Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Here is the thing about being a secret, half-mortal, half-god child: it can be lonely. Lying about who my dad was and what he did, moving anytime monsters or gods got too close, not to mention the way that trouble always seemed to find me. Added all together meant that it was difficult to create relationships or positive memories about social events. Because of that, birthdays had never been a big deal in my family; I never had close friends, Mom’s family consisted of four friends with busy schedules, and I was supposed to be a secret from Dad’s side. My birthday usually consisted of a day at the beach with my parents, followed by dinner, presents, and cake.

This year, it was different. I was having an actual party. After going to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp meant for children of the Greek gods, I made friends (and some enemies). One of these friends, Annabeth, was meeting us at Montauk Beach with her dad, step-mom, and two half-brothers.

I know, one friend and her family don’t sound like much of a party, but it meant a lot to me. The third person in our trio, Grover, was on a new quest: searching for Pan, the god of the Wild. Having Annabeth with me wouldn’t make up for Grover’s absence, but it would make me feel better. Besides, it wouldn’t just be them.

Mom’s friends, who acted as my honorary aunts and uncles, were also coming. It had been a few years since everyone managed to get together but it just so happened that everyone’s work and family schedules matched up right on my birthday. I think Dad used either magic or bribery to make it work, but I wasn’t going to complain.

And finally, Dad’s side. Dad had been working on mending bridges with his family since I had been revealed to the godly world over the summer. He actually managed to reach an understanding with his older brother, and as a result, my uncle Hades and his wife Persephone, the King and Queen of the Underworld would be joining us. I don’t know how they convinced Hades to join a thirteen-year-old’s birthday party, but it probably had something to do with Persephone. The goddess had become friends with my mom over the last few months so I wouldn’t be surprised if she convinced the royal couple to join us. Hades and Persephone would be bringing Hades two kids, Bianca and Nico di Angelo. I had never met them before, since they had been locked in a magic, timeless hotel since World War II.

I woke up on my birthday to the perfect weather. The sun shined down on Montauk beach, thin streams of light coming in between the slates of the closed blinds. A breeze floated through the open windows, cooling me down and filling our cabin with the smell of the ocean. After I cleaned myself up in the bathroom, I entered the kitchen to see my mom at the stove cooking.

“Morning,” Dad said as he came in from the front door. He was shirtless, with a pair of khaki shorts on and his trident in his hand. He had grown his hair for the day so it hung in smooth waves around his shoulders. He leaned the trident against the wall and went over to Mom, hugging her from behind as he whispered something in her ear.

I shook my head at them and took a seat at the table. “Morning.”

Dad helped Mom carry the food over to the table. Pitchers of water and orange juice, and platters of blue pancakes, eggs, and potatoes soon covered the table. There was no way that the three of us could eat so much food.

“Are there more people joining us?” I asked as Mom and Dad each took a seat.

“Well,” Mom said, exchanging a look with Dad. “Not right now. But, we talked to the Chases, as well as your aunt and uncle. And all of them have given permission for Annabeth, Bianca, and Nico to stay here tonight if the party goes smoothly.”

“Really?” I couldn’t help the way that my voice rose. I had only been away from camp for a week, but I missed my friends. Especially Annabeth. And as long as Bianca and Nico were cool, it would be nice to have a full night to get to know them. Besides, it was rare that demigods were allowed to gather outside of camp. “But what about monsters?”

“I’ll be here,” Dad said. “I am not needed back in Atlantis or Olympus until your school starts. And Hades is still, let's say weary, so I imagine he will have a few servants watching over the house. You and Annabeth have also proved yourselves capable of facing monsters.”

That was true. During our quest to find my uncle Zeus’ stolen master bolt, we faced the three Furies, the Chimera, the Underworld, and an enraged God of War. That was more than enough to show we were able to fight off the everyday monsters in the mortal realm.

“Awesome! This is gonna be great. And Uncle Nick is still coming right?” I piled food onto my plate, digging in eagerly.

“I confirmed with him this morning,” Mom reassured me, an amused smile pulling at her lips. “Everyone should be here around two o’clock so after breakfast, make sure that you clean up your room, alright?”

“Alright.” Unlike at camp, I would have to actually clean. Mom would know if I shoved everything under the bed and even though she wouldn’t say anything out loud, her disappointed face would tell me everything.

After we ate our fill, we all worked to get the cabin ready for the party. Lively music reverberated from speakers placed around the house. Dad had expanded the cabin before we came here this summer. He said it was needed now that I was a teenager, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that was just an excuse. Dad was one of the more laid-back gods, but he was still used to a level of luxury that Mom found unnecessary. Dad always looked for opportunities to give us more gifts or upgrade our accommodations. The cabin used to contain a kitchen, bathroom, and a combined living/bedroom where my parents and I had both slept. Dad had kept the kitchen the same, but he had added two bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom.

The bedrooms themselves were simple, sturdy wood and blue wallpaper matching the rest of the house. Mom and Dad’s room also had a walk-in closet, while mine had my preferred organizational system: a basket for clean clothes, one for dirty clothes, and one for clothes I had already worn but could wear again. We had all learned long ago that I couldn’t keep up with a closet, even the one I had at home usually only had seasonal clothes and costumes hung up in it. The baskets worked and kept clothes mostly off the floor.

I cleaned my room to the beat of the music, picking up everything off the floor and sweeping out the trash and sand that had accumulated in the week we were there. Through the door, I could see Mom doing the same in the living room. I knew Dad was outside, although I wasn’t sure what he was working on. Mom and Dad wanted the birthday decorations and activities to be a surprise, so they kept the blinds closed and forbade me from looking outside until everyone got there. It drove me a little insane, being confined inside, but I could tell that my parents were excited to see my reaction.

My parents had spent thirteen years trying to give me everything they could, but I knew they felt bad that I couldn’t always have normal childhood experiences. I was too separate from both the mortal and immortal realms as a kid to have a normal childhood, and I was okay with that. But if it made them feel better to throw me a party, I would let them.

After I finished in my room, I went to help Mom. She was mostly done, but she gave me a few tasks to help out. Just as I was gathering extra blankets to take to my room for our guests, a dense shadow appeared in the middle of the kitchen.

In an instant, my trident was in my hand. I heard Mom give a small yell in surprise. Figures started to form out of the shadows. On instinct I threw the trident toward the largest of the figures, intending to spear what seemed like the biggest threat.

I heard two high-pitched screams come from the shadows, just as they solidified fully. Dad rushed into the room, his own trident at the ready.

The tallest figure, now a fully formed man, said “Good instincts.”

Hades, for the first time I had ever seen, seemed to be in a good mood. I knew if someone had attacked me, I wouldn’t be smiling like he was.

Persephone rolled her eyes at her husband. “I am sorry for him. I told him we should have come from outside, but he insisted.”

Mom, calm now that she knew who was in our house, shook her head. “It's no trouble. Trust me, Poseidon is just the same sometimes.”

Then she turned to the other two people, who had yet to be introduced. “You two must be Bianca and Nico, yes? I am so sorry for all the excitement, your father startled us.”

The two children had retreated toward their father, half hiding behind them. They both had lightly tanned skin, brown eyes, and silky black hair. The girl, Bianca, looked around ten or eleven and wore a flowy black and green dress. She was under the shelter of her father but still stood in front of her younger brother as if to protect him. Nico was a few years younger than Bianca, with shorter, messy hair, blue jeans, and a green shirt. On the shirt was a picture of a black skull with flowers erupting from the eyes and mouth.

It was obvious that Persephone had styled everyone. She wore a green and black dress that looked like the grown-up version of Bianca’s. Like the first time I met her, she had deep brown eyes, black hair, and tan skin. Hades too, looked like he matched the rest of the family. His black hair fell around his shoulders and his eyes were warmer than they had been when I first met him, although his skin was still ghostly pale. He wore black jeans and a black T-shirt, which threw me off. I never expected him to look so casual. His boots were the only part of color in his outfit. They were mainly black but had embroidered vines going up the sides of them with white flowers at the very top. Looking at the four of them, Nico and Bianca could easily have been Hades and Persephone’s children. I hoped this, and her style choices meant that she was kind to them. I knew many stories of gods and goddesses taking out their anger on their demigod step-children and I wouldn’t want that to happen here.

Dad banished his trident and stepped forward. Kneeling, he gave Bianca and Nico a smile and said, “Yes, he really should have known better. I hope Percy did not scare you too much. I am your Uncle Poseidon. You can call me Uncle P, or even just Uncle if you would like.”

He extended a hand. The two kids exchanged a glance before Bianca hesitantly reached out to shake Dad’s hand. “I’m Bianca, and this is Nico. We’re not scared now, we just weren’t expecting that.”

“Hopefully, it won’t happen again,” Dad rose to his feet, looking over at Hades. “May my son have his trident back now, Brother?”

Hades studied my trident, twirling it idly in his hand. At Dad’s question, he looked up. “Nice weapon. Made of three different kinds of metal?”

“Correct.”

“Does he know about your other side?” Hades had changed to Ancient Greek, probably to exclude everyone but the gods. Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t going to get left out.

“Yes, I do,” I interrupted, stepping forward and holding a hand out for the trident. “I know a lot more than people would expect. And I would like my trident back now.”

“Hmm,” Hades handed the trident back. It was quickly shrunk and placed back on my necklace. Bianca and Nico watched the whole thing, confusion and fascination painted on their faces. “Children, this is your cousin Perseus, who prefers Percy, and his mother Sally.”

“You can call me Aunt Sally if you’re comfortable with that.” Mom’s voice was soft and soothing. Only wastes of space like Gabe could stay angry at that voice; I wouldn’t be surprised if Mom could calm down monsters just by talking to them. “Would the two of you like something to drink? Or a snack? I made cookies.”

Nico spoke up for the first time, “Oh, can I have a cookie?”

“Of course, that’s why I offered. How about the three of you take a plate of cookies over to the table, so you can get to know each other?”

All three of us thought Mom’s suggestion was brilliant. She handed me a plate of still-warm cookies from the counter. I carried it to the table while Bianca and Nico grabbed us drinks from the fridge. Like me, they had chosen Coke to drink. Usually, I wasn't allowed to consume a lot of sugar because it made my already impulsive brain even worse. But it was a special occasion, so Mom promised I could eat and drink anything I wanted. The three of us sat at the table and talked as we ate. The adults were close enough to keep an eye on us if we started acting up, but gave us space.

Bianca and Nico, I decided, were nice cousins to have. Bianca was a little quieter, seeming to hide away behind her hair but she opened up quickly. And once she did, her strong opinions on basically everything made for fun conversation. Nico was less mature and louder. His voice rose and fell rapidly with seemingly no conscious effort on his part. I learned a lot about them. Bianca had recently turned eleven, liked art, and was still skeptical of the whole demigod part of her life. Still, she couldn’t deny that her dad was able to use magic. Nico, almost nine, was much more accepting. He loved pirates and adventure stories. And he couldn’t wait to learn, in his own words, “how to use cool death powers.”

Nico reminded me of the younger campers who had only been at Half-Blood Hill for a little while. They all had a sense of wonder and innocence that everyone else lost. They didn’t expect to be disappointed like many of the older campers did. Bianca too, while unsure, was more willing to see the good side of our parents. I guess the fact that they were still young and Hades was having an active part in their lives was helpful to a good impression. Still, it was fun talking to other kids who saw being a demigod as something good, instead of just danger or disappointment. And I didn’t have to play down my relationship with my father like I had to at camp. 

Just as I was grabbing another can of Coke from the fridge, there was a knock on the door and my mom called out, “Percy, Annabeth is here.”

I rushed from the kitchen, depositing my drink on the table next to Nico as I went.

Annabeth and her family stood in the doorway of our house. It hadn’t been long since we left camp, but I had missed her. We went from spending every day together for months to not seeing or talking to each other at all. Seeing her now was a relief.

Annabeth’s curly hair was pulled back into a braid, her Yankees baseball cap looped around the belt buckle of her jeans. She wore a T-shirt with the Gateway Arch on it which I found hilarious considering we had blown up the arch over the summer. Her two half-brothers, Bobby and Matthew, stood on either side of her. They were identical, from their sandy blonde hair down to their blue jeans and colorful shirts. They were also the youngest kids here, a little younger than even Nico. They had been babies still when Annabeth ran away, so I wondered what they really knew about their sister.

My mom greeted Mr. and Mrs. Chase, inviting them over to meet everyone else. While I thought it would be interesting to see them react to meeting three gods, I was more concerned with introducing Annabeth to Bianca and Nico.

“Hey wise girl, how’s it been?” I grinned at Annabeth as I moved over to her.

“It's been good actually.” I could hear the happiness, and surprise, in her voice. Annabeth had lived at camp since she was seven, the only other time she tried to go home had ended up as a disaster. I hoped that everything would keep going smoothly.

“Come meet Nico and Bianca.” I led the three other kids to the table. 

“ How are they ?” Annabeth whispered to me, falling into Greek. We had fallen into the habit when we didn’t want to be listened to at Camp since we were two of the most fluent in the language.

“They’re good kids, I like them. Bianca is still a little unsure about everything, but Nico’s got more than enough enthusiasm to make up for it.”

“That’s good. I was a little worried… I’ve never met someone whose parent was from the Underworld.”

“I get it. Oh, Dad and Uncle Hades are shielding us, by the way. For the most part, we can say proper names. Just still, keep it to a minimum.”

“Got it.”

“Bianca, Nico,” I addressed to my cousins at the table. “I want you to meet some people. This is my friend Annabeth, she’s a demigod like us. Her mom is Athena. And these are her brothers, Matthew and Bobby, they’re mortals.”

“Like our mom?” Nico asked.

“Yeah, like your mom, and mine, and Annabeth’s dad. They’re gonna join us, okay?”

“Sure.” Nico shrugged and looked at the other two boys. “Do you like pirates?”

It turned out that Bobby and Matthew loved pirates, although Nico knew more about them. The three boys were so absorbed in their conversation, that I thought they forgot the rest of us were there.

Bianca, as I expected, seemed unsure about the new additions to the table.

“So your mom is a goddess?” She asked Annabeth.

“Yep. As Percy said, my mom is Athena. She’s the goddess of war and wisdom.”

“Basically,” I broke in. “Annabeth is the smartest person you’ll ever meet.”

When I saw Annabeth start to blush I smirked and added on, “The bad thing is, she knows it.”

I dodged the punch that Annabeth threw at my arm.

“Shut up, seaweed brain!”

“C’mon wise girl, I was just joking.”

Bianca giggled at us. “Are you two always like this?”

“No!”

“Yes.”

Annabeth glared at me for my agreement. I just grinned wider and nudged her with my arm. She rolled her eyes but smiled at me.

“So,” Bianca continued. “What is being a demigod really like? I mean, I have a hard time believing that I’m related to a god.”

“But you’ve seen Uncle Hades use his powers right? Aren’t you staying in the Underworld with them?” I asked.

“Yeah. But… I didn’t even really remember him. He just showed up a few days ago and took us out of the hotel we were staying at.”

“You don’t remember him? What about before the hotel?”

“Not really. At first, I couldn’t remember anything. Now it's like my memories are coming back, but it's all a blur. I remember me and Nico going to a boarding school in Washington D.C, and then staying in the hotel for a few weeks. But when Dad got us out, he said that decades had passed and that he was the god of the Underworld. It just feels like so much.”

Annabeth and I looked at each other. I nodded for her to explain. “It can be a lot. But your Dad isn’t lying, he really is an immortal god, just like the Ancient Greeks used to worship. All of our parents are. They control the world, cause the seasons to happen and sometimes, they have kids like us. But we don’t fit into the mortal realm. Our instincts are too overprotective, and monsters hunt us down constantly. So we go to boarding schools or places for delinquents and try to stay out of trouble. And during the summer, we get to go to Camp Half-Blood.”

“They told us about it. Is it really a training camp for heroes?”

“Yeah,” I took over. “It's awesome. There’s a magical border that protects us from monsters. We go there with other demigods, kids who understand what it's like to be different. It's family.”

“But, Dad didn’t sound like he wanted us to go there.”

“Really?” I had no clue what they would do if they didn’t go to camp. They could probably get away for a few more years, but anything else would be pushing it.

“I heard him and Persephone talking about it. Dad said he doesn’t trust Zeus?”

“That’s complicated. Our Uncle, he’s paranoid.”

“Careful Percy.” Annabeth cautioned.

“He can’t hear us right now.”

“That’s not the point. The more comfortable you feel saying things like that, the more likely you are to say it to his face.”

“Eh, I already would tell him directly. And it's not like I’m wrong.” I turned back to Bianca. “He’s worried that one of our dads will try to take power from him.”

“Um, I’ve only lived with my dad for like a week and I’ve heard him complain multiple times about how much work he has to do.”

“Exactly! And my dad loves the ocean, he would hate to be stuck up on Olympus listening to everyone cause problems all the time. Our Uncle thinks that because he constantly wants more power, everyone else does too.”

“But why would that affect us going to camp?”

“Well, because Zeus is the king of the gods, he’s technically in charge of the camp. Your dad is probably worried that you guys would be watched there. Or that you wouldn’t be welcomed, because he isn’t always welcome on Olympus.”

“But Percy would never let that happen. And neither would I.” Annabeth said.

“Exactly,” I continued. “Which is why your dad and mine had us meet up. We’ll all look after each other, at camp or otherwise.”

Bianca studied us for a long moment. With her mouth pressed into a thin line and her eyes staring straight into my soul, I was struck by how much she looked like her dad.

“Promise?” She finally asked.

“Promise. I’m your big cousin now, anyone who wants to mess with you or Nico will have to go through me.”

“That sounds nice.” She smiled, then glanced at Nico who was still happily talking to Annabeth’s brothers. “It's always just been us. I think it’ll be good to have someone help look after Nico.”

“And you too,” Annabeth told her. “You don’t have to worry about Nico anymore. You’ve got your dad, Percy, and me now.”

Bianca’s eyes darted around, her brows furrowed. I wondered if anyone had ever told her she didn’t have to take care of Nico before. I decided to tell Mom when I got the chance; I knew she would have the best idea of how to reassure Bianca.

“Hey,” I turned to Annabeth, deciding to change the subject. “Did you see the decorations outside? Mom and Dad won’t let me go and check them out.”

Annabeth huffed out a breath and crossed her arms. She got a sullen look on her face like someone had outsmarted her with their Capture the Flag strategy. “No, they blindfolded me! Apparently, your mom said it needed to be a surprise for the both of us because this is for both our birthdays.”

“Really?” Bianca asked. “When’s your birthday, Annabeth?”

“Last month. But we were at camp, plus Percy was hurt at the time so we didn’t celebrate or anything.”

“How did he get hurt?”

Annabeth and I exchanged a glance. I had no clue how much they knew about our quest or Kronos.

