2944 words

Ainsley P.O.V.

Dying was really weird, to say the least. You never think it will happen today you. I mean, I knew I'd die one day, but my fear of death had diminished ever since I'd gained immorality and trained to use my powers.

Chiron had warned me years ago about death. It may come for you at any moment, he'd told me. The life of a demigod is never easy or safe. You must train your hardest and be ready.

I thought I was ready.

I wasn't.

As my spirit floated upward, my body was still the same, but translucent and white. My height from the air gave me a perfect view of the people I love most, and it was horrible. The anguish I saw from my family was the most agonizing thing ever. Nothing could have ever prepared me for it.

Raiden cradled my lifeless body, tears streaming down her cheeks. Dad knelt next to her, grasping my hand, his face soaked and white with shock. Agro's head lay on my chest, and she was howling.

I'm so sorry, Raiden, I thought, as she shattered a broken statue with her fist. I'm so sorry, Dad. I'll see you again in Elysium.

A tear trickled down my ghostly cheek. I squeezed my eyes shut as my surroundings blurred, and I zoomed away into darkness.

"You got a coin?" a man's voice asked in a British accent.

I opened my eyes. I stood upon a riverbank, surrounded by other whispering spirits. Black water flowed before me, glowing a sickly green from its pollution. But the pollution wasn't plastic or any other processed garbage you mortals place into your oceans. Instead, it was misery.

Ripped papers, broken tennis racquets, and dozens of other forgotten dreams floated down the river as it rushed past. I wondered if any of my hopes were in the water, lurking just below the surface. How many of my ambitions and dreams I'd dreamed of with Aidan were there?

"You got a coin?" the voice repeated.

I looked up. Floating on the river was a boat, a simple wooden vessel with a small oil lamp at the far prow. In it stood a hooded figure in a tattered ebony robe, gripping a long wooden oar with eggshell white hands, like a skeleton.

"What?" My voice was a chattering whisper.

"Do you have a coin?" The ferryman sounded annoyed now. "I can't wait here forever." He jabbed a finger at the other spirits in the boat.

"Uh, I don't," I said.

"You children never come ready," he muttered. "Well, you'll just have to remain here then."

"So...I can't leave?"

The ferryman chuckled. "No one can escape death, child of Artemis. No one can leave. Now, I have a job to do, so you don't have a coin—"

"Wait!" I didn't know why, but somehow, a coin had materialized in my pocket. I reached into my pocket (or the ghostly nether space where my pockets used to be) and fished out a golden drachma. I threw the coin to the ferryman. "Here."

He caught it and gazed at it. "This is a real drachma, eh?" he mused. "Haven't seen one of these in centuries." He straightened and looked at me. "Well, climb aboard then."

I walked toward the edge of the river. I could feel the waves of misery and hatred emanating from the River Styx as I climbed into the boat. Charon pushed off from the shore with his oar and began rowing across the dark water.

I leaned against the side of the boat and gazed at the water, jostled by the other ghosts. The longer I stared at it, the more I was filled with the desire to jump in.

Beware, oath-breaker, a voice hissed into my mind in a voice full of venom, and I jumped. I am watching. Twice you have broken an oath upon my river, so twice the amount you shall pay. Beware, Forbidden Child. Beware.

"Alright, off you go," the ferryman said, and I followed the other chattering spirits off the vessel.

I proceeded toward the towering Stygian iron gates of Erebos. I passed by the triple-headed Rottweiler that was Cerberus and walked through the gates. Once inside, I entered a massive pavilion and halted in front of the judges' bench. A trio of figures in amber masks and ebony robes gazed down at me.

They said nothing to me. I couldn't see their eyes, but I could feel their eyes piercing through my soul like an x-ray, staring into my soul, collecting my memories.

"Sacrificed herself," the first said. "Saved her sister even though she was very weak."

"Yet, she disobeyed the orders of a goddess," countered the second. "Her mother, no less. Had she not, she would not have been so weak."

"She did it out of loyalty, not spite," the third said. "She also lifted the sky for four days. She showed the spirit of a true hero."

The second judge tilted their head. "A true hero would not be unwise or impertinent. She was. She broke two sacred oaths on the River Styx."

"What are you talking about?" I found my voice again. "I never broke any..." But then the memories resurfaced in my mind, ones I'd suppressed for five years.

"You recall them, Ainsley Theron?" the first asked. "You recall your broken oaths?"

An image glimmered into life above the judges' heads. Two auburn-haired kids-one boy, one girl -stood together, wearing the summer clothes of a Hunter, minus the silver jacket. Two daggers hung from their belts, and backpacks were slung over their shoulders. I realized that it was twelve-year-old Aidan and I, standing before Thalia's pine just before we'd left for our quest for the Golden Hind.

Younger Aidan glanced at the tree. That prophecy's worrying you? His voice echoed as though from the end of a long tunnel and only sounded vaguely like him, just a memory.

Younger Me nodded, and my voice sounded exactly like Aidan's. Yeah. 'You shall be betrayed by the one you love the most.' We love each other most and...

