Sophie stared in confusion as she watched herself fall into Tartarus.

Like, she literally watched herself.

She was standing right at the edge of the massive hole next to Annabeth, Grover, and Percy. Staring as her own body plummeted into the dark abyss, her figure growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared into nothing.

She heard Percy yell out her name, his hand reaching out to grab her, but it was too late. She was gone, like swallowed by a dark cloud or something.

Yet... she was standing right next to them.

"What the...?" Sophie whispered to herself, unable to wrap her mind around what was happening.

Her friends were already talking, panic written all over their faces. Percy was pale, his eyes wide and frantic. Annabeth looked horrified, her gaze fixed on the spot where Sophie had just vanished, and Grover, well, he just looked like he was going to hurl any second.

"Guys." Sophie waved her hand in front of Percy's face. "I'm right here! Can you seriously not see me?"

No response. Nothing. They didn't even flinch. It was like she was invisible.

"Hello? Anyone?" Her voice grew louder, more desperate, but still... nothing.

"They can't see you, dear."

Sophie jumped, spinning around to face the voice. Standing behind her was a tall woman, her presence commanding, almost eerie. She had long, dark hair that fell past her shoulders and eyes so dark they seemed bottomless. She was dressed in a flowing black Greek-style gown, with a long cloak made of something that looked like mist, swirling faintly around her. At her feet sat two massive Doberman-like dogs, their eyes glowing faintly in the shadows.

But what really stood out was the bright, flickering torch the woman held, its flames crackling softly in the dim underworld light.

Sophie felt a shiver run down her spine. She immediately knew this was no ordinary person—this woman was a goddess. That same overwhelming, intense feeling she had when she met Mr. D came rushing back, like an instinct screaming at her to be careful.

"They can't see me?" Sophie asked, completely thrown off, her mind spinning.

The woman waved her hand, and suddenly a giant black horse appeared beside her. Before Sophie could blink, the horse reared back, sprouted wings, and then, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a raven, its wings beating the air before it disappeared into the shadows.

"It was an illusion of the Mist," the woman explained, her voice calm, almost casual, as if transforming animals were an everyday thing.

Sophie blinked. She had no idea what this lady was talking about.

"They saw you fall into the pit, didn't they?" the woman continued, her eyes glinting with some unreadable expression. "But they didn't really see you. Not the real you. And now, they can't see either of us. That's why they're leaving."

Sophie's eyes widened in panic. She whipped around and saw her friends walking away, heading toward Hades' palace. Fear shot through her chest, and she ran after them, calling out their names. "Wait! Guys, wait! I'm right here!"

But before she could reach them, a giant wall of fire erupted in front of her, the flames roaring and blocking her path. She stumbled back, nearly falling, her heart racing.

She turned back toward the goddess, who stood there calmly, her torch casting eerie shadows on the ground.

"Who are you?" Sophie demanded, her voice shaky and confused. She had so many questions, none of them making sense.

The woman's lips curled into a small smile, her eyes gleaming as she replied, "Who are you?"

Sophie tilted her head, unsure what the woman meant. "I'm Sophie Jones," she said cautiously, unsure of why her name mattered.

The goddess gave a small nod, as if the name meant something. Then, with a flick of her wrist, a large, elegant throne appeared behind her, carved out of what looked like black marble. She sat down gracefully, her posture regal and unmoving. Another, smaller chair materialized next to hers, less grand but still imposing.

"Sit," the woman gestured to the smaller chair, her voice firm but not unkind.

Sophie hesitated, her feet rooted to the ground. But after a moment, she slowly approached and sat down, her back stiff as the cool chair pressed against her.

The woman set her torch down beside her and folded her hands in her lap, watching Sophie with an intense gaze. "I imagine you're wondering why I've interrupted your quest."

Sophie nodded, her heart still pounding.

"How's your father doing? Liam, wasn't it?" the woman asked, casually stroking one of her dogs. Her voice was calm, but there was something unsettling about her calmness, like she knew too much.

