lifted her gaze. 

A lady in gold. 

And.. something wreathed in shadows. 

“Welcome, Hazel Levesque.” The woman said, raising her head. 

She was beautiful. But so, so wrong. 

“I am Pasiphae.” 

Hazel felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. A witch who could actually use the Mist. Leo and her were so, so dead. 

Hazel searched for words. Nothign came. How did she-? 

Leo stood forward. 

“Listen lady. Our friends need us. So you can move that ugly-ass ,burned butter, dress out of our way, or else..” he set his hands on fire, “I can take care of it myself” 

Pasipahe laughed. 

“Clearly, boy, you know not who I am. I am Pasiphae. Queen of Crete, Daughter Of Helios. Mother of the Labyrinth.”
Hazel shook her head, “Daedelus created the Labyrinth, not you.”

The queen raised one sharp eyebrow, “Daedalus may have built the maze, but I breathed life into it. I gave it purpose.”
She flicked her hands.

“And I shall do so again.” 

Leo and Hazel stumbled together as walls began forming around them. 

“Best of luck, Daughter of Pluto!” Pasipahe mocked, “But your puny little powers won’t save you!” 

The walls rose from the floor with startling speed. 

Hazel reached out, but everything kept shifting. She couldn’t see. It was like trying to find a light switch in the dark, nothing was as it appeared. 

“Hazel?” Leo said, “We need to- run!” 

Hazel turned, and saw a Imperial Gold spiked ball rolling toward them. 

She cursed.
The two bolted. 

“Go right!” Hazel said, randomly picking a side. 

She couldn’t make anything out. 

Inwardly, she cursed Hecate and the stupid weasel. 

“Hecate attempted to warn you, did she?” Pasiphae’s voice floated through the maze, “She picks so many favourites. Tell me, did she tell you what happened to them? What happens to those who lose her favour? Medea, Circe, me?” 

Hazel blocked her out. 

“Get down!” Leo tackled her to the ground as spikes stabbed down from overhead.

She could feel panic rising. She couldn’t do this. Leo would die. She would die, again. 

“Once the Doors are in use,” Pasiphae’s voice came, “And there are occupants inside, a button needs to be pressed here. I can sense two lifeforms. The button must be pressed by the end of their journey which is in..” she trailed off, “Oh, seven minutes!”

Percy and Annabeth.

They had made it. 

But she and Leo won’t. 

“Leo,” she croaked out, “I can’t do this. I don’t know what I’m doing!” her voice rose uncontrollably, “We’re going to die, oh Gods, I’m so sorry!” 

Leo put his hands on her shoulders, as the two unsteadily rose to their feet. 

Hazel could faintly hear Pasiphae retelling her life, complaining about the gods that abandoned her. 

But she ignored that. She focused on Leo.

“Hazel, you are amazing,” He began, “Like seriously, scarily cool. You beat a bandit- the bandit, Hazel. You’ve fought giants, and eidolons. You came back, from the dead, stronger and braver, then anyone else I’ve met.”

He took a deep breath, “And I know, you think you’re fated to fail, that you can’t do this. But someone wise told me once that the thing about fate, even if we can't change the big picture, our choices can alter the details. I believe in you Hazel. It’s about time you believe in yourself.”

Hazel nodded. 

“Also,” Leo said, “I think that the floor is crumbling around us. 

She grabbed his arm, and closed her eyes. 

Left. 

“Five minutes.” 

She dragged him left, picturing in her mind. A clear way. Toward the altar. Toward the Doors. 

That was what the Mist was. Belief.
Pasiphae believed she could have them running around like headless chickens? She believed that she was in control?

Not any longer. 

She focused. 

“Three minutes, Daughter of Pluto.” 

“Hazel?” Leo’s voice rose. Her eyes were still shut, “There’s a huge chasm directly ahead of us, and you’re running straight for it!”
Hazel just gripped his hand tighter. 

“Trust me!” she yelled, “Get ready to jump!”

“Still playing by my rules, Daughter of Pluto?” Pasiphae laughed, “Two minutes!” 

Hazel jumped. 

And landed on a stone floor, directly in front of Pasiphae, and the shadows. 

“What-?” Pasiphae started, “No! That’s impossible!” 

Hazel smirked. 

“My name,” she began, “Is Hazel Levesque, and I am the Daughter of Marie Levesque.”

She pointed at Pasiphae’s feet. 

“"I let you think I was playing. Long enough to win.” 

Pasiphae looked down. 

“Didn’t you see that coming?” Hazel asked innocently. 

The trapdoor beneath Pasiphae’s feet opened. 

The sorceresses fell to the darkness. 

“Impressive.” a voice echoed all around them, “But time is up for your friends in Tartarus.” 

“Leo!” Hazel screamed, “The button! NOW!”

Leo flicked out a screwdriver, and threw it for the glowing button. 

It slammed against it.

She heard the doors ding. 

Relief flooded her system as two bodies fell out. She could sense their breath, their heartbeats. 

“Percy!” She screamed, “Annabeth!”

But their forms were wreathed in shadow. 

The shadows condensed, and a giant appeared,

Percy’s face rose from the ground, her eyes half lidded. 

“Your tricks won’t save you. Not this time.”  A dark gravelly voice erupted from her throat. 

The giant turned to face them.

Chapter Text

Poison was beautiful. 

In a way that death is. You welcome it with a smile on your face as life drains from you. 

That is what Percy understood, as they finally came to Akhlys’s grove.
They had-escaped the House of Night. 

Barely survived it really. Percy would be scared of the dark until the day she died. And she kept getting these piercing headaches, mixed with voices. 

But she didn’t let it show. Not even as they walked through Tartarus’s armpit, that Annabeth saw it as a forest grove. 

