chapter eighty-eight

─── it took years, but dad finally let me in the house

          𝔜ou know, it never gets easier when people die on your behalf. I hated this part the most about being a demigod, knowing that others blood was on your hands and there was nothing that you could do to change it.

You'd also think, being the daughter of the sea that blood washes off easily with salt water, but alas, it never did and I was left with another name to be added to the list of those who'd died instead of me.

By the time I come too again after a bit too long unconscious, I feel like someone's been repeatedly closing a fridge door onto my head. A large figure looms overhead, and for a moment, I convince myself that we did it.

"Beckendorf?"

"No, sister. It's me." My eyes focus a little more, and I find Tyson hovering over me, his eye wide and worried. 

"Tyson?"

"Yay! You remember, that is good, I was worried you might not." Tyson broke out into a toothy grin. He sounded older now, more mature, and I kept forgetting that he was growing up. I felt weightless and cold, and as I sit up, the vibrations in my skull get louder. 

A gossamer sheet had been covering my body, and I found myself on a bed of woven kelp, glowing pearls keeping the room alight. We were underwater.

"Where are we?" I'd never been here before.

"Daddy's palace." Tyson explained and maybe, if I was a little younger, I'd be excited. Now my brain had limited time for other emotions apart from worry. My shirt was singed from the flames, though the burns had healed from time spent underwater. I reached up, scratching at my chest to see if the hellhound scars were there, and they were. They were my first scars, and the ones that reminded me of where I came from, so I didn't want them to disappear. "We found you last night."

"Beckendorf was on board when the ship blew up." I'm trying to get up immediately at the thought. "Did you find him?"

Tyson's face went dark, before he sighed.

"I'm sorry, sister. No sign." I let my head tilt back, before sighing. Beckendorf was slightly younger than me and about to start college. He'd had a girlfriend, lots of friends and had his whole life ahead of him and he was gone. 

That was on me.

Looking back up, I wondered what to do. No one had any idea where to start. Well, nearly everyone. Nico di Angelo had a plan, one that screamed danger so loud, even I could hear it. Luke had veto-ed the plan super quickly, but I wasn't sure whether we should have. Maybe, it was time to reconsider. A distant blast shook the room, green light blazing as both of us turn towards it.

"Come on. Daddy will explain." He helps me up as both of us hurry off. This palace might have been amazing, if it wasn't in the process of getting destroyed. We swam to the end of a long hallway, shooting up into the air on a geyser before rising over the rooftops. If I could breathe, my breath would stop. It was stunning, the city large and sprawling with courtyards, gardens and columned pavilions. The paths were lined with the glowing pearls, and everywhere I looked there were warriors, sharpening weapons, and fortifications that were starting to be ruined. Greek fire was burning everywhere, battles raging and flashes of energy as armies clashed.

The gloom of the ocean floor made it hard for me to truly see what was happening, as a temple exploded in green flames. 

Out of the darkness above, a squid, larger than anything I'd seen appeared, surrounded by warriors trying to take it down. A tentacle descended on the palace, smashing a whole column of warriors. At that moment, a brilliant arc of blue light shot from the rooftop of one of the taller buildings, hitting the giant squid. It dissolved, disappearing from view.

"That was daddy."

"He did that?" A little bit of hope rose up on me. I knew that my father had unbelievable powers, he could deal with this attack. A thought occurred to me. "Have you been in the fight? Any of these fights?"

"No..." Tyson pouted, before half scowling. "I have been fixing weapons."

"Thank the gods." I muttered, relieved.

"Come on, let's go find daddy."

Look, I knew my dad was a pretty absent parent but I didn't think he was absent enough for me to not recognise him. Apparently, I was wrong. 

The roof of the deck had been set up like a command centre, with the mosaics on the floor showing a map of the grounds and surrounding oceans, moving with the different armies and sea monsters. There was a strange assortment of warriors standing around it, pondering what to do, as I looked for my dad. I was used to a big guy with an ugly Hawaiian shirt, but there was no one like that.

There was a merman with two fish tails instead of one, but he had green skin. His armour was studded with pearls, dark hair tied back from his face. Standing next to him was a bushy haired old man, battle armour weighing him down. To the old man's right stood a beautiful woman with flowing black hair, bejewelled with pearls and other shells and then there was a dolphin.

"Delphin, send Palaemon and his legions of sharks to the western front. The threats must be neutralised." The old man commanded and then the dolphin talked.

Because of course, the dolphin could talk.

Yes, lord, it chattered, before hurrying off as my mind began to connect the dots.

"Dad?" The old man looked up, and I recognised the eyes that looked so similar to mine if I had aged sixty years and had another midlife crisis.

"Hello Dree."

"What happened to you?" I cocked an eyebrow as Tyson nudged me, trying to shake his head and warn me off.

"It's alright, Tyson." My dad placated him. "Ever the charmer, Dree. The war has been hard on me."

"You're immortal, you can look any way you want."

"I reflect the state of my realm." Poseidon explained. "And right now, the state is quite grim. Dree, I should introduce you. You've just missed my lieutenant Delphin. This is my, er, wife, Amphitrite. My dear..."

She turned to me as I fought a wince. Well, this was a great first introduction to my step-mother.