“Did your dad explain anything about what happened over the summer? Or why he decided to take you out of the hotel now?” I asked.

“No. Is there something I should know?”

“Your dad said you guys were staying here tonight, right?” At her nod I continued, “We’ll tell you tonight then. It's a long story.”

Bianca looked like she was going to protest, but decided not to. By now, the other boys had stalled their conversation and started paying attention to us again.

“Percy,” Nico whined. “Bobby and Matthew don’t believe that you have superpowers.”

“Annabeth doesn’t have any special powers.” One of the twins said, his brother nodding in agreement.

“But Percy does! And so do I.”

“Really?” It was the other twin's turn to talk now. “Show us then.”

“Well…” Nico hesitated. “I don’t know how to use them yet. But I’m gonna learn.”

“How do you know you have powers if you can’t use them?”

“Cause Dad told me I do.”

“Maybe he was lying.”

I decided to intervene. Hades may have been in a good mood today, but I doubted he would take it well if a random mortal started calling him a liar.

“He wasn’t lying,” I said. “Nico can’t use his abilities yet, but they do exist. And I have them too, just different from Nico.”

“Prove it!” Both boys insisted.

“Alright,” I agreed. I looked around and, not seeing water nearby, decided to make my own. I moved my hands so that they faced each other, cupping the air as if folding a ball. “I’ve been practicing this but haven’t perfected it so it might take longer than usual.”

Everyone watched me intently, Annabeth included. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the air around me. Having the windows open allowed the humidity from outside to reach us, filling the house with a sea-salt scent as water lingered in the air. I reached out for the moisture around me, pulling the water from the air and condensing it. I heard an inhalation of breath from someone and opened my eyes. As I hoped, I had managed to pull enough moisture out that I had created a small ball of water. It floated perfectly between my cupped hands. 

Bianca and the boys stared with wide eyes as I started moving the ball in the air, sending it flying around their heads. Annabeth rolled her eyes but smiled back at me when I grinned.

“Percy,” Mom’s voice startled me. I almost lost control of my water sphere as it passed over Nico’s head. Luckily, I was able to catch it. “You know the rule. No powers in the house.”

My display had drawn the adults’ attention without my noticing. They all watched us, different expressions painted on their faces. Mr. and Mrs. Chase had the same look of amazement as their sons. Dad looked to be bragging to Hades if his smug smile and Hades’ eye roll were any indication. Persephone smiled at us, amusement visible as she listened to the other two gods. Mom, meanwhile, had crossed her arms and adopted her ‘serious mom’ face.

I grinned at her sheepishly. “Sorry, Mom. But they wanted to see something, and you said I couldn’t go outside.”

Dad stepped forward, pulled Mom into his arms, and grinned down at her. “We have kept him inside all day. I think it's about time to get the party started. After all, the last of our guests have just arrived.”

As if summoned by Dad’s words, the sound of heavy rock music floated in from outside. It got louder for a second, then shut off completely. I heard a few car doors slam shut, then footsteps clattered up the steps onto our porch.

Dad opened the door before they could knock.

“Sei!” A voice yelled as a tall, skinny shape flew at Dad, clutching onto his neck in a strangling hug. I saw Hades tense for a second before Dad’s rumbling laugh echoed around us.

“Benjamin,” Mom sighed. “Please get off him.”

The two men ignored her. Uncle Ben continued to laugh like a hyena as Dad easily shifted him around so Ben was carried piggyback style. My Uncle Ben is the most carefree person I knew, which was surprising if you knew his background. Ben had grown up in hospitals, constant illnesses keeping him bedridden for most of his childhood. His parents abandoned him when he was just a baby, so any time he spent outside of hospitals he was thrown from one foster home to the next. Ben is almost seven feet tall but, despite being healthy now, is painfully thin. His skin is almost translucent, even in the middle of summer. Still, Ben always had a bright smile and a mischievous outlook on life. He and Dad are what Mom calls ‘partners in crime’, often coming up with crazy pranks and stunts. The Hermes cabin would like him.

Next through the door were my aunts Sam and Ellie, hands interlinked. Aunt Sam is from Korea but moved to New York as a teenager. She once told me that she planned to go back one day, but when she fell in love with Aunt Ellie the United States became her home. Sam, like me, often gets labeled as a troublemaker. With her brightly dyed hair, piercings, and tattoos people expect her to be a rebel, even though she’s barely five feet tall. In reality, she’s the most rational, rule-following person I know. Aunt Sam writes and illustrates children’s books as a career, volunteers at soup kitchens on weekends and holidays, and talks to her family in Korea at least once a week. It's her wife people have to keep an eye out for.

Aunt Ellie is Hawaiian, four or five inches taller than Sam, with tanned skin and long black hair. Her hair usually flows down to her waist, but right then she had it tied back in a braid. She usually wears little to no jewelry and simple, comfortable clothes. She has deep smile lines on her face and talks in a smooth, soothing voice. People think, out of the couple, that Ellie is the approachable, safe one. They’re wrong. Ellie is an activist for just about every cause you can name. She spends her time working as a Hawaiian language and culture teacher, making sure that the native traditions of her home are preserved. She also works with non-profits around the country and helps arrange activist activities like strikes and protests. She is good and kind but can be vicious in her actions and words if it will help her cause. And she’s not afraid to break rules or the law to help people. She’s been bailed out of jail more times than I can count.

Last into the house was Uncle Nick. At six feet two inches, Uncle Nick is the same height as Dad in his preferred human form. His dark skin, especially on his arms, is punctured by thick keloid scars as a result of his life in the military. His hair was styled in short locks and he wore a pair of dark sunglasses over his eyes. He is several years older than the rest of Mom’s friends and tends to take on a big-brother role, even after all these years. Nick is more reserved than the others, preferring to sit back and watch before speaking his mind. He was retired from the military and worked in the government, although I don’t know what exactly he does. Uncle Nick gives the best hugs, after my parents.

These four were the closest thing my mom had to family. They had been here when my parents met and they stuck around to help take care of me. They also knew who Dad was. I mean, I wasn’t sure if they knew everything, but they knew enough. Dad had never hidden his powers around them and never asked me to do so either. Uncle Ben was healthy now due to magical treatments Dad had snuck from Apollo, Uncle Nick had fought off monster attacks with us, and I had seen Dad and Aunt Ellie deep in conversation about the Hawaiian gods multiple times before. If any group could handle a few more demigods, along with some Underworld royalty, it would be them.

“Sei?” Annabeth asked from next to me.

“Their nickname for Dad,” I replied.

Ellie and Sam greeted me, then went over to hug Mom. Uncle Nick was up next, ruffling my hair before he gave Mom a one-armed hug. His other arm hovered at his side, his eyes glued to Hades. Should have known he would identify the biggest possible threat in the room.

“Nick?” Mom asked, drawing his attention. “Can you…?”

She waved vaguely at Dad and Uncle Ben, still playing around. It looked like Ben was trying, and failing, to pick up and throw Dad from behind.

“Sure Sal.” Nick’s voice rumbled out of his chest, not even attempting to disguise his amusement.

“Thanks. I’ll introduce you to everyone afterward.”

Mom introduced Ellie and Sam to everyone while Nick went over to Dad and Ben.

I bounced in place, the combination of sugar and anticipation making me antsy. I had been waiting all day to go outside, I didn’t want to wait for the adult conversation to stop before I could.

Luckily, my uncles and dad provided me with entertainment. Instead of detaching Ben from Dad, Nick decided to join in on their play-fight. Teaming up with Uncle Ben, the two managed to get Dad off his feet and sent him flying into the couch.

“Oh no you don’t!” Mom only raised her voice slightly, but it was enough to stop the three men in their tracks. “I do not want my furniture destroyed again. Time to go outside.”

“Yes!” I cheered. We kids jumped up from our seats, racing to the front door. I threw open the door and took off at a run, jumping down from the porch rather than use the stairs. Annabeth followed me the same way, shoes sinking slightly into the sand. The others used the stairs, almost tripping over each other to get to the bottom. I turned in a circle, unable to believe what I was seeing.

Chapter Text

Dad had turned our part of the beach into the ultimate playground. The first thing I noticed was a giant waterslide set up on the left side of the house. When I say giant, I mean it. The slide started on the roof of the house, where a large platform had been attached so we could walk and climb onto the slide safely. It stretched out for a hundred feet or more at an angle that would have us speeding quickly into the Olympic-sized pool that had appeared in front of the house.

A diving board was erected on the far end of the pool, safely away from the slide. Several small basketball hoops dotted the long sides of the pool at varying heights. Balls, disks, and floats of different sizes bobbed lazily on the water.

To the left of the pool were three grills and a fire pit, smoke already rising from the coals. A large cabana, formed from coral and seagrass, rested just beyond the pit. A long picnic table, able to fit double our group, stretched across the length of the cabana. It reminded me so much of the tables at camp that I swore I could hear the endless chatter and jokes of my friends. I shook myself out of my memories, turning to look at the other side of the yard.

On the right side of the house was a giant platform, with a bunch of differently shaped and colored blocks. I didn’t know what it was, but from how Annabeth’s face lit up when she saw it, I was sure it was some kind of architecture or strategy game. In front of that was a large walled structure, the golden shine telling me it was made from celestial bronze.

A little further down the beach from the house were two multi-storied bouncy houses. They were both shaped like ancient castles but slides crisscrossed the different levels. There was even a drawbridge, with a ball pit for a mote. Old-fashioned guns rested on the parapets. I would be worried about that, but I was sure Mom had approved everything so whatever they shot out shouldn’t be too dangerous. Both houses were anchored down with sturdy-looking metal poles, so I knew I would be able to go all-out on it.

Scattered around the beach were numerous other games and activities. I saw a volleyball net, water guns, shovels and buckets for sandcastles, and other toys. There was even a halfpipe set up, my skateboard propped up against it next to a few other bikes and skateboards.

“So,” Dad asked as he came up behind me. The other adults had made their way out of the house as well, watching our reactions. “What do you think?”

“This is awesome!” I said, beaming up at him. Annabeth nodded beside me. Nico, Matthew, and Bobby had found some pirate-style plastic swords and were busy chasing each other around with them.

Bianca pointed at the bronze-walled structure. “What’s that though?”

“Oh yes. I am especially proud of that. Come see.”

The three of us followed after him. 

The structure was even larger from up close, each side probably two hundred feet wide with ten-foot tall walls. There were several small doors on the wall facing us. As we rounded the structure, I saw that the far wall was half the width of the others, creating an entryway. Stepping up to the entrance, I was confronted with more gleaming walls, several paths snaking around them.

“It's a maze.” Annabeth voiced my thoughts out loud.

“Maze, and an obstacle course.” Dad corrected.

“Obstacle course?” All three of us said together. My heart started to beat harder, a rushing sensation in my head as I grinned at the girls.

“Yes, Hades and I came up with it. Some physical challenges, some mental, a few monsters.”

“Monsters? Is that safe?” Bianca asked hesitatingly.

“Oh yes. They are weaker ones, from mine and your father’s domains. They know to challenge but not hurt you.”

She still looked unsure, so I spoke up. “It's okay Bianca. Mom wouldn’t let them put anything too bad in here. Besides, me and Annabeth have plenty of experience with monsters, you can always stick with us if you want.”

She looked between me and Annabeth, seeming reassured when we smiled at her.

I turned back and started to make my way to the other side of the house. “I’m gonna go try the water slide!”

Annabeth and Bianca followed after me. Mom’s friends stood under the roof of the cabana, cans in their hands as they chatted. I took the opportunity to introduce Annabeth and Bianca to them. My aunts and uncles welcomed them easily and we all fell into conversation. Aunt Sam seemed to take Bianca under her wing as the two started a spirited conversation about illustration and art. Meanwhile, Uncle Nick had a knife out and showed Annabeth some new tricks. Annabeth held her dagger in her hand as she eagerly watched Uncle Nick before copying his moves.

Uncle Ben and Aunt Ellie told me all about their newest project, an outreach program they set up in the city to help create social connections for people like Uncle Ben who grew up in foster care or in such intense medical care that they didn’t learn how to make normal relationships. Uncle Ben was more serious about this than anything else I had seen him talk about, his normally crooked smile settled into a warm grin. I was happy he had found something he could be invested in. After his last hospital stay when I was a baby Uncle Ben spent years travelling. I once overheard Dad explaining to the others that sudden freedom after years trapped made Ben unsure of himself and his place in the world. It was good to see him excited about the present instead of constantly looking for a new adventure.

Mom approached us, rolling her eyes at Nick as he threw and Annabeth tossed a knife back and forth. She tapped Annabeth and Bianca on their shoulders and then led them to the house.

“Are they gonna change too?” Nico asked as he ran up to me. In the few minutes since I last saw him, Nico had changed into a red swim shirt and black trunks. Bobby and Matthew stood next to him in matching neon green swimsuits, like two sandy-haired highlighters.

“I guess?” Sometimes I forgot that people changed into special clothes to go into water.

“Shouldn’t you go change?” One of the twins asked as he looked at my simple shorts and t-shirt.

“Nah. Remember how I can control water? I also don’t get wet unless I want to.”

“That's so cool!”

I laughed. Out of all my abilities, that seemed the most normal to me. It was refreshing to hear that my subconscious powers were cool to people.

Annabeth and Bianca came back out of the house, dressed to swim. I realized, that even though we spent the whole summer together, I had never seen Annabeth in a swimsuit. She wore a pretty blue two-piece suit and flip-flops. The ring on her camp necklace glinted in the sun, nestled in the middle of the six beads that showed how long she had lived at camp Half-Blood. Annabeth wrung her Yankees cap in between her hands; for a moment I thought she might shove it onto her head and disappear. Instead, she placed it delicately on the picnic table, her dagger soon joining it.

Mom directed all of us kids to line up. The adults sat in the cabana behind us, their voices floating softly through the air.

“Alright,” Mom started, pacing back and forth in front of us. “Some ground rules. Number one - Percy can breathe underwater. Poseidon can breathe underwater. The rest of you cannot breathe underwater. Percy also does not have enough practice keeping air trapped underwater to make it safe for the rest of you. That means that none of you will ask Percy to make you an air bubble under the water. Percy, you will not try and make your friends an air bubble. Understood?”

Variations of “understood” and “yes” came from all of us.

“Good. Number two - no one is to jump straight from the roof to the pool.”

I deflated immediately. It really was not fair that she knew me so well.

“I don’t care if you think you can make it. You can’t. I don’t care if you see Poseidon or Hades do it. They are gods - you are children. And I definitely don’t want to hear ‘I jumped from the Gateway Arch and I was fine’. Actually, no jumping from any surface more than six feet high without my permission.”

Again she waited for our agreement before continuing.

“Good. Rule three - no sneaking up on Nick, Poseidon, Hades, or Persephone.” She pointed to each person as she named them, to make sure everyone knew who she was talking about. “Rule four - no weapons.”

She looked at me and Annabeth hard.

“Rule five - do not be mean to each other. No name-calling unless it's agreed upon beforehand, try not to be too rough with each other. If someone says ‘no’ or ‘stop’ you listen. Got it?”

Another pause.

“Alright. One last rule…” We all held our breaths. Mom smiled at us. “Have fun.”

She waved us off. Annabeth and I lingered so the younger kids could have a head start. They took advantage of it, yelling and whooping as they ran off toward the latter Dad had set up against the side of the house.

I heard Mr. Chase ask my mom, “How much sugar have they had?”

“A lot.” She replied. “It's a special occasion. Besides, Poseidon can handle it.”

“Handle what? What does sugar do?” Hades broke in.

“Sugar makes children hyper,” Mom explained. “And Demigods already have ADHD which already means lots of energy, bad concentration, and some other challenges. Certain foods make it worse.”

“Really?” Persephone this time, sounding concerned.

“Oh yes. I have a whole list, I’ll send it home with the kids tomorrow. Trust me, it will help. Especially with two young children.”

I almost felt bad. Nico and Bianca were going to see their diet restricted to healthy foods soon. I had been able to get away with Dad giving me junk food until I was eight because it took him a long time to realize that mortal kids couldn’t eat anything they wanted like gods could. But Mom’s food list would help them get used to what we ate at camp.

Once the other kids made it up the ladder and to the top of the water slide, Annabeth and I took off. Annabeth beat me to the ladder, smirking at me over her shoulder as we climbed and joined everyone at the top.

The others stood on the platform leading to the slide, staring out from the roof. Their previous enthusiasm had waned, leaving four shaky kids behind. Bianca tried to put on a brave face but the others could not even attempt it.

“C’mon guys.” I lowered myself slightly so I was closer to the boys' heights. “It’ll be fun. You just go in this opening, and slide straight down.”

I pointed at the slide, tracing its outline through the air as I talked so they could see the path they would take. They still looked unsure.

“But it's a really long slide and we’re all the way up here,” Nico said, voice unsteady. “And the pool looks so big . What if something happens when we get there?”

“Would it make you feel better if one of us went first?” Annabeth suggested.

“Maybe?” I was almost sure it was Bobby who spoke this time.

“And,” I added. “How about we set someone in the pool to catch us if something does go wrong?”

“Yes please.” Matthew agreed.

“No prob, just gimme a second.”

Hey Dad! I called mentally. Since the beginning of summer, we’ve been using our mental connection more and more. At first, it was just a way for Dad to watch out for me and cope without Mom’s presence. But even now, months after everything had returned to normal, Dad and I kept up with our telepathic messages. I hadn’t been this connected to him since I was a little kid, it made getting his attention easy.

Dad’s head jerked up slightly as he raised a hand to pause the conversation he was engaged in with Hades. In the spot of my mind I had come to associate with him, I felt a questioning hum.

Bianca and the boys are a little freaked out. I explained. Do you think you could go in the pool and catch them at the end of the slide?

Of course , he replied as he stood from his chair.

“Look, guys.” I pointed down to Dad as he took a running leap into the pool. He cannonballed into the water, sending a wave several feet up. “My dad will catch us now. Should I go down first, just to show you it’s safe?”

“No!” Nico protested. “You’ve got water powers. We need someone who can’t breathe underwater to do it.”

I looked at Annabeth and shrugged, I couldn’t argue with that.

“Fine.” She said. “I’ll show you all how it's done.”

Annabeth laid down at the top of the slide, smiled, and pushed herself off. She zipped down the slide, the sound of her screaming laughter echoing back to us. Dad stood near the end of the slide just in case, but Annabeth proved herself capable by smoothly bringing herself up to the surface seconds after submerging. She waved up at us, a bright smile on her face.

“See?” I said as we waved at Annabeth. “It’s safe. If Dad sees anyone struggle, he’ll help you out. Now, whose next?”

