Chapter 4

Percy POV

"No biggy? Seriously? I thought drakons are supposed to paralyze you with fear if you looked in their eyes." I said.

"It did that's why I screamed." Thalia said as if she was explaining it to a five year old. I just rolled my eyes "Thalia what were all these creatures" Artemis said gesturing to the piles of monster dust

"The 13 big piles were drakons and the 5 small piles were the dracena that I chased in here after." Thalia said.

"And you killed them all by yourself." I said in wonder

"No" she said "as much as I would like to say that I did, I didn't kill any of them Silver killed them."

"Who's Silver?" Phebe said wearily

"Well I don't know if that actually his name I just decided to call him that because he has this fascination with silver, seriously, his cloak and all his weapons were silver." she explained.

"Wait a sec this guy...Silver did he have a sword on each hip and silver chain bracelet on his left arm?" I asked.

"Y-Ya how'd you know?" Thalia asked

"After you came and told me I was coming on this trip I thought I saw this guy in silver but I blinked and he was gone I thought it was just my imagination so I shook it off and went to pack."

"Well if he's at camp then Chiron should know who he is." Artemis said flatly "Now is there anything else?"

"Yes there's 2 things actually." Thalia said "First he was using a hunter's bow."

"What do you mean." I said "I mean he was using a silver bow like mine the kind that only the hunters of Artemis are supposed to have." Thalia said holding up her own bow "He said he got it from his mother."

At this Artemis's expression darkened "Assuming what he said it true the only way he could have gotten that bow is from me or one of my hunters. So either he's lying and he stole it from one of us or a hunter broke her vow and gave him the bow, but I should've known if one of my hunters had kids."

"Then he lied males always lie." Phoebe said flatly

"Ok not that I disagree with your assumption but I am a male and I take offence to that." I said.

"Sorry Percy you're the exception to this rule." Artemis said.

I spun to face Artemis "You just called me Percy." I grinned.

"What no I didn't." Artemis said in an uncertain tone 'is her face getting red' I thought.

Before I could decide Thalia said "Yes you did Milady you called him Percy." while trying to hold in a laugh at Artemis's reaction

"No ganging up on me." Artemis said quickly "Now Thalia what was the other thing?"

"Oh right how can silver can kill monsters I thought only celestial bronze, stygian iron, and imperial gold could hurt them I get our silver weapons could hurt them but their blessed by you to be able to do so."

"I don't know, I would need to have one of them to let Hephaestus look at." Artemis said.

"Oh" was all Thalia said looking down but she immediately looked back up "wait Phoebe look over there." Thalia said pointing to a certain pile of monster dust with noticeable difficulty "I think he left a throwing knife over there."

"What's wrong with you arm Thalia." Percy said concern clear in his voice.

"Silver said that the poison was paralyzing me but after he gave me the antidote it's slowly started to wear off."

"Found it." Phoebe said carrying the knife as if it was toxic.

"Ok everyone link hands were going back to camp to pack up then I'm dropping you all off at camp half blood while take this knife to Hephaestus to check out." Artemis said.

There were a series of groans followed by Artemis saying "Stop whining it will only be for a day or two besides almost everyone here all injured." As I looked around I saw she was right some had deep cuts from fighting others had broken limbs from the fall the only two people to get away relatively unscathed was me and Artemis.

So we all grabbed hands and though I didn't think about it at the time because I was embarrassed about blushing but I distinctly remember Artemis grabbing my hand making me blush because I could've sworn she had a small smile on her blushing face.

Artemis POV

I had just dropped the hunters and Percy off at half blood hill and was now on my way to see Hephaestus about the silver knife we found at the warehouse. As I walked started making a list of things of things I had to do 'first drop by Hephaestus's workshop and ask him to see what this knife is made out of, next I need to go back to that warehouse and look around I want to know more about this "Silver" guy' I thought.

As I was thinking about the warehouse my thoughts slowly drifted back to when the dracena had managed to pin me to the ground 'how could I let that happen' I thought 'I was too careless'.

Then I remembered waiting for the blade I knew would come but instead seeing Percy tackle it, even though I was scared by the look in his eye especially when he broke its neck I couldn't help but feel great that he felt so protective of me.

'my knight in shining armor' I thought 'woe Artemis stop right there you're a maiden goddess' I tried to think about something else but her thoughts kept drifting back to him.

"Artemis how can I help you?" Hephaestus said making me jump. I silently cursed myself for being so oblivious that I didn't even notice I had entered Hephaestus's workshop despite the burnt smell and the amount of smoke in the air making it hard to breath.

