𝒊. 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

𝒗.

Ever since everyone found out who Percy's dad was, they avoided him like the plague. Noelle was one of the only exceptions because she didn't care that Percy was a child of the Big Three. She also wasn't going to ignore him for being claimed-- something that he can't control-- when she never had the chance yet.

It was a few days after Percy's claiming in the woods. The Apollo cabin was playing a morning game of volleyball against the satyrs. Noelle-- who was watching the game-- and Percy locked eyes and she waved with a sympathetic smile. He managed a measly one back before turning back to climb the steps of the Big House. Noelle's brows furrowed and she stepped toward the Big House.

She sprinted over to the Big House, but was tackled by an invisible force.

Noelle grunted and groaned. "Jeez, Annabeth. Maybe a little warning next time," she said, rubbing her head.

She took off her cap and glimmered until she was visible next to Noelle. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I had to find you. I think they're giving Percy a quest." 

She put her cap back on and grabbed Noelle's hand, dragging her to the railing of the Big House. Noelle knelt down and Annabeth told her she was going to get closer, but from where she was she could hear and see perfectly fine.

"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"

"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."

Noelle's eyes widened. That was what was stolen?

Percy laughed nervously. "A what?"

"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."

"Oh."

"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."

"And it's missing?"

"Stolen," Chiron said.

"By who?"

"By whom," Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher. "By you."

Percy's mouth fell open, as if he didn't expect those to be his next words.

"At least"--Chiron held up a hand--"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly-that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."

"But I didn't-"

"Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."