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Chapter Text

The smell of salt hit Hades before he even saw the temple. He had been sure that his brother flashed to his own temple when he left the hall. Hades had made his way over a bit slower, just to give Poseidon a second to himself. If he had to guess, it probably took him half of the break time just to get to the temple. Oh well, Zeus will just have to get over starting later. 

Hades walked up the stairs and to the temple door, pillars on either side. The pillars were lined with seashells, and the curves of the shells glinted faintly in the light. A soft mist remained constant at the entrance, cooling Hades down. Hades sighed heavily, before knocking softly on the door. He was not prepared to have a conversation with Poseidon about such a sensitive topic. 

The door slowly creaked open, allowing Hades inside. Poseidon was nowhere to be seen. Hades walked into the temple, his footsteps echoing in the room with an arched ceiling, which was painted with constellations that sailors prayed to. A fountain was in the center of the room, with water pouring out of it endlessly. Intricate carvings of all types of sea creatures were along the fountain’s rim. As he walked around the fountain, Hades found Poseidon standing quietly on the other side, hidden from those who may enter the temple. Hades stopped and stood at the fountain, waiting for Poseidon to start the conversation. 

Poseidon had been staring at the fountain, watching the water ripple over the carvings of dolphins, sharks, and hippocampi. His hands were empty, arms by his sides. His eyes looked lifeless, not a spark in them. This was very uncommon for Poseidon. He looked as though he was grieving. 

“Hades,” Poseidon greeted him, voice low. Poseidon met Hades’ eyes with unshed tears. His son was going to die. His child had seen his own thread cut. Poseidon took a shaky breath, trying to stop the spiral that was once again trying to surge forth. 

Hades moved to the spot right next to Poseidon, so close that their shoulders barely brushed each other. He couldn’t find any words to say, so he decided to support Poseidon with his presence. 

“My son is my pride and joy,” Poseidon started sadly. “I can’t lose him.” 

“And you won’t,” Hades finally found words, but these words made him wince. In just the first entry of the journal he had sent a Fury after the boy. He was bound to send another monster or two after this child. How could Hades even convince Poseidon that Percy will be fine if he is sending monsters after the child. 

Poseidon sent a quick glance at his brother. “You sound so sure, and yet you were the one to send a Kindly One after him.” 

“Percy defeated Alecto with no training. He is strong and he will survive.” Hades said in assurance, hoping to gloss over the Fury thing quickly. “This was just a warning for your son. A word of caution to him so that he keeps his guard up.” 

“He won’t know it’s a warning if he knows nothing about our world,” Poseidon said bitterly. Everything seems to be against his son. While Poseidon does not want his son involved in the world now that Zeus is missing his bolt, Percy was clearly being introduced unwillingly. He was slowly getting more and more experiences with the Greek world, and he needed to start training to be able to protect himself. 

“He will soon know.” Hades confirmed, hoping that this was true. It was about time for Percy to learn who his father was, who his family was. Percy needed to know now, especially because of the prophecy. 

Poseidon stood there silently, thinking over what they had discussed. Hades was right, Percy was a strong child. However, Poseidon being his father was not going to make his life easy. He didn’t see how Percy would survive any of this, and how he would overcome the obstacles ahead of him. 

“There are four other journals of your son’s adventures from what I understand. He is nowhere close to dying,” Hades continued, trying to get his point across. Poseidon thought about what Hades was saying, about how there are more journals. He sighed heavily, dragging a hand down the side of his face, letting his nails softly scrape down his cheek. He did not respond, instead letting the conversation die out like a wave crashing and receding.  

The brothers stood silently, watching as the water rippled over the fountain. The drip-drops of water were loud in their presence. Poseidon leaned toward Hades, pressing his shoulder into Hades in thanks, glad that someone had come to talk to him. 

“Hades,” Poseidon started, fully turning to look at Hades. “Why do you think you sent the Fury?” Poseidon clenched his fist, trying to suppress his protectiveness. The Fury was gone, Percy had defeated it. Poseidon had taken an Oath to punish Hades should Percy get injured. He didn’t though. Percy was physically okay after the fight. He could not punish Hades now, since the Oath he took did not hold him to it. However, Poseidon really needed to approach this topic with Hades. He needed a possible reason. 

Hades grimaced, thinking about what to say. His missing Helm was a secret, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted Poseidon to know. “All I know is that I have not sent the Fury as of this time,” was all he responded with. 

Poseidon closed his eyes, hearing a wave crash in his head. The fountain’s water gushed forth with a strength, and the ground shook just the tiniest bit. “I really need to understand. I don’t right now. I hope you will explain it to me later.” Poseidon countered, before opening his eyes. He worked to restrain his anger, once again, and took a deep breath. He turned back to the fountain as the water weakened. 

“Thank you for coming, brother,” Poseidon told Hades, nodding his head in acknowledgement. “Thank you for your words.”

Hades glanced at Poseidon, nodding back to his brother. They stood watching the fountain for a little longer, before Hades shook himself out of a trance that the water put him in. “I guess it is time to head back to the throne room,” Hades said, looking to see how Poseidon reacted. Poseidon just tensed at the mention before closing his eyes, accepting that his son will be in danger again. 

“I guess you are right,” Poseidon started to say. Then he smirked, “But let’s take the long way.” 

Hades smirked back, agreeing to take longer by walking back instead of flashing. Together, the two gods walked back to the throne room. 

As Hades and Poseidon walked into the throne room, they noticed that the others were all there. Hestia was holding the book, and Hephaestus was busy with his tinkering. Demeter was sitting on her throne leaning her head back, looking bored. Hermes and Apollo were talking quietly to each other about what they’ve read so far. Artemis was sharpening her bow at her throne. Athena was by her throne flipping through the other journals. She seemed frustrated, but neither of the gods were sure why. Dionysus was sitting in his throne sipping a diet coke, chin leaning into his hand. Ares was next to Aphrodite’s throne as they conversed with each other, also about what they had read. 

Hera and Zeus were sitting in their own thrones, backs straight. “You are late!” Zeus thundered when Poseidon and Hades walked in. 

“Oh well!” Hades shrugged, settling back in his own throne. Apollo and Hermes snickered while watching. Ares turned from his discussion, looking to see the fight that might happen. 

“We’re back now, so we can continue,” Poseidon said, returning to his throne as well. He was in no mood to start a fight with his brother. 

“I said 10 minutes! It’s been longer than that.” Zeus growled, continuing. 

Poseidon turned tensely to his younger brother, grabbing his trident. “Well, excuse me for needing the break. My son was just shown his fate.” 

“Zeus, let’s just continue to read.” Hades said. Zeus was deleting all his work he just did in getting Poseidon to return. 

