Indigo Eyes

Chapter 65

Seeing Olympus as the pegasi circled around it was even more breathtaking than the first time he'd seen it. He was also glad that Cressida was riding with him, because flying as a son of Poseidon was bad enough, but flying up to Mount Olympus, Zeus' house, was even more terrifying.

The pegasi set them down in the outer courtyard, just before the huge silver gates that led to the Hall of the Gods.

Blackjack wished them good luck, and terrified Percy a bit more when he asked for his cabin as a stable if he didn't make it back. He'd never seen all of the gods assembled before.

But side by side, with his best friends next to him, they walked into the throne room.

Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations – even the newest one, Zoë the Huntress, making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn. All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about five metres tall, and if you've ever had a dozen all-powerful super-huge beings turn their eyes on you at once... Well, suddenly, facing monsters seemed like a picnic.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.

"Mooo!"

That's when they saw Bessie and Grover.

A sphere of water was hovering in the centre of the room, next to the hearth fire. Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out of the sides and the bottom of the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but, when he saw them, he cried, "You made it!"

He started to run towards them but then remembered that he was turning his back on Zeus and looked for permission.

"Go on," Zeus said but he wasn't really paying attention to Grover, rather he was staring intently at Thalia.

None of the gods spoke. It was simply silence save for the clopping of Grover's hooves. Cressida looked relieved as she stared at her father whose eyes were shining with pride as if he knew exactly what his daughter had done.

Percy received no such look from his father. Instead, Poseidon let the corners of his eyes crinkle with smile lines as he nodded at his son, telling him that it was ok.

Grover gave all of the girls big hugs before he essentially tackled Percy.

"Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!" Grover exclaimed.

"Do what?" Percy asked.

"Heroes," Artemis called. The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. "The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told them. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."

There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods, as if they weren't all happy with this plan, but nobody protested.

"At my Lord Zeus's command," Artemis said, "my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes..." She turned to face the other immortals. "These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?"