The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 73 - Alex - Apollo Is In Denial

"You're saying you cannot offer me your undivided service to restore me to my throne?" Apollo interrupted me. 

I coughed loudly, hiding my laughter. Throne. More like just a chair that was painting with glow in the dark yellow paint.

"Um... yeah," Percy said. He pointed at the bedroom doorway. "Besides, our mom's pregnant. We're going to have a baby sister. I'd like to be around to get to know her."

"Well, I understand that. I remember when Artemis was born-"

"Aren't you twins?"

"I've always regarded her as my little sister."

Percy's mouth twitched. "Anyway, my mom's got that going on, and her first novel is going to be published this spring as well, so I'd like to stay alive long enough to-"

"Wonderful!" Apollo said. "Remind her to burn the proper sacrifices. Calliope is quite touchy when novelists forget to thank her."

"Okay," I said, "But what we're saying is... we can't go off on another world-stomping quest. We- Percy can't do that to his family."

Percy glanced toward his window. On the sill was a potted plant with delicate silver leaves-moonlace. "I've already given my mom enough heart attacks for one lifetime. She's just about forgiven me for disappearing last year, but I swore to her and Paul that I wouldn't do anything like that again."

"Paul?"

"My stepdad. He's at a teacher in-service today. He's a good guy."

"I see."  He seemed to think for a moment about his 'undesirable life' and realize that the world didn't revolve around him.

"You do understand that I must find a way to return to Olympus," he said. "This will probably involve many harrowing trials with a high chance of death. Can you turn down such glory?"

Ah, I take back that previous statement. He hadn't changed at all.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can. Sorry."

Apollo pursed his lips. "I understand," he said with, 'incredible generosity'. "You will at least escort us to Camp Half-Blood?"

"That I can do." Percy reached into his hoodie pocket and pulled out Riptide. For a moment Apollo seemed to think he wanted his autograph. Percy smiled, and some of that old demigod mischief twinkled in his eyes. "Let's see if Meg's ready for a field trip."

Mom had transformed Meg from a street urchin into a shockingly pretty young girl. Meg's dark pageboy hair was glossy and brushed. Her round face was scrubbed clean of grime. Her cat-eye glasses had been polished so the rhinestones sparkled. She had evidently insisted on keeping her old red sneakers, but she wore new black leggings and a knee-length frock of shifting green hues.

Mom had figured out how to keep Meg's old look but tweak it to be more complementary. Meg now had an elfish springtime aura that reminded me very much of a dryad.  Apollo choked back a sob.

Meg pouted. "Do I look that bad?"

"No, no," he managed. "It's just-"

He didn't complete that sentence. He looked away.

"Well," Mom said with forced cheerfulness, "how about I make some lunch while you three talk."

She gave Percy and me a worried glance, then headed to the kitchen, her hands protectively over her pregnant belly.

Meg sat on the edge of the sofa. "Percy, your mom is so normal."

"Thanks, I guess." He picked up a stack of test preparation manuals from the coffee table and chucked them aside.