Not when she saw Annabeth blind. Not when she could do nothing, and death was coming, and she was a monster anyway, she would wake up here over and over and over-. 

She wanted to inhale deeply. She couldn’t. 

The very air here rasped against her lungs. They would never be the same. But there was a sickly sweet scent to the air here. 

She watched, cautious. 

“Demigods,” a voice croaked, “Something I haven’t seen in a long time.” 

Percy turned. 

She moved like a shadow that had forgotten how to die.

Akhlys was a figure carved from nightmares — impossibly thin, her skin stretched tight over bone, making her look stretched, unnatural.

 Her limbs were long and brittle-looking, too delicate to belong to something so ancient and cruel.

 Her face was hollow: sunken eyes, black as rot, yet still glinting with a dull, malicious light. From those sockets, misery poured — not like tears, but like smoke. A slow, creeping haze that coiled into the minds of the living and made them remember every grief they’d ever tried to bury.
Images came spiralling into Percy’s mind.
Annabeth, her Mom, Carter, Sadie, Grover. 

Her mother sobbing, clutching herself where blood poured. Carter screaming in agony. They were all contorted into stages of pain and grief and misery. 

“How interesting,” the goddess said, creeping toward them. She moved like the shifting sands. 

Percy wanted to throw up. 

She slid in front of Annabeth, aware of the tears pouring down her cheeks. 

“The cracks, pouring through you. So broken. Such a vessel, indeed.” The goddess sounded both heartbroken and delighted. 

She wore no crown, only a shroud — frayed and drifting behind her like funeral gauze. The scent around her was old blood, rusted metal, and damp stone — the perfume of forgotten crypts.

But it was her voice that truly broke the spirit. It was soft. Gentle, even. The kind of voice that might tell a lullaby — if the lullaby ended with madness. She could imagine the voice singing her to sleep, letting her cry out her fears. 

She stepped away from the goddess, fear coiling in her veins. 

Memories were clashing against her mind. Everything hurts. 

The goddess remained focused on her, head tilting to an unnatural angle. 

“We’ve come for the Death Mist,” Annabeth said, as clearly as she could, her voice cracking over the words. 

“Death Mist?” Akhlys purred, coming closer. She crawled over the rocks, and eerily, Percy was reminded of Gollum, from that movie Annabeth loved so much.
She could never watch that movie again. 

“Are you sure you won’t prefer something easier ?” the goddess asks, “Hemlock, nightshade, sundew, arsenic? Foxglove, Monkshood? Oleander? Are you sure you don’t want belladona?” 

With every word, the glowing, beautiful deadly plants grow larger and larger, and Percy feels like screaming as they drip down to the Grotto where they stand. 

“Death Mist.” Percy repeats.

Akhlys cackles, and the spell of her voice breaks. It was dark and bitter. Like nails scraping on a blackboard. 

“I don’t think so, little demi- goddess ,” she emphasises the goddess, and Percy barely manages not to flinch, clenching her jaw and lifting her chin. 

Annabeth gasps, and she clutches her neck. A dart, from a blow gun. She sees Akhlys grin at her, running her fingers along a long bony tube that looked like. 

Oh gods. 

It looked like a human spine. 

Percy retched, but nothing came up. Nothing would come up. She couldn’t remember the last time they’d eaten, and the ambrosia in Annabeth’s backpack had diminished quickly.

Annabeth fell to her knees, and Percy immediately unsheathed a sword, pointing it at Akhlys. 

“What did you do?” her voice comes out differently, wild, uncontrolled, and so, so angry. 

“Beth?” she tried, when the goddess didn’t answer. She held her hand to Annabeth’s forehead as the girl clutched her stomach and screamed in pain.
She was burning up. 

“A little taster, of what is to come,” Akhlys promised.
The poison was dripping faster now, covering the ground.
Getting closer to them.
Annabeth’s eyes shuttered closed. 

No, no, no. 

No, no, no. 

No. 

Percy turned the goddess, feeling something inside her shatter, feeling a storm, a hurricane moving beneath her skin. 

“What are you going to do, daughter of the sea and storms?” Aklhys cried, “There is no water here!” 

Percy swallowed hard, Annabeth was getting paler and paler. They didn’t have long. 

She reached out, trying to even her breathing. 

Plants had water, even poisonous ones. Which meant their poison had to come from something. 

The poison had water. 

Percy had water. 

She felt this feeling in her, and she turned to the goddess, baring her teeth. 

It wasn’t a smile. 

She felt laughter pouring from her throat, and she wanted to make that so-called goddess scream like Annabeth.
She cocked her fingers, and pushed at the poison, pushing it away. 

It obeyed her. 

The goddess watched, eyes narrowing, black seeping from her eyes to the rest of her face, until she looked like a rotting corpse, as if maggots were eating her skin and leaving nothing but bones. 

“What are you doing? ” the goddess hissed, pushing back. 

But Percy knew now. The water obeyed her. 

“No!” the goddess screamed, stumbling backward away from her own poison. Begging for mercy she didn’t give. 

“The Gentle One, the Kind One! Goddess of Loyalty!” Akhlys screamed, tears pouring down her face. 

Good. More water. 

“Feel that?” she asked, pouring the water down Akhlys throat, watching her choke. Feeling for the black blood that runs throughout the goddess’s veins, and forcing it up, up, up. 

“The rot, the corruption inside you?” she asked, squeezing. Pushing the poisons into her, watching her s c r e a m. 

More tears were forced into the goddess’s face, forced into those eyes of nothigness. 

“Don’t cry, Akhlys. It’s only your own blood.” Percy mocked. 

The goddess clawed at her throat, cutting her nails into her skin, more blood, more water. 

She glanced down at Annabeth, who was panting softly. 

She needed to end this. 

As she began to choke the goddess, a vindictive smile crossing her face, the images slammed into her again, but slower. Fractured. 