“I’ll go.” Bianca volunteered. She ruffled Nico’s already messy hair as she walked to the slide. Just like Annabeth, she laid down and pushed herself off. She wasn’t as smooth going into the pool as Annabeth but she still only needed Dad to steady her briefly. She waved at us, then started floating on her back, just like Annabeth was.

After seeing the girls do it, everyone was eager to try the slide. Nico, followed by Bobby, and finally Matthew went down the slide, all laughing madly. Dad had to help Bobby and Matthew as the two had collided with each other at the bottom of the slide but they seemed happy as he lifted them up and steadied them in the water.

Alone on the roof, looking down at the pool, I wanted to break Mom’s rules. I had a huge urge to jump. Even if I couldn’t make it the distance to the pool, I knew I could make the water rise up and carry me. It would be so easy to just…

Don’t even try Perseus , Dad’s voice said in my head. Your mother would kill us both .

I knew he was right. And disobeying Mom’s rules just because I felt like it would be a level of disrespect that she didn’t deserve. I shook my head and headed to the slide.

Might want to keep everyone stable above water , I thought back to my dad. I urged the water pump to feed more water to the slide. Then, laying flat on my stomach with my arms pointed down to the pool, I shot off. I used the water to go faster, pushing myself forward in a wave. I crashed into the pool at a speed that would hurt anyone else. But all I felt was exhilaration.

As I entered the water, my thoughts brightened. Being submerged in water was like finding the perfect medication - I was able to focus and think clearly without anger or frustration. I could sense the giant wave I had created moving across and out of the pool, splashing onto the sand. I could also sense the perfectly calm area of water that Dad maintained. All the other kids were in that area, able to go on with swimming without being disturbed by me. I let myself sink to the bottom of the pool, sitting there. I could see everyone above me with perfect clarity, the water only making my vision better.

After a moment, Annabeth swam down to me. She pointed up to the surface, urging me to go up with everyone else.

I broke the surface of the water. Bianca, Nico, Bobby, and Matthew all told me how cool my wave was. Nico pestered me with questions, trying to get me to make another wave.

We stayed in the water for a while, taking turns going down the slide repeatedly. After a few tries each, everyone was confident enough to let Dad exit the pool. We played a game of basketball, Annabeth and I on one team with Bianca, Nico, Bobby, and Matthew on the other. Annabeth and I won, of course, her strategy and athletic ability plus my control over the water was unbeatable. Nico eventually convinced me to make waves and everyone spent a while getting carried by them, the ebb and flow moving everyone up and down like their own personal roller coaster.

After a while, Bobby and Matthew started to turn pink. We all exited the pool and the others took a moment to dry off and change out of their swim outfits. The twins went to sit under the covers of the cabana with their parents. Meanwhile, Annabeth, Bianca, Nico, and I headed over to the maze. I had missed it before but right inside the entrance was a stack of simple bronze pipes. The instructions on the wall, luckily in Ancient Greek, explained that we shouldn’t kill any of the monsters. Instead, we would tap them with the pipe and they would play dead, freezing in place for a solid minute.

We made the first run-through together. As much as I loved being in the water, the maze was even better than the pool. The walls moved every so often, leaving us with new paths to figure out. There were obstacles to climb, thin beams stretched across random holes, and monsters everywhere. As Dad had promised, the monsters didn’t try to kill us. Some did the equivalent of sparring, faking attacks, and trying to grab us until they were hit with the pipes. Others presented mind challenges, dressing up as historical figures or teachers and asking us a combination of trivia, logic puzzles, and fill-in-the-blank mythology questions. It was honestly the perfect balance of fun and demigod training, which worked wonderfully to keep my brain engaged.

On our second turn, we all went into the maze at the same time but then split off, racing against each other. I came across Annabeth and Nico once or twice, then ran off in the other direction. I aced the physical challenges and even the magical ones, like the monsters using illusion magic, didn’t faze me much. The mental challenges were more difficult, leaving my head spinning as I looked for an answer. Annabeth won that round, having used her invisibility cap to sneak by the monster fights whenever possible. I came in second, Nico and Bianca following close behind. Both of them panted for breath as their faces stretched into wide grins. I wondered if we could get something like this at camp. It would be a great tool for the younger campers or anyone who didn’t want to venture into the woods alone. 

For our third round, we made teams - Annabeth and Nico against Bianca and me. It took longer than either of the first turns because we focused more on sabotaging each other than escaping the maze. At one point we ended up facing off in the middle of the maze, whacking at each other with the pipes while a shade warrior stood forgotten to the side. We ended up giving up the competition and finished the rest of the maze together.

Food’s ready, Dad said in my head. 

One more round? I pleaded.

I already gave you another round. Your mother will force me to come carry you out if you don’t eat soon. I had no doubt he would carry all of us across the beach if Mom asked. Uncle Nick would help.

“Hey guys,” I said before the others could make their way back into the maze. “Time to eat.”

“How do you know?” Bianca asked as we walked back. I explained my telepathic connection. I almost regretted sharing that information when the two, mainly Nico, began questioning me insistently on how it worked and if anyone could do it. I like them so far but the barrage of questions made my head spin. It didn’t help that I couldn’t answer half the questions. I told them as much and suggested they ask their dad for more information.

When we got back to the cabana, the table was piled high with food. Burgers, hotdogs, seafood, a dozen different sides, there was something for everyone. There were two large coolers in front of the table. One sat open, juice boxes and cans of soda sticking out of a pile of ice. The other was locked, which I knew meant it was only for the adults. Towards the middle of the table, under the careful watch of Hades, a plate of ambrosia squares sat. Hades had a large golden goblet set in front of him, a cup of nectar if I was right.

Mrs. Chase sat at one end of the table, Mr. Chase next to her and the twins across from them. The next few seats were empty, waiting for us to fill them. We collapsed into our seats, Annabeth next to Mr. Chase, and Nico across from her. I was next, fitting easily between Annabeth and Dad. Bianca took a seat across from me, giving her own father a small smile. On the other side of our fathers, Mom and Persephone chatted to each other. And finally, Uncle Ben and then Uncle Nick took up the far two seats, Aunts Sam and Ellie across from them. The portion of the table beyond my aunts and uncles was used to hold utensils, dishes, and a variety of side dishes.

We passed around platters of food, everyone grabbing whatever they felt like to fill up their plates. Bobby and Matthew had the job of passing out the non-alcoholic drinks. I could tell they were happy to be trusted with something, carefully taking out each can of soda and making sure it got to the right person. Conversation flowed easily, for most of the table. Nico split his attention between the younger kid topics of Matthew and Bobby and the demigod conversation of Annabeth, Bianca, and me. Dad and Hades joked around, Mom and Persephone sometimes joining in. I even got more comfortable with Hades, able to ask questions without feeling like he would send monsters after me again. Ben, Nick, Sam, and Ellie were as lively as ever, even managing to suck Hades and Persephone into conversation with my parents.

The only ones who seemed out of place were the Chases. Bobby and Matthew were fine, distracted by each other, Nico, and the food but their parents were quiet. It hit me that they were the most normal people here. Sure, my parent’s friends were mortals but no one had ever accused them of being normal. And their abnormality wasn’t like Mr. Chase, who had attracted the attention of a goddess on accident. My aunts and uncles embraced their differences, using them as strengths. And the few times monsters had shown up when they were around, they had helped me with them and laughed about it afterward. They never would have blamed me for monster attacks, even if I sometimes still blamed myself. I couldn’t help but remember that the Chases had done the opposite, leaving Annabeth to fend off monsters alone and then making her feel like she was the problem. I shook off my negativity, hoping Mr. and Mrs. Chase would loosen up if they stuck around long enough.

After finishing with our food, it was time for cake and presents. Mom had made two cakes, one for Annabeth and one for me. Both were blue and circular with “ Happy Birthday ” written in Ancient Greek, but that was where the similarities ended. Mine was pretty typical - blue frosting with miniature tridents and guitars drawn in white icing, white sugar pearls scattered around the edge. I knew, from previous years, that it would be chocolate cake once it was cut into.

Annabeth’s was vastly different, but it was perfect for her. Mom had designed it to look like a blueprint. The base was the same blue as mine and in simple but accurate detail were the design and dimensions of Athena’s cabin at camp. Mom must have paid a lot of attention when we were there or had Dad help her because it looked perfect.

“I hope you like it,” Mom said as she set the cake in front of Annabeth. Dad stood behind me, setting my own cake down.“Percy told us you want to be an architect and I wanted to make that a part of your cake.”

Annabeth’s eyes watered as she beamed at Mom. “Thank you so much, this is amazing!”

“Of course, sweetie. Like we said, this party is for you and Percy. There was no way I was going to let you be left out of cake.”

Annabeth glanced at her Dad but quickly looked away. He was frowning slightly at the cake but wiped the expression from his face when he noticed us looking at him.

“ Brother… ” Hades said a warning I couldn’t understand in his voice. 

I looked up at Dad. He was staring straight at Mr. Chase, face tense.

“Dad?” I nudged him. “Candles?”

Dad turned his head down to me. His face softened and he smiled as he pulled out a pack of candles. “Promise not to set something on fire?”

“That was one time!” 

“You set something on fire, seaweed brain?” Annabeth laughed at me.

“One time! I was five. Besides, we’re not even inside so there's no carpet to worry about.”

“How did you set the carpet on fire?” Nico asked this time. He seemed genuinely curious, unlike Annabeth’s teasing tone.

Mom answered when I refused to. “His cake had these giant candles that he begged for in the store. He grabbed them, by the flame, and threw them onto the carpet. Terrified me.”

“And he was okay?” Mrs. Chase said, speaking for the first time in a while.

At Mom’s nod, Dad explained, “My children usually have some form of heat resistance. Perseus inherited more of my abilities than most of them ever have. It would take extreme heat to seriously injure or kill him. Lava might do the trick, but nothing cooler than that.”

“And I don’t see myself jumping into a volcano anytime soon,” I said, trying to move on before any more childhood stories were told. “So, candles and singing now?”

Mom laughed but agreed with me. She and Dad lit the candles on the cake. I felt Dad shift behind me, leaning to whisper something in Hades' ear. Hades hesitated but nodded after a second and with a wave of his hand a shadowy dome encircled us. Our candles light up the dome, giving the impression of nighttime even though the sun wouldn't set for a few more hours.

Mom led the majority in English while Dad sang in Ancient Greek. Hades and Persephone followed him, although I had no clue how they knew the words. Sam sang in Korean and Ellie in Hawaiian, everyone’s voices blending together. When they finished, Annabeth and I blew our candles out simultaneously.

Hades dissipated the dome and sunlight poured over us. Our cakes were set aside while the adults brought out presents.

The Chases gave us each a package of snacks, the large boxes almost overfilling.

Uncle Ben gave me a box of prank materials. It even had an instruction book with directions shown almost completely through photos. Mom quickly forbade pranks in the house but I was fine with that, they would be perfect to use at camp.

Uncle Nick handed over a sword sheath, the brown leather engraved with a wave pattern on one side and a trident on the other in gold. He explained, “In case you want to keep your sword on you when it's not a pen.”

Aunt Sam and Aunt Ellie had created a book for me, an encyclopedia of endangered sea animals and conservation efforts for them around the world. The book was filled with vivid pictures and while the words were in English, the font was large and easy on my eyes.

I beamed at my honorary aunts and uncles as I clutched my presents to me. “Thank you guys! These are great.”

They all smiled at me and handed over Annabeth’s presents to her. Mom must have passed on my words about her interests because the gifts were perfect for her.

Uncle Ben gave her a book with the title “Beginner Blueprint Creation” written in Ancient Greek and a sturdy black sketchbook. He told her, “Percy said you want to be an architect so I figured you could use some learning material. The Greek is all accurate, Sally and Sei helped me with it.”

Uncle Nick was next. Like with me, he gave Annabeth a sheath. I admired the dagger scabbard, the leather was the same as mine but the design was customized for Annabeth. It was embroidered with a silver owl on one side, its intelligent eyes staring out at us. On the other side was Annabeth’s name. “There are shorter fastenings inside of it, so you can use it for your leg or arm not just your waist. I figured that would be helpful when Percy said you had a dagger as your main weapon.”

Aunt Ellie jumped in before Annabeth could respond, practically shoving a rectangular box in her hands. Annabeth opened the box to reveal a book. Like mine, it was an encyclopedia but Annabeth’s covered major architecture masterpieces around the world. “Sorry it's not translated, but we tried our best to make it accessible.”

“Thank you,” Annabeth said, voice thick. “All of you. I didn’t expect any of this. You’ve never even met me.”

Ben laughed. “We didn’t have to, but we wanted to. Besides, from everything Percy, Sal, and Sei told us, it was like we knew you. You’re a part of the family now.”

I nudged Annabeth with my arm and grinned at her. Her eyes were dry but her face was slightly flushed as she smiled back at me. It was good to see her happy.

Hades and Persephone went next. Persephone handed each of us a red seed, about the size of a quarter.

“I created these myself,” She said. “They will grow in any soil, any time of year. The fruit they bear does not spoil and cannot be stolen from you. There are only two conditions: love them and let them be free.”

Annabeth and I looked at each other, then back at Persephone. Neither of us knew what that meant. She gave a delicate laugh and explained, “Do not suffocate them; plant them somewhere with plenty of space and leave them alone. Once a week or so give them some water and spend time with them, care for them. Tell them about your life, and give them words of encouragement as they grow. They will thrive off the care that you give them, but too much and they will drown.”

Hades watched his wife with soft eyes. I remembered something important about them: Hades had stolen Persephone and tried to trap her into marriage. It was only when he agreed to a compromise for Persephone’s time and they began to know each other as equals that she fell in love with him. She knew, better than anyone, how important freedom was.

“We’ll take good care of them,” I promised. Annabeth nodded in agreement.

“Well then,” Hades said. “I suppose it’s my turn.”

He stood and moved over, standing between his children so he was right in front of Annabeth and I. He snapped his fingers and a few round black stones, two black slabs the size of a piece of paper, and two thin rods of crystal appeared in his hand. He handed them to me and then stared expectantly.

“Thank you?” I looked to my parents for guidance on what exactly I had just been gifted.

Dad rolled his eyes. “Brother, be nice.”

Hades grinned wickedly at him. “I just wanted to have a little fun.”

He turned back to me, a slight grin still on his face. “Speak to the tablet - in Greek.”

I furrowed my brow but decided not to argue. I looked at one of the slabs and said, “Hello.”

The word appeared on the other slab.

“Wow,” I said, staring at the tablets.

“Indeed,” Hades agreed. “You can speak to one and the message will appear on the other. Alternatively, use the crystals to write your message and it will go to the other one. Distance does not make a difference and it will repel magical interference.”

“Awesome. And the round stones?”

“Read them.”

I took a closer look at each of the stones. Inscribed on each were Greek characters. One read “Heal” , another “Luck” and the last one “Welcome” . I was still confused, but Annabeth’s sharply drawn breath let me know she had figured it out.

“They’re blessings!” Annabeth said excitedly.

“Exactly,” Hades agreed. “They cannot stop fate, but they might give you an edge. ‘ Heal’ will make your healing a little stronger. Not as much as finding water or ambrosia, but maybe enough that you can get safe. ‘ Luck’ will soften the Fates to you just slightly, maybe make things easier or give you a small advantage against challenges. That is the only one I would suggest not keeping on your person. The magic of the blessing will work best if it has a steady place to ground itself. Perhaps your mortal home, or your cabin at camp. And the last one, ‘Welcome’ will allow you to enter and leave the Underworld at will.”

“What?” Annabeth and I both said. That was huge, gods did not allow any random demigod access to their domain. Some didn’t even allow their own children to come and go as they pleased. 

“All you have to do is concentrate on where you want to go. After your jaunt through my realm, I expect you can imagine a safe place to land. A warning though - it will only work for you, so don’t get any ideas. I will not allow outsiders to enter or leave my realm.”

“Thank you, Uncle. I am honored at your trust.” I bowed my head to Hades in a rare show of respect.

“As you should be.” Hades’ voice was rough, but I could sense a warmth that had been absent before. He continued, “Now onto our other little hero. You have an invisibility cap don’t you, girl?”

“Yes sir,” Annabeth replied, showing her Yankees cap to him.

“Am I safe in assuming while it makes you invisible it does not hide sounds you make?”

“Yes.” I wondered if Annabeth was as confused as I was by these questions. I would love it if the gods in my family could just be straightforward for once.

“I thought so. My own helm is an extension of my power, so I can use it to completely conceal myself. However, that took years to figure out and is impossible for you. So I have created something to help.”

From his pocket, Hades pulled out a small black pin. It was a depiction of Cerebus, the three heads of the Underworld dog nestled against each other each with a content expression on their face. “Pin this to your cap or clothes and it will eliminate the sounds you make. This only affects what you are directly touching, so if you throw something the enchantment will not hide that, understood? And it does not stop your voice from traveling.”

“Thank you so much, Lord Hades!” Annabeth grabbed the pin from my uncle, immediately attaching it to her Yankees cap.

Annabeth and I both beamed at Hades, who looked a little uncomfortable with the attention. With a mumble of something I couldn’t understand, Hades retook his seat.

“Poseidon and I,” Mom started, “Got both of you two gifts. One to help with your mortal talents, and one to help with the godly ones.”

Dad put four boxes in front of us, a small and large one for each of us.

Annabeth and I looked at each other, then grabbed the smaller boxes and ripped into them.

These were our mortal gifts. I was given a collection of musical gifts, including a new tuner, picks, rosin, and new strings for my instruments. Annabeth received what I can only describe as an architect's tool kit. In a zippered bag, there were new pencils, pens, a protractor, a compass, a scale, and several rulers. I had to pull Annabeth’s arm away when she reached for her new sketchbook, ready to start crafting her designs.

We turned to the larger boxes now.

“Gods…” Annabeth said. I could only nod in agreement, amazed at our gifts.

Inside each box was a full set of armor. Annabeth’s was unadorned celestial bronze, glowing slightly golden. Mine, on the other hand, was highly customized. Instead of the normal celestial bronze plates, my armor was made with a blue-green metal that glowed slightly as I picked it up. I recognized the metal, Dad’s royal armor was made from the same material. There were also black engravings decorating it. A trident over the left side of the chest plate and over the right, a quill and ink jar - the same symbols used to represent my parents as the magical compass Dad had given me a few months ago. On the right shoulder guard was the Camp Half-Blood symbol, a pegasus taking flight.

Annabeth and I put on each part of our armor, helping each other fasten and adjust everything like we would at camp. Besides the color, the feel of the armor told me it was crafted under the sea. It was light and a perfect fit as if it was actively conforming to my body. The only things that had felt like this were weapons crafted by sea deities, like my trident and sword.

