undoing [percy jackson]

ii. sibling banter

ANDROMEDA

Percy's brilliant response to Artemis revealing her identity was to go, "Um...okay."

Grover, on the other hand, gasped and dropped to his knees. "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so...you're so...Wow!"

"Get up, goat boy!" Thalia growled. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!"

"Whoa." Bianca got to her feet. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing kind of hard. "Hold up. Time out. Who...who are you people?"

"It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you?" Artemis asked. "Who are your parents?"

Bianca glanced at Nico. He was openly gaping at Artemis.

"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but..."

She trailed off and looked around at everyone. "What? I'm telling the truth. And how come you're not asking her about her parents?"

She jabbed her finger in Andi's direction and suddenly everyone was looking at Andi now. Her face went bright red. She raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm just as confused as you are!"

It wasn't a total lie. She was still confused as to what she was doing in the Percy Jackson universe or how she got there. She had no idea who her godly parent was and no clue as to whether or not her adoptive family even existed in this universe. Maybe none of this was even real. Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe she'd somehow fallen into a coma and was now imagining what it would be like if she was a demigod.

"You are half-bloods," Zoë said. "One of thy parents were mortal. The other was an Olympian."

Bianca's eyebrows furrowed. "An Olympian...athlete?"

"No," Zoë replied. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" Nico exclaimed.

"No!" Bianca looked like she was seconds away from a panic attack. "This is not cool!"

Nico did not share his sister's worry. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—"

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca snapped. She rubbed her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

Andi frowned, getting to her feet. "Hold on. She," She pointed at Artemis. "She just turned that helicopter into birds. Unless that was some really elaborate magic trick, I'm pretty sure that's proof gods exist." She faltered and looked around at everyone. "We did all see the helicopter turn into birds, right? That wasn't just me?"

Percy snorted. She poked her tongue out at him even though that had been the exact reaction she was hoping for.

"Bianca, I know it's hard to believe," Thalia chimed in. "But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well...Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," Bianca echoed. "Like the girl who fell." Thalia looked away.

"Do not despair for Annabeth," Artemis said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

Percy scowled. "Then why won't you let us go and look for her?"

Artemis shook her head. "She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."

"Ooo!" Nico raised his hand like they were in class. It was absolutely adorable. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"