𝐃𝐄𝐉𝐀 𝐕𝐔 • Percy Jackson.

III-02

      MEETING A GODDESS DIDN'T SURPRISE MANY. Not after what just happened, but people tried to exhibit their respect, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You’re so… you’re so… Wow!"  Others did not. He barely moved away from the edge. The cold bit at his fingertips clung to the snow-covered grass. His lips were pursed as he peered over the edge.

"Get up, goat boy!" He heard Thalia snap. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!" She exclaimed. "Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out." He blinked, moving his head stiffly in her direction.  She pointed her finger at all of them 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?" Amani almost scoffed thinking, heard that one before.

"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. Probably because from their faces she could tell no one believed her…Or maybe because Amani laughed a little. "What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth." She insisted.

"You are a half-blood," Zoë Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It seemed old-fashioned like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian… athlete?" Amani almost sighed, how naive. "No," Zoë said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" Said, Nico. Amani's lips twitched at his bright nature. "No!" Bianca’s voice quavered. "This is not cool!" She cried out. 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!" They looked rather comedic, one was on the verge of a meltdown while the other could practically have stars in his eyes. Though he felt bad seeing it happen in front of him. 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." She explained softly.

"Dangerous," Bianca repeated, "like the girl who fell." Everyone reacted; Thalia turned away, Artemis looked pained, and Amani bit his cheek. "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." It was as if a weight had been lifted from Amani. He felt guilt riddle up his throat and choke him up at the expectations of what If? "Oo!" Nico raised his hand like a diligent student. "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."

"Or they’ll hunt us," Thalia said. Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in D.C.?"

"And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram’s horns. I told you that was real."

"That’s why Grover has been watching you," Percy said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."

"Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You’re a demigod?"
"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves. "Maybe keep the shoes on, goat boy. She looks like she's gonna faint," Amani called out, sarcastically. In hopes to get rid of the weird weight in his chest.