Changing the Future

Chapter 99

I took my reprieve with the Hunters.

My head swam with investment mumbo jumbo, router numbers, and account statements thanks to daily meetings with Jonathan Gonzalez, the son of Ares, who had lived with Raina and Leo in Houston, as we worked to finalize the McLean's finances, permanently sealing them from the Triumvirate. If I had to hear another spiel about the Dow Jones Industrial Average, I'd throw myself from the nearest ledge.

Jonathan managed to carve a happy ending for himself, for which I was glad. He had a wife, a son, and a daughter on the way. His double economic and finance majors had worked wonders for him, landing him a position as a portfolio manager for a cushy finance firm in Houston in where he was quickly rising through the ranks.

Physically, he'd changed so much from the eighteen-year-old I'd taken in ten years ago, but he was still that same nerdy kid fascinated by numbers at heart.

In any case, after discovering fraudulent documentation that the Triumvirate tried to pass off as belonging to the IRS and multiple video chats with Tristan discussing his finances, we squared everything away after a grueling two weeks. We'd even gotten Piper to sign the necessary paperwork to make her the beneficiary of her dad's accounts.

The shift from being stuck in an office – no matter how nicely Jonathan had decorated it – to the great outdoors was a welcome one.

I inhaled the scent of the pine trees and relished in the chilly wind nipping at my fingertips. My clothes shifted from business attire to the jeans and silver parka I donned when with the Hunt. I hummed in relief as combat boots replaced my heels.

I hadn't seen the girls since before our traipse to the Ancient Lands. In all the chaos of the summer, Orion's attack in Puerto Rico had slipped my mind. My heart ached when I absentmindedly searched for Phoebe before remembering that she'd been one of the fallen.

Despite the losses, it seemed like recruitment had been going well. I found six new Hunters sitting in front of Bianca, who was currently in the process of explaining how to summon their enchanted bows from their concealed forms. Zoë was there, too, helping field questions when it came to things older than Bianca.

The two Hunters brightened at the sight of me.

Bianca clapped her hands together. "Alrighty, girls. Go ahead and practice summoning your bows. We'll check on your progress in two days. Class dismissed!"

The daughter of Hades then promptly launched herself at me, sending us careening to the ground. She tightly wrapped her arms around me before she leaned back and said, "Andromeda Collins, where have you been?!"

Zoë rolled her eyes. "This behavior is unbecoming of a Huntress."

Bianca maturely stuck out her tongue.

"Oh, you know," I began with a weak laugh. "Here and there. I've been in Texas for the past few weeks, but I'm usually in New York."

Seemingly satisfied with this answer, Bianca nodded and got to her feet, brushing the dirt and stray leaves from her clothes. I followed her lead. The second hug surprised me as much as the first, but at least I was allowed to remain standing this time.

"Thank you for saving my brother," she whispered, suddenly choked up. "I never got the chance to properly show you my gratitude. I am forever in your debt."

"That's not needed, I assure you. I would've done the same for any of my friends."

"In any case," Zoë said, "how art thou? Many things have happened since our previous conversation."

"Perpetually exhausted, but that's nothing new." Both girls raised their eyebrows. "A word of advice: don't juggle wedding planning, financial advising, and teaching at the same time. It's enough to drive one insane."