Chapter 1

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Percy

The Fates must really hate him.

He doesn't see what he's done to earn their disdain. He has followed the path they've laid out for him, even when he just wants to take a break. He's defeated everything they've thrown at him. He never insulted them or attacked them or disrespected them.

So why do they still insist on bothering him?

Maybe it's the gods. All of his problems have come from them—Kronos, Gaea, everything in between. Sure, he's pissed off a lot of them just by being himself, though for the most part, the Olympians are to blame. But when have they ever fixed things on their own?

His name is Percy Jackson. You may have heard of him. He never asked to be a demigod, but that's just how his life worked out. His destiny has been set. Percy is the son of Poseidon, he fights monsters, and apparently his kind aren't the only ones out there with powers and a penchant for saving the world.

Ω

"What's the plan for today?" Percy Jackson's wonderful girlfriend, Annabeth Chase, asked as they walked through Manhattan.

The two of them had finished their last year of high school and were now happily enjoying summer break. They had immediately returned to Long Island and spent a few weeks at Camp Half-Blood before going to Manhattan to stay with Percy's mom, step-dad, and new baby sister Estelle.

"Uh, whatever you want to do until seven, then we have to babysit Estelle for Mom and Paul," He told her and smiled. "We could watch The Little Mermaid."

Annabeth beamed. "Sounds like a great night. But for now . . . Walk along the Williamsburg Bridge?"

Percy kissed her softly. "Sounds good to me."

They continued on their way through the busy city streets, basking in the glorious sun. Apollo had been celebrating ever since he became a god again so there was rarely a day without a bright sky.

As they walked, they talked about the upcoming school year. They would both be starting college finally, with Percy at New Rome University and Annabeth at UC Berkeley. He would have liked them to be in the same place, but at least they were close enough that they would be able to see each other often.

Annabeth squeezed Percy's hand, drawing him from his thoughts and making him look at her. "I hate to ruin this moment, but I have to ask. How are you doing? About . . . Jason." She bit her lip.

Percy sighed, memories of his friend flashing through his mind. "Getting better. I miss him. And it's not that you and Nico and Grover and Thalia and the rest of the Seven don't get it, it's just . . . he was the only other child of the Big Three who really understood, you know? He and I . . . we both had a lot of people looking up to us. We felt responsible. But now he's gone and I just feel lost sometimes."

Annabeth rubbed Percy's back soothingly. "I know, Percy. But you'll always have me. And someday it'll get easier."

"I know," he said. "I thank the gods every day for you."

She laughed. "Good. If you didn't, I'm sure my mom would go back to hating you."

"Hey, don't joke about that!" Percy warned her. "If she hears you, she will."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and pulled Percy along. They followed the throng of people crossing the bridge. It seemed like they weren't the only ones taking advantage of the nice weather. The two of them stopped halfway across the bridge, leaning against the railing and appreciating the beautiful day. The smell of the water filled Percy's nose, putting him at ease. Annabeth leaned into his side, her familiar warmth calming him even more.

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