Heir of a Titan - Book 2 PJO

Chapter 26: The Truth? You Can't Handle the Truth!

Hermes let his head fall back for a second and then made a face.

"Fine," Hermes said. Percy straightened up and started to sign for me.

"Your mother said to warn you that you are on your own. You must hold Manhattan without the help of the gods. As if I didn't know that. Why they pay her to be the wisdom goddess, I'm not sure."

"Anything else?" Annabeth asked before I could interrupt.

"She said you should try plan twenty-three. She said you would know what that meant."

Annabeth's face paled. Obviously she knew what it meant, and she didn't like it. "Go on."

"Last thing." Hermes looked at me. "She said to tell Percy: 'Remember the rivers.' And, um, something about staying away from her daughter."

I'm not sure whose face was redder: Annabeth's or Percy's. I sniggered. His dark eyes flicked to me.

"She also said, watch yourself demi god. If they find out your true secret, we are all doomed."

I opened my mouth to argue.

"Thank you, Hermes," Annabeth said cutting me off. Percy gave me a side eye and shook his head shary. I rolled my eyes, huffed and folded my arms

"And I... I wanted to say... I'm sorry about Luke." Annabeth said, her face showed the anguish her voice must have held.

The god's expression hardened like he'd turned to marble. "You should've left that subject alone."

Annabeth stepped back nervously. "Sorry?"

"SORRY doesn't cut it!"

"Ya well, your anger now doesn't help!" I signed. I reached forward and grabbed Annabeth and pulled he backwards.

George and Martha curled around the caduceus, which shimmered and changed into something that looked suspiciously like a high-voltage cattle prod.

I pushed Annabeth even further behind me. And I felt my hands burning, and the hot tingle running up my arms. The air around me began to heat up.

"You should've saved him when you had the chance," Hermes growled at Annabeth. "You're the only one who could have."

Percy tried to step between Annabeth and Hermes and me. "What are you talking about? Annabeth didn't-"

"Don't defend her, Jackson!" Hermes turned the cattle prod toward him. "She knows exactly what I'm talking about."

"Maybe you should blame yourself!" Percy yelled. His hands flew with a sudden anger.

Percy looked like he only realized now he should've kept his mouth shut. All I could think about was turning his attention away from Annabeth. This whole time, he hadn't been angry with me. He'd been angry with her.

"Maybe if you hadn't abandoned Luke and his mom!" I snarled. My hands had sparks as I signed, my hair was now glowing and I knew my eyes flickered with the fire that flowed through my veins. I was sure he was going to try and smite me. The heat rippled in front of me, forming a wall between me and Percy and Annabeth.

"Bring it!" I signed.

I was so ready to do something, to fight. I was so frustrated and angry and hurt and just so done. These gods sit in this big room arguing over who's the best, having kids left right and center, and ignoring the real problems they cause. And then expect us kids to clean the mess.

Hermes raised his cattle prod. He began to grow until he was ten feet tall. The heat around me rippled and the fire flowed hot through my veins. The symbols and ancient Greek and Roman words appeared on my skin, glowing gold. I knew my eyes flicked with fire.