Dear Secrets, Please Fly Quietly

6) Truth

Apollo galloped- I mean sprinted- through traffic at speeds I only reach when flying. Meaning, at the very least, we were going 4 times the 30 mile an hour speed limit. For those of you who can't multiply, that's a minimum of 120 miles per hour.

We tore down the road, going against traffic because it's more fun that way. After a few minutes, Percy looked down. "Um, I might be the son of Poseidon, but I don't live in the ocean."

Apollo seemed to realize just then he was running on water. He snorted some curse words I didn't need help translating and attempted to make an unnecessary hairpin turn, probably to show how awesome he was. Unfortunately, when you're running on liquid, you can't really slow down and obviously he had to somewhat to turn. In short, Apollo epically failed at his about-face and we all crashed into the icy Atlantic Ocean.

And of course, Poseidon was there. With some current, he pulled me away from Percy and Apollo. Apparently, invisibility wasn't going to help. Maybe Poseidon could just tell where I was by the surrounding waters. Either way, I was dragged under a mossy pavilion, hidden from view. Four black chains snaked around my hands and feet, pinning me under the roof. My watch read 279. 279 seconds until I drowned. I estimated by the sunlight barely visible on my right, I was almost 1,000 feet underwater. Technically it was only 984 feet, 3ish inches, but that was hardly any comfort.

Apollo, having shifted forms again, tried to swim to me, but Poseidon grabbed him by the leg. In a manner I can only describe as extremely painful, he flung the Sun god against one of the pillars that held me. The blow probably broke his neck, but the only visible wound was a curl of golden ichor stemming from Apollo's head. I think he was a little delusional because he grabbed Percy and slammed him against a rock. 'What in Styx are you doing?!' I thought, unable to do much more. 210 seconds.

Every time the demigod tried to get up, Apollo pushed him back. Seeing he wasn't getting anywhere, Percy uncapped Riptide, the pen lengthening to a 3-foot blade. With a smile, the god shoved him and his sword again, this time into the sunny area. The light reflected off the blade directly to the Sun god. He held two small white cubes, both burning with Greek fire. Again, what in Styx?! 177 seconds.

It all clicked together when the water exploded as the freaking Sun chariot came down to Apollo. At the god's silent instruction, the two jet black pegasi blew Greek fire at me, melting the chains. My crazy best friend grabbed me with one hand and Percy with the other, and threw us both into the fiery chariot as its horses flew/swam upward.

We burst onto the beach completely dry. I pushed myself away from the scalding Sun. Percy was near me, coughing up sand. The two pegasi did not appreciate getting wet and they were certainly letting us know. I ignored their angry whinnies and looked at the surface of the water, which Apollo had yet to break. Where was he?

Several intense minutes later, a Golden Retriever came up and dogpaddled over to us, a clear box clenched in his jaws. Shaking the water off his fur, the dog set the box down and transformed into Apollo. "You're welcome, by the way. And you'll never believe what I saw down there."

"What's in the box?" I asked. Percy asked what he had seen at the same time.

"I know you love to hear my answers, but please, only one question at a time."

I rolled my eyes. "Box. What's inside?"

"See for yourself, Hermes."

Finding no lid of lock of any kind, I smashed the glass cube against the first hard object I found. Which happened to be the side of the Sun chariot. Neither Apollo nor his pegasi were happy about that but I didn't care because the box was filled with white feathers. My white feathers. That the Big Three ripped off. Once they were released, my wonderful feathers came flying back and reattached themselves to my feet and wings, respectively. Now I had one working wing on my back and the right wing on the side of my right foot. As a whole, I still couldn't fly, but it was better than nothing.

"Yay! I can kinda sorta fly eventually now!" I said. Turning to Apollo, I asked, "You had more news, don't you? You saw something?"

"Yeah." He said in that tone that means 'and it's bad'.

I frowned. "Only wine and cheese get better with time. So spill it already."

"Poseidon tried to stab me. With his trident."

"Oh." Was all I said.

"What?" Percy asked. So he didn't know.

"Let me bring you into the loop of recent and current events." I pulled him closer. "I was turned mortal because I allegedly stole the Masterbolt, helm of darkness and previously mentioned trident. In one night. But there was no evidence, just that they were all missing at the same time."

"And?" The demigod promoted, nodding.

"They said I would be mortal until they were found and returned. And I haven't done that yet. But Poseidon has his trident for some 'mysterious reason'. A mysterious reason like he never lost it in the first place."

"Can't you tell the Olympians that and become a god again?"

"Even if I did and they believed me, I can't turn back. Ever."

"What? Why?" Apollo asked, rightly confused. I'm usually pretty open with him, but this only two other people knew, obviously neither of which were him. And he's a god so eventually he'll tell the Olympians and that would seal the deal on me never returning to Olympus.

"I can't tell you." I said sadly. Apollo frowned and I sighed. "It's complicated, okay? I might tell you later."

"Might?" He repeated.

"Apollo, please. I need to sort some things out first."

"Could have just not said anything." He mumbled, turning away. The god fed his pegasi more burning sugar cubes and snapped the reins on his Sun chariot. It rocketed back into the sky, carrying him away in a blaze of heat.

Percy and I stood there awkwardly for a while. I took a deep breath and turned to him. "I was never a real god to begin with."