𝐛𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | Thalia Grace

003. Bianca di Angelo Makes a Choice

Thalia

This kid really said, 'Um . . . okay." After meeting Artemis. That was nothing compared to Grover. He gasped and knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! Youre so . . . youre so . . . Wow!"

"Get up, goat boy!" I snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!" Evelyn gave him a hand and pulled him off the ground.

"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out." Everybody looked at her. She pointed a finger at all of us 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?"

"Deep." Evelyn said sarcastically, Artemis glared at her. "Sorry—It slipped out." Which made me laugh.

"Who are your parents?" Artemis continued.

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.

"Our parents are dead." Bianca said, which made Evelyn's eyes soften. "We're orphans. Theres a bank trust that pays for our school, but . . ." She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didnt believe her.

"What?" She demanded. "Im telling the truth."

"You are a half-blood," Zoë Nightshade said. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian . . . athlete?"

"No," Zoë said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" Said Nico.

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

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 youre Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

Evelyn looked like her heart sank. Wait, why was I staring at Evelyn.?

I tried to calm her down a bit, "Bianca, I know its hard to believe. But 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."

"Dangerous. Like the girl who fell."
I turned away, looking at the ground.

Evelyn

I felt my gaze go toward Thalia, i was feeling bad for her, second time today lets set a record.

"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Then why wont you let us go look for her?" Percy asked.

"She is gone. Cant you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."

I can tell Percy really wanted to go look for her.

"Oo!" Nico raised his hand, which was actually adorable. "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 re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they appear."

"Or they'll hunt us." Thalia said, looking up now.

Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains . . . Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in D.C.?"