Apollo laughed. Owls swopping around her. A horse racing down at the beach, with her on its back. Weaving. Kind grey eyes. Whispers shared over a campfire. Sunflowers. Ravens. Hope. A thread wrapped around two wrists. A baby, green-blue eyes, peering up at her. 

Her head ached. She started screaming too, blood pouring from her nose. 

Her grip loosened on Akhlys. Just a little. 

“ Please ,” the goddess begged. 

Percy blinked, feeling the blood running from her eyes, her ears, her mouth. 

“This is mercy,” Percy said, “I could have made you taste hope first.” 

With that she flicked her wrist.
The plants exploded. 

She created a wall of poison to stop it from hurting her and Annabeth, and ran. 

She lifted her. So light. Too light.
Her breathing was rough and rasping. 

“Come on, Annie.” Percy begged, delving into Annabeth’s blood, easing the poison out. 

“You’re too stubborn to die.” she cried. 

Slowly, purple liquid poured out of the hole where the blowdart had been. Annabeth’s breaths came easier. 

“Big owie.” Bob said. Percy looked up at the silver titan. They were far away from Akhlys’s grove now. She didn’t remember getting that far away. She shuddered, her shoulders heaving with sobs as she held on to Annabeth, listening to that steading heartbeat.

“So much pain,” a voice came, quiet, like a grandmother. 

A form appeared. Wings of white and silver, the first she had seen of the colour. A kind face. She looked almost like Sally. 

“Who are you?” Percy asked, tears pouring down her face. 

“Oizys. Misera. Misery.” The goddess said, “True sadness, not like the pretender. But you two, have suffered greatly, not unlike the first. Not unlike Pandora.” Oizys sighed. 

She looked at Percy then, as clear as crystal tears gently streamed from her eyes. But Percy didn’t feel oppressed, or scared. 

She felt seen. 

“I truly am sorry,” Oizys said, “I feel your pain as acutely as my own. And, so θάρρος, I bestow upon you two gifts.” 

Percy shifted, as she felt something as light as mist pouring over her. 

She looked at Annabeth and covered her scream. 

“Death Mist.” Bob said thoughtfully as Small Bob curled beneath Percy’s arm. 

Oizys nodded. From within her flowing blue-grey chiton, she removed a crystal vial. 

“My tears,” the goddess said simply, “When the time is right, you will know.” 

Percy nodded.
“The heart is just over that ridge,” the goddess pointed, “The doors await. One must stay behind and hold the button. The chains must be cut. Best of luck to you, my lady.”

With that the goddess faded to mist, and Annabeth blearily opened her eyes. 

Chapter Text

The heart of Tartarus isn’t what you would expect. 

It isn’t anything like a human heart, red or pulsating. 

It’s this rotten, black corrupted thing. Lost any semblance it had to humanity in the centuries it has withered and died down here. 

But it still beat. 

Every step they took, they could hear-they could see the heart beating. 

The two of them looked awful. 

In death mist, they were nothing but rotting corpses. Fragile and decomposing. Empty, dull husks. 

Bob had reported that all the giants had gone through in the hours they had spent escaping other things. 

Percy was trying hard not to think of other things. 

Her head ached. Gods, she wished she could make sense of those flashes. But everything had happened too fast. 

And a part of her screamed at them. A part of her wanted to run and hide away from those. In this world, whatever they were? They wouldn’t save her. They didn’t matter. All that mattered was walking through those doors. 

She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, and Annabeth’s hand in her own.

She didn’t look at the monsters. 

Monsters she had never seen before. 

Monsters that made Kronos, made Kampae? Made them look like nothing.
Fear was running through her veins as she and Annabeth followed Bob through the crowd. 

“Iapteus!” a voice yelled. 

So much for that plan. 

***
Bob had made it away from them, calmly impaling Hyperion. 

His brothers guarded the gates. 

Percy looked at them with cold, analytical eyes. Titans were tough, but most would, and could die from a demigod. 

They were calling out names?
Group names. 

Percy wanted to slam her head into a wall. 

Tartarus- the Doors of Death- were running on a grouping system. A queue system. 

With tickets.

This truly was hell. 

As Bob-Iapetus, and Small Bob approached Koios and Krios, Annabeth and Percy crept over to one side each of the doors. 

She could just about make out Annabeth holding up three fingers.

They didn’t know what cutting the chains would do to the Mist. 

They didn’t really have much of a choice. But the image of her best friend as a corpse, illuminated by the light of the Doors and the beating heart of Tartarus would haunt her for a very long time. 

Three. 

Two.

One. 

She flicked her wrist, and cut through the chains like they were butter. 

“DEMIGODS!” Krios yelled. 

Tattletale. 

Percy summoned her other sword. They would go down fighting. She would hold the door whilst Bob and Annabeth made it out. She owned Bob that much. Owed him a chance to see the stars again. 

***

Tartarus. 

Percy dropped her sword, but her powers didn’t stop. They continued to hold back the tide, a literal wall of the Styx forming around them.
Oh gods. 

The underworld rivers were Tartarus’s blood. 

She had known the Pit was his body. 

But not like this.

Not an actual form. 

He looked.

Percy couldn’t. Her eyes burned. 

He looked like he was carved of obsidian, cracked and broken, with chasms full of nothing but agony and promised tortured inside.
He looked like he was being torn apart and stitched together at the same time. 

Simply being in his presence, his presence when slightly consoldised. It filled her with dread. Understanding that these would be her last few minutes with a beating heart. 

Before she became just another trapped soul in his armour. Another monster stuck inside him. 

“The children of the gods,” his voice sucked her in. His eyes were twin pools that would pull you in and leave nothing but a husk. 

She could see a faint train coming off her body, as if he was ripping apart her essence at the seams. 

