Kardia Sanctuary

Chapter 17: Hestia's Visit

                  ''Guys, we have a problem,'' Nico yelled.

                  He and Hazel helped White as they came out of the woods. Frostbite limped out behind them. The bandages helped, but the wolf cared more about the safety of his ''lord.'' The only ones to hear him were Piper and Hayley. The daughters of Aphrodite ran to them.

                 ''Oh my gods, what happened,'' Hayley asked, instantly.

                ''Annabeth,'' Nico and Hazel answered.

                 ''What,'' Piper freaked.

                 ''Can we talk about this when the others are around,'' White says.

                  ''I'll have them here in two shakes of a hellhound's tail,'' Hayley said.

                  The harpy girl flew off at almost super sonic speed. Within ten minutes, the entire gang came running. They were all shocked by what happened.

                  ''How did Annabeth even find us,'' Jason asked.

                 ''Camp Half-Blood's teamed up with Redson,'' White said. ''He was with her when she attack me. She lured me into a trap by hurting an innocent animal, Frostbite here.''

                   ''That's just like her,'' Percy says. ''She plans, sets up, then executes. An Athena child at their best.''

                   ''But harming a creature that never did anything is far beyond what any demigod would ever do,'' Angel said. 

                    ''Especially a wolf,'' White says. ''My father's the god of the wild and there's so creature more wild than a wolf. I won't let her get away with this.''

                    ''The sanctuary comes first, though,'' Marina said, and the others agreed. ''Harmony, we need to lock down the castle. The barriers will be unacceptable to everyone outside of them, permission or not.''

                  ''Good idea, let's go to the hearth,'' Harmony says.

                ''This place has a hearth,'' Frank asked.

                ''My adopted mother is Hestia, of course we have a hearth,'' White said.

                The local Kardia's guided their friends through the castle. When they got to the very center of the great hall, there was a great flame of silver fire. It seemed to grow as they approached it.

                ''The hearth is the only place to initiate the fail-safe lock-down,'' Lyon explained. ''To put up a field so strong that only the gods can come through.''

                    ''How true, my young champions,'' a young woman appeared by the fire, recognized by White, Marina, and Percy.

                      ''Lady Hestia,'' Percy greeted.

                      ''Mom,'' White said.

                       ''Hello, my son,'' the goddess greeted. ''I wanted to make sure you were okay.''

                   ''Thanks to my friends, Hazel, and Nico, I am,'' White says. ''No offense, mom, but we have some trouble brewing down here. The sanctuary is being put into lock down because of the other camps.''

                   ''I know,'' Hestia said. ''I watch from the hearth. All the gods are very concerned with how much damage this war can cause. The sanctuary has the most powerful demigods in the world, not to mention the harpies and dragons. We aren't worried what will be done to you, more like...''