Veronica Sawyer was an iconic name. And so that was what she called herself.
She would've liked to be simple, with the basic life of demigods for a backstory-mortal parent didn't want her, she ended up a year-rounder. But the Fates didn't like Veron...
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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝟏𝟏: 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐘𝐨𝐮
December 20, 2007
WHEN THE FOG FINALLY CLEARED, VERONICA FOUND HERSELF STILL ON THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
It made her a little uneasy. The road was dirt and the grass was thicker. The sunset made a bloodred slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain seemed closer now, swirling with storm clouds and raw power.
There was only one path to the top, and it lied directly ahead of them. It ledger through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers: the garden of twilight, Veronica presumed.
The grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of a five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glittering with golden apples.
In fact, if it hadn't been for the enormous dragon guarding the tree, the garden would've been the most beautiful place Veronica had ever seen.
"The apples of immortality," Thalia murmured. "Hera's wedding gift from Zeus."
Suddenly, the shadows in front of them started moving—. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like voices from the bottom of a well. Percy reached for Riptide, but Zoë stopped him.
Four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoë. They all wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders. Veronica felt her cheeks grow a little warmer as she considered how beautiful Zoë actually was for the first time.
"Sisters," Zoë said.
"We do not see any sister," one of the Hesperides said coldly. "We see three half-bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."
"You've got it wrong." Percy stepped forward. "Nobody is going to die."
The girls studied him. Their eyes were glassy and completely black as they all frowned.
"Perseus Jackson," one of them said.
"Yes," mused another. "I do not see why he is a threat."
"Who said I was a threat?" Percy asked.
The first Hesperid glanced behind her, toward the top of the mountain. "They fear thee," she said. "They are unhappy that this one has not yet killed thee."
She pointed at Thalia.
"Tempting sometimes," Thalia admitted. "But no, thanks. He's my friend."
"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus," the girl said. "Only enemies. Go back."