...and the prophecy says that one of us will betray the other, Younger Aidan finished, his brow furrowing in concern. That has to be wrong, though. We'd never betray each other.

Exactly, I agreed. Y'know what? I have an idea that might help us.

What?

Let's make a promise never to leave each other. That should help get rid of the worries and risks, right? I mean, a sacred promise

Okay! Let's do it!

Younger Aidan grasped my hand, turned, and stared into my eyes. I gazed back into his. We said: I swear on the River Styx that I will never leave your side.

The image shimmered, and I saw another version of Younger Me, this one with her right eye bruised and swollen, with her scar freshly formed. She stood in front of the Hunters, holding a crescent moon circlet. The Hunters watched her expectantly.

Younger Me placed the circlet in her auburn hair and then looked at Zoë. What happens now?

Now, we lead the Hunt, sister, she answered.

Younger Me nodded and touched her scar. Anger rippled across her face before her expression settled to resolution. You've won nothing from your betrayal, Aidan, she muttered to herself. All you have is anger and hatred. You have no one. I have someone: a new family.

The image shifted again, and this time, Younger Me stood on the Needle in Seattle, blood cascading from her right eye, fury all over her face. Younger Aidan retreated away from her, a terrified expression on his face. She glared at him, and as he bolted down the stairs, she roared: I SWEAR ON THE RIVER STYX THAT I'LL NEVER LOVE YOU AGAIN!

The image vanished, and the judges gazed down at me again.

"You broke your first oath when you joined the Hunt," the first said, "and abandoned your brother."

"You continue breaking your second oath," added the second. "You still care for Aidan Theron inside your soul."

"No, I don't," I snapped, even though I knew the words were untruthful.

"Two broken oaths," the third said. "Extreme impertinence against the gods."

"It is not entirely her fault," countered the first. "Her brother influenced her decisions when he betrayed her. The child acted out of anger and hurt. Elysium for her."

"She still succumbed to her fatal flaw," the second reminded. "That shows a lack of restraint."

The first judge tilted their head in thought. "Nevertheless, she is a hero."

"Yes," agreed the third. "Despite the broken oaths, she remained unwaveringly loyal to Artemis. That is a valuable quality. "

"She also showed great valor," the second said. "Only one with that could sacrifice herself to save another. She may have Elysium."

"Elysium, then, for the child," the first concluded. "You are a hero, Ainsley Theron. Your soul may rest in eternal bliss for your sacrifice."

I moved through the pavilion and toward a walled area, where I could hear contented chatter and laughter. I was soon before a pair of great golden doors. They opened for me, and I faltered.

"I don't wanna do this," I murmured. "What've I been doing? I don't wanna go to eternal peace; I wanna go back to my family." I glared at the darkness behind me. "Get me out of here."

Very well, child of Artemis, it whispered, making the ghostly hairs on my arms stand up. But be warned your journey will only grow harder from here.

I scowled. "I don't care."

Very well. I will send you back.

The darkness sucker-punched me back to life. The blackness swarmed around me like hornets and yanked me out of the Underworld. Colors blurred past me. My heart pounded in my chest which shouldn't have been possible unless...

My eyes snapped open.

I was alive.

"Holy-" Someone gasped.

Chief-

I sat up and looked around. Raiden knelt next to me, her mouth agape. Her face was soaked. Agro lay next to her, her head on my chest. She stared at me before jumping up and knocking me over as she licked my face. Chief! You-you're alive!

"I noticed," I said. "Gah! Agro, too much!"

Sorry! She stopped licking me.

I sat up again, only to have my windpipes crushed by Raiden's fierce hug. "Thank Artemis," she whispered, shaking slightly. "You...you were dead. I don't even-how-never mind. It doesn't matter. You're alive."

"I know. Where's Dad?" I glanced around.

Raiden's face crumpled, and fresh tears cascaded her face. "He's...with Zoë."

My heart skipped a beat. "Is she okay?"

Her expression told the answer. I jumped to my feet and attempted to stagger over to where I saw the others, but my muscles cramped. I toppled over, and Raiden surged forward and caught me.

"I'll help you," she said. "C'mon."

She placed an arm around my shoulders and supported (mostly carried) me over to where the others were. They were crouched around Zoë, and I could instantly see that she was injured. Her face was contorted in pain, and her side was soaked in blood.

"Zoë!" I cried.

Everyone looked around at my voice, and jaws dropped. Dad's face was white and soaked, but joy rippled across it for a moment when he realized I was alive. Raiden deposited me next to Artemis, and I grabbed Zoë's hand. "Mother, what happened? I thought I saved her."

"It was Atlas," the goddess said, still wearing an expression mixed between grief, shock, and relief. "His fatal blow."

I shook my head violently, my voice cracking. "No. No, no, no. She's not dying. You're not dying, Zoë. We can heal her."

"We've already tried, Kid," Dad whispered, tears streaming down his face. His voice was thick with heartbreak. "I tried to heal her with the lake but..." He sobbed and couldn't continue.

