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Chapter Text

I was 5 when it first started.

I was 5 when I truly sang for the first time{when my voice had first enchanted others, the praise was non stop for days and I was so pleased, so excited… I wouldn’t stay happy for long}, 5 when I became fascinated with the gods from my mothers stories{when I became entranced with the sea and sun and moon and love and so, so, so many others}, 5 when I realized that I wanted to Worship these deities {and isn’t that just crazy? I was 5 and already so enchanted by these deities, I loved them… I was 5 when I started making tiny offerings, and small prayers, and miniature altars- nothing with fire though, not yet},  5 when I had my first Dream {5 when I woke up screaming because My Her-Our sight was filled with green Green GREEN TOO MUCH SO MUCH GREEN TOO MANY VISIONS NO NO NO HERMES HELP ME- this isn’t how it was meant to be I- She- We- They was- are- is- the Ȍ̰̲̓R̶̢̼̞̫̉̕A̦C̶̢̟͖ͣ͢L̗É̵̪̏ͤͥ͋!, 5 when I woke up screaming and crying because of a curse, and an oracle, and a mother, and a god, and a boy whose fate would be so entwined with mine that neither of our strings would be able to untangle until the very end until it was too late}. I was only 5{I was too young}.

Then I was 7.

I was 7 when I finally realized that I couldn’t indulge in music {when I realized that HE would hear me if I sang, when I realized that the voice of a s- …that the voice of someone like me could never be heard, not if I wanted to stay hidden}, I was 7 when I tossed the word ‘art’ from my vocabulary {when I realized that my mother could never see my drawings, not the true ones anyway, it was too dangerous}, 7 when I decided to tell no one about my dreams {when I decided that I would never suffer a seer’s that kind of fate and my mother would never be dragged down with me even if I did}, when I forced myself away from the sea, away from my gods {when I became fearful of Apollo’s rage, terrified of Aphrodite’s temper, Petrified when thinking of Artemis’ wrath, Horrified at the idea of what could happen if Poseidon was really my father No, I don’t need to think of that because it isn’t true. It’s NOT. Who cares if mamá is worried that I no longer love the beach, it doesn’t matter, I’m just being cautious}. I was 7 when I taught myself that cloudy days are my friend {To be seen by the Sun or the Moon would mean allowing him to know my sight, I would love the help but it isn’t worth it, not in most myths anyway. No matter how much it hurts me to stay away from the sunseanature. I will not suffer, not like Cassandra or Halcyon Green or May Castellan or so, so, so many others- I just won’t}, 7 when I realized that music was no longer safe for me {Drawing wasn’t either but I couldn’t bring myself to give up the only relief I had from the dreams}. 7 When I learned Sign Language out of necessity because sometimes my words would come out a little too knowing {keep from his sight, don’t let him hear me, hide it all always}. I was only 7{I was too young}.

Then I was 9.

9 and running from monsters, from the past, from the future {from fate}. 9 and too scared to speak or show my drawings or try to interact with my visions{too scared to interact with people, terrified of seeing their futures, of being unable to save them… it’s not time for friends anyway, I just know it}. 9 when I watched as a girl{the daughter of Zeus my cousin, my sister, died on a hill, a hill I would come to know intimately A hill that so many would die from, my sister did not sacrifice herself for THIS!} 9 when I became scared and Skittish and would hardly leave my mothers side… I was only 9 {I was too young}.

Then I was 12.

I was 12 and have never had a friend{I just know that I’ll make some great ones eventually, ones that want me in my entirety friends that would give me back my voice, oh how I’ve missed my voice}, 12 and I haven’t spoken a word in 5 years {I miss speaking, I miss singing, I miss my voice… I’d always had such a beautiful voice, I know that mom misses it too no matter how many times she lies and says that it’s okay to stay quiet if I wanted to… It always makes me feel worse for lying to her, for keeping secrets}, I was 12 and the only person I ever really “talked” to was my mother {She’s the only one that was always there… the only one that I would always have that knew sign language, she had learned for me after all}, 12 when I had the dreams of a doomed quest {he should have waited, if he had gone on that quest a year later he would have succeeded, fate would have gone down a different path a safer path, a Kinder path. I watch as his fatal flaw, as his wrath, blinds him}, 12 when I realized that there was going to be a change {It was in the air, in the very foundation of the universe… Fate… She calls… I don’t want to answer. So I won’t. Not yet, anyway, it’s not time yet}, I was 12 when I watched a boy{Luke Castellan my mentor, my friend, My Tormentor} gain a scar, 12 as I watched two others fall in battle {A daughter of Hermes, Luke’s sister, and the eldest son of Dionysus, Luke’s Lover. Dionysus was so… upset, he grieved, and when the twins came he grew protective and possessive and distant all at once. He could not suffer another loss like the one he just had. Not with the twins, his and Ariadne’s no matter how mortal their birth mother was, not so soon}. I was only 12 {I was still too young}

But when I was 14? That is when everything really changed, when I finally found out for sure what {who} I was… That is when my life {and this story} truly began. {Still so young, too young… will I ever not be too young? Why…?}

Do you believe yourself capable of escape, μικρή πριγκίπισσα της θάλασσας (little princess of the sea), do you believe that you can circumvent fate μικρή ηρωίδα (Little Heroine)? Or perhaps you wish to subvert it, μικρή προφήτισσα (little prophetess)? You may try, but what if you make it worse? Will it have been worth it to save those you love? {Loyal little heroine, perfect little princess, beloved little prophetess... Will your family ties protect you? Do they love you as you do them? Can they?}

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Sunday September 7th, 2014 - 9:00 A.M}

I hate this. Every year I go through the same thing but this is only my second time being at a boarding school. That Military School last year sucked, the teachers were all such cerdos sexistas(Sexist Pigs) and I spent way too much time away from Mama. As I drop my bag on my bed I can only wish that mama had stayed longer, she would help me unpack and we would meet my roommates together. She would be able to tell them about my mutism and translate for a little bit. I doubt my roommate’s are gonna know sign language. I know these dorms are Co-Ed but I really, really, really hope that I don’t get male roommates… gods kill me now.

I can tell that the other “rooms” are currently unoccupied. These dorms are actually kind of cool. The layout is nice, there are four tiny “rooms” that consist of a bed, a desk, and a closet. All connected by a cozy little “common room” which is just a bigger room with a couch, two arm chairs, a coffee table, and a single bean bag chair in the corner. All in all, not bad. Mom already took my “first day of school” picture earlier, she says that she sends them to my other parents. She does it every year, and despite not being able to actually speak with them my other parents have always managed to send gifts and stuff, not that it makes up for being absent from my life and leaving me and mom with… Gabe .

Honestly the anxiety is hitting me way too hard. Another bonus of having mom here would be the fact that she could help keep me calm. Mom always finds a way to help me calm down, to make me feel good even on my worst day. I don’t even want to be here! The only reason I’m here is because Gabe said that it was this or another military school, I hate him- No, I fucking Despise him, he’s the reason I’m here! He’s the reason mom and I hardly have time together, he’s the reason that- Ughhh! He just… sucks.

Yancy Academy, I have a funny, horrible, amazing feeling that this is going to be a huge turning point in my life. For better and worse{ Not better or worse, I know better }, my life will never be the same after this year, I just know it. Gods I can’t believe this, this is just another stupid ass school and I just know that they’ve already written me off as a lost cause because of my record. Psychologists and Diagnoses and a damn police record, not to mention my grades. I know they’re gonna be waiting for me to fuck up once and I’m done. I really, really don’t want to be here.

I want to go home, I want to be with my mom, even if I have to put up with Gabe and his stupid poker parties, and disgusting comments, and lewd looks, and his touc- No. I just… I just want my mom, everything I’ve been seeing, all of my dreams. Gods I’m terrified, I hope they’re just nightmares but I know they’re not, I know they’re not and that is a horrifying experience. But mom begged me not to fight her on this and so, here I am. At a fancy ass juvenile delinquent boarding school that I don’t even want to be at, stuck without my mom, and chances are I won’t even have a translator so now I’ll have to either get in trouble daily or figure out how to speak to the damn teachers, fuck my life.

I sigh, I don’t feel like unpacking yet. I head out of my room and go to the common room, I take the bean bag and sit there with my newest sketch book. Last night's dream was so vivid, but why was Grover in my dream? I look at the drawing, it’s the same satyr that I’ve seen since I was 9, Thalia and Luke and Annabeth's protector. I hate not knowing why my visions of him are growing more common. I know that my sight’s getting stronger, I know damn well that normal people don’t get premonitions. Normal people can’t sense auras, they can’t tell at a glance that someone is about to die .

I shake my head. No, let's not think about that right now. Mom was right, this is gonna be a good year. I know it’s gonna end up well. I try to will those words to be true. I’ll be good, I’ll behave and keep my head down. I’ll stay quiet and ignore the terrors that leap from my dreams to follow me from school to school and ruin my chances of staying anywhere.

I’ll be a model student, I’ll stay out of the way, I’ll-

I look up when I hear{ sense } someone approaching the door, I can hear the jingling of keys and what sounds like grunting as whoever it is deals with their belongings. I should open the door for them. It would be the nice thing to do, the friendly thing, maybe I can make a friend. But no, pretending not to hear is just so much easier, and ten times less awkward{ And a hundred times less disappointing. I know that I’m meant to make friends soon, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing I had them now }.

I don’t wanna be rude but I probably won’t be able to communicate with them anyway. I mean, what are the chances they know sign language? So instead of being polite or nice or friendly like Mom would have been, I sit there and watch the door, closing my sketch book as I wait to see if I’ll need to book it back to my personal room and stay there for the rest of the year.

The door swings open, I straighten in the bean bag as I prepare for the inevitable failed greeting on my part. Instead, I sit there, paralyzed, my blood runs cold when I see who stood in the doorway. Fuck my life, well… My dreams did try to warn me.

One of my roommates was Grover fucking Underwood, the protector that I know for a damn fact hasn’t left camp since the Thalia incident. The protector, because that’s what they’re called, is just walking into the fucking room and I know my life is going to be so much more complicated now. A Satyrs job is to search for demigods and bring them safely to a camp, camp half-god or something equally as stupid in my opinion.

But Grover’s here. Why?

I’m not a demigod, not a hero. I know heroes’ fates, I’ve seen them a hundred times over by now and- I’m no hero.{ Just like I’m no seer }

I just… see things, that’s all. My sight is just better than most. Speaking of sight, his aura has such a nice feeling. Like pure nature, wild and yet… beautiful in a way.

“Uh… Hello. My- ahem My name is Grover. I’m one of your… um roommates for the year.” He mutters, stuttering a bit as he meets my sharp gaze. Oh, I’ve just been staring at him… trying to make sense of his aura, really. Yeah, that definitely can not be comfortable . Please gods let him know sign language.

‘Hello. You can call me P-e-r-s-i. I was just trying to figure out if I should use sign or not’. I sign at him, almost praying that he at least understands it.

Grover's eyes widen and he smiles nervously. “Oh! Oh yeah, okay. Persi then? I-I’m not great at the signs but I can understand them perfectly! Are you umm… deaf?” He signs the last word and I nearly crumble in relief.

‘No, no I’m not deaf. I have selective mutism,’ I try to convey through sign. Extremely grateful that he understands it. ‘So I don’t need you to sign at me as long as I can sign at you!’

“Oh! That’s great! Perfect really.” He comes limping in on his crutches, which I only just noticed. Must be how he keeps his cover. He sets his stuff down and looks around. “So are there assigned rooms or…?” He trails off.

I smile, ‘No, just pick a room, that one's mine.’ I point at the one with the blue door. ‘You can take any of the others. The keys are on the table.’ He nods at me with a smile.

“Thanks!” He grabs his key and heads to his room, choosing the green door, with his stuff. Not even five minutes later he comes back out and sits in the armchair closest to my bean bag. I guess he didn’t feel like unpacking yet either.

‘You’re not going to unpack?’

“Oh, uhh not yet. The stairs nearly killed me and my crutches kinda get in the way.”

I nod, of course, he has to keep his cover. I take a moment to feel his aura, as much as I don’t want to get involved with the mythological world, auras don’t lie. I can just tell that he’s a good person- satyr?- whatever… he’s kind, and he’d probably be a good friend. Mythological mierda(shit) be damned.

‘Do you-’ I hesitate for a second, unsure. I sigh and double down, ‘Would you like help to unpack?’ I ask, he practically lights up when I offer.

“Yes!” He says, a little too loudly. “I would love the help, thanks Persi! I was so afraid that my dorm would be full of bullies, Ha. I’m glad you’re being so nice!” I can’t help but smile as he speaks with a light tone, like he’s seconds away from laughing. So despite my nerves, and despite the mythological bullshit that I can feel starting to turn in the air, I get up to help him. I just know that he’ll be a great friend{ and, oh… I’ve never really had a friend before. I can’t believe how lonely I am. Maybe I don’t have to be lonely anymore }.

Persi’s POV{General}

I was right. Grover was easy to be friends with, it’s only been a month and I’m already so glad that he became my friend, that I became his. He’s nice, and funny, and never judges me when I struggle with the reading or when I’m up in the common room at odd hours of the night, citing my diagnosed insomnia as the reason for my late night wandering and not my dreams{ Never my dreams, I know what happens to people like me.} He even translates for me in class when the teacher calls on me!

So, despite all the complications that Grover’s presence could bring to my carefully laid plans to ignore the existence of the godly world for the entirety of my life, I befriended him. I pretend like I can’t hear when he curses softly in Ancient Greek. I ignore when Grover sometimes forgot he needed his crutches. I ignore the bleats and the horns- I ignore it all.

It’s harder to ignore when, in third period, a new teacher walks in and everyone acts like he’s always been here. I know my life is going to get that much more complicated when our first Latin teacher is replaced within the first month, on October 13th, and the face that replaced him was one that had walked in my dreams for longer than even Grovers.

But I shouldn’t know that Mr. Brunner is in fact Chiron, teacher and trainer of heroes, so I pretended to let my sight be clouded by the mist, I pretend to be fooled even as Chiron and Grover both watch me like I’m their newest experiment{ Like I am worth the literal trainer of heroes attention }.

It’s better to be willfully ignorant than to know too much, I know what happens to people who saw too much, or even just knew too much. I won’t suffer a seer’s fate any more than I would suffer a hero’s{ Because I’m mortal . I’m not a hero }. I will not be a seer or a prophet or an oracle or a hero or whatever Chiron and Grover seem to think I am! At least Chiron’s a good teacher, and he knows sign!

Persi’s POV{Wednesday November 12th, 2014 - 9:00 P.M}

I sigh as I finally get to my room for the night, mom had sent a letter, a few pictures, and… four gift wrapped boxes. Normally they don’t send so many gifts unless it’s the solstice or my birthday, you see today marks the 17th anniversary of my parents meeting. For as long as I can remember my mom always received gifts on this day. When I was eight she explained to me that just because my other parents{ My Papi and Mamá, mom is Mami } can’t be with us, it doesn’t mean they don’t care. I wish I knew what they looked like, I’ve never even gotten visions of them!{ I artfully ignore the numerous visions I’ve had of Posiedon and Amphitrite, no way will I acknowledge that crazy idea }.

The point is, I know mami and I aren’t forgotten. Every year on our birthdays, their anniversary, and the solstices{ we celebrate both, and we celebrate the winter solstice instead of Christmas. I don’t bother questioning it, apparently my abuela and abuelo would celebrate the solstices as well before they passed }, they send gifts. They only started sending me small things on their anniversary when I was ten, Mami said that they{all of my parents} didn’t want me to feel left out. I wouldn’t have felt left out but whatever, it’s their choice.

The letter was like usual, well wishes and questions and life updates only with the addition of mami telling me about how my other parents had payed for mami to go out to eat{ I would care about the fact that Mami is married except I despise Gabe so I truly can not manage to give a single fuck if she cheats on him or not, he’s horrible for her }. She sends a picture of the bouquet of flowers they sent her{ A bouquet of beach roses , sea thrift , and sea lavender . Mami and I had learned the meaning of the flowers one year when I became curious as to what each one meant. I’ve never looked at her bouquets the same way when I learned the meanings behind it }. She also shows off the chocolates and macrons and the beautiful light blue dress they had sent her{I swear they must be rich! They’re probably the only reason we still have money to spend with the way Gabe attempts to gamble it all}.

I smile as I set all of the pictures on top of the letter. I look at the boxes, I always enjoy the gifts that they send me. Some- times it's a joint gift but other times they each send me something different, this seems to be one of those times. Each box has a note on it. I can tell that Papi had gotten me the two bigger ones while Mama had gotten me the two smaller ones, but they tend to do joint gifts anyway.

I reach for the first note on the smaller two boxes that I had stacked to my right, It read:

“To my dearest pearl,

Sally has told us how much you adore art, she says that you may not let her see your sketch book but she can always tell when it’s full. In light of that you will find that I have sent to you a sketch book with twice the number of pages as the ones you’re used to. I hope that it will feel like it may never run out of paper.

Now the second thing you will find from me is a late birthday present. I know that I sent you something on the day of your birthday however this specific gift is special to both your father and I. You’re fourteen now and in our culture that has a great meaning. Inside you will find a journal, leather bound with a tie around it. The leaf on that tie is a part of a family tradition. Sally may not have told you but you have a few older siblings and each of them got a journal similar to the one that I am gifting you, as all of your sisters have a matching leaf tie in the same way I do, in the same way you now do. May the journal serve you well.

With all of my adoration my auherea potaio(beloved pearl), Your mother”

I smile at the letter, although two of the words confuse me, but it wouldn’t be the first time Mama or Papi forgot that I don’t know whatever language they’re writing in. Opening the bigger box I see a pretty sketch book , I love the design on it and I know that I’ll need to remind myself to have mami send back a letter for mama. I then open the smaller box, the journal she sent me is cute and I love the color. Sometimes sketching my visions and dreams isn’t enough, sometimes I need to write them down or when I have the urge to say some cryptid shit{ something resembling a prophecy } I can write it here! I’ll have to thank mama for them.

Still smiling I reach for the second note on the bigger boxes that I knew were from my father, 

“To my darling princess,

I’m sure that by now you know that your mother and I tend to collaborate on your gifts, this time she sent a sketch book but I have decided to send you new art supplies. Sally has told us how many pencils you manage to go through in a week. I have sent you a kit that I feel you would appreciate. As well as two more sketchbooks, perhaps you could let Sally see a few drawings in one of them? I know that your mother and I would love a drawing or two to have around the house.

The second thing I have sent to you is a late birthday present. I’m sure you like the ones I sent on your actual birthday however this is something that I know you’ll enjoy even more. You are now fourteen and old enough to be trusted with the family journal. Each of your siblings as well as your mother has a copy, I have the original. May the journal and its knowledge serve you well.

With all of the love in my heart, aurotu avineh(favored princess), your Father”

My smile widens at the letter, again two of the words confuse me but it doesn’t matter, I get the gist of it, they’re probably pet names anyway. I open the biggest box first, I grin when I see the art kit he got me. I read the description on the box, it has sixty crayons, twenty four acrylic paints, twenty four oil pastels, twenty four colored pencils, twenty four water color cakes, eight paint brushes, a three by eight paint pallet/well, two drawing pencils, a sharpener, a sandpaper block, an eraser, a drawing pad, an acrylic pad, and of course the box. I love it, mom hardly has the money for so much supplies at once. I then open the smaller box, the family journal he sent me is cool and I love the design. I can’t wait to read it!

I sigh when I open it and the journal is in another language. I suppose I’ll just have to ask for a translated book, or maybe a book about the language itself, in my next letter to Papi.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Saturday December 20th, 2014 - 3:00 A.M}

The first day of winter break had gone wonderfully. Mami took off from work and Gabe made himself scarce by going over to his buddies house. Mami and I prepared and froze the pasteles for solstice night{another night where Gabe will mysteriously have places to be, thank the gods}. We made cookies and watched the cliche Christmas movies despite not celebrating. We also bake honey cakes together and I watch mami put them on our small, hidden altar to the gods{I never dare get too close for fear of gaining His attention}.

All in all my day was great! I was even able to fall asleep at a reasonable time… until something was stolen from the king of the gods, no… not stolen, not yet. It was way too late, or too early depending on your view point, when I woke up screaming for the first time in literal years. Words were on the tip of my tongue but I managed to bite them back. Electricity raced down one of my arms while ice enveloped the other, a sense of foreboding fills me as my heart races with fear and adrenaline.

Thank the gods no one woke up. I breathe deeply, I already know I won't be going back to bed. I quickly grab my journal and my personal sketch book, planning to draw what I’ve seen and write down the words that were on the tip of my tongue. The sketch book that μαμά had sent me was what I considered my newly designated vision book, the other two were nice but there’s something different about this one specifically. All I know is that I need to get this vision out of my head. 

Drawing has been my vice since I was six, sketching out my dreams and visions helps me come to terms with what I see. It helps me remember when I have the possibility to forget, and it also helps clear my head so that I don’t go insane. The Journal however is new, as my sight gets stronger so does my urge to speak, to tell people the things I’ve kept inside. So, whenever the urge to speak is as great as it is now I simply write down what I need to say. Most of the time I write it in Greek, a language I know for two reasons. One, my parents are apparently Greek and Mami made sure I knew it as well as Spanish and English; and two, my visions aren’t always in English.

Sometimes though, it feels like my hand is moving on its own to recreate my dreams, to put down my words. If I were a proper prophet I’d be one whose prophecies were given in pictures, like the immortal daughter of Poseidon, Herophile, who gave her prophecies as word puzzles. Or maybe I’d give out pictures to help with the prophecies I speak… But that doesn’t matter, because I’m not a prophet, and I don’t give prophecies{I won’t be a prophet, not ever}.

The words come unbidden as I open my journal to an empty page, 

Θα πας δυτικά και θα αντιμετωπίσεις τον θεό που έχει γυρίσει , 

Το όραμά σου θα πραγματοποιηθεί και σύντομα θα σε διαλέξουν,

Θα βρεις Τι κλάπηκε και το βλέπω να επιστρέφεται με ασφάλεια,

Θα προσπαθήσεις να βοηθήσεις έναν φίλο και σύντομα θα σε απορρίψουν,

Θα σε προδώσει ένας ποιος σε καλεί ένας φίλος, 

Και εσύ θα αποτύχει να σώσει αυτό που έχει μεγαλύτερη σημασία, τελικά.

The words make absolutely no sense and I wrote some of them in greek, I don’t even think the translations would be direct, I know they won’t make sense for a while and maybe if I had spoken them I would fully remember them but I refuse to be another Casandra because I caught his attention. The second I finish writing I open my sketch book and grab my pencil, I’ll likely color it in later.

The sketch comes together gradually, over the course of who knows how long. Two empty thrones. One is grand and solid, with two lightning bolts that make an upside down V at the top, and the cushion that looks like a cloud was placed on the throne. This one was on what looked like Olympus. The second throne was a large fishing chair made of marble, adorned with a metal, mother-of-pearl, and coral. It has a molded seal leather seat on a swivel pedestal, with a built-in holster for a trident. It’s smaller than the other one, but still on olympus.

Both thrones have a powerful object sitting there, abandoned, on the arms just ripe for the taking. I spent the longest on the trident sitting in the fisherman’s chair holster, detailing the prongs absentmindedly. Odd, considering the fact that I’m fairly certain that the trident isn’t what’s gonna be stolen, the bolt is.

I quickly sketch three other drawings, a smaller nondescript throne with a bronze helm decorated with gruesome scenes of death sitting on the empty seat, a simple hand grasping a metal cylinder full of raw power that made the hair on the back of my neck raise up, and a final drawing of two legs running, the feet covered with winged sneakers.

I didn’t see the actual thief, or if I had I don’t remember, I’d just seen the hand and the shoes.

A noise startles me out of my musing, and I realized that it was my mom waking up for the day. I must’ve spent longer on those drawings than I thought. I saw the sun peaking through my curtains, which told me that I’d spent about four, nearly five hours just drawing. I’ll probably color them in later, once the correct colors come to my mind.

I put the sketch book and journal back in my desk drawer, deciding to go help my mom make breakfast. The dreams could wait… it’s not like I could do anything about them anyways.

Persi’s POV{Sunday December 21st, 2014 - 2:00 P.M}

Finally, it’s the day of the solstice. I’ve been looking forward to this all month, dreams aside. Later Mami will cook the pasteles and she’ll make arroz con gandules y chorizo, a pernil, some tostones, alcapurrias, and even a Flancocho and tembleque for dessert! She’s also gonna make a small  spanakopita and some dolmades, as well as a small batch of melomakarona. She doesn’t love Greek food but I do and she always makes an effort to have me connect to my culture in any way she can. She always makes a full on feast for the holidays, especially because Gabe hates when either of us cook traditional foods, whether they are Spanish in nature or Greek.

But that’s later, even though mom started preparing two hours ago, right now it’s time for gifts! Mom and I have already given our normal offering to the gods and now we’re sitting in the living room together. She’s already given me her gifts and I’ve already given mine{payed for with the money I make by selling candy and small art pieces at school. Rich kids are easy to scam, especially when they think I’m an easy target}. Now I’m just waiting for my gift, or gifts from Mama and Papi.

I look around, I don’t see anything. “Mami? Are you forgetting anything?” I whisper, trying to see where my gift is. I don’t speak in public but every so often I say a few words to my mother, to make sure that my voice doesn’t get messed up. Besides, mami loves hearing my voice.

My moms smile drops. “Ay estrella(oh, star)… your parents haven’t-” She sighs and my smile drops as well. “They weren't able to send anything this year.” I feel my heart drop, never, not once, have they sent nothing.

‘Not even a letter or a card?’ I sign hopefully, not wanting her to hear the tears in my voice even though I know she can see them in my eyes.

“I’m sorry mi hija(my daughter), nothing this year. Maybe it got delayed? It may come tomorrow.” But even as she says that I can tell she doesn’t believe what she’s saying.

‘It’s okay mom, probably a bad time’ I sign, dejectedly. I force a smile, ‘Dinner’s still going to be great though, right? You should probably go get ready to cook’

She frowns, “Estas segura bebe?(Are you sure baby?)” She seems worried so I simply nod, biting back my disappointment.

‘I’m sure mom’

She nods skeptically, “If you’re sure baby…”

‘I’m sure, may I go to my room?’ I sign.

“Go ahead darling. Te Amo(I love you).”

“Yo también te amo mami(I love you too mommy).” I murmur before heading to my room. I can’t help but be disappointed by the lack of gifts, they’ve never not sent me something, even just a letter would have made me happy. I sit at my desk, pulling out my personal sketch book, and then I just draw.

Eight Hours Later - 10:00 P.M

After dinner, when Gabe came home, I decided to head to my room and take a nap. It was thirty minutes into my nap that I had the same dream again, only when I woke up the weather had changed drastically. Gone was the chilly winter air and biting wind, replaced with a raging storm that shook the window panes. 

I stared out of my window, listening to the booming thunder echo through the sky, and I knew with a grim certainty that the theft had happened and the thief hadn’t yet been discovered. Zeus and Hades were probably pissed.

Persi’s POV{Monday December 22nd, 2014 - 5:00 A.M}

The next day I woke up when I hear my door shut. I glance around the room but I don’t see anyone, what I do see though is two lumps on my desk that were definitely not there when I went to sleep last night. I get up and turn on the lights, when I look at my desk my heart skips a beat, two gifts. One is a wrapped box and one is a pretty jewelry box , well, more of a sphere, anyway. I also see a letter, I grab it. It reads:

“To our Dearest Daughter,

We are so sorry to have sent you your gifts so late, we know that we have never made you wait for a gift before, there was a small complication on our end that we had to deal with but we believe that it, hopefully, shouldn’t affect you. We have sent you a translation book, for the language that we so often write to you in, it is one of our native tongues alongside Greek. Your sisters actually worked together on that book, seeing as there were no official translation books, so consider it a present from them as well as from us. We would love for you to learn the language, it is a part of our culture after all. We hope you find it useful, we know that you’ve been absolutely dying to read that journal that we sent you. Alongside the book is a very special necklace, it belonged to your late niece, your eldest brother's only daughter. We hope that you will like it as much as she did, consider it a gift from your brother as well, your siblings can’t wait to meet you one day and neither can we.

Tav maotim maie tonaos omavai y erva opu meye rik tal ie faita maie homuvi, tav mu uti muru taireo tamavu. Tav hoveli muroi ie ert mana tav topta houp. Opuno kameo meye’v mu mumali y opuno pavu ponova.(We hope it works well and that you will not have to hold it soon, We are so Sorry Dearest Daughter. We look forward to the day we all meet. May your load be light and your water moon-bright.)

With all of our Love, Your parents.”

There are tears in my eyes as I finish the letter, I reach for the box first. Inside there was a book , artfully decorated. My sisters had made it and I loved it, without even opening it yet. I then reach for the jewelry box, and the necklace inside was beautiful, the chain may have been simple but the pendant was anything but. The detailing on the wave was beautiful and I can just tell that those were real jewels, and I have a funny feeling that the gold was real too. I immediately put it on, swearing to myself that I will never take it off.

If the letter I sent back had damp spots then no one needed to know, and if my dreams that night featured a girl who looked remarkably like me that I simply knew was my niece? Well no one needs to know that either.

Persi’s POV{Thursday January 1st, 2015 - General Time}

The rest of my break was entirely uneventful if I want to ignore the horrible storms, the higher number of terrors roaming around, and the unusually high number of divine beings running around the city like chickens with their heads cut off… And you know what? I do want to ignore all of that, therefore the most shocking moment of my break was the fact that my parents were late with their gifts.

Despite my decision to be in denial I have the distinct feeling that hiding from Grover and Chiron was going to get a lot harder when I return to Yancy Academy. Something tells me it wasn’t a coincidence that the two of them were at my school this year, and mere months later someone stole from the king of the gods{and the king of the underworld but I have a feeling that no one knows about that}. 

Something was happening in the godly world, and I am absolutely fucking determined to stay the heck out of it. I want absolutely nothing to do with that shit, but as I pack my bags to go back to Yancy I can’t help but think that despite not wanting to be involved I’m about to be thrown smack dab in the middle of this shit show. I really wish that the kings were just a bit more careful  with their toys, now their tantrums are ruining my ninety percent divine free life. I really hope that Grover and Chiron don’t focus on me.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Friday January 2nd, 2015 - General Time}

They Focused on me… the entire day back, as students were coming in and unpacking and getting resettled I was being watched by my satyr friend and the fucking trainer of heroes. I pray that this will be the extent of what happens, who knows, maybe they’ll just watch me a bit more closely for a week and then stop when I don’t do anything suspicious… right?

Persi’s POV{Monday January 5th, 2015 - General Time}

Wrong! Each and every single one of my suspicions were proven right when our math teacher didn’t walk into the classroom on our first actual class back from break, no, that would make my life too fucking easy! Instead a fucking demon from actual Hell replaced him. I hadn’t fully acknowledged her until the end of class, when I handed in my worksheet and her hand brushed against mine, she made my skin crawl .

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my fair share of creepy teachers, I’ve been told that I’m a very pretty girl. But being creepy didn’t automatically mean they were a monster, but this lady wasn’t just creepy. She felt… dangerous, and not in the same way pedos do when they say you look older than you really are.

That night, I had a very familiar dream. Thalia Grace was surrounded by hounds from the depths of hell, and fluttering above her were three creatures straight from the Fields of Punishment. Hades’ Torturers, the Kindly Ones, the Furies. And who did I see at the very head of them? In the place of Alecto, their leader? Mrs. Fucking Dodds.

On the heels of this dream was a scene that I’d never seen before, a new vision. Annabeth Chase, older than I’d last seen her, was hanging off the back of a Fury{Megaera, I could tell} while Grover tied up her legs with a flaming whip in the middle of an empty bus. In the background another Fury{Tisiphone this time} was being pelted with… something by a boy that I couldn’t fully see, I think he might have blue eyes?

I woke up, molten lava wrapping around my hand. Unbidden, words crawled up my throat and this time I had no choice but to speak them, quietly, into my silent room as I shot up in my bed.

“Braccas meas vescimini.” My eyebrows furrowed as I registered my words and the fact that I had even said them, normally I have better control than that.

But that was… I had just spoken Latin? I’ve known Greek for years, mom had insisted on teaching me every dialect she could learn, ancient Greek somehow included, but Latin was… new. And it… I’m pretty sure that it meant ‘eat my pants’ which just… made even less sense.

But just as confusing as the Latin was the rest of my dream. It obviously couldn’t have been from their original travels with Thalia and Luke because Annabeth was several years older and that boy seemed younger than Luke reasonably should be. Grover looked the same age as he does now though, so maybe something that had happened over winter break? Or something that would happen soon?

But who were the other two people on the bus? I had only gotten a single glimpse of the fourth person but it was obvious to me that there were four people on that bus. Maybe Luke was there? Or some other camper? Maybe another satyr…

I shake my head, dispelling the thoughts. The second dream, weird as it was, wasn’t as important as the fact that both dreams had shown me what creature Mrs. Dodds was.

The Furies’ screeches as they flew above Thalia Grace echoed in my head again as I got up, grabbing my sketch book and heading to the common room, and my skin crawled in the same way it had earlier when I’d accidentally brushed my hand against Mrs. Dodds.

Great. Now, not only do I have a freakishly perceptive satyr as my roommate and friend, but one of my teachers is the famous teacher of heroes and another is a literal torturer from the Fields of Punishment that realistically should be out looking for Hades’ helm. Instead, she’s here , which truly does not bode well for my continued peaceful and blissfully divine free existence.

Grover was hard enough, how on earth am I supposed to fly under the radar with all three of them here?

And why exactly did they need to be here of all places? It can’t just be because of me, surely not. There must be a demigod here that they were keeping an eye on, probably one of my other roommates, maybe the potential thief if Alecto showing up was an indicator. I’m just a… I only see things, that’s all, absolutely nothing more and nothing less. Surely they couldn’t know about my dreams over the break, right? How would they even-

“Mmmm… you good?” I startle from my seat on the bean bag chair that I had basically claimed as mine, turning to look at Grover as he walks into the room, rubbing his eyes.

There were dark bags under Grover’s eyes, like my eyes after I try to pull more than one all-nighter in a row to avoid my dreams{more like nightmares}. He must not have gotten much sleep recently either, guilt filling me as I realize that I must have woken him by accident, he probably sensed that I was awake with the empathy that all satyrs seem to have.

‘I’m good, I just…’ I stop, not knowing what to sign. If I hadn’t already tipped Grover off that I was different then the mentioning of weird dreams not even a full month after a theft from the gods themselves might raise some suspicion. If Grover already suspected then weird dreams would just prove him right.

Before I could decide what to do a bolt of lightning lit up the room followed closely by a deafening clap of thunder. I flinched, my nerves were still too raw from my dreams. I could still feel the electricity racing up my arms if I thought too hard about it, my palms clenching on my empty hands. It doesn’t help that I’ve been scared of thunder since I was nine and had my first dream of Thalia Grace, the daughter of Zeus{ my sister }.

“Oh. Did the storm wake you up?”

I hesitate before taking the out. ‘Yes… I never really liked storms to be honest.’ Not entirely true, actually. As a kid I had loved storms, I would stand out in the rain all day if mami would let me. I’d jump in all of the puddles and let the rain soak into my skin until I could feel it in my bones.

But then I’d had my first dream of Thalia’s death, and the next time it stormed she was all I could think about. For the first time in my life, I’d been uncomfortable standing underneath the rolling skies.

Months later, after watching a young woman get struck dead in her house, the echoes of her children and lover screaming ringing in my ears, I’d realized that it wasn’t the storm itself that I feared, but the lightning that followed{I love the rain, love storms and the dark clouds and the way the skies open up, but I hate when those same storms lead to thunder, an almost instinctual fear having started after those horrible dreams}.

“Yeah, I get it, the thunder freaks me out every-time.” Grover sat on one of the arm chairs and pulled his knees close to his chest. Another flash of lightning illuminated the room, and I noticed that Grover looked sad.

Of course.

If storms like this reminded me of the night that Thalia died, then I can only imagine how they might make Grover feel considering he’d actually been there, had actually met her and had definitely been her friend .

‘Are you okay?’ I ask him, seeing something flash across Grover’s face quickly. 

Guilt.

Not for the first time, I wanted to just tell my friend everything. I felt the words actually bubble up in my chest, just begging to be let out{Always begging to be let out, my silence was something even I hated}.

I wanted to tell him that what had happened to Thalia Grace wasn’t his fault. I’ve watched the scene play out countless times now, seen dozens of different versions of that night in other heroes’ stories and with other satyrs guiding them. I knew that no matter what Grover or any of the others did, no matter who did or didn’t intervene, there would always be a horde of monsters surrounding them on that hill. And Thalia Grace would always make the same choice time and time again, to save the ones she loved.

Some events, I now knew, were simply set in stone. They would always happen, no matter how the moments that lead up to them changed, no matter who was placed in those roles.

A child of Zeus was always destined to die on that hill, they would always become a protector of the camp that they never got the chance to reach, they would always choose that role.

But I know, I know , what happens to people like me. So I bite my tongue until it bled from the effort of holding my words back, clench my fists so hard that I drew blood so that I wouldn’t make a single sign.

I am no prophet. I would not be a prophet. I will not suffer a prophets fate.

“Just stressed,” Grover finally answered, his tired eyes flicking back to the window as the violent storm outside continued to rage.

I hold back a wince, ‘Sorry that the storm woke you. You look like you need the sleep.’

Grover lets out a short huff of laughter. “You get even less sleep than I do, Perse.”

‘Yes, but I have insomnia. I’m supposed to get less sleep than you,’ I smile.

Grover snorts, a noise that was a bit more goat-like than it should be if he were a mortal, before getting up to head to his room.

“Right, well. If the insomniac herself says that I need more sleep then I guess I should listen,” He drawled. He was at his door before seeming to notice that I was still sitting in the common room, unmoving. “You gonna try to go back to sleep, Persi?”

‘No, I won’t be able to anyways. I’ll be fine though, go back to sleep G-man.’ I shift on my bean bag, drawing one leg to my chest and letting the other stretch out.

Grover looked at me for another moment, but he must’ve sensed that it was a lost cause because after a second he went into his room. I waited a minute until I was certain he was asleep, my fingers itching for my sketch book, before I grabbed it again. I sit there and sketch, unbothered until morning.

Persi’s POV{General}

The storms worsened over the next few months, along with my mood. I swear to the gods, Alecto has it out for me, which just confused the heck out of me. I haven’t done anything that would warrant a Fury to come after me, so maybe she just… didn’t like me? Maybe I accidentally offended Hades or something? 

This just makes no sense! But a feeling in my gut is telling me that I’m definitely missing something obvious, something that would help me understand why three creatures of myth were lurking in my school. I mean, my sight absolutely can not be the reason! I didn’t even do anything! Despite my lack of offense Mrs. Dodds, Alecto, keeps coming after me in small ways.

Detentions for not speaking in class or being able to read the questions, ignoring any form of communication except speaking, punishing me for signing in her class. The list goes on and it constantly gets more and more stupid as time goes on! 

My bad feeling gets worse and worse until it finally accumulates to a horrible dream. The night before our trip to the museum I got like an hour of sleep filled with nightmarish visions, a feeling of dread permeating my very bones. I sat up drawing in bed the whole night instead, listening to the rain patter against my window yet again, finding it soothing now that the lightning seemed to have taken a break for the day.

By the time morning came around on May 1st I couldn’t help but be terrified, my latest and most concerning drawing was laid out in front of me. There, in full color, was a drawing of me standing in the museum and looking up at a fully transformed fury with no help in sight. I have the feeling that after today I won’t be able to hide anymore, if I even survive, that is.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Friday May 1st, 2015 - General Time}

I already hadn’t slept well all week and my drawing from this morning was absolutely terrifying, so it was no surprise that I had even less patience for Nancy Bobofit’s bullshit than usual. That girl is a huge fucking bully, she always picks on Grover for everything from his crutches to his scraggly appearance, and she loves to pick on me for being mute. She makes the worst jokes and has fun trying to torment us, I can not stand her. So of course the first piece of lunch thrown into Grover’s hair had me standing from my seat, and only Grover’s hand on my arm stopped me.

‘She throws another piece, and I kill her.’ I sign furiously.

“It’s fine,” Grover whispered. “Besides, you’re already on probation. You’ll get the blame if anything happens, remember?”

He wasn’t wrong. My temper, which I’ve always had... slight, issues with whether I spoke or not, has only gotten worse since coming back from winter break and had earned me numerous detentions and eventually probation. The last offense, the one that earned me probation, was against Nancy. After she had taken Grover's crutches while he was trying to come up the stairs I just couldn’t take it anymore and kicked her in the shins, probation only made sense seeing as I was being violent, it had been storming particularly hard that day if I recall.

Sometimes I can almost feel the rage from the storms soaking into my skin and bolstering my own temper. As though the storms were connected to my emotions. I huff silently, but I let Grover pull me back down into our seat.

I still sent a harsh glare in Nancy’s direction the next time I saw her raise her arm, something in my eyes must’ve warned Nancy that the next piece of her lunch that touched either of us would have me climbing over my fucking seat to get to her, the fact that she’s bigger than me be damned, and she put it down with a haughty sniff.

Grover shifted next to me, and I finally turned away from Nancy to lock eyes with him. Grover was looking at me nervously, like he was afraid I was still about to start a fight, but there was something else in his eyes. Some sort of fear.

Not of me, no… more like for me.

But why would Grover be scared for me? It’s not like he knows what kind of danger I’m in, he’s not the one that foresaw a fury attack in the museum, unless he expects it anyway? So many questions and so few answers…

The bus finally pulled up to the museum and I turned away from Grover to look out the window. I’m normally not a museum person. The Greco-Roman section would always interest me, but walking through the exhibit knowing no less than three creatures straight out of Greek mythology were standing practically right next to me made me more nervous and scared than anything else, especially with that drawing this morning… I really hope I was wrong this time, even though I never am.

My nerves were absolutely shot as I listened to Chiron show the class an ancient grave marker, a stele, and how this one in particular was for a young girl slightly younger than us. It was hard to hear him over Nancy Bobofit laughing behind me about there being a naked guy on the stele, and because I was at my wit’s end I swung around to face her. 

I glare harshly and make a pointed and exaggerated “shushing” gesture at her. I must’ve exaggerated too much because Nancy wasn’t the only one staring at me.

Chiron stopped his story, “Miss Jackson. Did you wish to add anything?”

I turn back around to face Chiron, no shame as I shake my head. ‘No, sir.’ I sign. I make sure to stay facing him to stop myself from glaring at Nancy, knowing that it would only get me in trouble with Mrs. Dodds again.

Chiron hummed before turning his wheelchair back towards the stele. “Perhaps you can tell us what this picture represents?” He pointed to a carving on the side.

I give him a look, he and Grover may know sign language but no one else does and I refuse to break my silence for something like this, especially since I’m in public. So I shake my head, still I glanced towards the carving, and I shiver when I see what it is. I’ve not been spared dreams of even this and trust me, watching Kronos eat his children is a hundred times worse than hearing about it.

“Are you sure? Perhaps you could write it down and allow Grover to read it for you?” Chiron pushes.

I sigh and nod, knowing a lost cause when I see it, so I write:

That’s a picture of Kronos eating his kids, right?

Grover reads it out for me and Chiron nods. “Yes,” Chiron said, and there was a pause as he seemed to wait for more. “And why did he do this?”

I grab the paper and start writing hesitantly, what was a normal amount for a fourteen year old girl to know about ancient mythology?

Kronos was the king of the titans, and he didn’t trust his kids so he ate them. But his wife gave him a rock instead of the youngest kid, Zeus. So when Zeus grew up he tricked his dad into throwing up his siblings. They got into this huge fight, a war, and the gods won. Which is why Zeus was the ruler of Olympus.

An oversimplification, really, but I figured that if I wrote anymore they’d wonder why I knew so much.

The group behind me snickers when Grover was done reading, and I heard Nancy mutter to one of her friends.

“This is so dumb. We’re not gonna use this in real life. Like they’re gonna put this on our job applications, ‘why’d Kronos eat his kids?’ Please.”

“An excellent observation, Miss Bobofit. Miss Jackson, could you please explain to your classmates why this might matter in real life?” Well, damn. At least Nancy got busted too. Being an immortal centaur must give him radar ears or something cause that dude never missed a single whisper, I just really wish he would leave me out of it though.

“Busted,” I heard Grover mutter to the redhead, who hissed back at him to shut up.

I didn’t think that there was a way to answer this question correctly without tipping off one of the three of them that I knew more than I should. So instead I just shrugged after pretending to think for a couple seconds. ‘I don’t know, sir.’ I sign, Grover translating for me on reflex.

Chiron seemed disappointed in me for some reason. Like he’d expected me to know the answer, or at least give him one. I shivered, I’m beginning to think that I haven’t managed to fool Chiron as well as I thought I had. Chiron quickly elaborated more on the myth before sending the class outside for lunch. The rest of the class rushed outside, but I hesitated knowing exactly what was about to happen, and not just because of my sight.

“Miss Jackson.” Bingo. I told Grover to head out without me before turning to face our teacher.

There was something in Chiron’s eyes that made me feel a cold certainty wash through me. Regardless of why the centaur had originally come here, he knew now that I was… something, something decidedly abnormal.

‘Sir?’

“You must learn the answer to my question, Miss Jackson,” Chiron said.

I hesitate, wanting nothing more than to leave this conversation and pretend like it never even began let alone happened. How much did Chiron know? Was he going to do anything? Did he know what I am?

‘Yes, sir.’

Chiron looks at me for another moment. “What you learn from me, Miss Jackson, is important. I expect you to treat it as more than just a class. I will accept nothing less than the best from you.”

Anger flickered through me. I know that this was more than just a class. Gods, if anyone would know it would be me{ Who’s haunted by visions of the past, present, and future. Who’s seen the best and worst of gods, monsters, and demigods alike }. But flaunting my knowledge for the whole godly world to notice would only get me killed and my mother hurt. I will not suffer a seer’s fate. I will bite my tongue until blood seeps past my lips because it is better than letting the prophecies pass instead.

My anger was quickly tempered by my relief. From the way that Chiron talked, it was like he’d guessed that I was different, but he didn’t think that I knew that I was different. I could claim ignorance for a little while longer, it seemed, even if I knew it won’t last as long as I had hoped.

I sign some bullshit about trying harder and then quickly took Chiron’s dismissal gratefully, going outside to join Grover for lunch. He was already sitting on the edge of the fountain outside, unpacking his lunch as he waited for me. I sat next to him, careful not to let my skirt ride up, and I felt my muscles relax as some of the spray from the fountain misted lightly over my skin. I’d always loved getting wet, and it’s been far too long since I indulged in my desire to be in the water. Literal years since I entered the ocean or stood outside in a storm. 

I’m startled out of my thoughts by Grover's voice, “You get detention?” he asked.

I shake my head. ‘No, not from him. I wish that he would give me a break sometimes. It’s like he expects me to be a genius instead of a hyperactive dyslexic insomniac.’ I roll my eyes playfully, maybe leaning a bit too heavily into my cover but I’m scared, I’ve never come this close to being discovered by the divine world.

Grover was silent for a moment, and I took the opportunity to study him. Had Chiron told Grover his suspicions? Did Grover know about me? Were they working together or was it a coincidence that they were both here?

“Can I have your apple?” Grover finally asked, pulling me out of my thoughts once more. I didn’t have much of an appetite, so with a smile and a small shake of my head I let him have it, choosing instead to study the almost black storm clouds hovering above them.

They hadn’t caught the thief yet, I knew. My dreams had been following the searchers for the past several months. 

A woman with striking gray eyes crouched on the ground as she examined something imprinted in the dirt. A grisly shield hung off one of her arms, and the other held a gleaming spear. The woman that I had seen in my dreams sometimes, with the girl that I thought was my niece, but it had to have been impossible. That woman was Athena, and her involvement with my family scares me.

