We hope you’re enjoying Pride Month! We’re continuing our celebration of favorite LGBTQIA+ characters from across all the Riordan series with a a pit stop at the Waystation, one of our favorite spots in the Trials of Apollo series. Let’s take a look at the unofficial mothers of all lost demigods, monsters, and satyrs: Josephine and Emmie!
Taking After Her Mother
For those who don’t know, Josephine is the demigod daughter of Hecate, Goddess of the Mist and the Crossroads. Like her mother, Josephine employs magic to keep wayward demigods, mythical creatures, and Hunters of Artemis safe from the human world. Unlike her mother, Josephine values community and doesn’t isolate herself from others. Josephine may have picked up those values from either the Hunters of Artemis or the organized crime community in the 1920s. Probably a bit of both.
Apollo’s Gift
Hemithea (AKA Emmie) was born a mortal princess and later blessed with a portion of Apollo’s divine power, which transformed her and her sister Parthenos into minor goddesses. As mortals, Emmie and Parthenos found themselves in trouble after breaking a bottle of their father’s precious wine. The concept of grounding wasn’t invented yet, so the daughters were sentenced to death. A save us prayer to Artemis was accidentally picked up by Apollo, and the rest is history. Despite what Apollo did for them, the sisters remained Artemis stans and later joined her tribe of Hunters. We hear it’s a great way to meet new people. . . .
Finding Love in a Homeless Place
During their time as Hunters, Josephine and Emmie eventually fell in love and left the tribe. Together they took control of the Waystation, located within the old Union Station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Waystation operates as primarily as a shelter for demigods who require a temporary sanctuary. The magical shapeshifting building can alter its contents and properties at will, allowing it to offer guests the comfiest furniture and most modern, top-of-the-line appliances and workshop tools. Just don’t ask us where the bathrooms are, as they’ve swapped places with the kitchens at least six times since you started reading this article.
Georgina on My Mind
As a testament to how open-hearted Josephine and Emmie are, they have adopted a mysterious (and adorable) little girl named Georgina, whom the ghost of Agamethus dropped off as an infant. While most people would have probably run far, far away from a headless ghost handing them a baby, Josephine and Emmie embraced Georgina and raised her as a brave young woman highly skilled in the art of pipe-cleaner doll construction. It’s still unclear who her biological parents are, but clues about her father’s identity are there for those who want to look.
Not that it really matters, because Josephine and Emmie are unquestionably two of the best parents any kid could ask for. Demigod or mortal.