A friend says Goodbye (Percy pov)
We landed at Crissy Field after nightfall.
As soon as Dr. Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug.
"Dad! You flew… you shot… oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
Her father blushed. "Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose."
"But the celestial bronze bullets! How did you get those?"
"Ah, well. You did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in Virginia, the last time you… left."
Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. I noticed Dr. Chase was very careful not to say ran away.
"I decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings," he continued. "Just a little experiment."
He said it like it was no big deal, but he had a gleam in his eye. I could understand all of a sudden why Athena, Goddess of Crafts and Wisdom, had taken a liking to him. He was an excellent mad scientist at heart.
"Dad…" Annabeth faltered.
"Annabeth, Percy," Thalia interrupted. Her voice was urgent. She and Artemis were kneeling at Zoë's side, binding the huntress's wounds. Hanora was rummaging through her backpack handing them more supplies. She had pulled her hair back up into a messy bun, but as perusal two long strands still hung around either side of her glasses, the strand on the right side was no longer strawberry blonde. Instead, it was gray like Annabeth’s except Hanora’s glittered like it was actually made of silver. She was the picture of careful composure, only years of knowing her made me concerned when it took her two tries to open another container of gauze.
Annabeth and I ran over to help, but there wasn't much we could do. We had no ambrosia or nectar, even Hanora who was always overprepared didn’t have any magical healing products. No regular medicine would help. It was dark, but I could see that Zoë didn't look good. She was shivering, and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading.
"Can't you heal her with magic?" I asked Artemis. "I mean… you're a goddess."
Artemis looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do. But I can try."
She tried to set her hand on Zoë's side, but Zoë gripped her wrist. She looked into the goddess's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.
"Have I… served thee well?" Zoë whispered.
"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."
Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."
"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."
But in that moment, I knew it wasn't just the poison that was killing her. It was her father's final blow. Zoë had known all along that the Oracle's prophecy was about her: she would die by a parent's hand. And yet she'd taken the quest anyway. She had chosen to save me, and Atlas's fury had broken her inside.
She saw Thalia and took her hand.
"I am sorry we argued," Zoë said. "We could have been sisters."
"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything."
"Perhaps not all men," Zoë murmured. She smiled weakly at me. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"
I couldn't speak, but I brought out Riptide and put the pen in her hand. She grasped it contentedly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like… like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword."
A shudder ran through her body.
"Zoë—" I said.
"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."
A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."
"Stars," Zoë repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.
Thalia lowered her head. Hanora dropped her own head on her shoulder and Squeezed Thalia’s hand. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders. I watched as Artemis cupped her hand above Zoë's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoë's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared.
Artemis stood, said a kind of blessing, breathed into her cupped hand and released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.
For a moment I didn't see anything different. Then Annabeth gasped. Looking up in the sky, I saw that the stars were brighter now. They made a pattern I had never noticed before—a gleaming constellation that looked a lot like a girl's figure—a girl with a bow, running across the sky.
"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."
Hanora looked up into the sky, silver light gleaming in her pale green eyes, and silver strands glittering in her hair. She said something in what I thought was Latin as she stared reverently up at the new constellation. Artemis placed a hand on her shoulder and the two had a brief moment speaking in hushed Latin as the rest of us leaned together watching the stars.
It wasn't easy saying our good-byes. The thunder and lightning were still boiling over Mount Tamalpais in the north. Artemis was so upset she flickered with silver light. This made me nervous, because if she suddenly lost control and appeared in her fully divine form, we would disintegrate by looking at her.
"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."
The goddess set her hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You are brave beyond measure, my girl. You will do what is right."
Then she looked quizzically at Thalia, as if she weren't sure what to make of this younger daughter of Zeus. Thalia seemed reluctant to look up, but something made her, and she held the goddess's eyes. I wasn't sure what passed between them, but Artemis's gaze softened with sympathy. She nodded at Hanora who returned the gesture like two powerful warriors on opposing sides having respect for one another’s abilities. Then she turned to me.
"You did well," she said. "For a man."
I wanted to protest. But then I realized it was the first time she hadn't called me a boy.
She mounted her chariot, which began to glow. We averted our eyes. There was a flash of silver, and the goddess was gone.
"Well," Dr. Chase sighed. "She was impressive; though I must say I still prefer Athena."
Despite everything, Hanora snorted at the comment and muttered “simp,” from where she stood next to Thalia. Thalia’s shoulders shook with ill contained laughter.
Annabeth turned toward Dr. Chase. "Dad, I… I'm sorry that—"
"Shh." He hugged her. "Do what you must, my dear. I know this isn't easy for you."
His voice was a little shaky, but he gave Annabeth a brave smile.
Then I heard the whoosh of large wings. Four pegasi descended through the fog: two white winged horses, one red and white horse and one pure black one.
"Blackjack!" I called.
Yo ,boss! he called. You manage to stay alive okay without me?
"It was rough," I admitted.
I brought Guido, Porkpie and.., he gulped, miss Ember with me.
How ya doin? The two white pegasi spoke in my mind.
The red pegasus strutted right past me and nuzzled into Hanora’s shoulder.
Blimey! My lady what happened to your hair?! Which bloody wanker do I need to stomp?
Hanora’s eyes got really wide, "My hair? Oh, uh no that's alright Ember everything is fine.”
Are you sure? I have no problem doing a cheeky little stomp on the heads of any tosser that upsets my new human, or… Ember made a small motion at me with her head, I guess if they upset the young lord.
It should have been strange to have Hanora understanding and responding to the pegasus, but what was really strange was Ember’s extremely thick British accent.
“Please Ember, no stomping,” Hanora waved her hands for emphasis. “Percy, help.”
Blackjack looked me over with concern and did a double take between me and the interaction between Ember and Hanora. Is that the kid Ember bullied me about earlier? He shook himself a bit like the memory still scared him.
“She bullied you?”
He nodded, yeah something about almost knocking the kid off of her back. But I’m not all that good about understanding what she says.
I shrugged, "probably. But you know I would also appreciate if you didn’t knock Hanora out of the air next time.”
Ember stomped with authority from next to Hanora, I sure would hope so! My lady only risked her place at camp in order to assist you on this bloody quest.
Blackjack’s ears flattened, sorry boss. He then bowed at Hanora, and sorry boss lady.
Hanora scratched the back of her head “guys can we please get a move on and stop berating poor blackjack?”
I nodded, “Right, we need to get to Olympus pretty fast."
No problem, Blackjack said. Except for the mortal over there. Hope he's not going.
I assured him Dr. Chase was not. The professor was staring open mouthed at the pegasi.
"Fascinating," he said. "Such maneuverability! How does the wingspan compensate for the weight of the horse's body, I wonder?"
Blackjack cocked his head. Whaaaat?
Ember shook her head ugg mortals!
"Why, if the British had had these pegasi in the cavalry charges on the Crimea," Dr. Chase said, "the charge of the light brigade—"
"Dad!" Annabeth interrupted.
Dr. Chase blinked. He looked at his daughter and managed a smile. "I'm sorry, my dear, I know you must go."
He gave her one last awkward, well-meaning hug. As she turned to climb aboard the pegasus Guido, Dr. Chase called, "Annabeth. I know… I know San Francisco is a dangerous place for you. But please remember, you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe."
Annabeth didn't answer, but her eyes were red as she turned away. Dr. Chase started to say more, then apparently thought better of it. He raised his hand in a sad farewell and trudged away across the dark field.
Thalia, Hanora, Annabeth and I mounted our pegasi. Together we soared over the bay and flew toward the eastern hills. Soon San Francisco was only a glittering crescent behind us, with an occasional flicker of lightning in the north.
Thalia was so exhausted she fell asleep on Porkpie's back. I knew she had to be really tried to sleep in the air, despite her fear of heights, but she didn't have much to worry about. Her pegasus flew with ease, adjusting himself every once in a while, so Thalia stayed safely on his back.
Annabeth, Hanora, and I flew along side by side with Annabeth in the middle.
"Your dad seems cool," I told her.
It was too dark to see her expression. She looked back, even though California was far behind us now.
"I guess so," she said. "We've been arguing for so many years."
"Yeah, you said."
"You think I was lying about that?" It sounded like a challenge, but a pretty halfhearted one, like she was asking it of herself.
"I didn't say you were lying. It's just… he seems okay. Your stepmom, too. Maybe they've, uh, gotten cooler since you saw them last."
She hesitated. "They're still in San Francisco, Percy. I can't live so far from camp."
“There is such a thing called phones,” Hanora added with a wave of sarcasm, “I hear they are really good at keeping in touch long distances.”
“Shut up metal head.” Annabeth shot back.
I didn't want to ask my next question. I was scared to know the answer. But I asked it anyway. "So, what are you going to do now?"
We flew over a town, an island of lights in the middle of the dark. It whisked by so fast we might've been in an airplane.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But thank you for rescuing me."
"Hey, no big deal. We're friends."
"You didn't believe I was dead?"
"Never."
“I am pretty sure it's my job to know where you two idiots are.” Hanora added twirling her finger in the air around an unseen object, probably a thread.
Annabeth hesitated looking between the two of us. "Neither is Luke, you know. I mean… he isn't dead."
I stared at her. I didn't know if she was cracking under the stress or what. "Annabeth, that fall was pretty bad. There's no way—"
"He isn't dead," she insisted. "I know it. The same way you knew about me."
That comparison didn't make me too happy.
“I know,” Hanora said, staring off ahead of us. “I’d have felt it if he did, even though we have grown apart.” She dropped whatever had been in her hand, “He’ll be back.”
The towns were zipping by faster now, islands of light thicker together, until the whole landscape below was a glittering carpet. Dawn was close. The eastern sky was turning gray. And up ahead, a huge white-and-yellow glow spread out before us—the lights of New York.
How's that for speedy, Boss? Blackjack bragged. We get extra hay for breakfast or what?
"You're the man, Blackjack," I told him. "Er, the horse, I mean."
Annabeth said, " I know you don’t like what we are saying, but we'll see him again. He's in trouble, Percy. He's under Kronos's spell."
I didn't feel like arguing, though it made me mad. How could she still have any feelings for that creep? How could she possibly make excuses for him? He deserved that fall. He deserved… okay, I'll say it. He deserved to die. Unlike Bianca. Unlike Zoë. Luke couldn't be alive. It wouldn't be fair. At least Hanora looked more conflicted about the whole thing. She had the air of mourning while Annabeth held on to a false hope.
"There it is." Thalia's voice; she'd woken up. She was pointing toward Manhattan, which was quickly zooming into view. "It's started."
"What's started?" I asked.
Then I looked where she was pointing. High above the Empire State Building, Olympus was its own island of light, a floating mountain ablaze with torches and braziers, white marble palaces gleaming in the early morning air.
"The winter solstice," Thalia said. "The Council of the Gods."