Mrs. O'Leary was the only one happy about the sleeping city.

Percy and I found her pigging out at an overturned hot dog stand while the owner was curled up on the sidewalk, sucking his thumb.

Argus was waiting for us with his hundred eyes wide open. He didn't say anything. He never does. I guess that's because he has an eyeball on his tongue. But his face made it clear he was freaking out. 

Percy quickly told him what we'd learned in Olympus, and how the gods would not be riding to the rescue. Argus rolled his eyes in disgust, which looked pretty psychedelic since it made his whole body swirl. I felt that eye roll deep in my soul. 

"You'd better get back to camp," I told him. "Guard it as best you can."

He pointed at me and raised his eyebrow quizzically. I had taught him some ASL, seeing as he never talked, and now he had an easier time communicating. He still didn't do too much, the eyeballs on his hands were hard to not watch. But I got what he was saying. 

"I'm staying," I signed. "Percy and I have a world to save. Or destroy."

Argus nodded, like this answer satisfied him. 

"Hey, Argus?" 

He turned every eyeball to me, it made me shiver. The knife twisted again as I took a deep breath and got ready to give him my message. I pulled out a pen from my pocket and a piece of paper. "Can you give this to Raph?" 

Argus raised the eyebrows of his many eyes. 

"When you get back to camp, tell Raph it's over. He can keep his pride. I choose my family. And friends." 

I quickly scribbled a note to the guy who I loved, who I took a curse for, for the guy I thought would always have my back. I wiped my tears as I folded the paper and handed the paper to Argus. He slid it into his pocket with a nod. His eyes looked sad, but every single eye morphed into anger on my behalf. He signed sadly and then nodded.

"Thank you." I signed. I turned to Percy. "I'm going to call my Sight up, see what I can see..." 

He nodded and I turned and sat in the doorway of the Empire state building. Will and Kayla stood beside me, like my personal guards. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and then thought; Awake the Flame within.

The air rippled in front of me,  I was in the Central Park Zoo, then zooming down East 60th, past Bloomingdale's, then turning on Third Avenue. FDR Drive, looking across the river at Lighthouse Park. 

Nope, scan a bigger area. I zoomed myself out.

Long Island Sound near La Guardia. A fleet of a dozen speedboats raced through the dark water toward Manhattan. Each boat was packed with demigods in full Greek armor. At the back of the lead boat, a purple banner emblazoned with a black scythe flapped in the night wind. I'd never seen that design before, but it wasn't hard to figure out: the battle flag of Kronos.

 The scene shifted as I quickly scrolled through the slide show in front of me; I slowed down when I saw the south to the harbor. A Staten Island Ferry was plowing through the waves near Ellis Island. The deck was crowded with dracaenae and a whole pack of hellhounds. Swimming in front of the ship was a pod of marine mammals. At first I thought they were dolphins. Then I saw their doglike faces and the swords strapped to their waists, and I realized they were telkhines- sea demons.

I shifted the scene again: the Jersey shore, right at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. A hundred assorted monsters were marching past the lanes of stopped traffic: giants with clubs, rogue Cyclopes, a few fire-spitting dragons, and just to rub it in, a World War II-era Sherman tank, pushing cars out of its way as it rumbled into the tunnel.

 I quickly zoomed around the area, looking for mortals, see if they were okay. Manhattan seemed to be totally asleep. Then there's like a fifty-mile radius around the island where time was running really, really slow. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it was. 

I was going to swip to see if I could find Dad and Sally, but my vision was hi-jacked. 

I saw Nico following his father back and forth in the garden throne room. Nico was storming right behind him, his thin white arms flying around as he yelled. Hades had his hands clamped over his ears and he stormed back and forth. 

"I'm not listening! I'm not listening!" Hades cried over Nico's protests. 

I saw Persephone sitting on her chair, she was leaning back with an amused smile on her beautiful pale face watching the scene. Her eyes turned and looked directly at me. 

"Hello Eleanora Blofis." 

"My Lady." I said, "I see the persuasion isn't going too well." 

Persephone smiled again, "I wouldn't say that. Hades has stopped trying to curse his son." 

"Well...one step for demi gods." I rolled my eyes. 

"I guess Zeus did not listen?" She asked. Though she clearly knew that was more of a rhetorical question. 

I shook my head. "HA!" I scoffed. "No. I pissed of Hermes though. In record time. Dad stepped in again." 

"Hmm, he deserted his fathers side for you..."

"For like 3 minutes, not even." 

