Changing the Future

Chapter 53

"What the Hades did you do to her?!" I heard someone scream, causing me to cringe. My head throbbed painfully, like someone had brought a sledge hammer against my temples and tried to split my skull open.

"Oh, stop your complaints. I didn't do anything to harm her."

"You just shot the Master Bolt at Andy! I seriously doubt that's not harming her!" someone else shouted.

I don't know how, but I managed to open my eyes, flinching away from the brightness of the throne room. Although my arms were felt as solid as Jell-O, I pushed myself upright, ignoring my body's protests from the minimal movement. Was it just me, or was time suddenly moving much slower?

And before you ask, no, I wasn't doing anything. It's not like I could've manipulated time at the moment, anyways, not unless I wanted to pass out again.

"Ugh, my head," I groaned, screwing my eyes shut and keeping my head tucked against my chest. "What happened?"

"I told you I didn't hurt her!" Zeus said, though the relief in his voice was completely palpable. Had he zapped me with his symbol of power without knowing what would happen? My gods, I knew my request would anger him, but a near murder seems a little too much, don't you think?

And that made me wonder if the gods had ever gotten to Percy's request. If my request had earned me a near death experience, I was terrified to see how they were going to react to Percy's. Even though the world was still spinning and there was no way I could stand up without falling back down, I fiddled with one of my charms, prepared to leap in front of Percy the way Athena had done for me if it came to that.

Then I felt someone throw their arms over my shoulders, burying their face into the crook of my neck. I began patting their back awkwardly, unsure of how to react to the, "Thank Olympus that you're safe."

Wasn't it just because of Olympus that I just became a human lightning rod?

"Get off of her, brother," I heard Artemis say, and despite my eyes still being closed, I could still see the scowl she was wearing. "This is extremely unbecoming of you."

"I don't care," he pouted like a petulant child, tightening his grip on me so that I could feel his fingers digging into my flesh. Not the most pleasant feeling. Apollo pulled away, and I felt him brush some of my mangled curls, which were probably sticking up around me like a lion's mane, out of my face, his touch impossibly delicate.

"Hey, you," Apollo said softly, barely above a whisper. "I'm glad you're alive. For a moment...well, I don't mean to be a Debby downer, but..."

"I should be dead," I said bluntly, finally opening my eyes, keeping them open this time. I suddenly realized that it had been Apollo's eyes I'd seen right before I passed out. Speaking of which, my friends were probably worried, but to my surprise, when I looked around, the throne room was empty except for me and the rest of the Olympians. "Where is everyone?"

"The party ended ages ago," Mr. D said with a grunt, haphazardly turning the page of his wine catalog. "Those brats should be back at camp by now."

"Dionysus," Athena said in an annoyed voice, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her Aegis.

"Yeah, yeah." Mr. D waved off the goddess of wisdom's warning, enthralled about this month's featured wine: Pinot Noir.

"Anyhow," Apollo said, clearing his throat and grabbing my attention. "After Father tried to kill you-"

"That was not my intention!"

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Father. Anyways, the Fates stopped us from sending you with Hades to the Underworld, of course, as a resident this time, not a servant. We'd thought that all the life had been drained from you, courtesy of one Master Bolt, but the Fates assured us that you were asleep and that we were to keep an eye on you until you woke up."