𝙇𝙮𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙨 (𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙭 𝙁𝙚𝙢! 𝙊𝘾) 𝙏𝙏𝘾

A Goddess Does My Makeup and Predicts Cloudy with a Chance of Heartbreak

The door of the limo opened right next to Percy. Before he could step away, the point of a sword touched his throat, causing a thin trail of blood to trickle down his neck. Seeing that, Sylvia instinctively shot an arrow at the place his assailant's eye should be.

Then she saw who he was. He didn't even look at her as he caught the arrow and snapped it in between two of his fingers. He smiled cruelly at Percy. "Not so fast now, are ya, punk?"

He was a big "man" with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes, but Sylvia knew what was behind those glasses--hollow sockets filled with flames.

Sylvia grinned at Clarisse's dad, lowering her bow.

"Ares," Percy growled.

The war god glanced at the group, shooting a grin right back at Sylvia. "At ease, people."

He snapped his fingers, and everyone's weapons fell to the ground. He threw the arrow back at Sylvia, completely new. She nodded her thanks and put it in her quiver.

I cannot believe you two get along, Fawkes remarked. 

Ever since Clarisse and I had to contact him about getting the warship for our quest last summer and he saw me punch Alan in the face for bothering us during the Iris Message, he's liked me, Sylvia told her.

"This is a friendly meeting." Ares dug the point of his blade a little farther under Percy's chin. Sylvia didn't understand why that made her gut twist a bit. She was probably just jealous that she didn't get to attack him herself. "Of course, I'd like to take your head for a trophy and see Sylvia explode with envy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."

"What lady?" Thalia asked, echoing Sylvia's thoughts.

Ares looked over at her. "Well, well. I heard you were back." He glanced at Sylvia, or, rather, her shoulder. "You too, Fawkes."

Fawkes bowed her head. Lord Ares, I am...honored...to be in your presence.

"Quite some shade," Ares chuckled. He quickly became disinterested in the phoenix and turned back to Thalia, lowering his sword and pushing Percy onto the ground. Sylvia frowned at him for a moment.

Wow, his weird war god energy really is making me irritable, if I'm this jealous of him getting to hurt Percy.

"Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company. Except Sylvia, of course. She's the only cool one out of all of you."

Sylvia smirked and Percy gaped at her. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised you're friends with him," he muttered.

"What's your business, Ares?" Thalia asked. "Who's in the car?"

Ares smiled, enjoying the attention and snapping his fingers again as Lux tried to pick up their crossbow. The child of Apollo retreated behind Sylvia, though not before giving him a glare that seemed to surprise everyone. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? It'll only take Percy and Sylvia a few minutes each."

"We will not leave them alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said.

"Oh, come on," Sylvia told them. "We'll be fine. Well, I'll be fine. With Percy being stuck between me and Ares, I'm not so sure he'll survive."

Ares high-fived her.

"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."

Ares clapped his hands together. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign switched to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"