"Excuse me, my lord, I am needed in the battle." She swam away as I tried not to pull a face.

"Yes, well...this is my son, Triton." 

"Your son and heir." The green man corrected, his fish tails swishing back and forth as she shot me a cold smile. "Hello, Andromeda Jackson. Come to help at last?"

He acted like I was late. Or lazy, neither of which I agree with. I didn't bother to respond to that.

"I will see to the front line, Father. Don't worry, I will not fail." He nodded politely to Tyson, sent one last look to me and then disappeared as Poseidon sighed. He stood up, his trident in hand as he walked over.

"I'm sorry about that." A sea serpent appeared above us, spiralling down towards us and without a look upwards, Poseidon zapped it with the blue energy as it turned into a million different kinds of fish. "My family is anxious. The battle is going poorly."

He pointed at the edge of the mosaic where an image of a merman, larger than the rest, with the horns of a bull appeared.

"Oceanus." I knew this one. Luke and I had spoken about it. "The Titan of the Sea. I thought he was neutral in the first war?"

"He was but Kronos has convinced him to fight. It's not a good sign, he would not commit unless he was sure that he had picked the winning side."

"Then he's a fool." I pointed out. "I mean, who rides into battle on a crawfish chariot looking like a knock off minotaur."

That makes him laugh slightly.

"I appreciate your faith, Dree, but we have been at war for almost a year now. My powers are taxed and still, he seems to dredge up sea monsters so ancient, I had forgotten they existed."

"You have an army though, and Tyson said Briares was down here, at least last time we talked." Tyson looks up at his name with a slight nod.

"He fights well. I wish we had a whole army like him but he is the only one." I hummed, watching the map's ever changing face. "Dree, we don't have much time. Tell me of your mission. Did you see Kronos?"

I wish I could get choked up when I explained about everything that had happened, and how Beckendorf had died, but below me were rows of wounded and then beyond that, beds of coral for hastily met graves. They'd been training me for war, for being mentally prepared for all of the burden of being the one destined to either save or destroy them. So now, I didn't cry as much at death, even if it was someone I knew, because there were thousands already dead and more would follow.

I felt angry and helpless.

"Beckendorf chose a heroic death, you bear no blame for that, Dree." Poseidon's hand fell on my shoulders. "Kronos' army will be in disarray. Many were destroyed."

"We didn't kill him." I shook my head. It hadn't been a success if I hadn't stopped him.

"No, but you brought us time."

"There were demigods on that ship, children I've helped kill." I remind him, shaking my head. I know that I didn't have a choice, that they would have killed me but maybe...I didn't dare finish the thought.

"Dree..."

"Don't, I know the spiel. They were evil, they followed Kronos and chose their path. I hear it often enough, I don't need reminding." I watched the mosaic and even Tyson dared not touch me when I was this angry. It was pent up inside me, waiting to explode and I was worried what consequences that would bring.

"It's not your fault, sister. Kronos does not explode well. Next time, you will get it."

"Dree, Beckendorf's sacrifice wasn't in vain. You have scattered the invasion force and New York will be safe for a time, it allows us to deal with the bigger threat."

"The bigger threat?" That filled me with so much joy.

"Ask Chiron when you return to camp?" I looked up at him, wanting to protest, to ask to stay with them and fight, but I knew that my job was elsewhere, that I had to be back on the surface.

"What?"

"Tell him it is time. You have to hear the prophecy, I command it." Poseidon turned, looking at me before his hand found my cheek, watching me softly. "I do not know what your final decision will be, daughter, but your fight is in the world above. Do not worry for us, warn your friends at camp. Kronos knew your plans, he has a spy. We will hold here, for we have no choice."

I leant into his touch before pulling away.

"See you soon, big guy." I smacked Tyson's shoulder as my brother huffed.

"I will miss you, sister."

"You have work to do as well, my son. They need you in the armoury." For a moment, I thought he wouldn't go but he followed dad's orders and left, only looking back once with tears in his eye.

"You should let him fight. He hates being stuck in the armoury, can't you see that?" I questioned.

"I have to send so many of my children into danger, you and Triton, I can not stand to send another one of you." Poseidon replied, going to say something else before he caught sight of the Titan moving across the mosaic. "Oceanus approaches. I must meet him in battle."

Fear settled in my stomach, as I prepared myself to leave.

"I will hold, I won't give up my domain. Just tell me, Dree, do you still have your birthday gift?"

"Of course." I pulled it from my pocket to show to him.

"The time is coming. With luck, I will see you for your birthday next week and we will have a proper celebration." For a moment, I saw a look in his eyes that I imagine was what mine looked like before a fight, a storm rolling in across choppy waters. The entire sea grew dark around us, an icy presence approaching as he took a deep breath. "I must assume my godly form. Go, Dree, go now and good luck."

I took a step backwards.

"Goodbye dad." I muttered, before turning and stepping into one of the currents leaving the city, willing it to take me back to Long Island. I didn't dare look back to see how my father was coping and how the sea looked, being torn apart by two armies.

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

So, Andi finally got to visit her dad and was immediately rude about his appearance, which I love for her. She's growing slightly more serious across the book because she feels like she has the weight of a lot of deaths on her hand which is true, and I'm excited to get this started.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx