𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 • 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

Thalia Torches New England

Percy's Pov:

Artemis assured us that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled me. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Upon the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the di Angelos and Dr. Thorn were missing yet. I didn't want to be around when they did. With my luck, the only name Mrs.Gottschalk would remember was "Percy Jackson," and then I'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt... again. 

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I stood shivering in the snow(unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, to abandon her brother like that. 

Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around Grayson and me, eager to hear what had happened in my audience with the goddess. 

When we told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited the camp, it didn't go well." 

"How'd they even show up here?" I wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere." 

"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good—" 

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh. 

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?" 

"But she's so... into nature," Grover swooned. 

"The same thing happened with Y/n. You were in love with her."

"You had a crush on Y/n?" I asked.

Somehow, hearing this gave me a pang of jealousy. Maybe what I had felt during that almost kiss was true.

"Yeah, I did," said Grover. "Not anymore though. Well, everyone did, really. Due to her curse."

My eyes widened. "Y/n is cursed?"

"She didn't tell you?" asked Thalia.

I shook my head.

"Well - "

Just then, the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter." 

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" I asked. 

"For my brother. Yes." 

I didn't want to be rude. I mean, I knew the legends about Apollo—or sometimesHelios—driving a big sun chariot across the sky. But I also knew that the sun was really a star about a zillion miles away. I'd gotten used to some of the Greek myths being true, but still... I didn't see how Apollo could drive the sun. 

"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said like she was reading my mind. 

"Oh, okay." I started to relax. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—" 

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth. 

"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks." 

Parks? 

I averted my eyes and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until my winter coat felt like it was melting off of me. Then suddenly, the light died. 

I looked. And I couldn't believe it. It was my car. Well, the car I wanted, anyway. A red convertible Maserati Spyder. It was so awesome, it glowed. Then I realized it was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why I was now standing on green grass and my shoes were wet.