Sophie blinked in surprise. "He's... fine," she replied, the words coming out awkwardly.

"You're not living with him, though, are you?" The goddess's voice was gentle, but the question cut deeper than Sophie expected.

"No," Sophie said quietly, "I live with my uncle now."

The woman's lips twitched into a small smile, like she was pleased by the answer. "Robert. He was always my favorite of the two."

Sophie's eyes widened. "How do you know them?" she blurted out, curiosity bubbling up.

But the goddess ignored her, turning her gaze away. "And Abigail? Where's she now?"

Sophie felt her muscles relax slightly at the mention of her sister. "She's in prison."

"And Leila?"

The name hit Sophie like a punch to the gut, and all the ease she'd felt vanished in an instant. She swallowed hard, her throat suddenly tight. No one talked about Leila. Not anymore.

"She... she went missing," Sophie whispered, her voice barely audible.

The woman nodded, as if she already knew the answer. "Say, Sophie," she said after a long pause, "do you know who I am?"

Sophie shook her head slowly. She had an idea, but she wasn't certain.

"I'm Hecate," the goddess said, her voice calm but carrying the weight of power. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Lord and Uncle, I come with two—Er—Three requests," Percy said shakily as the the three of them stood in the god of the dead's throneroom.

Hades raised an eyebrow. When he sat forward, shadowy faces appeared in the folds of his black robes, faces of torment, as if the garment were stitched of trapped souls from the Fields of Punishment, trying to get out.

"Only three requests?" Hades said. "Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me not to strike you dead yet."

Percy swallowed. This was going about as well as he'd feared. "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be...bad."

"Really bad," Grover added helpfully.

"Return Zeus's master bolt to me," Percy said. "Please, sir. Let me carry it to Olympus."

Hades's eyes grew dangerously bright. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?"

Percy glanced back at the other two, who looked just as confused as he was.

"Um...Uncle," Percy said. "You keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?"

The throne room shook with a tremor so strong, people upstairs probably felt it upstairs in Los Angeles. Debris fell from the cavern ceiling. Doors burst open all along the walls, and skeletal warriors marched in, hundreds of them, from every time period and nation in Western civilization. They lined the perimeter of the room, blocking the exits.

Hades bellowed, "Do you think I want war, godling?"

Percy wanted to say, 'Well, these guys don't look like peace activists.' But he thought that might be a dangerous answer.

"You are the Lord of the Dead," Percy said carefully. "A war would expand your kingdom, right?"

"A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?"

"Well..."

"Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open?"

Percy opened his mouth to respond, but Hades was on a roll now.

"More security ghouls," he moaned. "Traffic problems at the judgment pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"

Percy expected Sophie to be the one to mention it, but since she wasn't there, he blurted, "Charon wants a pay raise."

"Don't get me started on Charon!" Hades yelled. "He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems everywhere, and I've got to handle all of them personally. The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. No, godling. I need no help getting subjects! I did not ask for this war."

"But you took Zeus's master bolt."

"Lies!" More rumbling. Hades rose from his throne, towering to the height of a football goalpost. "Your father may fool Zeus, boy, but I am not so stupid. I see his plan."

"His plan...?"

"You were the thief on the winter solstice," he said. "You and that girl! Your father thought to keep you his little secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus, You took the master bolt and my helm. Had I not sent my Fury to discover you both at Yancy Academy, Poseidon might have succeeded in hiding his scheme to start a war. But now you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, and I will have my helm back!"

"Lord Hades," Annabeth said, "your helm of darkness is missing, too?"

"Do not play innocent with me. You and the satyr have been helping this hero and..." Hades' voice trailed off, as he scanned the room. As if he were realizing for the first time that someone was missing from their group.

"—coming here to threaten me," Hades continued. "In Poseidon's name, no doubt—to bring me an ultimatum. Does Poseidon think I can be blackmailed into supporting him?"