Zeus just grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He had punished others for less, but here his brothers were ignoring the rules he set. 

Hestia grabbed the book, opening up to the third entry. “Well, if everyone is set,” she said, glancing around the room for nods. When everyone nodded, she settled down by her hearth, took a deep breath and read “Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants.” 

Confession time: I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal. 

Artemis frowned. Of course the boy ditched the satyr after promising to go home with him. Boys always betray others. She couldn’t help but think about her own hunters, and how they have been betrayed by the opposite gender. 

I know, I know. It was rude. 

“At least he knows that,” Hera grumbled, crossing her arms. The child really should have stayed with the satyr. 

But Grover was freaking me out, looking at me like I was a dead man, 

“I would also leave if someone was looking at me like that,” Hephaestus mumbled, sliding the screwdriver he was using into his pocket while sighing. The satyr seemed as though he needed more training on how to be a keeper. 

muttering “Why does this always happen?” and “Why does it always have to be sixth grade?” 

Zeus breathed in heavily, before releasing a heavy sigh. The satyr was clearly referencing what had happened to his daughter, Talia. His fists clenched, brows furrowed. He was still upset with Hades about this situation. Those monsters should have never been sent after her. His glare settled on his eldest brother, who met Zeus’ eyes. 

The other Olympians glanced at the god, wondering if they should say something. 

Hades glared back, daring his brother to say something. That only happened to Talia because of what Zeus did to Maria and their children. 

Hestia quickly read on, hoping to move past this. 

Whenever he got upset, Grover’s bladder acted up, so I wasn’t surprised when, as soon as we got off the bus, he made me promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. Instead of waiting, I got my suitcase, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown. 

“I don’t blame the kid. The satyr was being weird,” Ares commented. 

“East One-hundred-and-fourth and First,” I told the driver. 

Poseidon glared at everyone, daring them to say anything about learning the address. They better not end up at his son’s living place. 

A word about my mother, before you meet her. 

Everyone straightened up, wondering about the woman who caught the Sea God’s attention. 

Her name is Sally Jackson and she’s the best person in the world, which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, 

Zeus decided to ignore the eyes that were on him. Not every plane crash was because of him. 

and she was raised by an uncle who didn’t care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, 

Athena perked up, interested that the woman that Poseidon cared for wanted to write a novel. 

so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. 

The Wisdom Goddess was nodding her head, appreciating the fact that Sally worked for her own education. She really respected that. 

Then her uncle got cancer, 

Apollo winced at that illness. He hated it. It was seen as a divine intervention if he himself cured anyone of it. It was never seen as a reliable medical treatment. He wished he could do more about it. 

and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma. 

“She sounds like a good person who got hit hard,” Hestia said sadly. She wished that Sally had an easier life growing up and wished that she was able to get her degree and write that novel. 

The only good break she ever got was meeting my dad. 

Poseidon smiled softly, thinking about how he met Sally. She was beautiful, and her eyes sparkled like the ocean as she stood in the sand, staring at the waves crashing. Poseidon had been walking along the coast and saw her there, and he just knew he needed to learn more about this woman. Ultimately, he fell in love and had Percy with her. She gave him his son. 

Aphrodite was watching Poseidon closely, smiling softly. She was glad to see that he still had feelings for the woman that had his son. Sometimes the Olympians had children with people that they did not care for. It was clear that this was not the situation between Poseidon and Sally. 

I don’t have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. 

“You visited him?” Demeter asked. 

“Just the once,” Poseidon responded, keeping an eye on Zeus. He knew it was against the rules, but he had needed to see his son the one time. 

Zeus slowly turned to his brother, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I had thought you followed the rules,” Zeus started. “But now I see that you ignored them in favor of visiting your child.” His eyes narrowed, thinking of a good punishment for his brother.

“Brother,” Psoeidon started, turning to Zeus. 

“Do not brother me!” Zeus snapped, lightning flashing. “You went to the children when it was forbidden.” 

“I did not reveal myself. I only looked upon him,” Poseidon evenly explained. 

“Yet he remembers,” Zeus sneered. “You put Olympus at risk with our sentimentality.” 

“He is my son. I will not pretend he does not exist.” 

“You should.” Zeus sid, narrowing his eyes. “He will not be safe. Not from monsters, not from prophecies, not from my wrath.” 

A trident was swung toward Zeus’ throat before anyone could react. The three prongs pressed closer, drawing golden blood from the god it pressed into. Sea-green, narrowed eyes flashed behind the trident, blue veins pulsing in the Sea God’s arm. 

“You just try it,” Poseidon said softly, pressing the trident even closer. “Just try it and see where it gets you.” 

Zeus met Poseidon’s eyes, seeing waves crash down as they flashed. He could see that his brother was not in the mood for this argument. He will bring it back later. 

Silence fell as the other Olympians watched the two powerful gods stare each other down. 

Poseidon slowly lowered his trident down, seeing the fight leave Zeus’ eyes. He turned toward Hestia, nodding at her to continue with the journal. No one said anything as Zeus’ throat healed quickly from the prongs that poked into it. 

My mom doesn’t like to talk about him because it makes her sad. 

Poseidon grimaced, wishing he could support the mother of his child more. He wished that she had allowed him to do more in their lives after Percy was born. 

She has no pictures. 

See, they weren’t married. She told me he was rich and important, 

“Well, she’s not wrong there,” Apollo commented, smirking at the Sea God. 

and their relationship was a secret. 

The Sea God winced, remembering how he had snuck around at that time to meet with Sally. Aphritrite had known something was happening, but she never had found out exactly what. She had been very suspicious. 

Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important journey, and he never came back. 

The Olympians were silenced for not the first time while they were reading. 

“She is very clever,” Athena finally commented. It made sense in hindsight, but she knew many mortals would not have come up with the very obvious idea to tell their child. 

Poseidon hummed in agreement, remembering all the different times that Sally had conveyed how clever she really was to him. She was truly a gift. He had always called her a goddess among mortals. 

Lost at sea, my mom told me. Not dead. Lost at sea. 

Apollo glanced at his twin, seeing Artemis’ reaction. Artemis had glinting eyes, a smirk resting on her face. He could tell that this mortal woman had made the goddess proud. 

She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me on her own. She never complained or got mad. Not even once. But I knew I wasn’t an easy kid. 

Hera sat in her throne contemplating what was just read. This woman sounded like a great mother who always supports her child. She never gets mad at him and always makes sure he is well. She thought about her own children, and how she treats them. She allows her own anger to guide her hand. She admits that her pride and jealousy will get the better of her. Has she overlooked the tenderness that should come from a mother? Her eyes found Hephaestus who was working on one of his projects, while she thought. She settled back down in her throne, pushing her doubts to the side to continue this reading. 

Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, 

Dionysus sat up straight. This is the poker guy that was mentioned before. He was already concerned because of the poker parties that were mentioned. His eyes narrowed as Hestia read on. 

then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. 

Hermes tensed, unsure of what jerk could be defined as for this Gabe character but he was positive he would not like what was said. He glanced around the room, noticing similar reactions on the rest of the Olympians. They all looked rigid in their seats, Poseidon being the most stiff. 

When I was younger, I nicknamed him Smelly Gabe. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts. 

Aphrodite, ever the one with the most sensitive nose, gagged. That description sounded disgusting. Awful. She felt bad for Percy and his mother who are dealing with that smell on the daily. 

Between the two of us, we made my mom’s life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, 

Hestia paused in her reading. She had her eyebrows furrowed, and was holding the book slightly away from her body. She looked like she wanted to physically get rid of the journal. 

Artemis grabbed her bow in a tight grip. Percy was insinuating that this man, this bastard, hurt his mother. She would never stand for that. She glanced over at the Sea God to gauge his reaction. 

Poseidon had both hands on either armrest, and was clenching them in fists. He could feel the crescents of his fingernails indenting on his palm, and could hear a wave crash. He felt the floor begin to shake from his anger, before he tried to get control of it again. This thing was hurting Sally. The mother of his child. A woman he loved. 

Apollo gasped, horrified. “If he is doing that to Sally, you don’t think he’s hurting Percy, do you?” 

The question came with horrified silence. Dionysus turned toward Hestia with wide eyes, needing her to read on. He needed to know if this was another issue that he was going to have to work through with Percy. 

Artemis, who is a protector of children, ground her teeth together. She may not like boys, and find them annoying, but she would not tolerate them being abused so blatantly. “He better not be.” 

Poseidon sat so rigidly in his throne, so still. If he moved even an inch, he knew it would not be good. “Hestia, please read on,” he said in a gravely voice, hoping Apollo was wrong. 

Hestia shot her brother a look, trying to make sure he was okay. However, she could not meet Poseidon’s eyes to check, and had to slowly turn back to the journal and continue reading the entry. 

the way he and I got along… well, when I came home is a good example. 

Demeter frowned, looking over at Poseidon. She could feel in the air that something was about to go down. She took a glance at Aphrodite, just to see that she had realized it too. 

Hades shook his head slowly, putting his head in his hands. He had talked to Poseidon about how Percy was safe and how he had fought off that monster, but here Percy was most likely dealing with a whole different type of beast. 

I walked into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. 

Dionysus sat in his throne, his diet coke off to the side. His full attention was on this reading. 

The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet. 

Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, 

Apollo looked appalled that the man had the audacity to be smoking around a child. There were so many significant health risks for Percy to be near that. “He had that around Percy?” He asked incredulously, before feeling the room shake a little. He glanced at Poseidon, and decided to remain silent for the next bit of the chapter. He clearly was not happy. 

“So, you’re home.” 

“Where’s my mom?” 

“Working,” he said. “You got any cash?” 

The Olympians looked disgusted that the man would even ask that. 

That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months? 

“Unfortunately, that would make too much sense,” Demeter mumbled, not liking how this was going. 

Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something. 

Aphrodite gagged, scrunching her nose at the description. 

He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. I don’t know why he hadn’t been fired long before. He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made me nauseous, and on beer, of course. Always beer. Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling fund. 

“Is that why he needs a summer job?” Hermes asked sadly, feeling upset for the boy. Even if Percy wasn’t his son, he still found it upsetting. 

He called that our “guy secret.” Meaning, if I told my mom, he would 

Hestia hesitated. She couldn’t believe what she was reading. She glanced around the room, getting a gauge on how everyone was feeling. It was clear that the Olympians had a strong dislike for this Gabe, but she knew it was about to get so much worse. 

“Hestia,” Apollo started. “Why did you pause? Let’s get through this part fast so that man can go away.” 

Most of the Olympians were nodding alongside the Sun God, agreeing with him. 

Hestia winced as she turned back to the journal, not excited to read the next part. She closed the journal and set it down next to her. She looked at Poseidon, who was already grinding his teeth and grasping his trident. “Poseidon,” Hestia said softly, getting his attention. Her brother looked at her with questions in his eyes. “You are not going to like this next part. You are going to get very angry. You are going to want to flash into that apartment immediately. Please remember that you cannot do that. Please stay here on Olympus.” 

Hestia listed out all of these rules for the Sea God, stressing the importance of remaining on Olympus, before turning to the rest of the Olympians. “None of you can leave. You all must remain here on Olympus until at least the boy makes it to camp,” Hestia said with more conviction, trying to convince them all. 

Hephaestus was watching the Goddess of the Hearth with avid attention, raising a single eyebrow at all the rules. Whatever was about to come out, whatever it was that she read silently first, was not pretty. Clearly it was going to make all of them, not just Poseidon, enraged. 

“Okay, Hestia. We will remain here,” Demeter said, cocking her head sideways trying to figure out what was about to happen. 

Athena sat in her throne quietly, already having an inkling about what was in that book. If the man hurt the boy’s mother, what was keeping him from hurting the boy? Her eyes slid over the throne room, seeing Apollo and Hermes tense in their thrones, eyebrows furrowed as they worked through the riddle. Zeus grumbled in his throne about Hestia giving orders. Hera frowned softly, wondering why this even needed to be said. Ares was staring at her, his eyes flashing in warning. Athena met his eyes and knew that he had figured it out too. They both turned toward the biggest threat to leaving. 

Poseidon sat frozen in his throne. This was going to be bad. So bad. He felt his anger already stirring inside, looking for an outlet for a release. How was he going to get past this if Hestia felt the need to say all this first? He nodded toward Hestia, acknowledging he heard her, but he was unsure if he would be able to keep still after hearing whatever was about to come out. 

Hestia waited until she got nods from every god or goddess there before turning back to the journal and picking it up. She opened the journal back up to where she left off, and continued reading the last four words of that line. 

punch my lights out. 

Silence. 

It was silent. Almost too quiet. 

Ares knew that everyone was comprehending what they just heard. He knew that it was about to explode in this room. While he loved seeing carnage, he knew that what was about to happen would be something he did not want to see. 

Clang!

A loud clang rushed through the throne room. Followed by a second and third one in quick succession. The Olympians looked toward the back of the throne room where the sound was coming from to see Poseidon slashing his trident through the air to hit the wall of the throne room for a fourth time. He dropped his trident down and threw a punch against the wall, grunting as his fist hit it. 

