Finding the Sun

Chapter 22

Aster was getting a little worried that Spencer was starting to hyperventilate. If she wasn't so worried about him passing out, the gaping mouth and stuttered mutterings of disbelief would have almost been funny. But she really didn't want to have to catch the taller man should he fall over.

Her father, likely thinking the same thing, stood up and grabbed Spencer's elbow, dragging him gently to an empty chair.

The rest of the team was staring at her with varying expressions of disbelief, shock, and confusion.

"You just- the wall just- from the shadows? What?" Penelope stuttered, gesturing frantically to where Aster had just shadow traveled in from.

Aster knew perfectly well that her father had no plans of getting into the specifics of her powers and godly parent without her present, but she nonetheless was grinning broadly at him as she asked, "What. you didn't get to that part yet?"

He shook his head in mild amusement, he could tell how much she was enjoying watching the results of her incredibly dramatic entrance. "I was mostly working on convincing them I hadn't gone insane."

"Didn't seem like you were doing too well." She said, referring to the tail end of Spencer's outburst that she had heard.

"Can you blame the kid?" Rossio defended. "Really Aaron, I was getting worried."

"And you're not anymore?" He asked, hopeful.

"We all just saw your daughter walk through a wall. The only two options we have are believing you or believing that we're all experiencing a mass hallucination." Rossi deadpanned.

Aster huffed a laugh, and took a seat in the spot nearest to her dad. "Well, I promise you no one is hallucinating. Sorry I couldn't be here earlier, I had school. Dad also wanted to get the basics out of the way without me here in case people started freaking out, or something. How are you doing over there, Spence?"

Spencer, who had been staring at her ever since she sat down, blinked owlishly at her. "Uh, fine. I'm fine."

She smiled sympathetically. "I know it's a big shock. We don't normally tell mortals that aren't directly related to a demigod, but dad made some pretty good points on why you need to. The case you're currently working on has a lot to do with us, and me specifically. You probably wouldn't be able to work it if you didn't have all the facts. But that being said, none of this information ever leaves this room."

They nodded in understanding, mostly at a loss for anything else to say. That is until Penelope, who was aware of her reputation as a notoriously bad secret keeper, hesitantly spoke up. "What happens if we do? Tell someone, I mean."

"I'll die a horrible and painful death, most likely. I've already taken an oath, the most sacred oath a demigod can take, that you guys won't willingly tell anyone. That was the only way I got permission to spill the beans in the first place. But who knows," Aster shrugged nonchalantly, as if she hadn't just said her life rested on the team's shoulders, "I've never actually seen what happened to someone who broke it."

The team collectively whipped their heads around to look at Aaron for confirmation, and his frown/grimace to confirm that Aster was not only telling the truth, but that he was very unhappy about it.

Penelope on the hand, had gone very pale. "Oh my god. Oh my god. Why would you guys tell me this? I've never been able to keep a secret in my life! Oh no. No, no, no..." She said frantically, wringing her hands in front of her. She turned to Derek, and he noticed that the poor women looked almost on the verge of tears.

"Hey, baby girl, calm down. You're not going to tell anybody. Anybody who would ever have a reason to ask you about any of this is already in this room, and you don't like talking about work with your non-work friends anyways. It'll be fine." He soothed.