Shimmer

Unwise

James was fighting the giant so fiercely, yet so elegantly. It looked like he was finally letting the rest of his guilt for Emily's death drive him.

It felt like he was on auto-pilot, dodging, slashing, stabbing so effortlessly.

On his side, a brown eyes, blonde Goddess, Demeter, was making random roots thrive from the ground and hold the giant down.

While every other demigod was fighting alongside their parent, James was fighting alongside DEMETER.
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Nothing was left of the giants except heaps of ash, a few spears and some burning dreadlocks.

The Argo II was still aloft, barely, moored to the top of the Parthenon. Half the ship’s oars were broken off or tangled. Smoke streamed from several large splits in the hull. The sails were peppered with burning holes.

Leo looked almost as bad. He stood in the midst of the temple with the other crewmembers, his face covered in soot, his clothes smouldering.

The gods fanned out in a semicircle as Zeus approached. None of them seemed particularly joyful about their victory.

Apollo and Artemis stood together in the shadow of a column, as if trying to hide. By their side stood Apollo's daughter. Hera and Poseidon were having an intense discussion with another goddess in green and gold robes - perhaps Demeter. Nike tried to put a golden laurel wreath on Hecate’s head, but the goddess of magic swatted it away. Hermes sneaked close to Athena, attempting to put his arm around her. Athena turned her aegis shield his way and Hermes scuffled off.

The only Olympian who seemed in a good mood was Ares. He laughed and pantomimed gutting an enemy while Frank listened, his expression polite but queasy.

‘Brethren,’ Zeus said, ‘we are healed, thanks to the work of these demigods. The Athena Parthenos, which once stood in this temple, now stands at Camp Half-Blood. It has united our offspring, and thus our own essences.’

‘Lord Zeus,’ Piper spoke up, ‘is Reyna okay? Nico and Coach Hedge?’

Jason couldn’t quite believe Piper was asking after Reyna’s health, but it made him glad.

Zeus knitted his cloud-coloured eyebrows. ‘They succeeded in their mission. As of this moment they are alive. Whether or not they are okay -

‘There is still work to be done,’ Queen Hera interrupted. She spread her arms like she wanted a group hug. ‘But my heroes . . . you have triumphed over the giants as I knew you would. My plan succeeded beautifully.’

Zeus turned on his wife. Thunder shook the Acropolis. ‘Hera, do not dare take credit! You have caused at least as many problems as you’ve fixed!’

The queen of heaven blanched. ‘Husband, surely you see now - this was the only way. ’

‘There is never only one way!’ Zeus bellowed. ‘That is why there are three Fates, not one. Is this not so?’

By the ruins of the giant king’s throne, the three old ladies silently bowed their heads in recognition. Jason noticed that the other gods stayed well away from the Fates and their gleaming brass clubs.

"Please, husband."Hera tried for a smile, but she was so clearly frightened that Jason almost felt sorry for her. ‘I only did what I-"

‘Silence!’ Zeus snapped. ‘You disobeyed my orders. Nevertheless ... I recognize that you acted with honest intentions. The valour of these nine heroes has proven that you were not entirely without wisdom.’

Hera looked like she wanted to argue, but she kept her mouth shut.

‘Apollo, however ...’ Zeus glared into the shadows where the twins were standing. ‘My son, come here.’

Apollo inched forward like he was walking the plank. He looked so much like a teenage demigod it was unnerving - no more than seventeen, wearing jeans and a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, with a bow over his shoulder and a sword at his belt. Seeing Zeus' expressions, Brielle stopped forwards with her father.With his tousled blond hair and blue eyes, he might’ve been Jason’s brother on the mortal side as well as the godly side.

Jason wondered if Apollo had assumed this form to be inconspicuous, or to look pitiable to his father. The fear in Apollo’s face certainly looked real, and also very human.

The Three Fates gathered around the god, circling him, their withered hands raised.

‘Twice you have defied me,’ Zeus said.

Apollo moistened his lips. ‘My - my lord -’

‘You neglected your duties. You succumbed to flattery and vanity. You encouraged your descendant Octavian to follow his dangerous path, and you prematurely revealed a prophecy that may yet destroy us all.’

‘But-’ Brielle started

‘Enough! This is not about you. It is about your father.’ Zeus boomed. He then turned to Apollo, ‘We will speak of your punishment later. For now, you will wait on Olympus.’

Zeus flicked his hand, and Apollo turned into a cloud of glitter. The Fates swirled around him, dissolving into air, and the glittery whirlwind shot into the sky.

‘What will happen to him?’ Jason asked.

The gods stared at him, but Jason didn’t care. Having actually met Zeus, he had a newfound sympathy for Apollo.

‘It is not your concern,’ Zeus said. ‘We have other problems to address.’

An uncomfortable silence settled over the Parthenon.

It didn’t feel right to let the matter go. Brielle didn’t see how Apollo deserved to be singled out for punishment.

Someone must take the blame, Zeus had said.

But why?

‘Father,’ Jason said, ‘I made a vow to honour all the gods. I promised Kymopoleia that once this war is over none of the gods would be without shrines at the camps.’

Zeus scowled. ‘That’s fine. But ... Kymwho?’

Poseidon coughed into his fist. ‘She’s one of mine.’

‘I think his point,’ Brielle said, ‘is that blaming each other isn’t going to solve anything. That’s how the  Romans and Greeks got divided in the first place."

The air became dangerously ionized. Brielle’s scalp tingled.

Brielle kept talking. ‘Dad wasn’t the problem. To punish him for Gaia waking is -’ she wanted to say stupid , but he caught herself- ‘unwise.’

‘Unwise.’ Zeus’s voice was almost a whisper. ‘Before the assembled gods, you would call me unwise. ’

Jason and her other friends watched on full alert. Percy looked like he was ready to jump in and fight at her side.

Then Artemis stepped out of the shadows. ‘Father, I have known Brielle Watson since she was born. I have observed her everyday. Her nerves are frayed.’

Jason started to protest, but Artemis stopped him with a glance. Her expression sent a message so clear she might have been speaking in his mind: Thank you, demigod. But do not press this. I will reason with Zeus when he is calmer.

‘Surely, Father,’ the goddess continued, ‘we should attend to our more pressing problems, as you pointed out. ’

‘Gaia,’ Annabeth chimed in, clearly anxious to change the topic. ‘She’s awake, isn’t she?’

Zeus turned towards her. Around Jason, the air molecules stopped humming. His skull felt like it had just come out of the microwave.