Sunburn- phoebus apollo

--xvi. the gods vote how to kill them

FLYING WAS BAD ENOUGH FOR A DAUGHTER 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. Rhea had only been there once before, traveling by elevator up to the secret six hundredth floor of the Empire State Building. This time, if it was possible, Olympus amazed her even more.

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. Rhea 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 Rhea could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.

Good luck, boss and lady boss,  Blackjack said.

"Yeah." Rhea didn't know why, but she had a sense of doom. She'd never seen all the gods together. Rhea knew any one of them could blast her to dust, and a few of them would like to. The only breath of relief she had was the fact that Apollo would be there to defend her, like he always did.

Hey, if ya don't come back, can I have your cabin for my stable?

Rhea and Percy both turned to look at the pegasus. Rhea raised an eyebrow at him.

Just a thought, he said sheepishly. Sorry.

Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving Thalia, Annabeth, Percy and Rhea 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, Zoe the Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn.

Rhea swallowed down a feeling of anguish at the sight. Zoe Nightshade. Bianca di Angelo. The reminder of their deaths almost hurt worse than the pain she'd felt holding on to the sky.

She shook her head slightly, trying to rid herself of the thoughts, before re-focusing her attention on the situation at hand. She would have time to properly mourn her friends later. But now...

For now, she and the others had more pressing matters to attend to.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis greeted.

Some welcome, Rhea thought numbly. She could hardly bear to look at anyone, and she could still feel her arms shaking from the weight she'd carried earlier. She was exhausted, and all she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and dream lovely dreams with Apollo. Presenting herself in front of a council of beings older than dirt was not exactly on her to-do list today, never minding the fact that Apollo was one of them.

"Mooo!"

That was when her attention was drawn to a more welcoming sight.

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 of the sides and the 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 out, "You made it!"