“I need to leave,” Poseidon said through huffs, his fist sitting in the indent he made in the wall. 

“Brother,” Hestia started sadly. She felt the ground shake intensely as Poseidon did his best to reign in his anger. 

“A mortal has dared to raise a hand against a demi-god?” Zeus bristled, puffing out his chest. He may not like the son of Poseidon, but the mortal had no right. 

“He did so without knowing,” Athena pointed out as she clenched her fists. 

“That’s no excuse,” Demeter snarled, upset at the situation. 

“A grown man striking a child,” Artemis sneered at the thought. Her silver eyes sharpened as she grasped her bow tightly. “How unsurprising.” The man was hers to hunt the moment they were done with the journals, assuming her uncle did not reach the mortal first. 

“That man thinks he is powerful and that Percy is something to break,” Apollo spoke softly to his twin sister. He slowly smirked at Artemis, saying “I don’t think Percy will allow himself to break because of him.” 

“That doesn’t make it right,” Hermes joined the conversation. His eyes were full of pity for the boy he had liked from the beginning. 

“No,” Apollo started, “no, it does not. If I had my way, a couple sudden cases of migraines and kidney stones would find him.” 

“I’ll hunt him first,” Artemis’ quiet voice made Hermes and Apollo jump. “He’s mine for hurting a child.” 

“Good luck beating Poseidon to the mortal,” Hephaestus jumped in. The three Olympians turned his way, surprised to hear his voice. Hephaestus saw himself in the child of Poseidon. Unfortunately, one of his parent figures was hurting the boy, and he was sure that the boy was affected because of it. He glanced over at Dionysus, curious as to what he was thinking. 

Dionysus himself was sitting quietly, horrified that this was an issue that he was going to have to sort through with Percy, just like Apollo had guessed. A mortal had struck one of theirs, and the one didn’t even know he was a demi-god. He could only imagine how unconfident the boy was. He shifted in his seat, wanting to get ahold of Percy now so that he could check on him immediately. He was sure that the boy was self-effacing because of this. 

Poseidon was having trouble controlling his anger. His child, his son, Percy, was abused. He could feel the water reacting to his anger, could feel the currents get stronger and the waves crash harder. He could feel earthquakes occurring throughout the mortal world. He didn’t care about them. Because his son had been hurt by a mortal. He wanted to hurt, to maim, to kill. 

Hades felt his shadows react to the revelation that his nephew was struck by the mortal. He felt his anger stir, and wondered how he would feel if it was his own children, Bianca and Nico. He would like to think that he wouldn’t let it get that far, that he would stop the mortal. But he sadly realized that he could not say for certain that he would have protected his children. Just like Poseidon, there were rules that they had to follow which cause situations like this. 

Hestia had approached the angered Sea God, and placed a hand on his forearm in an attempt to calm him. “Brother, he is okay. He is at school now.” 

“He will return to that, that,” Poseidon had no word to describe the mortal that Sally had married. He already didn’t like him because of that, but this was a whole new and horrible reason to hate the mortal. 

“Let us finish the journals first. See what happens. Then you can decide the punishment,” Demeter was on the other side, trying to help Hestia calm Poseidon down. She knew that he was the biggest threat of leaving and killing the mortal currently, though Artemis didn’t look too far behind him. 

Poseidon slowly lowered his hand from the wall, fist still clenched. “That mortal is dead,” Poseidon said seriously, returning to his throne. The ground shuddered once more, as if doubling down the promise. 

The other Olympians watched the Sea God take his seat tensely, and turned back to Hestia. Some of them wanted to continue on with the journal, but a majority still had comments to make. However, if Poseidon was sitting down to continue, they felt that they also needed to. 

Hestia returned to her spot and picked up the journal, opening back up to the page she stopped on. She took a deep breath, and read on, fully prepared for more interruptions. 

“I don’t have any cash,” I told him. 

Apollo huffed, still upset at the abuse that Percy was facing. He felt the need to go protect the young boy from this mortal. 

He raised a greasy eyebrow. 

Gabe could sniff out money like a bloodhound, 

Demeter scrunched her nose, disliking that fact about the man. 

which was surprising, since his own smell should’ve covered up everything else. 

A couple “ews” chorused throughout the throne room. 

“You took a taxi home from the bus station,” he said. “Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?” 

“I didn’t think he could do such simple math,” Athena commented, scowling at the book. She was busy thinking about her own children, and hoping that they did not deal with the same type of abuse. 

Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at me with a twinge of sympathy. “Come on, Gabe,” he said. “The kid just got here.” 

“At least there is one,” Hermes said, referring to having one okay-ish man in the room, the sides of his mouth twitching upward. 

“I wouldn’t hold my breath,” Hera muttered back, wondering why the boy’s mother was staying with such an awful man. 

“Am I right?” Gabe repeated. 

Hermes’ small smile fell so fast, already predicting how this would go. 

Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. 

“No, Eddie! You were doing so well!” Hermes cried out, placing his face in his hands. 

The other two guys passed gas in harmony. 

“That’s disgusting,” Zeus murmured, feeling grossed out. 

“Fine,” I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. “I hope you lose.” 

Dionysus shifted in his throne, preparing to grant Percy that wish. It was one thing that he could do right away. He was not thrilled to hear about this mortal at all. 

“Your report card came, brain boy!” he shouted after me. “I wouldn’t act so snooty!” 

Poseidon gritted his teeth, trying to remain in his seat and not flash down to where that mortal was right this instant. That mortal did not deserve to live. Not after he hurt Percy and Sally. 

I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn’t my room. 

Demeter tilted her head, wondering what that meant. A room was a private place for everyone, so what did Percy mean that it wasn’t really his room? 

During school months, it was Gabe’s “study.” 

“He keeps getting worse and worse,” Artemis growled as she rolled her bow in her hand. 

He didn’t study anything in there except old car magazines, but he loved shoving my stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on my windowsill, and doing his best to make the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer. 

Demeter gagged alongside Aphrodite. That sounds absolutely disgusting. 

I dropped my suitcase on the bed. Home sweet home. 

Gabe’s smell was almost worse than the nightmares 

“Why is this woman with him?” Hera finally caved, asking the question that was on all their minds. 

No one felt that they had a great answer for the goddess. 

about Mrs. Dodds, or the sound of that old fruit lady’s shears snipping the yarn. 

Hephaestus looked curiously at the journal. He wondered when Chrion would finally tell the boy. His fingers twisted the wrench in his hand slowly, thinking back to how they dodged Percy’s questions at the museum and how the satyr acted suspiciously on the bus after the Fates. This poor boy was going to go crazy before the truth was told. He at least hoped they would make it make sense when he actually arrives at the camp. 

