The Male Hunter | Olympus' Traitor #1

Chapter 42: Holy Matrimony

Feet crunching in the snow, Percy went to where he had last seen Thalia, talking to Nico in her tent. Ducking inside the enchanted tent, he could see that they were still there. "What did she want?" Thalia asked once Percy had sat down next to her.

"I have a new mom," Percy said simply.

"She didn't," Nico said incredulously as his mouth dropped open.

"Artemis, the notorious man-hating goddess, adopted you!" Thalia exclaimed, equally disbelieving.

"I'm as surprised as you are," Percy replied. "But I think this was her way of keeping me close without actually being in the Hunt."

"Jacob wasn't in the Hunt and he was travelling with us," Thalia pointed out.

"That was different though. He was travelling with us for protection, I'm not sure how long that excuse would hold for me," Percy explained.

"He's got a point," Nico agreed. "Ol' Drama Queen would probably use Queen it as an excuse to get rid of Percy once and for all. This way he can't touch Percy without having not one, but two angry gods at his throat."

"True, true," Thalia acknowledged before her face turned to one of deep thought. "I kinda wished she had adopted me though."

"No offense, but I'm glad she didn't," Percy said. However, seeing Thalia's hurt expression Percy knew he Percy needed to elaborate. "Because then I'd be marrying my sister," he explained. "And that's just a whole new level of weird that I'd prefer not to breach."

Thalia's face suddenly flushed with embarrassment. "Oh ya, I didn't think of that," she said sheepishly. "Although, speaking of getting married, what if we just did it. . . tonight?"

Percy blinked a few times in shock. "Tonight?"

"I mean, ya, why not?" Thalia said. "I think we should do it before we go and fight Annabeth, and who knows if we'll have a chance while moving east."

"But who would we even get to do it?" Percy wondered.

"What about your new mom?" Nico offered. "She is a goddess after all."

"I can't think of anyone better," Thalia agreed.

"All right, let's do it," Percy agreed after taking a deep breath to steel his nerves.

"Great, thank you!" Thalia squealed before pulling Percy into a hug. She held him for a few moments before letting go and turning to Nico. "Go gather everyone while we go talk to Lady Artemis."

"On it!" Nico exclaimed while jumping up and running out of the tent.

Thalia and Percy followed a few seconds later, but took time making their way to Artemis's tent. Then, not thinking anything of it, they merely entered after reaching it. However, that was clearly a mistake as Artemis and Violet were sitting across from one another on the floor, talking. "Oh, um sorry," Percy blushed as the two girls sitting on the floor turned to look at the couple that had entered. "We'll come back later."

Percy and Thalia then turned to leave, but Artemis stopped them. "No, please stay, I believe this also concerns you." Exchanging a look, the two demigods went and sat down with the girls on the floor.

"What's going on?" Thalia asked.

Violet and Artemis exchanged a look which seemed to decide who would speak. "It's Justin. . ." Violet said.

"Who's Justin?" Percy asked, feeling bad that he didn't know who this clearly important person was.

"He's a Roman," Violet explained. "He's been watching the traitors over at Camp Half-Blood, and following them to wherever they are going, but then something awful happened. We were IMing like we do so that he can keep me updated, but then he was attacked."