𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

𝒊𝒊𝒊.

Now, there was two ways Noelle could've reacted. Option A: She could smile and be happy that her mother had showed up after almost sixteen years of ignoring her. Option B: She could glare at the goddess with all the hate in the world after being ignored for almost sixteen years. Noelle chose Option B while Grover chose Option C: Kneel and worship the goddess and the ground she walks on.

"Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so... you're so... Wow!" Grover said.

"Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!" 

"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out." 

Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at everyone else in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who... who are you people?" 

Artemis's expression softened. "It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you? Who are your parents?" 

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis. 

"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but..." 

She faltered. She could tell from their faces that they didn't believe her. 

"What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth." 

"You are a half-blood," Zoë Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian." 

"An Olympian... athlete?" 

"No," Zoë said. "One of the gods." 

"Cool!" said Nico. 

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—" 

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!" 

As anxious as Noelle felt about Annabeth—all she wanted to do was search for her—she couldn't help feeling sorry for the di Angelos. Noelle remembered what it was like for her when she first learned she was a demigod. 

Thalia must've been feeling something similar, because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well...Our lives are dangerous." 

"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell." 

Noelle tensed from where she stood staring over the edge of the cliff. Even Artemis looked pained. 

"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her." 

"Then let us go after her," Noelle demanded. "She could already be hurt."

"I can't let you do that," Artemis said.

Noelle glared at the goddess, but Artemis nor the Hunters seemed to be offended by the action.

"Why won't you let us go look for her?" Percy asked. 

"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished." 

Percy still wanted to jump off the cliff and search for their blond friend, but he had a feeling that Artemis was right. Annabeth was gone. If she'd been down there in the sea, he'd be able to feel her presence.