“Yes, I know,” Artemis said. “But I’m sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It’s your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down.”

Zoë muttered something about foolish campers.

“And now there is one last decision to make.” Artemis turned to Bianca. “Have you made up your mind, my girl?”

Bianca hesitated. “I’m still thinking about it.”

“Wait,” I said. “Thinking about what?”

“They . . . they’ve invited me to join the Hunt.”

“What? But you can’t! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It’s the only way you can learn to survive.”

“It is not the only way for a girl,” Zoë said.

I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. “Bianca, camp is cool! It’s got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and . . . I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?”

“To begin with,” Zoë said, “immortality.”

I stared at her, then at Artemis. “She’s kidding, right?”

“Zoë rarely kids about anything,” Artemis said. “My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal . . . unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath.”

“What oath?” I said.

“To foreswear romantic love forever,” Artemis said. “To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally.”

“Like you?”

The goddess nodded.

I tried to imagine what she was saying. Being immortal. Hanging out with only middle-school girls forever. I couldn’t get my mind around it. “So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—”

“Not just half-bloods,” Zoë interrupted. “Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—”

“Which are you, then?”

Anger flashed in Zoë’s eyes. “That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice.”

“Bianca, this is crazy,” I said. “What about your brother? Nico can’t be a Hunter.”

“Certainly not,” Artemis agreed. “He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that’s the best boys can do.”

“Hey!” I protested.

“You can see him from time to time,” Artemis assured Bianca. “But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us.”

“A new family,” Bianca repeated dreamily. “Free of responsibility.”

“Bianca, you can’t do this,” I said. “It’s nuts.”

She looked at Zoë. “Is it worth it?”

Zoë nodded. “It is.”

“What do I have to do?”

“Say this,” Zoë told her, “‘I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.’”

“I . . . I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.”

“‘I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.’”

Bianca repeated the lines. “That’s it?”

Zoë nodded. “If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding.”

“I accept it,” Artemis said.

The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. “I feel . . . stronger.”

“Welcome, sister,” Zoë said.

“Remember your pledge,” Artemis said. “It is now your life.”

I couldn’t speak. I felt like a trespasser. And a complete failure. I couldn’t believe I’d come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to some eternal girls’ club.

“Do not despair, Percy Jackson,” Artemis said. “You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there.”

“Great,” I said, trying not to sound surly. “How are we supposed to get there?”

Artemis closed her eyes. “Dawn is approaching. Zoë, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother.”

Zoë didn’t look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her. As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of me. “I’m sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do.”

Then she was gone, and I was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess.

“So,” I said glumly. “We’re going to get a ride from your brother, huh?”

Artemis’s silver eyes gleamed. “Yes, boy. You see, Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It’s time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo.”

FOUR

THALIA TORCHES NEW ENGLAND

Artemis assured us that dawn was coming, but you could’ve fooled me. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall’s windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the di Angelos and Dr. Thorn were missing yet. I didn’t want to be around when they did. With my luck, the only name Mrs. Gottschalk would remember was “Percy Jackson,” and then I’d be the subject of a nationwide manhunt . . . again.

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they’d set it up. I stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn’t seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn’t help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that.

Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around me, anxious to hear what had happened in my audience with the goddess.

When I told them, Grover turned pale. “The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn’t go well.”

“How’d they even show up here?” I wondered. “I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere.”

“And Bianca joined them,” Thalia said, disgusted. “It’s all Zoë’s fault. That stuck-up, no good—”

“Who can blame her?” Grover said. “Eternity with Artemis?” He heaved a big sigh.

Thalia rolled her eyes. “You satyrs. You’re all in love with Artemis. Don’t you get that she’ll never love you back?”

“But she’s so . . . into nature,” Grover swooned.

“You’re nuts,” said Thalia.

“Nuts and berries,” Grover said dreamily. “Yeah.”

Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, “About time. He’s so-o-o lazy during the winter.”

“You’re, um, waiting for sunrise?” I asked.

“For my brother. Yes.”

I didn’t want to be rude. I mean, I knew the legends about Apollo—or sometimes Helios—driving a big sun chariot across the sky. But I also knew that the sun was really a star about a zillion miles away. I’d gotten used to some of the Greek myths being true, but still . . . I didn’t see how Apollo could drive the sun.

“It’s not exactly as you think,” Artemis said, like she was reading my mind.

“Oh, okay.” I started to relax. “So, it’s not like he’ll be pulling up in a—”

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.

“Don’t look,” Artemis advised. “Not until he parks.”

Parks?

I averted my eyes, and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until my winter coat felt like it was melting off of me. Then suddenly the light died.

I looked. And I couldn’t believe it. It was my car. Well, the car I wanted, anyway. A red convertible Maserati Spyder. It was so awesome it glowed. Then I realized it was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why I was now standing on green grass and my shoes were wet.

The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and for a second, I had the uneasy feeling it was Luke, my old enemy. This guy had the same sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. But it wasn’t Luke. This guy was taller, with no scar on his face like Luke’s. His smile was brighter and more playful. (Luke didn’t do much more than scowl and sneer these days.) The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.