It wasn’t just her either, a tall man stalked through the streets, sending people skittering away from him in fear at the sight of his fiery eyes. His footsteps tracked blood behind him, but the deadly soldier either didn’t notice or didn’t care for the crimson he left staining the concrete. He walked around like a blood hound with a scent, seemingly sure of where he was going. This man was Ares, and he seemed so sure of himself that even I’m shocked he hasn’t found the bolt or even the helm yet.

Then there was a young girl raced through the woods, auburn hair streaming behind her as she glowed in the moonlight. An entourage of young girls dressed in silver followed in her footsteps. She, I knew, was Artemis. When I was younger, old enough to know the consequences of being a seer but young enough to still be hopeful, I had wanted to meet her. Her domains interested me, even if I didn’t really want to be a huntress.

Finally though, there was a teenage boy driving a golden chariot through the sky, bright blue eyes scanning the ground. Sunlight dripped off his skin, leaving behind a glowing trail of warmth in the wake of the chariot’s path.

The last one still gave me shivers, not because he was overly intimidating, in truth, any of the three I’d seen before had him beat for intimidation, but because towards the end of the dream the driver had looked up from the ground and locked eyes with me. Only his eyes were no longer blue, no, they were pure gold. It’d only been for a moment before the dream ended, but still I had woken in a cold sweat at the thought that someone in my dreams had seen me. That had never happened before. But I knew why, just like I knew who he was. Apollo , the god that I’ve been trying to hide from for years , he must not have seen me well enough because he still hasn’t come looking for me.

Regardless, the weapon was still missing months later, and despite my own dreams I still haven’t gotten a clear view of the thief yet either. I’ve gotten close, flashes of skin and scraps of clothing, even a hint of a potential scar, but I always woke up before I saw anything distinct. I fear that the weather will only get worse until the thief is caught.

Gods, I missed my mom. I wanted to go home, I wanted mami to hug me and tell me that everything was going to be alright, that I was safe. Mami could make anything better, but I knew, without even having to think about it, that if I were to jump in a taxi and head to the apartment she’d send me right back to Yancy{After hugging me for half an hour and seeing if I was hungry and alright of course}. She’d remind me that I needed to try harder, despite the fact that this was my eighth school in about as many years, and if my luck held I was going to get kicked out of this one before even getting the chance to graduate.I could do this, if only to keep her from getting that sad look in her eyes when she realized that I was kicked out again.

I started to unwrap my sandwich, determined to eat something at least, but before I could fully unwrap it Nancy appeared in front of us and dumped her half-eaten lunch in Grover’s lap.

Look, I tried to stay cool, okay? I tried to think of what my mother or the school counselor would tell me to do, but then Nancy grinned smugly, laughing at him with her stupid orange freckled face and my mind went blank.There was a wave roaring in my ears, blocking out everything but the anger, the rage, and when the noise finally faded I was met with the sight of Nancy sitting flat on her ass soaking wet in the fountain.

“Persi pushed me,” Nancy screamed.

Shit .

Mrs. Dodds materialized next to us, pulling Nancy out of the fountain and starting to help her dry off. Dimly I could hear my classmates whispering all around me.

“—I swear it was like—”

“—the water, did you see—”

“—it grabbed her—”

“—the fountain, look—”

I had no clue what the hell they were talking about, but a chill swept through me as I watched Mrs. Dodds comfort Nancy. I hadn’t pushed her… had I? I have a temper, sure, but I’d never actually hurt anyone unprovoked before and throwing her food on Grover wasn’t a good enough provocation to warrant me putting my hands on her, at least not in my mind.

Mrs. Dodds turned on me as soon as she was assured that Nancy wasn’t dying , I nearly scoffed, please it was a foot deep fountain she wasn’t gonna drown, gods . There was something satisfied in the monster’s eyes, like I’d finally done something she’d been waiting on. Or like I’d proven all of her suspicions in one move, which is ridiculous because I haven’t done anything that would indicate my abilities… had I?

“Now, honey—”

Grover interrupted her frantically. “Wait! It- It was me. I pushed Nancy into the fountain!”

I can’t help but stare at my friend, stunned. Was Grover trying to cover for me? Mrs. Dodds scared the satyr to death, understandable given what she was, and yet here he was trying to protect me. Mrs. Dodds glared at Grover so fiercely that the boy’s entire body shuddered and I could’ve sworn that her eyes were glowing.

“You, boy , will stay here.” She turned back to me. “And you, honey, will come with me.”

Grover looked at me desperately, but I knew that there was no hope. I feel dread in my stomach as I think back to my drawing this morning, I feel like crying. ‘It’s okay, thank you for trying,’ I sign.

“Honey. Now.” Mrs. Dodds barked, already turning to head back into the museum.

Nancy Bobofit smirked, but I sent a glare so cold her way that it managed to wipe the smug grin right off of her face{little did I know but my eyes had glowed and my pupils had been fucking slitted ! Gods, the look on my face when I find out I can do that }. Idly I noticed that the edge of the fountain Nancy was sitting on was cracked all the way down to the base.

It hadn’t been cracked when Grover and I had sat on it, had it? What the heck was going on? 

I started to head after Mrs. Dodds, but I found the monster already standing at the top of the steps. She shouldn’t have gotten there so fast, why had no one else noticed that? Something like fear settled in my stomach. I didn’t know what exactly I’d done, but I had the distinct feeling that I was suddenly in danger and that my vision was about to be proven correct.

The feeling only worsened the further up the steps I got, and eventually I had to pause and force myself to actually continue instead of running for the hills. I risked a glance behind me. Grover was still standing at the fountain, but he was flicking his eyes frantically between Chiron and I. Our teacher had settled at the base of the handicapped ramp, reading a paperback book as he nibbled on celery. I pray that he does something soon.

I knew what Chiron was capable of, I knew that it was unlikely the centaur hadn’t noticed the situation, even though I myself was quite unsure what the situation was exactly. All I knew was that Mrs. Dodds had seen something, and that if I continued following her she was going to try to kill me.

But I didn’t have a choice. I made myself keep going, following Mrs. Dodds, no, Alecto , deeper into the museum. Deeper into danger. By the time she had stopped, the two of us were all the way back in the Greek and Roman section.

Fitting , I thought, an ancient Greek monster was going to try and kill me while surrounded by ancient Greek artifacts. Brilliant . Mrs. Dodds stood in front of a big marble frieze of the Olympians. There was a weird noise coming from her throat and I suddenly knew that she was fucking growling.

She turned to face me, “You’ve been causing problems, honey.”

I knew that it wouldn’t help, but I took what I deemed to be the safe option. I nodded. ‘Yes, ma’am.’ I sign, knowing that she would understand despite ignoring it throughout our classes.

Mrs. Dodds- Alecto , growled again. “Did you really think you could get away with it?”

With what ? I hadn’t done anything! She couldn’t possibly be trying to kill me just because of the things I saw? Is it because I saw the theft and didn’t try to warn anyone? How would they even know about that?!

‘I do not know what you are talking about.’ I take my time signing each and every word, trying not to let my hands shake.

Alecto hissed, her eyes lighting up like embers. “We are not fools, Persi Jackson. It was only a matter of time before you were found. Confess now, and you will suffer less.”

Oh, great . So having prophetic dreams was illegal now? They were just going to kill me outright? I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for the ability to see! How was this my fault?!

“Time’s up.”

My heart simultaneously felt like it had dropped and was also going to beat out of my fucking chest as Alecto's human disguise burned away like mist in the sunlight. Her fingers lengthened into talons, her jacket melted into leathery wings. 

If I hadn’t already known what she was and what she would do today then I’d have been horrified at the sight. As it was, I was still horrified, but at least I wasn’t surprised at the sight of the shriveled hag with bat wings and a mouth full of deadly fangs that replaced my old math teacher.

I backed up a step, trying desperately to think. The heroes in my dreams killed monsters with either weapons or powers, the heroes in the myths sometimes even asked for favor among the gods. But I’m not a hero. I didn’t have any weapons { I ignored the tingle in my hand and the urge to pull the pendant off of my necklace }, and I most certainly didn’t have powers, unless prophetic sight counted which, considering my dreams are most likely what had gotten me into this mess, wouldn’t appear to be of much fucking help.

Could I get around her? She wouldn’t attack me if I made it to the front of the museum, right? Could Chiron protect me if I managed to make it to him?

Would Chiron protect me?

Chiron taught and protected heroes , but I am no hero. Except I didn’t have much of a choice, I would have to make it to the front of the museum and hope that I made it to the centaur without being sliced to ribbons.

My muscles tensed as I prepared to make my move, grateful that I had worn my sneakers this morning instead of my mary janes, in preparation for the attack I foresaw. But just then, Chiron wheeled into the doorway of the gallery holding, of all fucking things, a pen in his hand. A pen that feels… remarkable, in a way.

“What ho, Persi!” The centaur shouted, throwing the pen into the air towards me.

What. The. Actual. Fuck .

Alecto lunged, and I was out of time. I yelped, dodging her attack frantically and feeling the talons slash through the air next to my face. Something moved in my periphery, the pen! I snatched it out of the air. Only, when I grabbed it, it wasn’t a pen anymore.

It was a sword. A sword that I recognized. This was the bronze sword that Chiron pulled out on tournament days sometimes, and he most certainly hadn’t been holding it when he’d appeared in the doorway.

Again. What. The. Fuck !

I ducked as Alecto took another swipe at me. No time to think about pens turning into swords when homicidal math teachers were trying to turn me into deli meat!

The Fury spun around, letting loose a truly terrifying snarl that filled my veins with pure ice. My hands were shaking so badly that I nearly dropped the sword. Fuck! If it means that I’ll never have to hold a sword against a monster again I’ll sing and shout and proclaim myself a fucking prophet to the heavens!

“Die, honey!” She took a flying leap at me.

With no time to dodge I did the only thing that came naturally, the only thing I could do. I swung the fucking sword. It connected with her shoulder when her claws were mere inches away from my face and sliced clean through her body like she was nothing but particularly soft butter.

The Fury exploded into yellow dust, rather like I’d attacked a sand castle with a power fan, or maybe a sand bag with a weed wacker. I’d seen monsters die before in dreams, but somehow that hadn’t prepared me for the sight of my demonic math teacher vaporizing on the spot. There was nothing left of her but the smell of sulfur and her dying screech, but I could still feel the chill in my veins from her glowing red eyes and haunting growls, as if she were still here, watching me.

I glanced towards the doorway. Chiron was gone. Alecto was gone. I was alone, with nothing around me to prove that what had just happened had actually happened and wasn’t just some fucked up dream or a particularly vivid vision. Nothing except…

The sword .

I was still holding the sword, glowing faintly in the light of the gallery. I’d never gotten the chance to study it up close before but now, holding it in my hand, a word slipped unbidden into my mind.

Anaklusmos.

Riptide.

There was no inscription on the hilt, but I knew that it was this sword’s name. Just like I knew that there was something about this sword that was… important , special in a way that I can’t currently explain.

I took a deep breath, letting the light and aura of the sword soothe me. Wait… aura of the sword? Swords don’t have auras, living beings do… curious, but not something that I planned to investigate right now.

I needed to go back outside, I needed to find Chiron, I needed to-

Gods, how had everything gone so wrong, so fast? What am I even going to do ?

I took a step towards the door, knowing that the magic that had hidden Alecto's true form would hide the sword in my hand. By the time I reached the door of the gallery the sword had somehow shrunk back down to a pen. Right, well… that solved that problem then, I would hate to walk up to Chiron with a sword in hand. Who knows, maybe I could keep playing ignorant for a while if I act like the magic had worked on me too. 

I made it to the steps at the front of the museum, pocketing the sword, absentmindedly wondering if I should even give it back or if that would be too suspicious. Chiron was sitting at the bottom of the handicapped ramp as though he’d never even moved. Grover was still standing next to the fountain, watching a still soaking wet Nancy Bobofit grumble to her friends.

I headed towards Chiron, noticing that as I made my way down the steps that it was starting to rain. I hope that it’s just rain, thunder might actually give me a heart attack after Alecto’s attack.

Before I could reach Chiron Nancy looked up. I continued to move past her, intent on ignoring whatever bullshit she started spouting.

“I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt.”

I simply nodded, having barely heard her as I stepped around her. I was within five feet of Chiron's wheelchair when I finally registered what Nancy had said. Mrs. Kerr? There was no Mrs. Kerr on this trip, or even at our school. Who was Nancy talking about? 

But I’d made it to Chiron already, there was no time to turn back around and figure out what Nancy was going on about. I didn’t even get a chance to try and gain his attention before Chiron looked up, a little distractedly, and nodded at the pen that was sticking out of my pocket{My skirt has pockets by the way, unimportant in the grand scheme of things but if you’re a girl then you know why I had to point it out, they’re nice pockets too}.

“Ah, you found my pen. Thank you for returning it to me, Miss Jackson.” He smiled and held out his hand, obviously expecting me to hand it over but… But I didn’t want to give it to him, it was my only weapon{ that I knew of } against the divine world, and it was clear to me that I was no longer safe. I didn’t want to leave myself unarmed. And besides that was Chiron going to pretend like nothing had just happened? Ignorance was a powerful thing in the godly world, hence why I’d been pretending to know nothing about it for over half my life, but I didn’t think that applied when I’d literally just killed a monster.

But… Chiron was giving me an out, a chance for me to plead ignorance for just a little longer. Except to do that I would have to give up my only weapon. 

Unless…

‘Actually sir, I think I’ll hold onto it, thank you for letting me use it. I’ll get you a new pen soon’ I quickly turned back around, knowing that if Chiron argued with me on this then both of our covers were blown, I caught the considering and exasperated look that Chiron leveled at me.

Had he expected me to ask? To just hand over the sword-pen like it was nothing? Had I blown my cover even more? I tried to think of what I would’ve done if I had no prior knowledge before this day but it doesn’t matter. There was no way for me to turn back around now and ask. I had to just keep going, double down and claim ignorance even as I carry a sword in my pocket, and I have a funny feeling that it won’t be leaving my pocket anytime soon. I could play it off like I was in shock, maybe, I already don’t speak. I knew that was a thing that happened to some people after a traumatic event, this counted as a traumatic event, right? So maybe if I was careful they would believe me, especially with the magic over everything and everyone convincing them that none of this shit was real.

Grover had sat down on the fountain to wait for me, keeping a museum map tented over his head in a sad effort to block the now pouring rain. I didn’t even bother, somehow the rain and water had never messed up my hair before, and my mascara was waterproof. Besides, as long as it doesn’t start thundering then I’ll be perfectly fine.

I joined him, noting again the deep crack that ran through the base of the fountain. I was now absolutely certain that it hadn’t been there when they’d first sat down to eat lunch earlier.

“You good?” Grover asked me as I sat down. 

I glance at him, tilting my head and thankfully not having to put that much effort into looking out of it. Wasn’t hard to pretend to be in shock when I’m pretty sure that I am, in fact, in shock. Whatever… I’ll panic later.

“You look pretty pale. Mrs. K-Kerr didn’t scare you that badly, did she?” Grover hesitated over the new name, further convincing me that both Chiron and Grover were working together to convince me that nothing out of the ordinary had happened on this trip, and that what I’d done to Alecto had never happened.

‘No, she was fine. I’m just not feeling too well, I guess.’ Grover nodded, glancing at my too pale face and still shaking hands and seeming to accept my words as fact. I ignore the phantom weight of a sword in my hand and the feeling of Chiron’s eyes on my pocket, if the godly world wants to drag me kicking and- well, not screaming but definitely fighting- into their grasp then I refuse to be defenseless, I will put up one hell of a fight. If for no other reason then to keep my mother safe, like I always swore I would.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Friday May 8th, 2015 - General Time}

The week after the museum trip was probably one of the most stressful weeks of my life so far, and I have spent my entire childhood hiding the existence of my dreams from my extremely perceptive mom and my gods awful asshole of a stepfather. Not to mention trying to hide my entire existence from the entire Greek Pantheon. Not that I’m under any delusions, I know that hiding from an entire pantheon would be hard on the best of days but especially when I’m trying to hide from the god of the freaking sun himself. Do you have any idea how hard it is to hide from the sun?!

It doesn’t help that Chiron and Grover were now watching me closer than ever, so I’ve had to keep up the act of being fooled by whatever they’d done after I’d killed Alecto every time I was around one of them, which, considering I share a dorm with Grover, meant that I had to have my guard up nearly all of the time.

It also doesn’t help that the weather is continuing to worsen, and my mood along with it. My grades, which were already lower than I wanted them to be, slipped even further. After one too many altercations with my English teacher, I may or may not have been caught passing Grover a note that called the man an old sot, but come on the asshole called me lazy for failing a spelling test like I don’t have dyslexia! And he is an old sot! I’ve seen his alcohol stash. The headmaster has sent a letter home to my mom, making it official. I was not invited to stay at Yancy for the rest of the year. The weekend after my finals I was to pack up and leave early, making this the eighth school I’ve been kicked out of in about as many years.

Which is totally fine. I don’t even want to be here, I mean, my every move is being scrutinized by two people just waiting for me to slip up. I spend every moment of the day trying not to let them know what I know. My only respite is at night, whether sleeping or awake, but restful sleep has become far less common for me since the museum, even less common than it’s been since the solstice.

My dreams have always been fairly common for me, but now it’s like I’m having them every night, and on the oh so rare occasion that I wasn’t having those dreams, then nightmares of Alecto would wake me up in a cold sweat. It’s gotten so bad that most nights I don’t even try to sleep at all, choosing instead to sit in the common room and draw in my sketchbook or read my translation book until the sun rises. I’m getting much better at the language, which I learned was called Halmaheran, still don’t know where it’s from but I’ve even worked up the courage to practice saying the words in the dead of night when I know that no one was awake{ when I thought that the sun wouldn’t be able to hear me }.

Although, on the topic of my drawings, they’ve become almost feverish in their intensity. Most of the time I’m not even aware of what I was drawing until I put my pencil down. The lightning bolt has featured in a majority of them, along with the detailed helmet and even a few drawings of the trident- and my sketch book truly does feel like it will never run out of pages, thanks mama. Thalia Grace appeared quite frequently as well, sometimes it was the fight on the hill, other times she was traveling beside Grover, Luke, and Annabeth or on a few notable occasions she was young, taking care of a little blonde boy that couldn’t have been older than three in any of my visions. I also drew a throne decorated with skulls, surrounded by riches, as well as a breathtaking garden full of odd plants and glittering jewels with an orchard of pomegranate trees in the center. The underworld, I’m assuming.

The dreams were getting worse, and this was only the beginning. Of that, I’m certain.

Persi’s POV{Wednesday May 20th, 2015 - 5:25 A.M}

It was almost five thirty in the morning on the day of my moms birthday, the middle of finals week, when I drew something that made my heart stop and my blood grow cold.

My most recent drawing, the one that had me awake three whole hours before I was due to call mami, showed a barely visible figure, stalking forward in the rain. Even if I hadn’t seen this creature several times in my dreams growing up, I would know who this was.

The Minotaur. Asterion .

He was a terrifying beast, even on paper, and I shudder thinking about whichever poor soul found themselves facing him. The most terrifying part of this particular drawing, however, the one I’d just finished, was not the horrifying monster, no… it was the fact that my mom was in it, standing alone in the pouring rain in her nightgown with a terrified look on her face, seemingly facing him down. It didn’t make any sense.

My dreams have only ever contained people who were involved in the godly world. I don’t really want to think about what it means that she’d shown up in one of my drawings now, mere weeks after I’ve been dragged unwillingly into the divine world by a demon’s claws after spending my entire childhood desperately trying to ignore it, or at the very least avoid it.

Was this my fault? Was my mom going to suffer some horrendous fate because of me? I hadn’t asked for this- to be this way, in fact, I’ve asked for the complete opposite! I want to be normal! Just- just normal…

But clearly, that wasn’t in the cards for me and- and this is quickly becoming too much for me to handle alone. Maybe…

Persi’s POV{Thursday May 21st, 2015 - 10:40 P.M}

It was the night before my last day of finals and my official last day at this nightmare of a school, I haven’t gotten more than a couple hours of restful sleep in weeks, I was being haunted by these fucking dreams, the most recent of which my mom had not only showed up in but had starred in, fuck! I almost couldn’t breathe.

I let my sketchbook slip through my numb fingers as I placed my head in my hands, trying in vain to suck air into my panicking lungs, or at least make sure I didn't pass out. I’m not entirely sure how much time passed before I was able to get my breathing under control again, but it was long enough that I knew for a fact that I couldn’t keep going like this. 

I had already considered it yesterday but this is my last straw, I needed help. I needed to tell someone, for someone to not only believe me but for them to make sure that once I got involved I would be safe, that once I opened my mouth and spoke I wouldn’t immediately be punished or cursed or something equally as horrid. At this point I would even take help from him , I’m so fucking desperate. But luckily for me I have two perfectly fine options right here at Yancy. 

With my decision made I forced myself up and headed to Grover's door. Grover might’ve had less experience than Chiron, but I trusted Grover far more than I do Chiron. And besides that, I’m actually friends with Grover, and I’m praying that it will be enough to help me actually speak around someone other than my mom for the first time in about seven years.

I hit a small snag in my plans when I knocked on Grover's door and realized that his room was empty. Had Grover passed me in the common room at some point earlier? Why hadn’t he said anything to me? Was I so out of it that I really didn’t notice him? I get really out of it when I’m drawing sometimes, that could be a major weakness one day, good thing I normally only do that around people I know that I can trust, people that would never hurt me.

Anyway, Grover was out by virtue of not knowing where he was. That left me one option, one choice before I chickened out and decided that help was unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. So I turned on my heel and headed towards the teachers’ offices, a feeling in my gut telling me that despite the late hour the centaur would still be there.

I was proven right when I made it to the offices and saw Chiron’s door wide open with light spilling out into the hallway. Relief flooded me at the sight, but I stopped cold when I heard a voice that definitely wasn’t Chirons coming from the office.

Well… looks like I’ve found Grover. That’s one problem solved, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Now I could just tell both of them at the same time, Grover's presence might make me comfortable enough to actually speak. I took another step towards the door before actually hearing what Grover was saying and freezing in place.

“...worried about Persi, sir.” Now, I could argue all day that I’m not normally an eavesdropper, but the fact was that I have spent literal years as an unseen observer watching events unfold in front of me, so honestly by now it was almost second nature to stand to the side and watch. Or, in this case at least, listen .

Grover’s voice was still too quiet to really hear, so I took another step closer.

“...all alone this summer. Surely the Kindly One in the school is proof enough. We know for sure, which means they know for sure too and if she’s already attracting this much attention then who knows-”

“We would only make matters worse by rushing things if we told her everything now. She should be allowed her safety, and she needs to build more confidence first, given that the girl won’t even speak.” Which… rude. I'm plenty confident, thank you very much, considering my numerous stand-offs with my asshole English teachers and Nancy Bobofit and… okay, so maybe I’m not confident enough to speak but come on! I’m a fourteen year old seer who doesn’t want to be caught by the gods, I’m doing the best I can!

“But she may not have time for that! With the summer solstice deadline she could—”

“It will simply have to be resolved without her, Grover. Let her keep her ignorance a little while longer.”

Grover lets out a frustrated sound. “But sir, Persi saw her. And her nightmares, the things she's seeing, they're getting worse! And I know that she tries to hide it from me but we can't just keep pretending that nothing is happening!”

“Her imagination,” Chiron insists, though I can hear a hint of uncertainty in his voice. “The mist over the students and staff should be enough to convince her that the incident at the museum didn't happen. As for her dreams, it's the stress. We shouldn't feed into what she is seeing. It might… encourage more serious ones. As I said, allowing her to keep her ignorance is the better option, she most likely doesn’t even comprehend what’s happening.”

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t think ignorance is helping her here! You don’t share a dorm with her, you haven’t seen the effect that the museum has had on her. You don't see her vacant expression and fake smile all of the time. You weren’t there the one time she woke up screaming and terrified because of what she'd seen! She's hardly eating, she's not sleeping, she's lashing out at everyone and herself. I know for a fact that she spends most of the night obsessively drawing and writing trying to get her mind to be quiet! Persi is falling apart, and you expect me to just sit here and keep lying to her? She’s wasting away! And besides, how much ignorance can she truly still have while carrying around a gods damned sword in her back pocket?!” Grover's voice is choked with emotion. "I can't fail again. I won't. Not like with her , not with Persi, she’s my friend .”

After that rant I nearly want to just burst into the room and hug him. I want to tell Grover that Thalia wasn’t his fault, I want him to know that I don’t blame him, that he is not failing me. But I’m stuck, frozen as I continue listening to their conversation, as though this really is just one of my visions.

“You haven't failed,” Chiron says softly, I’m inclined to agree. “She has not used the sword once since the museum, for all we know she doesn’t even realize that she still has it. And she is better off wasting away and having nightmares than dead.” Chiron said simply, “Besides, I should have seen the kindly one for what she was. And as for the things the girl sees-”

“It's cruel to let her go on like this and you know it,” Grover bites out. 

“It's for the best, Grover.”

“The best for who!? Because it sure as shit doesn’t seem like the best thing for her!”

“We will continue this conversation later,” Chiron snaps, effectively shutting down any more talk on this. “When you are not so emotional. For now, we need to focus on keeping Persi alive until next Fall, she is better off as she is now then dead” He says simply.

I couldn’t help but jerk back at those words, an involuntary flinch at the casual notion that, even feigning ignorance as I was, my life was in such danger that Chiron would rather me literally fall apart than be told what was going on. And as I think back to my recent vision, my moms terrified face, I can’t help but want to agree. I don’t want to involve mami in this. My elbow banging against the wall sounded like a gunshot in the silence of the corridor, startling me out of my thoughts, and both the occupants of the office were now tellingly silent.

Shit, they’d heard me. Fuck telling them everything, I needed to get back to the my dorm room. I’ll simply take Chiron’s advice, I’ll claim ignorance for as long as I possibly can and hope that it doesn’t kill me just as surely as my dreams would.

I scramble to shove myself into the first empty room I could find. Heart racing, I try to steady my breathing as I remain as still as possible. A shadow becomes visible in the lighted glass of Chiron's office, a shadow much taller than his teacher who is usually confined to a wheelchair. There's something that looks suspiciously like an archer's bow clutched in its hands. It would seem like Chiron is spooked enough to drop his disguise.

I duck down just as the sound of a slow clop-clop-clop drifts down the hall towards the room I’m hiding in. Chiron continues down the hall until he stops directly in front of the door. I hold my breath, praying that Chiron doesn't decide to open the door. 

It's quiet for another moment and then-

“Nothing,” Chiron seems to sigh in relief. “My nerves truly haven't been right since the winter solstice. Every little thing has put me on edge lately.”

“Yeah,” Grover agrees, sounding nervous himself. “But I could have sworn I smelled…”

“Go back to the dorm. You have your final day of exams tomorrow and I have certain expectations from you for your Latin final. We can finish this discussion at a later date.”

Grover hesitates for a moment before sighing. “Yes, sir.”

The lights go out in Mr. Brunner's office. I stay hidden, uncomfortably crouched for what seems like forever until I’m certain that the coast is clear. I slip out of my hiding place and carefully make my way out of the faculty hallway, breathing a sigh of relief when I successfully avoid detection. Especially when I consider a satyr's nose.

I know that I should head back to the dorms and try to beat Grover there so that I wouldn't have to make up an explanation for where I’d gone. But as I reach the stairs leading back up to the student dorms I stop, besides, it’s not uncommon for me to wander at night. Grover would either go to bed or come out to look for me, either way, I did not feel like being in the dorms just yet.

The conversation I just overheard replays in my mind. I’ve always been aware that Grover and Chiron sometimes discuss me behind my back. I know that there’s another reason for both of them to be at this school. I’ve tried to ignore it, tried to lean into the idea that maybe they’re here for someone else, for anyone else.

But… I’m really not sure that's the case anymore.

That it ever was.

One thing is clear though, after the theft they must think that I’m somehow involved. I’m in serious danger from a threat that is quickly approaching. Something Chiron doesn't think I’m ready to hear, something he thinks would be completely deadly.

Before I can continue my thoughts, already wandering away from where the dorms are, there's a violent rumble of thunder outside. And then...

I’m slipping into the space I normally go to when I’m drawing. 

Later- 11:30 P.M

I blank out for a moment and then- then I’m on the roof of the school. How did I get here? I’ve spent time up here before in an effort to find some quiet, a new place to draw, but usually I make a conscious decision to do so. Usually my drawing haze doesn’t move me .

I blink hard, shaking my head as I finally get my bearings. I had been wandering after eavesdropping on Grover and Chiron. I had decided not to go back to my dorm, the sound of thunder startled me and....

And then what? I don't- I can't remember- What-

“Persi?” a voice calls from behind me, startling me out of my thoughts once more.

I turn and my heart constricts at the sight of Grover. Panic stricken, brown eyes wide and so visibly concerned that it physically hurts for me to look at him. I turn back around, my eyes once again fixed on the waters of the Hudson as I stare out over the edge, my gaze occasionally wandering upwards towards the few stars that I could see.

I can’t force myself to stay quiet anymore, even if I still couldn’t bring myself to tell the truth.

“I’m fine, Grover," I whisper softly, my voice slightly hoarse from disuse, but right now I’m too tired to care if I get caught. He- no, Apollo himself could come down right now and I would probably cry in relief with how I’m feeling. 

I don’t know why I feel the need to tell Grover that I’m fine. He hadn't even asked me a question in the first place. But I can feel the worry and panic coming off him in waves and as always, my first instinct is to reassure my friend. Then again, I can also feel his shock, probably from hearing my voice for the first time.

Grover takes a hesitant step forward as if he's afraid one wrong move is going to be enough to spook me and send me toppling the edge. 

“What are you doing up here, Perse? It’s the middle of the night," Grover says with forced calmness. 

What am I doing up here, again?

I still can't fully recall how I made it up here. The events between leaving the faculty hallway and opening my eyes to a rather scenic view of the campus below are still a mystery to me. The wind blows harshly against my face, kinda nice in a way, I’d always loved nature. The force of it causes me to sway ever so slightly on my feet though, teetering back and forth just enough for it to be concerning at times. 

“Persi- Persi can you back up a little bit? Please? That doesn't really feel like the safest place to zone out right now…” 

I should probably do what Grover asks. He’s right about a ledge not being the best place to be if you accidentally lose your footing, especially not with the haze of my visions I can feel trying to wash over me, whether my sketch book or journal was here or not. But I can't will myself to move, my eyes are now fixed on the stars above. A distant rumble of thunder causes me to flinch.

Two men rage at each other from their thrones. With each shout the earth beneath them trembles and the lightning grows more fierce. 

{"Persi?”}

Somewhere far away from them, a wave destroys a small village. A man trying to get home is unlucky enough to be next to the tree that is struck with a lightning bolt after a loud boom of thunder. 

“Return it to me!”

{“Persi!”}

Armies gathering, sides being chosen. 

A third man with fire in his eyes laughs at the chaos from his own throne-

“Persephone!” Grover's voice is firmer now, his growing fear at the situation making him bolder. He takes a few steps closer. “Come on. Let's go back inside and talk, yeah? Please?” 

I’m silent for a moment before whispering again. “Why are you here, Grover?” I don’t know if I’m talking about on this roof or at this school.

“Because you're my best friend, Perse,” he says simply. “I'm here because I want to be. I've been looking for you for nearly an hour.”

“Oh…” My voice slowly gets clearer, miraculously. Despite the lack of use it normally only takes a few sentences for my voice to sound as if I used it daily, almost supernaturally smooth regardless of how often I do or don’t use it.

I don't know why I find it so hard to believe Grover, that he would bother looking for me. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. Grover has remained at my side, unbothered by how angry I’ve been lately, not being chased away by all the times I’ve lashed out. And the way he talked to Chiron earlier, sticking up for me against the fucking trainer of heroes when he really didn't have to. Maybe… maybe Grover wasn't tired of me after all? Maybe if I asked him to stay quiet I could tell him about my sight in confidence…

“Persi, please.”

The desperation in Grover's voice tugs at something inside of me, momentarily getting through the layers of hazy visions that had settled over me. I blink again, my mind slowly becoming focused as I finally begin to truly process where I’m currently standing and what this definitely looks like.

I carefully move to take a step back, hearing the anxious way Grover shifts behind me as I do so. I take one step back, and then two, and suddenly I find myself being pulled into one of the tightest hugs I have ever received by someone that wasn’t my mom, the first hug from someone that wasn’t my mom, actually. I melt into my friend's embrace, the exhaustion of the past few months since the solstice finally catching up to me all at once. I take a shuddering breath, hands clutching at the back of Grover's jacket as I try not to sob and admit everything to him.

There's so many things I want to say. I thought you trusted me. I thought you were different. Why did you defend me against Chiron? Why are you all lying to me? Who am I for you to be here? Why am I in danger? But I ask none of these questions, I just stand there breathing in the familiar scent of flowers and nature, taking comfort in Grover's calming aura. 

“I'm sorry, Persi. I'm so, so, so sorry,” Grover is mumbling into my hair, sounding on the verge of tears as he rests his face on my head. I hate that he’s taller than me sometimes.

“I can’t get it all out of my head… Grover, I'm scared.” I whisper, on the verge of tears myself. If he didn’t suspect something before then he sure as hell suspects something now.

I feel my friend flinch at those words. “I know… Gods, Persi, I know .” 

“Don’t tell Chiron?" I ask weakly. 

“Persi..”

“Please?” I whisper, even quieter, almost inaudible.

Grover hesitates before, “Okay Persi… Okay, let's go now… okay?”

I nod, wanting to go back to our dorms and draw like it was nobody’s business. Almost twenty minutes passed by before we finally made it to our dorm's common room. I make a beeline for my bean bag, my sketch book already on the floor next to it.

‘Sit with me?’ I Sign, no longer comfortable talking now that there was a chance that someone could be eavesdropping.

Grover frowns at me. “Persi we both need sleep… I’m going to bed, I swear we’ll have a conversation tomorrow, okay? Go to bed… promise me that you’ll at least try to sleep?”

I just nod. ‘Fine, I’ll try to get some sleep tonight, I promise.’ I gave him a weak smile, grabbing my sketch book and heading to my room door like I was about to go to sleep.

Thankfully, despite the excitement of the night, I did actually end up falling asleep, and my dreams that night were blessedly restful. Instead of Asterion or the bolt or another nightmare or even the underworld I’d ended up in what appeared to be an empty cabin. The walls glowed softly, and there were three full beds set on the far wall, a small dresser between each one and a small book shelf over each dresser. It didn’t look similar, but something about this cabin reminded me of the cabin at Montauk. The smell and the sound of the waves gently crashing outside calmed me enough that by the time I woke up on the day of my final set of exams I actually felt somewhat refreshed.

I just thank the gods that after such an emotionally draining night I was able to sleep well, and I just hope that my speaking hadn’t attracted any attention last night… It was probably fine… right?

Persi’s POV{Friday May 22nd, 2015 - General Time}

Unfortunately, a singular good night’s sleep wasn’t nearly enough to undo months of unhealthy habits as well as the fact that I hadn’t actually studied for any of my finals in the slightest. Today I would take my English and Latin finals, the last tests and then I would pack over the weekend and be gone long before graduation was set to start, my diploma would be sent through the mail. All day I’d taken to avoiding Grover, still terrified of everything I had and hadn’t admitted last night.

There was no coming back from his failing grades, luckily not bad enough to hold me back from high school but definitely bad enough that no passing grade on a final would make a difference, so I didn’t bother putting much effort into my tests that day, and especially not in the English test I took that morning.

The only exam that I felt confident I could pass was also the one that I had to sit in with the very people who’d been discussing my failing mental health just last night, my friend that I prayed hadn’t betrayed me to Chiron, and also the very same one I had to feign ignorance in so as to not raise too much suspicion with Chiron. I had a funny feeling that Grover and I would be having a conversation soon enough, if not as soon as he may want.

As a result though, I spent the entire three hour long Latin exam a bundle of stress and nerves, and finally turned in my paper confident that I’d gotten just enough wrong to avert suspicions, not to mention all the names I’d misspelled without even trying. But before I could make it through the door, intent on packing my bags before I had to catch the bus on Sunday, Chiron called me back inside.

My heart sunk in my chest. Had Chiron realized that I was outside his office last night? Did he know that I knew? Did Grover betray me?

“Persi,” Chiron spoke. “Don’t be discouraged about not graduating at Yancy this year. It’s… it is what’s best.”

Despite the relief that the centaur hadn’t figured out that I’d been eavesdropping last night, and that Grover hadn’t ratted me out, I still felt some embarrassment well up in my chest. Chiron was quiet, but the other kids finishing the exam could certainly still hear him.

I saw Nancy Bobofit give me a smirk before making sarcastic kissing motions with her lips, I discreetly flipped her off where Chiron wouldn’t be able to see me.

‘I understand, sir.’ I sign, hoping that would be the end of it so I could escape into the hallway.

“I only mean…” Chiron paused here, like he wasn’t quite sure what to say. “This wasn’t the right place for you. It was only going to be a matter of time.”

My eyes kind of stung. I know that he doesn’t believe I’m safe here but still… Here was the famed teacher of heroes, who’d spent centuries helping heroes succeed against all odds, now telling me that I was simply destined to fail.

‘Right,’ My hands tremble with the effort of staying still in the classroom and not booking it for my dorm room so that I could leave sooner.

“No, no,” Chiron spoke again. “I’m just saying… oh, confound it all. You’re not normal, Persi, but that’s nothing to be-”

‘Thank you’ I sign quickly, interrupting him. ‘Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me of that fact.’ I could hear Chiron calling out after me, but I didn’t bother stopping.

It was the last day of finals, I’m practically falling apart at the seams. I just needed to get out of here, get away from Chiron. I still need to talk to Grover, actually talk now that I have the confidence to speak around him. But most importantly? I needed to see my mom, even if I couldn’t tell her anything, just being near her will fix everything, I know it.{I just hope my coming home won’t lead to my vision… I can’t watch mami get hurt because of me, I just can’t}.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Sunday May 24th, 2015 - General Time}

I had spent all of Saturday gathering my things and getting ready to leave today. I ignored the sound of the others in the dorm as they joked around, all of them bragging about their rich people vacation plans and how they were so excited to graduate and how prom that Friday would be amazing. I stayed in my room dodging their conversations the same way I’d avoided them the entire school year. I’d been in schools with too many snooty rich delinquents to bother with them at this point.

I finally found myself sitting on the bus home. As much as I wanted to say goodbye to Grover, I didn’t. I was too scared, I had messed up on Friday by not only speaking but also acknowledging the godly world. I had called Chiron, Chiron. And I’m just glad that Grover didn’t bring it up. But I should’ve known that my luck wouldn’t hold, why? Because who comes onto the bus, a ticket to my same destination, and sits next to me? Grover.

I really shouldn’t have been surprised when Grover comes over to sit next to me on the bus. Did Grover and Chiron both think that I was in enough danger that I couldn’t ride a Greyhound by myself?

I almost laugh at the thought, but as I think about what I felt when I stepped onto the bus and about my mom in those visions… I found myself agreeing with them.

As soon as my foot had touched the steps I was hit with such a feeling of suspense that I had to force myself not to stay frozen. The entire walk to my seat I’d felt as though I were wading through spiderwebs.

No, not spiderwebs, I mused as I once again felt one of the strands slide across my arm as Grover sat next to me. Time seemed to stop for a moment. These were thicker, they didn’t break when I pushed through them and they felt different… almost woven, but not as thick as thread… maybe more like- like thread.

I shake my head, forcing myself to ignore the phantom feeling of the threads winding around me, time starts once more. As odd as the sensation was though, it didn’t fully explain the suspense I’d felt upon entering the bus. No, that feeling was caused by something else, something… inevitable.

Focus ! I looked up as Grover finally sat down beside me and the bus started moving. My instincts were never wrong, so I focused on the feeling in my gut, trying to follow it back to the source{ Trying to delay the conversation with Grover for a little while longer }. What was giving me this feeling?

I looked around, carefully watching every other person on the bus until I was positive that they weren’t the cause of the feeling I was having. 

Idly I noticed that Grover was doing the exact same thing next to me, he was glancing nervously up and down the aisle every few seconds as though expecting one of the other passengers to turn into a Kindly One or something.

I thought back to that Friday night, when I’d ended up on the roof with Grover after eavesdropping on him talking with Chiron. I’d made the decision that night to trust Grover, to trust my friend, only to back out at the last second and still manage to slip up.

But even so, this bus ride might be my final chance to ask Grover for help, and I’m sick and tired of being silent. I have a dreadful feeling that my silence will have been pointless soon anyway, if my dream visions had anything to say about it. I’m just so… tired of pretending. I bit my lip, hesitating for a couple more minutes before a flash of my moms face in my mind helped me make my decision.

“Grover…” I whisper, nervously, hesitantly.

Grover looks at me in shock, I understand why. It was only my second time talking to him and the first time had been when Grover thought I was going to kill myself, of course he would be shocked. If I’m being honest, I’m a little shocked myself. About seven years. Seven years since I last spoke properly. I’m terrified but if this is what it takes to keep my mom safe then I’ll do it. Even if I have to get on my knees and beg Apollo himself for help.

“P-Persi? You’re-” He takes a breath, collecting himself. His eyes soften as he looks at me, only mami has ever looked at me that way. “Are you okay? Did you need something?” He speaks softly, as though trying to respect the fact that I was speaking at all .

“...Are you looking for Kindly Ones?” My voice stays soft, a near whisper as I slowly gain the courage to speak and as my voice slowly smooths back out after days of silence.

Grover nearly jumped out of his seat as he looked at me with wide, shocked eyes. “Wha- what do you- What are you even-”

“I heard you and… and Chiron on Friday night, before...” I interrupted Grover’s stuttering only to trail off, suddenly unsure.

“...You called him-” Grover cuts himself off before sighing, seemingly resigned. “How much did you hear?” Despite his clear annoyance he looks at me with nothing but kindness and acceptance in his eyes. I love this boy, platonically, but still. I can just feel that we’re gonna grow so close soon.

“...enough. You… you told him that you were worried about me.” I confess, still scared that maybe I was wrong to trust Grover, I wonder for a brief second if he’ll continue to lie.

And for a second, he seemed like he was going to. “I was- I am worried about you, Persi. Ever since the museum trip you’ve been… different. I mean, you weren’t focusing in classes, you were barely eating, and don’t think I didn’t notice that you kept leaving the room at night to sit in the living room with your sketchbook instead of sleeping and-” He stops.

“Grover…” I practically plead with my eyes for him to not lie, to please, please just tell me the truth .

“I- I understand… after Mrs. Dodds… I would be different too. I was hoping that maybe he would-”

I cut him off again. “Grover, how much danger am I in?” My question stopped my satyr friend cold.

“Wh- why do you think… you’re not in- in danger…” Grover trailed off, stuttering and clearly seeing from my expression that he wasn’t being believed. Likewise, I noticed something in Grover's eyes then, like maybe Grover was just as scared as I was but was trying to be brave. Like maybe speaking about it really would bring more danger on our doorstep.

“I promise I’ll help you. I swear it, alright? But right now I- Just… just take this, okay? In case you need me at all this summer. Things are a bit complicated right now…” He fished out a business card from his pocket and handed it over.

The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes, but eventually I could make out Grover’s name at the top with the word Keeper right below. There was more below, likely an address to Camp Half-Blood, but I didn’t feel the need to read any more at that moment.

I decided to take a chance. “In case I need you. Because my life is in danger.” I mutter, looking at the satyr who’d once led Thalia Grace, Annabeth Chase, and Luke Castellan through a storm to camp. I wonder if that will repeat itself in a way…

“Grover, what exactly is my life in danger from? Does- does it have to do with the summer solstice deadline? Is one of the complications- camp ?” Why were Grover and Chiron so sure that my life was in such danger? Why do even I believe them? I’m not like Thalia Grace, who was chased across the country by the Lord of the Dead for being a forbidden child{ for a crime her father committed so many decades ago }. I just saw things from time to time, that was all{ I ignored the talking sea creatures, the glowing eyes I can remember from infanthood, the fact that the monsters chase me more than being a seer would warrant. I ignore it all, every single warning sign }.

“Don't say that out loud!” he whispers harshly, looking around as if the mere mention of the place would draw something's attention. Once he's sure no one is paying attention to them, he turns back to face me. "How do you know about camp?”

I stare at him for a long moment. “How do you think? The same way I know about Chiron, the same way I know about the kindly one, the same way I know about you. Satyr . I saw it. Just like I've been seeing things for years, even though you all keep telling me I'm not! I'm tired, sick and fucking tired of- of pretending!” I admit. I look at Grover with tear filled eyes, “Grover I’m tired… and so, so scared. I- I need help… Please, help me. ” I’m practical pleading at the end of my tirade.

Grover looks absolutely and utterly gutted but before he can respond a loud grinding noise sounds from under our feet. The feeling of suspense that had settled in my chest for the entirety of the bus ride seemed to sink even deeper into my very bones as black smoke poured from the dashboard and the entire bus filled with the smell of sulfur. The driver swears loudly and just manages to get the Greyhound to the side of the road before the engine conks out with a final metal clanking sound.

Everyone else filed off the bus as soon as the driver turned the bus off and asked for everyone to get off, but I hesitated. I knew with certainty that the cause of the suspenseful feeling was waiting for me on the other side of the highway. And I’m not sure if I’m prepared to meet them.

The longer I hesitated though, the more the thread that I’d been ignoring wrapped around my body, as though trying to coax me to leave the bus. They weren’t painful, nor were they gentle, they just… were . Something told me that the bus wouldn’t be moving anywhere until I faced whatever was waiting for me across the road. I forced my feet to move for the door, joining Grover where he was already standing outside.

We were on a stretch of country road, nothing on our side of the highway but maple trees and trash from passing cars, disgusting how horribly they treated nature. My body moves on autopilot though, the woven threads of- the threads pulling me until I locked eyes with the three women sitting at an old-fashioned fruit stand across the highway.

My breath catches. All the way on the left was a young looking woman that looked to be in her early twenties, her eyes were full of youth and potential, she looked like a young maiden{ Maiden, Mother, Crone. I am the Maiden, Clotho, I am the spinner. I am your beginning } She was weaving the thread. In the middle was a woman that looked to be in her fifties, her eyes were both warm and content, like she had seen all of the good life had to offer, she looked like a stereotypical mother to me{ Maiden, Mother, Crone. I am the Mother, Lachesis, I am the allotter. I am your median } She was measuring the thread. And finally, all the way to the right was an old woman. She looked to be at the end of her life, her eyes were full of wisdom and experience, she looked… like a crone{ Maiden, Mother, Crone. I am the Crone, Atropos, I am the inflexible. I am your ending }. It took less than a second for me to register them.

The Moirai.

I recognized the feeling of the strands that had wound around me the entire bus ride- they were literally threads, exactly like the threads that the Fates themselves were using.

“What pretty thread,” I murmur, unable to stop myself, “oh so very pretty.”

The woman on the left was weaving a beautiful shroud, drawing thread out of the basket that the woman in the middle was holding, however she seemed to be twirling to pieces of thread together in a way. The third woman held something in her lap but wasn’t doing anything except waiting. The first color of thread was a beautiful color, not too deep nor too light, a perfect balance of a clear sky on a sunny day. It felt like a blast of clear wind on a warm day, carrying the faint notion of snakes and fluttering wings. However the second one was an enchanting sea green, the same color as my eyes I’m sure of it. It was mixed with a purely golden thread, and it felt like the sea, like a sunny day on the beach. It felt comforting and suddenly reminded me of roses for no particular reason, it felt… like me .

But then I noticed that they were all staring at me. I felt my heart stop in my chest- this was the cause of the feeling that had followed me the whole bus ride, the reason for the thread that even now continued winding around my arms. I was looking at my own life thread.

I heard an intake of breath from beside me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the Fates staring back at me even if I tried. I didn’t actually bother trying.

