Heir of a Titan - Book 2 PJO

Chapter 25: I Piss Off Another God. What Else Is New?

No one was guarding the hall of the gods. The gold-and-silver doors stood wide open. Our footsteps must have echoed as we walked into the throne room. It was big and open and cold.

Of course, "room" doesn't really cover it. The place was the size of Madison Square Garden. High above, the blue ceiling glittered with constellations. Twelve giant empty thrones stood in a U around a hearth. It still made me mad that there was no throne for Hades. A lot of issues would be gone if these stupid gods and goddesses just accepted everyone equally. Or if Zeus could just keep it in his pants. Just being in this room, my anger bubbled to the surface. I clamped my fists tight and tried to breath. I wished Raph was here, he had a way to keep my anger at bay, and he seemed to be the only one who could read my moods and intervien before I did something I would regret.

Will stepped up beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. He made the hand gesture to inhale and the hold and exhale. I did my best. I looked around the big empty stupid room. In one corner, a house-size globe of water hovered in the air, and inside swam the Ophiotaurus, half-cow, half-serpent, Percy told me about.

"Moooo!" The thing said happily, turning in a circle. At least I figured it said moo, it was half cow.

Despite all the serious stuff going on, I had to smile. Percy had told me about the grand rescue of the baby calf serpent monster; two years ago they'd spent a lot of time trying to save the Ophiotaurus from the Titans, and he'd gotten kind of fond of him. He seemed to like Percy too, even though he'd originally thought he was a girl and named him Bessie.

We walked toward the thrones. I stopped, a grown woman in a simple brown dress appeared. She looked frail. No one seemed to notice her yet. Even Percy.

"Lady Hestia." I signed, and bowed low.

"Hello again, Eleanora Blofis." She signed with a small smile.

"Percy Jackson. You and your friends are welcome." She signed and I saw her mouth moving, as she spoke to these of the campers.

Hestia stood by the hearth, poking the flames with a stick. 

Percy bowed. "Lady Hestia."

Everyone else followed our examples.

Hestia regarded Percy and I with her red glowing eyes. "I see you went through with your plan. You now both bear the curse of Achilles."

The other campers started muttering among themselves, I could read their lips without problems: What did she say? What about Achilles? What curse?

"You must be careful," Hestia warned us. "You gained much on your journey. But you are still blind to the most important truth. Perhaps a glimpse is in order."

Annabeth nudged Percy. "Um . . . what is she talking about?" She looked at me with narrowed eyes and inches away slightly.

I stared into Hestia's eyes, and an image rushed into my mind:

I saw a dark alley between red brick warehouses. A sign above one of the doors read RICHMOND IRONWORKS.

Two half-bloods crouched in the shadows- a boy about fourteen and a girl about twelve. I realized with a start that the boy was Luke. The girl was Thalia, daughter of Zeus. I was seeing a scene from back in the days when they were on the run, before Grover found them.

Luke carried a bronze knife. Thalia had her spear and shield of terror, Aegis. Luke and Thalia both looked hungry and lean, with wild animal eyes, like they were used to being attacked.

"Are you sure?" Thalia asked.

Luke nodded. "Something down here. I sense it."

A rumble echoed from the alley, like someone had banged on a sheet of metal. The half-bloods crept forward.