ｔｈｅ ｌａｓｔ ｏｌｙｍｐｉａｎ

ANNABETH, LUCIA, AND PERCY were on their way out of Olympus when Lucia felt Percy's absence. She looked to see that he stopped walking, and his eyes were locked on something in the distance. As she followed his gaze she saw Hermes standing in a side courtyard of the palace. The God was staring at an Iris message in the mist of the fountain.

"Go ahead, Percy." Lucia said, "We'll meet you at the elevators.

He turned to her, "How'd you—"

"I know you." She shrugged,

He nodded, "You really do..." was all he said before walking away

"Come on Beth—" A blond figure near the ruins of the old amphitheater caught Lucia's eye, "On second thought I think I have my own meeting to attend. Can we—?"

"Of course Lucy. You're not going anywhere."

"Well, let's hope not." Lucia teased

Annabeth's face dropped. "You're not funny."

The brunette squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry. Bad joke. I'll be right back Beth."

"You mean it."

She nodded,

"Good," Annabeth said,

Lucia reassured her with a smile and made her way to her Father.

He took the shape of the same blonde sixteen-year-old. Which now felt weird considering he looked barely any older than her. But something had especially caught her eye this time as she walked to him. She noticed his resemblance to Lee Fletcher, and grief pulled at her heartstrings.

"Hi."

"Oh hey, little star. How ya doin'."

"Not good." She admitted. "But I'm going to deal with it."

"I know you will." He nodded, "You're a strong kid."

"He said that too." She laughed, but it didn't seem to reach her eyes, "Right before he died... He said I was strong enough. You know just because I can handle pain doesn't mean I should have to."

Apollo opened his mouth to speak.

"You lied to me." She stopped him

"I didn't lie." He argued, "I hid the truth. You're my kid you know the difference."

"Yes. And it doesn't make it any better." She huffed, "At the end of the day my father isn't who I thought he was and he didn't die the way I thought he did. I spent my entire life thinking he abandoned me. That it was my fault he didn't want to be alive. That I make people leave simply because I'm me. And living with them...only made me believe it more."

"You were too young to understand." Apollo said, "And I couldn't have been there if I tried. You know—"

"I know." she sighed "This isn't an ordinary situation, I get that but it doesn't mean It's right."

"You think I made a mistake." He said, "Bringing him back?"

"I think that it was selfish. To bring him back and leave him in a world he had no idea how to navigate. Especially knowing you couldn't have been together like before...but a part of me understands your reasoning. And I know that what came from your decision wasn't in your hands...even if you did know it would happen... because you did, didn't you?"

"No one can tamper with fate, Lucia, not even me. If I had warned him of what was to come, or tried to influence his choices If I would have involved myself with you before it was time. I would've made things even worse. Staying silent, staying away from you both . . . that was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"....If you're asking me if I wish you never did it...I can't say that. I wouldn't exist...And honestly, I do want to be alive. I want my life." She declared, "History is history. I can't change the past."

"I see Clio has rubbed off on you." He smiled slightly. "I know I already said this, But I'm proud of you Kid..."

"That's okay, I like hearing it," Lucia admitted. She trailed off into her thoughts. "I do have a question."

"Yes?"

"How bad is the city?"

Apollo shrugged. "Not terrible. The mortals are shaken but this is New York. They'll be back to normal in a few weeks; As for Typhon, the mist has labeled his destruction to be due to a series of freak storms. They're also talking about Manhattan's largest earthquake to date."

"Agatha and Davis...The media..."

"The mist covered it up as a Car Accident caused by the weather." He said, "You're not involved at all."

Lucia probably should have felt relief. But it only made her feel more disgusted with herself.

"They weren't good people, Lucia."

"Doesn't matter." She whispered, "I never wanted to be like them..."

"You're not." Apollo laughed, like she was simply making a really funny joke, "Plus you're my kid which automatically makes you better than everyone else."

Lucia laughed half-heartedly, she shook her head. She still felt the disgust and shame but she knew that dealing with everything would take more than a single day. And that some things would be a lot more complicated to deal with and understand than others.

"Kronos...He's not dead right." She asked and a chill ran up her spine "You can't kill a titan..."

"Right. With luck, he's spread so thin that he'll never be able to form consciousness again, much less a body. But don't mistake him for dead, Lucia."

She gulped, "What about the other Titans?"

"In hiding," Apollo said. "Prometheus will keep his head low for a few centuries if he's smart. Krios has fled, and Mount Othrys has crumbled into ruins. Oceanus slipped back into the deep ocean when it was clear Kronos had lost."

"You have other children. Recognize them. All the gods can do that and then things can be better. This can't repeat if you stick to your promise."

Her dad's shoulders sagged. "They'll try, Little star. Oh, we'll all try to keep our promise. And maybe for a while things will get better. But we gods have never been good at keeping oaths. Percy was born due to a broken promise, Eventually, we'll become forgetful. We always do."

"You can change."

Apollo laughed. "After three thousand years, you think the gods can change their nature?"

"I do." She said,

Apollo seemed surprised by that. "Do you hate me?"

"No." She frowned, "I don't hate you."

He stared at the rubble at his feet. "I'll give you a list of your siblings. There's a boy in Seattle. Two girls in Los Angeles. A few others. Will you see that they get to camp?"

"I promise," She said. "And I won't forget."

"Good." He said, "But before anything I need you to do something else. can you do that?"

"What is it?" she scrunched her nose up

"Take care of little star."

A sad smile formed on Lucia's lips. "I will..."