A hand settled on my arm. I distantly thought of Grover.

“Grover?” My voice was soft and smooth, no longer sounding unused.

“Tell me they’re not looking at you. They are, aren’t they?” Grover’s voice sounded like he was standing ten feet away, even though I knew that Grover was right next to me.

Just then, the old woman on the right raised her hands, allowing me to see what she’d been holding in her lap. A pair of gold and silver shears. I heard Grover’s breath catch in his chest at the sight, mine does too.

“We need to get on the bus,” Grover said urgently. “Come on.” Grover pulled on my arm, trying to tug me back onto the bus.

Despite his best efforts I resist him. “It won’t change anything.” I whispered, watching as the woman, Atropos, brought her shears to the threads. The one in the middle, Lachesis, held out to her. The shroud they’re weaving glows faintly, and the more I stare at it the more it alternates between the appearance of regular weaving and a series of golden, intertwined threads.

Beside me, Grover is frantically trying to get me to follow him back onto the bus, but I remain transfixed. Almost in slow motion, I watch as Atropos cuts the threads- no, cuts some thread? The snip of the thread echoed across all four lanes of traffic, and I felt the phantom threads that had wound themselves around my body tighten for a second before falling off as the sound reached me. I can’t fully see if she had cut both, cut one, or had half cut either… and something told me that I won’t find out for a while.

Two shall fall to cursed blade , a voice whispers in the back of my mind, followed by a jumble of words that I can't quite make out at the moment. The fates continue to stare, their eyes boring into mine as they slowly and carefully pack up their work. The hand still around my arm tightened almost painfully, and I finally managed to tear my eyes away from the Moirai. There was no need to keep watching. I’d already seen what I was supposed to see.

Grover was ghostly pale, like all the blood had drained from his face. Finally the bus roars back to life, the driver giving a shout of triumph and the other passengers cheering. A sudden, bone deep chill settled over me and I noticed for the first time that my legs were shaking horribly. 

Numbly I let Grover lead me back to our seats. As soon as we sat down I started feeling feverish. I felt like I was burning from the inside out, and there was a sharp pain in my left side just under my underarm, as well as a burning sensation on my lips. I closed my eyes and for just a second I could see the glorious throne room of the gods in ruins and a horribly familiar hand holding out a bronze knife to me before the burning in my veins and on my lips reached a crescendo.

When I next opened my eyes, the burning and pain in my body had faded with my vision. Grover gripped my arm from next to me, and I turned in my seat to face the satyr. 

“Persi, what did you see? Back at the fruit stand?” Grover was trembling, the hand still gripping my arm was shaking.

“I saw....”

Threads.

Threads intertwining and weaving around each other. Influencing each other and pushing some in different directions. 

All being spun, spun, spun until snip . 

Every string cut where and when it's supposed to be.

No string escaping it's fate not even min-

“She cut the thread.”

Grover closed his eyes, making a gesture with his fingers, almost like he was warding off evil.

“You saw her snip the cord.”

I nodded, and Grover let go of my arm to place his head in his hands.  “This can't be happening. This can't be happening again," he whimpers, looking absolutely distraught. “Not to you.”

I immediately think back to the children on the hill running from monsters, focusing my attention on one specific figure from my vision. A boy with curly hair and horns. A young Grover from the day Thalia died.

“Grover,” I mutter. “It’s not- it’s gonna be okay.”

Grover only continued looking at me mournfully, like he was already planning what color my shroud was going to be.

Which, okay, look, I understanded how it looked- what happened at the fruit stand. The Moirai had shown me an impending death, possibly multiple, but… that didn’t mean they’d shown me my death. In fact, the more minutes that passed, the more certain I got of that fact. A feeling in my gut told me that the Fates had shown me something else, something equally as important{ Are you sure, Απαγορευμένη Κόρη(Forbidden Daughter), are you sure that you did not see your death?}

But I didn’t have any idea how to explain any of that to Grover without sounding like I was just in denial.

Grover spent the rest of the bus ride alternating between looking at me like I was a dead man walking and muttering to himself “Why does this always happen?” and “Why is it always sixth grade?”

If I hadn’t already known what was going on, I’d have been majorly freaked out. As it was, the only reason I didn’t ditch Grover as soon as they got to the bus terminal was for two reasons. One, I promised to wait so Grover could walk me home, and two, I needed help with my visions. We caught a cab together when Grover was done in the restroom.

I held a vain hope that my mom would be home from work as I opened the door to the apartment to let myself and Grover in, but that hope was dashed when I saw Smelly Gabe in the living room playing poker with his buddies instead, I make sure that Grover stays behind me and off to the side.

Gabe hardly looked up from his hand, speaking around the cigar in his mouth. “So, you’re home.”

I simply nodded, knowing that Gabe had never learned sign so it was pointless. I give Grover a shushing gesture. I wish I didn’t have to deal with Gabe. I just wanted to see my mom, to get to hug her, but instead I was stuck here dealing with my stupid asshole stepfather.

Gabe looks up “You got any cash?”

I considered shaking my head, but Gabe could sniff out money like a damn bloodhound. Surprising, considering his own smell should’ve covered up literally everything else. And I was really too tired to deal with my stepfather right now, especially not with Grover right there. I was too high-strung to handle the raised fists and perverted threats that would follow if I picked a fight right now so I just dug the wad of dollars out of my pocket and tossed it on the table.

I hope he loses. I guide Grover to my room, unable to resist rolling my eyes at Gabe.

“Your report card came, dumb bitch!” Gabe shouted after me. “I wouldn’t act so snooty, otherwise I might just have to force your pretty eyes to stop rolling!” Gabe laughs like he’s the funniest person ever. “Good thing the slut knows how to keep her mouth shut, she’s so dumb I’ll probably have to sell her ass for her to be usef-”

I slam the door to my room, cutting off his disgusting words, I drop my suitcase on the bed and collapse onto the comforter next to it, trying to ignore the nasty smell of cologne and cigars that Gabe loved filling my room with while I was away.

“Welcome to my home.” I whisper to Grover, who was watching me with a considering expression. “Make yourself comfortable while we wait for mami.” I sigh, wasting no time in getting up and grabbing a water bottle and one of my granola bars to give him, the rules of Xenia ingrained in my mind for reasons unknown to me. Once I made sure he was comfortably sitting on my bed I felt like I passed some sort of test.

‘Can we please just sit here and wait for my mom before having any kind of conversations?’ I silently beg.

Grover, like the amazing friend he was, nods. Silently, I sit on the bed next to him. Grover doesn’t hesitate to comb his fingers through my curls, slowly braiding them into a beautiful braided style . I smile softly, enjoying the feeling. I grin when I see the braid, feeling like a Grecian princess of some sort. I quickly passed him some pearl and flower hair pins that my mom had gifted me so that he could add them in.

I don’t know how long we sat together, waiting for my mom. The only interruption was when i had to rush to the bathroom when I realized that my fucking period had decided to show up and remind my virgin ass that I wasn’t pregnant{ I ignore the feeling of hands on me, ignore the fact that I’m not a virgin, I ignore my instinctive relief that I wasn’t pregnant because it means that he hadn’t managed to leave a permanent reminder that he had touched me }. I had quickly changed into my favorite sundress , another gift from my mother. So for the next however long it’s been I curl around Grover, trying not to let my cramps get to me as he plays with the loose curls and sometimes rearranges the pins. I finally hear my door open.

“Stella? Who is this?”

I shot up from the bed, turning to the door as my mom walked through.

“Mami…” My voice broke in a way it never does as I stood from the bed, not caring about looking like a little kid or about putting on a brave face for Grover, as I practically fell into my mom’s embrace. She folded her arms around me, holding me in a way that made everything suddenly seem better. Grover simply stares at the wall, giving us a small amount of privacy.

“Oh, Stella.” She hugged me tighter. “¡No lo puedo creer! ¡Has crecido desde las vacaciones de invierno!(I can't believe it! You've grown since winter break!)” I smile softly. “¿Y bien? ¡No seas grosero, preséntame a tu amigo!(Well? Don't be rude, introduce me to your friend!)” If mami was surprised that I had brought someone home or that I was speaking, she didn’t show it.

I gesture to Grover. “Mami, this is Grover Underwood. Grover, this is my mom, Sally Jackson.” I swear to the gods my moms face fell. “Mami?” She ignores me, staring straight at Grover.

“It’s time, isn’t it?” She seems resigned.

Grover nods, eyes full of sympathy, and for once I feel like I’m the one being left out of the loop.

“How long can we wait?”

Grover seems to think for a moment before shaking his head. “A day maybe, two if you wanna push your luck.”

Mami nods decisively, like that was all she needed to hear.

“Mami? Grover?”

My mom sighs. “Darling, I’ll explain at the cabin, alright?”

I light up and nearly forget about the weird behavior, “Our cabin?”

“Cabin?” Grover asks, clearly confused. I grin.

“Mhmm, where Mami met my parents.” I hum and get up to start packing, knowing that my questions will be answered eventually, one way or another. I briefly noticed Grover's shocked look and mouthed Parents . I suddenly remember that most people only have two parents.

“Yeah, Mami met My Papi and Mama when she was in her twenties! Apparently my mom was just what they were looking for to spice up their marriage.” I roll my eyes at the thought, not wanting to think about it. “Anyway, Mami, how much do I pack?”

“Enough for-” I see her glance at Grover, who still looked shocked and was muttering about married couples, “-the summer Stella, your duffel and a book bag or two. Pack your essentials.”

I nod, having a feeling that I may see camp sooner than I anticipated, and that my mom knew more than I thought she did. I use every inch of self control to not freak out, packing all of my things. We both ignore Grover as I slowly fill my duffel with all the clothing I thought I would need. I packed my art kit in there as well, my backpack had my sketch book, my Journal, the translation book, the family journal, I was already wearing my necklace. Hmmm, what else… Oh! I quickly throw on my favorite pearl earrings , another gift, real pearls. And my favorite wedges , it may not seem like it sometimes but I love dressing up! I know for a fact that nothing bad will happen until tonight so I have time to change anyway. I quickly pack a few more things before turning to my mom and friend.

“Well?”

Grover grins, the worry taking a backseat for now. “You look very pretty Perse!” I smiled at him, he was my first friend, the first person I had actually spoken to in years.

“Que hermosa(how beautiful), my lovely Stella.” My mom smiles, a shallow thing. I pretend not to notice their worry, I was excited. We’d go to the cabin and I’d see camp. I ignore the dreadful feeling in my gut telling me that there would be a sacrifice to get to that point.

Mami had Grover and I sit on the edge of the bed together, snacking on the huge bags of “free samples” she’d brought home from work the way she always did when I came home.

“As soon as I get changed we’ll leave.” I don’t question the fact that Grover is obviously coming with us. I felt too much excitement run through me at the prospect of seeing Montauk again. We hadn’t been able to go the last two summers because Gabe said there wasn’t enough money. Gabe is a dirty liar that gambled all the money away anyway.

“Hey, Sally-how about some bean dip, huh?” Gabe appeared in the doorway, his appearance almost enough to dull the excitement at mom and I getting to go back to Montauk, and with a friend this time! Even if I know it’s only for the night. Gabe seems to ignore the strange boy in his house, wow, the mist is amazing.

“I’ll go do that now, honey,” Mom told Gabe. “We were just talking about the trip.”

Gabe narrowed his walrus looking eyes. “The trip? You were serious about that?”

I felt a rush of anger. ‘He won’t let us go.’ My fist clenches, Grover grabs my hand and carefully makes sure I don’t leave an indent. I lean into him.

“Of course he will,” Mom said. “Your stepfather is just worried about money. That’s all. Besides,” she added when Gabe didn’t look any happier, “Gabriel won’t have to settle for bean dip. I’ll make him that seven-layer dip he loves. Enough for the whole weekend.”

That got the asshole’s attention. “This money for the trip… it comes out of your clothes budget and tips, yeah?”

“Yes, honey.”

“And you won’t take my car anywhere but there and back.”

“Of course. We’ll be very careful.”

Gabe scratched his double chin, and I waited impatiently, wanting to just kick him in the balls and be done with it.

“Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip… and the kids apologize for interrupting my poker game.”

He means funding his stupid fucking poker game, he wasn’t even winning anything! I growl silently. Mom laid a gentle hand on my arm as Grover grips my hand, and I caught the message she was sending me. Be nice to Gabe, just for a little while, and then they could leave for Montauk.

I wondered, not for the first time, why my mom put up with this guy. Why did she stay with him?

‘I’m sorry,’ I sign. ‘I’m really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game and didn’t think to rip the three strands of hair from your head while I was at it. Please go back to it right now.’ Grover expertly interprets while leaving out a bit so that I could unleash my frustrations.

Gabe’s beady eyes narrowed even further. I imagined that his half a brain cell was working very hard to detect the sarcasm in that statement, but thank the Gods for Grover and his wonderful translations because he managed to keep the ‘tone’ out of his voice.

“Whatever,” Gabe eventually decided, leaving to go back to his game.

Mami let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you, Stella. Once we get to Montauk, we’ll talk more about… everything, okay?”

There was a look in her eyes then, the same look that Grover had on the bus ride to the museum weeks ago. Fear, not of me, but for me. Like she could feel that I was in danger. But the look faded when she smiled at us. Ruffling Grover's hair, he had a stunned expression on his face, and then kissed my forehead before going to change.

Less than an hour later, we were ready to leave.

Gabe took a break from his poker game to watch Grover and I pack our bags into the Camaro. He spent the whole time griping about losing his wife’s cooking, and more importantly to him his Camaro, for the entire week.

“Not a scratch on my car, dumb slut,” Gabe whispered in my ear. “Not one little scratch.”

I shudder, not wanting to be anywhere near him. I also roll my eyes towards Grover because the fourteen year old would be driving. I tense, knowing that if a speck of dirt got on Gabe’s paint job the asshole would find a way to blame me and I would end up… punished when mami was at work.

Grover gets into the backseat, I watched Gabe trudge back toward the apartment building, not even bothering to say goodbye to my mom as she passed him, and the sight made me so angry. I felt my hand copy the gesture I’d seen Grover make on the bus. A clawed hand over my heart followed by a shoving motion towards Gabe.

The screen door slammed shut so hard that it whacked Gabe straight on the ass with such force he went flying up the staircase like he’d been shot from a cannon. My eyes widened and I saw Grover look shocked from the backseat of the Camaro, like he couldn't believe that I did that. That definitely hadn’t happened when Grover’d done it on the bus. I jumped into the front seat quickly and told mami to just go, not wanting to be around when Gabe came back down with his fists swinging and vitriol spilling from his lips.

And just like that, we were off and I could tell that my entire life was all about to change.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Sunday May 24th, 2015 - General Time}

I felt the stress of the last five or so months lifting off of my shoulders the closer we got to Montauk, and by the time our cabin came into view I felt like a whole new person. The car ride had been spent making small talk with Grover and wondering what exactly my mom knew, what she was keeping from me{ If she knew what I was keeping from her }. Mami said that we would talk after getting to the cabin, I honestly can’t wait, a sense of anticipation and expectance fills me, as though I already knew what she was going to say even though I didn’t think I did.

I glance at my mom, noting that she clearly felt the stress lifting away as well if the smile on her face and the brightening of her eyes was any indication. I swear that here eyes were slowly changing to become a brighter blue, the same color as the sea that was to our right as we drove{ Unbeknownst to me but my eyes changed slightly too }. She seemed younger though, like years of worry and work were just slipping off of her face the closer we got to the beach, to the sea{ All at once I felt guilty for the fact that we haven’t actually been in the water for years, I had turned my back on nature and my gods and mami was one of the ones to pay for it }.

I grin mischievously at Grover, ignoring any feeling that wasn’t excitement for the moment, and challenged him to a race. I laugh, uncaring of my volume in a way that I haven’t been for years as we raced out of the car to be first to the cabin. Mami yelling after us that we had to come back and help with the bags.

The cabin was still mostly stocked from the few locals that Mami lets rent the place out. I made sure to go through and change out the bedding while Mami double checked the toiletries and Grover made sure that nothing was expired. Grover helped mami and I fling open the windows, sweeping cobwebs from the corners and cleaning the rest of the cabin before we all headed out to the beach. The water was too cold to reasonably swim yet and I haven’t actually swam in years anyway{ despite how dry I feel sometimes, how much I long to be in the sea once more. I’m tired of living scared, I’m tired of just surviving }. So we walked along the beach and fed blue corn chips to the seagulls while munching on our own blue snacks.

“Why blue?” Grover asked, seeming more nervous the longer Mami and I put off the talk that needed to happen.

I force myself to smile as I tell him the story, a mix of talking and sign. Still not fully comfortable with the thought of speaking but definitely getting more comfortable with Grover as the hours pass. If they know that I can- That I’m a seer , a potential prophet ? Then not even my silence will save me from whatever the fates may bring, it was never going to. And I’m so, so tired of being silent. That doesn’t mean that seven years of silence didn’t still take it’s toll.

When it got dark we all gathered on the beach, making a fire outside the cabin, we roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and vegetables for Grover. It was almost time for the talk but for now my mom talked the about when she was a kid, what she remembered of her parents before they died in the plane crash, how they had left her this cabin in their will. She told Grover and I about the books she hoped to write someday, when we had enough money for her to quit the candy shop. Grover grew more and more anxious.

Despite his anxiety we both listened intently, eventually  I decided to ask about the topic that was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk, my parents. Mom’s eyes got all misty, the way they always did, she seemed like she was fondly remembering a better time. She would always tell me the same things, but to a girl that had never known her parents personally they never got old. I have a feeling that today's talk is gonna be different. Grover seems to be anticipating something, he also looks fucking curious so we’ll see, my own anticipation grows.

“Your parents were both kind, Stella,” Mami told me. “Tall, gorgeous, powerful. But oh so gentle too. You look just like your father, but I still see some of your mother in you.” Mom fished a blue jellybean out of her candy bag, I wonder what she means. It’s not like I could realistically look like all three of my parents. “They would be so proud of you, Stella. I wish they could see you.” Grover seems to be thinking pretty hard right next to me.

But would they be proud? I am a hyperactive, dyslexic insomniac with a C- report card who was just kicked out of my eighth school in just as many years. What did my parents have to be proud of?

“How old was I?” I asked quietly. “I mean… when they left?”

Mami watched the flames for a moment. “They were with me for four years, Stella. Right here at this beach. This cabin.”

“So… they knew me as a baby.” I swear Grover was watching us like we were a tennis match.

“Yes, honey. They stayed until after your first birthday, our anniversary was the last time I saw them…” She’s looking at the horizon, as though it would bring Mama and Papi home.

I thought about her words. I’d always known that my parents had known me as a baby. It was faint, but if I tried hard enough I could remember a warm glow and a low voice as well as a soft shimmer and a brighter voice… two smiles and a song, from one of my earliest memories. I’d always known… who could that have been except my parents, right? 

Still a feeling of resentment welled up in me. Maybe it was stupid, but I resented my parents for leaving. For going to their home and not coming back to stay with mami. For leaving us to get stuck with stupid Smelly Gabe for nearly my entire childhood.

“Are you going to send me away again?” I ask, looking up at my mom, Grover is so silent that I nearly forget that he’s still here. “To another boarding school next year?”

“I- I don’t think so, Stella.” Mami pulled another marshmallow from the fire, passing it to Grover, her voice was heavy. “I think… I think this year will be different.”

“Because you don’t want me around?” I regretted those words as soon as they were out. I knew that wasn’t why she did it, but it hurt every time she sent me away instead of letting me stay with her.

“Oh, Stella, no.” Mami took my hands in her own, squeezing tight as her eyes welled with tears, Grover lays his head on my shoulder. “I- I had to, Stella. For your own good. I had to send you away. But now… Now things are gonna be different.”

Her words reminded me of what Chiron had told me that day at Yancy, that me leaving Yancy was for the best, that I wasn’t normal.

“Because I’m not normal,” I mutter, knowing that I wasn’t.

Grover finally chimes in. “You say that like it’s a bad thing, Persi. Being unique isn’t something to be ashamed of.” He murmurs, right near my ear.

Mami jumps in again. “You don’t realize… you don’t understand, not yet. I had thought- No, I had hoped that Yancy would be far enough away. I thought you’d be safe there but...”

“Safe from what?” I asked her. What she was saying… had Mami known all along? About my dreams? My sight ? I locked eyes with her, and as we looked at each other I finally started to put it all together.

I remembered being stalked by a cyclops in third grade, the monster only leaving when the teachers had threatened to call the cops. And years before that, being put down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into and somehow strangled it to death with my toddler hands. I remember naiads and dryads and nereids. I remember Pegasi and Hell Hounds.

In every single school for my entire childhood, something creepy had happened, something that Mami had considered unsafe, and I had been moved. Oh Gods… Oh Gods, oh gods, oh gods! Had I ever been safe? Had I ever had a chance of staying out of the mythical world? Or had I just deluded myself that if I never spoke of what I saw, if I never told another soul, if I never spoke at all , that I would live a normal life?

Gods, I’m a fucking idiot.

How long had my mom known? Clearly she’d caught on early in my childhood if she’d learned to move me around every year. Why didn’t she tell me ? Why didn’t she save me the pain? I feel tears threatening to fall from my eyes, Grover holds me tighter.

“I’ve tried to keep you as close to me as I could baby. But there’s only one other option, Stella. A place that your parents talked about, a place they wanted to send you. But I just… I just couldn’t stand to do it. Not when I didn’t know enough but- But I know now, Grover told me about it.”

“My parents… they wanted me to go to a special place? Somewhere that you know about?” My last question was directed at Grover but he just shook his head and gestured to my mom.

“A camp,” Mami spoke softly. “A summer camp, for people like you.”

My blood ran cold. A summer camp ? There was only one place she could be talking about. But why had my parents wanted to send me to Camp Half-Blood? I’m not a half-blood, right? Despite my dreams. And this would’ve been before I was even seeing things, so how could my parents have known about my gifts? Unless… I’m not a half-blood… I’m… but could I be?

This made nosense. My head was still spinning from my previous revelations, I couldn’t understand why… what was happening? I’m missing something important, certainly.

Mami looked me in my eyes, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I couldn’t… I couldn’t talk about it. I- I couldn’t send you to that place, not when it might’ve meant saying good-bye to you for good. But-” She turned back to the fire, and I could tell from her expression that she was about to start crying.

“For good? But… I don’t- I don’t understand… Mami-” I look between her and Grover and steel my nerves. “I know. I know what you’re talking about, but I need you to tell me. One of you, both of you. Tell me the truth . Why did they want to send me to Camp Half-Blood?” I was done beating around the bush.

Grover and Mami both startle, but why? Shouldn’t they have already known that I would know? I was a seer after all.

“How did you-”

“Who told you-”

They both tried before stopping. Grover going first, “You knew about Chiron. You knew about Mrs. Dodds. You know about Camp… Did you also know about me?” Grover looks me in my eyes as he asks.

“Yes,” I turn to my mom now. “Why did they want me at camp, Mami? Por favor no me mientas, no otra vez.(Please don't lie to me, not again.) Tell me the truth, Mami.”

She looks on the verge of tears when she takes a deep breathe. “Stella-” She stops herself, wiping her eyes and looking at me with a determined expression. “You, Persephone Rhea Maristella Jackson, are everything to me. And you mean everything to your parents. Do you know what camp is? What it’s meant for?”

I nod, having never seen her so serious before. “It’s a place for demigods, half-bloods, godling. Whatever you wanna call them. It’s where they’re safe, where they train. Satyrs, like Grover,” I smirk at him briefly, “stay there as well. There’s also naiads and dryads too and a few other things. It’s- it’s also the home of the… Oracle of Delphi. It’s a place that would be safe for me.” I finish my extremely brief explanation, Grover and Mami both nod.

“Exactly and you, my darling star. You are a demigod, both your Father and Mother are gods, a married couple that I happened to catch the eye of so many years ago.” Mami says quickly, like she’s trying to rip off a bandaid. Both she and Grover were looking at me expectantly.

My life flashed before my eyes, every instance where I did something abnormal, every time Mami talked about the Gods, everything that used to confuse me came back to me with perfect clarity. I felt my heart shatter . All of those years of silence, all of those years of forcing myself away from nature, all of those years of hiding . They were useless, because Mami and I were already in the godly world, because I had ichor in my veins ! And she didn’t tell me…

“Why- why didn’t you tell me?!” I scream.

Mami looks at me with teary eyes and Grover frowns in confusion. “I wanted to protect you baby, make sure that no one could find you.” 

“Protect me? That didn’t help! I thought I had to hide everything I saw from you! I thought I had to hide myself-”

Grover cuts me off, “You didn’t know you were a demigod, so how did you know everything? What did you think was going on?”

I laugh hysterically, “I thought it was because I’m a SEER !” I scream, before freezing. An ingrained fear erupts from my chest and my throat clenches, I won’t be able to speak for a while now.

Grover and Mami both go pale. “A- a seer ? You-” Mami looks like she’s going to have a fit and Grover doesn’t look and better as he imitates a fish.

I nod, ‘Who are my godly parents anyway?’ Mami seems conflicted.

“You shouldn’t be told their names, we wouldn’t want to attract the wrong sort of attention.” Grover still doesn’t seem all there when he says that.

“You’re parents are… of the sea .” Mami says pointedly, instead of naming them. I look out at the sea and things just make so much more sense.

Poseidon and Amphitrite. My parents were the king and queen of the sea, but that means… I remember a pact, I remember a boy and his sister nearly dying in the 1940’s, I remember why Thalia was chased. I am a forbidden child . Well fuck my life.

We all went silent, all of us needing time to digest what we had just learned. I needed time to process my parents and Mami and Grover needed time to process the seer realization. We sat in silence until the fire died down and finally we all settled down in the cabin, deciding to talk more tomorrow. On the way to camp.

That night I dream of a storm on the beach. I felt like I was standing in the midst of a hurricane, winds battering at me from all sides, ice cold rain pelting my skin. I was soaking wet, my fingers were numb, and I could hardly see ten feet in front of me. Despite that I felt almost calmed by the storm, by the pure chaos that was surrounding me. I loved it.

Suddenly the storm cleared enough that I could see the edge of the surf. A golden eagle, unaffected by the harsh winds, swooped down and slashed at the muzzle of a beautiful white horse with its talons. The horse was practically glowing in the dark light of the storm, and it reared up and kicked at the golden eagle’s wings. A little ways away was a dog, growling at both but not attacking like the eagle and horse were.

The ground shook beneath my feet as the two animals continued fighting and then I heard a terrifying voice rise up from somewhere below me. The voice was goading the animals to fight harder, laughing madly at every attack. The dog seemed to have heard some of it, growling at the ground instead of the other animals.

I stepped forward, knowing in my heart that I had to stop them from killing each other. Every step I took felt like moving through molasses, like I was running in slow motion. I watched as the eagle dove down, beak aimed at the horse’s wide eyes. I screamed and the Dog turned to look at me, barely missing me as the dream shifted. The storm closed around me before the eagle’s attack landed, and I turned as the winds shifted around me. What I saw next was familiar, but no less terrifying.

Asterion{ The Minotaur } stalked towards me, close enough that I could see the murderous gleam in his eyes, and from his lips came a horrifying bellow as he reached towards me. Intent on grabbing me, on killing me.

I woke up with a start.

The storm from my dreams seemed to have manifested at Montauk. Lightning lit up the sky every second, and twenty-foot waves pounded the dunes like drums. I look around wildly, Grover wasn’t there- he wasn’t there . I shoot up reaching for my bags even as I prepare to wake my mom but I needn’t have worried about waking her.

A loud clap of thunder sounded, and my mom shot up, eyes wide. “Hurricane.”

I wanted to say that she was crazy. Long Island never had hurricanes this early in the summer. But my dreams told me differently. Zeus and Poseidon’s- no, Zeus and my fathers fights were increasing, getting more aggressive, more deadly. This hurricane would be the first of many until the lightning bolt{ and definitely the helm } was returned and all both brothers’ tempers were sated.

Through the wind I heard a distant noise, a familiar bellow that made my hair stand on end. A remnant of my dream? There was no way that Asterion was anywhere near us. Still, I’m quick to put on my sneakers. Glad that I had changed into jeans and a tank top, I quickly throw on my favorite hoodie and rush to grab both of my bags. I should’ve known that something was going to happen, I only have feelings about my clothes when something bad was gonna happen.

There was a much closer noise then, like mallets pounding in the sand. A desperate voice, someone outside the cabin, yelling as they pounded on the cabin door. Grover . 

Mami sprang out of bed like a woman possessed, throwing open the lock without a moment of hesitation. Grover stood framed in the doorway, and I jerk back as I registered that his goat legs were on full display. I’d never seen them in person before. When had Grover even left the cabin?

“I heard a noise, went to go check- we need to go, now! Grab your things!” Grover gasped for breath. Mami turned to look at me with a sort of knowing terror

“Stella,” she had to shout to be heard over the rain. “What happened at school? What haven’t you told me yet?”

Before I could speak Grover yells, “O Zeu kai alloi theoi! It’s right behind me! We have to go!”

Fuck.

It?

Mami looked at me sternly and talked in a tone I’d never heard her use before as she puts on her shoes and grabs my duffle bag from me. “Persephone, tell me, now!”

I startled, stammering about Mrs. Dodds and Furies and museums, and mami’s face turned deathly pale. She grabbed her purse, tossing me my rain jacket to put on over my hoodie. “Get to the car. Both of you. Go!” She starts muttering to herself, “If I had known earlier I would have just taken you two straight to camp, no delays.”

I wince, knowing I should’ve told her earlier. The second she told me I was a demigod. But should haves and what ifs don’t help us now. We tore through the night along empty roads. Wind slammed against the car, and rain pelted the windshield. I have no idea how mami could see anything, but she kept her foot on the gas the entire way.

“Why did you leave the cabin?” I pause as I remember something, “And why did Mami not seem surprised at who you were? I forgot to ask earlier”

Grover’s eyes flitted to the rearview mirror, even though there were no cars anywhere behind them. “I thought I heard something, maybe I smelled it. And I mean, your mom and I have never met in person. But she knew that I was watching you.”

“Watching me?” Grover really had been at Yancy because of me.

“Keeping tabs on you. Making sure that you were alright. But I wasn’t faking being your friend,” Grover added hastily. “I am your friend.” He says the last bit almost desperately.

“I know Grover, I know.”

“I mean, we knew it was only a matter of time after the museum. You never said anything, but it was clear what had happened was affecting you. You were barely eating, you weren’t sleeping. We reached out to your mother and warned her that you’d need to go to camp soon.”

“Is that where we’re going? Camp?”

“Persi,” my mom spoke up from the driver’s seat. “There’s too much to tell you and not enough time. You know the basics and that’s going to have to be enough. We have to get you to safety.”

“From what? Who’s after me?” Could they already know my parentage? Did they know I was a seer? Why were they after me now ?

“Oh, nobody much,” Grover said hysterically. “Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions.”

“Grover!”

“Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?”

The Lord of the Dead? Why was Hades interested in me specifically? The last time he sent monsters after someone it was Thalia Grace. Did he know who my father was? I have no doubt that my mother wasn’t a concern in the godly world.

“They’ll tell you everything once we get you to camp. Once you’re safe. Okay baby?”

“But… you didn’t want me to go to camp. You said it might mean saying good-bye forever.”

“Please, Stella,” she begged. “This is hard enough. Try to understand. You’re in danger. I was going to bring you to camp whether I wanted to or not.”

“But why? Why’s he after me if I didn’t do anything wrong?” I felt like crying and mami didn’t seem to be any better. “Is it because of- of papi?”

“No! No, baby, no. You’re parents would do anything to protect you, anything. You-”

Before she ould continue she pulled the wheel hard to the right suddenly, and I got a glimpse of a figure in the middle of the road that mami must’ve swerved to avoid. My heart sped up, something told me that whatever was chasing me was close to catching up to them.

“What was that?” I ask Grover, a feeling of panic and anticipation bubbling up inside of me. Something isn't right. I can sense something, something malicious.

“We’re almost there,” Mami pleaded. “One more mile. Please. Please. Please.”

I found myself leaning forward in the car, anticipating our arrival as much as mami seemed to. A familiar roar erupts in the distance, something halfway between a tortured scream of a man and the bellowing of a bull. Grover swears loudly. Mami’s head jerks up as she looks into the rearview mirror nervously. I felt something, then I saw something.

Winding hallways, bones lining the floor. A beast roaming the dark passages, seeking out the men and women who desperately search for a place to hide. 

An elderly man weeps on the steps of a grand palace, lamenting the fate of his son who was chosen to meet the great Bull of Minos. 

The Bull of Minos.

King Minos.

That means that this really was-

I open my mouth to speak just as the hair on the back of my neck begins to rise. My skin lit up with a familiar feeling. Lighting raced down my arms and I sat up straight in my seat. The air electrified. For one, terrible moment, I smelled ozone. It was a heavy gas smell, something I’d only come into contact with from thunderstorms and my dreams.

I realized what was going to happen moments before it hit us. “We need to get out,” I murmured. Grover turned to me questioningly. “Mami!” I cried in warning, too late.

There's a blinding flash of light and the sound of something exploding, the car I realize. There's a feeling of being weightless before the impact. My forehead smashes into the back of the front passenger seat. It takes me a moment to gather my bearings, but I realize that I am in fact not dead, and the car hadn't exploded. Otherwise I would actually be dead. 

When I finally came back to myself I looked up, trying to shake off the daze.

“Persi!” Mami shouted from in front of me.

“‘m okay…” The car hadn’t really exploded, but they had swerved into a ditch on the side of the road. The driver’s side doors were completely wedged in the mud, and the roof had cracked open like an eggshell to let the rain pour in.

Lightning.

Just great.

I turned next to me, noticing the motionless lump that was my friend. “Grover!” The satyr was slumped over, blood trickling from his mouth. I shook him desperately.

I won’t lose the only friend I have to fucking lightning of all things! I refuse!

“Food…” Grover groaned, and I knew he’d be okay.

“Persi,” my mom said. “We have to…” Her voice faltered then, and I looked back up to the front.

A flash of lightning illuminated a familiar terrifying scene. A figure was lumbering towards them on the shoulder of the road. My skin crawled. I knew this silhouette. This figure had haunted my dreams for weeks now. This specific dream had haunted me for days.

“No…” I whispered.

“Persi,” Mami sounded deadly serious. “Get out of the car.”

But I was still frozen. “This isn’t right.” It wasn’t supposed to be me. I’m not a hero, fuck who my parents are! I’m a seer, seer’s don’t fight! I wasn’t supposed to be chased by Asterion of all fucking beings.

“Persi! Climb- climb out the passenger’s side! You have to- Persi you have to run! Do you hear me? Do you see that big tree?”

I forced himself to turn away from Asterion, still making his way towards us. I looked out the smoking hole in the roof and saw a familiar pine tree. 

The tree that had once been Thalia Grace{ That had once been my destined sister }, and now guarded a sanctuary for demigods that she herself had never gotten the chance to enter, the chance to experience.

“That’s the property line,” My mom continued. “Get over that hill and you’ll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don’t look back. Yell for help. Don’t stop until you reach the door.”

I pause, turning back to my mom. “I’m not leaving you.”

Her face was deathly pale, and I saw the same sadness in her eyes as when she looked into the ocean.

“No!” I shout, moving to climb over Grover and slam the door open. “I am not leaving you! Come on! Help me carry Grover.” I pulled my unconscious friend out of the car, starting to drag him up the hill.

I wouldn’t have made it far if my mom hadn’t come to Grover’s other side to take his other arm, and together we stumbled uphill through the waist-high grass.

I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back to catch another glimpse of him. He’d reached the abandoned Camaro by now and was sniffing around it.

“Pasiphae’s son,” my mom said, chancing a look back as well. “I wish- I wish I’d know how badly they would want to kill you. You need to hurry.”

“ We need to hurry, mami.”

“He’s not after us, honey. He’s after you. Besides, I can’t-”

“¡No me importa! ¡No los dejaré! ¡Prefiero morir!(I don't care! I won't leave either of you! I'd rather die!)Let’s go, mami, we’re almost there.”

In the back of my mind I remembered another dream I’d had, one that had featured my mom alone in the rain in her nightclothes. Something told me that dream was coming true tonight as well. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop it.

But I hadn’t seen how it ended. Maybe we would all be okay. I forced myself to keep going despite my burning legs and how Grover seemed to just get heavier with every step.

I heard an angry bellow from behind us and risked another look back to watch as Asterion picked up the Camaro and tossed it overhead down the road in rage.

Not a scratch , Gabe’s words echoed in my head.

Oops .

“Persi,” my mom brought my attention back to her. “When he sees us, he’ll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump sideways out the way. He can’t change directions very well once he’s started charging. Do you understand?”

“I- how do you know this, mami?”

“I’ve been worried about an attack for a long time. I should’ve expected this. It was selfish of me, keeping you so close.”

“No, if you were selfish for keeping me close then I was selfish for not telling you that I’m a-”

We were interrupted by another bellow of rage from close behind us. Asterion had started making his way uphill towards us.

He’d caught their scent, he’s caught my scent.

We were so close to Thalia’s tree, but the hill was getting steeper and slicker with every step up. I could hear the Minotaur{ Not Asterion, I don’t think I could fight him- it if I thought of it as Asterion } closing in. A couple more seconds and he’d it’d be on us.

Mami pushed Grover to me. “Go, Persi! Separate! Remember what I said.”

I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave her alone like in my visions, but I knew that she was right. Splitting up was our only chance. I dragged Grover left, still running up the hill with him. I turned after a couple seconds to see the minotaur bearing down on us.

The Minotaur lowered its head, charging forward with its razor sharp horns aimed straight at my chest. My heart was beating out of my chest with fear, but I forced myself to wait. Holding onto Grover tightly. At the last moment I jumped to the side, dragging Grover with me as I let the minotaur storm past us like a freight train.

I kept moving, miraculously I was able to drag Grover with me over the property line. A million auras light up around me, it was almost too much but the feeling of safety, the feeling of Thalia that I felt over the whole camp nearly made me relax.

Still I turn just in time to watch as the minotaur bellows and turns around, towards my mom. Mami was trying to catch her breath when she looked up, spotting the minotaur turned her way.

Mami backed down the hill, retreating slowly as the minotaur grunted, pawing at the ground. She stood alone in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone in her nightgown. I knew this scene. I just didn’t know how it ended.

She caught my eye. “Run, Persi! I can’t go any further. You have to run! Get help!”

I froze. I was already past the border, which should stop the Minotaur from continuing to chase me. I could stay here, I could be safe.

But my mom. I couldn’t leave her behind.

I make sure that Grover is settled against Thalia’s tree, ignoring the feeling of her all around me, the visage of Thalia watching me from right next to the tree. I turned my back to her tree, and the farmhouse that I could see in the distance.

Meanwhile, the Minotaur had begun another charge. My mom waited, trying to sidestep like she’d taught me, but the minotaur had clearly learned its lesson. Its hand shot out as it ran by and it caught her by the neck. It lifted her in the air as she kicked at it, struggling to get free.

“Mami!”

My mom looked at me, like she was drinking in the sight of me one last time. She managed to choke out one more word. “Go!”

There was an angry roar, and the minotaur closed its fist around my moms neck. Her body dissolved right in front of me, melting into a shimmering golden form as if she were a holographic projection. There was a blinding flash, and then she was just… gone. Now, realistically I knew that mortals don’t die like that. I knew that she must’ve been taken, not killed. But that did noting to stop my anger .

“No!” Anger replaced my fear. Strength burned into my limbs, the same adrenaline that had filled me when Alecto flew towards me with her deadly talons. I stepped out of the barrier, oit of my sisters safe and warm embrace. I stepped into danger. 

It was stupid of me, it was the worst thing I could’ve done, especially since I didn’t want to fight. It felt right .

I was going to kill this monster, and then I would go to camp to learn. Then I would deal with my mom’s disappearance.

The Minotaur turned and roared again in response. A plan formed in my head. I bared my teeth, spreading out my arms, the rain and Thalia’s tree whispering encouragement.

“Come on then!” I roared, “come and get me!”

I had a moment of doubt. I’m not my half brother, Theseus, who had overpowered the Minotaur and strangled the monster to death with his own hands. 

Stupid idea.

I put my back to Thalia’s tree, feeling her encouragement, hoping I could jump out of the way at the last moment and send the Minotaur careening headfirst into the trunk. But the Minotaur was a fast learner. it charged too fast, holding its arms out to the side to grab me whichever way I could try to dodge

Well… I couldn’t go sideways. 

Time slowed down around me and I could feel every drop of rain on my skin. My eyes flicked up as my legs tensed. When the Minotaur reached me I leapt straight up. I kicked off the creature’s head like it was a springboard, turning my body midair to land on the beast’s neck.

How the fuck? The Minotaur was at least seven feet tall, there was no way I should’ve been able to jump that high. I’m like four eleven, definitely short for my age. How the Fuck?!

I didn’t exactly have time to figure it out as a millisecond later the monster slammed headfirst into the tree with an impact so strong it nearly knocked my teeth out. The beast staggered back, trying to shake me off, forcing me to wrap my hands around the monster’s horns to keep from being thrown.

The Minotaur bucked like a rodeo bull, and in the back of my mind I idly wondered if I should take up bull riding in the future because I’d definitely been holding on for more than eight seconds. Maybe I should try it out when I’m older, make a little extra cash.

Focus, I told myself, future careers in bull riding don’t matter if this fucking monster wises up and backs up to smash me flat against Thalia's tree. But I’d realized by now that this beast really only had one gear: forward.

Of course, just because I wasn’t going to get flattened like a pancake on Thalia's tree didn’t mean that I wouldn’t eventually grow too tired to hold on. All the Minotaur had to do was keep bucking around and wait me out.

I thought of how the monster had tried to squeeze the life out of my mom, of the look my mom had sent me right before she dissolved into golden light. Rage filled me like high octane fuel, and for just a moment it seemed like the storm stopped around us.

The rain hung suspended in the air around us, the wind died down. I was too angry to think about it, to feel the tugging in my git. I wrapped both of my hands around one horn and pulled backward with all of my strength, more strength than I reasonably should have had if I was mortal. But I’m not mortal. I am the daughter of the sea!

The beast tensed beneath me, and then there was a loud snap!

There was a pain filled scream as I find myself flying through the air, landing hard on the ground. My head smacks into a rock. Despite the world spinning around me and nausea threatening to overtake me I force myself upright, knowing that any second the Minotaur would turn its attention back on me in an effort to get revenge. 

I’m right. Sometimes I hate when I’m right. 

Before I’m even completely upright I see it charging towards me. I consider pulling out the sword that I know is till in my pocket, I won’t have time. But then I remember the horn in my hand. Long and hard, sharp enough to be used as a weapon. What else do I have to lose? 

I steel myself, resisting the urge to get up and flee, to join Grover in the Safety of Thalia’s barrier. I know that I can't outrun this thing, that Thalia herself would have- did stand and fight. Instead I wait, heart pounding as the Minotaur comes closer and closer. At the last possible second I roll hard to the side and to my knees, narrowly avoiding being trampled. With a shout I shove the horn forward as the minotaur thunders past, the sharp tip piercing it in its ribcage. 

The minotaur rears back, roaring in agony as it clutches and claws at its chest where its own horn remains lodged inside of it. He rips it out of himself with one hard yank, another bellow of pain filling the clearing. Golden blood pours from the wound as the minotaur tries in vain to staunch the bleeding. It takes a few staggering steps towards me before its his legs give out and he collapses to the ground, snorting and huffing in pain and rage and....

'Please don't go. It's dark here...'

Fear. He's scared. 

The momentary feeling of triumph and relief drains out of me as I look down at the massive figure in the grass, bleeding and shivering and no longer a threat.

I can't help but recall a dream I’d had once, of the long winding hallways and golden thread, and a boy left alone somewhere inside. Of a man with dark hair and green eyes so much like my own, dressed in a well made tunic with a sword raised above his head. He brings it down with one hard swing on the stunned minotaur. 

I know the story of the minotaur. It's one of the most well known stories in Greek mythology. Or, well, I suppose Greek history would be the more accurate term. The minotaur was supposed to be a monstrous, bloodthirsty thing, stalking the halls of the labyrinth and hunting down those unfortunate enough to find themselves chosen as sacrifices by the king to sate his appetite. A half bull creature incapable of anything that wasn't violence and destruction. 

But all I can see when I look at him right now is a tiny half calf little boy curled up in the dark and the cold in a pile of rags, crying for his mother. This being hadn’t even killed my mom, she had been taken . We were attacked on orders that he couldn’t refuse, I knew that and I still-

I barely register my feet carrying me forward to the spot where the minotaur lays. He's not a monster at all. He's-

'Asterion,' a little girl whispers, her hand reaching over the side of his cradle to grip his own. 

Asterion. The starry one, my mind translates. How sad is it to be named after the stars, only to be locked up in a place where you could never see them?

'Tell the stars Bob says hello,' a voice whispers in my mind. A voice of something that has not yet come to pass. I shake my head, pushing that thought away for another time. 

The minotaur Asterion, lets out distressed snort, black eyes wild as he looks around desperately. Despite his animalistic features, I have no trouble deciphering the look of the terror and resignation on his face. How many times has Asterion been in this position? How many people have sought him out to kill him over the centuries? I shudder at the thought of what that must be like. But then again, I already know what its like, don't I? Doesn’t every demigod? Alecto, all of the strange encounters with less friendly monsters when I was growing up. It's not so different, I suppose. I’ve just been luckier, somehow.

I sink to my knees next to Asterion who lets out another weak half roar half whine of pain. It looks like he's glow- no, melting? Pieces of his body falling off and turning to golden dust, much like Alecto at the museum that day. Somehow I knew that this was slower than it should be, I knew that I was meant to see this, to feel this way.

“I'm sorry they left you in there,” I whisper, placing a tentative hand on Asterion's face as a poor attempt at comfort, the fur beneath my fingers matted with golden blood. Dark eyes blink up at me in confusion and mistrust. I sigh, it wasn’t his fault that my mother wasn’t here, not really.

“It's not fair,” I continue, “I know it's not.”

The two of us gaze at each other for a moment longer, the nighttime insects and Asterion's rapid breathing the only sound heard in the clearing. I see what I thinks, what I hope, is a flicker of understanding in those large dark eyes. 

Because what are the both of us but two unlucky, scared children who just want to go home to their mothers? Pitted against each other because of the Gods wrath.

“I'm sorry, Asterion,” I say again. “Maybe we won't have to fight next time.” I hope that we won’t, that Asterion will be kinder to me next time.

He lets out a final low sound, eyes briefly drifting upwards to where the stars are just barely visible in a gap between the storm clouds, before he goes limp. I watch as the once slow process of turning into fine gold dust and smears of equally golden blood hastens as the last wisps of life leave him, his body dissolving into nothingness before me. I wonder if it hurts when that happens, if the terrors can feel every moment of their bodies disintegrating. If the act of having your existence slowly snuffed out in such a way is more painful than the initial blow that triggers it. Maybe the lucky ones don't experience any of it, their souls or consciousness or whatever tethers them to this existence having fled before the worst of it hits. 

I hope that's the case for Asterion. 

I linger there for another moment, at the spot with nothing but a pearly white horn alluding to the fact that Asterion had once been there. Did Pasiphae cry when Theseus slayed Asterion the first time? Did her heart shatter into a thousand pieces for her little boy, or was she glad to finally be rid of the monster that had ruined her life? Would it have been wrong of her to feel the tiniest bit relieved that she no longer had to live with the burden the gods had given her?

Was my own mom going to be relieved when I finally die and allow her to live in peace? Or would she weep for her daughter, for the baby that she had once cradled in her arms?

Would my Mother and Father care? Would the king and queen of the seas even notice? Would the sea mourn me?

Does anyone mourn children like us? 

With a shuddering breath I reach out and grasp the horn tightly. A spoil of war, I assume. Like the way hunters display their kills on the wall for everyone to see. 