“How pathetic. My beloved Gaia is right. You will fall. As will Olypmus. The time of our Children has come.”

Percy couldn’t breathe.

Demigods couldn’t fight a primordial. 

They didn’t stand a chance. 

“YOU ARE RIGHT FATHER!” A voice yelled, “THE TIME HAS COME!”
Damsen. 

He was a blessing. She could feel tears pouring. 

The doors dinged, as Damsen, riding his drakon, the drakon, attacked his father. 

“Go!” she screamed at Annabeth, “GET IN!”

Annabeth looked at her with grey eyes of understanding. 

“Not without you!” she yelled back, “WE promised Percy!”

She could feel her heart breaking. 

Gods, Nico, Beth, Mom, she was so sorry. 

She shoved Annabeth inside. 

“NO!” Annabeth shrieked. 

Bob and Small Bob turned to them. 

“Oh Little One,” Bob said, looking at Percy, who had her swords once more. 

“I-I’m so s-sorry,” she said sobbing, “But you need to go! Now!”
Bob looked at her.
Tears dripped from his silver eyes. 

“Thank you,” he said, twisting and turning his staff. 

Percy blinked, “Why aren’t you going?! This is your chance! ” 

Bob smiled at her. 

“No. Not this time. They need you.”
She shook her head, “No they don’t.” 

His eyes peered into her. 

“Yes they do, little one.”

 “Bob,” she said, voice catching, “you can still come. You can .”

“No,” Bob said gently. “Bob must stay. Tartarus needs watching. He is… restless.”

Percy shook her head, “But you deserve this Bob!” she cried, “More than anyone! I failed you, I abandoned you. I’m more of a monster than you ever were.” 

Bob smiled, and in that smile was something ancient and weary—more than just the Titan. More than just the janitor. Something human .

“You gave Bob a name again,” he said quietly. “A friend. That was more than I ever thought I would have.”

She gave him a name again. 

“A name not for destruction. Not for your own ends. Because you saw more. Because you believed, little one.”
He looked at her, and she couldn’t leave him. 

He ran smoothly. 

Picking her up, and tossing her inside. 

“NO!” she screamed, her voice raw. 

“You taught me what it was to be human, Percy Jackson,” Bob said, “It’s time I make good on those lessons.”

He jammed his thumb on the button. 

“Ten minutes.”

She ran for it. For him. But Annabeth grabbed her, dragged her backwards. 

“BOB!” She screamed.

Bob smiled. 

“Tell the stars hello for me.”

Small Bob yowled, leaping into the fray. 

They could hear Damsen’s battle cry. 

The titan and giant facing down Tartarus himself. 

Alone. 

The doors shut on Bob’s smiling face

***

Leo was unconscious. 

Hazel unsheathed her spatha. 

Leo had conjured his own fire, but Clytius’s mist had extinguished it. So much for fire being his weakness. 

Hazel backed away, watching the Mist, the mist of Hecate wrap around her feet. 

But against a Giant? 

Alone? 

Hazel’s heart was beating so loudly in her chest. 

Gods, she looked at Percy and Annabeth. They were so pale. So thin. They looked like they had walked through Hell. 

Which, they sort of had. 

“Well Hecate’s chosen?” Clytius said through Leo twisting his mouth in a sneer, “Your move?” 

She needed to cut the chains. But she couldn’t leave her little area of Mist. If she moved… 

Gods, she couldn’t do this. 

Not alone. 

“Giving up already, Hazel Levesque?” Percy’s face taunted. She seemed to be getting even paler. Choking on the words, the mist that was spewing from her mouth. 

They wouldn’t last long.
She had to get them out of that mist. 

Hazel took a step forward. The mist followed after her. 

She needed to cut the chains. 

‘You are not alone, Hazel Levesque,” a familiar voice came. 

The mist swirled into a column, then dissipated, forming Hecate, surrounded by her burning torches. 

“Hecate,” Annabeth’s voice rasped, “Crawled out of the hole you’ve been hiding in?”
Hecate ignored him.

“Go to the Doors, girl!” She ordered, “I cannot strike him whilst his mist is active, but I can protect you.”

Hazel didn’t need any further instruction. 

She bolted for them, cutting a silvery-white path through the oppressive darkness. 

Leo was pulled back into the Mist in her wake. 

She sprinted for the left side of the doors, raising her spatha and slicing through the chains like butter. 

She whirled for the other side, but her spatha was met with a Stygian iron sword. Like Nico’s but larger and more ornate. 

She grimaced. She could smell the smoke wafting off him. 

Screaming, she lunged and spun, then  stabbed forward, aiming for the weak spot behind his knees. 

The Giant screamed. 

Then she focused. 

And pushed. 

Every diamond, ruby, and sapphire e x p l o d e d from the walls around them, slamming and cutting and ripping into Clytius flesh. 

But he still blocked her way, blocking and slicing her attacks. 

The doors were shaking. 

Cracks were forming on the ceiling, the walls. 

She could see the chains on the left side. 

She hefted her spatha, and threw. 

It shattered the chains, and one moment later, the Doors vanished in on themselves, appearing elsewhere. 

Hazel ran back toward Hecate. She was weaponless now. Shit.

“The Doors do not matter, girl.” Percy’s voice, gods she sounded worse and worse, the smoke pouring from her body, “Gaia’s armies have amassed. Those left behind are not needed. Her children now roam freely.” 

Hazel glanced at Hecate. 

Hecate furrowed her brow and grabbed at the air. 

Hazel’s spatha came spinning back into her hands. 

She twirled it, stepping forward, and met Clytius’s blow. 

***

She was tiring. 

The giant wasn’t. 

And every minute that Percy and Annabeth stayed in that oppressive smoke, was a minute that was effectively killing them. 

She needed to get them behind her. 

