The Daughter Of Night (Original Version)

69- Promises Are Made (But Not Kept)

Ri

Cai seemed as if he were in pain, which worried me. He also seemed to have some aversion to me joining him on the quest.

"You have to stay here!" He told me, "You need to convince Zeus to restore Apollo."

"I want to come with you!" I insisted.

"No." Cai set his jaw in determination.

"Stop trying to protect me!" I said, "I'm the parent, I should be protecting you!"

"I'm not..."

"Don't give me that crap Cai, what's wrong, why do you need to find this tree?"

"It's in danger," he confessed, "From the darkness."

The darkness. The shadows that had followed me everywhere for my entire life. Nyx.

"You're not going." I said stubbornly, "No way. We're leaving this the hell alone."

"What?" Cai looked at me incredulously, "It's my godly symbol! My essence is linked to it. Are you seriously not going to let me save it?"

"You're not going near that darkness!"

"Why?" He narrowed his eyes.

I crossed my arms, "because you're not."

His eyes widened in realisation, "your mother. It's her isn't it."

"I'd put money on it," I nodded, "she knows how powerful you are. She wants that power, she tried for it once already and she didn't succeed, she won't fail again, please don't go near it!"

"I can't," his voice sounded like a child pleading with their parent to buy him sweets, I suppose in a weird twisted way this was true, "I have to save the tree, it's a part of me. You have to understand."

I looked at him, my son. With a pure look of determination on his face. I couldn't say no could I?

"Be careful okay." I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Does this mean I have your blessing?"

"Yes of course, just don't let her get to you, promise me." I locked eyes with him and gave him a look.

"I swear on the river Styx." I looked at me solemnly.

"No don't do that!" I rubbed by temple, "Both me and your dad have bad histories with vows on the Styx."

But it was too late, the sky had rumbled with thunder sealing the oath.

He shot me an apologetic look.

"I promised that so you have to promise to stay out of trouble."

"I promise," I lied. "Go on, they're waiting for you," I gestured to Nico and Will, who were both holding packed duffle bags, ready to leave on the quest, "Good luck."

I couldn't bare to watch him leave with them, I shadow travelled straight back to my house on Olympus.

It felt strange with no one else there. No Cai and no Apollo. Both my husband and my son were risking their lives. Once again I was sitting all of the danger out. I was getting sick and tired of going through the same story over and over again. I was determined not to be the useless damsel in distress this time.

"Artemis!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"What?" A slightly pissed off looking twelve year old girl appeared standing in my living room.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to shout." I apologised quickly, which lessened the pissed off look on her face. "I just don't know what else to do."

"What?" Artemis asked again, sounding far more concerned this time.

"Cai has gone," I sat down on the sofa, "He's off chasing some tree and my mother is going to kill him, Apollo is going to get himself killed, and I promised them both that I would stay out of trouble and I can't keep that promise."

Artemis smiled at me and sat down next to me, "I have an idea."

"What?" I frowned at the look on her face.

"Join my hunt," Artemis proposed.

"Not going to lie, I thought I was out of the running what with being married and having a kid." I laughed.

"I worded that badly," Artemis smiled again, "I meant join me on a hunt."

Here's a slightly late chapter for you all!
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~Em xx