all our broken skies, a kotlc + pjo/hoo fanfic

chapter eleven

Sophie sat in the sand by the beach, legs crossed under her as she listened to Jason's explanation of the war against the giants, and their mother, Gaia. At some point, they'd migrated across camp to the water at Percy's suggestion. It was nice being so far from everyone else; she could just relax and let her mind focus on things that didn't have to do with her amnesia.

"...fell into Tartarus," Jason said. He was a good storyteller, his expression and tone changing with each chapter of the story. Sophie couldn't help but glance at Percy, but he was stone-faced.

"What's Tartarus?" she asked.

"Uh." Jason frowned. "Well, there's the Underworld, and then farther down is Tartarus. So it's hell...squared?"

Despite herself, Sophie chuckled. "Hell squared?"

"That's putting it nicely," Percy muttered. "Tartarus... It was a hellscape. I couldn't eat properly for months because the only consumable thing there was lava water."

Jason reached forward and squeezed Percy's shoulder. "Hey. You're out of there now. We got you out. If I'm saying too much, tell me, okay?"

The other boy nodded, but Sophie got the sense he wasn't planning on saying anything. Most of the stories she'd been told concerning Percy confirmed her theory: he was, without a doubt, a highly traumatized person. Even if he wasn't showing it, he'd been through a lot, and it wasn't having the most positive impact on him.

"So what happens if I'm not claimed?" Sophie asked, partially to change the subject, but also out of her own curiosity. She didn't want to raise any suspicions when no god pointed to her and said, "Yeah, that one's mine."

"You will be," Jason assured her. "Percy made a deal with the gods that they'd claim their kids almost immediately. I'm sure it'll happen by tomorrow morning."

Or not, Sophie thought, but she smiled and nodded at the blond. She didn't plan on telling any of them she was an elf -- even if they were demigods, elves weren't Greek or Roman or any of that, so why would they believe her? If she absolutely had to tell someone, she'd probably tell Percy or Rachel. As nice as Jason was, she didn't know much about him.

"I wonder who they are," Sophie said softly. She didn't really know who her parents were; even if she did look like Gethen, that didn't mean they were related.

"Well, you said you knew your dad, right?" Percy asked.

She nodded.

"Then maybe Aphrodite or Hecate?" he offered. "Athena's children have grey eyes, and you don't really strike me as a gardening person, no offense."

"Yeah, I don't think so either," Sophie agreed. She didn't feel like she was Aphrodite's child, even though she got the sense Percy was just guessing from her appearance. Being pretty... It didn't matter that much to her, and she felt like there was more to her than that.

Also, hello, she was an elf. Not a demigod, though that sounded way cooler.

"Who's Hecate?" Sophie asked.

"She does magic," Jason answered. "But you're not just limited to well-known gods. There's Nike, goddess of victory, and Nemesis, who's...basically just spiteful."

Sophie laughed.

Percy, however, sent a glare Jason's way. "You don't want to insult the gods, though," he said, his calm tone not matching his expression. "They can curse you in all kinds of terrible ways. Athena... She cursed a mortal into Medusa, and a weaver into a spider. The gods don't like being insulted."

"Yeah, um, sorry, Nemesis," Jason said, glancing at the sky.

"Have you ever been cursed?" Sophie asked Percy.