❦𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓒𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓮❦ - 𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓬𝔂 𝓙𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓼𝓸𝓷

𝒳𝒳𝐼. 𝒵𝑜ë 𝒩𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈𝒽𝒶𝒹𝑒 - 𝐻𝓊𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇, 𝐿𝒾𝑒𝓊𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒶𝓃𝓉, 𝐻𝑒𝓇𝑜

𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 landed at Crissy Field after nightfall.

Zoe immediately started to tend to Nightshade's wounds, helping Thalia and Artemis bind them.

"Annabeth, Percy," Thalia interrupted, her voice urgent.

Annabeth and Percy ran over to help, but there wasn't much they could do. There was no ambrosia or nectar. No regular medicine would help. It was dark, but Zoe could see that Nightshade 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. But I can try."

She tried to set her hand on her lieutenant's side, but the hunter gripped the goddess's wrist. She looked into Artemis's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

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

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

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

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

But in that moment, Zoe knew it wasn't just the poison that was killing her. It was her father's final blow. Nightshade 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 them, and Atlas's fury had broken her inside.

Zoe caught Nightshade's eyes, and the daughter of Aphrodite grasped her hand. "You are the best hunter I've ever known. It was an honor to share your name and fight by your side."

"No," Nightshade said, "the honor is mine. You have the spirit of a true huntress, daughter of Aphrodite. Perhaps, I misjudged thy and thy siblings."

"I resent that," Zoe said shakily, squeezing Nightshade's hand. The brunette felt a few tears escape her eyes.

Thalia took her other hand, squeezing just as tightly as the Zoes were.

"I am sorry we argued," the hunter 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," Nightshade murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

Percy brought out Riptide. Zoe let go of the hunter's hand so she could grasp the pen in her palm. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword."

A shudder ran through her body, and Zoe grabbed her hand once more, pushing as many peaceful feelings as she could towards the hunter.

"Zoë—" Percy said.

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

A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoë repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.

Thalia lowered her head. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders. Zoe sat motionless, still holding the hunter's hand, as tears ran down her cheeks. They watched as Artemis cupped her hand above her former lieutenant's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Nightshade's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared.