Everlasting Promises

Chapter 6

Artemis

Artemis was surprised to see Percy Jackson on Olympus. Didn't he have things to do? Such as snogging that Daughter of Athena, and teaching the campers how to fight with a sword. However, after all this commotion, she began to suspect that something was badly out of place. She frowned slightly, wondering what he would ask of the gods. Maybe he wants godhood now? Which means he probably dumped Annabeth. I'm not surprised, men are always like that. Even Percy Jackson. Artemis thought. She looked at her relatives faces, each of them had varying emotions written all over their faces. The ones that interested her the most was Poseidon, who looked at him with confusion, Aphrodite, who was staring at him, but instead of staring at him in a 'Oh my gods, he's hot' way, she was staring at him glumly and sadly. That surprised me. Athena was looking at him with utter surprise, and Hestia, who was looking rather downcast. She couldn't help but notice that his face looked terrible. It seemed as if he had aged a thousand years since she last saw him, when he was hugging Thalia with a sparkle in his eyes. Now, his eyes were red rimmed and raw, and mashed with emotions of pain, hate, anger, and resentment.

Perseus knelt at Zeus's feet and they began talking, with Zeus asking the customary question. Then Percy said that he had a favor that Zeus might actually like. The only thing I can think of that would make my father happy is killing a son of Poseidon or Hades… I thought dryly. Percy spoke, then halted. I saw Hestia staring at him, and I could feel the powers of persuasion she was using. I gave a mental snort. Percy's mind was far too strong to be affected at that distance. I caught an intense look between Hestia and Zeus. Zeus gave the slightest of a nod, and asked Perseus, surprisingly kind.

"Well? What is it? He asked.

Percy took a deep breath. I knew that whatever he was going to say was going to be big.

"Kill me." Was all he said.

All of us jerked backwards in shock. That was not what any of us was expecting. Athena was the first to recover.

"What? You want to die? Are you insane? What about Annabeth? Does that mean you dumped her?" Athena screeched like an owl.

With her trained eye, Artemis instantly knew that Athena had hit a very sore spot. Every muscle in Percy's body tensed and his eyes glowed.

"I…me… I dump Annabeth? Are you kidding me?  SHE DUMPED ME! Haven't you been checking up on your kids' lives, Athena?" He choked and roared out.

Athena looked as if someone had just attacked her throne. "Annabeth cheat on you? She'd never do that!" she yelled.

"Then kindly explain to me what the Hades is she doing in Greece, rebuilding your Parthenon with her mortal boyfriend?" Percy bellowed straight back.

"You're lying. There is no way Annabeth would be that … stupid." She said.

"Tell me, Athena, when was the last time you checked up on Annabeth and the others?" he growled.

"Um, two weeks after you left, when she asked me where you were." Athena mumbled.

"Yeah? Any other time? " He asked.

"No…" Athena muttered.

"I see you still don't believe me. Alright. Fine." He turned to Hermes and Demeter. "Lord Hermes and Lady Demeter, would you please be so kind as to talk to your cabin counselors and ask them what they saw about Annabeth when I was gone?" He said politely.

They nodded, still shocked, and disappeared in a flash of light. Percy turned to Ares. "Ares, go ask Clarisse, she was the one that told me about it." Percy grumbled. Ares just stared at him, until Zeus cleared his throat. Ares nodded and disappeared too. Artemis looked around, and found all of her colleagues still in a bit of a shock. Athena seemed dumbfounded, which was saying something. Artemis herself was deeply surprised, thought she decided to withhold judgment until Hermes, Demeter and Ares came back.