"Still. He does love you, child. He may have many lovers, but he does love each of the mortals he falls for, and loves them hard. You're mother probably most of all, actually. I remember something that might help." 

Before I could say anything, she waved her hand and my Sight shimmered and I was transported into the past. I stood in the middle of the throne room. All the god were seated in their different seats, all glaring down at Apollo. A few of the goddesses sat looking slightly interested, Persephone was sitting in a chair beside her mother and Aphrodite. It must be summer, Persephone had a bright dress of happy cheerful flowers. Aphrodite looked a little more interested in what was happening then she normally did. Artemis looked anxious. Zeus and Hera looked furious. Everyone else looked bored.

Apollo didn't seem worried, he had a big white dazzling smile. His hair was a bit longer, a little more shaggy, he wore big aviator sunglasses, his typical white button up shirt, that was left un buttoned, showing off his tan and chest muscles. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. He was holding a big bouquet of sunflowers and daises. 

"You are off to see the mortal again!" Zeus's angry voice boomed down from his chair. 

"Yes father. I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!" He sighed dreamily. 

"You were told to stay away from her!" 

"Why in Tartarus would I want to do that?"  Apollo gasped, clutching the big bundle of flowers closer to his chest, like it was a baby. 

"Because she is dangerous!" Zeus cried. 

"You should know this." Hera added. "Any other mortal, not this one." 

"Yes this one! Father, you know how much I love her! She could very well save my Oracle! She could very well break the curse!" 

"Exactly why we said stay away from this one." Hera said, her voice was icy and dangerous. 

"No! Father! This is why I love her!  Probably the same if not more then Prince Hyacinthus!" 

There were a few big gasps around the room. 

"Really?" Aphrodite asked, her big eyes went wider, as she gauzed down at Apollo with even more interest. 

"Yes!" He cried, he had yanked his sunglasses off now, the sun flickered in his eyes, he was clearly angry now. I had not seen Apollo angry, his face twisted in fury. I could see the devastation the sun could do, the temperature in the room was rising. 

"Father." His voice was hard, "I do not take this lightly, despite how chill a vibe I give off. I love her. She is a direct descendant of  of Pythia! You know, the high priestess of my temple at Delphi in Greece-" 

"We KNOW!" Hera snapped, waving her hand. 

"Then understand my deep love for her, my ray of sunshine, my beautiful Evangeline Grace Dare." His eyes went glassy and her had a soft dreamy smile on his face, the anger melted from him. He stood smiling for a few seconds. He shook his head. "You would be wise to leave her alone father, Hera." 

"She can make things infinitely worse! She already is powerful in seeing through the mist!" Hera warned. 

"And? She can lift the curse." Apollo countered. 

"Maybe it would be best to leave the curse in place!" Zeus muttered. "That accursed oracle!" 

"FATHER!" Apollo cried, he looked genuinely hurt and shocked. "That is my gift! That is something I am in charge of, and what would you say if I said 'oh good, maybe thunder is best left locked away and never to be used!" 

The room shook with thunder and Zeus roared in anger. 

"Then you should know!" Apollo cried, he looked like a 16 year old kid crying to his parents how much he loves a girl they said he couldn't date. "I love her! And there is nothing you can do about it!" He spun on his heel and fled the room. 

"He is going to make a mess of everything!" Hera pouted. She rounded on Zeus. "This is your fault!" 

"Mine?" He cried. "How is this my fault!" 

"He is not MY child!" She gave a very pointed look to Artemis who rolled her eyes, and left the throne room after her brother. She turned back to Zeus, "Well?" 

"Well what, woman?" He huffed. 

"What are you going to do about this?" Hera swept her hand towards the door where Apollo had taken off. 

"Nothing." When he saw Hera's venomous look, "For now." He added. 

"Of course you wont." She grumbled, staring off after the boy. She narrowed her eyes, "It's always left to me to save this accursed family." She straightened up and stood up, and walked swiftly out the room. 

The sight shifted, the scene changed. 

I was in a hospital room, a young woman with bright red hair was screaming and sweating. With a wild look of shock I recognized the young man beside the bed, he looked panicked. It was my dad. My mortal dad, Paul Blofis. He was holding the young woman's hand, doing his best to to smooth the hair from her face. 

"Come on, one more big push, come on Evangeline. I can see bright red hair." The doctor at the foot of the bed said. The doctor twisted around, "I need you to stop this bleeding!" 

