young god • percy jackson

02: Percy Jackson is Cute Now!

xx

   CHIRON WAS TALL, alarmingly so from where I sat. I offered to walk with him, but Will scolded me across the room. I was on bed rest for the day. Whatever. Apollo brat.

"You were missing during the war," Chiron said simply. "Gaea rose again. The gods battled with their Roman personalities. It's all a bit more complicated than that but either way: You were missing."

"I don't think that's really my fault," I argued. "And besides, it's not like you would have wanted me on your side? Especially after the Battle of Manhattan! Which I wouldn't blame you for. Totally valid."

Chiron studied me, checking for the lie. I smiled impatiently up at the horse man.

"Last thing I remember is my room in Hades. My mom talking to me..." I said, memories rushing up. "We'd just lost...Luke died...Then, nothing."

I sat in silence. Chiron waited.

"I would have...died. She cheated fate by hiding me," I said quietly. "Zeus wanted to punish my mom and myself for siding with Kronos...I...I'm sorry about that by the way. The casualties...I—"

I wasn't really sorry. But since I was here, I figured playing nice was the best option until I knew where to go, what to do and why.

"Hecate cares for you a great deal, Phoenix," the centaur said. "As for siding with Kronos...We hold no grudge here. This is a safe place for demigods, including you."

I lowered my eyes. Images flashing. The illusions I created to distract and confuse demigods. Chills ran up my spine like electricity. The rush of the kill...

I looked up as someone walked in. Gods...it was Percy Jackson. He had been easily swayed by my illusions. He'd gotten cuter since the Battle of Manhattan.

Taller, I think.

Not that I cared.

But damn. He looked good as hell, man. I tell it how it is, okay?

"Chiron. You wanted to see me?" he asked.

"Percy, do you remember Phoenix?" the centaur asked, nodded to me.

He looked over at me. His green eyes met my dark ones. I winked at him.

"No, sir," he said.

He looked...uncomfortable. Oh, he so remembered me. How could he forget! The way I tricked him and his stupid friends. I missed the rush of battle. Bed rest was boring.

"He's a son of Hecate," he explained. He explained the situation and insisted Percy give me a tour tomorrow when Will gave me the okay.

Chiron left, leaving Percy staring down at me. "Gods don't usually raise their kids."

He sounded jealous, maybe.

"No, they don't. I'm not sure why Hecate did that," I admitted. "Or what happened over the last few months, but I'm sorry for what I did in the war."

Percy nodded. I don't think he bought my story, honestly. I wouldn't believe I was sorry, and I doubt he did either. I didn't need his approval though.

My head felt heavy again and before I could react, Will was by my side helping me lay down. The last thing I saw before I slept was Percy staring down at me.

xx

I hated dreams.

In this dream I saw my mother, Persephone and Hades arguing. It's foggy, the memory is blurry, but they were loud. I was spying on them.

It shifts to Persephone tending to her garden. My mother watching from the balcony. I'm helping the Queen of the Underworld, pretty blue flowers in her hands.

Then to Persephone's scream waking me from my sleep in Hades palace.

Then blackness and my mother's voice. "Find her."

xx

I sat up fast, gasping for air.

I felt hot and restless. Dreams left me feeling gross. I got out of the uncomfortable bed and pulled on my shoes. I followed the sounds of the water all the way down to the shore line.

I sat down, creating a magical light source. A golden glowing orb and stared out across the water. The breeze felt good.

I thought about the dream, though I didn't want to.

"Find her," my mother said. Who? Find who?

I shook my head, probably just a dumb dream. I knew I was kidding myself. Not all demigod dreams are prophetic or real. Right? That's what I tried to tell myself, but that didn't last long.

"Can't sleep?" a voice asked behind me.

I jumped, nearly rocketing all the way to Olympus. I placed a hand over my heart. I looked up and saw Percy standing behind me. Looking dumb and cute, as per usual.

"Hi," I said simply.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Go ahead," I said. I didn't really want him here, but near the water...who knows what he could do. It was best to say yes.

He sat down and for a moment we enjoyed the silence. "You feeling better?"

I nodded. "Yeah...I just...a lot on my mind."

"Wanna talk about it?" he asks, playing with a pen in his hands. It had a faint glow to it. It was his sword, Luke had told me all about the blade. How it would reappear in his pocket. It was pretty cool, honestly.

"Weird dreams," I said. "Weird dreams and I'm a little mad at my mom about...well...a lot of things."

I watched the pen in his hand for a moment before looking up at him again. Why was I telling him? Why did he make it so easy to tell him? I tried to force up a wall. I was not going to be this guys friend, no matter how cute he was.

"What's was it like being raised by a goddess?" he asked.

"Interesting, I suppose. She was...strict," I decided. I hesitated for a moment. "Percy, in my dream...I saw Persephone...I think somethings wrong. My mom told me to find her."

Percy looked over at me. "Find Persephone? Is she missing?"

I shook my head. "No idea, but if she is...Demeter is going to plunge us all into a never ending winter until she's found."

This kid wasn't my friend and this camp would never be home, but I valued my own life. Demeter was not a goddess you wanted to mess with. I swallowed hard against my fears of an enteral winter, watching Percy absorb and process that information.

I don't think he trusted me.

"I think Chiron should probably know this," he decided, getting up. He looked at me expectantly so with a sigh, I got up and followed him to the big blue house.