Focusing, she pictured that. Believed that. Focused on that. 

Slowly, their bodies disappeared from Clytius’s side. 

“Do you think these demigods matter?” The voice echoed around her again. 

Hazel repressed her nausea. He was using the bones of the dead to speak. 

“We will simply take them when you are crushed like the insect you are.”

He raised his blade in an arc toward her.

Her sword was too heavy. 

She rolled away, and raised her arms to shield herself. 

Metal met metal with a clang. 

“Hey,” Nico choked out, “Been a minute.”

Hazel blinked. 

Piper, Frank, Nico and Jason. 

They were all okay.
They were all here. 

She clutched her side. 

That roll had smashed into her ribs, which had already been bruised. 

Not her finest moment. 

She shakily stood up with Nico’s help and then he re-entered the fray. 

Gods, was that an arrow in Frank’s shoulder?
What happened to the rest of Piper’s hair? It definitely had been longer than her collarbone. 

Was Jason bleeding from a stab wound in his leg?
The only one not openly injured was Nico. 

She refocused on the battle. 

And, of course, forced the Mist to obey her, to coat her friends. 

The dark mist hissed and bubbled where it met hers. 

Hazel grinned. 

Jason leapt up, the air shooting him toward the giant and smashed through his helmet. 

The mist surrounding the Giant dissipated as he stumbled backwards, golden ichor dripping from his head. 

Hazel hurried forward, adrenaline numbing the pain, and drove her spatha through his breastplate. 

Nico ripped off the shoulders, the shadows now obeying him. 

Piper sliced off his gaunlets. 

And Frank aimed an arrow steadily at his head. 

Then Hecate stepped forward. Her eyes lingered on something for a moment, then focused on Clytius. 

Her black dress rippled in the white mist, her golden hair like fire.

She raised her hands, her four torches spilling around Clytius’s broken and beaten body. 

“And, so,” she announced, “It ends.”

She set him alight. 

Clytius screamed as he was burned alive. 

Hazel turned around, wanting to go check on-. 

Percy and Anaabeth were standing unsteadily on their feet, swords drawn.

“Did we miss the party?” Percy tried, but her voice broke. 

She ran for them, Nico on her heels. 

“Gods, you’re okay,” She sobbed into Annabeth. 

Nico and Percy were silent, together. Nico’s shoulders were shaking. Percy had her face buried in his hair. 

Percy’s hair… 

The once black colour that had dominated her hair, with a streak of grey, was now almost completely a silvery-white. She had streaks of black running through the white, isntead of the other way around. 

Annabeth’s grey streak had lightened to a silvery-white, but not to the extent of Percy. 

Gods, what had happened to them?
Frank came over, and Piper, and Jason and Leo. 

Frank wrapped Hazel in a hug. 

She hissed lightly at the throbbing pain in her ribs. 

“Broken?” he asked. 

She tapped her fingers against the arrow shaft in his shoulder, “Not a word.”

“I suggest you leave now, young demigods,” Hecate’s voice said.
Hazel turned to her, and spotted the cracks spidering along the walls of the chamber. 

“Shit.” Piper cursed. 

Percy wobbled hard, and Frank steadied her. 

Annabeth put her hand in Percy’s. 

“We have to shadow travel,” Nico said swiftly, “Link arms.”
“But you can’t shadow travel this many people,” Annabeth pointed out. 

Hazel hid the wince at her voice. It was more of a croak than anything else. 

“Alone.” Nico finished, “But with Hazel?” he turned to her, a glint in his dark eyes,” I’ve got a feeling we can handle it.” 

***

They appeared in a meadow in the sunshine. 

Percy sighed, falling to her knees. 

Annabeth joined her. 

The sunlight only showed off the gauntness. The thinness.
It wasn’t as bad as she thought it could have been. Something down there had sustained them, maybe despite itself. 

But they were still thinner. More broken. 

“Can we stay out here for a while?” Percy asked, exhaustion seeping through her voice as she collapsed into the meadow of daisies. 

They all nodded. 

Hazel relaxed, just for a moment, even as she was shoving ambrosia in Frank’s face after pulling out the arrow. 

They were back. 

For now, the seven were together again.
they  had all changed. 

But at least they weren’t alone. 

***

Percy left her cabin. It was too quiet in there. And she couldn’t turn off the lights. 

Annabeth had passed out, in her cabin, the silence shooting her off to sleep. 

Percy crept up the stairs, looking at the way the Argo II cut through the water. The way the stars reflected on it. 

She looked up. 

There was Zoe. 

“Bob says hello.” she whispered to the Night, illuminated in the light of the moon. 

Chapter Text

Poseidon, Neptune. 

The sea. 

Everything was spinning. War, death.
The Romans. 

Pathetic. Not in his waters. 

Strong. In his waters. 

He is the god of the sea. 

He is the god of freshwater. 

Yes. 

No. 

He is stuck in a whirlpool of never ending conflictions. Never ending, the war, the break, the fracture. 

Then suddenly. 

A focal point. 

She is the water.
Blues and greens flood back into his waters. 

She is back and she is alive and Persel -.

Percy Jackson. His daughter. She’s okay. 

Then he focuses on her. 

Oh.

***

Percy sighed as her feet hit the water. It was weird though. 

The sea had looked this depressing grey colour just seconds ago, but now, now it was this stunning blue-green colour. 

She smiled, easing into the feeling. 

She wasn’t even fully submerged and she could feel it working its magic. Healing her injuries. 

Kore took a deep breath. Just helping her regain muscle and fixing a few stray cuts here or there. 

No big deal. 

She knew it-this was unhealthy. 

But right now she had a job to do, so she wasn’t going to take any pointers. She would take Carter’s offer as Bast for a therapist though. 

She thought back to last night, when she had finally passed out from pure exhaustion. 