"No!" Percy said. "Poseidon didn't—I didn't—"

"I have said nothing of the helm's disappearance," Hades snarled, "because I had no illusions that anyone on Olympus would offer me the slightest justice, the slightest help. I can ill afford for word to get out that my most powerful weapon of fear is missing. So I searched for you myself, and when it was clear you were coming to me to deliver your threat, I did not try to stop you."

"You didn't try to stop us? But—"

"Return my helm now, or I will stop death," Hades threatened. "That is my counterproposal. I will open the earth and have the dead pour back into the world. I will make your lands a nightmare. And you, Percy Jackson—your skeleton will lead my army out of Hades."

At that point, Percy probably should have been terrified. But all he felt was anger. Angry about his friend and him being accused of something they didn't do. Angry that friend wasn't there right then, likely because of something Hades had done to her.

"You're as bad as Zeus," Percy said. "You think we stole from you? That's why you sent the Furies after us?"

"Of course," Hades said.

"And the other monsters?"

Hades curled his lip. "I had nothing to do with them. I wanted no quick death for you—I wanted you brought before me alive so you might face every torture in the Fields of Punishment. Why do you think I let you enter my kingdom so easily?"

"Easily? You kidnapped my friend!"

"What did you say godling?"

"Sophie! You took her, she fell and we never saw her fall all the way down so somone-"

"Percy." Annabeth said trying to shut him up.

Wind roared and Hades seemed to grow even bigger. "I wouldn't waste my time. What threat could that girl be to me? If she died, because of her own ignorance, that is no fault of mine. Nor is it my issue."

"She's not dead!" Percy said annoyed.

Hades just glared at him "You don't sound too sure."

Sophie shook her head, glancing around nervously. She had no idea what Hecate wanted from her, and the air around them felt thick with something unspoken.

Hecate gave her a look that was almost a soft smile, which didn't exactly help Sophie's nerves. "Have you been burned recently?" the goddess asked, her tone calm but curious.

Sophie, puzzled, nodded slowly. She hesitated for a second before holding out her arm where a faint scar remained from the Furies' whips. The memory of that battle still stung in her mind, but the scar had almost faded.

Hecate took Sophie's arm in her icy cold hand, examining the scar as though it held some kind of hidden secret. Her touch was chilling, like touching a frozen lake in the dead of winter, and Sophie had to fight the urge to pull her arm away. After a moment, Hecate let go.

"How long ago did that happen?" the goddess asked, her voice a little softer now.

Sophie tried to think, her mind swirling. "Maybe just over two weeks?" she said. Honestly, time had become a blur since this quest had started. Every day was a battle, and she wasn't sure anymore how long they had been down here, running through the underworld.

Hecate nodded thoughtfully, her eyes flickering back to Sophie. "Hold out your other hand for me."

Sophie hesitated but eventually did as the goddess asked, holding out her hand, confused and unsure of what was about to happen.

Before she knew it, there was fire—actual fire—in Hecate's hand. Sophie's eyes widened in shock as the goddess brought it closer to her. Instinctively, she tried to yank her hand back, but Hecate's grip was like iron. There was no getting out of it.

The fire inched closer, and then... it touched her skin. Sophie braced herself, waiting for the searing pain.

But the pain never came.

Instead, the fire just sat there, gently glowing and flickering. It wasn't burning her. It wasn't even hurting her. The heat was mild, like the warm feeling of a radiator that had just been turned off or the slight warmth from the bottom of a shitty laptop after a long Minecraft session.

Sophie stared, mesmerized by the way the flames sparkled and danced on her palm. How was this even possible?

Hecate released her arm, the fire still glowing in Sophie's hand. "Try moving it," the goddess instructed.

Sophie looked up, confused. "What?"

Without answering, Hecate summoned more fire in her own hand, the flames winding their way up her arm, curling around her shoulders, and moving into her other hand with an eerie grace. "Try," Hecate repeated, her eyes fixed on Sophie.

