Broken And Betrayed

SEVENTEEN

Percy looked around the house. The girls were running around, playing with Alex and the new dogs, and he couldn't help but smile as he saw everyone jump on his normally intimidating brother.

Then the thoughtful frown that had begun to take residence on his face more and more appeared. He needed to figure what was up with the monsters. Yes, when he'd interrogated that dracaena, he had been releasing his anger, but he truly wanted to know what was going on.

Oscar, seemingly sensing his sombre mood, came over from where he had been playing with a girl and nuzzled into his hand. Percy looked down at his new companion and smiled.

"Wanna go for a walk, buddy? Gotta try figure some stuff out." He said, already getting up and swinging his cloak on.

"Why do you do that?" A serious sounding voice said from behind him. He turned around to face the owner of said voice, who had stopped playing and was staring at him along with all of her friends.

"Do what, Grace?" He asked, actually confused as to what she meant. She tilted her head, and pointed to his cloak.

"You and Dóry always hide your faces from all of us. This is the first time, we've seen you guys' faces, and it's just because we're in your house. And we're the only hunters who have. Why?" She said, getting quieter and quieter as she went on and lost confidence.

"Well, firstly," Percy answered, "you guys aren't the first. Lady Artemis has seen us and knows our actual identities. Also, a lot of the hunters know me, but as a different person." One of Grace's friends, Jessica, cut in.

"But they don't know Dóry? Why not?" She said, a solemn look on her face. Percy smiled patiently in response.

"Because when I fought alongside them, Dóry wasn't there yet. It doesn't really matter, anyway. I won't tell you who I a-"

"Percy Jackson. That's who you are, right? And that's your half brother, Alex." Grace said, while the girls beside and behind her all nodded in solidarity.

Percy froze and glanced at his brother. "Um, nope. What gave you that idea?" He tried to talk his way out, but the girls were having none of it.

"No, no, no! We know it's you. Thalia has a picture of you that she always looks at. She showed us it, and you're the same person. And we went to camp half-blood one time, and they said you had betrayed them and cheated on Annabeth. Thalia wanted revenge on you so badly, for so long. And they said you had a brother with you, called Alex." They all said, different people chiming in at different parts.

Percy and Alex just looked at each other in disbelief. Damn, these girls had gotten to the truth fast.

Grace decided to continue and ask the question that had been bothering her. "But why do you keep who you actually are from all of us?"

Percy looked at her sadly. "I thought that the hunters might have sided with the campers, so it was the safest choice for us. It seems I was right, huh?" He said quietly.

Suddenly, Grace jumped up and grabbed his hand. "I'm pretty sure they're over it. Come on! Thalia will be so happy when she learns you're back!" She squealed, pulling him out through the door and towards the camp.

"If by happy, you mean she'll hit me with a lightning bolt, then yeah, sure," Percy grumbled, tugging his hood up as he was dragged along. Soon they reached Thalia's tent. Percy started getting nervous.

"Thalia!" The little girl yelled. Said lieutenant came out of the tent, polishing her spear.

Oh, no.

"What's up, Grace?" Thalia asked. "And why is Spathi here?" By this time, half the hunt had gathered.

Double oh no.