I was alone on the hill. My mom was gone. Grover was still unconscious leaning on Thalia’s tree. The rain has stopped, but the thunder continues to rumble in the distance intertwined with the feeling of something powerful and angry. Everything hurts, I’m covered in blood and golden dust, my head feels like it may burst open at the seams at any second. I wanted to collapse in the waist high grass and let the world fade away. I want to lay down right where I am and cry, to go to sleep and hope that when I wake up everything that has occurred over the past twenty four hours was just some wild dream I got trapped in. 

But Grover still needed me. And my mother had given her life to get me here. I couldn’t- I wouldn’t waste her sacrifice.

I don’t know how I did it, but somehow I managed to not only grab our bags and leave them by Thalia’s tree, but I also hauled my unconscious friend up and staggered the half mile down the valley to the farmhouse.

I was weak, terrified, trembling from head to toe with grief and a small amount of rage. I vaguely registered halfway down that I was crying.

I wanted my mom. I wanted to know who took her. I wanted my mother and father, for them to come and protect me with all of their divinity. But I knew that it wasn’t going to happen, I was on my own.

I made it all the way to the wooden porch before collapsing, still gripping onto Grover next to me, Grover was all I had left with me, I refused to let go of him.

Two faces appeared above us, both were faces that I recognized. I let Grover go, knowing that my friend would be okay. That we were safe.

Mission accomplished , I let the darkness finally begin to take over my vision.

“She’s the one. She must be.” Annabeth’s voice was quiet. I barely heard Chiron’s response as I finally allowed myself to pass out.

“Silence, Annabeth. She is still conscious. Bring her inside.”

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Monday May 25th, 2015 - General Time}

I didn’t remember much of my dreams this time, waking only with vague memories of the beach and flashes of golden light. The first time I woke up was only for a few minutes. A familiar face hovered over me, smirking as she fed me pudding that, oddly enough, tasted like the buttery popcorn from when Mami and I would have our rare movie nights. My heart ached for a moment, but the girl- no, Annabeth , must’ve seen that my eyes were open and she leaned closer to me.

There was a look of frustration and agitation on her face. “What will happen at the summer solstice?” she demands. “What's happening?” 

Lightning strikes the earth and waves pound against the shore.

The dead rise and the earth crumbles.

Two armies march against each other. 

A third marches on both.

I shake my head, too tired to sign and too uncomfortable with her questioning to just speak. Everything aches, the world around me is fuzzy at the edges. Her voice which is barely above a whisper pounds against my throbbing skull making me wince. I groan, turning away from her and not saying anything in response to her question. I barely know where I am at the moment so I’m really not sure what kind of answers she's expecting from me. I just want to go back to sleep.

She looks around again, as if afraid someone is going to walk in at any moment. She’s probably not supposed to be here then. “What was stolen? What's going on? We only have a few weeks until the solstice. Tell me what you know.” Her voice has taken on a more urgent note. “I know it has something to do with you. Chiron would never have been away that long if you weren't part of this.”

I finally work up the courage to speak quietly, “Please. I don't know-”

“Tell me!” she demands again, not letting me speak.

“...’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I don’t…” A door is opened behind Annabeth, and she shoved the spoon full of pudding back into my mouth quickly, I gag at the force. Now, even though she looks absolutely nothing like him, her tone and forcefulness conjure up memories of my stepfather, always screaming demands I could never meet. I feel horrible even thinking it, I know this girl, I’ve seen her life. She’s going to become a great- friend? Despite that I feel my instincts scream at me to get up, to run, to fight back. But my body won't cooperate as injured as I seem to be, probably the head wound. Annabeth is still leaning over me, saying more words my panicked brain can't keep up with. I just want her to go away for a little-

“Annabeth!” a voice calls sharply from the doorway, startling her and nearly causing her to drop what she's holding straight onto my face. A boy about a year older than us stomps into the room, a stormy expression on his face as he deftly puts himself between the two of us. Forcing Annabeth to either back away from me or fall flat on her ass.

“I was just doing what Chiron told me to!” she says defensively. 

“And I already told you and Chiron that you are banned until further notice unless you're injured, you can’t keep treating new campers this way! Chiron had absolutely no business telling you…”

The two of them continue to argue, their words lost on me as I slowly force my growing panic away. I should be able to get a read on both of them but my head is too fuzzy and their Auras aren’t strong enough to break through the haze.

A new voice speaks then. A man this time. He comes with the heavy smell of wine and grapes. And an Aura so strong that it temporarily breaks through the haze. He felt like madness, like wine, like- I knew who this was but I was just so, so tired. Too tired. “Enough, Annabelle… may tolerate your insolence but I… and send you back to your mother.”

There’s the sound of angry, stomping footsteps that remind me a bit too much of Gabe marching towards my bedroom when he's in a bad mood and then the door slams shut. I must really be out of it if everything is spooking me so badly.

I try to slow my breathing, to focus on what's happening around me through the haze of fear and confusion and pain { and what is definitely a head injury }. My lack of awareness is starting to hurt my brain, as a seer I’m normally too aware, to be unaware is messing with my mind.

“Mr. D, why are you here?”

This person, Mr. D? { That doesn’t feel right } was now muttering in Greek, something about hearing my teeth chattering from the house. I had been freezing. My hoodie must’ve gotten dirty, and they had only wrapped me in one blanket after it’d been taken off- which, I hate the thought that someone had touched my clothes while I was asleep{ They’re not Gabe, they wouldn’t do that, they wouldn’t , I’m safe here }. This person, whoever they were, and I knew who they were even if I couldn’t remember, had dropped a few more blankets on me. I sigh.

The boy speaks again, “What’re we….?” I don’t hear everything.

The man heaves a resigned sigh. “I know. But if I actually smite the girl I'll have to deal with my sister-”

“That's not what I mean!” the boy- What’s his name?- says quickly. “I just think…”

There's more quiet words exchanged between them, but I am long since past trying to keep up with anything going on around me. I really, really just wants to go back to sleep.

A sudden hand on my shoulder nearly sends me right back into a full panic, my body trying in vain to rise from the bed in an attempt to escape. I hate when people startle me like that, normally it’s hard to do so.

“Hey, you're alright,” a voice whispers, and I can just make out the blurry form of the boy leaning over me. I hope that he's not going to ask me questions too. 

I shake my head, not wanting to answer any questions. Not knowing if I could even if I did want to.

“Hey, hey. It's okay,” he reassures me again, fingers trailing lightly through me hair, and oh that feels amazing. I recognize this boy even if I don’t know him yet,{ he feels familiar, like- like me } “She's gone. Just focus on getting more rest for now, you hit your head pretty badly. The Minotaur really did a number on you.” He huffs out a small laugh, a sound as gentle as his voice, I really like his voice. “You made quite the entrance you know. The whole camp has been talking about the girl who slayed the Minotaur without any training. Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts.”

I frown, a tired sigh escaping me. I’m still on edge, but the exhaustion I’m feeling is quickly winning out. And the boy doesn't set off any danger signals in my brain, in fact, he feels safe . So…

“...’sterion.” 

“Hm? What was that darling?” And oh , his voice is really pretty.

“His name is Asterion,” I mutter, fighting a desperate battle to remain conscious for a moment longer. “Not… not the Minotaur.”

There's a pause, the boy's eyebrows furrow in surprise as he blinks. “Asterion,” he corrects himself, letting out an amused huff. I don't find anything amusing at the moment.

The blankets are tucked more firmly around me. “Sleep, Persi.”

And so, I do.

Persi’s POV{Tuesday May 26th, 2015 - General Time}

I woke up a second time, again, only for a few moments. Long enough to see the blond surfer dude standing in the corner of the bedroom keeping watch over him with the dozens of blue eyes scattered across his body.

Argus , I think.

I blink back at him before sleeping once more.

Persi’s POV{Wednesday May 27th, 2015 - General Time}

I was thankful when I woke up the next time and stayed awake, only this time I seem to be alone. I look around, finding myself still in the unfamiliar room that smells strongly of antiseptic, like a hospital ugh . Only instead of lying on the bed like I was before I'd been propped up in a rather comfortable reclining chair near the window, the sun was streaming in through the mesh curtains and warming my face. The blankets were still piled over my legs and a really soft pillow rests behind my head. 

I can smell the trees and the faint scent of water from the window. In the distance I can hear voices laughing and shouting. It’s been far too long since I allowed myself to indulge in nature, since I basked in the sun without fear… but why should I feel that fear now? Why should I hide when hiding will not help me? I am a demigod, I won’t be able to hide for long, not anymore. And I am a daughter of the sea, my father is the Poseidon of the Odyssey, my mother is queen of an unforgiving kingdom. Why should I feel fear when my parents will protect me with all they can?

My body ached along with my head, but I turned my gaze to the table next to me. There was a tall drink of what looked like iced apple juice, I reached for it weakly, hoping some liquid would make me feel less horrible. My hand trembled so hard I almost dropped the glass once I got my fingers around it.

“Careful,” a familiar voice made me spin around. There was Grover, leaning against the porch railing. He looked physically fine, but the bags under his eyes made it seem like he hadn’t slept in a week.

“Grover.” My voice cracked, it never does that. Grover took the glass from me and held the straw to my lips.

“Thank you…” I whisper, taking a sip. It tasted like my mom’s blue chocolate chip cookies. The thought had my heart stuttering. “W-what?” I look at the glass in surprise.

“It’s nectar,” Grover explained, “it’s good right? It heals demigods, but you can’t drink too much or you’ll combust.”

“Yeah.” I did feel better. Still a little cold, but that was normal.

“I’m guessing we made it,” I mutter. “This is Camp Half-Blood?”

“Yeah… yeah Perse, and well… You saved my life,” Grover told me. “I… well, I thought… it was the least I could do- I went back to the hill, I grabbed your bags, and your moms stuff and… I don’t know if… I just- I just thought you might want this.” He placed the shoe box in his hands almost reverently in my lap.

Inside was the horn I had broken off Asterion’s head, it had been cleaned, thankfully. It looks far too innocent to have been broken off of someone so sad…

“It’s yours,” Grover explained, “a spoil of war by right.”

“Because I killed him.” Despite the sun shining on my face, I felt cold. It doesn't feel right, holding this spoil of war in my hands. I’m sure that other people would proudly display such an item above their hearth, but most people haven’t seen Asterion as a child, crying for his mother. And all it does is fill me with a deep sense of sadness and grief as I look at it. Maybe I'll burn it later. That's what the ancient Greeks did after all, burn their dead. Perhaps Tía Hestia will want it.

I sat there, tracing the horn for several moments before Grover spoke again.

“You’ve been out for about two days. How… how much do you remember?”

I pause, I remember everything. “Everything… and you? How much do you remember?” I as pointedly, referring to my confession on the beach, when I told him and Mami that I was a seer…

Grover couldn’t meet my eyes, and I knew.

I look out over the meadow in front of me. The camp was just as beautiful as it had been in all of my dreams. Acres of strawberries spread out in front of me, groves of trees beyond, a winding stream. Flowers and butterflies and everything beautiful about nature right there, perfectly preserved. I know he probably wanted to talk about my mom, but she wasn’t dead. I knew she wasn’t.

“I’m sorry,” Grover sniffled. “I’m a failure. I’m- I’m the worst satyr in the world.” He stomped his foot, and I watched as the shoe came off and exposed the goat hoof beneath.

“No you’re not, none of that was your fault. Grover I’m not upset.” I told him. Grover was all I had left. I couldn’t let my only friend blame himself for something that wasn’t his fault.

“Yes I am. I was supposed to protect you. I’m a keeper, that’s my job! Or… it was.”

“Grover…” I had to stop, I didn’t know what to say. “It’ll be okay. I know it.” I stop and think, “About what I said… about what I am .”

He cuts me off. “I won’t tell anyone, not without your permission. I promise.”

I stare into his eyes, his soul. I know how intense my gaze can be at times, like I can know everything about the person just by looking at them, and I can . I see truth, I would know if he was lying. I nod, “I trust you.” And I do, funnily enough.

Grover pauses, looking on the verge of tears before he shook his head. “Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting.” I force myself to my feet. 

My legs were still weak, despite the energy the nectar had given me, and it took me some time to make my way down to the porch of the farmhouse. As we finally approach the opposite end of the house I feel like my brain is short circuiting.

I’ve seen it all before, but my breath still caught in my chest at the sight of the valley ahead of me. Some ways away I saw the glistening of a blue lake, canoes gliding across its surface. At the end of the valley I could even spot the sea, and my heart ached to rush into the salty waves and let them wash me away. I haven’t been in the water for so long but now, knowing who my parents are? Oh how I long to go. If I squints I can see a couple large Greek triremes dotting the lake. 

All of the buildings were designed in the traditional Greek way. White columns loom tall and perfect, not the cracked, crumbling things one would see in museums or in the ruins across the sea. There's an amphitheater, an actual arena, a large open air pavilion filled with tables, and of course, statues.

Marble statues that I recognize as effigies of the Greek gods, realistic and painted brightly the way they would have been in ancient times instead of the solid white color people often think they were. 

Interspersed with the traditional architecture of what looks like a mini version of an ancient city state, I see what one would normally find in a children's summer camp. A sandpit, an archery range, a rock climbing wall that, although it has lava spewing from it.

In the center of it all though was a petite woman sitting by a well built fire, silently tending the flames. Everyone passes her as if she wasn’t there, and for a moment I think my mind is playing tricks on me. But then her head turns towards me as if she felt my stare. Two glowing eyes meet my own, ancient and warm like a fire on a cold day, like the feeling of coming home. Peaceful and inviting in a way I have rarely experienced outside of my mom. She tilts her head, offering me a small smile and a little wave. Tía Hestia , my brain supplies.

I blinks and before I can do anything, she's gone. 

Huh. 

“We're here,” Grover announces, nudging me to get my attention. 

At the end of the porch, two men sat across from each other playing cards. Annabeth Chase leaned against the porch rail next to them, trying her best to look like she wasn’t looking me. As happy as I was to see her, I was still a little upset about the infirmary situation so I ignore her right back. 

The mostly unfamiliar man was wearing a garish leopard pattern Hawaiian shirt. The shirt seemed to flicker in the light, trying to decide whether it wanted to stay a shirt or reveal itself to be a long, leopard pelt wrapped around the man. His body did the same, between an older adult and a younger, healthier one. He had a red nose, big watery eyes, and curly hair so black it was almost purple- no, it was purple, so dark it was almost black. He felt like wine and grapes, though only one of those things were in sight. Weird, right? What does wine even feel like…? Anyway, the wine feeling was also muted, sour, and almost… pained? Hm . Interesting.

“That's Mr. D, the camp director,” Grover murmurs, turning to me with wide, imploring eyes. “Be polite .” Grover's voice snaps me out of my trance and I shake my head. 

“‘m always polite.” I murmur.

My satyr friend looks skyward as if asking some deity to grant him patience. And considering where we were? He might actually be doing just that.

“That's Annabeth Chase,” he nods towards her. “She's another camper, and has basically been here forever at this point. And you've already met Chiron, of course.”

Chiron turned around, his eyes holding the same mischievous glint as when he’d pulled a pop quiz in class and made all the answers A just to watch his students silently freak out.

“Ah, good, Persi. Now we have four for pinochle.” He offered me the chair to the right of Mr. D , that’s not his name, who simply sighed as he watched me gingerly settle down.

“Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don’t expect me to be glad to see you.”

“You were the one who helped me in the infirmary.” I blink. The… man… looked up, eyes like swirling pools of red purple wine. “Thank you.”

The god huffed.

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

He didn’t look like the Dionysus of old, and I wondered how much of that had to do with people’s perceptions of his domain. Did perceptions affect a god’s form? Or was he simply choosing to appear as a portly man with a hefty beer gut and watery eyes. Regardless, he looked like he’d fit right in at one of Gabe’s stupid poker parties, and I had to remind myself that, despite appearances, this man was an incredibly dangerous Olympian god.

The longer I looks at him though, the more his appearance begins to waver and shift. Sitting in the place of the middle aged, hungover man is a regal looking youth in his early twenties. Tall and lithe, with dark curls falling to his shoulders, he exudes an air of confidence, bordering on arrogance. Something about him in this form makes me want to approach him, to laugh and dance in his presence and give in to the overwhelming feeling of joy bubbling up inside of me. Ivy wraps around the man's head in a moving, twisting crown, beckoning him forward. Behind him, people laugh and shriek in pure joy. 

It's beautiful. 

It's overwhelming. 

It's horrifying .

I’d dreamt of some of the god’s revels, his followers driven so mad that they ripped others apart with their bare hands. This wasn’t a god that I could afford to piss off, despite how much the man reminded me of my stepfather.{ They aren’t like that here, he won’t hurt me. Get it together Persi. }

Instead, my eyes locked on the twisting crown of ivy around his head that no one else seemed to notice, the faint sound of howls of laughter and joy and an unfamiliar tune echoing in my mind, “I like your vines, the crown is pretty. You look better the other way.” I mutter.

Dionysus raises a brow in surprise. 

“Less scar- I mean… less sick ?”

I wince. Great start, Persephone. Great start . Why don’t I just ask to be cursed already.

Dionysus narrows his eyes. “Pardon?”

I shake my head, forcing myself not to lean away from the god. I’d been around Gabe’s drunken rages enough to have a healthy fear of any adult who’d been indulging in alcohol. But Grover had asked me to be polite, and even if he hadn’t, I knew very well what the god sitting next to me was capable of.

Dionysus regards me for a moment longer, pupil-less eyes boring into me with an intensity that makes it feel as if my entire soul is being laid bare before the god{ How could he see without pupils? It’s weird… } He must see something based on the way his eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline and a grimace appears on his face as if he just witnessed something unpleasant.

“I see… Well do try to mind your tongue, young lady. I don't have the patience for disrespect.” He says it dismissively, gaze drawn back to the cards in his hands as if the previous moment hadn't even happened. “And it’s not a crown, similar though, it’s a laurel wreath.”

“Well I like it, it really suits you.” I give a jerky nod, happy to move on. Though strangely, I notice that Dionysus’ form has stopped flickering and settled into the youthful form that seems more natural on him{ less scary }. I wonder if the other's can see that his appearance has changed, or if it's only me that has noticed, as no one says anything about the change. 

“Annabeth?” Chiron calls out to her, a quick subject change, he must be uncomfortable with this line of discussion. She steps forward and Chiron gives a quick, awkward introduction.

Annabeth watches me with narrowed, suspicious eyes. I wish she wouldn’t, I’m already uncomfortable enough speaking so much.

“This young lady helped nurse you back to health.”

I blink in confusion. “I thought she got banned from the infirmary? I don't know, maybe my memory's still fuzzy.” Annabeth's face flushes as she crosses her arms over her chest. My memory about that moment isn't fuzzy at all. I feel a kind of bad but I’m still a little annoyed about her mini interrogation session when I was half out of it and I want her to know it. 

“A simple misunderstanding, I'm sure.” Ah, I see. So that's why she was allowed back into the infirmary. Chiron was playing favorites, how unfortunate.

“I don't think it was,” I say flatly. “Do you let her wake up everyone like that? It wasn’t very… polite” 

Chiron gives me a disapproving look. “Persi. Annabeth took time out of her normal schedule to assist with making sure you were well. The least you could do is thank her.”

I huff, staring right back at him. “No, I don't think I will. And I also think that the boy, the blonde one? He did most of the work.”

Beside me Dionysus snorts in amusement, taking a sip of a diet coke that had not been there two seconds ago. Grover shifts uncomfortably, eyes flitting between Annabeth and I as if he's not sure if he should intervene or whose side he should take. It’s always awkward when two of your friends are going at each other. Well, I assume it would be awkward. I’ve never had a friend before Grover and so I’ve never encountered friendship drama. 

Chiron sighs deeply, knowing that this particular battle with me has been lost. “Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go and check on Persi's bunk. She'll be in cabin eleven for now, of course.”

“Sure, Chiron.” Annabeth turned to look at me, glancing down at Asterion’s horn that I still had, Grover had graciously held my bags.

I wondered what she saw when she looked at me, but she didn’t look overly impressed.

“You drool when you sleep.” She told me, before turning on her heel and sprinting down the lawn which, okay, rude .

Chiron clears his throat in an attempt to reign in the conversation before it gets even more off course. “I must say, Persi, it's good to see you alive and relatively well. It's been a very long time since I’ve made a house call to a prospective camper. I would hate to think I've wasted the better part of a year as your Latin instructor.”

“House call, sir?”

Chiron nods. “Oh, yes. My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Grover alerted me not too long after he met you. He sensed something special about you, and also expressed some worry. So I decided to come upstate and convince the other Latin teacher to… ah, take a leave of absence. Honestly it’s so wonderful to hear you speak. I honestly did not know if you were capable.”

I tense, don’t retreat don’t retreat. I’m doing so well, keep talking. I breathe, “You… came to Yancy for me? Because- because Grover thought I was… what? Special. What does that even mean?”

Chiron nodded. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure about you at first. We contacted your mother, let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for camp. But you still had much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that’s always the first test.” Now, as a general rule, I hated tests. But I think I hate this test most of all.

My mother had nearly been killed getting me here. As it was, she had been taken to get me here.{ Thalia, my sister , died to get her friends here. So many others had died on that hill and he was calling it a TEST?! }

My mind screeches to a halt. 

It was all a fucking test?! Almost dying twice with no help offered was just a TEST to see if I was ready?!?!

“...the first test? The first test!? So, what, you were just going to leave me to die out there? Again I might add. You didn't help me in the museum with the Fury either!”

“Ah, but you didn't die, did you? You handled yourself quite well for someone with no previous training.”

I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this much rage towards another living being that wasn’t Gabe, and even then with Gabe it was so saturated with fear that it could hardly still be considered rage. Why is every male adult in my life an utter piece of shit? No- no, wait… My father may be absent but he’s still great, and Dionysus wasn’t too bad. Well, at least I know who my favorite camp director is gonna be.

“Grover,” Dionysus says impatiently, seemingly oblivious to the tension around him, “are you playing or not?” But I can see the way he’s subtly watching me out of the corner of his eye, concern hidden deep in his eyes.

“Yes, sir!” Grover trembles as he takes a seat in the fourth chair, glancing worriedly between Chiron and I. Trying to catch my eye.

Dionysus turns his full attention to me. “And you, young lady? You do know how to play pinochle, don’t you? I would expect all civilized young people to know how to play it. It is, after all, one of the best games ever created after gladiator fighting and Pac-Man.”

I didn’t think the god whose followers famously ripped people to shreds in their orgies was one to talk about being civilized but I had absolutely no desire to be driven into insanity myself, so I stare at the table. “No sir.”

Dionysus hums, “That’s all right, you will simply have to learn.” he begins dealing the cards. Grover winces every time one lands in front of him, understandable I suppose, if Grover believes that he’s done something to upset or anger this god.

“I know that this can be a lot to take in, Persi. It's always difficult in the beginning.” Chiron looks at me sympathetically. 

“So I'm a demigod. And you thought, what, it would be fun to just not tell me? To make me think that I'm actually going crazy?" I practically growl, barely resisting the urge to throw the cards Dionysus had, surprisingly gently, handed me at the centaur. 

“It was for the best. I wanted to give you time to gain more confidence before we brought you to camp. And look, it worked! You seem to be having a better time speaking.”

“Time to gain more confidence,” I repeat incredulously. I feel like I’m about to blow a gasket. I’m shaking again. Or is it everything around me that's shaking? My father is the earthshaker, it wouldn’t be off brand. I notice the table shaking slightly, not enough to draw a lot of attention, but enough to make it move just a bit. “Or more time for me to sit around and be bait for the next thing that wants to kill me? More time to lie to my face and get me kicked out of school. And talking? You think that you had shit to do with me talking ?! I can't fucking believe-”

A hand moving towards me in my periphery makes me jump, effectively cutting off my rant. It's just Dionysus. He taps the table in front of me to keep my attention. “Your bid.”

“My what?” I snap, and immediately after, in a more gentle tone. “I’m Sorry”. 

He dismisses the apology and, far more patiently than I would’ve thought him capable given his previous attitude, the god explains the rules of the game and how to bid properly. I grudgingly pay attention, not wanting to get on the bad side of not one but both of the people who were in charge of me now. So I bid.

“Why am I here, Chiron? Why did you come to Yancy just for me?”

Chiron smiled sympathetically, but the look in his eyes told me that he wasn’t going to tell me outright. He was expecting me to come to the right answer. This fucking-

“Persi,” the centaur said. “Did your mother tell you nothing?”

I glance at Grover, begging him to stay silent. “She said… she told me that she didn’t want to send me here even though my parents wanted her to. She said me coming here might mean saying good bye forever. She wanted… she wanted to keep me near her, to keep me safe. She told me that my parents were gods.”

Both Chiron and Dionysus stare at me, Chiron blinks. “I’m sorry, my dear, did I hear you correctly? Parents? As in, more than one?” He looks shocked.

I nod, “Yeah, My father and my mother. Mami umm… slept with both of them.” I conveniently don’t mention that my parents are married, too big of a hint and I do not want the heat of being a forbidden child.

“Two- why that’s…”

I promptly ignore Chiron, I can feel another pounding headache building behind my eyes the longer this conversation goes on. A few times Dionysus gently corrects my bids or taps on the table to get my attention when my mind wanders particularly far away. Chiron seems to finally calm down a bit, gaining my attention once more.

“I’m afraid there’s far too much to explain,” Chiron told me. “The usual orientation film won’t suffice.”

“Right.” Chiron just starts talking , I love him but oh, my, GODS! He won’t stop!

There's an orientation video!

A video that all campers are supposed to see on their first day that explains all the important things about being a demigod and life at Camp Halfblood. It sounds useful, if I’m being honest. Far more engaging than whatever Chiron was currently ranting about during his talk. I would love to see it. Who knows? The video may actually provide answers to the questions I’m asking that everyone else around me pretends like they can't hear.

But alas, Chiron has determined that the video is not suitable in this situation and that his explanation of events and a quick tour around camp later will do the trick. I’m so glad that my sight explains this all for me so much more efficiently.

“Hmmm, yes, well… you know your friend Grover is a satyr. You know that you killed the Minotaur. No small feat, either, Persi. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. The Greek gods I’ve been teaching you about all year are very much alive.”

Chiron ignores my growled, “Asterion”, and just. Keeps. Talking. Does he ever stop talking? Maybe he likes the sound of his own voice. 

Dionysus looks bored of it as well, though the god has looked some level of bored this entire time so it's hard to be sure. With a barely audible sigh Dionysus waves his hand and a goblet appears with a barely noticeable shimmer. My jaw drops as the goblet then proceeds to fill itself with red wine, I may have seen stuff way more impressive, but never in person. It was… astonishing . Chiron doesn't seem the least bit surprised by this feat as he barely acknowledges the action. Dionysus studies his goblet, eyes flitting over to me for a moment before he waves his hand again, turning the goblet into another diet coke. Cool. I don't really like being around men who are drinking anyway, one too many drunk man has hit on me{or hit me} for me to be comfortable.

Dionysus must felt the awe in my stare because he gives me a knowing wink before waving his hand a third time. A similar goblet of dark red liquid appears in front of me, though it was distinctly non alcoholic. Which I appreciate about as much as I appreciates the really pretty looking goblet . I’m keeping it. I sincerely hope that Dionysus knows that.

I smile softly at him, “Thank you,” I think for a second. “Do you like to be called Mr. D?”

Dionysus glances at me, The wine spilled from Dionysus’ eyes like red purple tears. When it ran off his face, it sizzled in the air and disappeared. Where did it go? “What?”

I blink, “Do you like being called Mr. D, or is there something else you’d prefer?”

He tilts his head, “And what do you think I should be called?”

I bite my lip, “Well…. I dunno… m-my lord? You… you are Dionysus… right?” I whisper, I know I’m right but I really don’t want to get in trouble.

He tilts his head and hums, “All of the campers call me Mr. D, most worshipers call me Lord Dionysus… What would you like to call me, child? So long as it’s respectful, I’ll allow it. Only because I like your respect.”

I think for a moment, “Lord Di?”

He smiles for a second before his face goes back to mostly impassive, “Yes, I suppose that would be acceptable.” he seems to think for a moment. “And you, Persephone Jackson, what shall I call you?”

I smile as well, “Persi is just fine, my lord.” My eyebrows furrow, “But, why are you here? Don't you have better things to do than babysit demigods?” I’d been wondering for a while, the reason he was here had never appeared in my dreams.

“Mr. D offended his father a while back. Took a fancy to a wood nymph that he shouldn't have. Now he is here, serving as the camp director, for the foreseeable future.” Chiron answers, acting like he hadn’t been listening to Di and I’s previous conversation, and with how much he had been taking, he probably hadn’t.

His father. My Tío Zeus , my brain fills in. He's being punished because he liked the same girl his dad did. Imagine being four or five millennia old and throwing a tantrum because your son had a crush on a girl you also thought was pretty, then casting said son out of Olympus to babysit a bunch of neglected children because you can't handle the competition. Really? At Zeus' big age?

“Yes,” Di confesses with a sigh. “Father does like to punish people who slight him in the smallest of ways. The first time I was demoted from my position on the council for ten years. He threatened to replace me with my dear Aunt Hestia again. Not a bad punishment, more of a vacation really. But the second time- well, she was really pretty and my wife and I thought she was such fun. The second time, he sent me here to look after the half godly brats.”

Yeah, I would probably be a little grumpy if I was Di, looking after cousins and sibling and nieces and nephews. I bet the only ones he likes being able to care for are his own children.

Di turns back to the card game, clearly not wanting to discuss this anymore. “And with that, I believe I win.”

Chiron smiles and places down his hand, “Actually Mr. D-”

I glance down at my own hand and before Chiron could finish- “No you didn't.” I set down what I think is a straight and I tally up all the points. “I’m pretty sure this means that I win. Probably. I don't know. I've never played this game before.”

For a moment I’m sure that I’ve now lost whatever goodwill the god had towards me during this interaction and is mere seconds away from incineration, perhaps taking away nickname privileges at best. But to my surprise Di merely smiles softly at me, nodding approvingly. “Well done.”

He rises from his seat and Grover follows suit, passing me my bags. “I’m tired. I’m going to go take a nap before the sing-along tonight so I don’t vaporize a child for looking at me too long.” The god sent a considering look my way. “But first, Grover, we need to talk, again , about your less than perfect performance on this latest assignment. Again.”

Grover pales, looking seconds away from passing out from stress. “Yes, of course sir.” Grover said miserably, his forehead beaded with nervous sweat.

Di turns to look at me one last time. “Cabin 11, Persi Jackson. And mind your manners. Though I suspect you won't be there very long. I’m surprised you haven’t been claimed already. Although, by who is still such a mystery…” I nod, not breaking eye contact. I feel like I passed some sort of test just now, what the fuck?

Di disappears into the big house, Grover following behind him completely enveloped in an air of misery and anxiety. I have no idea why he thinks my claiming will be a mystery…

“What does he mean?” I ask after the door closes behind the god, turning to look at Chiron. “Why would my… claiming, be a mystery? That seems… odd.” And I know odd.

Chiron grimaces. “I believe that Mr. D has made a few assumptions about who your… parents, could be. I must admit I thought I knew who one of your parents were, for a time, but there are… other factors, to consider now.”

“Like the fact that I have two godly parents?”

“It's complicated, Persi,” Chiron says carefully. “It wouldn't be right to assume who your godly parent is only for you to be disappointed. Or-” he trails off. 

“Or?” I prompt, feeling like causing some chaos despite already knowing who my parents are. 

Chiron shakes his head. “Never you mind. Try not to think about it for now. There's no use worrying over what hasn't happened yet.”

I bite back an angry huff. Why does Chiron insist on telling me everything but what is actually useful? Doesn't he think I has a right to know who my parents are? Or at the very least the people Chiron suspects are my parents. Again, I’m glad for my sight. I would’ve gone crazy by now if I didn’t have it.

“Will Grover be okay?” I ask instead of voicing my true thoughts, speaking my mind could lead to trouble.

Chiron nods, though the troubled look on his face doesn't fill me with much confidence. “Old Dionysus really isn't angry with him. He's just unhappy with his job and takes it out on others, unfortunately. I'm sure their conversation will go just fine.”

“If you say so…” I bristle at the disrespect but I know better than to try correcting the old centaur.

I’m sure that anyone else would’ve had a million questions, but I’m just… tired. I didn’t really want to be here right now. I didn’t want to deal with any of this. 

I just… I wanted my mom. But she was gone. And she’d been taken trying to get me to this camp, to safety. I wouldn’t waste her sacrifice. If my mom thought I should be at camp, then I would stay at camp.

“I do say so. Now,” he begins, bracing himself in his chair as if he's going to stand up. Which I suppose he can, given the fact that being a man paralyzed from the waist down was just a calculated ruse to fool the "mortals." “I believe I have talked at you quite enough for the day. But for now, we should get you a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, we’re having s’mores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate.” Chiron smiled at me.

I’m not sure what I would’ve said next if given the chance, but Chiron decided to choose that moment to finally rise from his wheelchair.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This was far from my first time seeing Chiron in the centaur’s true form. The immortal teacher of heroes had featured in dozens of my dreams throughout the years. But seeing it in the flesh for the first time still took my breath away for a moment. Chiron must’ve taken my silence for shock though, because a mischievous smile flitted across his face. He then rises in his chair for real this time, the blanket over the fake legs falling away as he begins to grow taller. He continues rising, taller than any man, until stark white fur became visible. With some careful shifting he finally manages to free the horse half of his body from the magic chair, hooves stomping on the ground as he stretches out his legs.

“Ah, what a relief,” the centaur said. “I’ve been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Persi Jackson. Let’s meet the other campers.”

I nod, dutifully pushing down all the intrusive horse facts and thoughts that are swimming around in my brain after the official centaur reveal. Including a rather embarrassing thought about pooper scooper duty once. See, Grover. I do have some self control!

I grab my bags and stand, doubling back one, I wouldn’t want to forget to grab my new cup now, wouldn’t I? I smile at it, thanks Lord Di. I follow chiron with a sigh, clinging to my things.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Horse Speak

Persi’s POV{Wednesday May 27th, 2015 - General Time}

I walked numbly behind Chiron as the centaur led me on a tour of the camp. I pretended to be listening as Chiron explained what everything was, but my mind couldn’t have been paying less attention if I tried. Honestly, he just talks so much!

We weave our way through the different parts of camp, Chiron pointing out all the important things. It's definitely an odd experience, passing by marvels of Greek architecture such as the amphitheater and the arena, and then seeing something so normal like a volleyball pit or basketball hoops not too far away. I may have seen it before but my visions and real life are two different things… it was honestly breathtaking, Mami would love it… she will, I will get her back. Even if I have to bow before Apollo and claim I’m Cassandra reborn or something!

Most of the campers are around my age, though I see a few older kids and even more little ones running around after their friends and their siblings. Some of them don't spare me a passing glance, too busy with their usual camp activities to notice another newcomer. Others do a double take, eyes widening as they realize who exactly is walking with Chiron. 

As we passed the volleyball pit I noticed several of the campers nudge each other. They all poorly conceal whispers behind their hands. Some of them point to the horn I’m carrying in a mixture of amazement and disbelief. I cling to my bags.

“That's her?” someone asks. 

“There's no way. Look how small she is. You're telling me that kid defeated the minotaur?” Rude, I’m fourteen, they act as though I’m a twelve year old or something!{ Imagine, a twelve year old going through all this }.

“That is her,” an older girl said to the boy next to her. Most of the campers I saw gossiping were my age or older, and the satyrs trotting around them all seemed to be a fair amount bigger than Grover. “Besides, I don't think Chiron would lie about something like that, do you?”

The looks make me uncomfortable, make me want to withdraw and just be silent . It’s safer when I’m silent. I’ve never really liked being perceived, preferring to fade into the background unnoticed. The only time I can remember loving attention was when I was younger, before Gabe, before I understood what my gift was. But it's hard to fade into the background when you're the shiny new attraction at camp that everyone expects to do a cool trick out of nowhere or something. I swear it’s like they expect me to do a flip!

I really just want to find a secluded spot where no one would bother me, I wanted to curl up with my sketchbook and journal for hours and let my hands work while my mind drifts, whether I’m drawing or writing.

I almost stop walking, my heart skips a step. My Stuff.

Are they even still in my bag?

I’d placed my sketchbook and journal in the inner pocket. I remembered hoping that the waterproof lining and zipper would protect them from the storm. I immediately opened my bag to look for it.

Has anybody else touched my bag? If they had, had they taken out my sketchbook? My journal? Had they opened it?

I see my stuff right where they should be in my bag and instantly relax. Thank the gods, no one touched anything.

I glance back down the path we had just walked, back towards the farmhouse that also houses the infirmary. It's much larger than I originally thought it would be; four stories tall, painted blue with white trim. A lot like those images you see of vacation spots in Greece. Seeing all of this in real life and real time is so cool!

I’m about to turn around and continue after Chiron when something catches my eye. A shadow in the uppermost window of the house, the attic. So quick I almost missed it. I squint, trying to see what's up there but can't make anything else out in the darkness of the room. A feeling of unease grows inside of me. I could’ve sworn....

Another movement, closer to the window this time. Definitely the outline of a person. I’m being watched. I know that now. And if memory serves me right then… The Oracle of Delphi has taken an interest in me.

And then the voices start.

Approach, seeker, and ask. A young woman’s voice spoke in my head, accompanied by the low hissing of snakes.

The whispers call to me, begging me to come inside. To come to the attic. And for a moment, just the briefest of moments, I want to give in. I want to meet another seer, would she understand what it’s like? Would her decaying body and mind even be able to acknowledge me?

The images of a grand temple filled with gold and numerous offerings, a line of people waiting to see the veiled individual seated in the ornate chair, fill my mind. Faces; young girls, older women, the occasional man or boy, or person who is not quite either, year after year, seated in that chair.

A golden haired god smiles and reaches out towards the familiar specter of Cassandra, of Mospus, of Laocoön and Melampus and so many other seers, words that I can't hear being spoken between them.

'Come,' the whispers from the attic pleaded.

But it feels… it feels… almost wrong .

No.

No, I won't. Not yet, it’s not time.

I will the images away, difficult as it may be, and take a step back, still clinging to my bags. 

“Did you see that?” I asked breathlessly, pointing in the direction of the attic window. 

Chiron’s smile fades as he turns to see what I’m pointing at. “Ah, that's just the attic.”

“Does somebody live up there? They were watching me.” I ask, curious to see how he planned to answer.

“No,” Chiron says firmly, lips drawn into a thin line. “Not a single living thing. The wind moving the curtain, perhaps.”

Not a lie exactly, what a clever choice of words.

“Time to move on, Persi. Lee did mention a nasty bump on your head. Concussions can do strange things to our perceptions.”

Lee must’ve been the boy who healed me, I sigh, the nectar had fixed the concussion. How silly of chiron.

“Come.”

But my feet remain firmly rooted in place, transfixed on the window where I can just make out the faintest flutter of movement behind the curtains. My lips are moving as I silently mouth the words. And you will suffer as long as my children suffer. You will never find rest in my realm. How interesting…

“Persi! Come along dear girl,” Chiron said from next to me. “Lots to see.” He seems nervous. Oh well, I’ll be going into the attic at some point, just not now.

I turned back around, following the centaur through the camp as he explained all the things that I already knew. We walk through fields of strawberries where campers are busy picking the fruit and filling baskets. A satyr plays a jaunty tune on his reed pipes while some of the campers tending to the plants and some are… talking to them? Encouraging them to grow, maybe. I can tell that most are Demeter's children but two of them must be Di’s, and a few seem like children of lesser known deities. It's pretty cool. 

I wish I could talk plants into growing. I’m pretty good with aquatic plants but that doesn’t mean I’m no good with other types too. Mami and I had managed to keep some herbs, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, Geraniums, petunias, and even some marigolds alive and growing on our balcony. We even managed to get a dwarf pomegranate tree! Honestly sometimes it felt like a blessing from the gods that we always had what we needed to grow that stuff and looking back on it, it might’ve been. I should probably thank some gods… Maybe Apollo, Demeter and Persephone? Yeah, I think I will… indirectly, anonymous offerings.

I really hope that Gabe doesn’t get rid of them while we’re gone, we have quite the mini garden out there. We sell some of that stuff for cheap in the apartment and give some out to the local street kids and the occasional gang. I mean, sometimes selling the stuff we grew, or even some desserts or sauces that we’d made was our only income for a few days.

Maybe I can get assigned plant duty and hide in the fields and orchard all day from all the people who are staring at me like the newest circus attraction. 

I tune back in as Chiron tells me that this is how the camp pays most of their expenses, exporting the crops to local restaurants and businesses. 

Di and his children had an amazing effect on fruit bearing plants, he further explained, though it worked best with wine grapes.

“But no wine,” I point out, and Chiron nods. “So therefore no grapes. Have you ever thought of expanding to other fruits and vegetables?”

“That would require permission from those on Olympus, and they have bigger things to worry about.”

“Bigger things than making sure their kids don’t starve?” I mutter sarcastically. “And if it’s so unimportant then why do we even need permission?”

“You would think,” another voice interjected, tone warm with amusement. I clam up a bit, it’s been so long since I’ve spoken to strangers and I absolutely do not recognize this voice. Not even from my dreams.

I turn and come face to face with another girl a good few inches taller than me. She has slightly pink skin and freckles and she obviously spends a lot of time outside. Her brown hair was pulled over her shoulder in one thick braid. She wore a flower wreath of wheat and poppy on her head. Dirt was caked up her arms and legs. She felt like wheat, but it was padded by a richer smell, like soil ready for new planting. She felt like life in a way.

Her brown eyes remind me of the earth beneath us. For one slight moment when our eyes locked, something passed between us, an understanding that we could both feel the earth churning under our feet, that we were both connected to it. Although in different ways. Demeter's daughter, my cousin. I have a feeling that I’ll be thinking this a lot but… How interesting!

“Children,” Chiron said sternly. We blinked and the tension left us, the moment has passed.

“Katie Gardner,” the girl introduced, “welcome to Camp Half Blood.”

I blink, allowing myself to calm down with her Aura. “Persi Jackson, thanks.” I whisper, still not completely comfortable.

We kept moving, Katie waving bye and returning to picking strawberries. “Grover won’t get into too much trouble, will he?” I asked, careful not to step on the line of bugs the satyrs were guiding out of the fields. “I mean… he was a good protector. If he hadn’t warned us about Asterion it would have gone much worse. And he was there when I found out I’m a… a demigod.”

Chiron sighed. “Grover has big dreams, Persi. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing them safely to Half-Blood Hill.”

“Well,” I looked down at myself. “I’m here, and still in one piece, so he did that.”

“ I might agree with you,” Chiron said. “But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I’m afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. There’s the unfortunate… ah… fate, of your mother. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him, injured might I add, over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover’s part.”

“But that’s ridiculous!” Persi burst out. “Grover might’ve… been unconscious… but he’s the only reason my mom and I even knew we needed to come here! If he hadn’t warned us, Asterion probably would’ve caught us by surprise at Montauk. We were lucky that he was there!”

Chiron winced. “All true points. But it’s as I told you. I don’t have any say. And given… well, the council is less than inclined to decide in Grover’s favor.”

Given Grover’s first assignment.

Given what happened to Thalia Grace.

It wasn’t Grover's fault, but I don’t say that out loud, too much to explain if I did.

We make a pitstop at the stables, Chiron drawn to the sounds of two campers having what sounded like an all out brawl nearby.

“Wait here,” he says. 

As if I would be stupid enough to leave. Besides, I’m fine here. I’m at the horse stables. 

I love horses. Makes sense seeing as my father created them.

I went to a horse camp when I was younger, a gift from my parents. Horse camp may have been the best two months of my life when I was ten. Upstate, away from Gabe and, unfortunately, my mom. It had been arguably the most peaceful moment of the year. Even my visions had calmed somewhat during that time, and even when they got bad again I could always sneak off and pet the horses until I calmed down. Or go for midnight rides that I definitely wasn't supposed to go on. 

I crane my neck, trying to get a look, and to my delight I see one walking in my direction. 

It shakes its head in annoyance as a bug flies past and is about to continue on its way until it notices me standing nearby. It freezes, staring unblinkingly in my direction before letting out an excited whinny, hooves stomping on the ground. 

Two wings stretch out from its back as it-

Hang on. 

Wings .

A horse with wings. 

There's a horse with wings looking right at me.

An honest to gods pegasus whinnies loudly once more before trotting excitedly over to greet me. I take back every bad thing I’ve ever thought about camp half blood. Clearly this is the best place on earth. I’m never leaving- well, maybe to go back to mami.

A Lipizzan horse, pure white with a silvery white mane and tail, it stops directly in front of me with a huff. It was gorgeous in my opinion.

“Hello, there,” I say softly, amazed, reaching out I place a careful hand on the pegasus' muzzle. 

It snorts, sniffing me for a moment before

Hello, little lady , a woman's voice says.

I jump.

It… She talked?

Confession time; this is not the first time I’ve sworn I heard a horse talk to me. I used to have full on conversations with the horses at horse camp. They always responded, but I had figured it was a figment of my lonely imagination as I got older. Because horses certainly didn't talk. I must have been imagining it. 

But given who my father is…

I glance over in Chiron's direction, but the centaur is too busy scolding two other campers to pay me any attention. The other kids aren't paying me any mind either. I get a little closer.

“Are… did you say something?” I whisper, throwing another nervous glance over my shoulder. I can’t let them know who my father is, not yet, not with the oath.

Well, obviously! Who else would I be talking to, little lady? You greeted me first after all.

I am absolutely delighted by this discovery. Is talking to horses a child of poseidon thing? What else can I do?!

It has been a very long time since I have seen one of the lord's children here , she continues. The last little lord was very sweet. He always brought me strawberries. The pegasus leans in a little closer. You look like our lord, too. Oh so like our lord, yes. Little ladies are so rare… I've never met one before but oh, I have heard stories... so many stories.

“Is that why I can understand you?”

Yes, because you are the little lady. She lightly bumps her muzzle against my chest. The littlest lady I have ever seen. Do they not feed you?

“I'm not that little!” I huff, mildly offended. “I’m fourteen, ‘m just a bit short…”

Very little. Barely a foal, another pegasus chimes in as he quickly trots by, this one a beautiful chestnut horse.

I want to be annoyed with their comments but I’m still a bit too enthralled by seeing pegasi up close to stay on task. 

“And you can actually fly…” I mutter in wonder, eyeing the skies above the stable.

She whinnies loudly, the pegasus equivalent of a laugh I assume.

Why of course we do! Does the little lady want to go for a ride?

Do I want to go for a ride?

Fuck yeah I do!

But Chiron chooses that exact moment to come back over, apparently finished dealing with whatever scuffle had been occurring when we had first arrived. “I see you're making friends with the pegasi.” He chuckles. “I would be careful with this one. She's known for biting and deciding to randomly throw people off her back in mid air. I think when you begin your lessons they will start you off with one that is easier to handle.”

The pegasus snorts. Worry not, little lady. I would never toss you from my back. The other children who pull on my mane, however, will feel what it is like to fly without wings, she declares with a huff. 

A bit dramatic, but I can respect it. Seems like it’s their fault for improper pegasus handling.

With a final pat and a heavy feeling of disappointment at not being able to go for a ride, I turn to follow Chiron.

“I'll bring you some strawberries as soon as I can,” I promise, with every intention to do just that.

We visit the woods next. It’s gigantic, wild and untouched. It’s been far too long since I indulged in the desire to be amongst nature, true nature, not the little garden mami and I have at home. Maybe I could indulge here and escape all of this demigod madness for a while. 

“We keep the forest well stocked. If you wish to try your luck you are of course welcome to. But be sure to go armed and ready, these woods hold many nasty surprises.”

I blink.

And blink again. 

Well stocked. Go in armed and ready. Right, there are terrors in the woods…

Alright. So maybe not this forest.