“Perfect,” Dad said as he looked at us. I moved around, testing out the movement of the armor. It still felt amazing, providing me protection without making me feel bulky or clumsy. “I had the Cyclops create them and one of Hecate’s children who lives in Atlantis helped enchant them. They will grow as you do and can change form.”

“Really, how?” I asked.

“Simple. Just picture what you want it to turn into and say it, with intent. Like this.” He pointed at my armor and switched to Greek. “Mortal clothes.”

Immediately the armor changed. I now wore two bracelets, a belt, an anklet, and a leg chain made from the same metal as the armor. On my head was a cap, revealed to be my ‘Neptune’s lucky fishing hat’ once I pulled it off.

“This is the armor?” I waved at my new accessories.

“Correct. You can change their shapes, you could even have them as a token on your necklace like your trident. All you need to have is intent.”

“Pendant,” Annabeth said. Her armor disappeared, and a small replica of the chest plate appeared on her necklace. I did the same, the pendant joining my trident around my neck and my cap staying in my hand.

I hugged both of my parents tight. “Thanks. This is the best birthday ever.”

“I agree,” Annabeth said. “Thank you.”

Mom smiled at us. “You two deserve it. Now, if I’m not mistaken, you have presents to give to each other.”

My stomach felt tight as I retrieved Annabeth’s gift from the house. I had no idea how she would react to what I made for her, but I hoped it was good.

Annabeth beat me back to the table, a black box resting in her hands. She handed it to me. “You go first.”

The box was heavier than I expected. I opened it up to reveal a bronze cube, about the size of a record player. There was a slot towards the bottom that looked like it would fit some papers or a thin book. On the left side, there was a nob, and on the right a small speaker.

“It plays music?” I guessed.

“Yeah and more. I had to ask the Hephaestus and Apollo cabins for help, so it’s more like a present from all of us. But look - you can put sheet music in this here,” She pointed to the empty slot, “and it will start playing. But you can also put blank sheets in and play music or dictate what notes you want on the paper and it will write for you. You just have to adjust the settings on the side.”

I took a closer look at the setting on the nob. There was dictate, transcribe, play, and read written around the nob. “And it will read notes out to me?”

“Exactly. I’ve heard some of the Apollo kids complain that they can’t always read music easily. I didn’t know if you had the same trouble, but thought it would be useful anyway?”

“Yeah, that happens to me sometimes. This is great!” My fingers itched to grab my violin or guitar and start using my present right away. I ran my hands over the box, a large grin on my face. I had to force myself to set it on the table so I could grab Annabeth’s present. “My turn. It’s not as cool as a magic music box, but I hope you like it.”

Annabeth ripped off the paper I had wrapped her present in to reveal a scrapbook. On the front cover was Annabeth’s name under a picture of Thalia’s tree. She slowly started flipping through the book, lingering over each picture. “How did you get all these?”

I smiled. “I asked around camp. The Athena and Hermes cabins had a lot, Chiron even gave me a few.”

The pictures followed Annabeth from her first day at camp - an uncertain seven-year-old standing outside the Athena cabin - to the last day of this summer - me and her standing with our arms around each other’s shoulders in front of Thalia’s tree. Some pictures, like the ones the Hermes cabins had snapped of their pranks, were silly. Others, like the picture Chiron had given me of the camp burning a shroud for an unsuccessful quest, were serious. All of them were a reminder of the family we created at camp. And, I contemplated as Annabeth came to the last filled page, a reminder of those she lost.

The last picture in the album was of a seven-year-old Annabeth and a twelve-year-old girl with spiky black hair. This was the last photo of Thalia, the daughter of Zeus who had befriended and cared for Annabeth years ago.

“How… How did you get this?” Annabeth’s voice was choked up as she stared down at the page.

“It belonged to Luke,” I told her. Her head snapped up, tear-filled eyes stabbing into my soul. “I was going to ask him for help but then, well you know. But everyone knew what I was doing for you. The Hermes cabin gave me all the pictures he left behind with you or Thalia and made me promise to get them to you. There's a pocket on the back page with more.”

She flipped immediately to the back, taking out a dozen or so photos.

I continued, “I didn’t know what you would want to do with them. It didn’t feel right for me to put them on the pages myself… it's up to you.”

“He betrayed us.”

I knew where she was coming from. We had both looked up to Luke, and that didn’t go away just because he hurt us. At the same time, I was angry at him. I had spent a long time talking to my parents about this. Their advice helped me find the words for Annabeth.

“Yeah, he did. But he also cared for us, laughed with us, taught us. He protected you for half your life Annabeth. I couldn’t,” I had to pause to swallow the lump in my throat. “ You shall fail to save what matters most . That’s what the prophecy said, and it was true. I didn’t save Mom, she did that herself. And I couldn’t save Luke because he didn’t want to be saved. But I can give you the good parts of him, even if just through pictures. And you can decide what you want to do with it. Hate him, forgive him, try and push him from your memory, it's all up to you.”

Annabeth lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I returned the hug as she buried her face into my shoulder, sniffling.

“Thank you,” she whispered to me. I didn’t reply, simply leaned more into her.

We stayed there for a long moment. When we separated Annabeth wiped her eyes and smiled weakly at me. Some of the pictures had fallen to the ground and I helped her to pick them up. She took a last look and then placed Luke’s photos back into the pocket they came from.

Everyone was silent around us. The other kids seemed confused, although Bianca seemed to understand that something bad had happened. The Chases too, looked lost. Mom must have told her friends something about the summer because they seemed to know what was going on. And of course, my parents, Hades, and Persephone had all been part of our quest over the summer.

Mom clapped her hands, breaking the silence. “Well, that’s the last of the presents. How about we take a crack at the cake now?”

There was enthusiastic agreement from the three younger boys and Uncle Ben, which made me laugh. Annabeth and I went to stash our presents in my room, cake waiting for us when we got back.

As we dug into our desert, I looked around me. Everyone was happy, talking and laughing as they ate. Family and friends, old and new, all together. I decided, then and there, that I wanted to celebrate like this every year. I couldn’t think of much that would be better.

Chapter Text

After everyone ate their fill of cake, we took off to play games again. Annabeth became absorbed in her block game. According to her, it was a popular game for the Athena cabin. In it, teams or individuals got to look at a random picture of blocks for a few seconds and then had to copy that while a timer counted down. I don’t know what happened in the Athena cabin, but Dad had made it so that if the timer went off before the blocks were in the correct configuration, a hatch opened from each block and shot water out until all the players were thoroughly soaked. I had quit after three rounds. Bianca lasted one more. The adults took a few turns with her too, Mom lasting the longest.

After I left Annabeth, I led Nico and Bianca through the maze again. I talked to them about the monsters and obstacles as we went, giving them ideas on how to deal with them. They absorbed the information easily, I could see their reflexes get quicker as we went. It was amazing to see how fast they could improve when given a little information. I could see why Chiron loved teaching.

I spent some time with Matthew and Bobby as well. I showed off my sword and trident to everyone, letting each of the boys and Bianca take a turn holding the weapons. That was stopped when the twins’ parents noticed their admiration for Riptide. Mr. and Mrs. Chase called the boys back to the cabana and talked to them for a moment before pointing to the pails nearby. The two went off to work on sandcastles, trying to outdo each other.

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes when the boys were redirected from our demonstration. I had everything under control. Besides, my sword wouldn’t even be able to hurt the boys because they were completely mortal. Hades and Persephone didn’t seem bothered, even though Nico or Bianca could be hurt equally by immortal or mortal weapons. I turned my attention back to my cousins.

“Want to learn a few things?”

“Really? With your sword?” Nico asked, practically vibrating.

I couldn’t help the deep laugh bubbling from my stomach. Nico’s excitement was contagious. “Yep, with the sword.”

“Could we use the trident too?” Bianca asked.

I hesitated this time. Even though I let them hold the trident, I felt weird about someone else using it. The trident was special to me. “Let’s try with the sword first. My trident was custom-made for me by Dad, so I’m not sure how well it’ll work for you.”

Nico didn’t seem to care, but the way that Bianca deflated made me feel bad.

“But,” I continued. “Your dad uses a bident like mine uses the trident. Next time we can get you one of those and try it out?”

That seemed to make her feel better. “That would be cool.”

I took them through a few forms, showing them how to hold the sword and where to put their feet as they moved. The sword wasn’t perfect for either of them, which was expected. As children of the big three, Bianca and Nico were probably more sensitive to artifacts from domains outside their dad’s. Anaklusmos, as a sword created by a sea deity, was firmly under the sea’s domain. They would do better with neutral weapons or ones from the Underworld. Despite this, they picked up everything I taught them quickly.

Bianca was steady, repeating each move until it was perfect. Nico worked more on instinct and excitement, wanting to learn everything as quickly as possible. The sword fit a little better in his hand than Bianca’s, but her footwork ended up better.

An Underworld sword would probably be perfect for Nico, but it looked like we might have to try harder for Bianca. I made a mental note to mention it to Hades. Every demigod has to learn what they are best at. Most used a sword, but there were people like Annabeth who had a dagger, Clarisse with her spear, and the Apollo cabin with bows. Even I used a trident and a sword. Bianca might have had a point when she asked to use my trident; her steady footwork and tendency to stab instead of slash showed the same kind of instincts that Clarisse and I used when fighting with spears or tridents.

After taking my cousins through swordplay for over an hour, I decided to drag Annabeth from her game. We grabbed her brothers and took off for the bouncy castles, forming two teams. The Chase siblings took one castle while Nico, Bianca, and I took the other. We took a few minutes to explore the bouncy house. The inside was as cool as the outside. The center was wide open, with walkways lining the four walls so we could bounce from level to level. The walkways led to balconies outside, where guns and catapults waited for us. I pointed one of the guns at the sand and pulled the trigger. A small ball flew from the muzzle and hit the ground, paint splattering harmlessly against the sand.

“Paint guns?” Annabeth called.

I jerked my head up. Annabeth stood directly across from me in her castle.

“Yeah,” I replied. “Cool right?”

“Your dad definitely knows how to throw a party.” Annabeth agreed.

Before I could say anything else, Annabeth got a wicked grin on her face. Faster than I could react, Annabeth grabbed hold of her own gun, aimed, and fired. I felt a dull thud against my chest, then the sticky wetness of paint soaking through my shirt.

I looked down and sure enough, Annabeth had nailed me in the middle of my chest with a paintball, the yellow paint spread over my shirt. Annabeth was laughing loudly, her brothers joining her as they came out of the castle.

“Oh, you’re on wise girl!” I yelled over to her. “Nico, Bianca come help me out!”

Soon we were embroiled in a full-out battle, paint flying over the short distance between our two castles. Bianca and Nico stood on either side of me, firing wildly at Annabeth and her brothers. More paint ended up on the ground and sides of the castle than on people, but they were having fun.

Annabeth used her invisibility cap, making it almost impossible for me to hit her. After all, it's hard to target something you can’t see. That backfired on her when one of the twins ran directly into her, sending both of them to the floor. Annabeth glared at my laughter when she resurfaced, her now visible face an angry red. She got a turn to laugh at me when I tried to use my powers to stop a paintball from hitting me. I ended up with paint covering my hair as I stood with my hands raised in front of me uselessly.

“Did you really think that was going to work seaweed brain?” Her voice wheezed out of her.

I grinned at her, running my hand through my hair in a vain attempt to wipe the paint off. “Paint has water!”

Her laughter trailed off as she looked me over. I thought she was going to ask me something, but she got distracted when Bianca took the opportunity to target her. Paint splattered over her head, leaving us with matching messes on our heads.

As the sun dipped below the ocean, the Chases came to collect their sons. Bobby and Matthew tried to protest but eventually gave in. We all emerged from our castles. Annabeth hugged her dad and ruffled her brothers’ hair, even managing a smile for Mrs. Chase as the four headed for their car. I could see Mrs. Chase shaking her head at her sons, or more likely at the paint they were covered in. Hopefully, they had something to cover their seats with.

The rest of us returned to the other adults, who had made their way to the water. Someone had dragged lawn chairs down the beach and a fire was blazing. Mom and Dad sat next to each other, holding hands. Hades and Persephone mirrored them across the fire. Ben, Sam, and Ellie sat nearby in a group of three chairs, playing a card game I couldn’t identify. Nick was between the two groups with his back to the sea, positioned so he could see everyone with a simple turn of his head.

Mom stood, took one look at the four of us, and immediately turned to Dad. “Paint?”

“Water would have given Percy an unfair advantage,” Dad replied.

“You’re in charge of clean up.”

“Fine.” With a smirk, Dad snapped his fingers. Water exploded out from the ocean in a salty spray that hit all four of us. It twirled over us, scrubbing against the paint we had gotten stuck with before sinking into the sand. When it was done we were mostly clean, only small stains remaining.

“That is not what I meant.” Despite her annoyed words, Mom couldn’t hide her smile as Dad pulled her down into his lap.

I laughed at them as I walked over to Uncle Nick and collapsed into the sand next to him. I pulled a tendril of water up from the tide, willing it to encircle me so I sat in a personal pool of water. Annabeth followed while Bianca and Nico went over to their Dad, excitedly telling him about everything we had done so far.

“How you’ve been?” Uncle Nick asked me.

“Today’s been great. I’m happy everyone could be together.”

“Good. But that’s not what I meant. Heard there was some trouble over the summer.” Nick’s eyes were warm but cautious as he stared at me. Annabeth looked between the two of us. I wish I knew what either one of them was thinking.

“How much did they tell you?”

“Enough. Your Pa, knew he was different from the moment Sal introduced us to him. Even outside of the monster attacks, it’s been a long time since I thought his name was just a coincidence. His family causing trouble?”

“My family, Nick. My family, my world - just as much as you are my family.” I had to clarify this. I spent most of my life between my parents, hiding from both sides of my heritage. Now that I had access to Dad’s side, I was determined to embrace all of my family. Even if some of them wanted me dead.

“Your family, got it. But you’ll let me know if you need help?”

I smiled weakly at him. “I’ll keep it in mind, but it's not your world. It wouldn’t be fair to bring any of you into it.”

“You’re my world kid, you and your parents. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them so you better believe I would do anything for you.”

I could only nod and smile at him as he finally tore his eyes from me. I had a feeling that he didn’t just mean he wouldn’t physically be here at the beach without my parents, but I didn’t want to question him on it. All I needed to know was what I had always understood - Uncle Nick would be there for me, even if I didn’t ask for it.

I turned back to Ananbeth, expecting her to be watching me and Nick still. To my surprise, she was staring at my parents instead.

I followed her gaze but didn’t see anything out of the usual. They were still sharing a chair, Mom’s legs thrown over one of Dad’s arms as she sat sideways in his lap. They were absorbed in their own world, warm smiles on their faces as they whispered to each other. They were just being themselves, but Annabeth looked at them as if she was surprised.

“Hey,” I whispered to Annabeth, nudging her with my arm. “What’s up?”

“Your parents,” the words dragged themselves slowly out of her mouth. She still hadn’t taken her eyes off them. “They just look so… happy and normal.”

“I wouldn’t call them normal. But yeah, I like to think they’re happy.”

She finally looked away from my parents, turning her eyes to me as she shook her head. I could see her eyes shine wetly in the orange-pink light.

“You know, I thought about it for years,” Annabeth said. “What it would be like if my parents were together, if we were a family. Most demigods have. I convinced myself that it was impossible. But it's not. You have the family that the rest of us wished for, Percy.”

I was unsure how to respond for a moment. I looked down, idly playing with the water under me. It was comforting. “I don’t know what to tell you. Trust me, I know how lucky I am. But I can’t change any of the gods. I can’t even change my dad, he chose to be different with me and Mom.”

“Did he ever say why?”

“Just that he realized the rules were wrong and he didn’t want to miss out on the life we could have. I know there’s something they aren’t telling me. That’s one of the downsides to parents, they want to protect me so they don’t always tell me things, even if it's important.”

“Really?”

“Yep. They didn’t even tell me the master bolt was missing until right before I came to camp, because they didn't want to worry me.”

“Wow. I didn’t know it was the bolt either but I figured you did.”

“Nope. I knew that something was off, just couldn’t figure out what.”

I went back to playing with the water around me. I willed it to form different shapes, waving my hand as I imagined what I wanted the water to look like. I created a star, a smiley face, and finally, a horse that I sent galloping around Annabeth’s head as she giggled. Warmth flooded me at the sound. I loved making my friend happy with my powers.

“How do you do that?” She asked as the small horse settled on my palm.

I shrugged, “It’s hard to explain. The water, the sea… it’s a part of me. I can feel it constantly and I can make it do what I want. In some ways, it's like it's alive and I can just imagine what I want it to do and then ask. I want the water to be dense, so it changes. I can imagine a little horse made of water, so a horse takes shape. It still needs my energy and I have to concentrate on some things but others, like breathing underwater, are instinct.”

It was getting hard to see Annabeth clearly, the darkening beach casting shadows over her face. From what I could see, however, she had the same expression on her face that she got when there was a puzzle for her to figure out.

“What you said about the paint before,” Annabeth said, a hesitation I couldn’t understand in her voice. “Is it really possible for you to control liquids that aren’t water?”

“Yeah. Or at least, I think so. Dad said that his kids get parts of his abilities. Some can control water or even other liquids if they’re strong enough, some make storms, some are earthquake machines.”

“And you?”

I hesitated. This line of questioning tapped into my biggest uncertainties about my heritage. “I don’t know.”

“How do you not know?”

“Annabeth…” My water horse disappeared, flowing back into the small pool I sat in. “Dad’s always pushed me to use every power I can. He’ll test me sometimes, forcing a new power out or making me strengthen my weak points. I didn’t even know that there were limits until I went to camp and saw that everyone used different abilities from their parents. I’ve been meaning to sit down and talk to Dad about it, see if he has any idea how it works.”

“But you haven’t yet. You’re scared.” Annabeth’s voice was smugly satisfied like she had just answered a question no one else could figure out. It infuriated me, but I had to admit she was right.

“A little.” At my admission Annabeth softened, leaning against my arm. “I never thought before, about what I can and can’t do. But now it's in my head constantly.”

“Isn’t it better to learn what you can’t do now before it becomes a problem?”

“Yeah but…”

Annabeth stared at me, brows furrowed. Her hand joined mine in the pool of water, the weight calming against my fingers. “You’re not scared of what you can’t do. You’re scared he’ll tell you there are no limits.”

“How’d you know?”

“I get you seaweed brain. Most people want power and glory but not you. Sure, you get the same ego boost as anyone when everyone treats you like some big hero, but that’s not your goal. You care more about people - your family and friends will always come before any power. Besides, I’ve seen how cautious you are to show off powers to me and Grover. I know it’s because of the way we reacted to your little ‘I can sense water in people’ trick.”

