Book Cult (New and Improved)

Leo XI

"Leo XI," Percy began.

Leo scowled and stared up at the cracked ceiling.

Leo Didn't Stick Around After Piper turned beautiful. Sure, it was amazing and all- She's got makeup! It's a miracle!-

"It is a miracle in its own right." Aphrodite giggled. 

"Yeah, she actually managed to look half-way decent." Drew said under her breath.

but Leo had problems to deal with.

"The transportation?" Katie guessed.

Leo, drumming his fingers on his leg, nodded.

He ducked out of the amphitheater and ran into darkness, wondering what he'd gotten himself into.

He stood up in front of a bunch of stronger, braver demigods and volunteered- volunteered- for a mission that would probably get him killed.

"I appreciate you volunteering for me." Nyssa said, Jake nodded his head.

"It was very brave." he said. "I don't know what I would've done if I were you."

Leo shrugged. 

"I did what I had to do." he replied, rummaging through his pockets.

He hadn't mentioned seeing Tia Callida, his old babysitter, but as soon as he'd heard about Jason's vision- the lady in the black dress and shawl- Leo knew it was the same woman.

This earned him sympathetic and pitying looks.

"I'm so sorry." Hermes said sincerely. 

"That must've been so hard." Aphrodite added, hand over her heart.

Thalia grimaced. She could only imagine what her life would be like if Hera raised her.

"I'm surprised you're still alive." Annabeth said, looking at Leo in a whole new light.

Hephaestus glared at Hera. If looks could kill, she would have been vaporized into dust.

"First you ruin my life, now you ruin my son's?" he snarled. *

Hera scowled.

"Why are all of you reacting like this?!" the goddess snapped. "Have you forgotten who I am?!"

She straightened her posture in her chair.

"I am Hera, goddess of marriage, home, and family." she stressed, earning a collective eye roll from the group. "If anyone knows how to raise children, it would be me!"

"Funny, I thought it would be the goddess of motherhood." Artemis said.

"No kidding." Apollo agreed. 

"Don't bring her up in my throne room!" Hera snapped.

She turned to her son.

"And as for you, how dare you accuse me of ruining his life! I trained him to be a warrior; I taught him; I bathed him; I fed him; I was there for all his firsts! So tell me," Hera said, putting her hand under her chin in mock thought. "Where were you?"

The god of fire looked like he'd been slapped.

"Don't talk to me like that in front my children! You know why I couldn't be there." Hephaestus growled.

"Same reason why I couldn't be there." the goddess said, looking unimpressed. "Yet, there I was, watching him blow out the candle on his first birthday."