She had this really weird dream about Olympus. She saw a fountain, and someone rising out of it. Golden ichor spilling. Her "father", the other gods. 

Outrage, and surprise shifted through the dream. 

She had seen horses and olive trees too.

She had absolutely no idea what any of that meant, and had no plans to try and figure it out. Greek myths often were confusing, and whatever this was, it would come second to saving the world. Maybe she'd puzzle it out when it's all over

Then something grabbed her foot. 

She screamed and was dragged under. 

She spun in the water for a second, dizzy.

Hey, ocean water can only do so much. 

Her cargo pants, and her turtle neck shirt, cropped just above the navel, floated around her, not because its hot, but she also cannot escape the chill of-. 

Nope. 

“Stupid, fucking, arrogant, imbecile,” she started as she turned around, “Listen, whatever you are, you better scurry back to-”

Ah. 

Poseidon. 

“What?” she asked shortly. 

His gaze was fixed on her hair. It did look short of majestic, floating above her. 

It also gave dead goddess vibes. 

“Daughter-” he began, but she jumped in.

“It’s Percy. My name is Percy.”

He looked different. 

Tired. 

Sort of like he had looked during the siege of his kingdom. 

“Percy,” he amended, “Are you alright?” 

Silence.

Percy could feel her heartbeat roaring in her ears. 

He didn’t just. 

“Am I, alright?” she repeated quietly, then her eyes snapped to him, “AM I “ALRIGHT”?” 

The water began spinning around them. 

“What do you think? ” she screamed, “Or do you even think? Because of the fucking goddess of wisdom attempting to kill her daughter to save a god-damned statue, I fell into Tartarus. Into Hell.” 

Poseidon went stiff. His form flickered and it looked like he was tearing himself apart for a second. 

“No,” Kore said, shutting him off. 

“I can’t, I just-” her voice broke, “I can’t.” 

She swam back to the distant shadow of the Argo II. 

Away. 

She couldn’t. 

***

“Hey,” Annabeth said, slowly making her way over, “You?” she asked. 

Thank, well not the gods. Thank whatever silver of luck she once had for Annabeth.
She tucked her newly white hair behind her ear. 

“Yeah,” she said, “Family is just so-”
Annabeth nodded. 

“Go call your mom?” she suggested, “And Carter. We hit Olympia at noon.” 

***

“Hey Fleecy, do me a solid.” Kore repeated, “Sally Jackson.”

Her mom appeared. 

Flour on her face. 

Those blue eyes and that brown hair and the apartment behind her and Percy wants to break. 

Kore holds her together. 

“Hey, mom,” she chokes out, “How are you?”
Sally Jackson rushes toward her, “Percy!” She cries, sobbing with relief, “When Nico called us, I-I thought-” her mom stops, taking her in. 

“Oh baby,” she says, “I’m so sorry.”

Tears trickled down Kore’s face, “I’m sorry for vanishing again.”
Sally Jackson’s image flickers, “Never apologise for that, darling. We were so worried, but it wasn’t your fault. It’s never been. Just know,” she flickers again, “we love you so, so much.”
Percy wipes her face, “I love you too, Mom,” she chokes out, “So much.”

“We’ll be here, when you get back,” her mom said, with the conviction Percy wishes she shared. 

The connection flickers one last time, and vanishes. 

Percy collapses on her bed, and just lets go for a minute. 

Just for a minute, she isn’t The Percy Jackson, or “Perseleia-but-not”. She’s just Percy, a sixteen-year-old girl. 

Tears soak her pillow. 

She lets it all go. 

Chapter Text

They dived down. 

Deeper and deeper. 

The ocean tinted everything blue. 

Percy hated blue. 

Gods, she used to love it so much. But now? Every single day she struggled with who she was. Kore, Percy, Pereseleia, Perseus. 

She looked more like a dead goddess every day. 

She shoved those aside. 

Focus. 

The deeper they went, the more ruins appeared. Shining white marble, crushed sea glass. 

Percy kept pushing downwards.
She could sense the power wafting from the epicentre of the storm. They were close. 

Gently, her feet came to rest on a green marble surface. 

Laughing as she was dragged along the corridors. Flute being played. Storms. A diadem. The seafoam and seaglass. “My daughter”. “Our daughter”. 

She blinked. 

“Perseleia?” a voice came, shock coating it. 

The epicentre of the storm. 

She turned slowly. 

A goddess stood there, a disc spinning in her hand. 

She had an ethereal beauty, as they all did. She was pale, untouched by the sun’s light. Hair like the deepest trenches of the marine world. 

She wore an ancient chiton, armbands of celestial bronze. A diadem graced her brow. 

Hurricanes swirled around them. “Kympoleia.” 

She cleared her throat. 

“Kympoleia?” she asked, gently. 

The goddess nodded floating closer. Noting the scars. Her broken, bruised body. Her gauntness. Her ribs. The demigod floating suspended in the cocoon of air behind her. 

“You don’t remember me, do you?.” Kympoleia said, tilting her head. 

Percy glanced away, “The Goddess of sea storms, Daughter of the Earthshaker.”
Kympoleia’s eyes, Percy’s eyes, glowed. 

Jason floated forward, “You’re causing the storm.” 

Kympoleia glanced at him, “Obviously.”

Percy felt her pendant, Carter’s pendant float forward. The lotus caught the light, and the goddess’s attention. 

“Another pantheon?” she murmured, swimming closer, “How do you get up to so much in every life?” 

Percy shrank away. 

Kympoleia laughed, sounding like a dolphin clicking, “Relax, Percy Jackson, I know you are not my immortal sister. It is unfortunate that I have heard so much about you though..”
Percy swallowed, “Why?” she tried, tilting her head at the goddess. 

Jason recoiled, as Percy looked just like Kympoleia at that moment. 

