𝑾𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔－ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝑻𝒆𝒏

I 010. I

𝑾𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔

❝ hyperion ❞

ARIADNE WAS GIVEN THE GOOD NEWS. Annabeth would make it, she just needed some nectar and ambrosia and rest. That was okay for the brunette, enough for her to breathe a bit better knowing her friend wouldn't die.

Back at the Plaza, Thalia and Ariadne pulled Percy aside. "What did Prometheus show you?"

Reluctantly, Percy told them about the vision of May Castellan's house. Thalia rubbed her thigh like she was remembering the old wound. Ariadne's eyebrows furrowed.

"That was a bad night," Thalia admitted. "Annabeth was so little, I don't think she really understood what she saw. She just knew Luke was upset."

Ariadne looked out the hotel windows at Central Park. Small fires were still burning in the north, but otherwise the city seemed naturally peaceful.

Percy did the same as her. "Do you know what happened to May Castellan? I mean—"

"I know what you mean," Thalia said. "Do you know what happened to May Castellan? I mean—"

"I know what you mean," Thalia said. "I never saw her have an, um, episode, but Luke told me about the glowing eyes, the strange things she would say. He made me promise never to tell. What caused it, I have no idea. If Luke knew, he never told me."

"Hermes knew," Percy said. "Somebody caused May to see parts of Luke's future, and Hermes understood what would happen—how Luke would turn into Kronos."

Thalia frowned. "You can't be sure if that. Remember Prometheus was manipulating what you saw, Percy, showing you what happened in the worst possible light. Hermes did love Luke. I could tell just by looking at his face. And Hermes was there that night because he was checking up in May, taking care of her. He wasn't all bad."

"It's still not right," Percy insisted. "Luke was just a little kid. Hermes never helped him, never stopped him from running away.

Thalia shouldered her bow. Again it struck Ariadne how much stronger she looked now that she'd stopped aging. You could almost see a silvery glow around her—the blessing of Artemis.

"Perc," Ariadne said, "you can't start feeling sorry for Luke. We all have tough things to deal with. All demigods do. Our parents are hardly ever around. But Luke made bad choices. Nor body forced him to do that. In fact—"

She glanced down the hallway to make sure they were alone. Thalia took up from there. "I'm worried about Annabeth. If she has to face Luke in battle, I don't know if she can do it. She's always had a soft spot for him."