Blind Sun

Chapter 20 (62) Sunless Christmas

.

.

.

.

Before I left Olympus, I decided to make a few calls. It wasn’t easy, but I finally found a quiet fountain in a corner garden and sent an Iris-message to my brother Tyson, under the sea. I told him about our adventures, and Bessie – he wanted to hear every detail about the cute baby cow serpent – and I assured him that Annabeth was safe. Finally I got round to explaining how the shield he’d made me last summer had been damaged in the manticore attack.

"Yay!" Tyson said. "That means it was good! It saved your life!"

"It sure did, big guy," I said. "But now it’s ruined."

"Not ruined!" Tyson promised. "I will visit and fix it next summer."

The idea picked me up instantly. I guess I hadn’t realized how much I missed having Tyson around.

"Seriously?" I asked. "They’ll let you take time off?"

"Yes! I have made two thousand seven hundred and forty-one magic swords," Tyson said proudly, showing me the newest blade. "The boss says 'good work!' He will let me take the whole summer off. I will visit camp!"

We talked for a while about war preparations and our dad’s fight with the old sea gods, and all the cool things we could do together next summer, but then Tyson’s boss started yelling at him and he had to get back to work.

I dug out my last golden drachma and made one more Iris-message.

"Sally Jackson," I said. "Upper East Side, Manhattan."

The mist shimmered, and there was my mom at our kitchen table, laughing and holding hands with her friend Mr Blowfish.

I felt so embarrassed, I was about to wave my hand through the mist and cut the connection but, before I could, my mom saw me.

Her eyes got wide. She let go of Mr Blowfish’s hand really quickly. "Oh, Paul! You know what? I left my writing journal in the living room. Would you mind getting it for me?"

"Sure, Sally. No problem."

He left the room, and instantly my mom leaned towards the Iris-message. "Percy! Are you all right?"

"I’m, uh, fine. How’s that writing seminar going?"

She pursed her lips. "It’s fine. But that’s not important. Tell me what’s happened!"

I filled her in as quickly as I could. She sighed with relief when she heard that Annabeth was safe. Though she did still looked worried when she heard the news of Y/N.

"I knew you could do it!" she said. "I’m so proud you Percy, but make sure Y/N is okay will you?"

"Yeah I'm worried about him too, well, I’d better let you get back to your homework."

"Percy, I… Paul and I –"

"Mom, are you happy?"

The question seemed to take her by surprise. She thought for a moment. "Yes. I really am, Percy. Being around him makes me happy."

"Then it’s cool. Seriously. Don’t worry about me."

The funny thing was, I meant it. Considering the quest I’d just had, maybe I should have been worried for my mom. I’d seen just how mean people could be to each other, like Hercules was to Zoë Nightshade, like Luke was to Thalia. I’d met Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, in person, and her powers had scared me worse than Ares. But seeing my mother laughing and smiling, after all the years she’d suffered with my nasty ex-stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, I couldn’t help feeling happy for her.