Apollo's face shifted, "Oh, and about you and Jackson! Don't think Dite hasn't told me everything! He's going to have to complete some labors before he can—"

Her eyes widened, "Would you look at that! It's time for me to go! Bye, dad!"

"Hey!" He stopped her. His face turned grim. Lucia asked herself how easy it was for him to shift moods. She wondered if like her he had his own mask, placed to keep others away from the internal battle... "I know....you lost a lot of siblings...Try and take care of the ones still here."

Lucia didn't like the feeling she got from his words.

"And remember Lucia...you can't stop fate once it's been spun."

☼

ANOTHER GOD WAS WAITING FOR LUCIA ON HER WAY OUT OF OLYMPUS.

Athena stood in the middle of the road with her arms crossed and a look on her face that made her nervous. She'd changed out of her armor, into jeans and a white blouse, but she didn't look any less warlike. Her gray eyes blazed.

"Well, Lucia," she said. "You're alive."

"Um, yes, my lady."

Athena stepped close to her, and Lucia could feel her aura of power making her skin itch. "I once warned you, Lucia, that you are not able to control your love. it runs without inhibition. And it shall result in a recklessness that may ruin you and us all. Perhaps I was mistaken. Your strong emotions seem to have saved you, your friends, and the world. But think very carefully about how you proceed from here. I have given you the benefit of the doubt. Don't mess up."

Just to prove her point, she erupted in a column of flame, charring the front of her shirt.

Annabeth and Percy were waiting for Lucia at the elevator.

"Why do you smell like smoke?" The blonde asked

"Long story," She mumbled. Together they made their way down to the street level. None of them said a word. The music was god awful—Neil Diamond. She should've asked her dad for better elevator tunes.

When they got into the lobby, They found Sally and Paul arguing with the bald security guy, who'd returned to his post.

"I'm telling you," His mom yelled, "we have to go up! My son—"

Then she saw Percy and her eyes widened. "Percy!"

She squeezed him so hard that Lucia wondered if he could breathe.

"We saw the building lit up blue," she said. "But then you didn't come down. You went up hours ago!"

"She was getting a bit anxious," Paul said drily.

"I'm all right," He promised as his mom hugged Annabeth. "Everything's okay now."

Lucia stayed behind. She held her hands behind her back, the fear of hurting others hadn't faded.

"Mr. Blofis," Annabeth said, "that was wicked sword work."

Paul shrugged. "It seemed like the thing to do. But Percy is this really . . . I mean, this story about the six hundredth floor?"

"Olympus," He said. "Yeah."

Paul looked at the ceiling with a dreamy expression. "I'd like to see that."

"Paul," Sally chided. "It's not for mortals. Anyway, the important thing is we're safe. All of us—" She stepped away from Percy. Her gentle eyes landed on Lucia and a frown formed on her lips. "Lucia? Hon? Why are you hiding over there? Come closer."

"I tried to kill your son." She blurted out, "More than once..."

"Mom. It was Kronos." Percy was quick to explain, "He messed with her. I told you remember? She would never—"

She nodded, "So does this mean I don't get a famous Lucia hug?"

Tears formed in her eyes. "Sal...I don't know if..."

Sally opened her arms in invitation.

Lucia walked forward. An arm loosely wrapped around the older woman's waist. "I'm sorry."

Sally hushed her, a hand fell on her head to smooth down her hair. "You don't have to apologize. It's all okay."

Lucia sniffled in her arms.

She didn't want to discourage Sally but all wasn't okay. Lucia had so many wounds; both scabbed over and bleeding. And they wouldn't ever really heal themselves. They were scars she had to hold forever. They would always remain. In time, to protect her sanity she may cover them with scar tissue and have the pain lessen. But it was never going to be gone. Lucia was smart enough to know that even if she allowed herself not to dwell on bad memories, even if she prevented her pain from turning her into someone she didn't want to be, even if she focused on the good, there was no escaping her sorrows.

As they broke away. She gave her a sweet smile and tucked
Lucia's hair behind her ears. "Sweetheart." She squeezed her shoulders. "I'm so happy you're safe."

Lucia smiled, her gaze rose and she couldn't help but giggle. She elbowed Sally. "So, Paul..."

Sally's eyes crinkled together with joy. She left one hand resting on the girl's shoulder before turning to the older man. "Paul this is Lucia Verano."

"Actually she goes by Lucia, 'Princess of Sparta' now." Percy corrected.

Sally furrowed her eyebrows

"Long long story. But Lucia is fine." Lucia assured, She offered her hand out to shake. "Nice to meet you, Paul. You hurt either of them and you answer to me, got that?"

"Aye, aye Captain" He saluted before shaking her hand. "So I finally get to meet the famous Luz, huh?"

Lucia beamed, "Famous?"

"Oh Yeah," Paul replied "I've heard alllll about you."

"Paul!" Percy cried in embarrassment

She leaned in and whispered, "More than the redhead, right?"

"Luz." Percy protested,

"Fine Fine." Lucia rolled her eyes, "I'll be good."

Paul gave her a discreet thumbs up and her smile grew.

Lucia was about to relax. Everything felt perfect. Annabeth, Percy, and Her were okay. Sally and Paul had survived. Olympus was saved.

But the life of a demigod is never so easy.

Just then Nico ran in from the street, a medium-sized McDonald's drink in hand. His face told Lucia something was wrong.

"It's Rachel," he said. "I just ran into her down on 32nd Street."

Lucia huffed, "Speak of the devil and he doth appear "

Annabeth frowned. "What's she done this time?"

"It's where she's gone," Nico said. "I told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and—"

"She took my pegasus?" Percy demanded.

Nico nodded. "She's heading to Half-Blood Hill. She said she had to get to camp."