“Of course you'll see that for yourself next Friday during capture the flag,” Chiron continues as if Persi hadn't even spoken. “You already have a sword, which I would have liked back by the way,” He says, giving me a pointed look but seemingly knowing better than to argue with me on this. “But a shield and armor, no, I don't suppose you would have that. I'll visit the armory later, try and find something your size.”

I’ve played capture the flag exactly once in my life, and it ended with a teacher from one of my old schools forgetting I was a part of the class and accidentally locking me in the equipment room, hello claustrophobia and fear of the dark. 

I don’t particularly want to play but I have a feeling it won’t matter, still doesn’t hurt to ask. So, “Do I have to play capture the flag?”

“Unless you are too ill or injured to participate, the capture the flag game is a requirement for all campers. It is, after all, a form of training.”

I’m pretty sure that fighting Asterion and having had a concussion counts. It should count, regardless of if I drank nectar or not.

I don't think it's going to count.

We passed the archery range, the lake, the stables, the javelin range, the amphitheater, and the arena before getting to the large pavilion framed by Grecian columns on the hill overlooking the sea.

There were thirteen stone picnic tables scattered about, with specific symbols carved into the center of each, a bigger table on a low dais overlooking the other twelve.

“There’s a lot more twelve gods,” I mutter, observing the symbol of a scythe and a wheat ear that marked the Demeter table. “Why only the main ones? Actually, where is Hades’ table? He’s one of the main ones…”

Chiron shook his head. “Do watch whose name you say,” he warns, “names have power and we do not want to draw any unwanted attention.” I know that names have power, I’ve been avoiding them for long enough to know how much power a name could hold, there’s a reason Mami only says my full name sparingly. Named after two deities and all.

“As for the tables, we only have the twelve Olympians, the gods who stay on Olympus. The Lord of the Underworld is only ever a guest.”

The wind carried a slight honey suckle smell to it.

“Only a guest?” I ask, still confused, “but he’s the eldest son? Why would he be a guest in what’s supposed to be his own home? I guess the stories do say he usually stays in the Underworld, but still. And what about, ah, the hearth? Does she also not get a table?”

Chiron looks at me closely, a look familiar from our time in class together. Like I’d not only gone off script, but I also decided to set the stage on fire and improv on the ashes.

“You seem to ask the most interesting questions,” the centaur finally said thoughtfully. “Curious. And worry not about Hestia, she is always with us at the campfire. There is no place of greater honour for her than the place where we all come together.”

I nod distractedly, I was still discomforted by the lack of space for Hades, by the disrespect that this place held for the two oldest kronides. Not honouring a specific god or goddess sounded like a disaster waiting to happen.

Finally, we approached the cabins. A collection of twelve buildings in the shape of a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. A large soccer field sized common area made up the middle, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and other outdoor activities. 

As we passed the center of the field I spotted a smoldering hearth in a huge stone line firepit. A young girl no older than nine in a red cloak sat, tending to the flames, poking the coals carefully with a stick; she felt like the warm fire she tended, soothing, and comfort. She felt like home.

A subtle fire raced through my veins. I felt like I was holding warm stones in my hands instead of Asterion’s horn and my bags. The heat brought no pain, just an intense, calming warmth. The young girl must’ve sensed my gaze because she glanced up from the fire. Even from yards away, I could see the gentle red tinged brown of her eyes before they flickered with fire like the very coals she was tending to. And with that, I knew.

I dip my head respectfully, and more heat blazed up my arms as my Tía Hestia tilted her head at me. A small smile flitted across her face before she gestured with her head in Chiron’s direction, clearly telling me that I needed to get on with the farce of a tour.

I smile softly back at her, waving once before hurrying after Chiron, rushing to hear about the cabins.

Each cabin was distinct, bustling with activity, and they all gave off different feelings. Outside each was a decorated sign designating the cabin number. Above each door were the same symbols etched into the tables, designating which cabin belonged to who.

Some are more elaborate than others, like the one that displays the number ‘7’. Almost everything seems to be inlaid with gold, and the sun reflects off of it so beautifully that it has a soft glow to it. This was Apollo’s cabin, I feel a pull to it but even now the idea of being found out as a seer kind of scares me, I make sure to stay a healthy distance away. Best not tempt fate.

Cabin twelve has ivy snaking up around the columns and what appears to be a small garden of grapes in a plot next to it, almost hidden as though it wasn’t really supposed to be there. I know that it’s Lord Di’s cabin. Cabin four is similar, the roof of the temple-cabin looking like an actual patch of grass and various plants growing around it and down it, Demeter. Smoke billows out an attached building to Cabin nine, the faint sound of clanging just barely noticeable over the buzz of the camp around him, Heaphestus.

The two in the center of it all are the grandest, all polished white and bronze. Cabins 1 and 2 were cold and lifeless, built fully like Greek temples instead of the temple-cabins that the others looked like. 

Cabin 1 was the largest. It had lighting etched into the gold door, holographic so any angle you looked at it, it looked like lightning was streaking across the surface. There was an eagle wind vane and the top looked like actual storm clouds plucked straight from the sky.

Cabin 2 was nearly as big. It had garlands of flowers crawling up the main pillars, a sort of elegance attached to the soft golden door. Murals of peacocks and lilies covered the sides. The front reminded me of an altar, it also had carvings of children running on the bottom edges.

However any beauty was sucked away by their horrible emptiness. They looked untouchable and unfriendly, proven by the pristinely cut grass in front of them, like everyone made an effort to go as far around them as they could. It was… really sad. Especially because Zeus and Hera’s cabins should be the ones to welcome others. Hera, the goddess of family, and Zeus, the protector of xenia. It’s sad that their cabins, their temples at camp, don’t represent that.

The other temple-cabins had more character, each built with their children in mind. Each built with the purpose of not only worship, but housing the gods' children. “Each god has a cabin?” I ask, simply so Chiron wouldn’t get overly suspicious if he wasn’t already. I keep forgetting what I realistically should and shouldn’t know.

“Indeed,” he said, gesturing to the two I was just looking at.

“The king and queen,” I murmur quietly, remembering the warning about names.

“Correct,” Chiron said as he continued to lead us towards the cabins at the end of the row. “Each cabin holds the children the god has claimed.”

“But some cabins look empty.”

“Correct again. Some of them are. Not every god has a child who attends camp. Some do not have children at all. But it would be offensive to include some of the Olympians and not the others.”

Despite knowing the truth I decide to be a little shit and look at him incredulously. “The king had like a million kids. He just punished Lord Di this century because he had a crush on a wood nymph. You're gonna tell me there's not a single one out there?”

“It's, ah, complicated, Persi. A very complicated discussion that will have to wait for another day I'm afraid.”

“And why are there only twelve cabin-temple things anyway? Again, there’s way more gods than just the Olympians. Surely they’re not the only ones to have kids?”

Once again, Chiron develops sudden hearing loss and continues on as if I never asked a question. He’s starting to piss me off with that. “The cabin you will be staying in is this way. Come.” 

But my eyes are once more drawn elsewhere. Unconsciously, I felt myself stop at the first cabin on the left, cabin three.

Poseidon’s cabin, my papi’s cabin.

It wasn’t high and mighty like the first two cabins, but still exudes an air of extreme importance. Its stone dark gray walls are inlaid with what looks like shells and coral and other hidden treasures that glimmer in the light, as though the slabs had been brought straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. There's a porch on the side that faces the lake, a feature not included on the rest. A feature that my father must have added personally.

My feet carry me in the direction of the lake against my will as if an invisible force is urging me forward. It is meant to be mine after all.

“Persi!” Chiron calls, quickly trotting after me.

I make it there first; hands resting on the large white doors before I give it a small push. They swing open. 

“Oh, I wouldn't do that! Best not to wander into a god's sanctuary without being invited,” Chiron says nervously as I go to take a step inside. “Especially not this god. Come along now, to Cabin eleven, as I said.”

Before Chiron could pull me back complete I managed to get a good look inside. Interior walls that glowed like abalone , high ceilings with beautiful murals, each of a different sea creature. The cabin-temple seems to be split into two spaces; a common lounge area in the front and what I assume must be the sleeping area in the back. Maybe even a bathroom, I could sense more water somewhere inside. The lounge had comfortable seating surrounding a saltwater fountain and low shelves were built into the walls. A work desk with maps and other nautical themed gadgets is placed in the corner. And- a journal, similar to the one my father had sent me, right in the middle of the table. It really was a family journal.

This was the empty cabin I’d dreamt about that night at Yancy. My fathers cabin, my cabin. I take a deep breath, inhaling the salty scent of my cabin and letting it calm me.

Faint laughter, that of boys and one or two girls, echoes around the space, overlapping with the sound of the waves and the distinct smell of a clean beach. I look around and can tell that this will be like another home to me one day soon.

“Come along, Persi.” I finally, reluctantly, let myself be drawn away from the cabin. Struggling not to flinch at Chiron’s hand on my shoulder, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back one more time. My cabin… something that my father built for his children, I wonder if my mother helped? I glance back and smile softly, I’ll be back soon .

None of the other cabins drew me in the way Papi's cabin had, but I still looked over them carefully regardless. I had seen Apollo’s, Di’s, Heaphestus’, Demeter’s, Zeus’, and Hera’s but now I look closer. The temple-cabins that have their doors open reveal crowds of kids milling about in them, the youngest looks about four or five while the oldest looks to be about seventeen at most. 

We pass one with depictions of weapons and battles and quite a few actual weapons scattered around. There's barbed wire circling some of the pillars and a stuffed boar's head mounted above the tall doors, Ares. 

Inside I can see a bunch of kids that are usually part of the crowd I would avoid like the plague at school. Tall, fit and muscular, and just enough meanness visible in their smirks to know that one wrong move would get me beat into the ground. Rock music blares from a stereo someone had hooked up (at least these cabin-temple-things have electricity) as they laugh uproariously and shove each other around harshly, yet still jokingly.

A tall girl of around my age, maybe older, with deep brown skin and pretty dark curls that fell just past her shoulder blades stands with her arms crossed, watching her fellow cabin mates, siblings, in amusement. She wears an orange Camp Half-Blood shirt under a camouflage jacket. Her eyes meet mine and she raises an eyebrow, looking me up and down critically. She makes me nervous but I have a feeling that she’s less a malicious bully and more the type that bullies you to toughen you up.

I walk a little faster anyway.

It felt like forever before the two of us reached the last cabin on the left, cabin eleven, Hermes.

Annabeth Chase was perched on the steps outside the cabin reading what looked like an architecture book in Greek, but she looked up as we reached her and shut the book carefully. She looked over at me critically, like she was still upset about what I’d said earlier.

“Annabeth,” Chiron said, “I have masters’ archery class in about half an hour. Would you take Persi from here?”

“Yes, sir.” She didn’t seem overly pleased about it, I wasn’t currently feeling super excited about the prospect either, given the glares she kept sending my way.

“Cabin eleven,” Chiron told me for like the hundredth time, as he gestured toward the doorway. “Make yourself at home.”

My hands shake slightly with nerves as I glance through the doorway. The inside is packed with campers, far more than reside in any other cabin that I saw. Despite each cabin being a decent size, capable of holding at least twenty five people comfortably, cabin eleven is bursting at the seams. 

It looks more like an emergency shelter you’d see after a natural disaster; not enough beds to go around, sleeping bags on the floor, stuff everywhere because storage space ran out long ago. Basically there were way too many people packed in a way too small cabin, I feel claustrophobic at the thought, my throat closes up and I know it’ll take me a second to actually speak.

I linger awkwardly in the doorway as the other kids in the cabin stare at me just as critically as Annabeth had. I know this song and dance. They're all deciding whether or not I’m really one of them or if they're going to make my life miserable.

I hope they settle on the first option.

“Well?” Annabeth prompted when I hesitated on the steps. “Go on.”

When I turned back all the kids were silently staring at me, sizing me up carefully. I bite my lip and blinked like a frog just because I could, trying and succeeding in breaking the tension, a few of them ducked their heads and laughed.

“Persi Jackson, meet Cabin 11.” Annabeth announced.

I wave shyly.

“Regular or undetermined?” Somebody asked.

“Undetermined,” Annabeth answered.

A collective groan reverberates through the room. I can't really blame them. Their cabin has literally been taken over by every kid whose parents hadn't bothered to acknowledge them. And even if they did, it's not like there's anywhere else for some of them to go. There's only twelve cabins and only eight of them are in continuous use.

An older teen stepped forward amidst the groans of the other campers. “Now, now, campers. That’s what we’re here for. Welcome, Persi. Here, you can have that spot on the floor, right over there.”

I knew this camper, I just hadn’t expected him to be so… intimidating in person. He’s kinda cute though. Nevertheless, I let Luke Castellan guide me to a tiny section of floor against the back wall. The son of Hermes smiled at me, the grin distorting the thick white scar that ran across his face. 

I tried not to think of how Luke had received that particular scar, of the doomed quest to the Garden of the Hesperides. { Tried not to think about how if it weren’t for his impatience the quest would have gone so much better, no one would have gotten hurt, no one would have died. Tried not to think of the horrible fate that he’s resigned himself and everyone else to. }

Luke was tall and muscular, around nineteen years old. He had short cropped sandy hair, a friendly smile, and brilliant blue eyes. A thick white scar ran from beneath his right eye to his jaw, like an old knife slash.

He felt like a blast of wind on a clear day, carrying the faint feelings of snakes and trickery. I hum, taking in Luke’s blue eyes again.

Funny.

I recognised that shade.

“This is Luke,” Annabeth said, her voice doing that funny thing other girls at school did when talking about the person they liked. I glanced at her and I could’ve sworn she was blushing, but she noticed I was looking and sent a sharp glare my way. “He’s your counselor for now.”

‘Until I'm determined. Which may never even happen,’ I finish for her in sign.

They both blink but Luke moves on quickly, “You catch on fast. Since you’re undetermined they don’t know what cabin to put you in, so you’re here. Cabin 11 takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the God of Travelers.”

I look at the small spot on the floor they’d given me, then over to the other campers all smooshed in. I want to put my stuff down but Hermes is also the God of Thieves, and I definitely recognise the look in some of these campers’ eyes. Regardless, I set down my bookbag, I’ll find somewhere to stash the rest of my things later.

My eyebrows furrow, “I mean, I don’t think that makes sense, but it’s nice of Hermes and all,” I bite my lip, “but the camp can’t just… build an Unclaimed cabin? Or… put them in a different one?” I whisper, confused.

Luke’s lip twitched, and Annabeth looked at me weirdly, her head tilted at an odd angle.

“Why doesn’t it make sense?” Annabeth asks.

I blink, “Well… shouldn’t they- we , be in the Hera cabin? Or Zeus? M-maybe the girls could even stay in the Artemis cabin?” I mutter, but everyone goes quiet.

“Why the fuck would they do that?” A camper, whose name I don’t know, asks.

“Well… Artemis is the protector of young girls so… so she could house them? But she uses the cabin so I guess that makes sense… Hera and Zeus though,” I tilt my head thoughtfully. “Hera is the goddess of family so shouldn’t she want to house and protect most of us? She may not like the children of Zeus but shouldn’t she want to protect the rest of us? And- and Zeus is the protector of greek xenia so… so shouldn’t he be offering… room…” I bite my lip, trailing off when I see the looks on everyone's faces.

Luke coughs, shaking his head. “We have to get permission for that,” Luke explained.

‘Is there anything we don’t have to get permission for?’ I asked, Luke laughed.

“Not much,” he said, “but you seem to be a person for change, so maybe we’ll find out.”

They just might. I was not going to be sleeping on a floor for however long I was here. Whether that meant building an unclaimed cabin myself out of fucking sticks, sleeping outside in the lake every night, or sneaking into papi’s cabin to sleep and yelling at my father myself, I didn’t care. 

I would not sleep on the floor, not when my sleep was already so rare.

Luke laughed once more at whatever expression I was making.

“I’ll leave her to you then, Luke.” Annabeth barely gave me another glance, apparently satisfied I wasn’t about to keel over if she left me. She flashed a short smile at Luke though, before flouncing out of the cabin.

I inspect my spot slightly before setting Asterion's horn, and my pretty goblet, down on the sleeping bag next to my bookbag. I hold onto my duffle and dig through moms bag to put a couple things in the bookbag I plan to keep in here.

“Right, well. Our cabin has horseback training in a half-hour, but you won’t start anything until tomorrow so you have free reign until dinner at seven thirty. You can stay here, you can go out and explore, you can join us in class- as a spectator of course. Just make sure that you’re back at the cabin a bit before dinner so that we can head out together, yeah?” Luke set a comforting hand on my shoulder, smiling the whole time.

The kids around us seemed to take that as a signal, and they scattered. Conversations started up at all corners of the cabin, and I knew a significant amount of them were about me just based on the numerous glances still being shot at me. The whispers of my name didn’t help.

‘I think- I think I’m going to go for a walk, get some air.’ My hands shake a bit but I manage to calm myself down.

At Luke’s nod I turned on my heel and sped out of the cabin. I heard some snickers behind me, but I didn’t bother trying to figure out what I’d done this time.

I froze a short distance away, my sketchbook, did I leave it?

I sigh in relief when I see that it was in my hoodie pocket, thank the gods, I couldn’t believe that I forgot where I’d put it. I hug the sketchbook to my chest. Grateful that I had it.

It was a bit too hot to wear my hoodie so I took it off and tied it around my waist. I couldn’t force my hands to let go of the sketchbook.

I slowly make my way to the center of the cabins. Tía Hestia was still stoking the hearth, I barely hesitated before I headed her way.

She didn’t look up from the flames as I settled myself on my knees next to her and placed my sketchbook carefully in my lap, but I had no doubt she knew I was there. 

“Au-” I pause “I mean… Lady Hestia.” I greet her quietly

If she was surprised that I knew who she was, she didn’t show it, simply letting out a considering hum as she looked at me.

“Few godlings ever see me. Even fewer make a point to come and speak with me.”

“I’ve always seen more than most.” I whisper.

Hestia finally turned her gaze away from the flames, I felt the heat of the hearth in my bones as her eyes met mine.

“Few have been blessed with sight as you have been, niece. You have a powerful gift.”

“Sometimes it feels more like a curse,” I admitted quietly, not acknowledging the fact that she clearly knows who my father is, if not the fact that I also have a divine mother.

“Hmmm, sight like yours has a habit of weighing on the soul. But it will not always be so heavy.” Her soft words soothed my nerves, and I ran my hands absentmindedly over the cover of my sketchbook, the one I’m actually starting to think is magic. All these months later and it’s like more pages keep appearing. I love it.

“May I… may I sit here- with you? Just for a little bit?” I ask hesitantly, not wanting to leave the calming warmth of the hearth, but also not wanting to overstay my welcome. “Please θείτσα(auntie)?”

She smiles softly at me, her eyes flickering brightly with flames and love. “You shall always be welcome at the hearth, Persephone Jackson, just as all of my siblings' children are.”

I stayed in the same spot until long after my legs had fallen asleep beneath me, and just watched my aunt steadily tend to the flames. I didn’t think about my father and mother, or what had happened to my mom, or how majorly fucked up my life was, I just… sat there. Just looked into the fire and let the warmth rush over me, letting the feeling of home relax me.

I honestly didn’t know how long I sat there, silently keeping Hestia company, before I forced myself to my feet.

“Thank you, Vaiti-ove{Lady Aunt} Hestia. For everything.” I bowed my head respectfully, and she sent me a simple smile in return.

“Never thank me for welcoming family at my hearth, niece. And you may simply call me Aunt, or Tía as you prefer.” 

I nod, “Thank you, θείτσα(Auntie) Hestia.”

I headed for the lake, feeling much calmer after my time with my aunt, but still wanting the comfort of being near water. Being near my parents' domain.

I’d barely made it halfway to the docks before a heavy shove sent me stumbling.

I caught myself, quickly spinning around to see who’d hit me.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the newbie!” The speaker’s voice was rough, as if she spent more time yelling than she did just talking. Her camo tank top was artfully ripped to show her muscles, and a red bandanna held back her hair.

Clarisse La Rue, The daughter of Ares and counselor of cabin five.

Shit.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Wednesday May 27th, 2015 - General Time}

‘Sorry, can I help you?’

The older girl pauses before snorting. “Can you help me? I doubt it, shrimpy.” As she speaks she makes sure to sign, probably to make sure her point gets across. At least I know she’s not a bad bully, probably the type to think some ‘light bullying’ would toughen me up. The three other girls behind her snickered at her words.

‘Right, okay then. I’ll just go’ I gestured behind myself, hoping they’d let me be on my way.

“Not so fast, runt! We’ve got an initiation ceremony for newbies.”

Oh, I knew exactly what the initiation ceremony was, and I had no interest in partaking. I took a small step back.

‘I think I’m good, really-’ I stop when I hear a voice.

“Clarisse!”

Oh, thank the gods.

Annabeth appeared at my side, though I had no idea where she’d come from, hopefully she’ll help me.

“Why don’t you go polish your spear or something instead of bothering new campers?”

“Sure, Miss Princess,” Clarisse snorted. “And then maybe Friday night I’ll use it to run you through.”

“Erre es korakas!” Annabeth snarled, and I almost jerked back at the venom in her voice as she told Clarisse in no uncertain terms to ‘go to the crows.’, basically telling her to die. “You don’t stand a chance.”

“We’ll pulverize you,” Clarisse growled, but her eye twitched as she spoke.

“Who’s this little runt anyway?” Clarisse jerked her head derisively at me.

“Persi Jackson,” Annabeth said. “This is Clarisse, daughter of Ares.”

I locked eyes with the daughter of Ares, and for a moment the world flickered around me. An older Clarisse stood coated in the same golden dust and blood that I could feel caking my own skin. The look in her eyes was different too, a mutual respect born out of fighting side by side. She wouldn’t stay my bully for long.

“You got a problem with that?” I blinked, and the world righted itself.

‘No,’ I thought for a moment. ‘It explains why you look so strong.’

Annabeth glanced at me weirdly but stayed silent by my side.

Clarrise seemed stunned for a second before, “You can’t get out of this, Prissy!” Clarisse huffs.

‘It’s P-e-r-s-i.’

“Whatever. Come on!” She stalked forward, and Annabeth moved to intervene.

“Clarisse-”

“Stay out of it, wise girl!” She gives Annabeth a look.

Annabeth looked pained after that, shooting an apologetic look my way before stepping back.

Which… great, it’s not like I’d expected her to help or anything. Every woman for herself, I guess.

I’d been in my fair share of fights before, but I was no child of Ares and I knew that I was no match for Clarisse, let alone Clarisse and three of her sisters.

I quickly debated whether I could make it back to the center of the field before Clarisse or her sisters could catch me. Would my aunt intervene if I asked for protection from her hearth? But before I could do more than take a step back Clarisse’s hands shot forward and snatched my sketchbook straight out of my arms.

“No!”

I lunged after it, but Clarisse’s sisters were waiting. They grabbed my arms with hands like iron and dragged me back.

“So the punk can talk! And what’s this? I guess Prissy fancies herself an artist,” Clarisse let out a mean laugh that her sisters echoed.

“Give it back,” I practically beg, struggling against the two girls holding my arms.

“What do you think, should we use this runt’s drawings as kindling, or should we give them the same treatment she’s about to get?” Clarisse asked roughly, a mean grin spreading across her face.

I couldn’t help the desperate noise that escaped me at either prospect, Clarisse gave another snicker as my efforts to get the sketchbook back increased. It was a gift from one of my immortal parents, those are supposed to be sacred!

“Dunk them with her, I say.” One of the girls holding me grunted.

Clarisse smirked, and jerked her head behind her to what I knew was the communal bathrooms even though the cabins had private ones. Her sisters started dragging me towards the building and I wondered, not for the first time, where anybody else was. Was no one but Annabeth, who was doing jack shit, around?

Or was everybody here either too scared of Clarisse, too uninterested in helping the new kid, to bother intervening? I seriously was starting to question my place here.

I’m dragged into the bathroom and towards the side with the line of stalls.

I’m forced to my knees in front of one of the toilets, a heavy hand on the back of my head and neck forcing my face towards the nasty water in the bowl. 

The second my knees touch the hard floor beneath me though, held in place and unable to move, my body goes rigid.

Because in that moment I’m no longer in the communal bathroom at Camp Half-Blood, no, I’m back at the apartment in New York with Gabe, and Gabe is going to hurt me and I can't get away. 

I can't get away. 

The ground begins to tremble, softly at first, until what feels like a minor earthquake causes the stall doors to bang noisily and objects to fall off shelves. The kids holding me down nearly lose their balance at the sudden force of the movement. 

I can't breathe. I need an out. I need to get away. 

I need-

There’s a sudden rushing in my ears and tugging sensation in my gut as water erupts from the toilets and the pipes, arching upward as four separate tendrils launch themselves at each of the Ares girls. Two of them are thrown clear out of the bathroom, one slams into the wall. Clarisse manages to stay in place, but she's soaked. I can hear their enraged shouts as I quickly scrambles out of the stall and into the nearest corner, a choked sob escaping him. 

As soon as they were out of the door, the tug in my gut lessened and the water shut off as quickly as it had started.

The entire bathroom was a mess, even Annabeth hadn’t been spared. She was dripping wet, still standing in the corner where she’d been watching the so called initiation through her fingers.

I calmed myself enough to realize that I was sitting in one of the only dry spots in the whole room. There was a circle of dry floor around me, and sitting a couple feet away was-

My sketchbook!

I scramble to pick it up, amazed when it was as dry as I was, seeming no worse for wear.

I clutched it to my chest, turning back to where Annabeth was staring at me in shock.

“How did you…”

‘I don’t know.’ I lie, having a feeling that it was due to my parentage.

We walked to the door, my legs shaky. Outside Clarisse and her sisters were still sprawled in the mud. A bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk at the soaking wet girls.

Clarisse looked up as we approached, giving me a look of consideration and anger.

“You are dead, new girl. You are so totally dead.”

I got the feeling that I’d just made a dangerous enemy but… only a temporary one. What I’d seen earlier… No, Clarisse didn’t mean to hurt me. Not truly.

Annabeth stared at me silently. I couldn’t tell if she was angry that I’d doused her or trying to figure out how I’d done it.

Had she expected something like this? Was that why she had stepped aside earlier? Watching instead of helping? Was she trying to figure out my potential parents? Did anyone other than Chiron, Grover, and Di even know that I have two divine parents?

I felt a sting in my chest, and knew I was correct. She’d been willing to let me get dunked in the toilet all in a bid to try and figure out who my parent was. I breathe deeply, she’ll change. I know she’ll change, that doesn’t make me feel any better though.

‘What?’ My face was set in a scowl, but I was tired, so sue me for being a little short with the girl who stood there and watched as I almost got fucking swirlied.

“I think I want you on my team for capture the flag.”

I let out a sharp breath. ‘Right, whatever. Thanks for the help.’

I turned smoothly on my heel, heading in the direction of the canoe lake.

“You handled it just fine on your own.” Annabeth caught up to me, still dripping wet.

I snorted. ‘Just because I could handle it on my own doesn’t mean I should’ve had too.’

Annabeth was silent for a moment after that. 

“I’ve got training to do,” her voice was flat. She split from my side.

I sigh, closing my eyes.

I make a small noise to gain her attention, ‘I’m sorry. About the toilets.’ Annabeth leveled me with a look that I couldn’t  quite decipher. After a couple seconds, she gave me a terse nod before continuing to walk away.

Whatever. I tried.

I sat down at the edge of the pier, letting my legs dangle in the water as I placed my sketchbook carefully on the wood next to me.

Two naiads sat at the base of the pier, weaving baskets out of the floating kelp that was growing near them. Their eyes gleamed in the water as they looked up at me, smiling and waving like we were long lost friends, and considering who my parents were we might as well have been.

I felt a small smile flit across my face, I wave back.

“What are your names?” I whisper, dipping my fingers into the water, feeling a little like an idiot trying to talk to two naiads twenty feet underwater. Maybe they had their own language? Was that what Halmaheran was? Thankfully though, the naiads seemed to not only hear me, but they also understood English. They glanced at each other, and then both kicked off the bottom of the lake.

The lake rippled gently as their heads broke the surface of the water. They were gorgeous.

“Hi,” I felt a lot more shy now that they were so close to me.

“I’m, uh, Persi. It’s nice to meet you.” I whisper.

“The pleasure is ours, Soha Avineh( little princess). I’m Kaiana(KY-ah-nah), and this is my younger sister Halia(hah-LEE-ah).” Kaiana’s voice felt like a refreshing mist settling across my skin, as soothing to me as her gentle stream.

I blushed, and Halia giggled from her spot next to her sister, the sound like raindrops pattering on the surface of the lake, more lively than her sister.

“I didn’t mean to bother you, I just wanted to say hi, really. And ask for your names.” I murmured, noticing that the sisters had abandoned their basket weaving to come to the surface to speak with me.

“Oh, it’s just basket weaving, you are far more important, Avineh (princess).” Kaiana told me with a soft smile.

“Seems pretty impressive to me, I have no idea how you guys do it.” Halia smiled, exchanging a mischievous glance with Kaiana.

“We can teach you!” 

“Wh-”

Barely a second later I was being dragged into the lake with an undignified squawk. The water was cool, a soothing balm to my still frazzled nerves.

I shook my head, opening my eyes to see the two sisters grinning cheekily at me.

They beckoned me further down into the water, like they wanted me to join them at their previous spot at the base of the pier.

I frown, glancing back up at the surface. I was a child of the sea, but did that truly mean I could stay under here?{ Did not Theseus, my half brother, drown in the same waters that should have welcomed him? }

Just breathe, darling princess.

The voice was familiar, a low tenor that sent me back to some of my earliest memories. A warm glow above me, a hand brushing across my temple.

Breathe, dearest pearl.

The second voice is just as familiar, a soft tone, lighter and feminine. A cool glow right next to the first one, a hand grabbing my own.

Oh.

Oh .

I glance back down at the naiads settling down on the floor of the lake. My lungs were beginning to burn, but I thought back to the voices still echoing in my ears.

Time to take a leap of faith, then. Time to trust my parents.

It was odd, forcing myself to actively breathe in water, but it felt natural. As natural as breathing on land, even more so, really.

“A warning would’ve been nice,” I let a small smile light up my face at the naiad’s laughs, my voice echoing oddly through the water.

“The tongue of land does not work well down here, Avineh(Princess)” Kaiana says softly.

“Rav opu rik roti halmaheran, Avineh? (do you not know halmaheran, princess?)” Halia blinks curiously.

My eyebrows furrow, that… was that the language that I’d been learning? I’ve never heard it spoken out loud before. I bit my lip before, “T-tata, Tav komeli (Y-yes, we learn).” I speak with a stutter, a rare thing for me to do.

“La! Ta hovi...(Oh! I see...)” Kaiana hums.

“Hapeti rik, tav meye orokio opu!” Halia exclaims excitedly!

Kaiana giggles, “She said ‘Worry not, we will teach you’. And it's ‘Tata, ta komeli’ not ‘tata, tav komeli’. Ta is I, tav is we.” She speaks gently.

“La…(Oh…)” I nod, “Okay! I can’t wait to learn with actual teachers instead of from a book!”

So while teaching me to weave baskets, which somehow included braiding my hair , they also began to teach me how to speak the language of the sea. Halmaheran .

I could’ve stayed down there for hours but eventually the sisters sent me back up to the surface so I could make it back to cabin eleven in time to head to dinner. I ask them to watch my duffle and my moms bags, grabbing my sketchbook as I head back up to the surface.

I broke the surface quietly, checking to make sure that no one was nearby to watch me pull myself completely dry from the lake.

I laugh to myself, sending a final parting wave to Kaiana and Halia before grabbing my sketchbook and heading back to my temporary cabin.

Word must’ve spread about the incident at the bathrooms though, given the looks my cabin mates were sending me as I walked through the door. Or maybe it was the new hairstyle that I definitely couldn’t have done myself.

Thankfully, they didn’t seem to be laughing at me anymore. A couple of them even sent me smiles, so I figured my actions had done me some good. {Ignoring the panic attack I nearly had.}

I had barely sat down on my spot on the floor when Luke popped up next to me .

“Got you a sleeping bag,” he said. “And also, stole you some toiletries from the camp store.” Luke presented them with a flourish. I giggled at his exaggerated dramatics.

‘Thanks you’

“No prob,” Luke sat down next to me, leaning his back against the wall, he was so close we were nearly touching.

“Tough first day?”

‘You could say that again,’ I sigh.

“It’s always difficult in the beginning. And even once you’ve been here awhile… it doesn’t always get easier.” There was a bitterness in Luke’s voice that sent a chill down my spine.

‘Reassuring.’

Luke looked managed a smile then. “Don’t worry too much about it, Sephie. The campers here, they’re all good people. We’re all family, right? We take care of each other.”

“Sephie?” I question softly.

He grins, “So you do speak!” He tilts his head, “Yeah, I heard Chiron say your name was Persephone and everyone else calls you Persi but that's boring! And so, Sephie,” He pauses and looks at me, slightly unsure, “If that’s okay?”

I smile softly at him, glad and grateful that Luke seemed to understand how lost I felt. That he was going out of his way to make me feel better. That, despite how little space the Hermes cabin had, Luke had still welcomed me with open arms. He’d been nicer than any other camper had bothered to be with me all day. 

So I nod, “Yeah… as long as it’s just you.”

“Of course Sephie.”

“What’s your full name?”

He smirks, “Not gonna give you all that but my full first name is Lukas.”

I hum, everyone calls him Luke but I wanted something for us, the way Sephie is, maybe not too different though... “Can I call you Kas? Since you’re calling me Sephie…”

He smiles, “Sure Sephie, whatever you want.” We fall into a comfortable silence for a minute.

“So your dad is Hermes… the wing footed messenger?”

Kas’ face tensed minutely, eyes darkening, though to anyone else he would have looked just as relaxed as before.

“Yeah, that’s him. Messengers. Trickery. Travelers, merchants, thieves. Anybody who uses the roads. That’s why you’re here, enjoying cabin 11’s hospitality. Hermes isn’t picky about who he sponsors.”

Ouch, touchy topic then.

“That’s cool I guess. Still think we could build another cabin. Or use an empty one…”

Kas snorted, his shoulders easing back down. The bitterness in his eyes lightened, so I considered it a win.

“Maybe we’ll take you with us to Olympus next time there’s a meeting,” he said. “You’ve got that look on your face that makes me think you could get their approval.”

“You mean the look of pleasing authority through genius, or the look of ‘I don’t care what you’re going to say, I’m telling you I’m doing this, not asking permission, and you can be happy about it,’?” I said dryly, and Kas grinned.

“Both.” He snickered and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. I giggle.

Kas smiles before looking up. “Perfect, come on, you made it just in time for dinner.” As if waiting for his words a loud horn blew in the distance. A conch shell, I knew, despite never having heard one before.

“Eleven, fall in!” Kas yelled, and the whole cabin rushed to file out the door. They lined up in order of seniority, which meant that I was dead last.

The other cabins joined us as we marched up the hill to the mess hall pavilion. Satyrs trotted in from the meadow, dryads melting from the trees to traipse after the goatmen- and women.

I spotted several naiads, including my two new friends, Kaiana and Halia, emerging from the lake. Halia craned her head in my direction and when she spotted me she sent me an enormous grin and a wave.

I waved back, giggling as Halia winked exaggeratedly at me.

The kid in front of me in line looked back, raising an eyebrow curiously at the sight of me waving at one of the naiads.

“Careful with the naiads, they’re terrible flirts.”

I blush but can feel a wave of indignation rise in me. “I wasn’t, and you shouldn’t talk about them like that…”

The kid laughed at me, but the light in his eyes was friendly.

“Chris, unclaimed. And I guess you’re right, sorry to offend.” The guy- Chris, introduced himself, turning and walking backwards so that he could hold out his hand for me to shake.

“Ah, Persi. Also unclaimed.”

“You don’t say?” Chris grinned at me, prompting another blush.

Chris was nice to talk to, cracking jokes with me all the way up the hill like the two of us were old friends. When we finally reached the Hermes table, the unclaimed demigod gestured for me to sit near him. Kas settled down across from Chris, sending both Chris and I a grin as he did so.

I pause, there was barely any room on either side, I bite my lip, unsure as to what to do without sitting and hanging off an edge.

Kas must have noticed my plight because he gave me a sympathetic smile, “You can take my seat, I’ll sit at the edge.”

I hesitated, “Really?”

“Sure.” He grinned at me, looking amused, “C’mon.” He slid off the bench and lightly pushed me so that I was now sitting between him and a young unclaimed girl.

I give Kas a grateful smile, “Thank you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, nothing to thank me for.”

I would disagree, but for once I decided not to argue, I was wedged like a sardine between the girl and Kas but it was better than sitting with my ass hanging off the edge.

I looked around, spotting Grover seated at table twelve with Di, the rest of the satyrs, and two blond boys who must’ve been Di’s sons.

Annabeth was seated at table six with a bunch of serious looking athletic kids, all with the same gray eyes and blond hair.{They have another thing in common, they all have the same face shape… like a girl I once saw in a vision, like me. Maybe they were modeled after someone? After her After Pallas.}

Clarisse looked like she’d already forgotten being hosed down, laughing as she and her siblings arm wrestled each other over at the Ares table.

Chris nearly knocked over my cup accidentally as he reached for his own cup, bringing my attention back to the Hermes table.

It didn’t seem fair, I thought as I looked at the cramped Hermes table. There was barely enough room for all of us to sit, pressed up against each other from knees to shoulders.

I thought we’d all be far more comfortable if we were allowed to mingle with the other cabins at meals, and hey, it might even help us all get along with each other better instead of mainly talking to the campers in their cabin. They were all siblings. Only socializing with siblings doesn’t seem very healthy.

Just another thing to add to my growing list of ✨Changes✨; Kas’ snort at my face means he probably picked up on some of my thought process.

Good, maybe he’d help me.

When everyone was seated Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor and everybody fell silent. He raised a glass. “To the gods!” 

“To the gods!” We echoed, I was only a second behind.

Kas clinked his glass against the empty one in my hand. “Speak to it. Whatever you want, non-alcoholic of course.” He winked at me.

I thought for a moment before turning back to my glass.

“Cherry Coke.”

Sure enough, the goblet filled with the fizzy soda.

Hmmm. Idea .

“Blue Cherry Coke.” The soda turned a violent shade of cobalt.

Awesome.

I took a cautious sip, smiling at the taste. A snort came from the boy in front of me.

“You’re a weird kid, Persi.” I smile at my new friend.

The tables have platters of food, far more food than I’m used to seeing and having access too. Around me no one hesitates to pile food onto their plates, seemingly used to this. I stare at it all uneasily.

Our family wasn’t poor and Mama and Papi certainly sent enough to supplement what Gabe got rid of but… {But that doesn’t mean that Gabe always lets me eat, that doesn’t mean that I have a healthy relationship with food, that doesn’t mean that there weren’t some days where we were on a budget }. It’s just a lot.

Kas, watching the way I avoid making a plate of my own yet, leans in a little closer. 

“The plates are enchanted, you know. If there's nothing here you like or if it’s too much of a selection you can just ‘order’ something else.”

Enchanted plates? How Harry Potter of them.

I grimace and shake my head. “I'm not really hungry. I’ll just… decide on something.”

That's not entirely true. I’m positive that I haven't eaten much of anything since I got to camp. A familiar hunger gnaws at me, and for a moment I’m tempted to change my mind, to just eat the first thing that looks good. But I can't convince myself to do it, can’t get rid of the years of ingrained training to be cautious around food. 

Kas frowns. “You haven't eaten all day, Sephie,” he scolds. "You have to eat."

I shrug. "I'm good." 

Kas studies me for a moment, eyes narrowed in suspicion. With a deep inhale, he nods to himself before snatching the plate that sits in front of me. Against my will Kas proceeds to fix a plate for me as I watch in shock. It's sat back down with a pointed look directed my way. 

“You're gonna eat at least some of that,” Kas tells me, pointing a fork at me for emphasis. “But first, burnt offerings for the gods. They like the smell.” Kas murmured in my ear as we stood up.

I’m sure they actually don’t, as the food didn’t seem to burn so much as disappear into the flame, but I wasn’t going to argue against the one who had been there longer. 

I hummed. “Like the sacrifices they used to do in the old days.”

Kas gave me an approving glance. “Exactly. You burn the thing or things you’ll miss most, then they know you mean what you’re about to say, so they listen.”

“Maybe,” Chris leaned into my other side with a wry grin.

Luke approached the fire, bowed his head, and tossed in a cluster of fat red grapes. “Hermes.”

My turn. I breathe for a second before tossing in a few different pieces. Socusing first on Hestia, as is right, I drop a nice piece of bread into the brazier. Tía Hestia, thanks for earlier. I’ll be sure to stop by and talk again sometime soon , I promised before moving onto my next offering.

I threw in some strawberries, Hermes, thank you for letting me sleep in your cabin. Please tell your children not to steal from me .

Next I pluck a handful of plum grapes off my plate and drop them in. Lord Di, Thanks for the cup and thank you for your kindness . 

Finally I threw in the biggest and juiciest piece of meat I had on my plate. Mother, Father. I love you, I won’t tell anyone who you are and I am waiting for your instructions on what to do. May we speak soon.

The smell of the fire should have been overpowering, but it was washed with the smell of bread, strawberries, and grapes. A breeze smelling of the sea passes me, ruffling my loose hair. I smile, my parents are watching over me, in their own way.

Two more boys have joined the table when I came back. They look so similar that for a second I think they’re twins. But the closer I look at them, the easier I can spot the subtle differences between the two of them. They have matching grins that promise mischief will follow wherever they go.

“Hey!” they greet at the same time, smiling at me like we’re already friends. Normally I wouldn’t be sure if I could trust it, Normally I would think that this is some ploy to lull me into a false sense of security before they rob me blind or play a prank on me. But as with some of the others I can just tell that we’ll be great friends. Chris too.

“My younger brothers. Travis, and Connor,” Kas introduces.

‘Hello.’ I give a shy little wave back. It seems like everyone here knows sign language.

“We've heard all about it,” the one Kas identified as Connor says. “Did you really blast Clarisse and her sisters with toilet water?”

“Wish I could have seen it,” Travis cackles. 

‘I don't think the plumbing exploding was my fault. It's probably just old pipes?’

“How did you do it?” they ask as if I hadn't just said that I had no idea what happened two seconds ago.

I shrug. ‘I really don't know. Probably just faulty plumbing.’

“Sure, sure. We definitely believe you, Persi.” Their tone says they do not believe me in the slightest. And honestly, I wouldn’t believe me either.

The maybe twins definitely brothers glance at each other again, sharing a look before turning back to me once more. “But even if you really didn't blast them with toilet water. It's okay, we took care of it. They won’t bother you anymore!”

Kas freezes mid bite, eyeing them suspiciously. “And what do you mean by that?" he asks his brothers. 

Travis leans across the table, a grin on his face as he whispers, “We may have filled the Ares cabin with scorpions.”

Besides me Kas lets out a resigned groan, burying his face in his hands. 

“I… you what?” 

“Scorpions. The cabin is full of them. Get ready for all the yelling when they finally head back after dinner,” Connor says, a matching grin on his face. 

“But where did you get that many scorpions?” I ask, mostly curious, somewhat disturbed. 

“We have our ways.”

“But don't worry! They're not super deadly-”

“And there's worse things we could have filled their cabin with.” 

“Yeah, exactly! So don't worry so much. We got them back for you and no one is going to die.”

“Probably,” Travis adds jokingly, as an afterthought. 

I stare at the two sons of Hermes completely bewildered by their tale. They filled the Ares cabin with scorpions to get back at them for being mean to me? To get back at them on my behalf when I hadn't even asked? It's a strange concept to think about; someone concerned enough about the fact that people were jerks to me to obtain an unholy amount of stinging arachnid creatures and release them into the wild of their house.

I smile softly, maybe it was extreme but it felt nice to be protected like that. Still, if they had time to do all of that then they probably did some other stuff too… I made a resolve to check on my bag when we got back to the cabin. At least I know my sketchbook is safe and sound in my pocket.

When we all returned to our seats and finished eating our meals Chiron pounded his hoof again.

Di got up with a huge sigh. “Yes, I suppose I’d better say hello to all of you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels.”

The children of Ares let out raucous cheers.

“Personally,” Di continued dryly, “I couldn’t care less, but congratulations.”

My lip twitches, though I watch the god closely.

That sour wine smell was back in my nose. It was like the god was sick, or waning. His form flickered between the trailer park cherub and a young effeminate man wearing nothing but the laurel wreath and a long leopard pelt. But eventually settled on the younger form.

No one else seemed to notice and I have the feeling that it’s not the form that most of the others seem to be seeing.

“Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today, Persi Jackson. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on.”

Kas blinks, “Huh, he never gets anyone's names right…”

Everybody cheered, and I followed the group towards the amphitheater, where Apollo’s cabin led a sing along. They sang camp songs about the gods and we ate s’mores and joked around like children. I relaxed in the chaos and the anonymity it gave me.

Bracketed by Chris and Kas, I felt less like an outsider. For the first time, the camp felt like home.

Eventually, the fire died down, and we all filed back to our cabins. There is indeed a lot of screaming and yelling as the camp settles down for the night.

It's quite the ordeal, capturing all the scorpions and removing them from the Ares cabin. Chiron gives the Stolls a harsh lecture, which I find completely unfair. Where was Chiron when I was being dragged across the camp by bigger kids and having my head nearly forced into a toilet? Too busy with his master archery class, I guess. 

Kas said that Clarisse would be taken care of, but it would still be nice if the actual adults in charge of camp would have had something to say about it.

I did notice Luke talking to Di after dinner though, so maybe one of them might actually be aware of what's going on. 

Anyway, before bed I rifle through my bookbag to see if everything is still there. I know that Hermes is the god of thieves, and I don't really like the way some of the kids in the cabin are currently snickering while they look at me, mischievous smirks on their faces.

Some, not all, of my clothes? Check. Emergency fund money? Check. Picture of my mom? Check. Personal journal with words of terror scribbled manically on every page? Also check. Art stuff from my father? Check again. Family journal and translation book-

I freeze, I can’t find them. I cant find them! I scream, “W-where are they? Who took them?!” I freak out, searching desperately for the two books and- Oh my gods my moms bracelets!

Everyone else stares at me from their bunks or their spots on the floor, “Sephie? What happened?” Kas asks gently.

“Someone took my family, my language book and-” I choke up, and the bracelets. Mami’s bracelets, one was a gift from my grandfather and the other from my grandmother. The one from grandfather had a sun on it, the one from grandmother was not only a personalized charm bracelet , but it also had a trident charm that my parents had gifted her. 

She hadn’t had the chance to put them on when we ran from Asterion, I had grabbed them at the last second. Tears fill my eyes. “And they took the two bracelets! Give them back!”

“Calm down Sephie, it was just a harmless joke-”

I nearly strangled him, I know for a fact that gifts from a person's divine parent were considered sacred at camp. “Harmless?! Those bracelets are my moms and the books were gifts from my godly parents!” In the chaos I don’t think they heard the plural form I’d used.

I address the whole cabin now, close to ransacking the place, “Give them back!”

I see the stoll brothers turn pale, immediately they dig under their beds and come forward with my things. I cling to the books even as I struggle to put the bracelets on.

“We’re so sorry! We don’t typically take anything important! It was supposed to be a joke, like welcome to the Hermes cabin, y’know? We won’t do it again!” Travis say’s, genuinely apologetic.

“Yeah, we’re really sorry Persi, we’ll make it up to you. We didn’t know…” Connor agrees contritely. 

I breathe, just grateful to have it back. It’s been so long since my voice exceeded a certain volume, ‘I’ll just consider us even after the scorpions.’ I feel too tired to even talk. 

The boys nod and everyone goes back to their routines, quickly falling asleep as I slowly go through my stuff again, satisfied now that everything is in its proper place and all too grateful that I hadn’t left my duffle bag, or my moms bag, in the cabin.