But as soon as I thought that, my legs felt weak. 

Dionysus let out a puff of air, expecting this reaction. A normal reaction, especially for someone who knew nothing of their world. 

I remembered Grover’s look of panic– 

“Of course the satyr scared him,” Poseidon muttered lowly, not happy with how his son was being taken care of at all.

Ares frowned, thinking about the satyr. He needed more of a backbone, especially if he was going to continue being a seeker. This satyr was too scared to get anything done well, and it showed through what was happening with Percy. 

“That satyr should not be a seeker,” Zeus grumbled, crossing his arms. He still believed that Grover was partly to blame for Thalia. Though his brother was mostly to blame for that. 

Dionysus sat quietly on his throne, thinking. While it was true that Grover was a scaredy-cat, he had found his second big-three kid while out on his job. He alerted the correct person, Chiron, to Percy’s potential. Grover had a lot of potential, and he was hoping that these journals showed the rest of the Olympians just that. 

how he’d made me promise I wouldn’t go home without him. A sudden chill rolled through me. I felt like someone– something– was looking for me right now, 

Poseidon tensed in his throne. 

“Monster?” Athena asked, cocking her head sideways. 

maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons. 

“Another fury?” Demeter asked, glaring at Hades. Hades just held his hands up in surrender, having no idea if that was the case or not. Poseidon sent a glare his way, not sure if it was a monster or just Percy inside his own head. 

Then I heard my mom’s voice. “Percy?” 

She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted. 

Poseidon relaxed, glad to hear that it was not a monster about to attack his son again. 

My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She’s got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as old. When she looks at me, it’s like she’s seeing all the good things about me, none of the bad. 

Hera smiled softly, glad to hear that this mother had such a calming effect on her son. It was so sweet to see a mother-child relationship like Percy and Sally’s. She wished she could have the same. 

I’ve never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Gabe. 

“Oh, Percy,” She hugged me tight. “I can’t believe it. You’ve grown since Christmas!” 

Hestia smiled softly, happy to be reading about something good with Percy. His mom sounded like the light of his life currently. 

Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She’s brought me a huge bag of “free samples,” the way she always did when I came home. 

Hermes grinned, imagining the candy and how his children would riot for it. 

We sat together on the edge of the bed. While I attacked the blueberry sour strings, she ran her hand through my hair and demanded to know everything I hadn’t put in my letters. 

“I hope he tells her about the museum and the bus,” Hermes said. 

Demeter was nodding along, knowing that it would be better for the boy to tell his mother about it. She had a bad feeling, though. 

She didn’t mention anything about my getting expelled. She didn’t seem to care about that. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right? 

The parents among the Olympians paused. Did they ever check in on their own children like this mortal mother was checking in on hers? Were their own children doing all right? They all glanced at each other, shaking off the terrible feeling they got and putting it down to them being upset with how Percy’s been being treated. There was no way their own children were anything but okay.

I told her she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her. 

“You don’t need to hide it,” Hera murmured gently, as if she was speaking to Percy right then and there. The rest of them thought they had misheard her for a second. They had not heard her be so soft for a few centuries. 

From the other room, Gabe yelled, “Hey, Sally– how about some bean dip, huh?” 

“He just has to ruin everything,” Ares groaned, frustrated. This pathetic excuse for a mortal knew how to grind everyone’s gears. He just wanted to punch the mortal in his face. 

I gritted my teeth. 

Ares nodded in agreement, doing the same. 

My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should’ve been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe. 

Poseidon thought once again about the riches he had offered Sally Jackson after Percy was born. He wished that she had accepted the offer, rather than reject, for the tenth time since beginning these journals. He was sure he would think this again. 

For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy. I told her I wasn’t too down about the expulsion. I’d lasted almost the whole year this time. I’d made some new friends. I’d done pretty well in Latin. And honestly, the fights hadn’t been as bad as the headmaster said. 

Hermes and Apollo snorted at Percy’s description of the school. 

“They only made him think he was crazy a couple times,” Dionysus added quietly, deeply annoyed at the decisions made about Perc still. 

I liked Yancy Academy. I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convinced myself. I started shocking up, thinking about Grover and Mr. Brunner. 

Hestia grinned, glad that Percy had some fond memories of the school even though it ended so badly, and that he also had warm feelings towards Grover and Chiron. 

Even Nancy Bobofit suddenly didn’t seem so bad… 

“Now, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves,” Aphrodite chided, frowning at the thought of Percy liking that girl. She was hard to tolerate. 

Until that trip to the museum…..

“What?” my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. “Did something scare you?” 

“No, Mom.” 

Poseidon sighed, wishing Percy had told the truth. He understood why he didn’t, because obviously Percy felt crazy. He’s been told nothing except that he was hallucinating. Of course he wouldn’t want to admit it. However, he wished that he told her so that Sally would bring him to the camp. 

I felt bad lying. I wanted to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid. 

Dionysus frowned, knowing that Percy felt this because of how Chiron and Grover chose to go about it. Chiron himself should have contacted the boy’s mom to let her know what happened and to make sure that Percy was safe. “Chiron should have contacted her,” he said, disappointed. 

Zeus’ eyes snapped to the Wine God, hearing what he said. Dionysus was right, and it was another thing to put on a list to discuss with the centaur after the journals. 

She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn’t push me. 

“I have a surprise for you,” she said. “We’re going to the beach.” 

Poseidon’s back straightened, eyes twinkling at the thought. Was it the beach he was thinking of? 

My eyes widened. “Montauk?” 

Aphrodite felt the wave of love and adoration crash down from Poseidon. 

“It’s where Sally and I met,” Poseidon provided, filling in the others as to why that beach was so important. 

“Three nights – same cabin.” 

Poseidon smiled softly, thinking of that beach and the cabin that he spent so much time with Sally at. He was glad that they return to that beach each year, but wondered why they hadn’t made it the past couple summers. 

“When?”

She smiled. “As soon as I get changed.” 

I couldn’t believe it. My mom and I hadn’t been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn’t enough money. 

And his mood was immediately soured. 

Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, “Bean dip, Sally? Didn’t you hear me?” 

Artemis grumbled at her throne, annoyed once again by this mortal. He was insufferable. 

I wanted to punch him, but I met my mom’s eyes and I understood she was offering me a deal: be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here. 

“Shouldn’t have to be a deal,” Demeter muttered, a bad taste in her mouth. 

“I was on my way, honey,” she told Gabe. “We were just talking about the trip.” 

Gabe’s eyes got small. “The trip? You mean you were serious about that?” 

“I knew it,” I muttered. “He won’t let us go.” 

