Stark's Protective Daughter (S.P.N.D. Book 5)

Chapter 22: I Ask Questions and The Answers Seem Like Riddles

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There are parties, and then there are huge, major, blowout parties like my dad's. And then there are Olympian parties. If you ever get a choice, go for the Olympian.

The Nine Muses cranked up the tunes, and I realized the music was whatever you wanted it to be: the gods could listen to classical and the younger demigods heard hip-hop or whatever, and it was all the same soundtrack. No arguments. No fights to change the radio station. Just requests to crank it up.

Dionysus went around growing refreshment stands out of the ground, and a beautiful woman walked with him arm in arm- his wife, Ariadne. Dionysus looked happy for the first time. Nectar and ambrosia overflowed from golden fountains, and platters of mortal snack food crowded the banquet tables. Golden goblets filled with whatever drink you wanted. Grover trotted around with a full plate of tin cans and enchiladas, and his goblet was full of double-espresso latte, which he kept muttering over like an incantation: "Pan! Pan!"

Gods kept coming over to congratulate Percy. Thankfully, they had reduced

to human size, so they didn't accidentally trample partygoers under their feet. Hermes started chatting with us, and he was so cheerful I hated to tell him what had happened to his least favorite son, Luke, but before I could even get up the courage, Hermes got a call on his caduceus and walked away.

Apollo told me I could drive his sun chariot any time, and if I ever wanted archery lessons-

"Thanks," Percy told him. "But seriously, I'm no good at archery."

"Ah, nonsense," he said. "Target practice from the chariot as we fly over the U.S.? Best fun there is!"

"I'm sure it is," I told him, trying not to sound annoyed by the faint flirtatious tone, "but I have a lot to do at home and at camp, so I'm not sure that I would have time. Thank you for the offer, though."

Percy and I made some excuses and wove through the crowds that were dancing in the palace courtyards. I was helping Percy in looking for Annabeth. Last I saw her, she'd been dancing with some minor godling.

Then a man's voice behind me said, "You won't let me down, I hope."

I turned and found Poseidon smiling at Percy beside me.

"Dad... hi."

"Hello, Percy. Pleasure to meet you, Lillian."

"The pleasure is mine, Lord Poseidon." I said to him, unsure of how to speak to my friend's all-powerful dad. "I'll leave you two alone."

Posidion nodded, and I walked away to find Annabeth.

Eventually I found her, standing by one of the banquet tables, admiring the architecture.

"Hey, Annabeth." I say to her, causing a startled Annabeth to turn around.

"Hi, Lillian. You may be the first person here not to just jump right into a conversion."

"That's what I'm noticing about the gods. One of them actually mistook me for someone else, and started talking to me about a debate they had with a girl over a hundred years ago."

"Really? What did you do?"

"Say that I was right, and walked away. I have no clue who he thought I was or who he was, but seeing him stutter as I continued on was hilarious."

"Sounds like it." She says with a laugh.

"Oh, by the way, Percy is looking for you."

"Do you know where he is?" She asked, thoughts going straight to our friend.