Percy Jackson, Son of Olympus, The Titan's Curse

| Chapter VIII || The Sun's a Maserati |

*December 15 XXXX*

*Percy's Point of View*

***

Dawn was coming, though you couldn't easily tell. The night was colder and the sky darker and the ground snowier than ever. Above us, on the isolated hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless.

They didn't seem to have sent any search parties out yet. Maybe they hadn't noticed that we were missing yet – the di Angelos, Dr. Thorn, and Mrs. Gottschalk had entirely vanished from their building. Good thing, too, because I didn't want to be around when they finally did. With my luck, someone would remember my face, or whatever, and give a description and I'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt...again. They probably still hadn't gotten over the last time. (Uncle Hades would never let me live it down, either.)

The Hunters broke camp quickly, like always. In my new parka, I was toasty warm, and they;d even provided me with new socks and winter boots. I stood next to Artemis, who was stalk still, her eyes set on the eastern horizon.

It was winter, so her brother was late again, obviously. I could tell she was annoyed – if not by the incessant tapping of her foot – by the crinkle in her brow and the subtle pout puckering her lips.

Bianca sat off to one side with Nico, and by the gloomy expression he wore, I could tell that she was telling him about her decision. I kind of felt bad for the poor kid, but after so many years of taking care of him, Bianca had the right to make a choice for herself. Sure, she wouldn't see him often, but she could always visit, and they could send Iris messages, and she could tell him all about her amazing, dangerous adventures with the Hunters. Besides, he'd have plenty of people to take care of him at camp – I knew that – so they each would have their own family. He would understand one day; I was sure of it.

And yet, I felt a bubble of guilt rise in my chest. I'd been a part of convincing her to join them, after all. I briefly wondered how Tyson would react if I told him I wouldn't be visiting anymore. He's gotten a job in the forges with dad, sure, but I always visited him when I could. How would he feel if I just never went back? Probably horrible.

I shoved down the guilt. I told Bianca everything; we gave her a choice. She's old enough to make it for herself. Besides, while Artemis had taken in male Hunters before, none of them had ended well - which was one of the only reasons she didn't take me in and make me immortal (even though that would solve the whole "Poseidon breaking the oath and me being the child of the prophecy" thing.). That, and the fact that the Fates said I couldn't be killed, or made immortal. Thanks a lot, Fates.

On the other side of me, a little way off, Grover and Thalia were huddled together – Thalia was still a bit annoyed at me for one reason or another. As I'd left the tent, they'd crowded me, anxious to hear about what happened. When I'd told them, Grover had turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go so well."

"Come on, G-man. It was only a few cabins. Besides, I heard that they were due for an upgrade anyway," I'd replied jokingly.

Neither he nor Thalia had thought it was very funny.

"How could you convince Bianca to join the Hunters, anyway?" Thalia then demanded. (Maybe I shouldn't have told her about that bit - not that I'd actually been a deciding factor.) "She's just abandoning her brother now. It's your fault – and Zoë's. That stuck-up, no good—!"

"Hey! Wait a minute! Zoë is awesome! She's like...the sister I never had, so don't you go talking bad about her," I'd interrupted. Zoë could fight her own battles, but I'd felt a surge of anger flowing through me. Thalia was the stuck-up one. What even happened between those two, anyway?