“Oh, he better,” Poseidon growled. 

“Of course he will,” my mom said evenly. “Your stepfather is just worried about money. That’s all. Besides,” she added, “Gabriel won’t have to settle for bean dip. I’ll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works.” 

“Bribery always works,” Hermes said, trying to lighten the mood. 

“She shouldn’t have to,” Artemis snapped. 

“I know that,” Hermes replied, frowning. “It was just a small joke.” Hermes had just been trying to get a few chuckles from everyone, as the throne room was super tense. 

Artemis stared at Hermes, as if trying to tell if he truly understood it or not, before nodding firmly and turning back to the journal. As long as he knew. “A distasteful joke,” she mumbled under her breath. 

Hermes heard and lowered his head, seeing her side. He could admit that that was true. 

Gabe softened a bit. “So this money for your trip… it comes out of your clothes budget, right?” 

“Her what?” Aphrodite shouted, absolutely appalled that he had even come to that conclusion. 

“Yes, honey,” my mother said. 

“And you won’t take my car anywhere but there and back.” 

“She should run the miles up,” Hepheastus muttered. 

“We’ll be very careful.” 

Gave scratched his double chin. “Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip… And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game.” 

All of the Olympians were left grumbling at that comment. Percy had nothing to apologize for. 

Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. 

They all perked up, hoping that they were about to read that it happened. 

And make you sing soprano for a week. 

But my mom’s eyes warned me not to make him mad. 

“That mortal would have deserved it,” Ares muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Why did she put up with this guy? 

“A question that we all ask ourselves,” Artemis murmured, also wondering why Sally would keep this man around. 

I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought? 

“I’m sorry,” I muttered. “I’m really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now.”

Poseidon cringed. That was definitely sarcastic. There was a chance that Percy would be yelled at for that. 

Gabe’s eyes narrowed. His tiny brain was probably trying to detect sarcasm in my statement. 

“Yeah, whatever,” he decided. 

Poseidon blinked. The man didn’t catch it. 

He sighed, relieved that an argument did not come out of it. He frowned, hoping that Percy was less sarcastic with others in authority, such as a certain younger brother of his. Poseidon glanced over at Zeus, seeing him narrow his eyes back. 

“What?” Zeus grumbled over to him. 

“Nothing,” Poseidon answered, hoping that he was wrong about Percy. 

He went back to his game. 

“Thank you, Percy,” my mom said. “Once we get to Montauk, we’ll talk more about… whatever you’ve forgotten to tell me, okay?” 

“Oh, she knows,” Hermes sang. 

Hera smiled softly, glad that the boy’s mother had caught on that something had gone down. 

For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes – the same fear I’d seen in Grover during the bus ride – 

“He is really good at reading people,” Aphrodite said, impressed with how attuned Percy was with others’ emotions. 

as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air. 

But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken. She ruffled my hair and went to make Gabe his seven-layer dip. 

Everyone rolled their eyes at the mention of the dip again. 

An hour later we were ready to leave. 

“Good! Get away from there,” Apollo commented, ready to hear about something else that that mortal man. 

Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom’s bags to the car. He kept griping and groaning about losing her cooking – and more important, his ‘78 Camaro – for the whole weekend. 

“Not a scratch on this car, brain boy,” 

“He’s not even the one driving,” Demeter said, disgusted with how this mortal was acting toward Percy and his mother. 

he warned me as I loaded the last bag. “Not one little scratch.” 

Like I’d be the one driving. I was twelve. But that didn’t matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he’d find a way to blame me. 

Hermes frowned. Most mortals are like that. If something happens, they blame the half-bloods for it. He sees it a lot with his children. They may like pulling pranks, but they are not the only ones pulling pranks. 

Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can’t explain. 

Dionysus leaned forward, hoping it was something that would not harm Percy’s mental state. It seemed to him that everything was a trigger in these journals. 

As Gabe reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I’d seen Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe. 

“Not that it will do anything, but I’m impressed Percy knew it was to ward off evil and remembered it,” Hermes said. The sign was something his missing son, Pan would often do as well. He knew the sign well. 

The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he’d been shot from a cannon. 

No one said anything for a moment, all in shock that Percy was able to cast something similar go a type of satyr nature magic without knowing anything. 

“He…. he was able to cast it?” Hermes asked, wondering if he had misheard. “There’s no way, he shouldn’t be able to.” He continued talking to himself, trying to make sense of a half-blood using magic that isn’t normally something they can do. 

“It was some type of magic, but it couldn’t have been that satyr nature magic,” Athena said in confidence. “Maybe there were water molecules in the air that he pushed toward the man.” 

Hermes paused, thinking about that. It was a sensible explanation. He glanced at the water god in the throne room, trying to confirm that that was a thing. 

Poseidon shrugged, saying “It’s a possibility.” 

Zeus sat quietly on his throne. He has said it once, and he will say it again. It is too dangerous to leave Percy be. To let him grow up to be 16, the age of the prophecy. They need to make sure this prophecy does not come to light. He lightly tapped his finger on his throne, thinking of how he could convince the other Olympians of this. He knew Poseidon would be vehemently against it, but some of the others he should be able to convince. He stayed quiet this time, quietly plotting. 

Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn’t stay long enough to find out. 

“Smart move,” Hermes muttered. 

I got in the Camaro and told my mom to step on it. 

Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, 

Athena tensed, hating even the mention of spiders. 

and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in. 

I loved the place. 

“Me too,” Poseidon said softly. 

Aphrodite smiled at the Sea God, happy to see that Poseidon still cared for Percy and his mother. 

We’d been going there since I was a baby. My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. 

“He put the pieces together himself,” Apollo smiled, happy with Percy’s detective work. 

It was the place where she’d met my dad. 

The God of the Sea wished he was at that beach right now. He loved going there and visiting. 

As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. 

“That’s because she’s away from that awful man,” Demeter muttered. 

Her eyes turned the color of the sea. 

Hera paused, thinking. “Is she related to nymphs or something?” 

Poseidon glanced at her, tilting his head. “Not that I know of,” He trailed off. He had noticed Sally’s eyes doing this, but never connected the two. He now wondered if this was the case. 

We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin’s windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work. 

“What’s with all the blue food?” Hestia asked Poseidon, who just shrugged. Poseidon wished he knew, but Sally was not obsessed with blue food when he was around. 

“Maybe it’s a Percy thing,” Poseidon made a guess. 

I guess I should explain the blue food. 

See, Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue. 

“So, not a Percy thing,” Apollo said, once again annoyed by the mortal. 

She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop. 

“That’s so petty. I love it,” Hermes said, smiling. 

