A web of fates | Percy Jackson and the Olympians

XIX| olympus

Flying was bad enough for a son of Poseidon, but flying straight up to Zeus's palace, with thunder and lightning swirling around it, was even worse.

They circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus.

In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo.

Apparently no one ever slept on Olympus. The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes.

Winter didn't seem to exist here. Daphne caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things she couldn't name.

Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reed pipes. Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing white hall of the gods.

Their pegasi set them down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before they could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.

Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving Daphne, Theo, Thalia, Annabeth, and Percy alone.

For a minute they stood there regarding the palace, the way they'd stood together in front of Westover Hall, what seemed like a million years ago.

And then, side by side, they walked into the throne room.

Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp.

The ceiling above glittered with constellations- even the newest one, Zoë the Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn.

All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall, suddenly, facing monsters seemed like a picnic.

Theo and Daphne walked hand in hand, Theo claiming he didn't trust Daphne to walk on her own and not try to kill her own father.

Daphne didn't see what the issue was with that.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.

"Mooo!"

That's when they noticed Bessie and Grover.
A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the hearth fire.

Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of the sphere.

He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw them, he cried, "You made it!"

He started to run toward Percy, then remembered he was turning his back on Zeus, and looked for permission.

"Go on," Zeus said. But he wasn't really paying attention to Grover.

The lord of the sky was staring intently at Thalia.
Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water.

The hearth fire crackled.

Daphne looked nervously at her father, Hermes.

It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't belong to be there, stood with her friends in Olympus. She shouldn't be acting like she had helped on the quest, she hadn't done anything to help them.

Of course, Daphne couldn't say that - she couldn't admit she had turned her back on the Olympians.

They'd kill her right then and there.