I didn’t realize how exhausted I was until I collapsed on my borrowed sleeping bag. I curled up on the sleeping bag, securing my backpack behind me so someone would have to step over me for it. I spared a single thought to hope I’d have a peaceful night’s sleep before closing my eyes.

Of course, with my so called gifts , that was too much to ask.

A figure stood in a dead end alleyway. Electricity sparked off of one of the items they clenched in their palms, casting a dim light on their surroundings.

The sky opened up above them, and the figure flinched at the sound of thunder. Wait, no- it wasn’t thunder. Something else was booming, a harsh pounding that grew louder with every heartbeat.

Footsteps.

The figure tensed, turning to face the opening of the alleyway as they readied to meet their pursuer.

The glow from the lightning bolt was shining on their face as they turned and-

I shot up, my hands rising to press against my pounding heart. I was trembling, phantom electricity still racing up my limbs even as my body goes cold. I didn’t know how long I sat in the dark of the Hermes cabin, trying to calm my nerves. There was a faint taste of blood in my mouth, but it faded the longer I was awake until I could no longer taste it.{ And yet it lingered, blood and iron and war lingered in my subconscious long after my conscious mind and body had moved on }.

That was the closest I’ve ever gotten to seeing the thief. But more importantly, my dream had shown me that the thief had almost been caught- maybe even had been caught. But if that was true then… What happened to the bolt and helm?

I lay there in the dark staring up at the ceiling, the quiet snores and faint mumbles of sleep talking the only sound.

Kas had warned me not to go outside after dark. There are harpies, apparently, that fly around at night to make sure that no one is where they're not supposed to be after dark. Sounds a little extreme to me, but it's a risk I’m probably going to take eventually. 

I’m quite fond of night walks, and I feel like sitting beside the lake at night and stargazing sounds amazing. Or maybe even sitting on the roof… I’ll have to make a nest of sorts up there, blankets and pillows, like the one I’d made at home on my fire escape.

But tonight I lay quietly in my sleeping bag, mind racing as I go over the events of the day. Today kinda sucked. I want to go home, I want my mom.

I turn on my side with a quiet groan. I just want my mind to turn off for once. I want to close my eyes and not think anymore about the shitshow that was today, to not be forced to dream about a theft that I want absolutely nothing to do with.

A familiar itch rises inside of me, one I’ve been trying to ignore since I woke up. I know that I’ll never get to sleep unless I can get it all out though.

As quietly as I can manage I fish my sketchbook and a pencil from my bag and scooch down until the material of the sleeping bag is covering my head. I switch on the small flashlight I had in my bag and angle it so I can see the page. 

I draw, my hand practically moving of its own accord.

The visions that I had dreamt just moments earlier, the oracle that I knew was in the attic, random things that keep flashing in my mind as I think about everything I’ve seen; I also grab my journal and write down all of the words that I’d heard in my head.

My hand flies across the pages and before I know it four pages of my sketchbook have been filled with frantically drawn images of things I haven't seen before and an entire page of my journal has been filled with words that I don't currently understand. 

I’m so lost in my work that I don't hear the quiet footsteps approaching, and I don't notice the tall figure standing over me until there's a soft thump next to me. 

I jolt back to the present moment, poking my head out from my cover and looking around in a panic. It's just Kas, dressed in his pajamas, hair mussed from his pillow. He's dropped another sleeping bag next to mine. I sigh.

“Scooch,” Kas orders softly, lightly shoving me over as he begins to roll out his sleeping bag. 

“Kas? What’re you doing?” I ask softly.

“Shh!” the boy holds a finger to his lips. “Just setting up my stuff.” He sinks down onto the ground with a quiet grunt when he's finished, flopping onto his back.

“But you have a bed,” I whisper in confusion.

“I know. But there's nothing like a good slumber party on the floor every now and then,” he laughs softly, turning over on his side to face me. He leans closer, voice becoming even quieter as he dramatically looks around like he expects someone to be listening in. “Besides, I'm right next to Chris and he snores like a beast. I'm surprised he doesn't inhale his blankets when he sleeps. A sound that horrendous just can't be healthy!”

I stifle a startled giggle with my hand.

“Whatever. Enjoy your time down here on the cold, hard floor with us peasants then I guess,” I tease softly before I duck back into my sleeping bag to continue scribbling and drawing my jumbled thoughts down. 

The words are written in a long forgotten script, a version of Greek I’m sure. Scholars call it "Luwian", the Trojan's just called their dialect the language of the people. Due to my abilities these languages come just as naturally to me as Ancient Greek does.  Also, it's not like strange people I meet in my dreams suddenly know English. My options are to stand there looking dumb or to figure out what they're saying. I learned a lot of languages that way.

All I know is that it's a dead language that no one besides me at this camp should be able to read and understand, maybe Di too now that I think about it. I should probably make more of an effort to hide the manic ramblings written in Ancient Greek and Latin and a few other languages in case people rifle through my bags again when I’m not here. Especially with the children of the god of language around, who knows what they’ll be able to understand.

The sleeping bag is suddenly tugged back down and I stare at the grinning face of Kas. 

“Can I help you?” I ask in mild annoyance. 

“What are you still doing awake, Sephie?”

I shrug. “Can't sleep.”

“The first night- well first real night in camp for you I suppose, is always the hardest,” Kas continues.

“I guess.”

“Is it about earlier?”

“No.”

“I know we just met, but I am your head counselor. If you need to talk about it-”

“I have insomnia.” I say instead.

“Fair enough,” Kas shrugs, though I can still see the concern etched on his face. “Just thought I’d offer, in case it was nerves or something. And the offer still stands if you change your mind later.”

I’m quiet for a moment, eyes searching Kas's face for any hint of a lie, of teasing, of anything suspicious. But all I see is genuine concern and kindness directed my way. It's all so… strange. I’ve never had friends before… {You shall be betrayed by one whom you call a friend… I ignored the voice in my head for the first time since I realized that I can see the future}.

“I have dreams, sometimes.” The words spill out of my mouth before I can stop them, before I can regret them. “Bad dreams. I don't like to sleep, it’s not just my insomnia…” I’m not sure why I’m telling Luke this. I'd known Grover for months before confiding in him about even the smallest things. “I can't make them stop.” 

I think back to when I was five and all green invaded my vision. When I was seven and I knew May Castellan's name. When I was nine and watching Thalia and Kas and Annabeth run to camp. When I was twelve and watched a failed quest, I watched as Kas gained his scar. I think back to all of that and think maybe… I’ve known him for far longer than even Grover, and maybe that’s why I trust him? { Despite the slight feeling of unease I get when looking at him }.

Kas listens patiently until I’m done, a look of gentle understanding on his face.

“Demigods have bad dreams. They're not fun, but you get used to them after a while,” Kas tells me.

I just nod. I know that the dreams I have and the dreams other demigods have aren’t the same. But I also don't want to say too much to Kas, no matter how much I trust him. Not yet, I hardly meant to say it to Gover and my mother.

“Hey,” Kas pokes me to get my attention. “You need sleep. You're exhausted. And Grover also mentioned you're still not feeling great and should be getting as much rest as possible."

Dammit, Grover. When did he even talk to Kas? 

“But-”

“But nothing,” he says firmly in that firm ‘I’ve taken care of kids for years’ tone of his. He reaches out and plucks the sketchbook out of my hands despite my protests. “You can finish writing or drawing or whatever you’re doing in the morning. For now, you need to sleep.”

“Fine,” I huff. “Just put it near my bag.”

“Sure, Sephie.”

We fall into a comfortable silence after that, both of us on our sides facing each other. Kas has his eyes closed, his breathing is steady, but I can tell that he’s still awake. 

“Kas?”

“Hm?” he says immediately. 

“You're really just gonna stay down here with me?”

“Yeah,” he says sincerely with a soft laugh. “I promise.”

And for some reason this makes me feel safe, “Okay.”

I snuggle down into the sleeping bag with a quiet sigh, sketchbook lying forgotten on the floor near my bag as the exhaustion finally catches up with me. My eyes flutter closed.

I fall asleep to the gentle sound of Kas humming an unfamiliar tune. 

I didn't dream anymore that night.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Thursday May 28, 2015 - General Time}

Just because I didn’t dream does not mean I slept through the night. Despite being more comfortable and having Kas’ reassurances I still managed to wake up like an hour before sunrise, just drawing absently. No visions this time, thankfully, just drawing for fun in my regular sketchbooks. Not the one I suspect of being enchanted.

Kas sat up as the sun’s rays inched their way across the floor, stretching as he sat up on his sleeping bag. He must not have expected me to be awake after last night, I guess most would sleep in as long as they could after an eventful day like yesterday, because he paused as he locked eyes with me.

The son of Hermes raised an eyebrow curiously, but I only shrugged back at him, fiddling with the bracelets on my wrist. Kas frowned and let out a resigned sigh, but he got up and grabbed something hidden under his bunk.

He was smirking as he came back up holding something small in his hands, and he mimed covering his ears to me.

I did so hesitantly, and as soon as my ears were covered properly Kas pressed down on what he was holding.

Instant chaos.

The airhorn let out a piercing blast that had every sleeping camper shooting up in their beds like they’d been electrocuted.

At least two kids were screeching loud enough to rival the airhorn as their legs got caught up in their sleeping bag and sent them tumbling back to the floor. Three more kids came up swinging, thankfully without any actual weapons in their hands.

I tried desperately not to laugh as Chris rolled around, struggling to get out of his sleeping bag and cursing Kas out all the while.

The noise stopped seconds later, and I dropped my hands from my ears.

Kas was laughing hysterically, and I couldn’t stop myself from giggling as the other campers tried to recover from their rude awakening.

Chris grumbled as he crawled out of his sleeping bag, narrowing his eyes at me. I give him a sweet smile and he seemingly deflates.

“Good morning, campers.” Kas clapped as he regained his own composure, though he was still smiling widely.

Several of the campers were still glaring and cursing quietly at Kas, but they quieted as he continued talking.

“We’ve got Music first thing after breakfast and then canoeing and trireme practice so make sure you’re ready to get wet. We’re leaving for breakfast in half an hour so get to it!” There was a mad scramble to the bathrooms at the back of the cabin, but I stayed in my spot by the wall.

Kas made his way over to me a couple minutes later, crouching down next to where I was putting my sneakers on. I’d decided to just wear a pair of shorts and one of the camp shirts that someone had given me, the color was disgusting but it was whatever.

“It’s not often someone’s up before me. Especially considering our conversation last night… Unless they’re an Apollo kid, up with the sun and all, but they’re generally claimed pretty quick…” Kas trailed off meaningfully.

‘Insomnia,’ I answered simply. 

Kas gave a sympathetic hum. “Not much I can do to help with that, I’m afraid, but I will warn you again not to leave the cabin at night if you can’t sleep. I wouldn’t care, personally, but the cleaning harpies are pretty strict about campers leaving at night so they’d try to eat you if they spotted you. Most cabins have a small living room area in them that you could hang out in so you don’t have to sit in the dark, but we had to expand our sleeping area in there so you’re fresh out of luck.”

There was a bitterness in Kas' voice as he explained their lack of space, but I understood. The Hermes cabin was full to the brim, and only about half of their campers were actually children of Hermes.

“I’m used to it, really, it’s fine.” Persi shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal which, after years of dealing with only a couple hours of sleep a night, it really wasn’t.

“Right well, let me know if there is anything I can do to help you.” Kas gave Persi a parting pat on the leg before standing up to go break up a budding fight with two of the other campers.

Chris eventually joined me, looking less rumpled from his fight with his own sleeping bag, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. 

“How much sleep did you get last night?”

“Enough,” I roll my eyes at Chris’ disbelieving snort. Warmth filled my chest. Nobody except my mom and Grover have ever cared about me like this before. I know my parents must care but still, they’re not actually here, are they? I fiddle with my necklace, one of the many gifts they’d given me

“Let’s go, cabin eleven!” I lined up behind Chris and the rest of the cabin as the conch shell blew to signify breakfast.

The second we entered the dining area I saw Annabeth making a beeline towards me. I haven't spoken directly to Annabeth since the incident in the bathrooms yesterday. I'd seen her at dinner, but she hadn't seemed keen on speaking with me. 

Which is fair, I suppose. I also might not want to speak to the Person who drenched me in gallons of filthy toilet water. And I really don’t want to talk to the girl that decided to just sit and watch as I was bullied. Still…

“Look, Annabeth. I'm sorry about the toilets, okay? It wasn't my fault,” I speak before she gets the chance to open her mouth, hoping to smooth over whatever argument is about to erupt before it begins.

“Whatever.”

“I'm serious! I don't know what happened!” Which was a lie but whatever.

She looks at me skeptically, like she could tell I was lying. Okay, fair, plumbing doesn't explode like that for no reason. It certainly doesn't send targeted blasts of water at people. No. The water had responded to me, to my fear and desperation to escape. Just like it had responded to my anger at Nancy all those weeks ago in front of the museum. And the shaking- I hadn't thought much of it at the time. I tried to brush it off as a result of the exploding pipes. But the earth beneath me had been shaking enough to throw people off their feet and knock things over. 

I’d caused it. 

Me . What else did I inherit from my parents? How powerful would I be?

“Annabeth…” I start, not knowing what to say or how to make this better. As upset as I was, I don't want her to hate me!

“Whatever,” she says again, effectively cutting me off as she crosses her arms. “That's not what I'm here to talk about anyway.”

I blink, feeling a mixture of relief that this wasn't going to be a fight and trepidation at what Annabeth actually wanted to discuss . “Then what do you want?”

“You need to talk to the Oracle.”

“I’m sorry?” She couldn’t possibly mean the Oracle of Delphi!

“Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron.”

I sigh deeply, staring past Annabeth and at the lake, wondering what mockumentary I’ve been cast in against my will. I long for the day someone will give me a straight answer about anything in this place. I don’t want to be caught as a seer just because I know something that I realistically shouldn’t.

I see a group of naiads hanging out around the pier, staring back at me. They wave excitedly, I automatically wave back, a smile on my face.

Annabeth scoffs. “Please don't encourage the naiads. They're all terrible flirts.”

“I'm just being polite. You should try it.”

Annabeth glares at me in response and I stare right back at her. Go head, tell me I’m wrong. I’m still not in the mood for this. The more encounters like this, the more I consider just leaving to find my mother alone. I must’ve accidentally said something out loud, something I’ve never done before, because Annabeth responds to me. 

“You could leave, but it would be suicide. And you would have to get Chiron or Mr. D’s permission. But they wouldn't give you permission until the end of the summer session unless…”

“Unless?”

“Unless you're given a quest. But that hasn't happened in a long time. And the last time it was… well…” she trails off uncomfortably. Right, Luke’s quest…

“Yeah, well, I'm not looking to go on a ‘quest’ anytime soon, so I guess that means I'm stuck here for forever.” There was no way in hell I was going on any type of quest, I would not open myself up to a hero's fate. A seer’s fate or a mortal’s fate, those were the ones for me… hopefully.

Annabeth shrugs. “It depends actually. Some of us only stay for the summer. If you're a child of Demeter or Aphrodite for example, you're probably not that powerful. The monsters wouldn't notice you as much, so you could live in the mortal world with a few months of training each year.”

I stare at her in disbelief at that statement. Does Annabeth not realize that she’s talking about actual deities? Olympian goddesses, at that? Two of the eldest goddesses in the pantheon! The goddess born of a primordial and the second daughter of Kronos and Rhea, a Kronide… Is she kidding?!

I know for a fact that in ancient times, when the gods featured far more prominently than they do now in everyday life, as actual deities venerated by the masses and not reduced to classical mythology, a comment like that might have spelled Annabeth's doom. Are Demeter and Aphrodite not worthy of the same praise as her own mother? In fact, are they not worthy of higher praises?

I have always had such love for the gods, most if not all of them. When I was just a child I worshiped many and even now my mom and I made sure to give them the respect they were due, and now that I needn’t hide anymore I planned to get right back into my own personal brand of worship. Still, even when avoiding them I was not so stupid as to underestimate them just because of the domains they hold. After all, even the most unassuming domain could be powerful when in the hands of a vengeful deity.

“I mean, I wouldn't call kids of the goddess who could cause mass famine and death, or the goddess of one of the most powerful emotions that has literally caused centuries of war and destruction at times, not that powerful. The lady of love is literally one of the most ancient goddesses in the pantheon, if you think about it. And the lady of the harvest is a kronide. It feels a little… rude, and incorrect to say that their children aren’t powerful. But you do you I guess…”

Annabeth pulls a face, and I can tell that she’s not used to having people challenge her opinion on things. It must be exhausting, believing you know everything and constantly having to prove that you're right. Well she doesn’t need to worry about that for much longer, I’m right here to knock her down a bit. I swear this should’ve been Thalia’s job.

“Well- well wait until you meet some of their kids! You might just change your mind,” she huffs, eyes drifting over a group of campers also making their way to the dining pavilion. The oldest one is a pretty girl with long black hair, she honestly reminds me of my mother in a way. She’s chatting animatedly with some of her siblings. All of them unnaturally pretty with inviting smiles and an aura that is hard to ignore, an aura tinged with the sea.

The black haired girl catches my gaze and gives me a cheerful wave as they continue on their way.

Aphrodite’s, they must be.

I can kind of see how one might assume that they are less of a threat; softer looking, a stronger focus on their appearance despite the fact that running around camp all day might undo their hard work. But some of the prettiest things in nature tend to be the most deadly, even the most gorgeous of roses have thorns after all. The unsuspecting find this out the hard way. They sort of remind me of… well, me . To be underestimated because of your appearance is such a… powerful thing.

“So, the… thing you wanted to talk to me about,” I start, trying to get us back on track before Annabeth talks too loudly and gets us both beat up or smote. “Does all of this have something to do with the summer solstice deadline that you were asking me about when I was in the infirmary?” She had been so insistent. If she's suddenly so eager to go on a quest, it has to be about the theft over the winter solstice, the summer solstice must be a deadline that Uncle Z or Father put in place for something. Even Chiron and Grover seem concerned.

Annabeth's eyes light up and I knew I had fucked up somewhere. “Aha! So you do know something!” she exclaims.

I shake my head quickly, nope, not gonna get involved with that . “Not really-”

The eagle and the horse speed towards each other on a beach. Lightning flashes in the sky and the earth trembles beneath my feet. 

“Give it back!” a voice roars.

A dog growls in the background, watching, waiting, biding his time…

“But I remember you asking me something about the solstice deadline, whatever that means. Wish I knew, but I don't think I can help.” I lie, you know, like a liar.

Annabeth clenches her fists in frustration. “Yeah, well, I wish I knew too. Chiron and the satyrs know something, but they won't tell me. Something is really wrong on Olympus. Everything seemed fine the last time I was there, but clearly something went wrong during their council meeting.”

“You've actually been to Olympus?” I ask, not being able to fathom actually entering the home of the gods, seeing the very seats of their power.

“Some of us year rounders- like Luke, Clarisse, and I- we get to take a field trip to Olympus during the winter solstice. It's when they hold their annual council meeting. But right after we came back everything went wrong. The weather’s been crazy, people’ve been caught in the crossfire and died. I've overheard the satyrs talking about something being stolen, but I can't be sure.”

She looks at me.

“I thought that we might be able to work together. When you showed up I was hoping- well, I mean, Athena can get along with most people, rivalries aside. I just thought that if you actually knew something we might be able to do something.” Annabeth looks at me, determination in her voice yet fear and worry in her eyes. That, more than anything, is what made me truly wish I could help. “I have to get a quest. I'm not too young! If Chiron would just tell me what needs to be done-”

“Have you considered he's not telling you for a reason?” I ask, kinder than I had been just moments ago. “That maybe it's too dangerous for you to be involved in? You may want to get a quest, but you also just said that we'll probably die outside of this camp.”

“Shut up Jackson! You don't understand. You keep saying how stupid these quests are, but one day you'll see how important they can be. How much it matters.” She fixes me with a stern look. “I don't know how you're involved in all this, but you are. You need to speak with the Oracle.”

“What Oracle?” I ask, trying to maintain my cover even though I know what oracle… I can feel her.

Annabeth looks at me like I’m dumb. “The Oracle of Delphi, of course. Apollo's oracle. What other oracle would I be talking about?”

So many others, Delphi was not the only one after all, just the most famous. I mean, there was the Oracle of Dodona, dedicated to Lady Rhea. The Oracle of Trophonius, located in Lebadeia. Additionally Lord Apollo also had oracles at Didyma, Mallus, Corinth, Bassae, and on the islands of Delos and Aegina. Not just Delphi.

Unbidden the thought of a young girl, cursed to host Delphi until the curse was broken, dying in pain and praying to Apollo for help. He was unable to, he screamed when she first tried to move on after death and was unable, his voice making eardrums bleed as the god of Music wailed.

A woman burned at the stake for predicting a plague before it happened, Apollo’s cries could be heard as his plague ravaged all who had conspired against her. He is the god of plague, the god of illness, and disease. His prophet had tried to warn them, and so he showed no mercy.

A teenager drowning himself in a river before the invaders to his home could have their way with him, crying for his father to have mercy on those who had done no wrong, Apollo wept for his son and yet his mercy was to allow only the invaders to suffer. The sun grew hotter for weeks to torment them and yet not a single woman or child was burned. He is the god of the sun, protector of youth. He could not protect his son.

A man sitting down on the train tracks, watching listlessly as it barrels in his direction. The sound of its blaring horn music to his ears for he would rather die than be forced to give prophecies for people who sought only to harm him. He prayed to Apollo that it would be swift, Apollo cried as he sent an arrow down to make sure he would not suffer a slow death. He cursed the perpetrators, so called philosophers, to no longer be able to trust their minds. For he is the god of knowledge, the god of logic, the god of truth. And the truth was, these men were nothing but mortals trying to play at being gods.

Generation after generation of people screaming, of Apollo’s anguish, of his righteous and protective fury -

She really wants me to speak to Apollo's oracle. His only oracle in this day and age? Because I know for a fact that Apollo is currently fresh out of prophets!

I would rather not. I really don’t want to do something to either bring his attention onto me, or his wrath.

Whatever quest waits to be spoken by Apollo's poor oracle, I do not want it. And yet- You shall go west and face the god who was tricked . Nope! Do not think about it, maybe it’ll go away.

In front of me, Annabeth's face is red with outrage. She's staring at me as if I’ve lost my mind, and oh… I’d been laughing, hadn’t I. “There's nothing funny about any of this! How can you laugh when so much is at stake?” she yells.

“Then you go!” I snap back when I’m finally able to compose myself. “Go talk to the oracle and go on your stupid quest. I won't stop you. Just leave me out of it!”

Annabeth looks at me in disgust, as if I’m the most ignorant person she's ever met. “I can't believe you. Do you know how many of us want the chance to be like the heroes we read about? You have the chance to go out and stop whatever this is before it gets worse and you're just-”

“Hero is just another word for a tragedy in our world," I interject before she can finish. “And I want absolutely no part in a hero's fate. Let the gods choose someone else.” Besides, it’s not a seer or prophet’s job to do this kind of shit, maybe if I told someone then I wouldn’t have to go?

I turn around and rush back towards the Hermes table, ready to finally have breakfast. I take a few deep calming breaths. Why can't she just take a hint and leave this alone? I want no part in this. There's no way this craziness has anything to do with me personally.

Liar , my mind whispers. Why else would you be seeing so much? Especially with who you’re father is~

Chris jostled me and I blink, finally getting to eat my breakfast as I ignore the thought. Once we’re done we head to our first morning activity, music.

I remember when I was a child, I loved to sing and make music… I wanted to do so many things, before I realized what I was. And for how young I had been, I was good . A nice voice, passion, talent . But it’s been years since I last did anything of the sort, I missed it…

“This is mainly to give any unclaimed Apollo kids the opportunity to get claimed,” Kas explained as we walked into the small room in the arts and crafts building designated for music class. “The rest of us kind of just mess around with the instruments, although some kids find something they like. Connor’s gotten pretty good with the violin and I know that the Victor twins have some kind of Guitar competition going on.”

Kas nodded towards the shorter Stoll brother who was heading towards the corner of the room that held the instruments and then at two girls, Holly and Laurel, daughters of Nike, who were teasingly pushing each other as they tried to get there first. Right, Goddess of victory.

“You can also join the singers if you want, but most of us tend to stick with the instruments.” Kas gestured to the other half of the room where a small group of kids were sitting in a circle with what I guess must be sheet music laid out in front of them.

“Apollo’s kids,” Chris whispered from next to me. “Almost all of them have some form of musical ability so they spend half their time here, others spend most of their time in the infirmary or the archery range.”

I nodded and followed the rest of the students over to the instrument side of the room, but I found myself glancing back at the children of Apollo.

Apollo was the god of many things, one of which was prophecy. I wonder if any of Apollo’s kids were born with abilities like mine. If anyone else had dreams like I do, could feel auras like I can. If any of them understood me… 

And besides that, I was so tempted to go over and sing for the first time in years. But I decided not to, I may have decided that hiding is pointless but that doesn’t mean that I’m stupid enough to outright announce myself to the gods. A seer’s voice is a powerful too after all.

True to what Kas had told me, most of the kids goofed around for the entirety of their music block.

I messed around on the piano for a bit, mami had played the piano as a kid, and part of me wanted to learn just for her. I had even taken a few classes as a kid before I stopped anything artistic when I was seven. I wasn’t half bad for someone that hadn’t played in years, one of the younger Apollo kids had told me so, I smiled at her. Maybe I could pick it back up one day, but for now I mostly just sat and listened to Connor practice the violin.

The son of Hermes was good, showing off in an impromptu concert that had the rest of the cabin showering him with applause. I like music class, for all that I can’t bring myself to truly get into something I’d enjoy, but mostly I was impatient for our next activity.

I was really looking forward to canoeing and trireme practice. Hiding my divine parentage or not, maybe mama could claim me and we could pretend papi wasn’t my papi? Who knows…

According to Travis at breakfast, this activity mostly consisted of canoe races, where sabotaging was allowed and encouraged, and the occasional mock trireme battle where we split into teams and practiced boarding the other team’s trireme.

I was practically vibrating with excitement as we headed for the lake. I glanced in the water at the docks wondering if asking Kaiana and Halia for help was against the very limited rules for the games.

“Looking for your friends?” Chris nudged me, and when I met his eyes Chris just winked conspiratorially.

“Just for that, I’m not canoeing with you.”

“Wh-”

“Eat my dust, Rodriguez.” I ducked away, laughing as I jumped in a one person canoe and leaving Chris behind at the two person canoe we’d been about to put in the water.

“Oh, you’re on, Jackson.” Chris grabbed another one person canoe and dragged it in the water next to mine.

“You want a head start?”

Chris flicked his paddle at my words, splashing me with water.

My eyesight sharpened, my senses opened up, my blood sang as soon as the water touched me.

I grinned. Chris was going to regret that.

Funnily enough, I’ve never actually been in a canoe before, but I thoroughly trounced every single member of the Hermes cabin. Even the ones in the bigger canoes who should’ve, theoretically, been faster than me.

I glided through the water with the ease of someone who’d spent their entire life in a canoe, mockingly sticking my tongue out at Chris as I hit the finish line first once again.

Oh yeah, this was my new favorite activity.

We didn’t do any trireme practice this time, but I had the time of my fucking life.

I spent the last half of our activity time dodging the other Hermes’ campers as they tried to sabotage me, laughing as I pushed their oars away with my own. They chased me around the entire lake, cursing as I outmaneuvered them. I giggled when I saw Kaiana and Halia spray water on anyone who dared insult me. 

Eventually, Chris and Kas cornered me with their canoes and Kas reached over to bodily toss me into the water. I yelped as my body hit the water, the entire Hermes’ cabin cheering above the surface. Kaiana and Halia swam over to me.

Well, if that was how it was gonna be… I fiddle with my necklace and share a devious grin with Kaiana and Halia. “Help me trick them? I don’t wanna reveal who my Mevu Y Metu(Mom and Dad) are.”

They grin back, “Petavia rao opu, avineh(Anything for you, princess).”

I kicked my legs until I was directly below Kas' canoe and out of sight.

And then, I waited. The cheering above me died down gradually as I didn’t resurface, but I hadn’t been under long enough for them to be worried, not yet. And even if I was, the plan was to make them think that Kaiana and Halia had made an air bubble, no need to reveal my own powers just yet.

I waited a while longer, and then I spotted the telltale shadow flicker over the surface as Kas leaned over the edge of his canoe in an effort to spot me.

He let out an undignified squawk as hands shot up from under the surface, grasping the front of his shirt to drag him into the lake.

I laughed, surfacing as my friend flailed in the water, grinning at the sight of the rest of the cabin practically doubled over in hysterics.

Kas surfaced next to me with an indignant glare that I knew was for a fact was just for show.

“Brat,” Kas grumbled as he pulled himself back into his canoe.

I just sent him a cheeky grin, climbing back into my own canoe with ease. My hair was a mess and all in my face but I didn’t care much, it always dries better when I do nothing to it, so I let it out of its bun and just ruffle it before continuing on my way. It’ll look better that way.

We were both still soaking wet as we made our way to lunch, the conch horn having blown right as we reached the shore of the lake. The two of us garnered quite a few looks as we settled at the Hermes table still dripping water, but I was far too happy to care. Besides, the water made me feel great, like I was invincible!

Our afternoon schedule was pretty packed so I made sure to eat a big lunch. I wasn’t used to this much activity so I’d need as much energy as I could get. I wasn’t used to this much talking either but somehow my voice had no strain on it, almost like magic.

Foot racing followed lunch, in which every single child of Hermes got me back for the canoe races by leaving me in the dust. Now I’m not slow and I’ve got great stamina, running from my stepfather and local thugs that want a chance at a vulnerable little girl will do that to you, but fuck I’m no where near their level!

Chris turned around from his spot near the front of the pack to stick his tongue out mockingly. I flip him the bird and keep running. I’m definitely more of an endurance runner, fuck !

“What the fuck- why are you all so fast?” I gasp as I hit the finish line, last.

“You’ll get better,” one of the Stoll brothers, Travis, tells me, looking completely unwinded.

“Once you know you’re a demigod your body adjusts. Enhanced senses, durability, strength, stamina and all that shit. I mean, you still won’t beat any of my siblings, and you’ll still have to work for it, but it won’t be quite as hard.” I nod, still trying to gain my breath back.

I enjoyed the next activity even less than foot racing.

Hermes cabin had unfortunately chosen to take wrestling at the same time as the Ares cabin and a few of the Apollo kids, apparently some of them like to split off from the rest of the cabin and do other activities when they can get away with it, I think someone mentioned seeing a couple of them in the Arts and Craft building still.

I slipped into the crowd, easily falling back as I watched the demonstration. Clarisse was the one leading the class, so I made the executive decision to sit out of participating, citing cramps as the reason when Chris asked. She had apparently caught sight of me despite my efforts and hassled me for not engaging the whole time.

I could feel the tension in the group building to a crescendo; the Apollo kids growing more and more tense every time Clarisse threw an insult and the Hermes kids egging everything on while most of the unclaimed campers tried desperately to be left out of things. Even though I swear the victor twins and a daughter of Tyche, Chiara I think, were taking fucking bets . 

The tension reached a peak when she swung a sword she shouldn’t have even had at me, almost taking off my nose as I jumped back quickly. I let out a startled yelp, the audacity of this girl!

A snarl punctured the air and then a tall, tanned young woman with blonde curls, smelling like the sun and blood, was standing protectively in front of me with glowing blue eyes.

Much to my surprise Clarisse visibly hesitated at the sight of her and the dagger she fingered.

“At least give her a week,” the young woman sneered, a warning in her eyes, “I didn’t think a child of Ares would lower herself to hurting someone who even can’t fight back yet.”

She huffed, but backed off. The lesson was called to a close, and she didn’t run out with a tail between her legs, but it was a close fucking thing.

“Don’t worry about Lexa,” Kayla, another Apollo girl who had stuck close to me, whispered, “she’s got our dad’s ‘Protector of Youth side,’ so she’s always sticking up for the new campers.”

“That’s really cool,” I said, then turned to Lexa, “you’re cool.”

Lexa snorted, and seemed to settle back to something less wild and more friendly. I liked her already.

Still, I was immeasurably glad when our wrestling block ended and we headed to archery, sure that it couldn’t be any worse than wrestling with the Ares cabin.

I rethought my assessment as soon as I picked up one of the practice bows and just knew it wasn’t for me.

I was terrible at archery… enough said.

Chiron almost sent me to sit on the sidelines after the centaur had to fish a third arrow out of his tail from where he’d been standing behind me. But I begged to try something else, just because I sucked with a bow doesn’t mean I couldn’t learn other projectile weapons… right?

“Please Chiron? I can go all the way over there and someone else could watch me!” I plead, my eyes going wide as I try to sweet talk my way into lessons. Surprisingly he agreed and I was sent with Kas to try out throwing knives!

I was a natural, sure I wasn’t an expert and I missed the target more often than I hit it but that was to be expected. I can’t know everything instinctively after all, Kas agreed that while the rest of the cabin does Archery I could learn how to use throwing knives, he even said he’ll find me a teacher!

After archery was over, I traipsed back to cabin eleven tiredly. We had free time until dinner, and most had immediately split off. Chris had invited me to play cards with a couple of our other cabinmates, but I had passed.

Once back at the cabin I grabbed the sketchbook in my bag, the one that wasn’t reserved for visions, all too happy to stay in the cabin and draw just about everything that I’d seen at camp so far.

I had no idea how long I sat there, the cabin was empty, I noticed eventually. I’d probably been alone for a while.

I reopened the sketchbook carefully and grasped one of the pencils from my art stuff. My fingers itched to draw. I let myself get lost in the rhythmic scratch of pencil on paper, the world fading away around me as I sketched some of the cabins, coloring them in and making them super detailed.

Something hit my foot and I jerked my head up to meet Kas' gaze. “Dinner already?” 

Kas hummed a yes and I set down my stuff. I stretched out my cramping fingers as I looked around the now packed cabin. I must’ve been pretty focused to have missed everyone else arriving.

I glanced down at the page, instead of the cabin I’d been drawing originally I saw my sketchbook,  the same dead end alleyway was sketched out in front of me, the thief of the lightning bolt crouched at the end as the sky opened up above them and yet… no face.

“You a bit of an artist then?” Kas was still crouched in front of me, his eyes settled curiously on my sketchbook.

I tried not to tense at the attention. It’s just Kas, he won’t do anything to me.

“A bit. It… helps. Calms me down, helps me focus. Especially when I can’t sleep.” I shrug, closing the sketchbook like it wasn’t a big deal. I placed the sketchbook in my bag.

The conch shell blew in the distance and Kas flashed me a smile before bounding up to the front of the cabin.

I joined Chris at the back of the line. Chris regaled me with the tales of what I had missed earlier, and as we stepped into the pavilion I promised to join them next time.

Claim me when it’s safe mevu, metu(mom, dad) , I pray as I scrape half my brisket into the fire. A sea breeze swept around me and the taste of salt bathed my tongue for a moment.

I smiled, dropping a piece of bread in the flames for Tía Hestia and a few strawberries and grapes for Lord Hermes and Di respectively before heading back to the table.

That night I dreamt of statues.

A garden full of stone people and creatures that stood in all manner of poses, but their faces all shared the same look of terror. I wandered the rows of frozen faces, my veins filling with concrete until I could hardly force myself to take another step.

I gazed at the statue of a young girl, immortalized forever in abject fear, and felt a chill creeping up my legs, as if I were turning to stone myself.

The hissing of snakes echoed behind me and I forced my frozen limbs to turn. Somehow I didn’t think I would get hurt…

My eyes shot open to the darkness of cabin eleven. There were a few terrifying seconds where my limbs refused to move, the chilling numbness of my dreams still pervading my veins.

My breath caught in my chest but the feeling faded gradually until I was able to force myself to sit up.

My heart was pounding in my chest. The sensations from my dreams followed me into wakefulness often, but they’d never been that intense before, enough to keep me from moving entirely.

I silently dragged myself to sit against the wall, peeking out the window to see the moon had barely risen. I must’ve only been asleep for an hour or two.

I wrapped my arms around my knees, resigned to spending the night listening to the noises of my sleeping cabin mates, wishing that Kas had woken again but unwilling to actually wake him myself. The hours passed slowly. My fingers itched for my sketchbook but there was no light for me to draw under, so I sat in the darkness and watched the moon rise and set out the window.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Persi’s POV{Friday May 29, 2015 - General Time}

Kas was the first to wake up again, but, unlike yesterday, he didn’t seem surprised when he glanced over and spotted that I was wide awake. There was no airhorn this morning, Kas simply banged his hand against the side of his bunk until the other campers startled awake.

“Rise and shine, campers! Breakfast is in a half hour, we’ve got Ancient Greek and Wilderness survival after that.”

I relaxed against the wall as everyone else scrambled for the bathrooms. I knew I would get used to this, the routine of camp, the camaraderie of my fellow demigods.{ The feeling of acceptance after so many years without, the knowledge that the feeling of belonging will come soon enough }.

Chris made his way over to my spot after several minutes, plopping down as I was putting my hair up.

“Do you ever sleep?”

“As much as my insomnia lets me,” I huff.

Chris hummed sympathetically, but I just shrugged.

“It‘s not so bad really. I’m pretty used to it by now, even if having to listen to you snoring like a freight train all night is-” I cut myself off with a giggle as Chris makes a mock offended noise.

“I do not snore , fuck you.”

“Oh? Then what was that noise you were making all night long?” I mimic Chris’ snoring, “Or was that a monster coming to get us all!” I laugh loudly as Chris groans.

“Fucking brat,” Chris was still grumbling as Kas called for us to line up.

After breakfast we made our way to Ancient Greek, where the entire cabin split up according to their proficiency in Ancient Greek. The more experienced campers followed Kas into one room. I followed Chris and the other, newer campers into the second room.

Annabeth was already there, clutching several copies of Homer’s Iliad in Ancient Greek that she handed out to everyone as we sat down.

She paused as she gave me my copy. “I assume that somebody’s already informed you that your brain’s hardwired to read Ancient Greek and not English, hence the dyslexia.”

“It may have been mentioned.”

“Right. So, you should be able to pick this up with some practice but let me know if you’re having trouble. Or you could always just ask one of your cabin mates.” I didn’t have to be a genius to know which option she’d prefer so I just nodded and let her get on with teaching.

I sucked on my necklace as I struggled through the first several pages of the Iliad, surprised at how much effort it took. 

I’ve walked alongside Achilles on the battlegrounds of Troy. I’ve stood beside Odysseus and Jason on their journeys. I’ve dogged Perseus and Heracles’ footsteps as they battled horrific monsters. I followed Cassandra as she tried desperately to have her visions believed. I know Ancient Greek, the words rolled off my tongue with the ease of the heroes of old, though I’ve never spoken it aloud to another person.{ I know Ancient Greek in the same way I know Latin from following Romans that I truly know nothing about, in the way I know Italian from basically living with Hades and his past lover. In the way that languages come to me far too easily in my visions and outside of them. }

Reading Ancient Greek though, somehow, was a little different than hearing or speaking it. My mind may have been hardwired for it but my eyes still took time to adjust.

I walked out of the room at the end of our activity time with aching eyes, speaking it was so much easier at least then I didn’t have anything aching. We met up with the advanced Ancient Greek class, heading out to the forest for our Wilderness survival course.

The wood nymphs spent most of the class identifying the parts of their trees and bushes that were edible or dangerous. Which nuts and berries a demigod could eat on a quest, how to get drinkable water and make a fire.

I figured that this class would be more useful if Chiron let any demigods go on quests these days{ It may be more useful if there was any true wilderness left and not just the horribly polluted parks and “forests” of America, but hey, maybe this will come in handy one day }.

I zoned out for most of the class, my gaze drawn to the stream I could see through the trees, and my attention on the vision I could feel ghosting my conscience. It’s not like this class is of any use to me anyway, I’ve been the unwilling spectator on so many quests that at this point I’ve memorized half of this shit.

After lunch I joined the rest of the cabin in Battle strategy, which mostly consisted of learning how to identify monsters and their weaknesses.

I found it difficult to focus in this class as well. I’d never been good at the whole sit down and focus in class thing, always preferring a class with practical applications. Or, more preferably, just learning as I went which, for this class, would be when said monsters tried to kill me. Besides, a lot of my knowledge came from my visions, and I’ve had a lot of those.

The Hermes’ cabin had a free afternoon when Battle strategy was over, and I took the opportunity to grab my sketchbook from the cabin before heading back out.

My dream was still at the back of my mind and I really wanted the warmth that Tía Hestia could bring me, besides I don’t want her to think that I’ve forgotten about her.

I headed straight for my aunt's hearth, figuring that she would let me draw as I sat there with her, keeping her company. I noticed that not a lot of people see her, let alone acknowledge her.

Hestia didn’t look up from the flames until I was fully seated next to her.

“I’ve been receiving your sacrifices,” she smiled at me. “I always receive a portion of all sacrifices though, so you needn’t sacrifice to me specifically for me to receive a part of your offering.”

I hummed, thinking for a second before responding. “I like sacrificing to you though Θείτσα(Auntie), that way you know how much I appreciate and care for you. That I’m not forgetting about you and that I truly do honor you.”

Hestia’s smile widened, her eyes brightening with flames. I swear I saw a sheen of wetness in her eyes but it was gone before I could blink.

We didn’t talk after that, both of us content to sit in a comfortable silence. I opened my sketchbook after several minutes and began to sketch out my most recent dream, sucking on my necklace as I do. It’s become such a soothing gesture, and it was better than tugging on my hair like I used to.

The calming warmth of the hearth made it easier for me to stay grounded and not retreat into my mind. My hands still moved on their own, but my mind stayed firmly planted in the present, right there at Tía Hestia’s hearth.

It was nice, I thought as I penciled out a stone statue of a satyr that looked remarkably like Grover. I didn’t always like when the world seemed to fade away while I was drawing, like I was losing myself in my visions as my hands moved of their own accord. { I didn’t like how vulnerable it made me feel, Gabe had caught me when I was drawing one too many times for me to fully relax while doing so when I didn’t have something, or someone , to protect my back }.

I eventually closed my sketchbook after a while, standing up with a smile and a respectful nod to Hestia that she answered with a warm smile. I saw that I still had a couple hours left until dinner so I decided to just wander.

I found myself lingering around the forge. Why I chose this place to linger I can not explain. But I liked it, it's hot, and I’ve always run a bit cold. It smells like smoke and metal, slightly unpleasant but all too manageable. I curl up in the least soot filled corner I can find, the rhythmic sounds of a hammer hitting metal and stone nearly lulling me to sleep. I like it here, maybe I’ll come in here to draw sometime.

At some point the tall black boy working meticulously on his bronze dagger glances in the direction of the corner I had shoved myself in. “I know you're there. You can just join me ya know? Don't have to hide.” He smiles in my direction, “Come on out, let’s see if ya got any forge in ya.”

I learned that his name is Charles Beckendorf, head of the Hephaestus cabin. He tells me to call him Charlie, something most people aren’t allowed to do, calling him ‘Beckendorf’ instead. I prefer Charlie, if I’m being honest. 

We don't talk much. Charlie seems like a naturally quiet person and I’m content to just help him work. He asks me a few questions every now and then; how's camp, is the Hermes cabin behaving, and the like. But for the most part he just lets me sit and soak in the warmth, occasionally having me try to make something or help him with what he’s making. I appreciate not having to talk much, I’ve talked more in these last few days than I have in years. Charlie's calm and steady presence soothes me.

“You’re not one of ours,” He commented softly, “but you’ve got a good base, maybe a minor god? Or at least one with an association with the forge.” He murmurs the last part, seemingly to himself.

He runs a finger through my hair, shaking some of the ash out of the wild strands. It didn’t help much but I found myself smiling softly regardless.

“You can hang out here anytime,” Charlie offers when I make a move to leave, his voice so sincere that I almost believe I hadn’t annoyed him with my presence despite showing up when I wasn’t supposed to. “I mean it. I don't mind.”

‘But why would you want me here?’ I ask, confused{And so grateful that everyone at camp seems to know sign language}.

Charlie gave me a look then, one that I couldn’t quite interpret, running a hand through my hair affectionately. “Anytime,” he repeats firmly.

For a moment, a brief moment, images of an explosion and the sound of screams dance behind my eyes, the grief hits me hard. I shake my head, chasing that thought away, it wasn’t a full vision anyway. 

‘Okay,’ I agreed softly, allowing a small smile to work its way onto my lips.

I shook my head, deciding to head to the canoe lake to see if I could find my naiad friends again. Time in the forge was fun, relaxing even, but nothing could beat time spent in my parents domain.

Kaiana and Halia were, thankfully, sitting at the bottom of the pier again. I looked around, making sure that no one was around to see me dive into the lake and not resurface. I spent the rest of my free time with the naiads. It was refreshing, not having to make any effort to hide my parentage with them. It was only a matter of time until I was claimed after all.

And I want to be claimed, I really do.

But I already knew that it would mean the loss of anonymity forever. There would be no way to fly under the radar as the only known living child of the Big Three, pine tree daughter of Zeus notwithstanding. And if I’m claimed by both of my parents? Forget it! It’s far too rare to have two godly parents, especially with one being big three!

I mean, I’m not even supposed to exist! My very birth broke a sacred oath that had been made decades ago.

Add onto the fact that my father has been accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt and so any child of his would automatically be a suspect, and… well, I could kiss my anonymity and peace goodbye.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head, focusing on Kaiana as she showed me a particularly complicated pattern she was weaving in her new basket. 

Halia smiled as my own basket started coming together. I was getting better, not just at basket weaving but also at learning Halmaheran, which the sisters continued to teach me.

Eventually, I headed back to the surface, peeking my head up carefully and only emerging once I was sure that no one was around.

That night was peaceful if you can ignore the screams I heard in my sleep{The sound of ticking and a bomb going off scaring me awake, but other than that it was utterly peaceful}.

Persi’s POV{Sunday May 31, 2015 - General Time}

Saturday had consisted of sibling bonding time, something that all cabins participate in. I had declined the other unclaimed kids' offer to hang out and just spent some time on the beach, playing with the water and trying to figure out my powers. The most I managed to do was make shapes out of the water, it was really fun.

Sunday, though, was a fully free day. And that is how I found myself looking up at Kas and asking him if I could go to the lake so that the naiads could keep teaching me basket weaving.

“I’m sorry, you want to what?”

“Go to the lake. The naiads have been teaching me.” I clasped my hands behind my back, my face the picture of innocence.

Behind Kas' back, Chris lost his fight with his laughter, a near hysterical cackle bursting out of his mouth.

“You- I’m not supposed to let you go alone Sephie-”

“I’ll go with her,” I spun around at the familiar voice.

“Grover!” 

I haven’t seen my friend since my first day at camp. I’d been beginning to think that he didn’t want to see me anymore.

Thankfully, Grover looked no worse for wear, a tired grin lighting up the satyr’s face.

I grin back, glancing at Kas, taking the counselor’s rolled eyes and resigned sigh as permission.

“Thanks Kas!”

“Be back by Lunch Sephie!”

“Let’s go!” I grabbed Grover’s arm, racing out the door to head to the lake.

My new friends were great, better than great even, considering I’ve never actually had friends before. But something inside of me ached for the presence of someone I’d known for more than a week.

Grover was the only person I had left right now that fit the bill, the only person that mattered, really{ Because there is no way in Tartarus I’ll acknowledge Gabe in that way, I’d rather die }. Hopefully I’ll get my mom back soon though.

“Where on earth have you been?” I asked him as we made our way to the canoe lake.

“I had to give my official report to the Council of Cloven Elders,” Grover said miserably.

I raised an eyebrow. “And that took four days?”

“I haven’t been avoiding you, I promise,” Grover bleated. “I just… didn’t know how I could face you until I got the Council’s judgment… especially with…” He gives me a pointed look.