Sophie stared at the fire in her palm, feeling a tug of something deep in her stomach. She tried to imagine it moving, but nothing happened. It stayed stubbornly still, flickering in place.

"Stop being so tense," Hecate said, her voice firm but not harsh.

Sophie took a deep breath, letting her shoulders relax. This time, when she imagined the fire moving, she felt that same tug in her stomach, but stronger. Slowly, the flames shifted, drifting through the air toward her other hand.

She watched in awe as the fire traveled through the space between her hands. But then, just as quickly as it had moved, the flame blew out, leaving nothing but a tiny spark that landed on her hoodie.

Sophie jumped back in surprise, patting at the spark, her heart racing. "How am I doing this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hecate smiled, but there was something knowing in her expression. "You're only beginning to understand your powers."

The goddess looked thoughtful for a moment, then asked, "How about the Mist? Can you manipulate it?"

Sophie shook her head. "No... I don't think so."

"Imagine Cerberus standing next to us," Hecate instructed. "Then relax your body, just like you did with the fire."

Sophie furrowed her brow but did as Hecate said. She focused on the image of Cerberus in her mind—the three-headed guard dog of the Underworld. As she focused, she felt that same tug in her stomach again, and she reached out with what felt like invisible hands, grabbing hold of the sensation.

To her surprise, sitting next to her now was a tiny, three-headed Doberman. But it was... wrong. The creature's eyes were way too big, its teeth were small and rounded, and its tail wagged excitedly like a puppy looking for a treat.

Hecate's scowl deepened as she glanced at the dog. She seemed unimpressed by the goofy-looking creature, but when she looked back at Sophie, there was a hint of approval in her gaze. "That's a start."

Sophie stared at the tiny dog, her mind racing. How was this real? Moments ago, she didn't even know she could do anything like this. Now, fire and the Mist were bending to her will, even if she didn't fully understand how.

She looked up at Hecate, still overwhelmed.

Hecate's eyes darkened as she spoke, her voice lowering. "You have more power than you realize, Sophie. This is only the beginning. But you must learn control. The Mist, fire, illusions... they are tools, and they can shape your path or destroy it. Which way you choose is up to you."

Sophie swallowed hard. Why did gods always have to be so cryptic?

Percy, Annabeth and Grover were dropped off at the Santa Monica pier by a coast guard who had picked them up in the ocean after they had fled the underworld.

Ares had tricked them. Planted the bolt in Percy's backpack. Framing him as the thief.

They'd escaped using the pearls. There were only three. If Sophie had been with them, Percy knew she would have been the first to volunteer to stay behind. He also knew what his mom would say to him if she could. To finish the quest. Stop the war from happening. So they had to leave her behind too.

"Percy..." Annabeth said. "I'm sorry about..."

Percy didn't respond, afraid it would result in tears. "The prophecy was right," he said, miserably. "I didn't tell you guys. The Oracle said, 'you shall fail to save what matters most in the end.' I had to leave my mom and..." Percy blinked hard to stop his eyes from glassing over. He had been selfish by keeping the other half of the Oracle's predictions to himself. He was afraid no one would want to join the quest if they knew. And now, Sophie was gone.

"Hey, kid," Ares called from the beach, seeming genuinely pleased to see him. "You were supposed to die." His motorcycle rumbled beside him, its head-light turning the sand red.

"You tricked me," Percy said angrily. "You stole the helm and the master bolt."

Ares grinned. "Well, now, I didn't steal them personally. Gods taking each other's symbols of power—that's a big no-no. But you're not the only hero in the world who can run errands."

"Who did you use? Clarisse? She was there at the winter solstice."

The idea seemed to amuse him. "Doesn't matter. The point is, kid, you're impeding the war effort. See, you've got to die in the Underworld. Then Old Seaweed will be mad at Hades for killing you. Corpse Breath will have Zeus's master bolt, so Zeus'll be mad at him. And Hades is still looking for this..."

From his pocket he took out a ski cap—the kind bank robbers wear—and placed it between the handlebars of his bike. Immediately, the cap transformed into an elaborate bronze war helmet.

