Wisdom's Revenge | Olympus's Traitor #2

Chapter 11: The Next Generation Rises

Poseidon and Artemis sat across from a woman who appeared to be somewhere in her early to mid-70s. She sat comfortably in her recliner, with a man a little older than her sleeping in the recliner next to her. "Oh, my little boy, why can't the Fates just allow him to relax?" the woman grieved.

"I don't know, Sally," Poseidon replied sadly as he reached over and gently took her hand in his. "I don't know."

"All we know is he needs us now, more than ever. All of us" Artemis stated gently. "Our son has lost so much in his life, but I fear that this may be the final straw. I have watched the romance between Perseus and Thalia blossom and grow into a deep, deep love. I know for a fact that he loves her more than life itself, and if the destruction of his life meant getting her back safely Perseus will not hesitate to do so."

"I haven't seen Percy in this much pain since Aether was taken," Poseidon said. "But he had Thalia then. Now that it's her that is gone I fear what Percy may do without Thalia to restrain his fury."

"Bring him here," Sally sighed. "He'll listen to us."

"How can you be so sure?" Artemis questioned.

"Because if he knows what we will do to him if he doesn't," Sally chuckled.

"I'll bring him here," Artemis said with a nod before waving her hand.

In a flash of silver light Percy suddenly appeared, bent at the waist with his hands on his knees and looking queasy. "Damn it, mom!" he exclaimed. "You know I hate it when you do that!"

"Language, Percy," Sally lectured, causing Percy to look up and see where he was.

"Sorry, mom," Percy said meekly as he looked around the room before frowning slightly. "What's going on?"

"Take a seat, Perseus," Artemis stated, motioning towards a chair.

"I don't have time for this!" Percy huffed. "Thalia is out there, and I need to find her!"

"Sit down!" Sally said sternly. Percy sat down with a huff and crossed his arms, looking at the two gods and mortal across from him that were his parents.

"We're worried about you, Percy," Poseidon started gently. "We know Thalia being taken was hard-"

"Hard?!" Percy snapped, cutting off his father. "Thalia is my everything, and now she's been taken by the same monster that has already taken so much!" Percy paused, growing a little quieter as a tear trickled down his cheek. "All the people in the wars, Jacob, Hannah, Aether," he continued, choking back a sob. "I can't, no, I won't lose my wife."

"And we want to help you, Percy," Artemis comforted, reaching across and placing her hand on Percy's knee. "But we don't want you to lose yourself in the process."

"You know I'll do whatever it takes to get her back, I don't care what happens," Perct rebutted, a steely gaze in his eyes.

"That's what worries us," Sally replied. "I've already lost a grandchild and now the woman I considered as a daughter, don't make me lose my son, too"

"I just don't know what to do without her," Percy whispered, shoulders slumped.

"We will find her, of that much you can be certain," Artemis responded, a fiery gaze in her eyes.

"A quest," Poseidon stated.

"Yes," Artemis agreed. "I do believe a visit to my brother's oracle is in order."

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Pain. That was the first thing Thalia felt as she started regaining consciousness. A strange whirring sound filled the air around her, both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. However, right now the sound was just making her headache worse. With a heavy groan, Thalia forced her tired eyes to open, only to be met with an unfamiliar concrete room. "Percy?" she rasped out, now realizing how dry her throat was.