I pause, understanding flooding through my veins. The Council had been the ones deciding whether or not Grover had failed me, had failed to protect me. And with the fact that I was a seer… the fact that I asked him to keep it a secret. I could see how it would be hard to look me in the eye knowing a bunch of old satyrs were deliberating on whether or not Grover had completely failed in his duties to me.

“So have they? Made a decision that is… ‘Cause you know, no matter what they think, I know that what happened wasn’t your fault. You didn’t fail me, Grover. You’re one of the reasons I made it to camp at all. You saved my life.” I told Grover firmly, and his face flushed.

“Thanks, Persi. And… Mr. D suspended judgment for now. He said that I hadn’t failed or succeeded with you yet, so our fates are still tied together. If you got a quest and I went along to protect you, and we both came back alive, then he might consider the job complete. Blaa-ha-ha! He might as well have transferred me to stable cleaning duty! The chances of you getting a quest after what happened last time… and even if you did, why would you want me along?”

I hummed thoughtfully. If someone had brought up the chances of me receiving a quest a month ago I’d have laughed outright. But now, knowing what I am, knowing who my parents are.

What my father has been accused of.

Well, I would say the chances of me receiving a quest in the near future were… astronomically high, really.

“Of course I’d want you along, G-man. You’re my best friend.” I gripped Grover’s arm firmly as we reached the pier. “Besides, who else would I bring?”

Grover didn’t respond, staring glumly into the water. I let out a sigh, deciding to leave the conversation for the moment.

I sank down onto my stomach, leaning my head over the edge of the pier to catch the eyes of Kaiana and Halia.

Thankfully, they were both down there. 

I ran a hand through the water, subtly sending a blast of bubbles down, and Kaiana looked up. Her face brightened, and she waved me down excitedly.

I shook my head, beckoning her up to the surface instead.

Kaiana frowned but kicked off from the lakebed. Her eyes cleared of confusion as her head broke the surface and she spotted Grover. “Ah, are you here for another basket weaving lesson?”

“Yeah, and I brought a friend this time too. Kaiana, this is Grover. Grover, this is Kaiana. Her and her sister Halia have been teaching me basket weaving.”

“Noaye- La, atula Persi-ava.(Why- oh, hello Princess Persi.)” Halia’s face popped up. I grinned at her, plopping down on the edge of the pier to let my legs dangle in the water.

“Teach me your ways, Halia.”

The naiad giggled, flicking me with water before diving back down to retrieve the kelp for our baskets.

Grover got along well with the naiads, and the basket weaving seemed to cheer him up somewhat.

Eventually the two of us got up to head back to the Hermes cabin, bidding the naiads goodbye. We didn’t talk about the elephant in the room, my being a seer, but we did have a good time. I’ve missed him.

Persi’s POV{Monday June 1st, 2015 - General Time}

I’ve only been here for about five days and everyone is still trying to get me to do something that’ll let them know who my divine parent is, whether they claim me or not. Makes it easier to know what I can and can’t do, Kas said.

I struggled through another lesson in Ancient Greek after breakfast and was immensely glad when Annabeth released us to Arts and Crafts.

Arts and crafts bore me a little more luck in the ‘finding out my godly parent’ department as I zoned in on crafting a bracelet. I may know my godly parents, but the others don’t.

“You’ve definitely got some craft in you,” Justine, a child of Aphrodite, commented, examining the delicate pearl bracelet{ Real pearls courtesy of the naiads and the Aphrodite cabin }.

“I think it would’ve looked better without knots between the pearls,” another child of Aphrodite, Drew, muttered from across the table.

“Real pearls should have knots between them,” I calmly explained to Justine, and to Drew, taking back the bracelet, “so they don’t rub against each other and get damaged… and also so if it breaks you don’t lose all of the pearls.”

“Never thought of that,” Justine said in thought, brushing blonde, brown, red hair out of their face, “you’re definitely a child of someone with craft and charm in them.”

‘You think I’m charming?’ I giggle, looking up.

They grinned back.

“If that look on your face isn’t charm inducing,” they joked, “I’m not sure what is.”

I just smiled and pocketed the bracelet to take. I began working on others, an idea forming in my head. Seers are basically priests but with more freedom, right? So, by that logic, shouldn’t I worship the gods in my own way? Maybe they’ll like these offerings… If I work up the courage, if ever, to actually let them know I’m a seer that is.

I wave at Grover on my way to lunch, he stops by and promises he’ll see me after lunch when the Hermes cabin joined the satyrs in the strawberry fields.

True to his word, Grover joined the Hermes cabin on the trek to the strawberry fields.

New discovery.

I have a small affinity for plants. As I work with them I can always tell which ones needed more water and they seemed to lean towards me a bit when I’m near them. Not the kind of power that the children of Di or Tía Demeter's kids have but definitely better than, say, the Hephaestus kids.

Katie Gardner joined us near the end but I knew it was just because she wanted to see if I was any good with plants so she could try and decide who my parent was.

Needless to say, I don’t think she believes that I’m her brother, but there is definitely something there between us. Proven by our very first interaction a few days ago.

That night I dreamt a very familiar scene, the journey of Perseus. The ancient hero was wearing the winged sandals of Hermes, making his way to the original home of Medusa and her sisters.

I followed, watching as Perseus slew the ancient gorgon in her sleep and escaped with the spoils of war before the other gorgons could do more than wake and begin to lunge for him.

Persi’s POV{Tuesday June 2nd, 2015 - General Time}

My heart pounded as I woke up but thankfully no sensations followed me into wakefulness.

Even better, I seemed to have slept through most of the night. I’d hardly been up half an hour, drawing my latest dream, when the sun rose and Kas rolled out of bed to wake up the rest of the cabin.

Chris, thankfully, no longer seemed surprised that I was already up, simply shaking his head when he shimmied out of his sleeping bag and noticed that I was already dressed.

We had Music again after breakfast, and I glanced carefully over at the Apollo kids singing as I sat down at the piano bench again. I was going to actually try this time.

Would I be able to join them one day? Would I still be scared of being caught… I wonder if any of them think I’m their sibling, probably not after that failed archery lesson. Do any of them have sight?

None of the singing kids glanced my way so I just turned back to the piano, putting in effort as I familiarized myself with the instrument for the rest of Music class, I wasn’t bad if I do say so myself.

After Music Kas led all of us newer campers to the med bay for Basic first aid training. Any of us that show promise or are claimed by Apollo will get advanced training after completing the basic course. A blonde teen, one that seemed vaguely familiar, met us at the entrance, dismissing Kas so that he could head off to teach a sword fighting class.

“Morning, class. I’m Lee Fletcher,” My eyes shot up as the teen introduced himself. I recognized his voice, he was the one in the infirmary while I was knocked out!

“I’m the counselor of Apollo’s cabin. I’m also your basic first aid teacher, don’t worry, the stuff I show you is stuff that all demigods can do regardless of parentage. If you show a proficiency or end up getting claimed by my father you’ll be bumped up to a more advanced healing class as I’m really only good at the basic stuff myself.” Lee winked at us all here.

By the end of the lesson I realized that I actually did seem to have a small proficiency in healing. I was better than most of the others but it was obvious that I didn’t have the natural talents of the healer children of Apollo. Still, it’s likely that I’ll take at least some of the advanced classes.

Lee’s eyes followed me throughout the entire class, but I couldn’t tell what the son of Apollo was thinking. Did he think I was his sister?

As me and the rest of the newer campers headed out to lunch Lee’s bright voice sounded out behind me.

“Ah, Persi, would you mind staying back for a minute? I won’t keep you long, promise.” Chris paused uncertainly in the doorway and I waved him on. Chris left with a promise to save me a seat at the Hermes table either by himself or by Kas.

I turned back to face Lee nervously, I could feel that he was different, he felt… he felt like me .

“Is there… something I can help you with?” I ask hesitantly.

“Oh, no, nothing like that. Just wanted to get a read on you, really.”

I smiled hesitantly as Lee sent me a wide grin.

“A read on me?”

“The rest of my siblings think I’m a bit mad for being so sure that you’re one of us, you suck at archery, no offense. We haven’t heard you sing but you’re good on the piano, you clearly have a bit of healing in you and you may have some of the sun in you, but…” He paused, his head tilting as he considered me.

“I don’t know… there’s something about you- something that feels like… My father has a lot of domains. Archery, music, healing, and the sun are just the big ones that most people think of. But take Lexa for example, she has our dads protector of youth thing going on. And I know that Will has some plague powers- it’s just… you have something that belongs solely to my father, I can feel it.”

“And… you think this something means I’m… Apollo’s kid?”

Lee hummed absentmindedly, his bright blue eyes not leaving my own sea green.

Slowly, giving me ample time to move back, the son of Apollo raised his hand to grasp my arm.

As soon as our skin touched my body tensed, the world fractured around me.

I was standing in the midst of a battle, a trident that I’d never seen before was buried in the earth and I had my the sword, riptide, in hand, destruction rained all around me. Chiron leapt past me, his bow drawn, and I realized that I was standing in the woods at camp. A terrifying wail rose up from behind me.

The scene blurred and suddenly I was kneeling. I was being crushed, the great weight above me turning my bones to liquid and burning itself into my shoulders. Somebody knelt next to me, sharing the burden for only a moment before taking it fully, leaving me to collapse after releasing me from the crushing burden.

Everything flickered again and I was surrounded by a malevolent presence. I tried to suck in a breath, but my lungs seized. The darkness was hurting me, every nerve ending on fire as I choked. I thrashed, falling as I drowned in the darkness.

I blinked, opening my eyes again to a familiar face.

Kas.

The son of Hermes leant over me, but not even the sight of him could alleviate the burning in my lungs.

Kas smiled at me, but there was something wrong with it. Deranged.

My blood sang as my skin blazed, and my hand- my hand was on fire- I was burning from the inside out.

And Kas- Kas was smiling.

His hands reached towards my face- no, my neck. I choked as Kas calmly wrapped his fingers around my neck. A faux sympathetic look on his face.

I was burning. My lungs, my hand, my bones- I was burning… I was dying .

The world faded around me.

When I came to I was laying on the cool floor of the infirmary. Lee Fletcher was leaning over me, his hands resting on my shoulders, careful not to touch my bare skin.

“Oh thank Apollo,” Lee breathed as he noticed my eyes open.

“Wh-”

“You passed out,” the son of Apollo said. “As soon as I touched your skin. Your whole body seized up. Your eyes rolled back. I barely caught you before you hit the ground.”

“How long…”

“No more than a couple seconds.”

I let out a shaky breath. Lee’s hands tightened briefly on my shoulders before he let go.

“Do you think you can sit up?”

I nodded, my body moving slowly. I was trembling, shaking like a leaf. I haven’t felt like this since my early visions{ Green Green Green So Green }.

“Careful, no need to rush.” Lee left for a moment, returning with a glass of water.

I reach for the glass, my hand shaking hard enough that Lee had to help me support it, still careful not to touch my bare skin.

I drained the entire glass, my trembling fading as Lee set down the now empty cup.

He observed me silently, like he was waiting for some kind of explanation.

“I- I was burning.” Lee frowned, moving forward like he wanted to check my temperature before stopping himself.

“As soon as you touched me,” I whispered. “I was- everything was-” I try to hold back my tears.

“Has anything like this happened before?”

I shook my head. “Not while awake,” I murmur. “Not like this.”

There was an intake of breath and I stiffened as I realized what I’d just said- what I’d just admitted .

My eyes flicked up. Lee was staring at me, a knowing glint in his own blue eyes. He’s a son of Apollo, God of prophecy… maybe he understood?

“You have sight.”

“You can’t-” Panic threaded through me.

“You can’t tell- you can’t- not anyone, please,” I plead.

Lee drew back slightly, shock flickering across his face. “I won’t… I won’t tell anyone, Persi. I promise.”

I sagged back like a puppet whose strings were cut, relief flooding through me.

Lee sat back on his heels. “Would you… can you tell me how long…”

“As long as I can remember, really. I was five when it first started… Dreams, mostly. The occasional flashes when I’m awake, but nothing like…”

Nothing like what had just happened.

“Sometimes I get these… feelings, I don’t- I don’t really know how to explain them but-”

“You don’t need to, I… I get them too. The feelings. Or at least, something similar. That's why I thought…”

My eyes widened as Lee trailed off.

“I’ve always called them vibes, or auras. I only ever get them around people, and not all of the time.”

Inexplicably, I felt like crying. “You… you get them too. It’s not- it’s not just me… ‘m not alone…”

Someone else… someone else was like me, someone else understood .

“It’s not just you,” Lee agrees gently.

“I don’t get as many dreams, at least, no more than other demigods, but… I get the auras and my dreams are more detailed and… prophetic, than other demigods.”

I took in a shuddering breath. It wasn’t identical but… someone else understood, at least a little bit.

A shaky laugh bubbled out of my chest. I’m not alone. Someone else knew, someone else understood.

Lee smiled softly at me. “I’ve never met anyone else either… not even my siblings.” He whispered.

“Me neither,” I breathed as we shared a smile.

“What… you said that you got a vibe off of me? What did it… I mean-” I rubbed the back of my neck.

Lee tilted his head thoughtfully. “Hmmm, it was hard to get a good sense before. It’s why I touched your arm. Physical contact tends to make the sensations clearer. If I’d known it would have such an effect on you and your own senses…” He shakes his head.

“You feel like… the beach at night. A warm night, where the stars are shining. But when I touched you it… it was like I was standing in the midst of a hurricane, a storm battering me on all sides. And then I saw… they were fighting, on the beach. A white horse and a golden eagle. You… you were standing in a garden of statues and the Perseus-” Lee jerked his head back, almost like he was pulling himself back.

“My dreams,” I said. “You saw some of my dreams. The garden… I had that one a few days ago. The one on the beach was before I’d even come to camp.”

Lee nodded slowly, “I- you said… when I touched you. You were burning. Is that… I mean, the aura you get from me- is it just-”

“Only when you touched me,” I interrupted. “I didn’t get the feeling before you touched me, but now it's,” I paused as I tried to decipher the sensations Lee gave me now that we weren’t in contact with each other.

“The sun, but not burning. Just… warm. Like… the first true day of summer. You’re… just warm and bright.” Lee ducked his head, a bashful smile spreading across his face.

“Alright, so we should be good as long as we don’t make direct contact. Maybe my father could help? You should pray-”

A knock sounded on the door, interrupting us before I could freak out. We both jumped from the floor as Kas cracked the door open.

“Sephie? Oh. Hey, Lee. Chris said that you kept Sephie after class, but when neither of you appeared I thought I’d best check on you both.” Kas cast his eyes over the both of us, frowning briefly before speaking again.

“Are you okay? Both of you look a little… spooked.”

“Just startled us, is all.” Lee told him, resting a hand over his heart.

“We were just talking, really. Must’ve lost track of time,” I sent Kas an apologetic smile.

“Ah,” Kas' face cleared. “Well, we’d best get going if either of you want lunch. We’re gonna be spending the afternoon on the beach, Sephie, I don’t want you lagging because you didn’t eat. We’re trying to find any water dieties children”

Kas wrapped his arm around my shoulders, I barely kept myself from ducking away. I didn’t know if it was just because I was overly sensitive after what happened with Lee, but Kas' touch sent ants crawling over my skin. And the idea of putting on my bathing suit to go with them to the beach made me want to scratch my skin off.

Lee made a faint noise behind us and I wonder if he felt it too. Regardless, the son of Apollo kept quiet as he accompanied us to the pavilion.

Before Lee split off to go to his own table he leant down until he was closer to my ear, too tall to be right near it unless I stood on my tip toes.

“If you ever need help with anything, come find me, yeah?” Lee raised his eyebrows meaningfully, and I sent him a subtle nod. Satisfied, Lee left Kas and I to sit down at the Hermes table.

“So, what were you and Lee talking about?” Kas was clearly trying to sound casual, but I could tell he was curious.

“Nothing much, really. I think he was just trying to figure out who my parent is, he thinks I’m a daughter of Apollo,” I shrugged like it was no big deal. I wasn’t lying, exactly. Lee had been trying to see if he was right about me being an Apollo kid.

Kas nodded, but I don’t think he was satisfied with my answer.

Our time at the beach was fun, feeling of ants on my skin aside, but after such an eventful day I really couldn’t wait to head back to the Hermes cabin.

“Your parent is definitely someone of the water,” Kas grinned. “You’re, like, glowing or something.”

I smiled back up at him from where I’d plopped myself in the sea. I made sure to not go too far out or too deep down, I want to keep my parentage secret after all.

I turned to stare back out at the ocean, content in the gentle waves. If I focused, it almost felt like someone was cradling me. We would be leaving to clean up before dinner soon, but I just relaxed and fought against the siren call of the open ocean as I let my parents domain take the stress of the day from me.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Horse Speak

Persi’s POV{Wednesday June 3rd, 2015}

Foot racing and wrestling went by in a blur the next morning, thankfully, and a thrill ran through me as we entered the arena for our only activity after lunch.

Sword fighting.

Technically it was called weapons training, but all of the campers started with swords and most of us stuck with them. I already started with another weapon during Archery, throwing knives, so sword training would give me two really cool weapons I could use!

I was the only one in our cabin that hadn’t been to a sword fighting class yet, so Kas sent the rest of the cabin off doing basic drills and then took me over to pick out a practice sword.

I didn’t think it was supposed to be so difficult to find a practice blade, but none of the swords felt right. They were all too heavy, too light, too long. Kas frowned as I discarded another blade. None of these seemed to fit me.

Eventually I decided to just deal with the unbalanced blade and grabbed the sword that felt the least wrong.

Kas taught me the basic form, correcting my hand placement and knocking my feet carefully into the right position. Then the son of Hermes led me over to the rest of the class, and we went over the basic movements.

Slashing, stabbing. A classic block and parry.

I was certainly no daughter of Ares, but I wasn’t a slouch either. I’m not terrible but I know I could definitely do better if not for the unbalanced sword that I was using. The movements felt awkward, despite my good reflexes and ability to seamlessly imitate the moves Kas demonstrated. The blade just didn't feel right in my hands.

I take a short break after the initial drills, flopping onto the ground and taking some deep breaths to calm my growing frustration before I could snap at someone.

I have this horrible habit of getting frustrated with, and giving up on, things I’m not immediately good at, like when I was first learning piano or taking care of the plants at home. It's one of my flaws, if not for my mom I definitely would have given up on those things. But sword fighting isn’t something I can just give up on, it’s something that my life depends on, something I know that I’ll need. All I truly need right now though is a proper-

I jolt upright. “I have a pen!” I exclaim, much to the confusion of my fellow cabin mates.

Barely resisting the urge to smack myself I reach into my pocket and pull out the ball point pen I’ve been carrying everywhere since that fateful trip to the museum. I had refused to return it to Chiron, so I assume that it’s permanently mine now.

I uncap Riptide, watching the air around it shimmer before it settles into the form of a sword.

“I'm so fucking stupid,” I grumble, pushing myself to my feet and heading back over to the training dummies. “It's literally been in my pocket this whole time!”

I clutch the hilt of the my sword. Perfectly balanced. Much better.

Why am I like this?

A few of my cabin mates look up in surprise, a few in envy, no one having expected me to have a weapon of my own yet, especially not an enchanted one. I’m not ashamed to admit it, but it’s one of the better weapons I’ve seen at camp, other than the gifts from kids’ godly parents of course. I don’t think many of the kids in the Hermes cabin are gifted things and most likely have to make due with whatever the armory is stocked with. Kas tilts his head, his expression unreadable.

“Oh, uh, Chiron gave it to me. Well, he loaned it to me and I refused to give it back, so it's mine now. He can’t have it,” I tell him when I notice Kas’ questioning gaze.

Kas nods in approval. “Good. You need a sword you can actually use now that we're splitting up into dueling pairs.” He smirks, then, “Although, the fact that you were able to get away with stealing from Chiron is impressive. If I didn’t know any better I would say you could be my sister.”

“Good thing you know better then.” I mutter as he turns away to prepare for the next part of the lesson. I glanced around for Chris, assuming that I’d be placed with a camper closer to my experience level, but Kas set a heavy hand down on my shoulder.

He smirks again. “No use learning all the moves if you don't get to practice them. Come on. You’ll be with me this time, Sephie, since it’s your first time and all.”

I could practically hear the amusement in his tone, not to mention see it in his eyes. Fantastic. I’m about to die and he’s going to enjoy killing me{this thought sends a shiver down my spine, I don’t really know why}.

One of the Stolls, Connor if I’m not mistaken, snickered from behind me. “Good luck, kid. Luke’s the best swordsman at camp in the last three hundred years.”

“Maybe he’ll go easy on me?” I whisper, knowing he wouldn’t. Going easy on people doesn’t keep them alive, babying them will only make it worse.

Connor gave me a sympathetic grin before scampering away to partner with his brother, Travis.

Kas now seemed determined to give me a bruise on every part of my body. With every thrust and parry Kas showed me, I got a little more battered. But, thanks to the sword, I wasn’t doing completely horribly anymore.

“Keep your guard up, Sephie,” Kas said as he cracked the flat of his blade on my ribs.

“Not that far up!” A whack to the shin.

“Lunge!” The blade barely missed my shoulder as I dodged.

“Back now!” My arm took the brunt of another swing meant for my torso.

By the time Kas called a break I was soaked in sweat and covered in bruises. Everybody swarmed the drinks cooler as I doubled over, trying to catch my breath.

Dimly, I watched Kas pour ice water over his head. I let out a huff of breath as I straightened up, a smirk making its way onto my face.

Now that was an idea.

I made my way over, downing a cup of water before tipping the second over my head, grateful that I had braided my hair this morning instead of doing a ponytail.

Strength surged back into my body. Any lingering soreness evaporated, the sting from my bruises faded and the color lightened.

Alright. That should equal the playing field a bit.

“Okay, everybody circle up! I’d like to give you a little demo, if Sephie doesn’t mind being my partner one more time?”

I moved into the center of the circle as my cabin mates suppressed smiles. I got the feeling that I was far from the first person Kas had used as a punching bag for class, and given the whispers of the Stoll brothers, it was far from the first time they had placed bets on how badly Kas was going to beat my ass.

My hand twitched around the sword I held.

Water or not, I knew that I was nowhere near Kas' level.

This was going to be a short demo.

“Now, this is a difficult technique. I’ve had it used against me, and it's no laughing matter,” Kas stressed. “Most swordsmen have to work years to master this move.”

Kas demonstrated the move on me in slow motion, twisting my blade with the flat of his own sword until I was forced to drop it.

“Now, in real time,” Kas said, as I retrieved my sword from the ground. “We’ll keep sparring until one of us pulls it off. Ready, Sephie?”

I had barely even nodded before Kas was lunging at me.

The world seemed to slow around me, my every sense sharpening. I parried Kas' swing, sidestepping the son of Hermes and thrusting forward with my blade.

Kas deflected it with ease, but I saw the exact moment that his face changed. His eyes narrowed, and his next swing came at me with a bit more force.

Time sped up with my racing heart, but somehow I kept pace with Kas. I blocked a shot at the hilt of my sword, but my arms were growing weaker. The boost from the water would only last for so long. This fight would be over soon.{It was like I could see some of his moves before he even made them, I’ve never done something like that before.}

Oh, what the hell.

I lunged, desperately twisting my blade around Kas' until the son of Hermes’ sword clattered against the stones.

The tip of my sword was about an inch from Kas' undefended chest.

For just a second, in the resounding silence that followed my move, the world flickered around me.

Kas stood opposite me, a sickly blade in his hands, as he lunged forward with a sick grin. The world tilted underneath my feet, and it was so wrong-

My vision righted itself. I flinched back, Riptide dropping to my side.

“I- I’m sorry.”

Kas remained too stunned to speak for a moment longer, before his scarred face broke into a wide grin.

It was hard to see him as the same demigod who struck at me  ruthlessly, his eyes molten gold and all traces of mirth gone.

“Sorry? Sorry?! By the gods, Sephie, what are you saying sorry for?! That was- That was- Show me that again!” He speaks enthusiastically, eyes gleaming with excitement and something I can’t quite place.

. 

I honestly didn’t want to. I’m not entirely sure that I can repeat whatever it was that allowed me to disarm him for a second time. Reluctantly I raise my sword once more and adjust my stance. 

We go through the mock fight six more times, and to my complete and utter shock I manage to disarm Kas two out of those six rounds. That left me at three out of seven rounds.

Eventually, Kas calls an end to the training session. “That was- You were amazing Sephie," he praises, wiping the sweat off his brow as his eyes fill with a sort of awe. “You're awesome, especially for being unclaimed.”

“Thanks,” I smile. “You're a good teacher.”

Kas nods. His eyes have lost a bit of their usual warmth, his gaze becoming far more calculated than I’m used to seeing from him, yet they seem to hold an emotion that I can’t really decipher. “I absolutely can't wait to see what you grow into.”

I shiver. 

For some reason those words fill me with a sense of unease. And I really don’t like the look in his eyes.

I force a smile, shoving my growing apprehension down as far as I can. “Yeah. I can't wait until the next session.”

Kas let us go soon after that to enjoy our free time before dinner. This time, I joined Chris and several of the other Hermes campers in playing card games, all of the kids eleven and up got together to play while the younger kids did other activities. Technically we were “watching” the younger campers but it was still fun, and I felt myself relax as I messed around with my cabin mates.

I tried not to think about how I’d have to leave all of my new friends behind when I got claimed, try not to think about how I would be leaving them in an overcrowded cabin while heading to an entirely empty one with perfectly good beds, and when I did see them again it’d be completely different.

That night I dreamed of the beach, a hurricane raging around me. A familiar scene played out in front of me, and I stepped forward as the golden eagle and white horse lashed out at each other. I blinked, and when my eyes opened the animals were gone. In their place were two men wearing white chitons, one trimmed in blue and the other in green. And off to the side, where I knew the dog had been, was another man in a pure black chiton.

I froze, my eyes catching on the man in the green trimmed chiton. The storm lessened around me for a moment, allowing me to take in the sight of the man.

Dark hair, tan skin. The man’s eyes flashed in the rain, and I recognized the color of his irises as the same hue that stared back at me in the mirror on most days.

The ground quaked beneath my feet, a monstrous voice rising from the dirt, laughing at the warring gods.

I shivered, flinching back as the rain intensified around me. None of the gods seemed to even notice I was there.

When I opened my eyes it was to the familiar darkness of the Hermes cabin. I’m sore, cranky, and dealing with a pounding headache from the storm in my last dream that had apparently only let me rest for an hour or so. I considered grabbing my sketchbook but for some reason this dream didn’t give me the urgent “must draw” vibes that most others give me.

With a small sigh I slowly stood up out of my sleeping bag, trying to be as silent as possible to not disturb anyone, especially not the younger kids.

Maybe going for a walk will calm me down enough to try resting again? And even if it doesn’t at least it will help me get rid of this restless feeling that I can practically taste.

I know that I’m technically not supposed to be outside after curfew, but I’m desperate at this point. I squint into the darkness of the cabin, listening intently for the sounds of anyone who might also be awake. But all I hear is the even breaths and occasional snores of the other kids.

Slowly, ever so carefully, I slip on some shoes as I tiptoe towards the door, thanking the universe that it doesn't creak when I open it. I creep out of the cabin, shutting the door as quietly as possible behind myself. I waited there for another moment or two, waiting to see if anyone had woken up with my exit. When there's no sound I let out the breath that I had been holding. 

I’m in the clear.

I don't know where I’m going yet, but just like that night on the roof I just allow my feet to carry me in a random direction, the cool night breeze and the sound of crickets soothing my nerves. I haven't really gotten much alone time since starting here, and it's nice to just be able to breathe alone, outside, with no one speaking to me or fogging up my mind with their aura. I glance up every so often, keeping an eye for any nearby harpies.

I almost forgot how peaceful nature could be, especially since I’ve done my best to avoid it since I was seven.

I briefly considered journeying to the lake. But as much as I love my naiad friends, the idea of being around anyone, let alone people that call me Avineh(princess) and try to give me language lessons with every conversation just sounds tiring right now.

I pause, eyes flitting over the campground as I think of where I want to go. The beach maybe? Sneak into cabin three-

Then I remember a promise I had made during my original tour. “Pegasi,” I whisper, a small grin appearing on my face. How could I have forgotten the best version of a horse? Maybe because I haven’t been to an official Pegasi Riding “class” yet.  We’ll have our next one on Friday and I honestly can’t wait.

I make a pitstop in the strawberry field, making sure to grab only the most appetizing looking berries, creating a pouch with my shirt so that I can grab more. Based on my interaction with the pegasus whose name I forgot to inquire about, I can only assume that bringing her anything less than perfect berries will result in her turning her nose up at my offering and trotting away in annoyance. Or maybe not, since she did call me the “little lady”.

I finally arrive at the stables, hovering nervously at the useless fence that probably does very little to keep the pegasi from escaping should they decide they crave a life of freedom away from unhinged demigod children. I can't see any of them roaming around, and really, what had I expected? It's the middle of the night, they're most likely sleeping like I should be.

I almost talk myself into leaving and just eating the berries on the beach when movement in one of the stables catches my eyes.

As if she sensed my presence the gorgeous white mare pokes her head around the side of her stall, dark eyes regarding me for a moment before she breaks out in a cheerful trot. I grin, waving excitedly at her as she comes forward. She hurries over, stopping a few inches in front of me. The little lady has finally returned, she says, bumping her muzzle against the side of my face. Did you bring the strawberries?

I huffed out a laugh. “So you're only happy to see me because I might have brought you food?”

That is not the only reason! But… did you bring me strawberries?

I giggle before sighing dramatically. “Yes. I've brought you the strawberries, as promised.” She stomps her feet excitedly at my slightly dramatized announcement, nudging me impatiently until I begin feeding her the berries.

The little lady is so kind, she praises.

“I'm not that little!” I mutter indignantly. I pet her gently regardless.

The littlest of ladies. A tiny foal. Oh so very small.

“I'm never bringing you strawberries again.”

She snorts. With an even shorter temper! It is a wonder that anything of yours can get any shorter and yet you manage!

I huff at her and she stares at me. Precious little lady, rare little lady, she says after a moment of silence, trying to coax me into petting her some more.

“I didn't ask for your name the last time I was here,” I say, now stroking her flank and choosing to ignore that last comment.

Crystal, she answers. And it's about time you did! Introductions are supposed to happen during a first meeting, little lady. They are very important,' she scolds.

I laugh. “ ‘m sorry! But you can just call me Persi, you know. You don't have to call me 'little lady' all the time.”

Crystal cocks her head. But you are the little lady.

“No, I'm Persi. Just Persi,” I huff. “I promise you it's very easy to say.”

Whatever you say, little lady.

I roll my eyes. “Hopeless,” I mutter.

Best you learn now.

We didn't talk for a while after that. Crystal munches on some hay in one of the troughs and I lean against her, lightly stroking her silvery mane. We exist in silence for so long that I startle when she speaks to me again.

Why are you out so late? Little foals like you should be sleeping at this hour.

I shrug, finally deciding to ignore the name. “I can't sleep. My brain is too noisy. I can't get it to stop,” I say softly. “So now I'm here, just wanted to relax.”

Crystal is quiet for a moment before giving me an affectionate boop. Would a short ride help rid you of some of your worries perhaps?

My eyes widened. “Really?”

Yes, really. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. If I offer something then it will always be something that I am willing to give.

I tremble with excitement. I get to ride a pegasus. I get to ride a pegasus. The absolute best form of horse. I pause, thinking for a second. Horse camp or not I probably shouldn’t be doing this before I’ve had my first official lesson… But considering who my father is…

Yeah, I’m totally going to do this. “Okay so, do I just climb on and-”

Yes, yes! Do climb on. Chop, chop! We don’t have all night after all!

Not having to be told twice I grip her saddle, sliding my foot into the foothold before pulling myself up with ease. 

Seated comfortably on her back, my earlier confidence at my ability to ride begins to wane. My experience with horses has been limited to the standard, wingless version. I’ve spent countless hours on horseback navigating fields and forests. But I’ve never navigated the skies, especially not when the very god of the skies was pissed off. There's no additional safety measures on the saddle. It's a regular saddle that you would see on any horse. There's absolutely nothing keeping me from falling off. I start to get nervous, my palms slipping on the reins. Just because I’m Poseidon's daughter doesn’t mean I’ll be good at this, whether I can talk to Pegasi or not.

Crystal must sense my nervousness because she chooses that exact moment to exacerbate my fears.

Hang on tight, little lady. I do not wish to explain your untimely demise to your father.

“Wait, what do you mean by my demise?! Crystal-” 

I’m cut off mid sentence as Crystal begins to move. Slowly at first, but her pace steadily increases until she's moving at a full gallop. I clutch the reins tightly, wishing once more that the saddle came with some type of seatbelt. Something to ensure that I don't accidentally find myself speeding through the air and onto the ground below, I really don’t think my father would be happy if that was the case. Despite Crystal’s assurances that she wouldn’t let me fall, I don't necessarily trust myself not to make a clumsy mistake.

Her wings stretch out fully, flapping once, twice. On the third she kicks off from the ground, wings effortlessly carrying us both upward towards the dark sky.

Up and up and up we go. My eyes are squeezed shut, I was entirely unused to the sensation of flying. I lean forward a bit, gripping the reins and the front of Crystal’s saddle tightly. I could hear Crystal laughing quietly at me.

Do not be scared. I will not let you fall, little lady. Open your eyes.

I crack one eye open, and then both, peering down at the earth below us. It's… it’s not as scary as I thought it would be. The butterflies in my stomach finally calm down and I loosen my grip ever so slightly. I carefully push myself upright again, breathing steadily as I tell myself that this was fine and that Crystal would never let me fall… on purpose.

We soar over the trees in the woods. Over the dark, gleaming depths of the lake, higher and higher until we were well past the water and Thalia’s boundaries over camp. The longer we were in the air the more relaxed I became.

The sky… the sky is absolutely stunning from this point of view, breathtaking really. I gaze upward, marveling at how many stars I can see. Having spent most of my life in the crowded city of New York, seeing the sky in all of its smogless, light pollution free glory never gets old. It feels like I could reach out and touch them. 

The thought of how much I used to love the stories of Artemis and Apollo filled my mind. After I first heard of them I became almost obsessed with the sun and moon, which led to me becoming just as obsessed with night and day -Nyx and Hemera. It broke my heart to separate myself from all of that… but I won’t have to anymore. But would my parentage keep me safe from Apollo?

I look around the sky and for some reason a spot lacking any stars at all catches my eye.

A girl's voice fills my head, Stars, she whispered. I can see the stars again, my lady. And then-

Tell… stars… says hello, a sad, unfamiliar voice whispers. The longing in his tone is almost painful to hear.

“I can see them too… Hello, stars,” I whisper, not fully understanding the context of the voice urging my greeting. But it feels important that I do so.

We spent another twenty minutes in the sky. Crystal shows no sign of being tired, and I’m more than content to just let her circle the outer border of the camp as many times as she pleased. It's freeing, the wind rushing through my hair, being so high up on Crystal. I fear that if I were a pegasus, or if I had wings, I might never be persuaded to come back down after taking flight. I could stay up here forever, among the stars and the clouds, free. Free from responsibility, free from my worries, free from prophecy. But unfortunately I know that it just isn’t possible.

“We need to go back,” I reluctantly whisper to Crystal as she completes her most recent lap. “I don't want to go too far from camp and get in trouble.”

Of course, whatever you wish little lady.

She changes direction, soaring back towards the camp. As we get closer she gradually begins to descend. Her hooves graze the surface of the sea, a cool, light mist spraying me as we cross the ocean to get to the beach. I bask in the feeling.

Finally she touches down just past the sand. As if knowing that I’m not fully ready to go back to bed, she takes her time walking from the beach to the stables, even though it’s a long walk to begin with. When we arrive I carefully climb down, making sure to undo and remove her saddle after I do. I wouldn’t want her to be uncomfortable after all.

Thank you, little lady. The other children often forget to take it off. This is why I throw them off mid flight. Well, this and the fact that I simply do not like most of them.

“That is quite rude. Although, throwing them off is a bit extreme, they could get seriously hurt…” I murmur before shaking my head. “But they should still know better, only the older kids are allowed to fly so they should definitely know better.”

Oh, yes. I do not care what the half man says. If they cannot be proper riders, they will feel what it is like to fly on their own!

I giggle. Crystal is so dramatic, I love her.

“Thanks, Crystal,” I say, leaning my head against her flank after she is successfully freed from the prison that is her saddle. She nickers softly in acknowledgement, giving me one final boop before she trots off to her stall.

I take a deep breath as I watch her go. I really do feel a bit better after that ride. I feel lighter, calmer. Hopefully it's enough to let me pass out again when I get back to the cabin.

Hopefully Kas hadn't woken up when I left. I had checked and double checked that no one was awake when I slipped out, but that doesn't mean that they weren't faking and ready to chew me out the second I got back. I begin to carefully tiptoe across camp, keeping an eye out for the harpies I’ve miraculously managed to avoid up until now.

Of course, the universe has never been particularly kind to me before, so why start now?

“Did you enjoy your ride?” a familiar voice from behind me asks.

I nearly jump out of my fucking skin.

I spin around so fast, heart pounding, that my braid smacks me in the face. My hand was already in my pocket, fingers closing around the growing familiarity of the my bronze pen.

“Relax, child. There is absolutely no need to draw your weapon.”

Oh, thank the fates, it’s just Lord Di. The god is leaning against the fence that surrounds the stables, sipping another diet coke. I notice that he’s once again dropped the middle aged drunkard form that he usually adopts while he roams around camp, or when he’s feeling particularly sick, appearing in his youthful visage that I seem to be the only one that can actually see{I wonder how his kids see him?} Even his voice is different in this form; softer and melodic. Kind of like when he talks to his kids and the younger campers{Maybe he looks like this for all of them?} But it carries no less authority and is no less intimidating when he wants it to be.

His posture is relaxed, looking more annoyed that he has to be out here at this hour than furious at the fact that I’m out here at this hour. I still can’t help but feel an overwhelming, all encompassing fear wash over me at his presence. Plenty of people are good at faking calm, adults especially{It was Gabe's favorite thing to do before I wised up}. It lulls you into a false sense of security; your guard dropping so low that you're no longer prepared when they lash out.

“How did you know I was gone?” I can’t believe that I forgot about the actual god watching over the camp! I spent so long trying to stay off their radars and yet I manage to forget one now that I’m in their sights. Although, this particular god does tend to be nice, if not kind, to most campers in his own sarcastic sort of way.

Di snorts. “I am a god, child. Do you believe an inexperienced demigod could sneak out of camp without me knowing?”

I blush, right, stupid question. “N-No.” I shake my head.

Fucking great! I’ve done it now. I wonder if this will be the thing that actually pushes him to show anger?

Di pushes off the fence, exhaling loudly through his nose as he crosses the distance between us in a few, quick strides, as graceful as a leopard. I shove down the instinctual urge to turn and flee from the situation. Running may occasionally save me from Gabe’s anger, who is out of shape, or other individuals who are not as fast as me, but I know that it would do me no good here. Di is a god. Even if I could run fast enough, where could I go that he wouldn't find me again? Into my fathers domain probably, but that brought its own set of issues.

Instead I resign myself to whatever comes next, prepared to lose whatever goodwill I seemed to have had with Lord Di. Sometimes it’s easier to just accept the punishment and not fight back. It’s usually over quicker that way, hopefully it will be over quicker that way.

Di comes to a stop a couple feet in front of me, silently studying me as I try to subtly even out my breathing.

“Campers are typically not supposed to be wandering about after curfew,” he says idly, finger tapping against the soda can. “There are few exceptions for certain children; however, you are not one of them. You're extremely lucky that I'm the one who found you and not the harpies. The harpies that, I'm quite certain, you were warned about on your first day?” He says the last part pointedly.

I was warned about the harpies on my first day. Along with the other literal handful of rules that exist in this place. There aren’t that many, surprisingly. And most are broken often and without care. Chiron and Lord Di rarely punish anyone for not following them, only intervening should something particularly heinous happen. But I suppose that in some cases you can't be too harsh on chronically stressed and exhausted children whose days are spent learning how to survive and pondering their likely early demise. Leniency is to be expected. After all, what kid could consistently be "good" and well adjusted under these circumstances? 

However leniency means being complacent, and the blatant favoritism I’ve seen from Chiron surely doesn’t help, it’s no wonder some kids don’t feel comfortable here. Honestly the whole rules and punishment thing should really be reworked from what I can tell.

“Isn't death by harpy a bit extreme for breaking curfew? Half the kids don't follow it anyway, exceptions or not, and I've never seen a harpy actually go after them.”

The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, a rarity for me. My ability to process internally before speaking and filter the words I choose is normally so much better considering the fact that I normally don’t speak, it seems that I’m growing complacent here too. I’m frozen in place as I stare at lord Di in growing horror, I just said that to a god.

Whatever hope of getting off with nothing but a warning from the usually lenient camp director flies out of the window at the gods frown. Great, I just had to piss him off!

“I suppose. However those campers typically do not commandeer a pegasus and go for a joyride in the sky," he says sternly, “Especially not before they’ve even had their first lesson.” His eyebrow arched as he stared at me expectantly, obviously wanting an explanation for my actions this evening.

I swallow, unconsciously taking a step back. I hadn’t thought of that, hadn’t even considered getting caught as a possibility.

I have no good explanation, no good excuse that might get me out of trouble. I couldn't sleep, I like horses, my dreams and visions kind of suck sometimes, and I desperately needed a break. Even just a few moments where I didn't have to think about the circumstances that brought me here, about my moms kidnapping, or how I currently have no other options besides this camp. Unless I want to end up on the streets or confronting a god and getting my mother back or, gods forbid, back with my horrible stepfather. But it’s not like I can actually say any of that.

“I'm really sorry Lord Di,” I whisper, voice trembling. I don't really know what else to say. I haven’t truly angered Di before, I haven’t learned his tells or how to please him when he’s upset.

Di lets out another heavy sigh, and I flinch slightly before I can even register it. I wish that he would just get it over with already. A hand lands on my shoulder and I tense so as to not flinch again, my breath quickening, flinching sometimes angers people more than being silent does. “Look at me, child,” he says quietly, almost softly.

It’s a gentle request, not a demand like I was expecting. A gentle touch, even when I don’t comply immediately.

I tentatively uncurled just a bit, peeking up at Di’s face, I hadn’t even realised that I was curled up like that. There’s no real anger on his face or in his eyes, just the signs of frustration adults get after long days of being in charge of multiple children who have taken it upon themselves to misbehave for the fun of it. Essentially he looks like a tired teacher, or daycare worker. Maybe even an exhausted father.

“If you feel the need to go on another midnight journey, please do inform someone of your whereabouts, and try not to get lost in the woods or stray too far from camp,” he tells me, tone firm but not unkind. “I would rather not waste my time hunting you down if you manage to get yourself lost when I have much better things to be doing. Understood?”

For a moment I’m positive that this was a trick of some kind. Most adults are never this nice, my mom not included. Men are definitely never this nice{Even my father has his… not nice moments in the myths}.

“Understood?” Di repeats when I don't reply.

“Yes Lord Di.” I murmur anxiously, voice a little too soft, a little too panicked.

“Good.” He gives my shoulder a light squeeze, comforting sort of squeeze before letting go, a yawn escaping him. “Now, if you don't mind, I would love to get back to doing what I was before I had to come and find you. That is, sleeping, as you should be. Let's go.”

I stare at him in disbelief. No punishment. Just a warning, and not even a true warning either, he basically told me that as long as someone knows where I’m going I’m allowed out. I open and shut my mouth a few times, words failing me once more. Nervously fidgeting with mami’s bracelets, I finally manage to summon the courage to gain Di’s attention. 

I gently tug on the hem of his shirt, afraid that I’ll get in trouble for doing so. ‘Lord Di?’

He glances at me. “Yes, Persi?”

‘That's it?’ I ask hesitantly. ‘You're not…’ My hands shake a bit, ‘You're really not angry with me?’

A dark, knowing look passes across his face, but it's gone nearly as quickly as it appears, morphing into a soft and contemplating look. ‘Do you want me to be angry?”

‘No! No, I'm good,’ I shake my head quickly.

Di regards me for another moment before letting out a soft, breathy laugh. “Bed. Now. Off you go,” he says, giving me a light push in the direction of the cabins alongside a barely there smile.

My feet are carrying me in that direction before Di can even really finish his sentence, lest the god change his mind and decide to punish me after all. Even though I’m slowly beginning to think he won’t, and that he maybe, sort of, likes me.

“Umm… goodnight!” I call over my shoulder, turning one last time.

“Goodnight, Persi.” A soft smile on his face.

I managed to sleep the rest of the night.

Persi’s POV{Thursday June 4th, 2015}

The next morning during breakfast, in the half empty pavilion, I slipped two bracelets into the fire before any food. I had finished them before lights out last night but not before dinner, so now was as good a time as any.

“Hey Papi, Mama,” I whisper, “made you two something.” I didn’t say any names, instead drawing on the feeling inside of me, the depths of the sea that wrapped around my core of cresting waves.

I’d never been able to pray or give my own offerings to the altars at home, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to myself. I would make up for it now. I’d been getting presents all my life, it was time to return the favor. 

Do ut des was the foundation of our pantheons offering system after all, and I have a lot to make up for. Maybe, eventually, I’ll work up the courage to do the same with… other deities that I want to start a “relationship” with.

Regardless, I know for a fact that today was going to be a good day. Kas had decided that we weren’t going to do our normal activities today, instead the whole Hermes cabin is going to the beach! He said to bring different activities and everything, I can’t wait!

I eat quickly , and we head back to the Hermes cabin and Kas quickly produces a list of things we need to bring. Anything else can be brought at our discretion.

When I walk into the cabin three papers were posted in the back, The first was a personal items list:

Personal Items -

1. Swimwear
2. Change of Clothes
3. Sun Glasses
4. Beach friendly shoes
5. Water Bottle
6. Towels
7. Personal Snacks
8. Activities

The second was a cabin list:

Cabin Wide Items -

1. Sunscreen
2. Extra Water Bottles
3. Cooler
4. Bag(For wet clothes)
5. Wet Wipes
6. Hand Sanitizer
7. First Aid Kit(Ambrosia and Nectar Included)
8. Umbrellas
9. Extra Towels(To Sit On, NO you can Not borrow a towel if you forgot yours!)
10. Activities(Bring your own as well!)

And the third was a notice: 

REMINDER! We will be having lunch on the beach. Anyone who does not wish to go or stay until dinner must come see me BEFORE we go so that I can find somewhere else for you to go. ~Luke Castellan, Cabin Counselor.

We were going to the beach by majority vote. Mostly from the unclaimed kids. I honestly can’t wait to get to know them.

We all gathered outside the cabin, there were forty four of us in total, though only twelve of us were actually Hermes’ children, including the unclaimed Chris. Eight of the children were claimed by “minor” gods, and the other twenty three of us were just… unclaimed. Some of us knew who our parents were but only one of the unclaimed children had an Olympian parent. Penelope was an unclaimed daughter of Athena and we all knew it, she looks far too much like her siblings to be anything but.

Regardless, Kas takes us all outside and starts splitting us up once we’re all packed.

“Alright campers! We’ll be splitting up for convenience. Two groups, we’ll have the group leader and then twenty one kids in each group, okay?”

Most of us made sounds of agreement or  nodded. I could see some of the younger ones bouncing around in excitement.

“Alright, First group will be with me! I have Chris, Ethan, Sephie,” I walk over to him, following Chris and Ethan, another friend I had made. I placed myself next to Kas so that I could watch the other kids get into the group and hopefully memorize their names. “Jordan and Jamie” who were identical twins, both mostly androgynous step forward to join us. They both have waist length curly, black hair, and seafoam green eyes. “Ria,” a girl with brown curls and milky blue eyes, comes forward. But I could tell she wasn’t blind, “Morgan,” a boy with blonde hair and coral eyes. “Maris,” an androgynous kid with shark-like teeth, steps up. “Theo,” a boy with reddish brown hair and dark blue eyes, and  “Audra,” a pretty, dark skinned girl with dark blue braids and eyes like mine glances at me as she walks by.