“But that’s it exactly, Annabeth! I scared you and Grover. Even Chiron looked at me differently. What if I do something, or figure out I’m capable of something, that will do that to you again?”

“You’re an idiot.”

I reared back, taking my hand out from under hers. “Hey!”

“I’m serious. Percy, we freaked out because we were surprised. And I was still trying to hate you back then. It’s different now. Just… let us know what you can do, let me have some time to get used to it, ‘kay?”

“Okay.”

“Besides,” Annabeth grinned. “I need to know everything so I can use it for Capture the Flag.”

I laughed with her. “What makes you so sure I’ll stay on your team, oh wise one?”

“What, you’re gonna team up with Clarisse and her cabin?”

I made a noise of disgust in the back of my throat, sending Annabeth off in another round of laughter.

As the sun set fully, everyone gathered close to the fire. We joked and laughed. It felt good to have people from both sides of my life talking together and getting to know each other. Annabeth, Bianca, Nico, and I chased each other around in a game of tag while Dad tried to teach Hades how to roast marshmallows. Elle and Persephone engaged each other in conversation about nature preservation. Mom and Sam talked about a writer’s conference they planned to attend in October.

Eventually, I decided to retrieve the guitar my parents had given me when I  returned from camp. I played in the light of the fire as Dad sang. Everyone danced around us, an uncoordinated bunch of limbs as they let the music carry them away. Hades and Persephone were the most put-together, swaying in the sand as they whispered to each other. I guess millennia of practice would make anyone good at dancing. Bianca and Nico tried to imitate them, but failed and gave up quickly, instead choosing to flail in a vague circle around their father and stepmother.

After a while, Dad convinced Hades to join us in our impromptu concert. He materialized a black, twelve-string guitar completely out of shadows, idly strumming as I stared at him.

“You can play guitar?” I asked.

“I’m older than your civilization, I know how to play everything.” Hades grinned at me. Not a scary, wicked grin like I had seen before but something more genuine. It softened his whole face, and as he stood next to my father I was struck by how alike they looked. The gods, because they could change shape, did not often look like each other. I wondered if Dad and Hades chose to look similar, or if their shared parentage influenced their physical forms somehow.

Hades was right, he knew how to play everything. Any song I could think of, he was able to pick up easily. His fingers moved rapidly over strings, the clean sound of two guitars ringing in the air. Shadows danced around us. At first, I thought it was just from the light of the fire moving but as a shadowy tentacle ruffled my hair I realized that Hades was controlling them. The shadows were playful, touching but never grabbing anyone too hard. Dad joined Hades in showing off, storm clouds making themselves known above us. The water from the clouds danced with Hades’ shadows as Dad sang.

When I needed a break, Dad and Hades continued. Annabeth and I sat next to Nico and Bianca, all four of us swaying to the music. By now it was fully dark, the sweltering August heat cooling significantly as the moon and the tide rose. I chewed on a marshmallow absently as I watched Nico start to nod off where he sat. Soon after the adults noticed as well.

Mom stood from her chair, running a hand down Dad’s arm. He stopped his song, Hades taking his cue and making his guitar disappear.

“I think,” Mom said, nodding toward Nico. “It's time for us to say goodnight.”

Nico jerked awake as the rest of us made sleepy noises of dissent. None of us wanted the night to be over, but I couldn’t deny that I was tired. The sun had set hours ago at this point. The games, socialization, and sugar from the day had caught up to me.

My aunts and uncles said their goodbyes as we shuffled toward the house. Annabeth and I thanked them again for our presents as each of them promised to visit and stay in touch. They climbed into Nick’s sedan, Uncle Ben calling for shotgun even though no one else had tried to take the passenger seat. With a last wave and a blast of music from the car, they were gone.

Hades and Persephone took a moment with Nico and Bianca. I could hear Hades checking with both of them to make sure they wanted to stay. Even when they both reassured their father, he was on edge. He tried to stare down Dad, who only reacted with an eye-roll and a grin. I could see Dad whisper something to Hades as my mom and Persephone said their goodbyes, but I couldn’t make out what. Whatever Dad said must have worked, because Hades and Persephone quickly made their way out of the house. 

Even though I was now officially a teenager, Mom insisted on keeping my bedtime routine the same. I would have been embarrassed if she hadn’t roped the other kids into it too. One after another she sent us each off to the shower and then sat us down at the table with a snack and a cup of hot chocolate. We talked in soft, low voices for a while until the last of our drinks were drained away. Mom made sure we brushed our teeth and then Dad ushered us off to my room, where a large pallet of blankets and pillows had been set up on the floor. A speaker on the wall next to my door played soft piano music overlaid with the sound of waves and rain.

We all dived into the makeshift nest, ignoring my bed in the corner. Nico was out as soon as his head touched his pillow. Bianca turned to Annabeth and me, “So, you promised to tell me about your summer?”

Annabeth and I exchanged a look in the dim light that flooded in from the hall. She shrugged, leaving me to decide what we wanted to share.

“You’re right,” I said. “You don’t want to wait for Nico to be awake?”

“No. If he really needs to know something we can tell him but… I don’t want to scare him, you know?”

I couldn’t argue against that. Nico was only a few years younger than us, but he was light and happy, filled with an infectious exuberance. I wanted to protect that however I could.

“Alright. Well, it all started with a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art…”

Annabeth and I took turns telling Bianca all about the last summer. From Mrs. Dodds's attack to our first meeting at camp and everything that happened on our quest. The story twisted and folded back on itself as we remembered details or had to backtrack and explain something that Bianca had no context for. We were both tired by the time I explained Luke’s betrayal. Bianca stared at us with wide eyes.

“So our Grandfather, who is trapped in a pit in the Underworld, tried to start a war and escape his prison?” Her words were hesitant. Maybe she was trying to figure out if we were lying to her.

“Basically,” I said. “Our Uncle forbade any more conversation about it, but I have a feeling that Grandfather isn’t done yet.”

“So what do we do? I mean, is it even safe in the Underworld, with the pit right there?”

“I’m sure it's fine,” Annabeth said. “The Crooked One is still trapped, he didn’t manage to get the bolt in the first place. And your father would probably know if something happened, especially now that he knows to keep an eye on the pit.”

“And,” I added on. “Our parents aren’t listening to their brother. They are both preparing their kingdoms in case he breaks out. And they brought us all together.”

“So they can prepare us to fight a Titan?” Bianca’s voice turned shrill.

“I don’t think they want us to. But Dad and Uncle Hades know that it might come to that. Teaching us to protect ourselves is the best way to keep us safe.”

“I don’t know. I’m not like you two.”

“What do you mean?” Annabeth asked. She reached out her hand, laying it gently on Bianca’s arm.

“I’m not strong, or super smart. I don’t know how to fight, or to use any of the powers that Dad says I have. What help am I going to be?”

I propped myself up on one arm so I could look at her better. Bianca was sitting up, Annabeth in between us. Bianca’s face was turned down so her hair covered her face, but I could see her chewing on her lip. On her other side, Nico snored lightly, oblivious to the conversation happening.

“That’s why you learn,” I said to her. “Listen, we’re not as powerful as you think. I mean, I don’t have full control of my powers and Dad’s been training me for years. That’s why we keep training and go to camp - to learn. It’s not bad to not know something.”

“Yeah,” Annabeth agreed, then smirked. “Percy doesn’t know a lot of things.”

I sputtered out a protest as Bianca giggled. Annabeth’s voice turned serious. “All of us are getting stronger constantly, Bianca. And you and Nico are the children of Hades, who knows what you can do.”

“But what if I fail?”

“You will,” I said. Annabeth glared at me and punched my arm. “Ow! I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I just meant… you are going to fail and mess up sometimes. Everyone does. As long as you keep trying and learn from your mistakes, you’ll end up stronger.”

“But what if I don’t have any special powers?”

“Well… Nico said your dad told him he has powers, did he say the same to you?”

“Yeah.”

“There you go then. The gods can usually tell which powers their kids have. Besides, even if you couldn’t use any of the Underworld powers, you would still be able to get stronger. Just look at Annabeth. She’s one of the strongest people I know, and she doesn’t have any of the flashy abilities that I do.”

Silence fell on the three of us as Bianca contemplated my words. Annabeth smiled at me. I wasn’t sure if it was because she approved of how I encouraged Bianca or the compliments I had given to her. Either way, all I had done was speak the truth.

Finally, Bianca spoke up. “And the two of you will be there to help me?”

Annabeth and I nodded in sync. I reassure her, “Of course we will. And once we convince your dad to let you go to camp you’ll be able to meet the other demigods and make friends with them too.”

“That sounds nice. I’ve never had many friends before.” Bianca’s words got cut off as she yawned. She laid down fully, rubbing her eyes. “Thank you, both of you. It's good… having people to talk to.”

“We know,” Annabeth gave a slight laugh. “That’s the good thing about being around other demigods, we understand each other’s issues. We take care of each other. Now, you should get some sleep.”

“Yeah,” Bianca agreed, turning away from us. “Night.”

“Night.” “Goodnight.” We both replied to her. Within seconds, Bianca’s breathing deepened and evened out, joining Nico’s quiet snores.

I collapsed onto my pillow. Annabeth turned to face me, resting with her arm under her head. “You know, for an only child you’re pretty good at taking care of other people, seaweed brain.”

“I was just telling her the truth.”

“I know. But still, the way you told her… it was kind. Not everyone has it in them to be gentle with their words. Imagine if Clarisse had been here.”

I shuddered. “She probably would have yelled at Bianca.”

We shared a laugh. Annabeth continued, “I know I make fun of you a lot, but I know you’re capable Percy. You’re strong, and a good leader and you’re smarter than most people know.”

My face heated up. I appreciated her words, but I was more comfortable with the playful insults Annabeth usually threw at me. I wasn’t sure how to deal with these sincere compliments. “I thought you were supposed to be keeping me humble?”

I couldn’t see it in the low light, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Annabeth had rolled her eyes at me right then. “Just take the compliment, seaweed brain.”

“Thank you.” I reached out and grabbed Annabeth’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze to emphasize my gratitude. She smiled at me again, a quick flash of teeth in the low light before we both settled down. Soon enough, darkness came for me and I drifted off to sleep.

Of course, I should have expected that my peace wouldn’t last. Almost as soon as I closed my eyes, I started to dream. Not normal dreams based on my fears and desires. No, I knew that this was a vision-dream. Sometimes demigods were given visions, of the past, present, and even future in the form of dreams. Gods could get them too, although their dreams only happened when they chose to sleep. While Apollo, and Phoebe before him, had control over prophecies, Dad’s unpredictable nature made it so that he got more dreams than most people. And that was one of the things that he passed down to me. Last summer, my dreams helped me spy on Kronos and Luke as they made their plans. But they also terrified me. My dream that night was not as terrifying, but it was more confusing than any dream I had recently.

The dream started in a courtyard. I had never seen it before but from the amount of deadened grass and the cavernous ceiling high above, it was in the Underworld. Bianca and Nico stood nearby, facing each other. Something about the way they stood conveyed more confidence than I had seen from them so far. They held weapons in their hands: Nico a terrifying all-black sword and Bianca a bident that looked like it forged out of the shadows themselves.

Bianca said something to Nico and he nodded back at her with a wide smile. Nico stabbed his sword into the ground. A jagged black hole opened in front of him and undead soldiers emerged, weapons at the ready. They lunged toward Bianca. Bianca pointed her bident at the soldiers and darkness converged on the field, shadow tentacles grabbing at the undead. As Bianca’s shadows sent some of the soldiers flying, Nico and Bianca moved closer to each other. The Underworld faded away right before the siblings reached each other.

Next, I got glimpses of Grover. Instead of one scene, I saw flashes of images. Grover in a baseball cap and jeans, sitting on a crowded bus. Him talking to nymphs and satyrs in the woods. The dream cut out on the view of a beautiful mountain, the sun setting in the background.

The rest of my dream passed in a series of blurred images and indistinguishable voices. I saw kids running around at camp, then someone sitting fully armed next to Thalia’s tree. More shots of the Underworld, an unfamiliar ship in the middle of the ocean, even what looked like a palace under the sea - Atlantis, Dad’s kingdom.

I woke up with sunlight in my face. Even though the blinds in my room were closed, some light snuck its way in. Combined with the light from the living room streaming in through my open bedroom door, there was no way I would be able to get back to sleep. Annabeth, Bianca, and Nico were still asleep at my side.

As quietly as possible, I stood and stretched before making my way out of the room. Soft music, quiet enough that it faded off halfway down the hall, played from the kitchen. My parents were in the kitchen, swaying to the music in each other’s arms. I shook my head at them, but couldn’t help the smile that appeared on my face. Mom and Dad were cheesy and embarrassing, but it was also nice to see them so happy. They pulled away when they saw me leaning against the wall.

“Morning,” I said as I passed by them, heading to the fridge for a cup of water.

They both greeted me in return. Mom looked back down the hall, then back to me. “Everyone else still asleep?”

“Yep. I was surprised that Annabeth wasn’t up yet, but maybe yesterday tired her out.”

Mom nodded. “She did meet a lot of new people, that can take a lot out of you.”

I hummed, looking down at the water in front of me as I sat at the table. My parents joined me, occupying the seats directly across from me.

“So,” Dad started, “What do you think of Bianca and Nico?”

I grinned at him. “They’re great. They were nice, I think having them as cousins is going to be fun.”

“Good. We all hoped you could get along, although Hades was worried something would go wrong.”

“Yeah. Bianca said he doesn’t want them to go to camp?”

Dad sighed. “My brother is overprotective. He worries for them. I reassured them that you would be there to help and that they would be welcome to shelter in your cabin.”

I would have liked for Dad to ask me if I wanted to share my cabin before offering it, but I knew it was a good idea. The Hermes cabin was crowded as-is and who knew how the camp was going to react to housing two of Hades' kids. Having Nico and Bianca in my cabin would probably be the best solution unless we could get them their own. That wasn't going to be possible; I couldn’t imagine what it would take to get cabins for more gods, especially one who is as excluded from the Olympian Council as Hades.

“Yeah, we would have a good time bunking together. Although I think Nico would be ecstatic just to be at a camp full of half-bloods, it wouldn’t matter to him if he had to sleep outside.”

“Yes, I noticed that he seemed particularly excited about being a demigod. How is Bianca adjusting to it?”

“She’s… unsure. She’s seen her father’s powers but I think it’s hard for her to accept everything. And she’s really worried about looking out for Nico like she thinks it's just her job to take care of him. I was actually thinking it might be good for Mom to talk to her.”

My parents exchanged a look. Mom smiled as she turned back to me and said, “I can do that. Just me, not your father?”

“Yeah. This is all so new for her, I think it’ll be good to hear from someone who wasn’t born into this world, you know?”

“Of course. I will take some time to talk to her after breakfast. Your father is planning a little training session on the beach for all of you.”

“Great!”

“What’s great?” A voice from the hall called. Annabeth came into view, rubbing her eyes. She joined us at the table.

“Dad’s going to train with us after breakfast.”

“Oh cool. Thank you, sir.”

Dad rolled his eyes at her. “I suppose that is better than ‘my lord’ but there is no need for formalities. Just call me Poseidon.”

“I’ll try, sir.”

My parents rose from the table and started to prepare breakfast. Soon enough, Bianca and Nico joined us. At first, they seemed hesitant, but they soon became comfortable, chatting with Annabeth and I. We described camp to them, telling them all about the cabins, woods, and activities they would be able to do once summer came around. They were both full of questions, Nico especially, and Annabeth and I did our best to answer them.

After we ate and washed up, we made our way down to the beach. Mom pulled Bianca away while Dad guided Nico in some simple exercises. Annabeth and I played a two-person game of tag, racing around the sand. Annabeth was usually faster than me, but I had more experience running on sand so we were evenly matched.

After a few moments, I noticed Dad talking to Nico. He smiled and pointed him over to us. Immediately, the eight-year-old ran after us, tackling me into the sand. I laughed and turned so Nico was pinned under me, tickling him as he shrieked with laughter. Annabeth came to his defense, creating a pile of limbs as we all laughed in the sand. I could hear Dad chuckle above us.

When Mom and Bianca came back, our lesson started. Because Bianca and Nico were novices, Dad started with some basics. Dad had dragged a collection of practice weapons down from the house and pointed my cousins over to them, watching as they picked out what they wanted to use. Nico picked out a sword and Bianca helped herself to a spear. Annabeth grabbed a shield to add to her knife while I summoned my trident.

Annabeth and I sat and watched as Dad had Nico and Bianca face him.

“Have either of you used a weapon before?” Dad asked, trident in hand.

“Only yesterday, when Percy showed us his trident,” Bianca answered.

“Okay, so we start from scratch. Lesson one: don’t stab yourself.”

My cousins laughed.

“It’s good advice,” I called out.

Annabeth agreed, “Yeah, you have no idea the number of kids at camp who end up hurting themselves when they are first learning to fight.”

Nico and Bianca looked at us, then down at the weapons in their hands. They seemed to realize that they were holding actual weapons that could hurt them if they weren’t careful. They wore more serious expressions when they looked back up at Dad.

“Now,” Dad continued. “I want to see what you are naturally capable of. Attack me.”

“What?” Both siblings yelled together. 

“Attack me. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

“But… how do we attack?” Bianca asked.

“Easy. Take the pointy end, and stab me with it.”

Neither one of them looked impressed with Dad’s instructions. Annabeth and I clutched our sides as we laughed. Mom, sitting next to us, just shook her head.

Nico, unsurprisingly, was the first one to move. He ran at Dad, clumsily swiping his sword at Dad’s knees. Dad sidestepped, sending Nico’s sword to the ground with a single swipe of his trident. Nico’s momentum sent him tumbling past Dad and into the sand. Dad turned, ready to bring the trident down on Nico.

“Nico, roll!” Bianca shouted as she ran toward the two. Nico listened to her immediately, rolling to the side and avoiding Dad’s blow. Bianca caught up to the others and managed to intercept Dad’s next move, her spearhead knocking Dad’s trident to the side momentarily.

Dad was grinning as the siblings regrouped. They attacked Dad in tandem, Bianca using the length of her spear to go high while Nico swiped low. Dad was able to fend them off easily, but I could see them gaining confidence as their adrenaline took over. Demigods were engineered to be warriors, and it looked like Nico and Bianca were going to fit that mold perfectly.

I was impressed by how in sync the two were. Neither had experience fighting before, never mind fighting with a partner, but they seemed able to move around each other smoothly. Maybe this was a benefit of demigods having the same mortal and immortal parent. Or maybe it was just because they never had anyone to rely on except each other. I could tell they would be formidable opponents with some training.