This – along with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano – was proof that she wasn’t totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like me. 

Everyone glanced at Poseidon. The boy may have gotten some rebelliousness from his mother, but he must have gotten some from Poseidon, too. That would mean that he would be very stubborn. 

When it got dark, we made a fire. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. 

Glances at Zeus told him that they didn’t quite believe that he had nothing to do with the boy’s mother’s parents. There was a chance he was the reason they crashed, but he really didn’t think he caused it. There was no way…. right? 

told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop. 

Athena frowned, wishing the woman could quit now, so that she could write her book. Take more classes. Learn more. The woman clearly had a love for it. 

Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk – my father. 

Poseidon tensed, unsure of what was about to be said. 

Mom’s eyes went all misty. I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of hearing them. 

Everyone leaned forward, curious as to what Sally would say about the Sea God. 

“He was kind, Percy,” she said. “Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes.” 

“So Percy is a mini-Poseidon?” Hestia asked, smiling softly as she imagined it. 

Mom fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. 

“He really enjoys sea puns, doesn’t he?” Hermes pointed out, but no one really acknowledged it. 

“I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud.” 

I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? 

Dionysus frowned, not liking how the boy’s confidence was so low. He was so going to fix this as soon as Percy got to camp. 

Poseidon gaped, not believing that Percy was so down on himself. “Everytihng. Everything is great!” He practically word-vomited, trying to get the words out as fast as possible. He couldn’t believe Percy was even asking that. 

A dyslexia, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years. 

“I don’t care about that,” Poseidon said, pleading with the absent boy to believe him. No one had the heart to point out that Percy was not present in the throne room. 

“How old was I?” I asked. “I mean…when he left?” 

She watched the flames. “He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin.” 

“But… he knew me as a baby.”

The Sea God’s head lowered into his hands, upset that he couldn’t be with his son because of the rules. He had visited Percy, but knew him? He did not know Percy as a baby at all. 

“No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born.” 

I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember…. something about my father. A warm glow. A smile. 

Zeus folded his arms, grumbling once more about broken, forbidden rules. 

I had always assumed he knew me as a baby. My mom had never said it outright, but still, I’d felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he’d never even seen me…

I felt angry at my father. 

Poseidon’s eyes quickly found the floor, unsure of where to look. To hear how his son resented him, to hear the anger…. He was not ready for it at all. 

Hermes looked at Poseidon in pity, knowing how the Sea God may have felt. If he had to listen to any of his own children’s thoughts, if he knew how his own children had anger towards him… Well, Hermes knew that he would not handle it with grace at all. He would be wrecked. He watched as Poseidon placed his trident back down, and lowered his head into his hands once again. 

Maybe it was stupid, but I resented him for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry my mom. 

Poseidon had tried. He had tried to get Sally to come with him to Atlantis. He had offered treasure upon treasure to the woman who had sired him a demi-god. She refused. Every offer he came up with, she refused. However, Percy wouldn’t know that. Sally wouldn’t have told percy about any of that. It made sense that Percy now resented him because of it. 

He’d left us, and now we were stuck with Smelly Gabe. 

Poseidon could not control his flinch, no matter how hard he tried. The realization that he had left them with Gabe. He hadn’t even known how Gabe was treating them. In a young child’s eyes, that does seem like leaving. No, Percy was right. He had left them. Why hadn’t he thought to check in on them more thoroughly. 

“Are you going to send me away again?” I asked her. “To another boarding school?” 

“That’s not it,” Hera said. She knew that Percy’s mom was going to feel awful hearing that. She did not want to send him away like that. Hera knew that Sally wanted to keep Percy right next to her. 

She pulled a marshmallow from the fire. 

“I don’t know, honey.” Her voice was heavy. “I think… I think we’ll have to do something.” 

“Because you don’t want me around?” 

Dionysus cringed, feeling the need to help Percy thrum in his mind. Percy clearly was not well mentally. He clearly needed help. The God of Madness wanted to help him, but the boy was not at camp yet, which made it difficult. Dionysus glanced at Poseidon, wondering if the boy’s father would let him nearby. He glanced at his own father, Zeus, next, wondering if Zeus would allow him to approach this demi-god who clearly needed therapy of some kind. 

I regretted the words as soon as they were out. 

“I hate when that happens,” Ares groaned. He has had his share of regrets. 

My mom’s eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezed it tight. “Oh, Percy, no. I – I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away.” 

“I hate that this is true,” Apollo said sadly. He knew that many mortal parents felt sorrow when parting with their half-blood. 

Her words reminded me of what Mr. Brunner had said – 

Poseidon growled lowly, having been reminded of Chiron’s less than favorable way of speaking to children. Something that they would have to address at the end of the journals. 

that it was best for me to leave Yancy. 

“Because I’m not normal,” I said. 

“That’s a good thing, though,” Hermes said. “Who wants to be normal?” 

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing, Percy. But you don’t realize how important you are. 

Athena frowned at the foreshadowing. This made it sound like Percy was definitely the prophecy child. Although, she guesses that these journals being about his adventures made that definite. 

I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you’d finally be safe.” 

“Safe from what?” 

“Many, many awful things,” Hephaestus mumbled, looking over at the other Olympians. He knew what could possibly happen to this demi-god. There was a large chance that Percy was about to be used many times. 

She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to me – all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me, some of which I’d tried to forget. 

They all leaned forward, curious as to what happened. 

During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground. When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed me when I told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head. 

“Just a check in,” Poseidon said, shrugging when everyone looked at him. Sue him for wanting to make sure his son was okay. 

Zeus growled softly, mumbled something about how it was forbidden to interfere. Poseidon chose to ignore him. 

Before that – a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into. My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I’d somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands. 

Zeus froze. There was no way. His brother’s child could not be like his son. He scrunched his nose at the thought. 

“He’s strong,” Aphrodite commented in the silence. 

In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move. 

I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I had sliced my math teacher into dust with a sword. But I couldn’t make myself tell her.

“It would have been better if he had been truthful,” Artemis scowled at the thought of the boy lying. 

“I understand, though. He thought his mom would think he was crazy,” Hephaestus spoke, surprising the rest of them. They all looked over at him, seeing that he was still tinkering with something. 

“He still should have told her,” Artemis held to her belief firmly. Hephaestus just shrugged, not seeing the point in arguing. 

I had a strange feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, 

“He has no idea how right he is,” Hermes muttered. 

Apollo glanced over at that statement, beginning to form a small idea, one that was a little unbelievable. Was there a chance that Percy could see some form of the future? He held back from voicing his thought for now. 

and I didn’t want that. 

“I’ve tried to keep you as close to me as I could,” my mom said. “They told me that was a mistake. 

