Percy Jackson's New Side (Book 2) - Destruction: The Dawn of the Forgotten

Chapter 14: Jason What?!

Forward in Time (It's the same time Chaos is having a breakdown in her own palace.)

Zoe's POV

I stared after Perseus irritatingly.

What had happened to him? He was like my brother. But now he's like... Heracles. After so long, after being betrayed by Heracles, I thought all male heroes were the same. Arrogant, selfish, egotistical. I had even proved Thalia wrong by showing how wrong she was about Luke, even though he ended up proving himself. I was so sure of myself. All male heroes you love the most let you down. Because in my mind they all did. Sure, the Elite males on the team were my best friends. 

But none were like Percy.

Percy came along, and he didn't even try to prove himself. He didn't try to be egoistic. He didn't try to  tell lies. He was worried so much about a single girl. Annabeth, who ended up cheating on him. I didn't exactly know what happened, but according to what I heard Percy ended up apologizing to her before he left! He was so loyal to a fault, and he took less credit than deserved.

Perseus proved me wrong.

At least, that's what I thought. But no, he turned out to be like the others. And my theory of male heroes still stands tall for over 2000 years now, after the betrayal of Heracles, believing it as Artemis's lieutenant, believing it as a constellation, and furthermore. It is still right. My theory is still right.

I was so hurt after he  brought Heracles back. It was too painful for me. The only two heroes that I believed in both walking together, laughing, and playing with each other. Both ignoring me, both being what I never thought they'd be. 

I'd never realized Heracles would betray me. But I thought that of Perseus too.

I'd paid the price for believing in both of them. Chaos did too. Artemis did too. I'd understood their feelings. Everyone paid the price for his anger instead of himself.

And boy, was the price heavy.

I knew what Chaos had said after we had the meeting. Her Primordial children had already left, so that's when I told her Perseus was spying on us. She told me to stand by, which was an order I was willing to obey as long as we confronted him in the next week without trying anything. 

My thoughts were disturbed as someone yelled out in front of me.

"Bianca? What was Perseus talking about when he mentioned your project? Are you keeping something from me?" Nico growled.

I met Bianca's wide eyes with my own, seeing Dakota face-palm behind Nico.

"Come inside Nico." I whispered.

Nico looked like he was ready to kill and burst anytime now, but he knew my command was firm and final. Good. That's how it was supposed to come across.

As soon as we got inside the Big House and seated ourselves comfortably, Nico stood up and started his barrage of questions up again.

"What is your project? Why didn't you tell me? I could've asked more! I thought we were in this together, Bianca." His eyes flashed dangerously.

"Nico..." Bianca seemed to be close to tears. She was a tough girl, I knew that. Her mental state and emotional control had improved drastically during her training as an Elite. She even got better at being a leader in general the more time she spent with the Eternals. 

But I knew how much her brother meant to her. If a single hair on his head was touched, all emotional control could be lost. She was protective of him, and didn't want him to know for his own safety. I could understand that. And to see him lashing out at her for something she saw was good and protective in her eyes was heartbreaking to her.