I made a mentally note that I would also need to go see Aphrodite today. "I came here to ask you about this." I said holding out the knife "I got this at a warehouse me and my hunters went to to get rid of a nest of dracena for Zeus, normally I wouldn't care what it is but somehow it's able to hurt immortals."

"I see your point, here let me look at it." Hephaestus said holding out his hand as soon as I let go of the knife Hephaestus nearly dropped it his arms looked like they were straining under the weight of the knife.

"Are your arms hurt?" I asked in a concerned tone.

"No no their hmpf... fine" Hephaestus said putting the knife on the work table "but I can tell you what it's made of."

I waited for an answer then said "well…"

"Oh sorry" Hephaestus said "it's made from imperial silver...tell me how exactly did you come across this." he said gesturing to the knife.

"First what is imperial silver and second it was used by some warrior who saved my lieutenant's life during the fight why do you ask." I said

"Ok to answer your first question imperial silver is like imperial gold it was made by the Romans by having my children bless the it in the temple of Zeus, but there are two important differences. The first is unlike imperial gold it was meant to be given to you by the first Roman huntress you recruited. But when you decide not to recruit from them back in the old days the Emperor at the time decided you would never receive it and sent it away which reminds me I have something for you." he said punching a few buttons on one of his control panel.

"Ok while my automations get it I tell you the rest. The second thing is imperial silver is heavier for everyone but you and your hunters, who ever this guy was must have been as strong as Heracules to use it effectively." Hephaestus finished.

"Why would it be lighter for me and my hunters than for everyone else." I asked

"Ah that would be because since it was meant for you the Romans didn't want anyone but you to use it. They enchanted it so that it was 20 or 30 times as heavy for everyone else that knife you handed me felt like it was almost 70 pounds. This of course would have made it so it was only that weighed regular weight for you so they altered the spell to allow your kids to use it."

"But I don't have any kids" I said slightly confused.

"Yes that is true but what most people and even some gods don't understand is that when we as gods give a mortal our blessing we are basically adopting them as are children that's why your hunters can use it." He said

Right as Hephaestus finish speaking one of his automations walk up to us with a large crate "Ah here's your crate." Hephaestus said.

"My crate?" I asked confused.

"As you know after the giant war we discovered some of the gods how do we say 'lost treasures' and one of them was this crate of imperial silver." he said lifting the lid to reveal a pure silver oar "It's yours to have if you want." he said to me.

"Thank you but I don't know what to do with it right now. Could I leave it with you for the time being?" I asked "Sure but just to warn ya it's liable to get lost in the shop." he said gesturing to the clutter that fill his work space.

Time skip 10 minutes later

I knocked on Aphrodite's door and while I waited for her to answer I thought to myself 'Could this be a prank or something by Aphrodite. Yes but that's not like her she knows to leave me alone besides when she's trying to get me to fall in love with someone she usually just tries to trick me into going on a date.'

I laughed mentally 'For a goddess most people considered an idiot she is pretty crafty.' as I thought of all the different methods my friend had used to try and make it seem like nothing but in reality it had been a date. In case you're shocked shock that me and Aphrodite are friends don't be we've been friends for the last 500 years.

We used to hate each other because she would get one of my hunters to leave but we really bonded over the punishment over a certain demigod that shall not be named who spied on both the hunt and Aphrodite in her 'private chambers'.

Afterwards we talked and it turns out that the only reason Aphrodite has been having an affair with Ares is because he's been blackmailing her. Since then Aphrodite agreed not to use her powers to force a hunter to leave the hunt and I agreed not to stop them as long as it happened without her or one of her children's help.

"Artemis." Aphrodite said as she opened the door to give me a bone crushing hug 'for a girl she had seriously strong arms.'

"Can't breath." I sputtered.

"Oh sorry come in me and Athena were about to have lunch you want some?" She asked.

"No thanks" I said "I just need to talk talk to you about something."

"And what would that be?" Aphrodite asked as we walked into the kitchen where Athena was sitting

"Um...well." I said blushing a bit

"Well what?" Athena asked taking a sip of her water.

"Have you been messing with my feelings?" I asked in a small voice

"No why…" Aphrodite started to say but then realization dawned on her "YOU'RE FALLING FOR A BOY AREN'T YOU" Aphrodite half screamed

"Maybe." I said looking at the floor

"WHAT!" Athena said spraying her drink all over the floor

"Who is he!!" the both said in unison.

"Percy." I said quietly.