The Truths Spoken In The Sea Of Lies

The Gods Vote and Rhea's hallow smile

There's a difference between loyalty that is born from love and loyalty that is born from obsession.

The first one is pure.

The second one always ends up in bloodshed.

***

They landed at Crissy Field after nightfall.

As soon as Dr. Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "Dad! You flew... you shot... oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

Her father 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."

Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. Dr. Chase was very careful not to say ran away.

"I decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings," he continued. "Just a little experiment."

He said it like it was no big deal, but he had a gleam in his eye.

"And that is the reason why Athena took a liking to him," Rhea said with a smile. "We're gonna ignore the mind rape of course."

Thalia looked at her wide-eyed.

"Dad..." Annabeth faltered.

"Annabeth, Rhea," Thalia interrupted. Her voice was urgent. She and Artemis were kneeling at Zoe's side, who was coughing a bit.

Annabeth and Rhea ran over to them.

"Have I... served thee well?" Zoe asked with doubt while looking at Artemis.

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

Zoe's face relaxed before she shook her head. "I think ... I do not deserve to be thy right hand, My Lady, the title should go to someone else." She turned to Thalia. "I am sorry we argued."

"No..." Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoe murmured. As she looked at Dr. Chase. "He was brave for a mortal man."

Dr. Chase blushed again.

"Shi-Shi! Sha-Sha! You guys are talking like Zoe is dying, well news flash! She isn't! You're welcome by the way." Rhea said as she crossed her arms.

Everyone sighed and rolled their eyes at her, Thalia punched her on the arm.

Zoe sighed before she stood up with Artemis's help. "Rhea."

"Yes?"

"I thank thy, without thy help...I would be dead."

"Nah, you got the apple I just made you drink its juice." Rhea smiled as she noticed a silver glow in Artemis's hand. "What are you doing?" She asked curious at what the Goddess was doing.

Artemis released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished. Annabeth gasped. Looking up in the sky, they saw that the stars were brighter now. They made a pattern they had never noticed before—a gleaming constellation that looked a lot like a girl's figure—a girl with a bow, running across the sky.