"The helm of darkness," Grover gasped.

"Exactly," Ares said. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, Hades will be mad at both Zeus and Poseidon, because he doesn't know who took this. Pretty soon, we got a nice little three-way slugfest going."

He snapped his fingers. The sand exploded at his feet and out charged a wild boar, even larger and uglier than the one whose head hung above the door of cabin seven at Camp Half-Blood. The beast pawed the sand, glaring at Percy with beady eyes as it lowered its razor-sharp tusks and waited for the command to kill.

"But they're your family!" Annabeth protested.

Ares shrugged. "Best kind of war. Always the bloodiest. Nothing like watching your relatives fight, I always say."

Ares scanned the area where the three were standing, his lips curling into a malicious smile. "Uh oh. Looks like you're missing one. Hope you're not just noticing. Though I wouldn't be surprised."

That does it. He's fucking done.

Percy stepped into the surf. "How 'bout you fight me yourself, Ares."

He laughed, but there was a little edge to his laughter...an uneasiness.

"You've only got one talent, kid, running away. You ran from the Chimera. You ran from the Underworld. You don't have what it takes."

"Scared?"

"In your adolescent dreams." But his sunglasses were starting to melt from the heat of his eyes. "No direct involvement. Sorry, kid. You're not at my level."

Annabeth said, "Percy, run!"

But Percy was done running from monsters. Or Hades, or Ares, or anybody.

The boar charged.

Sophie had finally managed to make her magic mist illusion look like a raven—except it was bright hot pink. She didn't think it was because she was bad at magic; honestly, it was probably just her imagination being way too extra. Because, really, who wouldn't want a bright pink raven?

Apparently, Hecate.

"Sophie," Hecate's voice cut through her concentration, making the bird vanish into thin air, "have you been able to communicate with any spirits yet?"

Sophie blinked, looking up like she'd just been pulled out of a daydream. "Uh, I had a dream once where I was in the Underworld... does that count?"

Hecate raised an eyebrow but pressed on. "What about shadow traveling? Most kids of underworld gods can do it."

Sophie stared at her, the wheels in her brain turning slowly. "Wait, hold up—did you just say 'kids of underworld gods'? Like... are you saying you're my mom?"

Hecate gave her a look that was half-exasperation, half-amusement. "I thought I'd made that pretty clear by now."

Sophie shook her head vigorously. "Nope, not at all!"

Hecate sighed, folding her arms. "Let's review, shall we? You can hold fire, control the Mist, and, let's not forget, you're on friendly terms with Cerberus. How were those not huge hints?"

Sophie blinked. She wasn't exactly the sharpest demigod, it seemed. Hecate... was her mom?

"Why didn't you, like, claim me or something?" Sophie asked, feeling a little indignant.

Hecate looked down at her with a slight smirk. "I don't really do the whole 'claiming' thing. I always let my children know who I am... eventually. I just think the whole 'claiming' ritual is a bit unnecessary. Anyway, back to shadow traveling."

She dove into her explanation again, something about melting into shadows and imagining yourself where you wanted to go. Sophie had tried several times, but every time she ended up in the same spot, just looking vaguely embarrassed.

Hecate was mid-sentence when she suddenly stopped, looking at Sophie like she was listening to something only she could hear.

"Your friends are ready for you to return," Hecate said calmly. "The son of Poseidon is going to need your help."

Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but Hecate was already turning to leave. "Wait!" she called out, raising her hand. "There's something I need to do first."

Hades sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Hecate," he muttered, "you know I don't appreciate unannounced visitors." His voice held a mix of exhaustion and irritation as he slowly raised his head from his hands.

Hecate didn't respond, her gaze steady and unmoved. Instead, she simply stepped aside, revealing Sophie, who was standing off to the side, inspecting one of the intricate designs carved into the palace pillars.

Hades groaned. "What now?" he muttered, clearly unimpressed.

