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—IT took five whole painstaking minutes to calm Thalia down from her hysterics, believing her father had just smited them out of Dr. Chase's borrowed car. Trying to convince the girl that Zeus hadn't done it was futile because the god would 100% be the one to sabotage their quest — reasonable excuse or not.
But for the sake of helping Thalia chill out, they had to believe that he didn't do it.
After the daughter of Zeus regained her composure with a stony shake of her head, Zoë led the way through the valley. Soon, they approached a curtain of fog. "We have to be quiet and don't leave my side," Zoë said.
Judith adjusted her arm guard into its regular spot, knowing a fight could spark at any time. On the other side of the fog wall was a clear view of the sunset and mountain top. Her eyes followed the path in front of them through the lush meadow and twilight garden before finally spotting something wildly out of place.
The dragon.
It was lying beneath a tree, abundant in fruit. Judith could feel her mouth water as she looked at them, she hadn't had proper food in a hot minute.
"The apples of immortality," Thalia said. "Hera's wedding gift from Zeus."
"And whose gift was the giant reptile?" Judith muttered.
Zoë glared back at her and Judith just looked away, not in the mood to initiate an argument ( that wasn't true. She wasn't interested in starting one when she couldn't raise her voice ). Then again, she knew her and the Hunter had made incredible progress in the way of hostilities, did she really want to risk it all over something petty? Kind of, she conceded.
Looking away from Zoë tense form, she returned to staring down the sleeping dragon. It had maybe three heads that she could count, plus a few more on the other side of its body where she couldn't see. It could easily be mistaken for a hydra if not for its obvious wings.
Judith went to unsheathe her sword from her belt loops. "I'll take the heads."
Zoë turned around fully now and stopped Judith's action with an open palm. "Do not instigate a fight with it. You will not win."
Judith, having taken this as a challenge, brushed Zoë's hand off and stalked forward with her sword now drawn. She was stopped in her tracks as four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoë. They all wore white Greek chitons and held themselves with poise.
"Sisters," Zoë greeted. Judith scoffed, she could only deal with one Zoë, let alone five.
"We do not see any sister," one of the girls responded coldly. "We see three half-bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."