“Because I have to kill you.”

***

Kym swirled the bronze discus around her slicing through columns of marble. Jason and Percy were ducked behind one of them. 

“Plan?” Jason said, his voice sounding oddly compressed in the cocoon of air. 

“Working on it,” she grits out, “I can handle hurricanes, but this is a fully formed storm being controlled by a goddess. Can’t calm it, we need her to.”
Jason sighs, then pauses, “Wait, hurricanes.”

“Get down!” Percy tackles him, the air around him oddly warm and soothing on her skin. She lets go hurriedly. 

“Took you long enough to get here,” Kym’s voice rang throughout the ruins. Percy held her finger to her lips and stuck her head over the ruin. 

Polybotes. 

That giant just would not die. Or he would but just kept coming back. 

“I was delayed due to your storm,” the giant gritted out, poison wafting from around him, tinting the water a deep venomous green. 

Pollution, he was literally polluting the water around them. 

How nice. 

And basilisks too.

“I was ordered to create said storm,” Kym spat back.

Percy summoned her swords quietly. 

She held up a hand to Jason, and began counting down.
Five. 

Four. 

Three.
Two. 

One. 

She summoned a riptide to wrap around the giant’s ankle, pulling him back toward her. Pushing forward, she sliced directly downward with the swords, protected by a bubble of water. 

Golden ichor came bleeding out from his chest. 

“YOU!” he roared. 

She shrugged her shoulders, “Gods, no idea who “you” is, I’m just plain old Percy Jackson.” 

He lunged with his trident, and she pushed it away, yanking it out of his grip. 

“NOW!” she yelled, slicing off the heads of the tiny little basilisks swarming her.

Kym swam over to a column that had been torn in half and rested her shoulders on it, playing idly with her discus. 

Helpful. 

Though she did snort at Percy’s terrible joke. 

The poison was shifting in the water toward her. Gritting her teeth, she pushed it away. 

Jason leapt forward and a bolt of lightning came crashing through the water, white light filling Percy’s vision.

Then hot, shapr pain. 

Polybotes trident buried in her gut. 

As he stabbed her, the water healed her. 

She screamed in agony. 

Kym’s eyes narrowed, and her bronze discus came spinning out, cutting Polybotes's hand. 

“TRAITOR!” he growled, “I will deliver you to the Earth Mother in chains, and sacrifice this one to return her to life.” 

Percy could feel her vision fading. 

“We’ll see.” Was Kym’s response. 

Everything faded to black. 

***

No, no, no. 

Percy was unconscious and currently bleeding out, whilst healing which left so much blood in the water. Everything that was once tinted green-blue was now red. 

He wasn’t panicking. 

Kym wasn’t attacking Polybotes any longer but she had moved to be in front of Percy’s bod-Percy. 

“I don’t suppose you want to help me?” Jason cried, spinning away from Polybotes, who now was attacking with a one-handed cleaver. 

“Hm, not currently,” Kym hummed, checking Percy’s pulse, “I have been promised a great deal in exchange for my help.”
“You aren’t helping me, goddess.” Polybotes spat. 

Kym scoffed. 

“What have they promised you,” Jason asked desperately, ducking around columns. 

“Freedom,” Kym answered after a long pause, prodding Percy’s wound, “And fear.”
“The storms will rage unchecked if you help me now! ” Polybotes ordered, his poison thickening. 

“What about worship?” Jason blurted, glancing at Percy, who was growing paler and stiller by the second, “I have pull at both camps, I could um..” he trailed off peering at the goddess. 

Kym blinked at him, “Shrines, and temples?” 

“Definitely!” he cried, “A cabin for you, and a, um, action figure!”
Kym swam closer, interest crossing her face. 

“Don’t you want to destroy the coastline?” Polybotes demanded, “Wreck havoc on the humans?”
“There won’t be any humans left!” Jason insisted, “But if you help us they will remember you as the Great Kympoleia, who benevolently helped the Seven on their Quest and Slayed the Giant Polybotes!”

“There won’t be any humans?” Kym repeated. 

“Ignore him” Polybotes cried, aiming his cleaver at Jason. 

Jason ducked. 

The cleaver hit Kympoleia and cut off her hair. 

Oh, yes. 

Polybotes froze. 

Jason grinned. 

“An action figure you say?” Kym asked, turning to Jason. 

He nodded, “Shrines too, a cabin, and I’ll make sure she’s okay. She’d definitely want to meet you under better circumstances.”

He ‘d watched how Kym had stayed in front of Percy, a worried look in her eyes at the wound. 

Kym nodded. 

“Agreed, Son of Jupiter. Let’s kill this Giant.” 

***
Jason carefully pulled out the trident, making sure Percy’s body didn’t leave the water. 

Kympoleia calmed the storm, and supported her head briefly.

The wound, slowly began to close up. 

“Farewell, Son of Jupiter.” Kym said, picking up her discus, “It is time I have a word with my father. I wish you well. I look forward to the action figure.”

Jason breathed a deep sigh of relief, after her form faded. 

“Action figure?” a voice croaked, and green eyes fluttered open.

“Did you seriously get her to help you for an action figure?” 

Chapter Text

“Are you sure?” Percy asked, tilting her head, “You want me to come?”

Leo nodded, and they all looked faintly guilty. 

“Beth?” Percy asked, turning to her slowly, “What.”

Annabeth sighed, “Will you wear blue, or green?”
Percy recoiled, “What? Why would you even-” she paused, “Oh.”

Annabeth nodded, “It’s cruel, for both of you but it might be the push that convinces him to help.”
They all knew who he was. The whisper of his presence made Percy shiver. 

“Fine. I”ll grab something green.” she sighed. 

She hadn’t told anyone about the time she had seen him on the Trip to Alaska. 