Sophie turned around, noticing Hecate had shifted. She gave Hades an awkward smile. "Hey."

Hades raised an eyebrow, looking thoroughly unamused.

Sophie looked back at the pillar, tracing her fingers along the smooth design for a moment before turning to face the god of the dead again. She hesitated but then spoke up. "So, I had one question... but now I guess I have two."

She knew it wasn't exactly the best idea to bargain with the gods—her friends had warned her a hundred times—but she really didn't care at this point. They were all a pain in the—

"Go on," Hades interrupted, gesturing with a wave of his hand for her to continue.

Sophie took a deep breath and glanced up at him. "I'm going to ask the second question first, 'cause it's probably the one you're least likely to kill me for."

Hecate let out a tired sigh behind her, giving Hades a look that seemed almost apologetic.

Sophie turned her attention back to the pillar, still tracing the designs with her fingers. "Can I speak to whoever designed this palace?"

Hades blinked, clearly taken aback. Of all the things she could have asked, he had not expected that. He was bracing himself for a plea for riches or freedom, not architectural curiosity. "What?" he said, sounding baffled.

"Yeah, it's really impressive," Sophie continued, then added quickly, "Anyway, the second thing. I was wondering if you could give Percy's mom back—"

"No," Hades interrupted bluntly.

Sophie stared at him, taken aback by the flatness of his response. "No?" she repeated.

"The boy stole Zeus's bolt," Hades explained, his tone bitter. "The gods accuse me of the theft. And while I don't particularly care about that drama, what I do care about is someone taking my helm of darkness."

Sophie's eyes widened. "Someone stole the helm of darkness?" Hecate asked, looking a bit more alert, her calm demeanor fading.

Hades nodded grimly. "Yes. It disappeared around the same time as the bolt."

Sophie's mind raced. The pieces of the puzzle started clicking together. "Percy didn't take the bolt," she began.

Hades cut her off. "Then explain why it was in his backpack."

Sophie's heart sank. The backpack Ares had given them. She'd thought it was strange before, but now it made sense. "Ares gave him that backpack," she said, feeling a wave of realization hit her. "Ares must've taken the bolt. And... probably the helm too."

"Ares," Hecate said with a slight grimace. "Of course."

Hades looked skeptical, though his eyes flashed with irritation. "Ares," he muttered. "The gods' favorite troublemaker."

Sophie pressed on, feeling bolder now. "So if Percy's heading to Ares, he's going to get both the bolt and the helm. And when he does... you send me and Sally home."

She meant it to sound like a suggestion, but it came out more like an order.

Hades narrowed his eyes, clearly not liking her tone, but he didn't retaliate. "And what if they don't get the helm?" he asked coldly.

Sophie shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant, but her heart was pounding. "What do you think?"

Hades crossed his arms, considering her words. "If the agreement is that you and Sally leave when I get my helm back, then if I don't get it... you stay."

"Hades—" Hecate started, concern in her voice.

"Deal," Sophie interrupted, her voice firm. She didn't care about the risks. She wasn't leaving the Underworld without Percy's mom.

Hecate looked at Sophie, her expression hardening. "I'm sure Hades could send just you back either way, Sophie."

Sophie shook her head. "I'm not leaving without Sally."

Hades raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by her stubbornness. "You're a brave half-blood, I'll give you that."

Sophie flashed him a small smile. "Thanks."

Hecate, however, wasn't done. "What will you do if you do have to stay here?" she asked.

Sophie thought for a moment, her eyes drifting back to the detailed carvings in the pillars. "Well, I know you're here," she said with a shrug. "There are plenty of souls to talk to, and Charon—he seems a bit depressed. I could keep him company. Plus, Cerberus could use someone to play with."

Hades snorted in amusement, though his face remained stoic. "Cerberus would rip you to shreds in seconds."

As if on cue, the ground beneath them rumbled, and Sophie looked up to see a giant, snarling three-headed dog charging toward the palace. Cerberus's growls echoed through the halls, each head snarling in sync, waiting for Hades' command.

