A Son Love & Doves

Chapter 3 (32) Thalia and I Get Teased

Y/n POV

Percy gave a response of, "Um. . . okay."

I silently chuckled at his response as Thalia muttered something while looking at my hand.

Grover gasped then hastily knelt in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so. . . you're so. . . Wow!"

"Get up, Goat boy!" Thalia snapped, and her grip on my hand tightened. "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 all of us 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. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn’t believe her. I mean I wasn't convinced atleast.

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

"You are a half-blood," Zoë Nightshade said. "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!"

I felt like that was a little uncalled for and rude, but I will just file it down to shock, or her being in denial. Finding out you're a half-blood can be shaking. I felt a little sorry for them.

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, and your boyfriend with a sliced arm."

Thalia turned away. Even Artemis looked pained. I was suprised at the fact she thought Thalia and I were together.

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

"Then why won’t you let us go and 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."

I could tell Percy still wanted to jump off the cliff and search for her, but I had a feeling that Artemis was right. Annabeth was gone.

"Oo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"

"He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully, he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They reform over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."