Ethereal

Chapter XVIII

We landed at Crissy Field after nightfall.

As soon as Dr Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "Dad! You flew... you shot... oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

Her father blushed. "Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose."

"But the celestial bronze bullets! How did you get those?"

"Ah, well. You did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in Virginia, the last time you... left."

Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. I noticed Dr Chase was very careful not to say ran away.

"I decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings," he continued. "Just a little experiment."

He said it like it was no big deal, but he had a gleam in his eye. I could understand all of a sudden why Athena, Goddess of Crafts and Wisdom, had taken a liking to him. He was an excellent mad scientist at heart.

"Dad..." Annabeth faltered.

"Aelia, Annabeth, Percy," Thalia interrupted. Her voice was urgent. She and Artemis were kneeling at Zoe's side, binding the huntress's wounds.

Annabeth, Percy and I ran over to help, but there wasn't much we could do. We had no ambrosia or nectar. No regular medicine would help; that was clear. It was dark, but I could see that Zoe didn't look good. She was shivering, and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading.

"Can't you heal her with magic?" Percy asked Artemis. "I mean... you're a goddess."

Artemis looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do."

"I can try," I stated. "You know daughter of Apollo and all..."

I tried to set my hand on Zoe's side, but Zoe gripped my wrist. "Please don't" she whispered.

"Please... I can help." I cried.

She turned and looked into Artemis' eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

"Have I... served thee well?" Zoe whispered.

"With great honour," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoe's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."

But at that moment, I knew it wasn't just the poison that was killing her. It was her father's final blow. Zoe had known all along that the Oracle's prophecy was about her: she would die by a parent's hand. And yet she'd taken the quest anyway. She had chosen to save me and Percy, and Atlas's fury had broken her inside.

She saw Thalia and took her hand.

"I am sorry we argued," Zoe said. "We could have been sisters."

"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoe murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

He couldn't speak, but Percy brought out Riptide and put the pen in her hand. She grasped it contentedly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honoured that you carry this sword."

A shudder ran through her body.

"Zoe—" I said.

"No, please... you can't do anything," Zoe assured. "This is not your fault. Thank you... for everything."