"Great..." Hades muttered, clearly bothered by the chaos.

But then something strange happened. Cerberus, upon spotting Sophie, abruptly stopped. His three heads tilted, and his eyes softened. His massive tail started wagging, and before anyone could react, he let out a playful bark and lowered himself onto his haunches, ready to play.

Hecate chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling. Cerberus's demeanor shifted immediately as he spotted her, his playfulness disappearing as he sat up straight, bowing his heads respectfully.

Before Sophie could process what had just happened, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye—a red ball rolling across the palace floor.

Cerberus bounded after it, tail wagging, as he bolted into the palace gardens, completely forgetting the tension of a moment ago.

Sophie raised an eyebrow, watching the ball flicker out of sight occasionally. "Was that toy the mist?"

Hecate nodded looking slightly proud.

Hades sighed, watching the giant dog disappear into the garden. "He's going to trample all of Persephone's plants..."

Sophie was lying upside down on one of the benches in Hades' palace, her head dangling off the edge like a sloth that had given up on life. The world looked weird from this angle, but she wasn't about to sit upright in the literal Underworld. If she was stuck here, she was at least going to make herself comfortable.

Hades, on the other side of the room, was deep in conversation with Persephone. He had this look on his face like a guy who'd forgotten their anniversary—Cerberus was slumped behind him, looking equally guilty, ears flat against his head. Sophie felt a pang of sympathy for the massive three-headed dog. Poor guy probably just wanted someone to throw him a bone.

Hecate had disappeared ages ago, presumably off doing some very important godly business. Sophie imagined it involved mist and fire, maybe summoning a raven or two for dramatic flair.

"Sophie!" Hades' voice rang out, snapping her out of her upside-down thoughts.

She rolled off the bench with all the grace of a dropped sack of potatoes and scrambled to her feet. Smooth. Very smooth. She dusted herself off and jogged over to where Hades was standing, leaning casually against a pillar like he had all the time in the world—which, to be fair, he kind of did.

Persephone gave Sophie a kind smile before heading off toward her garden. There was definitely something regal about her, even though Sophie was pretty sure she could hear Cerberus slobbering in the background.

Before Sophie could open her mouth to ask what was up, Hades snapped his fingers. In the blink of an eye, Sally Jackson appeared, looking bewildered and a little frantic.

"Sophie?! Where are we... what happened?" Sally asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Sophie grinned, trying to sound as casual as possible for someone explaining they were hanging out in the Underworld. "Its okay Mrs, Jackson. Were in the underworld, and it looked like Percy just saved our asses."

Sally opened her mouth, looking like she was about to ask a million questions, but before she could get even one word out—poof—she was gone again.

Sophie blinked, stunned. "Wait, what just—?"

Hades, clearly amused, held up a hand. "Relax. I sent her back to her house. Safe and sound."

Sophie exhaled, shoulders sagging in relief. "I thought you vaporized her or something."

Hades raised an eyebrow. "Please. Do I look like Zeus?"

Sophie tried to hide her excitement that the god of the underworld had just made a joke... about something she said.

After defeating Ares, Percy threw the helm of darkness to a Fury, who had seen the whole thing, and told the Fury to return the helm back to Hades.

The plane ride to New York was horrible. Percy kept his eyes shut the whole time. 

When their flight landed, Percy told Annabeth and Grover to head back to camp, to report to Chiron. He had to finish this himself.

He hitched a taxi ride to the Empire state building and took the elevator up to the 600th floor. The doors opened, and he was standing at the entrance of the Olympus throne room. With all the major gods sitting before him. He took a deep breath and exited the elevator. Zues' lightning bolt in his backpack.

💃💃💃

LETS GOOO!!!! WE DID IT!!!!
THE REVEAL!!!!

I loved reading Ya'll guesses sm, the amount of people that said Hades almost made me want to change it to Hades.

Thanks for reading, this chapter was probably my fav to write.

Blake 🫡