Annabeth Chase and the Titan's Curse

Chapter 22 - The gods are big

The throne room looked like Camp Half-Blood. All the cabins, I mean thrones, had their respective god or goddess on it, all about 5 metres tall. My neck was getting sore from looking up at them.

I could feel the power thrumming off them too, a dozen of the most powerful beings in the world in one place. It was not in my Top Ten places of where I wanted to be at that moment.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.

"Mooo!"

I started, not expecting there to be a cow in the throne room. But as I spotted the creature, I realised that it wasn't exactly a cow.

The front half of the creature looked like a cow, or more accurately, a calf with its big brown eyes and black face with a white snout. But the back half of it changed into like an eel as it had a long brown/black tail with fins jutting out the side.

There was only one creature this could be. The deadly Ophiotaurus.

It was swimming around in a sphere of water, next to the hearth fire. It seemed to be enjoying itself as it swished its tail and poked its head out of the bubble.

Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, looking like he was about to be knighted, but when he saw us, the biggest smile burst over his face.

"You made it!" he cried, getting ready to run to us before halting himself. He looked to Zeus for permission otherwise the King of the gods could blast him for turning his back on him.

But Zeus wasn't even looking at Grover as he said, "Go on." He was staring at Thalia.

There was complete silence as Grover raced over to us. The only noise was his hooves on the marble floors. I could even feel the gods staring at us as he approached.

The first one I looked to was my mother. She sat on the left side of the gods, a few seats from Zeus. There was no sign of her war gear today as she sat straight-backed in her grey throne, the wood engraved with owls. She wore an elegant white dress, her brown hair lying over one shoulder.

When she saw me watching her, she inclined her head to me in acknowledgement. That's it. No "well done on surviving" or any sort of congratulation. Not even a smile to show that she was happy I was alive. I knew that she didn't want to be seen having favourites in front of the other gods, but still. Some sort of warmth would be welcomed every now and then.

Grover reached us and hugged me first, squeezing me so hard I felt that my already bruised chest would deflate.

He hugged Thalia too before turning to grasp Percy's arms. "Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!"

"Do what?" Percy asked.

"Heroes," Artemis called, bringing our attention back to the gods.

She slid off her chair and as she touched the ground, reverted from her womanly goddess form into human size. She looked now as she did when I first saw her at Maine, a 12-year-old auburn-haired girl dressed in silver. She didn't seem to care that she looked younger than us or was smaller than the gods as she walked towards us, her expression cool and collected. There was no sign of the grieving and battered goddess I saw earlier that night. 

"The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told us. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act." 

There was movement among the gods at that call and I could tell that some were not happy about it. My mother didn't stir so I knew she must have voted for it.