Bia's boots thudded against the stone floor as she crossed the threshold into Cabin One. Zelus drifted at her side, eyes flicking over the empty room with a hawkish gaze.
Thalia's corner was empty; the blankets had been tossed aside, and the pillows scattered. The old trunk beside the bunk, where she had stored all her things, gaped open and empty.
"They're gone," Bia said, voice flat.
Zelus straightened, his expression sharp. "We need to check on those followers of hers. You take the Athena cabin, I'll take the Hermes. If they remain, she is likely to still be at camp, but if they're gone...we need to contact Kratos immediately."
They moved as one, marching out the door in steady strides, splitting up in their search.
Bia reached Cabin Six first. She didn't bother knocking; storming in and ignoring the explanations of the demigods, she looked for her target. Not seeing her, she turned to the nearest demigod.
"Where is the bunk belonging to Annabeth?" It didn't feel like a question, but more of an interrogation, the words coming out with authority, commanding an answer.
The demigod hesitated, but under Bia's gaze, he reluctantly raised his hand and pointed to a corner, following the direction, Bia found where Annabeth slept.
The trunk opened to reveal nothing inside, the shelves empty, with only small, clean spots free of dust, suggesting that something had been here before being taken. Seeing it was the same with Thalia, she immediately concluded that both of them had left camp; most likely, Zelus would discover the same at Cabin Eleven.
Bia returned to the demigod who gave her directions.
"When did she leave?" Again, the same tone, crushing the demigod's spirit with words alone.
However, this time the demigod didn't answer her, spouting that he didn't know. But she saw the truth in his eyes; he wasn't willing to answer. Bia turned her gaze across the other demigods, looking for another to question, but finding the same eyes on all of them. Knowing it was worthless to continue, Bia took her leave, stepping out of the Cabin as Zelus did the same, their gazes locked, and both shook their head. Immediately, they turned, quickly making their way to the training fields, where Kratos could be found.
...
Kratos stood at the edge of the practice field, arms folded over his bare chest, watching the demigod go through their combat drills. Clashes of steel disrupted the morning bird calls, cries of pain, and yells of force scattered over the top. This was the new normal in camp.
He ignored the injuries the demigods received and instead pushed them harder, especially those from weaker Cabins, such as the Demeter Cabin. His tyranny was burned into the demigods, so when he turned and started walking away from the training fields, they didn't stop or falter, knowing if they made that mistake, it would only result in punishment.
The three siblings paused, a few paces apart. Zelus spoke first, straight to the point.
"Thalia is gone, her two friends likewise are gone. They've packed and fled."
Kratos turned to Bia, who nodded in confirmation, causing the stoic Kratos to frown, his sharp eyes darkening under his furrowed brows. He didn't curse. He just turned, vanishing from the camp, and made his way towards the throne room on Olympus.
...
Kratos stepped into the throne hall. The air here was charged, tasting of ions and ozone, a little trick Zeus had started doing to subtly show his power and authority to all within the throne room.
Zeus waited on his throne, a hand draped over the eagle-headed arm of his seat. Sitting straight in his seat like he was expecting Kratos. Ares lounged nearby, half-sprawled in a chair made of bones and dented swords, casually spinning a knife around his fingers.
Aphrodite sat on her throne, a single finger tapping her chin in boredom as she leaned on the dove-themed armrest. The seashell back, entwined with silk curtains, shielded her gaze.
Hermes paced at the edge, winged sandals flicking soundlessly over the marble, feeling anxious but not knowing why; the instincts of a god were never wrong.
Kratos knelt before Zeus. "They're gone. The girl. Thalia. Luke. The Athena child. They somehow escaped camp and are missing."
Ares's laugh cracked the silence, low and mean. "Should've caged them proper, father."
Zeus's eyes sparked, thunder rolling in the hall. When he opened his mouth to give his order, Hera stormed in, having heard what Kratos said.
Hera's voice cut across the hall. Cold, regal. "Hermes. Summon the council. Now. This ends today. We need to decide if the girl is to live or die."
Hermes paused, eyes flickering to his father before he bowed low, vanishing into a streak of wind under the command of the Queen.
Aphrodite's eyes drifted sideways, landing on Hera, and narrowed.
One by one, the gods gathered. Athena, calm and statuesque, bowed slightly to her father before taking her seat.
Dionysus, in contrast, drifted in, wine goblet in hand, eyes half-lidded with the same careless attitude as he always had at these meetings; not even looking at his father.
Zeus's gaze swung to him, thunder hidden behind his eyes. Dionysus's careless tone tested the last thread of his patience. "You have some nerve, boy, entering with such an attitude when you have failed your duty."
Dionysus sipped from his goblet. Indifferent to Zeus' anger. "Before we accuse others, it is traditional first to explain the reason for such needs."
Zeus hammered his armrest with his fist. "Enough games! You were sent to the camp to watch over it, now you have failed in that; Thalia has left the camp. How is it she could do this if you weren't ignoring your duties?"
Still with that careless tone, as if his father wasn't breathing down his neck, Dionysus shrugged. "You didn't send me there to watch the camp, you sent me there to protect them from harm while treating it as my punishment, not my duty," Dionysus stressed the final word, eating an olive he conjured from elsewhere. "As for the demigods leaving camp? That's none of my business. If there is someone to blame, how about your little lapdogs?"
Kratos stiffened at the slight. Ares clapped, a mocking echo, but before he could speak, Athena's voice sliced through the growing tension.
"The responsibility can be determined later; right now, the priority is to figure out where they are."
Hermes cleared his throat. He lifted a hand, palm open in reluctant offering. "Word has come to me. She's with him. With Lucas. And the others. In his… little city."
Ares leaned forward with a wolfish grin. "There it is. The traitor stirs. The boy with his prophecy… and the girl with hers. Both under one roof. I say we tear it down before it grows teeth. Destroy his little attempt at rebellion and kill them both."
Dionysus's goblet twirled lazily. "And you'll start a civil war with Hecate? Hestia? The Fates? Charming plan."
Athena's gaze flicked to Zeus, knowing his attitude was the key. Knowing his prior actions, she understood what he would choose. So she voiced her thoughts, hoping to sway him, as even he respected her wisdom.
"Send Kratos. Have him check first to see if the girl is even there. Secondly, inspect the city and determine if it is, in fact, what they claim, or a fortress in disguise. Lastly, we can have him voice our warnings to Hecate; she was wise enough to side with Olympus during the Titanomachy, and she would be wise enough to ensure the girl doesn't turn into the one we fear. As for her child? Without the girl, Olympus will always stand, but at most, his little city will just ignore our orders. There shouldn't be anything to fear if we act without paranoia clouding our minds."
Her words silenced the hall, receiving the occasional nod from the majority of the gods. Before anyone could voice a counter, Hera cut in. Her hands lay across her lap, a picture of elegance, her head held high as she gave the order to Kratos.
"Go and follow the plan. But make sure they understand this is our mercy, not us being weak; should Olympus detect them wanting to use the girl as a sword against us, we will destroy them all, consequences be damned."
Zeus nodded, his anger calmed beneath the words of his favourite child and wife.
Kratos stepped back from the hall as the murmurs swelled behind him, the gods once again arguing over new topics. He summoned Bia and Zelus; it was time to show Olympus' majesty.