They continued to trade blows with Dad. Nico was agile and fast, able to move and adapt quickly. But he was also impatient, often leaving himself open to attacks as he tried to overpower Dad. That would never work with their size and experience differences. Luckily for him, Bianca was there. They quickly developed a pattern where one of them, usually Nico, would go on the attack while the other one stayed back to defend against Dad’s strikes. Sometimes, to change things up, they would attack at the same time.

Bianca played more strategically than her brother, observing for weaknesses in Dad’s defense before striking. Her blows were better thought out and more powerful, several jabs coming close to hitting Dad. Looking at her with the spear, I remembered the vision of her with a bident in my dream. It would fit her.

Bianca’s downfall was her need to protect her brother. Nico went for Dad’s head, overreaching horribly and leaving himself open to any attack Dad wanted to use. When she saw this, Bianca threw herself in front of her brother, spear raised. Dad’s trident caught both of their weapons, ripping the spear and sword out of my cousins’ hands. Dad pushed Bianca, whose position in front of Nico unbalanced both demigods, causing them to tumble to the ground. Their weapons went flying, landing in the sand several feet away. Dad pointed his trident at the two demigods on the ground, a smirk on his face.

“Good job,” Dad told Bianca and Nico. They were both breathing heavily, their tan faces flushed. They both had grins on their faces as Dad offered them a hand, helping first Bianca and then Nico to their feet.

“That was awesome.” Nico panted. “Let’s go again.”

Dad laughed. “Get some water and rest first.”

The two collapsed on the sand next to Annabeth and me. Mom handed them each a water bottle, which they swallowed greedily.

Dad stood in front of us. “Nico, Bianca, where did you go wrong?”

“We tried to fight against an immortal god?” Bianca guessed, her lips quirking up slightly.

Dad smiled as he shook his head. “Close, but no. Percy, your assessment of Bianca?”

I looked up from where I was idly drawing in the sand. I hadn’t expected to be put on the spot. “Oh, uh, right. Well…”

I took a breath and tried to concentrate on the conversation. I hated being called on to answer. Even when I knew what I was talking about, as soon as I was put on the spot all thoughts flew out of my head. “Alright. Bianca, you were probably right about being able to use a bident. You handled the spear like a natural, you even remembered to shift your body weight into your jabs instead of just relying on upper body strength which was great. And you have good observational techniques, you didn’t try to rush into battle without a plan.”

Bianca beamed at me. Dad prompted, “But…?”

I continued, “But sometimes you’re too cautious. Strategy is good, but if you hesitate your opponent can take advantage of that. And you tried to protect Nico too much.”

“But I had to help him!” Bianca protested. “You can’t expect me to just ignore him.”

“I don’t,” I shook my head. “Trust me, I know all about wanting to protect the people you’re fighting with. But you let it go too far and leave yourself open to attacks. You can’t help your partner if you’re not taking care of yourself first.”

I felt like a hypocrite telling Bianca that. While Dad hadn’t seen me fight with a partner much before, the head counselors at camp and Chiron had told me over the summer that I stretched myself too thin trying to protect others. It was worse when it was Annabeth and I against another group, I was constantly watching her back before my own. And I know that Annabeth can take care of herself, I can’t image what it must be like for Bianca and Nico who are both completely new to battle.

“Exactly.” Dad agreed. “Now, Annabeth how would you assess Nico?”

Annabeth was more prepared than me. She turned to Nico, who looked up at her with wide eyes. “Nico, you’ve got great instincts. You’re fast and unpredictable and once you get into a fight you don’t seem to have any fear. But you’re also rash and you leave yourself open to attacks because you are always on the offensive.”

Both my cousins looked dejected once we had finished talking. I tried to cheer them up, nudging Nico’s arm with a smile. “Hey, don’t worry. You guys both did really well.”

“Yeah right,” Nico said sullenly as he glared at the sand in front of him. At last, I could see the resemblance to Hades. “I bet you and Annabeth were loads better when you were our age.”

“That’s not a fair comparison. When Annabeth was your age, she was already being trained by Chiron at camp. And I’ve had Dad here to teach me my whole life. The both of you will catch up in no time.”

Nico glanced up at me, hope and doubt in his eyes. “You think so?”

“Yeah, of course. This was your first spar, you’ve got plenty of time to train.”

“Percy is right,” Dad said. He knelt between Bianca and Nico, ruffling their hair. “The two of you have the potential to be very powerful, together and apart. And you are balanced. I am here to help you as is your father and Persephone. Trust us to teach you. Spar with each other, learn from each other and I imagine that the two of you will be able to give Percy and Annabeth a run for their money in combat one day.”

“We’ll see about that. After all, we’re gonna keep training too, right wise girl?” I grinned over at Annabeth. She nodded and smiled back at me.

“Definitely seaweed brain. If there’s gonna be multiple Big Three kids I’ll have to keep training. After all, not all of us can count on showy powers to win our battles.”

“Hey, I don’t need my powers to win anything!”

“Sure.” She dragged the word out, a wicked gleam in her eye.

“I don’t. I’ll prove it.”

“Oh yeah, how will you do that?”

“A race. First to the water wins.” I blurted out, my words running together. I jumped up from the sand, taking off at a dead sprint before I had even finished talking.

“Hey!” Annabeth yelled as she followed after me. “That’s cheating.”

“That’s what losers say,” I called back over my shoulder. I could hear everyone laugh at us as we raced to the water, Nico and Bianca cackling uncontrollably.

Annabeth almost caught up to me, but I managed to stay a few feet ahead until my feet were firmly in the water. When I smirked at her she just shook her head and pushed me into the waves. I played along, willing myself to get wet as I stood back up before tackling her into the water.

We played for a few minutes, splashing each other and yelling. Eventually, Dad came over to fish us out with a deep laugh. He lifted us out of the water easily, his arms around our stomachs as he held us on either one of his sides. Our arms and legs danged down towards the water as we laughed.

“Are the two of you done?”

We shrugged but stood still when he placed us back on our feet. Further back on the shore, Nico and Bianca practiced fighting against straw dummies under Mom’s watchful gaze.

“Well since you’re in the water already, we might as well work on your powers.”

I grinned at Dad, bouncing slightly. “Awesome! What am I doing today?”

“I want you to work on your control.”

“I’ve got great control!” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Over your immediate surroundings yes,” Dad agreed. “But the water outside of you is harder. Remember, I was watching during your quest. In that theme park you managed to control the water around you, but it took too much energy. If you are going to be using your powers in fights, especially with a partner, you will need to control every ounce of water nearby.”

I sobered up at the mention of future battles. I may have finished my quest successfully and stopped a war, but I knew that wasn’t the end. Now that every monster and god out there knew Poseidon had a son, they would all be looking to test me. Not to mention, Luke was still roaming around planning how to bring my grandfather Kronos back into power. Dad was right, I would need to get stronger and be able to protect my friends.

“Right. So, what am I doing today?”

“I want you to work on controlling what gets wet around you, along with being able to safely move objects. That’s where you come in, Annabeth.” He turned to my friend, who had been keenly listening. She looked startled to be addressed.

“Me? What am I supposed to do?”

“You are going to be Percy’s partner. He is going to practice picking you up and moving you with water, without hurting you of course. I also want him to learn how to keep objects outside of himself dry and how to make air bubbles for people who can’t breathe underwater.”

“Like the boat?”

“Exactly. I don’t expect him to make one that large, or for that long. It will take many years to learn that amount of control.”

“So I’m just supposed to be a training dummy for Percy? Isn’t that… Dangerous?” Annabeth asked, voice flat as she stared at Dad.

“Of course not! I will be right here, watching. Don’t worry, nothing is going to go wrong. And once we’re done you get to use Percy for target practice.”

“Target practice?” I shouted. My voice cracked embarrassingly. 

Annabeth smirked, I wasn’t sure if it was at Dad’s suggestion or my high-pitched reaction to it.

“Sounds fair to me,” Annabeth said. “You better not drown me seaweed brain.”

Dad directed us deeper into the water. We faced each other, about five feet separating us as the water lapped at our thighs.

“First Percy, I want you to use a wall of water. I know you can already make one, but now I want you to do it under Annabeth, slow and steady. Lift her up a few feet, then back down. Calmly.”

I nodded and took a deep breath. I could do this. I mean, yeah, the last time I had used water like that we were being hunted by crazy mechanical spiders in a death trap of an amusement park and it was more of a push then a lift but it would be fine. I only had to lift Annabeth, not her and Grover. Nice and easy. Gentle. I tried to remind myself of this as I focused on the water around me.

I could feel it all around me. Even more than that, I could feel everything inside the water. There was Annabeth, a calm solid presence breaking up the smooth ebb and flow of water. Dad seemed to light up the sea, it clung to him like he was the center of gravity. Or maybe like he had been formed out of the water and it was just waiting for him to return. Further out into the ocean, I could feel life, from the smallest plankton to giant whales in the far distance. People forget that water is everywhere . It unifies every part of the planet in one way or another.

Water is sticky. This can make big movements, like creating giant waves, easy. I just have to will some water to start moving and the rest goes along. But small, precise movements are harder. I have to make the water detach from itself so that I can make some parts of the water act independently from others. And trying to do that to water that I wasn’t touching was even harder. Not only did I have to control some parts of the ocean without making the others move, I had to make sure I was commanding the water near Annabeth, not me.

My first try failed abysmally, a wave shooting into the air directly between Annabeth and I.

“Again,” Dad commanded.

I tried again. This time the water around Annabeth rose up, but it wasn’t solid enough to take her with it. Instead, I heard her screech as a wave soaked her before it fell harmlessly back into the sea.

The water around us churned, making it even harder to focus on only moving the waves around Annabeth. She glared at me but nodded when Dad asked if she was alright.

“Good. Percy, calm the waves and try again.”

I took a deep breath, willing the water to calm as I released air from my mouth. At least this time it did what I wanted.

I tried again. I failed.

I tried again. I managed to lift myself into the air but Annabeth stayed still.

And again. This time the water was too strong, pushing Annabeth off her feet and throwing her back instead of calmly bringing her up.

After a few more tries, I was panting and frustrated. Even being in the ocean could only bring back so much of my energy when I was using my powers that much. Annabeth wasn’t doing much better across from me, trying to catch her breath from where my last failure had given her a faceful of salty seawater.

“I don’t think I can do this,” I complained.

Dad shook his head, “You can.”

“Every time is worse than the last.”

“Only because you don’t believe you can do it. You have to have faith, Percy.”

I looked over to Annabeth. I remembered the conversation we had the night before, about my limits.

“How you do you I can do it?” I asked Dad.

“You already have, on a smaller level. This is just about being able to control it.”

“But how are you always so sure? What if I fail at something one day?”

Dad studied me, a slight frown on his face. “What are you really asking?”

“You always know what I can do with my powers. But how? And… and what are my limits? I mean, what can’t I do?”

Dad was still watching me closely. Annabeth looked between the two of us, biting her lip.

“Persues…” Dad only used my full name when it was serious. He let out a breath and then continued, “You don’t have any limits.”

I didn’t know what to say. Annabeth’s voice was strangled as she asked, “What?”

“Godly parents are able to feel what powers their children get, or at least what they can potentially use. It is a third sense, it tells us how strong our children could become and it tells us what their limits are. Sometimes, with earlier exposure to the gods, a child can surpass thier original potential. That is one of the many reasons my brother sought to cut us off from our children. And with you Percy, I don’t feel the same limits as other children, even the ones who went to Chiron as infants.”

“So this means I can use all of your powers?”

“Almost. Complete control over water, of course, but also of other liquids - at least to an extent. Your dreams are stronger than most demigods, which shows your mind is more fluid and unpredictable. I imagine it will be harder to control your mind because of that, especially because you have gotten practice fighting against godly auras. You don’t have any of my shapeshifting abilities, but that is something that has to be given, not inherited. And your powers over the earth… well that barrier was broken years ago.”

Suddenly, Dad and I couldn’t meet each other's eyes. Annabeth’s nose was scrunched up and her eyebrows furrowed. Right as I opened my mouth, Mom called my dad over to them. He looked relieved to have an excuse to leave the conversation.

“The two of you rest for a few moments,” He told us. “We will pick up where we left off when I return.”

He walked off, his long legs eating up the distance to my mom and cousins. Annabeth and I walked a few feet and collapsed into the sand at the water’s edge. I stared out at the water, avoiding Annabeth’s eyes even as I felt how tense she was next to me.

“So,” she started, voice stilted. “What was that about?”

“You were the one who told me to ask him, remember?” I knew I sounded like a brat at the moment, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

“No, we’ll get back to the whole ‘no limits’ thing later. I meant, why did you both react all weirdly when he talked about your earthquake abilities?”

“It's nothing.”

“Percy.” Annabeth pulled my chin to the side gently but firmly, forcing me to look at her. Her grey eyes were soft but determined. She wasn’t going to let it go. “Tell me.”

“Listen, my dad, he’s great. And I know I have nothing to complain about. I mean, he was here, he raised me. He loves me.”

“But?”

“But he’s not perfect. Of course, no one is but Dad had thousands of years to get… stuck.”

“Stuck?”

“In bad habits. That’s what Mom says, at least. He doesn’t always know how to interact with mortals, or what’s safe for a mortal kid. He’s learned a lot, but there's been times when he’s messed up. And he gets concerned or worried and he doesn’t know what to do. But he tries and that’s all that matters, right? He does his best.” I looked into her eyes, practically begging her to let it go.

I should have known better. Annabeth never let anything go. Her gaze was still soft, worry buried deep in her eyes as she stared back at me. “What happened?”

I told her.

Chapter Text

When I was little, I thought I was a normal kid. I knew my life was a little weird, after all, no other kid could breathe underwater or talk to horses. But I hadn’t realized exactly how different I was until I started school. When I talked about my family, the other kids thought I was lying. The teachers thought I was hallucinating. My parents told them I had an overactive imagination, and then sat me down and told me that I had to keep our family a secret. I didn’t really understand, not then. Not until I was seven years old.

That was the year that Dad started to intensify my training. He was still going easy with me on weapons, but he made sure I knew how to protect myself with them. I carried around a little celestial bronze pocket knife, keeping it carefully hidden from the mortals at my school. That was the year we figured out I was a natural with the trident. And more importantly, Dad became serious about controlling my powers.

Water came easily to me. I learned quickly how to turn the water around me into both a defensive and offensive weapon. Shields of dense water, giant waves to send enemies flying, even purposefully increasing my healing abilities by drawing on the power of the ocean. But it was harder to create earthquakes. The earth was so solid, so different from the water that I was used to working with.

Again and again, I tried, and I failed. Eventually, Dad got mad. Or at least, I thought he was mad. Later I realized he was just scared and desperate.

The breaking point was my winter break. Dad took us to a cabin up in the mountains, where I could train without being disturbed. It was beautiful, the crisp air and clear flowing river so unlike New York. We had been outside for hours. I had no weapons and every time I tried to use water, Dad took control instead. Again and again, he would jab at me with a stick or his hand, insisting that I had to use the earth to throw him off. He didn’t hit hard, but I still felt bruises forming on my arms and chest. At times he would back off the physical attacks, shouting equal amounts of encouragement and taunts at me. Still, I was unable to make the ground shake even the tiniest bit.

Dad was in the shouting part of this routine when Mom came across us. I was dizzy, exhaustion and anger running through my blood so much that I couldn't even see straight. I kept trying to move the earth, to at least feel it like I could the waves but nothing worked. I was so tired, physically and mentally. And I was angry. At myself, for failing. At Dad, for making me continue these stupid exercises. And at the ground beneath me, for not listening to what I wanted it to do.

“You’re going too hard on him.” I distantly heard Mom say.

“I have to, you know that.” Dad’s voice quieted as he went over to Mom.

I kept focusing on the earth. Dad had told me I had to be stubborn. The land wasn’t completely under Dad’s control like water was, it had to be forced to obey. The idea made me uncomfortable, but I had to figure it out. If I could just get it to move, this would all be over.

I could only make out a few words as my parents continued to speak.

“So young…”

“No time… Too weak.”

Dad’s voice calling me ‘weak’ sent me over the edge. I wasn’t weak, and I was going to prove it.

I saw red. I felt something shift and then snap inside my chest. I yelled incoherently, blood rushing in my ears. I thought my head was going to burst from the pressure I felt. The earth beneath me trembled. Jagged rocks flew up around me, the ground sinking slightly as I continued to scream. A nearby tree toppled to the grade, a loud crash echoing around me. My face grew wet and a coppery taste entered my mouth as tears fell from my eyes and mixed with the blood flowing out of my nose. 

I could hear my parents yelling, but it sounded too far away for me to understand them. Dad must have grabbed control, or I had lost the last of my strength because the shaking stopped all of a sudden. I swayed on my feet, feeling light-headed as the pressure inside of me released. The last thing I saw was my parents’ shocked faces and then darkness.

When I woke up, I was in my parents’ bed. Dad cradled me in his arms as Mom lay next to us. Both of them were crying. When he realized I was awake, he clutched me to his chest and kept repeating how sorry he was. 

Even after my parents were reassured I was going to be fine and I could stay awake for more than a minute, we spent the rest of the day relaxing in their bed. Dad apologized and promised to never push me that far again. And then they told me why he had.

Zeus’ demigod daughter had been discovered. They told me all about the promise the three brothers had made to have no more children, the way that Zeus had killed Hades’ children, and that now Zues’ daughter was being targeted. Both my parents worried that I would be next. They were still determined to hide me, but they knew it wouldn’t last forever. That fear was what made Dad push me so hard. He was scared I would be found before I could protect myself.

In the end, I understood where Dad was coming from. I could even agree with him, that I needed to be ready. But I didn’t like it. For the first time I could remember, I went to sleep at night scared. My mind was haunted by thoughts of Dad’s family. Of the di Angelos, kids my age who had been killed by our Uncle. Of Thalia, only a few years older than me and on the run for a crime she had no part in.

That was the first time I realized being a demigod was dangerous and terrifying. It wasn’t the last.

When I was finished talking, Annabeth stared at me, her mouth gaping like a fish. It took her a long time to respond. “Wow. I… I didn’t know.”

I laughed slightly. “Of course you didn’t, it’s not really something we talk about.”

“It's just, your parents seem perfect. The three of you always look so happy.”

“We are happy. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect.”

“I guess. I just didn’t expect you to have memories like that.”

“Like what?”

“Scary. Or bad. I guess I just assumed that because you had both your parents around, you didn’t have problems like the rest of us.”

“Like I said, I know I’m lucky compared to a lot of demigods. My parents are great. But they mess up too. At least Dad was able to admit he made a mistake.”

“And he hasn’t done something like that again, has he?” Annabeth tensed up, afraid of my answer.

“No,” I was quick to reassure her. “Dad’s careful now, he always makes sure our training stays within my boundaries. I mean, he pushes me but it's never too far.”

“Good.”

Luckily, before I had to think of something else to say Dad returned.