“They? Like Chiron and Grover?” Ares asked, tilting his head. “I thought they wanted Percy to not know yet.” 

“It doesn’t have to be them. Maybe she means Poseidon,” Athena pointed out. The Sea God could have warned his lover about it. 

But there’s only one other option, Percy– the place your father wanted to send you.

“See?” Athena asked, turning toward Ares, who tuned the wisdom goddess out. He didn’t feel like hearing the ‘I-told-you-so’ comment coming. 

And I just… I just can’t stand to do it.” 

Hera nodded, understanding why Sally didn’t want to part with Percy. He sounded like a good son. 

Hephaestus saw her nodding, and turned away. He was upset that she thought she could relate to this mother. 

“My father wanted me to go to a special school?”

“Not a school,” she said softly. “A summer camp.” 

My head was spinning. Why would my dad – who hadn’t even stayed around long enough to see me born – 

Poseidon flinched again at the reminder. 

talk to my mom about a summer camp? And if it was so important, why hadn’t she ever mentioned it before? 

“I’m sorry, Percy,” she said, seeing the look in my eyes. “But I can’t talk about it. I – I couldn’t send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good.” 

“Do some of them really never return to their mortal parents?” Hades asked quietly. He had believed that they all had somewhere to go. 

Dionysis turned sadly to the god. “If their mortal parent is still alive, or willing to see them, they usually return. There are a few half-bloods who were neglected and choose to stay at camp instead of returning.” 

He did not name any of the campers who stay year-round. He would not name them. The gods and goddesses themselves need to learn without his help. 

Some looked down, concerned about their own children. Was it possible that their children never saw their mortal parents, and they had no idea about it? They hoped not. 

“For good? But if it’s only a summer camp…” 

She turned toward the fire, and I knew from her expression that if I asked her any more questions she would start to cry. 

Aphrodite was once again impressed with how Percy could read someone else’s emotions so easily. 

That night I had a vivid dream. 

It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, 

The Olympians stole quiet glances at Poseidon and Zeus. It was their animals that were being represented in Percy’s dream, which meant it must be about them. Poseidon and Zeus stole glances at each other, wondering what was happening. 

Poseidon just wished against everything that whatever it was, Percy would not get involved. However, he knew that was a low chance since Percy was seeing this in his dreams. 

were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. 

The two gods shared a tense look. ‘Kill each other’ was an intense statement. They hoped it wasn’t quite like that. 

The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse’s muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagle’s wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder. 

Now glances were snuck toward Hades. 

Hades himself froze, wondering why he would get involved. Was he looking for his helm? Had he told his brothers at this point in the journal? He couldn’t imagine involving them at all. 

A thought came to Hades. A thought so upsetting, so awful, that he could not voice the idea. What if this voice was not him? 

I ran toward them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other, 

“Percy, please, stay away,” Poseidon whispered. Sure, it was a dream. He still didn’t want Percy anywhere near his brothers. 

but I was running in slow motion. I knew I would be too late. I saw the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse’s wide eyes, 

“Ha! I’m going to win!” Zeus bragged to Poseidon, who rolled his eyes. As long as Percy leave, he doesn’t care what happens. 

and I screamed, No!

I woke with a start. 

“Is there a chance he is prophetic?” Apollo asked Poseidon, too curious to stay quiet. 

“There’s a chance. Way back in ancient times, I was a god of prophecy. It’s been so long, though. I’d be surprised if any of that came to be in Percy,” Poseidon answered, frowning. 

“I’m thinking there is something,” Apollo replied, turning back to the journal. 

Poseidon wasn’t so sure if that was a good thing or not. 

Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery. 

With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, “Hurricane.” 

“That’s a big warning,” Ares commented, turning toward Poseidon with wide eyes. 

Poseidon’s foot had started tapping, wondering why he felt the need to send such a warning to Sally and Jackson. He hoped it was an overreaction on his part. 

I knew that was crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten. Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end. 

The Olympians tensed, wondering what it was that was chasing Percy now. 

Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice – someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door. 

My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock. 

Grover 

Poseidon released a sigh of relief he didn’t even know he was holding. He was glad to hear it was just the satyr outside, and not some monster. However, why was the satyr there? What made that angry sound outside? 

stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn’t… he wasn’t exactly Grover. 

“Huh?” Hermes asked, not understanding. 

“Searching all night,” he gasped. “What were you thinking?” 

“He wasn’t,” Athena answered. 

“Sure he was. It’s just that the satyr scared him,” Apollo replied. 

My mother looked at me in terror – not scared of Grover, but of why he’d come. 

“Percy,” she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. “What happened at school? What didn’t you tell me?” 

“Like I said. It would have been better for him to tell her from the start,” Artemis said tensely. No one fought her on this one. 

I was frozen, looking at Grover. I couldn’t understand what I was seeing. 

“O Zeu kai allot theoi!” he yelled. “It’s right behind me! Didn’t you tell her?” 

“Clearly he didn’t,” Zeus growled, getting upset at the satyr once again. No matter what the satyr did, it just made him angry. 

I was too shocked to register that he’d just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I’d understood him perfectly. I was too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover didn’t have his pants on – and where his legs should be… where his legs should be… 

“Oh,” Hermes started, finally understanding why Percy was in shock. “He’s seeing the goat half.” 

My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she’d never used before: “Percy. Tell me now!” 

I stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and my mom stared at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning. 

“You better have nothing to do with this,” Poseidon growled toward Zeus. 

“Are you kidding me? You sent the hurricane. The lightning is from your own storm,” Zeus replied, glaring at the Sea God’s protectiveness. 

Poseidon just glared back, getting a bad feeling. 

She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, “Get to the car. Both of you. Go!” 

Grover ran for the Camaro – but he wasn’t running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, 

“How long until he gets past this?” Ares asked, snickering a little at Percy’s reaction. He knew it wasn’t the best time, but he just couldn’t help himself. 

and suddenly his story about the muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me. I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked. 

Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves. 

“Let’s continue,” Poseidon immediately said in a slight panic. He needed to know what came next. What was the monster that was chasing Percy now? Would Percy and Sally be okay? Will they make it to camp? He needed to know everything. 

The others just glanced at each other, shrugging. 

Hestia passed the book to Hera, who happened to be closest to her. 

“I guess I’ll read next,” Hera said, opening the journal to where Hestia stopped. 

“My Mother Teaches Me Bullfighting,” Hera read aloud with wide eyes. 

“Bullfight?” Poseidon whispered, having the worst thought pop into his mind. A thought of a monster that he himself created. A second of his children possibly facing this monster. He hoped he was wrong.