"Get her in the moonlight," I ordered. "I'll heal her."

Zoë squeezed my hand. "No, my dear sister. It will not work."

"Yes, it will!" I said, tears welling at the corners of my eyes. "It has to!"

"It's the prophecy," Raiden whispered. "And one shall be lost by a guardian's flare. There's nothing we can-"

"I don't care about a stupid prophecy!" Tears streamed down my cheeks. "She won't die! I won't let it happen! I'm not losing another person I love."

Zoë smiled weakly at me. "You are not losing me, Ainsley. I will always be with thee." She squeezed my hand. "It has been an honor serving as lieutenant with thee."

"The honor's been all mine," I sobbed. "I love you, Zoë."

Zoë's smile widened for a moment, and her eyes flickered to Raiden. "I have enjoyed having thee as my sister, Raiden. Keep on fighting for me."

"I will." Raiden gulped.

Finally, the lieutenant turned to Dad. "Orion, I am honored to be thy best friend. I will miss thee, my brother."

"I'll miss you, too," Dad sniffled.

"Did I serve thee faithfully?" Zoë asked Artemis.

"Yes," the goddess whispered, a tear running down her cheek. "Finer than any other of my attendants."

Zoë smiled for a final time then lay still. Dad's sobs doubled, and he cradled her body. I fell backward and slumped against the grass. I stared at the night sky.

I had one job as Artemis's lieutenant: protect the Hunters. And now one of them was dead, and she was one of the people I loved most. I hadn't protected Zoë. I hadn't done my job.

I'd failed.

Numbly and from the other end of a long tunnel, I heard Artemis say, "Let the people celebrate you, my Huntress. Live eternally among the stars."

I blinked, searched the night sky, and gasped. A new constellation on the Southern horizon had appeared: an archer with a bow running across the heavens. Zoë was now eternally immortalized among the stars, and I could see her every night. The thought only made me feel worse.

Raiden strode over to me and offered her hand. I accepted, and she pulled her to my feet and supported me. She helped me to limp over to stand beside Dad, who was crying silently. Artemis was a few feet away, prepping her silver chariot.

"I shall depart for Olympus at once," she said. "I cannot give you a ride, but I shall send assistance."

She turned to Annabeth. "Your courage knows no bounds, my girl. You will make the right decision."

The goddess then fixed her eyes upon Dad. He raised his head it seemed reluctantly and locked eyes with her. No words were exchanged, but I had a feeling Dad understood. The goddess and Thalia had a similar non-verbal exchange, while Percy was praised by my mother when she referred to him as a man rather than a boy.

"You have done well, Raiden," Artemis said. "I chose my champion well."

"Thank you, Artemis," Raiden whispered.

Lastly, the goddess faced me. Her silver eyes roved across my bruised and battered face, my lacerated chest, and my haggard face. As she surveyed me, my adrenaline faded, and a heavy wave of exhaustion crashed over me. I shivered, suddenly aware of the cold around me. The pain in my leg muscles seemed to spread to every part of my body. Artemis met my gaze, and I understood that she wasn't angry with me but rather concerned.

"I am proud of you, my daughter," Artemis said.

Then she boarded her chariot. We covered our faces, and the goddess vanished in a flash of silver light.

A few minutes later, six pegasi soared down and landed next to us. There was a pair of black ones and two whites that I didn't recognize, but I did know the other two palominos: Sunny and Spirit.

What's up, my lady? Sunny neighed. Artemis told us y'all needed some help.

"Hey, Sunny," I said.

What happened? The pegasus stared at my injured body. How'd your shirt get all torn? And where's Zade?

My stomach plummeted. I was ashamed to admit it, but in all the chaos of lifting the sky and dying, I'd forgotten what had happened to my hawk. Guilt flooded into my system, and I saw the image of my hawk, a poisoned arrow sticking out his belly, falling from the sky, and then slamming into the surface of Lake Henshaw.

Sunny appeared to read the expression on my face. I'm so sorry, my lady.

At that moment, Raiden strode over. "Hey," she said gently, removing her parka. "You're okay. You're safe." She draped her parka around my shoulders, ignoring my protests. "You need a leg up?"

"Yeah," I muttered. "Please."

Agro jumped onto Sunny's back in between her wing joints. Raiden lifted me by the waist and gently deposited me behind her. Then she jogged back over to Spirit and mounted herself. The six pegasi soared up into the air, and soon, we'd left California far behind.

I fell asleep almost as soon as Sunny reached gliding altitude, wrapping the jacket tighter around me. I didn't dream of anything, thank Artemis, but I snored, apparently. According to Raiden, I snored so loudly that "Big Ben would've been jealous of the noise you were making."

"Ainsley."

"Huh?" I jerked out of my sleep and gazed around through bleary eyes. "Who said that? What's going on?"

"We're here." Raiden pointed upward.

I looked at where she was pointing. Overhead the Empire State Building, Olympus blazed with burning braziers and torches. The Olympian Council of the Winter Solstice had begun.