𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋¹ || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐗𝐋𝐈𝐈

✦ 𝐃𝐀𝐃'𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐓 ✦

ARTEMIS ALONG WITH THE HELP OF AURORA ASSURED THEM DAWN WAS COMING, but it could've fooled Percy. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless.

Percy wondered if the teachers had even noticed that the di Angelos and Dr. Thorn were missing yet. He didn't want to be around when they did. With his luck, the only name Mrs. Gottschalk would remember would be 'Percy Jackson', and then he'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt... again.

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. Percy stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable).

Aurora wrapped her arms around Percy's to warm him up. She basically had sunshine flowing in her veins and was not feeling cold. The silver-haired girl had also conjured a ball of light that hovered in front of her which helped Percy with the cold as well.

Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. Percy could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. The raven-haired boy couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that.

Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around Aurora and the ball of light, anxious to hear what had happened during his audience with the goddess.

When Percy told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited Camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" Percy wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoë's fault. That stuck-up, no good–"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Thalia rolled her eyes, "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so... into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

Finally, the sky began to lighten.

Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" Percy asked.

"Duh, Water Boy." Aurora nodded as she watched the sunrise.

"For my brother. Yes."

Percy didn't want to be rude, especially not to Aurora. He knew the legends about Apollo– or sometimes Helios– driving a big sun chariot across the sky. But he also knew that the sun was really a star about a zillion miles away. Percy got used to some of the Greek myths being true, but still... he didn't see how Apollo could drive the sun.