The Sea Tyrant's Obsession (PJO x ROR) 18+ WTM/WTS Book 1

*I Accept Gifts From A Stranger

Hera's expression darkened with disapproval. "Percilla didn't disrupt the race. She and Athena's son were trying to save the others from those terrible birds."

Odin nodded in agreement. "Those two acted in the best interest of the campers. Punishing them would be nothing but sheer injustice."

Shiva scoffed. "Tantalus is nothing but a fool trying to exert authority he doesn't deserve."

Apollo crossed his arms. "Exactly! If anything, they should be getting rewarded, not punished."

New title on the screen:
I Accept Gifts From A Stranger

Poseidon scowled. "A stranger? Who dares give my daughter gifts?"

Aphrodite smirked. "Oh, gifts? I wonder if it's something romantic—maybe from someone who has a crush on her."

Her uncle glared at her from across the room, but she remained unfazed.

Hades sighed. "Let's just hope she doesn't accept something cursed."

The way Tantalus saw it, the Stymphalian birds had simply been minding their own business in the woods and would not have attacked if Anthony, Tyson, and I hadn't disturbed them with our bad chariot driving.

"That's bullshit!" Zeus exclaimed angrily. "Those birds had been waiting for the right time to attack them!"

Hades nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Those things are vicious little monsters. They weren't just 'minding their own business'—they were looking for prey."

Thor crossed his arms. "Not to mention, blaming their chariot driving is ridiculous. Those birds would've attacked regardless."

"That Tarantula guy is twisting the truth to make the kids seem at fault," Buddha added.

This was so completely unfair, I told Tantalus to go chase a doughnut, which didn't help his mood. He sentenced us to kitchen patrol—scrubbing pots and platters all afternoon in the underground kitchen with the cleaning harpies. The harpies washed with lava instead of water, to get that extra-clean sparkle and kill ninety-nine point nine percent of all germs, so Anthony and I had to wear asbestos gloves and aprons.

"That fool dares to make my daughter clean with something as dangerous as lava!" Poseidon roared, his voice shaking the room like an earthquake. "She is a demigod, not some servant to be punished for surviving an attack! If I were there, I'd have thrown him into the tub of magma myself!"

Hades' eyes darkened with fury. "I agree. That pathetic excuse for a man should be rotting in hell for this. This isn't discipline—it's pure cruelty."

Buddha sighed, shaking his head. "That guy's stupidity is stacking up in all the worst ways. He's lucky the kids made it out okay."

Tyson didn't mind. He plunged his bare hands right in and started scrubbing, but Anthony and I had to suffer through hours of hot, dangerous work, especially since there were tons of extra plates. Tantalus had ordered a special luncheon banquet to celebrate Clarisse's chariot victory—a full-course meal featuring country-fried Stymphalian death-bird.

Heset licked her lips. "That sounds good. I would like to try the fried Stymphalian bird. I wonder if it tastes like chicken."

The only good thing about our punishment was that it gave Anthony and me a common enemy and lots of time to talk. After listening to my dream about Grover again, he looked like he might be starting to believe me.

Athena sighed in relief and approval. "Finally."

"If he's really found it," he murmured, "and if we could retrieve it—"