Andy Jackson: Child of Land & Sea

And With Great Courage

Act III — Deep Blue Sea

Part X — But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part. For a hero's strength is measured by his heart.

The party went on for hours. Gods kept coming to congratulate Andy and she was left in awe, with nothing to say back to them. What shocked her most was to see Dionysus with beautiful Ariadne by his side—the guy was genuinely happy!

Then Poseidon came over. "You won't let me down, I hope," he said, but he smiled too.

As did Andy. "I promise," she said.

"You've done well." The praise made her uneasy, but it also felt good. "But your friend, Luke, once promised things like that. He was Hermes's pride and joy. Bear that in mind, Andy. Even the bravest can fall."

Andy nodded. "He's dead now."

"No," Poseidon corrected. "He is not. I have seen it. He sails from San Francisco with the remains of Kronos. He will retreat and regroup before assaulting you again. I will do my best to destroy his boat with storms, but he is making alliances with my enemies, the older spirits of the ocean. They will fight to protect him."

Andy stared at her father. "How can he be alive? That fall—"

Poseidon seemed troubled. "I don't know. But beware of him. He is more dangerous than ever. And the golden coffin is still with him, still growing in strength."

"What about Atlas?" Andy asked. "What's to prevent him from escaping again? Couldn't he force someone to take the sky for him?"

Poseidon snorted in derision. "If it were so easy, he would've escaped long ago. No, child. The curse of the sky can only be forced upon a Titan, one of the children of Gaia and Ouranos. Anyone else must choose to take the burden of their own free will. Only a hero, someone with strength, a true heart, and great courage, would do such a thing. No other would dare."

"Luke did it," Andy said. "He let Atlas go."

"Yes," Poseidon pondered. "Luke is... an interesting case. There is something about that boy we don't understand." Poseidon changed the subject then and, with a few more words of praise, he was gone.

Andy was about to search the crowd for her friends, when another voice called her back. "Your father takes a great risk, you know." Andy turned and was face-to-face with Athena. She tried to say her name without resent, but failed. "Do not judge me too harshly, half-blood," the goddess said. "Wise counsel is not always popular, but I spoke the truth. You are dangerous."

"That's all I am? A risk?"

"You may perhaps be useful. Yet... your fatal flaw may destroy us as well as yourself."

"What—"

Athena looked almost sorry for her. "Kronos knows your flaw, even if you don't. He knows how to study his enemies, Andy. How has he manipulated you? He took your mother. He took your satyr. He took my son..." She paused, disapproving. "Your loved ones have been used to lure you into Kronos's traps. You love too much, too deep, child. You don't know when it is time to cut your losses. For love, you would sacrifice the world. In a hero of the prophecy, that is very, very dangerous."

"I won't apologize for caring."

Athena crossed her arms. Her gray eyes were stormy. "I never expected you to. Aphrodite, too, never apologized for the horrible things that happened in the name of love. She'll tell you that a hero's strength is measured by his heart." Athena shook her head.