With a cry of shock, I realized I was watching my own birth. I saw the strength leaving my mom, even in the Sight Dream state, I could see her vitals dropping, her heart was working too hard, her breathing was too shallow and ragged. She was dying. I slapped a hand over my mouth, tears sprung to my eyes. My dad held her in his arms, he whispered something to her and she nodded feebly. She gathered her strength and then used what she could and pushed. I came into the word. I had bright red hair, I was a tiny little thing. I gave a tiny little squeak. 

"Please just let me have five minutes." She pleaded. Held me close, her voice was so weak.

"Stop the bleeding!" 

"Eva?" My dad kissed her forehead. "She looks just like you." He gave her a watery smile, tears slid down his own cheeks. 

"Eleanora. Eleanora Grace Blofis." My mom whispered. "You have your daddy's eyes, and will have his ability to love deeply and profoundly. Save the world my beautiful ray of sunshine. Always remember, I loved you before you were even born." She kissed my tiny little head and she looked to Paul. "Please...please, honey...keep her safe until the time is right, until Apollo can explain his world to her."

With tears in his eyes he nodded. "Please don't leave me." He pleaded. "I love you." 

"I love you too." Her eyes fluttered. She forced them open and kissed my head one last time and with me wailing on my mothers chest, Paul huddled beside her bed, her eyes fluttered. 

"I love you Apollo..." She breathed. I saw her heart slow to a stop. The monitors all went off, a nurse ripped me from my mothers chest, Paul was grabbed and shoved out of the room. Doctors and nurses flew around the rom trying to bring her back. There was no point. She was gone. Before the room faded, I saw a tall woman with a cold look on her face. Hera. Hera was standing in the corner, watching with cold and calculating eyes. 

"Always left to me to keep my family safe." She muttered, her cold look never left my mothers face. 

The scene shifted again. My mother's body had a sheet over her, Paul sat huddled in a chair, I was wrapped in a yellow blanket in Paul's arms. The room flashed gold and Apollo was standing by the bed, his eyes were blood shot and his face was twisted in such pain I could feel it in waves crashing into me.

"NO!" He screamed. He dropped to his knees, tears streamed down his face. The anguish and pain was clear. If anyone ever questioned his love for Evangeline Grace Dare, they wouldn't any more. He gently picked up her body and held her to his chest. He sobbed uncontrollably. Paul just sat and watched, the pain on his face was clear.  Apollo eventually stood up, laying her back down and fussing over her hair. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead. 

"I'm sorry, Nora, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." 

He straightened up and seemed to only now see Paul and baby me. He slowly walked over. 

"This is the child? My child?" He asked, his eyes wide in wonder. 

"Apollo?" Paul asked hesitantly, his voice was rough. 

He nodded and there was a silent transfer of me to Apollo. He gauzed down at the bundle in his arms. 

"My beautiful sun beam. What is her name?" 

"She named her Eleanora Grace Blofis." 

"Not Dare?" 

Paul shook his head, "To keep her safe until the time is right." 

"Yes... yes, she was wise to do that. You swear on the River Styx?" Apollo looked up sharply. 

Paul nodded. 

"I don't understand why I couldn't be there. Every time I tried...it was like being chained back, stuck behind a glass box. I don't understand!" 

"You're a god, no? You couldn't get past it?" 

Apollo shook his head. "Sometimes even us immortals have limits. Something evil, something awful was preventing me and I will not rest until I figure out what!" Apollo looked back down at me. My eye were wide open, and they were a golden honey, I reached a teeny tiny hand out and grabbed onto Apollo's finger. He smiled down at me. He leaned down and whispered something, and then kissed my forehead. Where he kissed my head, it glowed gold and then faded like the setting sun. "A blessing for my little Sun Beam." 

He handed me back and then walked to the door, his hand on the door handle. "It is safer for you both if I keep my distance." His voice broke and I could hear the anguish in his voice. His shoulders sagged. "I wont ever leave her, but it is safer to stay away...for now. Until the danger has passed." 

"I-I understand." Paul said, holding the bundle closer. I started to fuss and my little arm was flailing, like i was trying to reach for Apollo. He flinched, and then left the room with a stifled sob. 

Someone was shaking me hard. I blinked a few times. I was sobbing, big hard disgusting body shaking sobs. The person was Percy, he was covered in sweat, and he was sizzling, like his water was evaporating, from a burning fire. His eyes were wide in fear. My Sight disappeared, the heat was gone. Just leaving me broken and sobbing in Percy's arms. 

"I know what happened to my mom."  I straightened up and signed.

"What?" 

"Hera killed my mother." 

🔆

Wholly Hera! Anyone see that one coming?