With a grin, I jumped up from the sand. “Alright, let’s try again. I think I can do it this time.”

I pulled Annabeth up too, the two of us walking back into the ocean under Dad’s careful eye. I felt lighter and more at ease, as we continued our practice. I was reminded, for the millionth time since summer had started, that having someone to talk to outside of my parents was a good thing.

Eventually, I managed to pick Annabeth up and gently put her back down using just water. We stayed on the beach for hours, Dad taking us through exercises and spars. As promised, Dad let Annabeth use me for target practice. We stood in the water still. I dodged Annabeth’s knife as she sent it flying repeatedly through the air. A few times I managed to grab it with the water and toss it back at her, but most of my concentration was taken up with avoiding her.

Nico and Bianca joined us as they got more comfortable with their weapons and Dad set us up in spars. I couldn’t wait to see how they would be able to incorporate their powers, once they figured out what they could do. Dad was insistent on holding off on trying to use any Underworld abilities, he claimed that Hades would want to teach them everything about their powers.

The sun was high above our heads by the time Mom called us back to the house. She had left us an hour or so beforehand, telling Dad to tire us out while she worked on an article she wanted to finish. By then, Annabeth had knocked me onto my back more times than I could count. Nico and Bianca had made great progress, picking up Dad’s lessons faster than most kids would be able to. They were by no means perfect, but I could tell they would be able to handle themselves against basic monsters and some of the newer demigods at camp.

We trudged back up to the house, sweaty but grinning. Mom passed out sandwiches to everyone, a warm smile on her face as we collapsed into the closest chairs.

After lunch, we took turns showering off the sand that had become a second skin to all of us. We were still physically tired from Dad’s training, so I used the opportunity to introduce everyone to my favorite video games. Even though Bianca and Nico had lived in the Lotus Hotel for years, they had stuck to the games that matched up with the time period they had grown up in. And Annabeth had been stuck at camp, which severely lacked mortal technology. It was my job to make sure that the three of them were up to date with all the newest trends.

I was honestly surprised at how quickly everyone figured out my games. Annabeth of course was great at everything having to do with puzzles, although I didn’t have many games that needed that particular skill set. She was also a prodigy at first-person shooter games which is great when you're on the same team as her, but a curse when you go against her. Just like Capture the Flag.

Bianca seemed to prefer open-world and team games to actual competitions, although she and Nico became absolutely vicious when they faced off against each other in any fighter games. Nico got the hang of every game quickly, especially my favorite racing game. He spent forever customizing his car and looking over all the track options, which made me twitch uncontrollably as I waited. I had a feeling he would love a role-playing game where he could absorb all the probably-useful information that my brain didn’t have enough space for.

I had the advantage of experience, plus the fastest instincts out of everyone. Even Annabeth couldn't beat me at that, her strategic thinking often overriding her impulsivity. I could beat the others just by acting a split second before they did, especially once we got into fighting and sports games.

The four of us talked as we played, from teasing insults to small stories about our lives. More time had passed than I think any of us had realized, as we were all startled when Dad stepped in front of the screen, an amused smile on his face.

“Sally wanted me to let you know that playtime is over. Your parents will be here to pick you up soon.”

“Aww,” Nico whined, “But I was just about to win the circuit!”

“No you weren’t,” Bianca said. “We still had two races.”

“But I was winning.”

“Barely.”

I smiled at the siblings, who had gotten progressively more combative with each other. Once they got comfortable they acted like bickering siblings instead of pseudo-parent/child. “We’ll have to settle this later. Dad and Uncle Hades are planning on training us all together, I’m sure there will be plenty of time for us to hang out and play games too.”

That seemed to appease my cousins, who rose from the couch we had smooshed ourselves on and put their controllers on the table. Annabeth was quiet, face turned down as she toyed with the controller in her hands. I nudged her gently as Dad guided Nico and Bianca back to my bedroom to gather their things.

“What’s up wise girl?”

Annabeth glanced up at me, then turned her eyes away again. “Do you think I made the right choice?”

“What do you mean?”

“Leaving camp, deciding to live with my dad. Do you think it's the right thing to do?”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I tried to come up with an answer. “I don’t know. I think it's worth a shot. I mean… He’s your dad. And we both know that living in the mortal world is the ultimate test of a demigod. At the very least, living with your dad will let you test out your skills.”

“But what if it doesn’t work? What if it's just like last time, we get attacked and they look at me like I’m the monster?”

I put my arm around Annabeth tentatively. We didn’t hug much, but I felt this was the right time to do it. “Where is this coming from?”

“I don’t know. It’s been in my head since I sent Dad that first letter but just being here, the party, everything. Your parents are great! I mean, I know they're not perfect, although your mom is probably the closest to it, but they love you. If monsters come around, they know you can handle it. And if you can’t, they know how to help and your dad can train you and you’ll have Bianca and Nico now and…”

Worried that I was just making things worse, I started to pull away.

Annabeth shook her head and grabbed my arm to keep it in place. She continued her rant, “I’m not upset! At least, not at you. It's just, everyone made me feel so included. Like I could have the same love but I don’t think it's going to be like that at Dad’s. I just… wish I could stay here.”

I relaxed as Annabeth leaned into me. At least I hadn’t done anything to upset her. I was also secretly glad that our position meant we couldn’t look at each other directly. I knew I would crumble if I saw Annabeth with even a hint of tears in her eyes. 

“Well,” I started. “You could. I don’t think Mom and Dad would care. But I think you would regret it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You would always wonder what could have been. And you would miss your dad, even if you tried not to.”

“So you think I should just go along with them?”

“Like I said, it's worth a shot. And if it doesn’t work out, we’ll be here. All you have to do is send word and I’ll come down to Virginia to pick you up. You can stay with us, or go back to camp, whatever you need.”

“And how exactly would you come get me? It's a six-hour car ride, and it's not like you can drive.” A hint of humor had reentered Annabeth’s voice.

“Eh, I’m sure Dad would give me a boat if I asked.”

“I don’t live on the coast.”

“The James River runs from the coast and passes right through Richmond.”

“You just know that?”

“Son of the Sea God, remember? I know a lot about water.” She didn’t need to know that I had found the fastest way to get to her from New York as soon as she told me she was living with her Dad for the school year.

Annabeth laughed, letting go of me as she stood up. “Alright seaweed brain. But if I send out the SOS you better come get me, alright? I already made the hike from Virginia to New York once, I don’t feel like doing it again.”

“No problem. I won’t let you down, wise girl.”

She smiled at me as we walked down the hallway. Nico’s excited chatter echoed down from my room. “I know.”

It didn’t take long for everyone to pack up. Annabeth’s dad had taken most of her presents with him, leaving her with a single backpack for the night. I gave her one of the communication tablets Hades had given me, the other safely stored with my things. Bianca and Nico too had only a few things, tucked away in matching green bags.

Mr. Chase showed up first, smiling awkwardly as we said our goodbyes. Annabeth gave everyone a hug, even Dad. My parents both said something to her, but Nico and Bianca had me distracted enough that I didn’t hear them. With a promise to stay in touch, Annabeth was gone. There was an odd ache in my chest as their car pulled away. Maybe I was still worried for her. Or already anticipating how much I would miss having a friend around constantly.

Hades showed up soon after Annabeth left. Persephone had stayed in the Underworld this time. I knew that was probably smart, but I still wished she had come up with her husband. My aunt seemed much more calm than Hades. He looked over Bianca and Nico closely, as if expecting that we had tortured them overnight. When their rapid, in-depth recaps of the night made it clear they had a great time, he loosened up a little. As I looked into his intense eyes, I hoped that he would get used to me. If I was expected to stay with him over winter break, I would definitely need him to warm up to me. I couldn’t risk him turning me into an animal when I inevitably started mouthing off to him.

“Well,” Hades said, the word dragging itself out of his mouth. “I suppose this didn’t go terribly wrong.”

Nico jumped in place, grabbing his father’s hand. “It was great! Can we do it again soon?”

Something shifted in Hades’ face as he stared down at my cousins. He looked less tense, a hint of a smile curving his lip. “Perhaps. I will speak with Poseidon more about it later. Now, we must be getting back. Cerberus was causing a fuss when I left.”

Hades nodded to my parents, gathered his children to him, and disappeared in a dense shadow.

“All your siblings are dramatic, aren't they?” I asked Dad.

Instead of my dad’s smooth laugh, I was confronted with silence. I looked at my parents closely. They were holding hands, but their bodies were tense. It reminded me of the beginning of the summer when they told me about the theft of Zues’ lightning bolt.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, moving toward them. “What happened?”

Mom let go of Dad’s hand, instead using one hand to lift my face while her other smoothed my hair down. “Sit down sweetie. Your father and I need to tell you something.”

My heart started to beat faster as I took a seat at the kitchen table, my legs bouncing uncontrollably. I couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong. Everything seemed fine until that moment, so I couldn’t tell what might have happened.

My parents sat across from me, faces solemn. Mom started, “Your father wanted to tell you this years ago. I argued against him; I thought we needed to give you the best chance at childhood we could. But we agreed that thirteen was the right age.”

Dad continued, “And the events of this summer confirmed it for us. It’s time for you to know everything.”

I looked between the two of them, frustration and confusion leaking into my tone. “What are you talking about? What don’t I know?”

“The reason my brothers and I swore to stop having demigod children.”

“But I do know that. It was because we are more powerful and unpredictable than other demigods.”

Dad sighed, his voice tense as he spoke. “That is part of the reason. But the bigger part is the prophecy.”

“A prophecy?”

“Yes. A prophecy was delivered to my brothers and I at the tail end of World War II. After hearing it, Zeus decided we should resist having more children. Eventually, he convinced Hades and I to agree.”

“What did it say?”

My parents exchanged a hesitant look. I couldn’t imagine what was so bad that they would have kept it from me for this long.

Eventually, Mom started to speak, “It's a Great Prophecy, Percy. It comes unprompted, unasked for. They mark a change in the world, big and sometimes terrible change. It… it doesn’t sound good.”

She was trying to give me an out. Whatever the prophecy said, she didn’t think I would react well to it. I knew that if I backed out now, told them that I didn’t want to know, they would let it go. Too bad I could never do that.

“I can handle it.”

Another long glance between my parents. Dad nodded and started, “ A half-blood of the eldest gods, shall reach sixteen against all odds. And see the world in endless sleep. The hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap. A single choice shall end their days, Olympus to preserve or raze.”

I couldn’t process the words my father had just said. My mind was foggy. I noticed that tears had started to fall from Mom’s eyes, but it seemed so distant. My body was just as useless as my brain at that moment, a numb exhaustion taking over me. 

Dad reached across the table, warm hands covering my wrist. All at once, sensation returned to my body and my mind raced. I tried to see different ways the prophecy could happen but all I could think, and say, was “I’m going to die in three years.”

Mom tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle her sob. Dad shut his eyes for a moment, face crumbling, before shaking his head.

“We don’t know for sure what the prophecy means.” Dad tried to reason.

“The hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap. That sounds pretty death-like to me.”

“It might not be about you.”

“If you really believed that you wouldn’t be telling me about the prophecy in the first place.”

Dad pursued his lips but nodded to me. “You’re right. There are others who could be considered the ‘eldest gods’ but the timing of the prophecy, the way it was delivered… It points to either of my brothers or I.”

“And that’s why the three of you made the oath? And why Bianca and Nico were locked away, to try and control the prophecy?”

“Yes. None of us were in a position where we would be ready to face the Great Prophecy, not back then. But then Thalia was born. And you came along a few years later. And now your cousins and suddenly, the prophecy seems to be staring us in the face.”

“And Thalia is gone, so I’m the oldest. Even, even if the prophecy was talking about Biacna or Nico, that would mean that I die before I turn sixteen, right?”

“That… that seems to be what the prophecy is suggesting.”

“Great.” I meant to sound sarcastic, but the tightness in my throat made my words come across as panicked more than anything.

“But that is why you must train Perseus. You know, just as I do, that prophecies can have many meanings. Something is going to happen in a few years and I want you to be prepared. So that you can come out of it alive.”

I jumped to my feet, my chair clattering to the ground behind me. My heart was racing and there was a distracting buzz in my head. Emotions threatened to choke me, too much information flooding my brain. I was overwhelmed and when I get overwhelmed, I get angry.

“Don’t say that!” I shook my head violently at my parents. “Don’t try to make me feel better right after telling me that I’m going to die.”

“Percy-”

“Is that why you stayed?” I interrupted him. “Because you pitied how short my life would be? You wanted to give me something before I died?”

“No, of course not!”

“Or,” a sickening thought entered my head, whispered by a voice that sounded a lot like Luke. “Were you trying to turn me to Olympus’ side? Olympus to preserve or raze, right? You wanted to make sure I would choose your side when the time came.”

I wished I could take it back as soon as the words left my mouth. My eyes darted between my parents as I stood in front of them. I was shaking. Dad looked like I had just run him through with my trident. Mom stared at me like I was a stranger, anger, and disappointment grooving violent lines on her face.

“Perseus!” Mom half-yelled. I could still see her anger, but there were also tears in her eyes. Making her cry made me feel even worse than making her mad. Before she could say anything else I took off, racing past the two of them and clear out the door.

It was only as I reached the water’s edge that I realized it might not be the smartest idea to jump straight into the domain of a god I had just insulted. It was just instinct to seek out the ocean as a comfort. It had never hurt me, or let me down.

Because Dad never let it hurt me, I thought as I stared out at the waves. While the water swirled and crashed violently against the surf, it only lapped gently at my feet. I wasn’t sure if it was my powers or Dad’s that caused the turbulent waves. Maybe both. But I would bet my life that Dad was the reason the waves hadn’t swallowed me up yet. Although I couldn't drown, Dad wouldn't let the water overwhelm me. Even after I yelled at him.

I collapsed onto the sand, drawing my legs up so I could wrap my arms around myself and rest my chin on my knees. I was still overwhelmed and scared, but now I felt guilty too. How could I even think Dad was using me? I practically accused him of being like the other gods, when I knew that he had been working for years to change. If Dad was like the others, he would expect me to side with his family just because he told me to. He wouldn't have bothered raising me himself. I stared out at the water where I had played and trained with my family just hours before, shame and fear fighting for control of my body.

“You can go in,” Dad’s deep voice said from behind me, sounding more hesitant than I thought possible. “I won’t hurt you.”

Another rush of shame hit me. “I know you won't.”

I didn’t look up as Dad approached, his shadow enveloping me for a moment before he sat next to me.

I swallowed heavily, trying to get rid of the ball in my throat. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said any of that.”

“I do.”

My head jerked around so I could stare at my father. He sat in a mirror to me, arms hugging his legs as he looked back at me. There was a gentle smile on his face. I could see the hurt in his eyes, even as he tried to cover it up.

“It's okay,” he told me. “I understand. The prophecy is, frankly, terrifying. And no matter how much it pains your mother and I, you will have to face it in some way. But Perseus, I will not leave you to face it alone. I was scared when you were born. Terrified about the decisions I was putting onto your shoulders. And terrified about the prophecy itself, about what it means for Olympus. But I held you in my arms and I promised myself that I wouldn’t let it rule our lives. I would love you and raise you, not to guard against some prophecy but because you are my son. I refused to become my parents.”

“What do you mean?”

“My parents were given a prophecy as well, not long into father’s rule. It claimed that one of their children would rise up and overthrow Father, just as he had done to his sire. As a result, he ate his children. Ironically, it was his paranoia and cruelty that caused us to rebel against him.”

“I forgot. Or I mean of course I remember he ate you, but I didn’t really think about the why. I guess he just seemed like a bad parent.”

Dad scoffed. “Oh, he was. And no matter how much I love Mother, she did wrong too.”

“Really?” I hadn't met my grandmother, as far as I could remember, but I had never heard Dad say something bad about her before.

“Yes. She tried to give us as long as possible, hid us away. But once Father found out about us, she didn’t fight to keep us. Maybe she couldn’t. And she never told us the prophecy.”

“Weren’t you babies though?”

“Gods do not age like mortals, Perseus. A large part of the process is the environment and the will of the parent. Zeus and Hestia were the only ones of us born as infants. Most of us looked and acted like human children when we were born. I only managed a few months before Father found me, but there was certainly time for Mother to explain why I was being hunted down. Instead, Hestia had to take on that burden after Father found me. I was angry when she told me. Angry at Mother, for keeping me in the dark. Angry at Father, for fearing his own children so much that he would hunt us down and eat us. Even angry at my siblings, for the simple fact that none of them had overthrown Father before he could hurt us.”

“Are you still angry?” 

“With Father, certainly. With Mother, only occasionally. And with my siblings… almost always, but never for what happened back then. I realized it wasn’t their fault, they were in the same position as me.”

“I… I’m not angry. Not really. And I don’t believe that you want to use me to control the prophecy. I just don’t know how to feel.” 

“That is to be expected. That is why your mother and I hesitated to tell you. But we also wanted to give you enough time to process and prepare.”

Dad’s arm came around me, squeezing me into his side. I let my weight lean against him and buried my face into his side. I was thirteen, I shouldn’t act like a baby anymore, but I just needed a moment to hide from the world.

After a long pause, I lifted my face and asked, “Do you think the prophecy has something to do with this summer? With Luke and Grandfather?”

“I don’t want to believe that. Fighting Father was one of the worst times of my life. I dread to think what the prophecy could mean if he is involved. Still, the timing is too coincidental. I fear that even if the prophecy does not involve Father, his actions will cause much trouble for us.”

“Right, because nothing can ever be easy for us. Is that why you pushed me so hard when Thalia was found because you were worried about the prophecy?”

“No. Truthfully the prophecy did not enter my mind at that time. I was too consumed with the idea that someone would discover you and send monsters after us. It was only later that I realized with Thalia gone you would have to be the hero of Prophecy.”

“What if I make the wrong choice when the time comes?”

“You won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know you. You, Perseus Jackson, are a good person. You are the best of your mother and I.”

“I’m not perfect.”

“No one is. The point is you know your failings, and you always try to make up for them. And you are strong and loyal. I trust that whatever choice you have to make when the time comes, it will be decided by your heart.”

“But what if my heart means that Olympus falls?”

“If you decided to raze Olympus to the ground, I’m sure you would have good reason.”

I stared at my father, unable to believe what I was hearing. He smiled back at me, not even a hint of fear in his eyes. I realized that he was being truthful. If I decided to turn against Olympus, to turn my back on the gods, Dad would support me. Or at the very least, he thought that I would protect Olympus. I didn’t know what decision I would make, I couldn't even imagine why I would need to decide, but I knew that no matter what I would make sure that I made my father proud. Like he said, my heart would decide the best course.

I smiled back at Dad, bringing my arms up to circle around his neck. He laughed and held me tighter, just like I was a little kid.

