gilded lily, p.jackson

018, a new constellation

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
a new constellation

—— The second they landed, Annabeth
tackled her dad into a hug. "Dad! You flew...you shot...oh my Gods! That was the most amazing thing i've ever seen!"

Her dad 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. And this woman showed up at the door with a couple, old Celestial Bronze weapons."

The older man turned to look at Danica, who was stood beside Percy, wiping the blood of her face.

"Annabeth, Percy." Thalia said.

In an instant, Danica was by Thalia side, kneeling by Zoe, binding her wound. Percy and Annabeth hurried over, although there wasn't much they could accomplish. They didn't have any nectar or ambrosia and there wasn't anything mortal medicine could do. Although it was dark, they could see the hunter didn't have long.

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

She looked concerned. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little i can do. But i will try."

She went to set her hand on Zoe's side, but the girl grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"Have i...served thee well?" Zoë whispered.

"With great honour," Artemis replied gently. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoë smiled, relaxed. "Rest. At last."

Artemis could try heal the poison, but Zoë wouldn't allow her too. The immortal girl had accepted death and the peace that came with it.

She took Thalia's hand. "I'm sorry we argue. We could have been sisters."

"It was my fault," said Thalia, trying to hold back tears. "You were right about Luke, about hero's, men - everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoë muttered, turning her attention to Percy. Danica felt her heart clench. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

He looked stunned and close to tears as he brought out Riptide and laid the pen in her hand.

"You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson." she told him. "You are nothing like...like Hercules. I am honoured that you carry this sword. " she shuddered with pain.

"Zoë -" Percy started.

She cut him off and looked to Danica. "i doubted your strength, Danica. But, you are even stronger than i am. You carry beauty and strength equally, i cannot deny. Talk to me, when i leave. I will always answer." Danica sent her a weak smile as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Stars," she whispered. "i can see the stars again, my lady."

"Yes, my brave one," Artemis murmured, a tear twinkling down her cheek. "They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoë repeated for the last time. Her eyes fixed on the sky as she took her last breath.

Danica let another tear roll down her face as she looked away. Thalia bowed her head, Annabeth turned to her dad, and Percy stunned in silence placed a hand on Danica's shoulder.

Artemis spoke in ancient Greek, she had her hand cupped under Zoe's mouth and caught a silvery wisp of smoke in her palm. As it drifted out of her mouth, Zoe's body faded until it was gone.

Artemis rose, she spoke a few more words then breathed into her hand. The silvery dust floated around them before shooting towards the night.

Danica stared at the stars above them, gasping when she saw them move. A new constellation was blazed into them, the stars brighter as they formed a girl running with a bow.

"Let the world honour you, my huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."

They weren't able to spend much time greiving as there was still much to do.

"I must go to olympus immediately," Artemis said, preparing to leave. "I will not be able to take you, but i will send help."

She turned to Annabeth and placed a hand of her shoulder. "You are brave," she told her. "You will do what is right."

She went to Thalia next, although they didn't speak. They looked as though they'd came to a mutual agreement, then she turned to Danica.

"The world has taken so much from you, for you to still be considered a child..." she muttered, taking the hands of the young demigod. "Yet, you continue to put up a hard fight, and for that...you are admirable."

She turned to percy. "You did well," she told him. "Fora man."

Percy looked as if he wanted to protest, but accepted the compliment. Danica let a small chuckle escape her lips, Percy looked at her, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

She hopped into her chariot and they adverted their gaze as she blasted into the sliver night.

Annabeth was brought into a hug by her father, Danica envied that. She wasn't sure when the last time she'd felt a loving parent hug.

Ir was as if suddenly the exhaustion was now catching up to her. Percy stood in front of her, looking at all her wounds. She stopped him, and left her head fall on his shoulder, wrapping her arms to bring him into a hug.

"You had me worried, waterboy." she said, her voice cracking slightly.

"I was terrified, Star...terrified."

The two separated. "Blackjack!" Percy cried happily.

Then he did the weird thing when he spoke to them.

Danica wasn't paying attention as she looked up to the sky, her attention was drawn from it as Percy gripped her arm. "Come on."

Thalia, Percy, Annabeth and Danica mounted the Pegasi and turned them northwards. It was a long flight to Olympus.