1st Place in the Percy Jackson Wattys 2018
*
'"So it's settled then." Zeus said, "In order to solidify our truce with Nyx Apollo will marry Nyx's demigod daughter Ariadne."'
*
Ariadne lived in hell. Not the figurative type of hell-she really lived i...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
********
"Meg, we are friends, how could you do this to me?" Apollo sounded heartbroken.
"I tried to tell you, to warn you..." Meg trailed off.
"She has a good heart." Nero said. "But Apollo, you and Meg have been friends for just a few days- and only because I asked her to befriend you. I have been Meg's stepfather, protector and caretaker for years. She is a member of the Imperial Household."
"I risked my life for you!" Apollo said in amazement, "and that means something because I can actually die."
Nero clapped, "We're all impressed."
I struggled against my bonds more.
"Nero what have you done?" Apollo demanded.
"Oh a number of things!" Nero said, I wasn't really sure about what they were talking about, "we found a way into this chamber weeks ago. The Labyrinth has a convenient opening in the myrmekes' nest. But getting through the gates..."
"You used a nature spirit to destroy nature?" Apollo sounded ready to throw something, "Meg how can you tolerate this?"
"Come now!" Nero said, "Meg knows there are good nature spirits and bad ones, the geyser god was annoying, he didn't do us much good anyway."
"And the demigods?" Apollo demanded, "did you use them too?"
"I didn't plan on luring them here, but every time we attacked the gates, the grove started wailing. I suppose it was calling for help, the first was the son of Hermes," Nero said, "then the son of Ares, oh and then your children, Kayla and Austin yes? They showed up when we forced the geyser god to stem the trees. I guess the grove was quite nervous about that attempt, we got two demigods for the price of one!"
Apollo growled under his breath, "And Ri?"
"Now her, Vince and Gary picked her up in the woods, she put up quite a fight, she's our insurance policy." Nero laughed, "because we all know, gods do not care about their children, but their lovers, those they care about. At least for a while."
Apollo let out a howl and charged at the emperor, there was a loud crunch as he landed face first on the floor.
"Apollo!" Meg yelled.
"I don't need your help!" Apollo snarled. I was almost free of my cocoon, I could feel it, "Don't you understand who your protector is? He's a monster! He's the emperor who watched as seventy percent of Rome was destroyed!"
"I was thirty miles away at the time!" Nero protested, "as soon as I heard about the fire I rushed back and personally led the fire brigades!"
"Only when the fire threatened your palace!" Apollo replied, "the people of Rome blamed you so you scapegoated and burnt the Christians, just as you will burn these demigods!"
