The Titan's Curse [Book Three]

Advice On Love.

     Reagan always thought that if she ever got to meet Aphrodite, she'd be smoother and cooler.

"Ah, there you are, Reagan," she said as the half-blood slipped into the seat across from her. "I'm Aphrodite."

Instead of saying something cool, Reagan's mind went blank. "I'm Reagan." Gods, Aphrodite already knew that!

The goddess smiled. "You're a cutie. Hold this, please."

     Reagan was handed a mirror the size of a plate and held it up as Aphrodite leaned forward to inspect her reflection. Though she wasn't sure what imperfection was on Aphrodite's face. It was flawless, and beautiful. Her eyes sucked Reagan in enticingly. Reagan wanted to give the world to Aphrodite, but she was certain that the goddess could take the world if she pleased. Who could say no to her?

"Do you know why you're here?" Aphrodite asked eventually.

Reagan blinked from her daze. "I'm....I'm not sure," she answered.

"Oh, dear," the goddess said. "Still in denial?"

     The half-blood blinked in confusion, and Ares could be heard chuckling from outside. For some reason, Reagan flushed with embarrassment, the fog clearing from her mind.

"What are you talking about?"

     The Goddess of Love sighed and straightened out the red satin dress she wore, fixing her curly hair in the mirror. Reagan could've sworn she was looking at Annabeth, and in another second she was looking at Emily, the girl who she met in the hospital that had given her the now enchanted silver ring.

"Why are you on this quest?" she asked instead.

"Artemis was captured...and we're going west to rescue her," Reagan answered, though she wasn't sure anymore. There was something missing. Something important.

"Oh, please," Aphrodite scoffed while rolling her eyes. "Talk about a hopeless case. I mean, if they wanted to capture someone, it should be someone breathtakingly beautiful, don't you think? I pity the poor dears who have to hold her prisoner. Bo-ring!"

"She was chasing a monster!" Reagan exclaimed. "A really dangerous monster that we need to kill!"

     She gently touched Reagan's hand to guide the mirror up, and the Demigod felt a jolt of energy tingle her very being. A dark blush came to her cheeks.

"That's what the other's are on the quest for," said Aphrodite. "I'm more interested on why you're on this quest."

The goddess glanced past the mirror slightly, and their eyes met before she returned to dabbing at the corner of her eye to fix her mascara. Reagan's heart pounded, her palms sweating so much she was scared that she'd drop the mirror, but she couldn't find it in herself to lie to Aphrodite.

"Annabeth is in trouble."

Aphrodite beamed, and Reagan felt the urge to want to make her smile more. "Exactly!"

"She's alive, and I know it," Reagan continued. "I-I has this dream about her and-"

"Oh, you even dream about her? That's so cute!"

"No, no!" The Demigod said quickly, her face even darker now if that was possible. "It's not like that-"

"A story of true love!" the goddess swooned. "These Hunter's are so boring! I say forget about them and Artemis and this foolish quest! But a quest for true love-"

"Woah, wait-"

"I overheard that conversation you had with my daughter, Silena-"

"What?!"

     Everything was happening so fast, she was starting to lose track of when one topic of conversation begins and the other ends.

"You do know that Annabeth was close to joining the Hunters, right?" Suddenly the blush disappeared, anger flashing dangerously in her eyes. Aphrodite smiled. "Oh, you do look like Ares like that!"

Reagan ignored that last part about looking like her dad. "Yeah, I had a-"

"She was so close to throwing her life away, and here you are to stop her! How romantic!"

"Uh-"

"Oh, you can put the mirror down now, dear."

     When Reagan lowered her arms, they burned. She rubbed them absently.

"Now listen, Reagan," Aphrodite said and leaned forward. "Forget about Artemis and this monster. Just concentrate on finding and saving Annabeth."

Reagan's eyes widened. "Do you know where she is?"

She waved her hand irritably. "No, I leave all the details do you. But it's been ages since there's been a good tragic love story."

"Okay, first of all," Reagan began, anger and annoyance bubbling in her voice. "There's no love here, and second, what the hell do you mean by tragic?!"

"Love conquers all," Aphrodite promised. "Just look at Helen and Troy. Did they let anything get in their way?"

"No," Reagan agreed slowly. "But didn't they start a war and get thousands of people killed?"

"Pfft. That's not the point. Follow your heart."

Reagan frowned and looked down, lacing her fingers together. "I'm...not sure where my heart is going right now," she confessed quietly.

Aphrodite smiled sympathetically, and Reagan's heart did somersaults in her chest. She wasn't just physically beautiful, but she truly believed in love. It was hard for Reagan to not get excited now that it had been brought up. Silena was the first person that Reagan ever vocalized her feelings about Annabeth to. However, she didn't feel any excitement then. It was hard not to get excited about love when you're talking to the Goddess of Love, after all.

"Not knowing is half the fun," she responded. "Exquisitely painful, isn't it? Not knowing who you love or who loves you. Oh, you kids! It's so cute I'm going to cry."

"No! Please, don't cry," Reagan said quickly without even realizing it. She didn't want to see the goddess cry.

"Oh, and don't think I'm going to make this easy on you! I have some wonderful surprises in store for you!"

Reagan really didn't want that either. "Please, don't go through all that trouble just for me."

The goddess smiled. "You're just so cute! I wish all my daughters could break your heart!" Her eyes teared up. "Now you must go. And do be careful in my husband's  territory, Reagan. Don't pick anything up. He's awfully protective of his trinkets and trash."

"This junkyard belongs to Hephaestus?"

     As she nodded, the car door opened and her dad reached in, grabbed her by her leather jacket, and hauled her out.

"You're lucky, kid," he said, shoving her away from the limousine. "Be grateful."

She stared up at him with wide eyes, and to both of their surprises, she nodded. "I-I am." He nodded, and as he was about to climb into the car, she stopped him. "D-Dad?"

"What is it?" He paused, his head turning to look at her.

She stammered to say something- anything. Would an apology suffice?

"I'm sorry-"

He shook his head to stop her. "Just don't embarrass me again."

     The tone of his voice was threatening and final, causing the color to drain from her face.

Reagan nodded hastily. "Yes, Da- Sir."

     He nodded and got into the car, and in a flash of light it vanished, ghost town and all, leaving Reagan and her friends in the middle of the junkyard that belonged to a god.