The Heroes of Olympus, #2
The Son of Neptune
by Rick Riordan
Contents
VI Hazel
Overview
Hazel relives 1941 New Orleans: school cruelty, a tender moment with Sammy, and Pluto revealing he is her father. Pluto warns Queen Marie that going north is a deadly trap, yet she chooses Alaska under a mysterious influence. Back in the present, Nico reassures Hazel and points to Percy’s destined role as war games loom.
Summary
In 1941 New Orleans, Hazel walks home glowing after her friend Sammy kisses her, a bright spot amid relentless bullying over her mother’s reputation and Hazel’s cursed gems. Horses are her refuge, letting her feel briefly free of the curse.
Returning to her apartment, Hazel overhears her mother, Queen Marie, seemingly possessed by an older woman’s commanding voice promising protection and power “in the north,” far from the gods. Fleeing downstairs, Hazel meets a pale man in black—Pluto—who calmly pockets an emerald her curse produces and apologizes for her fate.
Pluto reveals he is Hazel’s father, explains her life is hard because of her birth, and foretells that a descendant of Neptune will one day wash away her curse. He gifts her art supplies, then confronts Queen Marie, urging her not to go north, warning it’s a trap and that both mother and daughter will die there.
Queen Marie, embittered and hunted, rejects Pluto’s protection and declares they are leaving for Alaska, influenced by the mysterious voice Hazel heard earlier. Pluto departs in shadow; Queen Marie orders Hazel to pack immediately.
The scene shifts back to the present atop Pluto’s shrine. Nico wakes Hazel from the flashback, counseling her to control these episodes and reassuring her that, unlike before, she will have allies. He hints Percy Jackson has a crucial role in her fate. Horns signal evening muster, and they head off, expecting notable war games.
Who Appears
- Hazel LevesqueNarrator of the flashback; reveals her 1941 past, Pluto’s parentage, Alaska decision, and present-day struggle with traumatic memories.
- Queen Marie (Marie Levesque)Hazel’s mother; courted by a mysterious voice, rejects Pluto’s warning, and decides to move them to Alaska.
- PlutoHazel’s father; appears, acknowledges her curse, foretells a Neptune descendant will end it, and warns Alaska means death.
- SammyHazel’s friend and crush; shares a birthday kiss and an afternoon at the stables before she never sees him again.
- Nico di AngeloHazel’s confidant; wakes her from a flashback, advises control, and suggests Percy’s importance to her destiny.
- Percy JacksonReferenced as a potential key to ending Hazel’s curse; expected ally in the coming challenges.