Stacey Pendragon-daughter of the sea

NICO POV

The silence in the room was overwhelming as Stacey's words sank in.

She killed her mother?

How? And why? Percy kept on staring at her, his mouth hanging open, in absolute shock. I was sure even my expression was similar. Percy started to say something, but Stacey shook her head and interrupted,

"Don't ask me. I can't tell"

Percy shut his mouth, and Stacey sighed and rubbed her eyes, wiping them. "Um... Who else knows?" My throat suddenly was dry, and my voice came out hoarse. "No one", answered Stacey, shaking her head. " No one? Not even your uncle and aunt?"

"Of course not! How do you think am I going to tell them? Just walk up to them..." Stacey broke of, and took a deep breath. "Look, not a single person knows about this, OK? Except both of you. You're not going to tell no one, are you?"

"What kind of a question is this? Do we look like the kind of people who will run around, opening secrets?" Percy asked her, his eyebrows raised at her. Any one seeing him would assume he was normal. But it was very clear it was all a whole to calm Stacey. I could see he too was shaken by Stacey's secret, but was trying to cover it up.

Stacey just nodded at him, and turned her gaze to a portrait at the corner of the room. I moved closer to it, and saw that it was a picture of a woman. She had dark, wavy hair framing her face, and deep, penetrating gray eyes, as though she was looking deep into me.

Something about her was familiar. Perhaps it was the shape of her nose, or her high cheekbones or the aloof expression on her face. What was it? Before I could work over it, Percy almost shouted.

"Hey, thats a portrait of Athena! What's it doing in your house, anyways?"

"Athena? That's a picture of my mother!" Stacey responded, offended. Of course, the woman looked like an exact picture of Athena! But she's saying it's her mother? How?

"No! That's Athena! In the skin!" Percy replied, shock lacing his voice. "I've met her, been threatened by her! I would recognize her anyway!"

"Don't be foolish Percy!" Stacey replied, annoyed. "That. Is. My. Mother!" She pronounced each word clearly. "No! That is Athena! Or wait..." Realization creeped on his face, and I understood what he was thinking.

"Your mother is Athena" he breathed, his voice barely heard. "Percy. If my mother was Athena, I would have been a freaking goddess!!" Stacey shrieked out the last word. "But..."

"Look, if my mother would have been Athena, then why would she have died? That too, right in front of my eyes? Huh?" Stacey asked him, worn out. "If..." Percy started but Stacey intervened. "I don't want to discuss this any more Percy! Tonight... Just rest, you guys. I'll show you to the guest rooms. We can't risk shadow travel now. Somehow, Titania is controlling shadows. We can't chance losing each other, and that is what she exactly she wants. Come on." And with that, she walked out the room.
"I need to know this", Percy murmured and followed Stacey out and I had nothing else to do but walk behind.

With one last look at the portrait of Athena a.k.a Alexandra Pendragon, I walked out of the room.

Notes

Oh-kay!! Sooo.... Does it ring any bells? Huh? Lets see, who can guess it? And no, @tazo and @oohsufiyah will NOT answer, k guys? Don't spoil it for the others.

"Keeeeeeeeep COTEing!!"