About how desperate he had been. How lost. 

She felt guilty about it. And afraid. 

But most of all?

She felt rage. 

She ran down to her cabin, and tore through her shelves, looking for something green, a colour she wore rarely. 

White linen pants, gods so impractical. 

There. 

Sea green loose, light off the shoulder. It was cropped above her navel, bearing her bronze skin, but had that look about it. 

That’s fine. 

Does she have any sandals?

She dug around in the shelves, finding several vaguely Greek-inspired things. 

Sandals. Jewellery. Hair twisted in a ridiculous half-up, half-down. 

She had sea-glass earrings too. Where did she get this stuff?

She didn’t take off her pendant.
She was all for emotionally whacking the gods, but she love- cared about Carter. 

So, so much. 

Piper twisted some green beads into her hair. 

She avoided the mirrors. She couldn’t look at herself knowing she didn’t look like herself. 

She focused on the waves hitting the hull. The soothing repetition. 

“Hey,” Annabeth said, rubbing light circles on her shoulder, “We’re here. Are you sure you’re okay with-”
“Curse of Delos,” she shot back, “let’s just get it and leave.”

She followed Frank and Leo off the gangplank. 

The land was warm, and bright. 

They were surrounded by white beaches, blue skies, green seas (Percy didn’t linger on those), and fields of green and gold. Little flowers dotted them, sprouting up everywhere. 

They were beautiful. 

The island seemed next to uninhabited. 

Percy cursed her choice of clothing under her breath. 

Frank snorted. 

Leo raised a brow, “And to think, I once-”
She punched his shoulder, “Shut up.”
“Fine. But not because you told me to. This is my choice.”

She rolled her eyes. 

Then paused. 

“You guys hear that?”
Frank stopped too.
Two voices, and the sounds of a lyre being plucked floated throughout the air. 

“Left,” Leo said, glancing at them, “Follow it?”
Frank and Percy nodded. 

***
After walking through the fields for a while, they came to white ruins, forming what once must have been a stage. 

Two figures appeared. 

One, a young woman, around seventeen, dark hair, tanned skin. Dressed in Hunter’s clothes. 

Artemis. 

The other, a young man, around seventeen as well. Hair as blonde as sunshine, bronzed skin, eyes as blue as the skies above them. He was dressed more simply, in jeans and a simple white t-shirt. 

He was also lying on his back complaining.
Very, very loudly. 

And strumming a lyre. 

Definitely Apollo.

The girl merely huffed and returned to stringing her bow. 

Percy took a deep breath. 

Stepped forward. 

“Hey.”

***
Apollo had been on Delos, with Artemis. His music wasn’t coming. Gods, nothing was coming except the memory of Percy Jackson flinching away from him. She wasn’t Perseleia. 

His Perseleia. 

But she looked so much like her. Apollo thought longingly of the Iris-Message, tucked away. He couldn’t look at it at the moment. Artemis was never more than a heartbeat away, like she had been from the moment they took their first breaths. 

He had been lying, looking up at the sky. 

“Seriously Artie,” he drawled, irritating her on purpose, “I need advice.”

Artemis sighed, “I miss my Hunters.”
He groaned, “You are useless. A minor or not? Which sounds better?”
“Silence.”

He lifted his head to glare at her, but her focus was on her bow. 

“You don’t need to string it, you know.”
She waved a hand at him, “If I wasn’t doing this, I would have shot you already, little brother.”
“Lies,” he turned back to the sky, “You love me too much.”
“Are we ever going to have an honest conversation again?” Her voice sounded tentative. 

He stiffed. 

“We’re being honest right now.”

“You’ve been stalking her,” Artemis continued. 

“Watching, doesn’t count.”
“She’s connected to a different pantheon, a different life. She is not her.” Artemis emphasised. 

“A minor or the E major?” Apollo asked again.
Artemis sighed. 

Silence.
“A minor.”
“Ahah!” he cheered, “I knew you had a preference.”
“Silence.”

They were quiet for a few moments. 

“Hey.” Perseleia’s voice came. Quiet, subtle.

Apollo ignored the hallucination. He would talk to her later. He couldn’t break down by Artemis. 

He did loll his head in her direction. 

His imagination had taken some liberties this time round.
More white hair. White linen pants, and sea green matching those eyes. 

He sighed, turning away. 

Artemis caught his eye. She was standing up now, eyes focused on Perseleia. 

Wait. 

He shot to his feet, over to her. 

Inhumanely fast. 

She blinked hard at the movement.

“Um,” she started, “It’s been a while, I know, and I came because-”

He couldn’t breathe. 

Artemis could see her.
He could see it in the little glance. 

The push to his pull. 

He couldn’t help himself. 

He grabbed her into a kiss. 

Heaven. 

Then doubled over in pain. 

***

Percy stared at Apollo from where she had punched him in the solar plexus. From where she was standing as he doubled over. 

That asshole.
She had made it clear, even when she didn’t remember, that she didn’t want that. 

And he kissed her anyway. 

Leo and Frank were silent, she could hear the shock on their faces. 

Artemis was now in her face. 

“Perseleia, what the actual hell?” she snapped, “I-I, I’m happy to see you, I promise, but punching him? He’s been yearning over you and-”
Percy blinked at her. 

“Oh.” Artemis said, grabbing a piece of Percy’s hair, “I see.”
Percy was silent. 

“Brother,” Artemis said, turning to him. 

His eyes were filled with pain . 

The rage filled her gut again. She thought of Hercules, or all the other countless times she had nearly died. By Gabes’s hands, by monsters, by men.

In a bathroom, alone. 

Trying to drown herself but not being able to. 

She turned away, Leo and Frank coming over to her. Her eyes were welling up, but her knuckles were white. 

She wanted to scream. 

She breathed in deeply. 

Then turned again.