Dad released me with a last squeeze as he stood. “I am going to return to the house and reassure your mother, she was worrying. Are you coming?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. I think I’m going to go for a swim and clear my head a little.”

“Alright. Just don’t stay out too long or your mother will come hunt you down.”

After a quick nod of agreement Dad and I parted ways. I dove eagerly into the water, letting the current sweep me up and away from shore. I willed my body down, letting the gentle pressure of the seafloor comfort me. Schools of fish swam by, some coming close enough to brush against my skin. I lay down on the sandy ocean floor and looked up at the water above me. From here I couldn't see the surface, just miles of water and sea creatures. It was perfect.

As I watched the animals around me, I tried to piece together the prophecy. A half-blood of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds seemed pretty simple. The Eldest Gods could mean any of Dad’s siblings, or even the older unrelated gods like Aphrodite but Dad seemed sure it was him, Hades, and Zeus. I agreed. If the prophecy had been made in their presence, it probably talked about their kids. And I was pretty sure that all the other gods had kids who were sixteen or older already. Besides, while all demigods faced dangerous odds and monsters, the children of the Three Kings had it the worst. We always ended up drawing attention to ourselves, and our scent was more distinct than other demigods’. It meant it was a lot harder for a child of the Three Kings to survive to adulthood than other kids. So unless I had a hidden older cousin or half-sibling, I would either be the child of Prophecy or I would be dead soon. No biggie.

I had no clue what And see the world in endless sleep could mean. It sounded like the world was going to die, but that was too horrific to imagine. Maybe it meant that someone was going to put a sleep spell on people. Or maybe I would end up in ‘endless sleep’. I had a feeling that this line would only make sense when I was experiencing it for myself.

The hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap also didn’t sound good. It made me think back to Ares’ words on the beach, his promise that my sword would fail me when I need it the most. Even if I got rid of Riptide, the prophecy would find a way to come true. Besides, I couldn't imagine giving up my sword now that I had it. It was a part of me.

A single choice shall end their days, Olympus to preserve or raze . If the phrase ‘cursed blade’ hadn't set off alarm bells, this would have. The prophecy was saying, plain and clear, that the hero would die. Which meant, that even if I survived long enough to become the hero of the prophecy, I would still die. For a moment, everything felt useless. What was the point in living, if I was just going to die anyway? Why had my parents even bothered giving birth to me, if they knew how short my life would be? And what good would all my training do? It wasn’t like we could escape the prophecy. Trying to escape a prophecy only makes it come true.

*** I had the sudden urge to stay here, at the bottom of the ocean, forever. I could hide amongst the fish here, away from reality. Or maybe take care of the prophecy’s job for it. I wondered idly if I could force the water to drown me. Let it fill my lungs until there wasn’t room for anything else, just slip off to sleep forever. Or maybe let the sea pressure get to me, a single moment to end it all. Might be easier than fighting and dying above land anyway. ***

I was dragged out of my thoughts by a school of fish who approached me. They were small, the size of my index finger maybe. They swam around my head, their excited voices begging for my attention. I couldn't remember what species they were, but I recognized them. They were prey, small fish that would be eaten by slightly bigger fish as a part of the never-ending food chain. Even if they weren’t eaten, their lifespan was short. Despite that, they seemed so happy. Some of them were zipping around each other playing tag. A small group rested on my chest, laughing when I gently ran my fingers over them. I couldn't help but smile as I watched them play.

I wondered if Dad had heard my thoughts and sent them to me or if they were just drawn to me like other sea creatures. Either way, they helped. They were a reminder that life, even a short life, is precious. Sure I was probably going to die, but that wasn’t news to me. Even not knowing the prophecy, I have been aware for years that it would be almost impossible for me to survive to adulthood. No child of Poseidon had lived to forty in centuries. The last ones to make it past their teenage years had started World War II. I couldn't let myself get absorbed in the prophecy. I had to focus on getting stronger. If I was going to die anyway, I would make sure that I protected my family until the very end. Besides if I died now, Bianca or Nico would have to deal with the prophecy. I couldn't be selfish enough to leave them with that pressure.

Feeling a little better, I joined the fish in their games. We raced around the water, other animals forced to join us or dodge out of our way. I was happy to see that everyone was playing nice, even the ones who were predator and prey. I guess they thought it would be rude to eat one of my playmates while I was watching. I let my thoughts fly away as I swam, mindless fun and physical exertion taking over my mind.

I’m not sure how long I stayed in the water. It must not have been very long, because the sun was still in the sky when I emerged. I felt better, more able to deal with everything. The prophecy lingered in the back of my mind, but I felt much more able to ignore it and get on with my day. I trudged back up to the house, still perfectly dry.

Mom grabbed me in a tight hug as soon as I entered the door. “Are you okay, baby?”

“Yeah Mom, I’m fine. And I’m not a baby.” I protested, squirming slightly.

“Hush. You’ll always be my baby.” I shook my head at her, but I could still feel a smile stretching over my face as she released me.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you and Dad.”

“You don't need to apologize to me. I knew it was too soon to tell you…”

“No!” I felt bad about interrupting, but I couldn't let her go on. “It was the right time. I needed to know Mom. I would have felt worse if you told me later. This way I know what’s coming. I can be ready.”

Mom studied my face closely, tears in her eyes once again. “I don’t think any of us can be ready for a prophecy.”

“But we can try our best. That’s what Dad and Uncle Hades are planning for right? Training Bianca, Nico, and I so we can be ready when the prophecy comes up.”

“Exactly,” Dad said as he came up next to Mom. “We will get you ready so no matter what happens, you will have the tools you need.”

“See?” I asked Mom. “It will all work out.”

I didn’t believe my words, but I wanted to. More than that, I wanted Mom to believe me. Seeing her sad was just as bad as watching Annabeth cry.

Mom smiled at me like she knew what I was trying to do. “My baby boy growing up reasonable and mature. Where did you get that from?”

“Obviously from me,” Dad claimed.

Mom and I burst into laughter. Dad tried to make himself look offended but failed and joined us in our laughter. The tension in the air eased. I could take a full breath for the first time since my cousins left.

“You know what we need?” Mom asked. “A movie marathon.”

That thought got me and Dad excited. We both loved movies. Me because there were plenty of things going on that I could pay attention to, and movies usually moved fast enough that my attention wouldn’t wander. Dad loved them for the same reasons, but also because he thought they were great educational tools to understand humans. He had gotten better at recognizing that movies were fiction, but he still tended to take lessons on how mortals behaved from the way people acted in movies. It was a constant source of amusement for Mom and I.

I collapsed onto the couch, Mom and Dad on either side of me. I was honestly getting too old to snuggle with my parents all the time, but I thought it was justified that day. We each picked out a movie to watch. And then three more. By the time any of us had the will to get up from our seats, it was well into the night. After a quick sandwich, I dragged myself to bed, praying that I would have a dream-free sleep. I should have known better.

My dreams passed in a dizzying, terrifying haze. Images zipped through my mind, some more clear than the others.

The first was Luke, kneeling next to Thalia’s tree on Half-Blood Hill. He had his new sword Backbiter in his right hand as his other rested at the base of the tree. I could only see one side of his face, his scar cutting an angry line from his eye to his chin. I thought I saw a tear run down the scar before the image faded away.

The next image was still on Half-Blood Hill but Luke was gone. Instead, a kid sat against the tree in armor, a spear clutched in their hand. This was the second night in a row I had seen this image. That usually meant a dream was important. I peered closer at the camper, recognizing the fierce glare on their face. It was Clarisse, the daughter of Ares. We were more likely to beat the snot out of each other than hang out at camp, but I knew she wasn’t the type to sit alone at the camp border or to go around in armor outside of Capture the Flag games.

I was a participant in the next dream, instead of just the audience. I stood next to Nico and Bianca, while Dad and Uncle Hades stood across from us. We were in a dim cave, bones and fish fossils embedded into the walls. The cave led down into pure darkness, but the mouth of the cave led out to the ocean, the water such a deep blue that it was almost black. It was the perfect meeting place, the border between Hades and Dad’s realms putting them equal in power and shielding our activities from the other gods.

The rest of the images were a lot less clear. First, a series of terrifying and confusing sensations. I struggled against restraining walls, a rough texture grating against my skin. It felt like my blood was on fire, something I had only experienced after being exposed to Chimera and pit scorpion venom.

The walls and burning in my blood went away, only to be replaced with fear as an angry roar sounded off in the background. I was running but my gait was off, my legs moving quickly but unfamiliarly. I was grateful that the dream changed just as loud footsteps sounded off close to me.

A storm raged in the middle of the ocean, radiating pain and anger. A loud voice came from a vortex in front of me. I yelled back at it, wrestling for control.

Back on dry land, a sharp pain radiated from my back. Voices surrounded me. They were monsters, hissing and rumbling in a way that was impossible for a human. They threw taunts at me but it didn’t seem like they were going to kill me like most monsters threatened; these seemed more like schoolyard bullies trying to make me feel bad about myself.

And then I was back in a familiar cavern. The entrance to Tartarus stood in front of me. There were no ghosts this time, just oppressive darkness that threatened to overwhelm me. I heard whispering, slowly growing louder until it sounded like someone was speaking into my ear.

The voice of the oracle: A single choice shall end their days .

Another voice, an unfamiliar girl: Not everything is what it seems Percy.

And finally a cold, ancient voice: Good job, little servant. No matter the outcome, we have taken a step toward controlling the prophecy.

Yes, master, Luke’s voice replied shakily. Your plan was perfect .

I jerked awake, sweat pouring down my face. The entire house was dark and quiet, my breath rattling out of me the only noise around. I stumbled out of bed and down the hall, aiming for the kitchen. When I made it there I got myself a glass of water and chugged it.

Just as I refilled my glass, a voice from behind me asked, “Can’t sleep?”

I jumped and spun around. My dad stood in the entryway of the kitchen, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

“Dreams. Bad ones,” I replied.

“Want to talk about it?”

I hopped up on the counter, clutching my glass. “No, but I probably should.”

Dad sat on the counter next to me, close but not touching me.

“I think Luke is up to something.” 

“Oh?”

“The dreams, they weren’t clear. I didn’t understand what was happening in most of them, but I saw Luke. And I heard him talking to Grandfather.”

“We knew the two of them were going to keep causing trouble for us.”

“I know! It just… I feel so useless. I want to go after Luke, stop his plans before he can hurt anyone.”

Dad sighed. “Let me ask this. Do you truly believe, as you are now, that you can defeat Luke?”

The question made me conflicted. I wanted to say I could beat Luke, but I wasn’t sure. I may have had training from Dad, but Luke was seven years older than me and spent years out in the world fighting monsters. Everyone knew he was the strongest kid at camp, and who knew what Kronos had taught him.

“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. “But shouldn’t I at least try?”

“If you rush into this without being sure, you could die.”

“I have monsters after me constantly, not to mention that half your family would be happy to see me gone. I could die at any time. Wouldn’t it be better to go now, doing something, than to wait for some prophecy to take me out?”

“I wish I could convince you that the prophecy does not mean you will die. You could survive and live a long, happy life.”

“We both know that’s a long shot.” I laughed bitterly.

“Hmm. Instead, I will say this. Your death right now would serve no purpose. If you go after Castellan and fail, you would have died for nothing. You wouldn’t be able to protect anyone. You know that getting stronger and fighting to protect everyone in the future is much better than rushing off and getting yourself killed now.”

I hated how right he was. When I really thought about it, I knew going after Luke was a bad idea. I had decided as much when Luke first turned against us at camp. But hearing the prophecy had put into context how much was at stake. I only had a few years left to live. And I had no clue what was going to happen. I would have to make some kind of decision, something that would not only end my life but also change the fate of Olympus. I hated waiting, and the weight of the prophecy made me itch to get moving. But if I died, even if I stopped Luke’s plans, something else would pop up to fulfill the prophecy. And this time it would be on Bianca or Nico. I couldn’t let that happen.

Dad let me sit in silence for a moment before he asked, “Was there anything else in your dream you wanted to talk about?”

“Actually yeah. Some of the dreams were just weird, sensations of pain or fear. I can’t tell what was going on, not really. But it didn’t feel like I was me, you know? It was like I was in someone else’s body.”

“Really? Could you tell whose body you were in?”

“No. Is this a normal thing that happens, going into someone else’s body?”

“Not exactly normal, but it does happen. I have only seen it with people who are very close emotionally. Mostly it is an accidental bond or a one-off experience. Some people, like Satyrs, can create emotional bonds on purpose and share dreams with their loved ones.”

“Do you think it could be Grover then? Is he in trouble?”

“It is possible. But you could also be sensing the emotions of someone else you are close with, or even someone you will know in the future.”

“Does that have something to do with what you said about my dreams being stronger than normal? Is is some weird Poseidon dream power?”

Dad laughed at me. “Technically any demigod or god has the potential to connect to other’s like that. It happens mostly with Morpheus’ children but it has been known to happen for mine, or the children of the love gods. Those who deal with emotions or have unpredictable aspects as part of their domains. And you fit the requirements perfectly.”

“Because my limits are broken?”

“Partly yes. But also because of your personality. You are a loyal person, Percy, to a fault. It means that even though you are, at times, clueless in emotional and social situations, you connect deeply with those you love. You are the perfect candidate for empathic and psychic bonds.”

“I’m not clueless.”

Another laugh. “Yes, you are. You’re not alone, your mother has complained enough about my emotional unawareness. But she is awkward in a group of more than five people so I don’t think she has room to talk.”

A laugh bubbled out of my chest. “So what you're saying is both of you are to blame for my obliviousness?”

“I suppose so.”

“So what should I do about those dreams? If I have an emotional bond with someone, how do I figure out who it is?”

“Unfortunately there is not much you can do at the moment. You will have to wait and see if you have another dream, and then if you can find any identifying details in it. You may also be able to figure it out if you are in the presence of the person you are dreaming of. You might be able to sense their emotions if they are nearby.”

“Will they be able to sense my emotions?” I didn’t know how to feel about someone being able to read my emotions. Even when Dad used telepathy to communicate with me, I could control what I sent to him.

“Possibly. You will have to experiment if you meet them, learn to control what emotions go through the connection.”

“Well, that's going to be interesting. There was another dream too. I was underwater, deep underwater and the water was going crazy. Everything was wild, it looked like there was a storm on the sea floor. And there was like this giant vortex of water in front of me with a woman’s voice coming out of it. I couldn’t tell what she was saying, but she was really loud. And I was screaming back at her but I don’t think either of us was angry, at least not at each other. We just had so much energy it was…” I trailed off, unable to find the word to describe my dream.

Dad had gone deathly still next to me. His voice was tense as he finished, “Violent. The pure violence of the ocean, unrestrained and undirected.”

“Yeah, exactly! It was scary but also kind of exciting. Do you know what it means?”

“I hope I am wrong.”

“What does that mean?”

“What you described, it sounds like Kymopoleia.”

“That’s one of my sisters, right?” The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember what she was the goddess of.

“Correct. She is one of my more… volatile children.”

“Volatile?”

“Yes. Her domain is the violent sea, and storms. Our relationship is difficult, to say the least.”

“Why?”

“She is violent, she will fight with anyone if they are around her long enough. She has very strict ideas about what makes someone strong and weak. She is unpredictable and causes much damage. The amount of times we had to replace whole wings in our Atlantis palace after one of her temper tantrums is mind-boggling.”

“But everyone talks about how bad your temper is, how is she different?” I hoped Dad wouldn’t shut this line of questioning off. He could get defensive when someone questioned his personality.

“I suppose she isn’t, at least when I am at my angriest. But I think that is why we come into such conflict. Kym, no matter how much I love her, reflects some of my least favorite characteristics back at me.” Dad must have picked up on my confusion because after a quick glance at my face he continued, “Percy, I do not enjoy my anger or my mercilessness. At times, I cannot stop my emotions from controlling my actions and it usually ends in destruction. And afterward, all I am left with is regret and fear.”

“Fear, like other people being afraid of you?”

“Yes, but not just that. I get afraid of myself, of what I am capable of.”

“I don’t understand.” I lied. I knew what it was like to be scared or what you could do, or how other people would react to it, but I couldn’t imagine Dad having the same insecurities.

“What I am capable of frightens me sometimes. And some of my children, the ones who are powerful and manage to inherit my emotional issues, are capable of the same terrible things as I. My powers are extensive and sometimes being angry, or afraid, can make me forget that there are some things that I can do but shouldn’t. It is terrifying, to feel the power of the seas, and to crave destruction. I hope you never have to experience it.”

A shiver went through me. I remember the moment when I gained control over earthquakes. Pain and exhaustion had pushed me to my limits. I could control the earth now, but that moment was terrible. And then there was the anger I felt when I thought the Minotaur had killed my mom. I was out of control then, willing to get myself killed and expose my family’s secrets just so I could take my anger out on something. I imagined that Dad’s experiences were even worse, with all the millennia of fear and loss he had gone through.

“Yeah, I never want to go through that. But Kymopoleia can’t be that bad, right? No one can be angry all the time.”

“You are right. But Kymopoleia cannot help her nature. Even when she is not angry, she causes destruction. And she gets entertainment from pushing people’s buttons. She inevitably ends up fighting or scaring the people around her.”

“Is that why you hope you’re wrong about my dream? You don’t want me around her?”

“What you described, it did not sound like you were at my palace. The thought of you encountering Kymopoleia in the open sea, and even worse the image of you two fighting for control over water, is worrying to me.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m sure it’ll be fine Dad. She’s one of my siblings and not even one of the monstrous ones. And like I said, I don’t think we were angry at each other in the dream. Maybe we’ll get along.”

Dad opened his mouth, then closed it again. After a long pause, he shook his head and settled on, “I don’t know about getting along but if it is possible, you would manage it. You have your mother’s heart.”

My face heated up. Dad always says that Mom’s compassion is what drew him to her. Comparing me to her like that was the best compliment he could give me.

Dad stood up from the counter. “Now, I think we should both return to bed. The sun will come up in a few hours, and we need to prepare for our return back to the city. Your mother thought it would be best to leave a little early, apparently she has some shopping that needs to be finished. And you start a new school next week.”

I groaned as I jumped down from my seat. “Please, do not remind me. Did you see the brochures for the school Mom picked out for me? There were people wearing tie-dye clothes. And the smiles were creepy, I’m worried she signed me up for a cult.”

Dad laughed as he cupped the back of my head. “I am sure it will be fine. And you will be able to stay at home, isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yeah, that’s gonna be great. And who knows, maybe the pictures were lying.”

A large yawn escaped me as we walked down the hall. When we reached my door, Dad ruffled my hair and pushed me lightly into the room. I collapsed on my bed, asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I had no more dreams that night.