“Penny,” he says her name with a sigh in his voice, and I can see why. She’s obviously Athena’s kid. She has the long, curly, blonde hair, she has the tell-tale grey eyes, she even had spotted wings fluttering behind her back. Although I have a funny feeling that I’m the only one that can see them, that doesn’t explain why she hasn’t been claimed… She comes forward, seemingly ignoring the sigh that everyone could hear.

He clears his throat and continues.  “Dylan,” A boy with black hair and seaweed green eyes, “Bella,” A girl with dark brown hair and red eyes, “Yukio, Fuyumi,” A boy and a girl, twins but not identical like the first pair  come over. They both have dark brown hair but while the girls hair bleeds into white at the tips, the boy has streaks of white, they both have icy blue eyes. “Dami,” a boy with dark brown hair and raven black eyes, “Misa,” a girl with sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes, and “Lori,” a little girl with black hair, toxic green eyes, and fangs skips over. 

The final three members of our group were the youngest, all three could be no older than six at most. “Althea,” who had long, wavy, ginger hair and brilliant sky blue eyes, and her pupils were slitted like a snake's. “Kai,” with white and blue hair, and clear blue eyes, “And finally Sera.” A little girl, the tiniest in the cabin, skips over to Kai. She has jet black hair with white streaks, and her eyes were a gorgeous shade of purple, but most peculiarly was that her arms looked like black mist from the elbows down with her skeletal structure shining through. Once again I was positive that I was the only one that could see it.

Our group stands near Kas. “Second group will be with Larron!” An older son of Hermes steps to the side,  prepared to take his group. “Now I know the rest of you will be with him but please let me call your name so we know you’re all here!” I wait, wanting to put names to faces. “Alright, first up we have Travis, Connor, Malachi,” I know the Stolls and the last boy is clearly their brother. “Cele,” A girl with dark brown hair and eyes that look like a galaxy walks over to their group, “Fin,” a plump boy with light brown hair and hazel eyes, “Ian,” a boy with curly brown hair and brown eyes, one of the more normal looking kids if not for his unnatural aura. 

“Clovis,” a blonde boy with hypnotic violet eyes, “Holly, Laurel,” the victor twins, “Butch,” a black haired boy whose eyes changed between the colors of a standard rainbow, cool, “Doran, Bran, Cecil,” who were also children of Hermes. “Chiara,” a girl with ginger hair and clear blue eyes, “Aiko,” a boy with blonde hair and reddish pink eyes, “Felix,” has light blonde haired and the same blue eyes as Chiara, “Mara,” a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, again. “Ricky,” another Hermes son, “Gil,” a boy with the same hair and eyes as Mara, only his hair is curly. “Ally, and finally Jules.” The only daughters of Hermes.

It was obvious that he had tried to put all of his siblings in a group, Kas’ entire group consisted of unclaimed kids and there were still several unclaimed campers in the second group!

Honestly it was a little sobering as I think about just how many kids were unclaimed or didn’t have a place to stay, most of us didn’t even have a bed! 

I don’t know how to feel about the fact that I will get claimed, I will have my own cabin, my own bed {a bed shouldn’t be considered a luxury}. Maybe my father would let me share? I’d have to ask once I get claimed, and on that note, maybe other gods and goddesses will open up their cabins, temples, to other demigods? I’ll have to see…

All in all I had an amazing day! The beach was so fun, even if I had to hide my powers. I made quick friends with most of the cabin.

Originally I had spent time with Luke, Chris, and Ethan. But I slowly got much closer to some of the others! Mostly those my age or younger, because I absolutely adored the little kids!

I played a few minor pranks with the Stolls but my attention was quickly caught by a larger group of unclaimed kids. It was obvious that their parents were water deities of some sort. 

The twins, Jordan and Jamie, were two months younger than me. They were the oldest of the group. Then, in age order, we had Adrianna, Morgan, Maris, Theodore, Audra, Dylan, Misa, Lorelai, Kai. All of them were great! We had so much fun together.

I didn’t actually spend any time with the actual Hermes kids other than Luke, Chris, and the Stolls. Most of my time was spent with the unclaimed kids. 

I met Celeste, Finch, and Lian. They were all children of the Muses so it made sense why they were unclaimed, what was the point if they had nowhere to go. There was also Althea, a six year old with a gift for healing. Even if we don’t know who her parent is, I wonder if cabin seven would house them…

I met Aiko, unclaimed and unsure{I think cabin ten would fit him}. Penelope, the unclaimed daughter of Athena{Maybe bringing her into my cabin would force Athena to claim her}. Bellatrix, a daughter of some war god or goddess, although, not Ares{Maybe Ares would take her anyway}. The fraternal twins, Yukio and Fuyumi, clearly children of a winter deity{I could offer them a place to sleep}. Damien, Ethan's little brother. And finally I met Serena, clearly a child of the underworld {Surely I could house her in my uncle's stead}.

Overall not bad, I had fun, I made friends{and I’ve decided that I’m getting these kids out of this cabin one way or a fucking other. So many kids, good kids, who are unclaimed or forgotten, tossed aside. I will not stand aside and let it happen}. I went to bed that night happy, not satisfied… but happy. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day for all of us, I’m sure.

I have a feeling that most of us won’t be staying in the Hermes Cabin long after tomorrow night anyway.

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Horse Speak

Persi’s POV{Friday June 5th, 2015}

Friday morning dawned slowly. I watched as my cabin mates woke up around me, I had been awake for about an hour now. Not too long, thankfully.

There was a feeling in my gut, a certainty, that this was the last morning I’d spend in the Hermes cabin. I’ve known since yesterday that I wouldn’t be in this cabin for much longer. But now? I’m positive that I’ll be dragging at least half of the cabin with me, and no, that’s not my sight talking.

I soaked it all in. The easy camaraderie, Chris’ grumbles as he worms his way out of his sleeping bag, the mad scramble to the bathroom. I wouldn’t have this many kids in my cabin but it wasn’t going to be empty, even if I had to yell at my father to make it happen. Each cabin was built to house twenty five kids, beds for each, so I just had to get at least nineteen kids out in order for everyone to have a bed. It would be fine, I’ll have the room. Maybe papi would change how the cabin looks if I asked… we would definitely need to add more beds.

At breakfast the camp was awash with chatter and excitement for the upcoming game. I sat at the Hermes’ table, piling food up for breakfast.

I was happy when we eventually went to Battle Strategy, even though I was entirely uninterested in the class. I zoned out for most of it, coming back to myself near the end of the lesson, only to find myself staring down at the open monster book in my lap.

I was pretty sure, given the diagram at the front of the room, that our lesson today had been on the differences between dragons and drakons.

The book in my hands, however, was opened to a page on hellhounds.

I ran my hand over the illustration and a chill ran through me as a terrifyingly familiar howl rang in my ears. 

Glowing red eyes stare me down. A figure leaps at me. An open maw, getting closer, and closer, too close-

I shut the book with a snap, standing up with the rest of my cabin as we headed to the arena for another sword fighting lesson.

Thankfully Kas didn’t single me out this time, but I swear I felt his eyes following me throughout the lesson regardless. {Why does his gaze feel… different this time? Almost Hungry, like… Gabe}.

The attention made me kind of uncomfortable, meshing with the chill that had followed me all the way from the end of Battle Strategy until I was strung tighter than a bow. I try to shake it off as unimportant, it’s probably my imagination anyway, I’ve always been a certain level of… uncomfortable, with older guys.

Thankfully, after lunch, we had an activity that I’ve been waiting for. Even if I went on an unauthorized ride already.

It was time for my first official pegasus riding class!

I was about as excited for Pegasus riding as I had been for canoeing. I know from my late night ride that I had a natural affinity with the pegasi, but that doesn’t stop my excitement. I haven’t been back to see any of them since that night after all, and I had only met Crystal anyway.

I was practically buzzing with anticipation as we approached the stables. I couldn’t wait to meet some of the other pegasi, even if I have to pretend not to understand them.

As we walked, Kas explained that we generally only had about a dozen pegasi in the camp at a time, seeing as they liked to roam, they were free creatures after all. However, given the amount of campers in the Hermes cabin, that meant that we’d normally have to switch off on riding so that everyone got a chance. Even with the fact that anyone under ten wasn’t allowed to ride alone, we still didn’t have enough pegasi. 

Since this was my first{official} lesson, however, I’d get to have my own pegasus for the entirety of the time. I only felt a little bad about the fact that this technically wasn’t my first time riding one, but it was quickly outweighed by my excitement.

I was practically bouncing on the balls of my feet as Kas led me to a stable.

“Sephie, meet Amber. She’s one of our gentler pegasi, easier for first time riders. Silena or I will teach you how to saddle her, ride her, care for her…” Kas trailed off, clearly seeing that I was paying absolutely no attention to him for once.

The pegasus in the stable was beautiful, her coat a gorgeous chestnut. The bottom of her legs and a single strip down her face to her muzzle were painted white. Her brown wings were folded against her side, matching the coloring of her coat perfectly.

I loved her already. She wasn’t Crystal, wasn’t pure white with a silver mane. She didn’t seem the type to be sarcastic. But I already loved her, in a way I tend to love all horses. She was just as gorgeous as Crystal anyway.

I stopped outside the stable door in awestruck silence.

Amber stepped forward until her head reached over the door, and I held still as she gently bumped her head against my own.

A startled laugh burst out of me, both hands reaching up to pet her.

Amber knickered softly, and my hands stilled as her voice echoed in my head.

Little lady?

I smiled as Amber rubbed her head up against my hands. I glanced around carefully, but no one was close enough to see me having a conversation with my pegasi. 

“Hello.” I murmur, thankfully Kas had wandered over to the other end of the stables to grab a saddle, so nobody was around to hear me.

Nobody except Amber, that was.

Little lady… You’re the one Crystal was talking about! The little lady is here! Hello, Little lady!

“Oh! What has Crystal been telling you? You don’t need to call me that. My name is Persi.” I whisper to her.

Amber reached her head forward to bump into mine again.

But you are our Lord’s little one. Our little lady! It has been so long since our lord has sent us a little one… and little ladies are so rare!

“I’m not a lady though, just Persi. You can call me Persi, okay?”

Amber snorted, and I caught the tone of amusement in the next words that I heard in my head.

You are our Lord’s daughter. And you are little. So, you are our little lady.

“I’m not little,” I whisper indignantly, already resigned to being called ‘little lady’ by the pegasi. I couldn’t stop Crystal either, I recall.

Amber knickered at me, and I got the distinct feeling that I was being laughed at.

You are! Little. Tiny. Hardly more than a foal, really. A little foal! Would you prefer if I called you that instead, little foal?

“Ah, no, that’s— that’s worse actually. Please don’t call me that.”

Whatever you say, little foal. I swear I can hear a smirk in those words, pegasi or not.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself as I continued to pet her. “I’m getting bullied by a fucking pegasus.”

“Bullying you, is she?” I squeaked, spinning around to the sight of Kas standing behind me holding a leather saddle in his arms.

“Fuck! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Kas just flashed a cheeky grin. “Alright, first lesson. Let’s saddle her up.” He dumped the leather saddle into my arms, I staggered back under the weight.

Kas walked me through how to put the saddle on Amber, chuckling at the effort it took for me to swing the saddle over her back—he had to lift it entirely above my head to get it over, seeing as my head just barely reached her shoulders—checking all the straps carefully before deeming it correct.

“I think you’re both ready, so let’s see if we can get you in the saddle and out in the field. Don’t worry, we’ll go slow today. Get you used to riding before we put you in the air. Don’t feel bad if it takes you a bit. Not everyone has an affinity for pegasus riding.”

I shoot Kas an excited grin before placing my leg carefully in the stirrup. I swung up in the saddle with the ease of a rider who’d done it a thousand times before.

Settling in the saddle felt a bit like coming home, warmth filling my veins as Amber tossed her head.

Her excitement bled into my own mind, I felt a grin split my face as my body buzzed with happiness. This was almost as good as my late night ride with crystal, I was less nervous this time too.

“I’ll lead her out into the field for you, then teach you some of the basic commands and touches.”

Amber snorted, tossing her head indignantly as Kas moved to pick up the reins.

Don’t you worry, little foal, I’ll teach you everything you need to know. You’re a natural already. Besides, Crystal is much harder to work with than I am and you did well with her.

“Not escaping that nickname, am I?” I murmur to the chestnut mare, who knickered softly in response.

“Yeah, figured.” I sigh.

“What was that?” Kas turned to walk backwards as he led us out of the stable.

“Nothing, just… talking to Amber.” I blush, “Talking to animals has always been easier for me.” I explained softly, Kas just nodded once before moving to hand the reins to me.

Amber’s muscles tensed beneath me as she swung her head around when Kas’ hands got close to me, she snapped at the son of Hermes.

“Whoa!” Kas reared back, dropping the reins as he dodged Amber’s teeth. My eyes widened, Amber dancing backwards.

“Whoa, hey, it’s okay. What’s wrong?” I ran my hands gently up Amber’s neck, trying to calm her down.

I don’t like that one. He’s different now, not like he was before. Dangerous. He has an aura of miasma around him now, untrustworthy, especially not around the lord’s daughter.

I frown. “Different how?” Amber tossed her head, her front hooves lifting off the ground a couple inches like she was barely keeping herself from rearing up.

Kas was holding his hands up, keeping himself carefully out of range of Amber’s teeth as he tried to approach again.

I don’t know how to explain. He was different when he came by before, now he feels…

Amber trailed off, sending me a slew of feelings instead of words as she tried to convey what she meant.

My skin felt like it was covered in spiders, crawling all over my arms and burrowing beneath my clothes, beneath my skin. I tensed in the saddle, trying not to scratch at my arms. Realistically I know that nothing was actually there, but it felt like there was.

I shuddered, and the feeling faded.

Wrong. He feels wrong. And dangerous. I do not trust him around you, little foal.

I almost want to defend Kas, he’s been nothing but nice to me after all… but that feeling. Should– should I even be trusting him? He’s been so kind though…

“I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” Kas' voice startled me from my thoughts, his eyebrows furrowed with worry and my caution melted slightly. “She’s never done that to anyone before.” He took another step forward cautiously and gave a sigh when Amber backed up and out of his reach.

“I’ve got it from here, Kas. You go and try not to get bit by any of the other pegasi you seem to have pissed off lately.” I turn as someone speaks to my left, clearly giggling under her breath.

The girl looked to be about sixteen and was sitting astride an excited tan stallion. The other pegasi’s wings were the same light color as the rest of him, only speckled with spots of black that matched the pattern on his front legs.

The girl was stunning, her dark hair was tied up in an elaborate braid as her shining sea green, pink, red, rainbow blue eyes locked onto my own. I could practically smell the roses on her, Aphrodite. I blinked, and a strong smell of iron wafted over to me. I tilt my head and think for a second. Her mother is not just Aphrodite… My eyes light up, Aphrodite Areia, her mother is Aphrodite the Warlike.

As I was having that realization Kas and the girl were finishing up their conversation. “I’ll leave her to you then, Silena.” Kas rolled his eyes, stepping back from both pegasi carefully before walking to the other side of the field, rolling his eyes and muttering under his breath.

“H-hi.” I tried not to blush but I felt my face heat up regardless of my wishes as Silena scrutinized me carefully. In my defense, she was really pretty.

“You’re the new girl, yeah?”

I nodded, realizing after several moments and a pointed look that I should probably introduce myself. I would’ve smacked myself in the face if that wouldn’t have been more embarrassing.

“I’m, uh-” I lose my will to speak for a second and simply sign, ‘P-e-r-s-i. My name is P-e-r-s-i.’

Silena smiles at me, a soft thing, I relax as my nerves fade slightly. Silena, Kas, Charlie… I seem to be a sucker for pretty people, I can’t help but think.

“I’m Silena, daughter of Aphrodite and head counselor for cabin ten. Have you ever ridden before?” Oh. My. Gods. Even her voice is pretty!

‘A few times, I guess…’

Silena smiles. “I thought you had. You sit in the saddle like you’ve spent your whole life in one.”

‘Feels natural’ I smile shyly, shrugging.

“You should get the basics of riding fairly well then. Today can be a review”

Silena was right, I rode with the familiarity of years in the saddle despite only riding maybe fifteen times in my whole life. Amber spoke with me the entire time, not always in words, sometimes just with feelings or intentions.

By the end of the lesson I could keep pace with Silena as she galloped across the field on the back of her own Pegasus, Prince.

Silena wouldn’t let me take to the air yet, but Amber told me that she’d take me flying next lesson even if Silena didn’t sign off on it. Besides, I could always sneak out at night again.

Silena gave me a couple of considering looks throughout the lesson, though I didn’t know if it was because of my natural proficiency in riding or because I kept having one-sided, to Silena at least, conversations with Amber within her earshot.

Silena’s own Pegasus, Prince, chimed in occasionally, his voice bright and cheery as he pranced alongside Amber.

I waited until the last possible minute to dismount, the rest of my cabin having already dispersed. I led Amber into a stall as Silena walked me through how to take the saddle off and brush Amber down.

Silena leaned against the wall opposite the stable door, watching me silently as I bid goodbye to my new friends, making sure to stop by every occupied stable on my way out and introduce myself to all the pegasi. I’m definitely going to be spending more time here.

“You’ve stumped all of the other counselors, you know,” Silena mentioned off handedly as we left the stables.

“I have?”

Silena nodded. “Nobody can seem to figure out who your parent might be. Though that hasn’t stopped them from placing bets.” She smiled cheekily at me.

“They’re… placing bets? On who my godly parent is?” I couldn’t tell how I felt about that.

On the one hand, I knew who my parents are. I knew that I didn’t have just one godly parent, knew that it was only a matter of time before I was claimed and everybody else would know. It didn’t matter what everyone else theorized.

On the other hand, the idea of these experienced demigods gathering together, discussing me, saying who knows what about me, making bets on who my parent is… the thought of it made me kind of uncomfortable. I’d never liked being the center of attention, it never ended well when I was, and this made me feel a little like a sample under a microscope. Although, thinking about it, the only cabin counselors I haven’t met so far are Lord D’s kids. That still doesn’t make me feel better.

“Oh, yeah. But it’s like I said, nobody can figure it out, so the bets are all over the board.”

“Who—”

I cleared my throat awkwardly, unsure how exactly to ask who the counselors think my parent is. Thankfully, Silena seemed to understand what I was going to ask.

“Well, let’s see. Luke brought up the possibility of you being a minor water deities kid, he said you looked alive in the water in a way only someone of the sea could be.”

I nod, it made sense that he would notice that.

“Ah, Clarisse doesn’t have any guesses as to who your parent is, but she’s placed a frankly ridiculous bet that you’re not the child of an Olympian, that’s almost certainly just because she doesn’t like you. Conversely, the Dionysus twins have bet that you’re a child of Ares.” She says it with amusement, clearly trying not to laugh.

I couldn’t help wrinkling my nose at the prospect, which Silena must’ve noticed given her soft laugh that she obviously stopped trying to contain.

“They claimed it was due to you killing the Minotaur with no training, but it's really just because they wanted to make Clarisse mad, and they think it’d be funny if you two ended up siblings. Also because they saw you in sword fighting and archery, the throwing knives, not the bow.”

“Katie, I believe you met her, said that you had a gift with the plants and that she can sense some earth in you so she’s all for you being her sister. Charlie, Charles Beckendorf, he said you spent some time in the forge the other day and have gone to visit a few times since, he thinks you may possibly be one of his.” Silena counted her fingers quickly.

“Hmmm, who am I forgetting? Oh, Lee, Apollo’s counselor, has made a pretty sure bet on you being his sister. His chances took a hit when you failed miserably at archery but they skyrocketed after your healing class,” Silena sent me an amused grin at my sheepish look. “He’s pretty insistent though, says he got a vibe from you but he refuses to elaborate.”

Silena shrugged.

A vibe, must’ve been like the other day, only less intense hopefully. Apollo is the god of prophecy after all. I mean, how many of his kids other than Lee even have the gift of sight?

“Oh, Annabeth hasn’t made an official bet yet but based on her nonsensical ramblings there’s a high probability she’ll place one on you being Zeus’ kid.”

I nearly tripped over my own feet, despite how sure footed I normally am, “Zeus? She thinks I’m his kid?”

“Yep. Hasn’t given any reasonings, at least not that I’ve heard, but if she thinks you might be… well, it’s not out of the realm of possibility,” Silena shrugged.

We walked in silence for several moments, I count in my head. We have cabins 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 that voted, but what about…

“What about you? I mean, have you…” I looked down, gaze focused on my feet.

“I haven’t made an official bet yet. But after your riding lesson I’d say you’ve got a decent shot at being my mom’s kid.” Silena kept walking, noticing after a couple moments that I had completely stopped moving.

“You– you think I’m a daughter of Aphrodite?” Some of my disbelief must’ve bled into my voice because Silena narrowed her eyes at me.

“If this is because you think Aphrodite is weak–”

“What?!” I yelp, “That’s not– No! That’s not it at all. I know her myths, she’s definitely not weak. I mean, she was called Aphrodite Areia for a reason! Plus she’s the daughter of a primordial, she's really powerful! I would never call any of the gods weak, that's suicidal!” Silena relaxed at my rushed statement, even as I shake my head in disbelief. The gods aren't fucking weak.

“Then what? If it’s the fact that your mortal parent is your mother—” Silena winced there, but didn’t correct herself. “Well, gods and goddesses aren’t really beholden to things like gender. They can have kids with pretty much anybody.”

I figured, given the fact I apparently have two godly parents. “Yeah, but— it’s just…”

Silena tilted her head as I struggled to put my thoughts in order enough to explain.

“Aphrodite’s the goddess of love and beauty and desire, all of that stuff, and I’m just…” I shrug, my arms coming up to wrap around my middle.

I’m not calling myself ugly, no child of the gods could ever truly be ugly, but I’m not beautiful, not like the children of Aphrodite are at least.

I hadn’t hit my growth spurt yet, still frustratingly short, my hair was a mess of curls because I don’t know how to take care of them, the bags under my eyes never went away, I was too skinny, years of little sleep and bad eating habits taking their toll on any would be curves… I could go on and on.{I really don’t know what gabe finds appealing, or maybe he just likes the power imbalance}.

Silena’s eyes softened as she caught onto my meaning.

“Children of Aphrodite often have an otherworldly beauty, that’s true, but beauty doesn’t just mean looks, you know. You might not think much of yourself now, but you’ll grow into your skin eventually, everyone does.” She smiled reassuringly at me, and I sent her a tentative smile back.

“Besides, for what it’s worth, I think you’re absolutely gorgeous. You definitely have a quality to yourself that my siblings have. You’re too critical of yourself.” I ducked back as she pinched my cheek, a laugh bursting out of me.

Silena wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we started walking towards the cabins again.

“You really think…” Silena squeezed my shoulder as I trailed off again.

“I had my suspicions even before your riding lesson,” Silena admitted. “You’re younger, so it’s hard to tell, but I could see something— that otherworldly quality that you generally only see in my siblings and I. You’ll grow into it, like the rest of us. Besides, your voice–when you use it–definitely has the makings of some form of charmspeak!” I duck my head bashfully.

I knew for a fact that I’m not an Aphrodite kid, but Silena sounded so sure. So sure that I would grow into my body, would grow to be like her and her siblings. Her words, the certainty in her tone, filled me with warmth.

“The riding lesson just cinched it really, most of us have a certain affinity for pegasus riding.”

I tilted my head, and Silena elaborated.

“Pegasi—and all horses, really—come from the sea. Poseidon created horses from the waves, and all pegasi are descendants of his son, the original Pegasus. Similarly, Aphrodite comes from the sea, born out of the sea foam created when parts of Ouranos were cast down to earth. As such, we have a bit of a connection with them, the pegasi and other horses, more of a natural affinity for riding and caring for them than other demigods.”

We reached the cabins as Silena finished explaining, and she let me go to head to her own cabin. She made a parting comment about hoping that I would join them in the Aphrodite cabin soon, and my ears turned pink as she cheerfully waved me off.

I was still mildly in shock that so many counselors, including Silena herself, thought I might fit into their cabin.

I wonder if they’ll be disappointed when I get claimed.

In our free time before dinner, Chris dragged me to the climbing wall.

It was high time I’d made my first attempt at making it to the top, according to Chris.

The climbing wall was certainly an intimidating sight. The rocks clashed together periodically, causing lava to pour from the top.

I tilted my head back in an effort to glimpse the top before turning to face Chris incredulously.

“You want me to climb that? After being here for less than two weeks?”

Chris grinned at me playfully. “Scared?”

“Oh, fuck you, Rodriguez.”

“If I die, I’m haunting you for eternity,” I muttered furiously as I followed Chris’ path up the rocks.

Chris’ response was a resounding cackle as he started climbing up the wall.

The rock climbing was actually kind of fun, though I was positive that I wouldn’t be beating the satyrs anytime soon. I was too focused on how the ground seemed to be helping me up in small ways. A nudge there, a ledge jutting out where it hadn’t before here. I had fun messing with it until it was time for dinner.

We made our way back to the cabin before dinner, I glanced down at the new singed holes in my shirt.

At dinner, I slid a good portion of my dinner into the flames.

I know you’ll probably claim me soon… I want to bring other unclaimed kids with me when I go, may I? Let me know… maybe expand the cabin or something? I just want to help them…

The breeze that rustled my hair was gentle, reminding me of when my mom ran her own hand through my hair, and I ducked my head to hide my smile. I could tell that my request would be granted.

Dinner was over fairly quickly after that, and now? Now it was time for capture the flag.

A conch horn sounds and I watch as everyone yells and cheers when Annabeth and two of her siblings run into the pavilion carrying one of the flags. It was glistening gray, a barn owl with spread wings flying above an olive tree painted in the center. I couldn’t help but notice the sad look on Penny’s face, like she wanted to be with them. I was glad when Jordan and Jamie hugged her to cheer her up.

The Athena cabin must’ve been the winners of the last game judging by their smug looks as, on the opposite end of the pavilion, Clarisse and two of her brothers raced in with their own banner. This one was a gaudy red, a bloody spear striking a grisly boar’s head in the middle.

Everyone was cheering and already talking smack to each other. It seemed lighthearted for the most part, a friendly game of capture the flag between friends and siblings. But when Clarisse caught my eye, grinning wildly, eyes bright with malice, as she tapped the spear strapped to her back.

I may be sure that we’ll get along one day, but that day is not today and that look of malice… Clarrise is definitely planning to cause problems.

Still, I was practically bouncing on the balls of my feet as Chiron announced the teams. Athena had allied with Hermes and Apollo, the two biggest cabins. They’d traded privileges, things like chore schedules and activity slots, in order to win their support. I swear my smile almost dropped and my nerves became even more frayed at that announcement.

Because Ares had made alliances with literally everyone else. Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. The Dionysus’ twins were great athletes{They look so much like their brother, the late son of Dionysus that had died on Kas’ failed quest only two years ago… a quest that I was an unfortunate witness to}, and I could just tell that while one of them could probably kill me with vines, the other had the ability to drive someone… mad. 

Demeter’s kids, though, excelled with all sorts of plants and nature skills, and while they weren’t normally very aggressive, they were still children of a kronide. And that was a terrifying thought, I mean, Demeter is a pretty powerful goddess after all. 

Aphrodite’s kids mostly liked to sit out, but I knew for a fact that they were still dangerous. The glint in Silena’s eyes as I caught her gaze told me that I should do my best to avoid her. 

And then the Hephaestus kids, second smallest cabin with only five campers and yet they were strong enough from working in the forges all day to make up for their smaller numbers. My teammates seem to be under the impression that half of the opposing side is made up of demigods who aren't much of a threat.

Despite being the opposition I couldn’t wait to watch some of my fellow teammates be humbled. I just know that a Demeter or Aphrodite kid is saving up a good swing for someone who finally says the wrong thing to their face. Which would be deserved, in my opinion. I might also feel some type of way if I was dismissed as useless based on my godly parent, which I probably won’t be due to my father, then again, if it were just my mother I know I’d be considered “weak” as well.

But if you add in the thirteen Ares kids, aggressive and skilled as they were, and my side faced some serious opposition. I told Kas as much, but he just flashed me a devious grin.

I couldn’t help the shiver that ran through me at the sight, the torchlight casting upon Kas’ scarred visage making him look… sinister.

Kas’ face changed into a sly look as if he's privy to information that I don't have. Which, while rare, is probably true in this instance. I’d seen some counselors whispering among themselves about the upcoming game, forming plans and alliances. Kas must’ve done the same.

“Oh don’t worry about that. We’ll get the flag from Ares tonight. And you, my dearest Sephie, are going to help.”

Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble before I could ask how exactly I was going to help.

“Heroes! You know the rules. The creek is the boundary. The entire forest is fair game. All magical items are allowed. The flag must be prominently displayed with no more than two guards. Prisoners are to be disarmed but not bound or gagged. Absolutely no killing or maiming allowed. I’ll be on the field as a referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!”

He spreads his hands and suddenly the tables are covered with equipment from the armory; swords, shields, spears, daggers, helmets, breastplates. Everything an Ancient Greek warrior would’ve needed to rush into battle. I didn’t even know where to begin, I already had my sword, would I need anything else? Thankfully Kas appeared right next to me.

“We're really doing this, huh?” I ask no one in particular, resigned to my fate. I have such a horrible feeling about tonight's game.

“Yup! Here, Chiron thought these might fit.” I’m handed a breastplate, a helmet, and a shield that felt bigger than me. Embarrassingly, I have to ask for help with my armor from Lexa, much to the amusement of some of the other campers. She doesn't seem too bothered, carefully instructing me on how to wear it properly. Once the older girl is certain that I’m securely protected, she hands me my helmet. It has a blue plume on the top like everyone else on our team. I slide it on just as Annabeth calls for the blue team to circle up and follow her to the southern part of the forest. 

All in all everything was quite heavy, slowing me down considerably.

I am proud to say that I only stumbled over my new armor a total of three times before I finally managed to catch up to Annabeth.

“Hey.”

She keeps marching, barely sparing me a glance. “Has Luke given you your job yet?” Annabeth’s voice was tense, but I couldn’t tell if that was because she really wanted to win or because she was talking to me.

“No, what’s the plan?”

“It’s easy. We take the banner from Ares. You'll be on border patrol. Stand by the creek and keep the red team from getting through. That way you won't get in anyone's way. Leave everything else to me and our teammates," Annabeth says shortly. “Athena always has a plan.”

“Border patrol.” I repeat, getting a bad feeling, well at least I’ll be by the creek, so I have an advantage if I need it.

Something in my gut told me I’d need it.

“Okay then… Any advice?”

“Watch out for Clarisse’s spear. Other than that, don’t worry. Nothing else concerns you.” Annabeth pushed ahead, leaving me in the dust.

“Gee, thanks. Glad you have so much faith in me,” I grumble, stomping the rest of the way to my assigned spot. Much to my confusion, I can't see anyone else on border patrol in the area when I arrive at the creek, totally not suspicious. I hadn't expected a bunch of them to be gathered in one spot for obvious reasons, but wouldn't it make sense to have more than just the newest camper keeping watch at the boundary? 

I huff when I feel Annabeth’s “aura” close by, she must’ve circled back for me. 

Clarrise swings at me, I fall into the stream, laughter then- 

I nearly growl. ‘Athena always has a plan,’ even if it means sacrificing a teammate apparently. Not very wise, in my opinion, not unless you were willing to finish the job if the other side didn’t. Then again, Annabeth probably wasn’t thinking about it that way.

The air was heavy and hot, but I soon felt the chill from that afternoon return. It permeated my bones with a feeling of dread so strong it had me glancing around my surroundings.

The conch horn blew, and one of Apollo’s kids, I think his name was Micheal, raced past me like a deer, leaping through the creek to disappear into enemy territory.

I just sat in the water, listening to the sounds of rustling and sometimes fighting behind me. Time continues to tick by as the forest around me slowly grows darker. Every little sound makes me nervous, unsure if it's just an animal or a camper on the other team sneaking up on me. Or even whatever the forest is "well stocked" with. There's another flurry of movement in the bushes not too far from me, but definitely not where I can still sense Annabeth is. Instinctively, I raise my shield. It feels like I’m being watched, like something is stalking me and biding its time until the perfect time to strike.

I squint, trying to make out what it is. 

A low growl sounded through the bushes, raising the hair on the back of my neck.

Something was stalking me, I was sure.

The growling continues for a few seconds, accompanied by the snapping of twigs and leaves being crunched beneath feet. Whatever's out there… it's moving in my direction. I reach into my pocket and pull out riptide, uncapping it easily.

The presence retreated, however, right as the underbrush on the other side of the creek exploded. Five Ares kids streamed out, arms to the teeth as they yelled a battle cry. My blood runs cold.

Fuck.

They're grinning like it's Christmas day and they've just been given the most wonderful present when they see me standing there alone. “There you are, punk,” Clarisse says, taking a few menacing steps forward. “We've been looking for you.”

I’m sure they have been.

I swallow nervously. “The flag’s that way” I try, gesturing in the opposite direction.

Clarisse tilts her head. “If only we were here for the flag. Too bad for you that's not what we're after.” She smiles mockingly before–

“Cream the punk!” Clarisse screams. 

I hardly have a chance to raise my shield before they're running at me. True to Annabeth's word, Clarisse brandished a five foot spear, the tip was barbed, flickering with a dangerous red light, and static electricity raced up my arms at the sight. 

Yeah. I definitely did not want to get touched by that thing.

She seemed to be the only one with a weapon like that though, I note. The rest of her siblings all carry standard issue swords. Not that it means anything for me. It's five on one, and I’ve only had a few formal lessons so far. The odds are very much not in my favor.

Clarisse led her siblings across the stream. I couldn’t outrun them. I was practically alone{I knew that Annabeth had no intentions to help me}. Against a good portion of the Ares cabin.

I knew it!

Bait.

They've used me as bait!

I take a breath. No help was being offered. I’ve been left to fend for myself. I could either try to run and hope I find someone in time, or I can stay right where I am and defend myself against five children of war.

The choice is taken from me when one of the campers makes it to me before I can even attempt to flee. They surround me, cutting off any escape I could possibly make. I manage to dodge the first strike out of sheer dumb luck, but these guys are trained fighters. They are not as easily fooled as a random monster in the streets might be. I’m surrounded, Riptide held in a death grip as my eyes flit between the five campers in front of me. 

A sword slashed against my exposed calf from behind, and my leg almost buckled beneath me.

I raised my shield desperately as Clarisse lunged at me. I deflected her thrust, but the tip just barely brushed my shoulder.

The shock from the electric tip made my hair stand on end.

My arm dangles uselessly by my side, the shield slipping from my grasp and clattering onto the ground. My hand twitches, half numb, half tingly from the electric shock I just received. I stumble back. 

An Ares girl slams the butt of her sword into my chest and I hear a sickening crack as I’m sent sprawling into the dirt. Breathing is painful. It's made even more complicated when the toe of a boot connects with my face. My lip is split open and I’m certain my nose must be injured with how much my eyes are watering. Clarisse raises her spear again but I can see her hesitate for a second.

Fuck.

Well at least she was pulling her punches.

I narrowly avoided the point of another sword, and years of getting into scraps with bullies had my leg shooting out.

There was a resounding crack as my foot connected solidly with a boy's left knee. The kid hit the ground with a strangled scream.

Oops.

I rolled onto my knees, but before I could make it to my feet my head whipped to the side as something sliced across my face.

Fucking— Clarisse essentially just Pistol-whipped me with her Fuccking SPEAR{Yes, yes. I know it’s not technically pistol whipping, but the point still fucking stands}!

The tip of her spear caught my jaw, and my muscles tensed as the shock reverberated through my head.

I hit the ground again, and this time I couldn’t force my body to move before one of the kids kicked me straight in the chest, oof, that was not great for whatever cracked earlier.

They could’ve kept pummeling me then, but they were too busy fucking laughing.

“Oh, wow. Yeah, I’m sooo scared of this girl. Really scared. She’s just a pint sized punk.”

“Right. Cause three big ass bitches and two huge fucking bastards against one tiny girl just screams ‘not scared’ to me.” I wheeze, still trying to catch my breath.

Not my best moment, but in my defense, when I’m stuck like this I either become the sassiest little shit or go silent. No in between, although it’s been a long fucking time since I’ve chosen anything but “go silent”, I picked a hell of a day to talk back, huh.

One of the kids swung their foot towards my face, I scrambled backwards to avoid a broken nose.

Another slashes at my left arm with his sword, the blade striking deep and cutting through the layers of flesh with ease. I can see the yellow, fatty tissue in the wound, the brief hint of white visible even deeper. I nearly throw up, body feeling warm and cold at the same time as I stare at my wound. I know for a fact that the only reason I’m not screaming in pain is one, the adrenaline; and two, the ichor running through my veins.

I forced myself to my feet and back up quickly, “The fuck happened to no maiming?!” I demand as my feet hit the edge of the stream.

“Oops,” The guy that slashed at me said. “Guess we’ll lose our dessert privileges.”

Right. Cause that was totally a fitting punishment for maiming a kid! Fucking Chiron! {I had a funny feeling that Lord D wasn’t actually allowed to make any rules…}

Unbidden I feel myself pulled into my thoughts, Gabe had cut me this deep once, I think. Or maybe it was one of Gabe's associates? Maybe both. It's a rather blurry memory, like so many other memories I catch brief glimpses of in my dreams or during my waking hours when someone is too loud or moves too fast towards me. I can't recall how I managed to not die or get a massive infection from it, or even hide it from my mom. Maybe I had gotten it into water?

Still, I’ve been here plenty of times before; in these moments of panic where my brain rapidly calculates the likelihood of survival. How far Gabe or whoever it was would go before they stopped.

Gods I hope they stop. But I don’t think Clarrise will yet, not with that look in her eyes. No, she’s not learned restraint yet… but she will, I know she will… hopefully. {In the back of my head I couldn’t help but wonder why she hadn’t done anything yet, Annabeth was still here after all… was she seriously just going to watch me bleed out here?}

Clarisse took another swing at me, and I decided enough was enough. I tipped myself backwards into the stream.

The Ares kids laughed at me as I landed with a splash in the cold water.

My veins were shot through with energy. My blood was practically singing with rage as my senses sharpened and my wounds began to heal.

Clarisse and her cabinmates made the mistake of stepping into the stream to come after me, and I rose to meet them.

There must’ve been something different in my face, something that screamed danger, because all of them stalled as soon as their feet hit the creek bed.

Too fucking late.

Bastard number one didn’t even have time to raise his sword before I smashed the flat of riptide into the guy’s head so hard I could see the guy’s eyes vibrating as he crumpled into the water.

Bitch Number Two and Bitch Number Three seemed to decide their chances were better if they tag teamed me, but I dispatched them both with barely a thought.

My shield slammed into the second girl's face with a nasty crunch, before turning to ram the butt of my sword into the first girl's gut with such force that she doubled over straight into my rising kneecap.

They hit the water silently.

Bastard Number Two was still crumpled on the ground outside the stream, cradling his shattered kneecap, so I turned to face my only remaining adversary.

Clarisse seemed undeterred, the point of her spear crackling as she lunged. She’s relentless, spear crackling with dangerous energy.

I dodge the first few strikes, and then with precision I wasn't aware I was even capable of, I caught the shaft of Clarisse's spear between my shield and sword on the final strike. There's a satisfying crack as the weapon breaks in two, I threw the sparking piece in the water, fully destroying it as Clarisse lets out a bone chilling shriek. I take the chance to hit her one more time, knocking her as far away as possible before she can retaliate for the broken weapon. 

“I'll kill you,” Clarisse screams, guttural and clearly devastated over the loss of her spear.{I can vaguely see the image of a younger Clarisse staring in awe as she gets her first and only gift from her father. I almost feel bad, almost}.

She looked like she was gearing up to say worse, but I decided to pay her back for her earlier “pistol whip”.

I backhanded her across the face with the flat of my blade and sent her stumbling backwards out of the stream.

Yelling erupted from further down the creek, and Kas raced out of the underbrush with Ares’ banner streaming behind him like a cape. The son of Hermes was flanked by several of his siblings, and I could see a number of Apollo kids fighting off the Hephaestus campers at the edge of the tree line.

Clarisse and her siblings were still dazed, but the three that could were stumbling to their feet.

Clarisse shouted as she staggered in Kas’s direction, all but forgetting about me in the looming threat of her defeat. But it's no use. Everybody converged at the creek as Kas leapt across the boundary into friendly territory.

Kas’s siblings lifted him on their shoulders as our team exploded into cheers. The red banner in Kas’s hands shimmered as the boar and spear were replaced with a huge caduceus, red turning into silver.

Chiron appeared from the tree line and blew the conch horn that signaled the end of the game.

I sigh in relief.

I’m about to stumble my way towards my team when Annabeth's voice pipes up next to me right as I notice her aura has come closer. 

“Not bad, hero.” 

My head whips in the direction of her voice, but nothing is there. 

The air shimmered as she materialized in the creek, holding the Yankees baseball cap from her mother in one hand.

“Where in Hades did you learn to fight like that?”

I can feel myself shaking. Whether it's from the anger welling up inside of me or the fading adrenaline rush I’m not sure. I’m unfazed by the fact that the girl had been invisible mere seconds before, I’ve seen enough to be fine with it. But what I’m not fine with is the fact that she had not only been here the whole time, but she could’ve helped without even compromising herself! Just because I knew of her strategy doesn’t mean I’m not fucking pissed at what she’d done. 

“You set me up,” I say flatly. “You put me here by myself knowing that the Ares cabin would target me instead. You knew that this would happen!”

Annabeth shrugs. “I told you, Athena always has a plan. And it worked beautifully in case you can't tell.”

“A plan to get me murdered you mean!? I could’ve died, Annabeth. Did you see what they were doing to me?! Did you not see the wounds they caused? Did you not hear the crack when they hit my chest, twice might I add! A plan is dangerous if you’re willing to betray the people on your team just to win a stupid game!”

She looked a bit startled at that. “Betray?” She asked. “I didn’t betray you! I was here the whole time!” she says defensively. “I would’ve jumped in if it looked like you were really going to die. But clearly you didn't need my help.”

“Here the whole time? You were here the whole time and didn’t think to jump in regardless of whether you thought I would die or not?! Not even a distraction, Annabeth?! Using someone as bait, unless they offer or you’re ready to deal with the fallout, is fucking dangerous Annabeth! I’d be careful if I were you. I figured out what you were planning; the next person might not. You could have just made a very dangerous enemy.”

“I guess…” She said, squinting at me, not truly acknowledging half of what I just said. “You’re—”

I snorted, cutting her off, but before I could say anything there was an intake of breath from the edge of the stream.

“Persi! What in Hades happened to you?” There was a splash as Lee jumped into the creek, his eyes focused on my bloody face.

“I took Clarisse’s spear to the face, among other things.”

Lee’s eyebrows furrowed. “You… but where’s all the blood coming from?”

I frowned for a second. Could Lee not see the cuts on my face?

I ran my finger over my lip first, surprised to feel no break in the skin despite the blood I knew had been pouring from it.

I glanced down at what was once a horrible wound on my arm, watching numbly as the wound slowly faded, stitching itself back together and hiding my bone then my muscles then slowly turning into nothing but a scar.

Well… I figured that the water was healing me in some way. It's crazy to watch it work in real time. I glanced down at the water swirling around my feet. 

I really did get a lot of perks from the water, didn’t I?

Re'Havua, Metua, Mevua(Thank you so much, Father, Mother)

I swear I felt a sea breeze, despite being in a creek in the middle of the woods.

I could almost hear the gears turning in Annabeth’s head as she put the pieces together.

“Persi, step out of the water.” Her tone of voice made it clear she’d come to the correct conclusion.

Still, I stepped out of the creek, and only Lee’s fast hand wrapping around my armor straps kept me from hitting the dirt as my knees finally buckled.

The adrenaline pumping through my veins left me immediately, and my vision swam as a bone deep exhaustion filled me.

“Oh, Styx,” Annabeth cursed. “This is not good. I didn’t want… I didn’t think… I assumed it would be Zeus…”

I ignored Annabeth’s revelation as a chill ran up my spine.

My hand shot back to grip Lee’s shoulder, barely able to stand on my own two feet.

“It’s back,” I whispered faintly.

“What—”

A howl ripped through the forest, and the cheering died instantly.

Lee, Annabeth, and I drew our swords. The other campers grew silent, a tense hush settling over everyone.

“Στάσου έτοιμος! Το τόξο μου! (Stand ready! My bow!)” Chiron shouted.

Lee tensed under my hand. I didn’t need to check to know that the son of Apollo was seeing the same thing I was.

There on the rocks just above us was a hellhound. It was huge, easily the size of a rhino. Its eyes glowed like lava as it snarled at us with fangs like daggers.

It was looking straight at me.

Fuck.

For a second, nobody moved, paralyzed by the hound’s bone chilling howl.

Annabeth yelled as she stepped in front of me. “Persi, move!”

Lee leapt into action, the hand still holding onto my armor straps yanking me back just in time.

My arm came up just as several thwacks echoed through the air.

Water in the shape of a spear had gotten the dog in the side, and several arrows stuck out of its flank. I had only just barely managed to stay out of reach. The monster was dead at my feet. And apparently what little training of my powers that I had managed to do in the past several days paid off, I had made a spear out of the water.

“Ω θεοί μου!(Oh my gods!)” Annabeth exclaimed. “That’s a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don’t… they’re not supposed to be able to…” She turned to face Chiron as he trotted over with a grim expression.

“Someone must’ve summoned it. Someone inside the camp.” Chiron said.

Kas came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, his moment of glory gone.

I grimaced, a hand pressed to the side of my chest as it throbbed. Damn. The water must not have fully healed the breaks, I could see a huge bruise still.

“By the gods, Persi, your side.” Lee ignored Annabeth as my legs threatened to buckle again, the son of Apollo the only reason I hadn’t crumpled to the ground already.

“The water,” I murmur.

Lee drew in a sharp breath as understanding hit him, and not a second later he was dragging me back into the stream.

As soon as my feet hit the water my breath came easier. I could feel the bones in my chest coming back together, what a weird feeling. I saw the bruise slowly disappear.

Around me a cacophony of whispers.

“How is she–”

“She's healing–”

“What the–”

“This doesn't make sense,” Lee says in amazement, watching me. “How are you doing that?”

“Maybe she inherited it from your dad?” Kas asks, entering the stream to get closer to us, sounding just as confused.

Lee shakes his head. “No. Our abilities have never worked like that. She's responding to the water, somehow.”

“LOOK!”

The sudden yell startles the two boys standing near me. The whispers grow louder and louder as the campers who had been giving us a respectful distance begin moving closer. Kas and Lee stare upward in a mixture of shock, awe, and a tinge of fear.

That’s when I realize that no, the other campers weren’t looking at my chest{Still fucking weird that they were essentially staring at my breasts, even if that’s not what they meant to do}. They were looking above my head.

I look up, blinking. Above my head, radiant and unmistakable, floats a glowing sea green trident, adorned with a crab claw like crown that circled near the base of the prongs as well as twin dolphins swimming around the center of the shaft with a huge pearl right at the base where the prongs connect, basically underneath the crown. The symbol is bright, almost blinding in its intensity, casting a haunting reflection across the surface of the creek.

I’ve been claimed.

Chiron looks at me with wide eyes.

“Your father,” Annabeth murmured. “This is really not good.” But I can tell that even she doesn’t actually know what the full symbol means, not when Poseidon's symbol is a trident, and nothing more.

“It- it is determined,” Chiron announced, voice shaking as he looked at me with realization in his eyes.

Lee’s hand loosened around my armor straps as Chiron bent his knees. All of the campers followed the centaurs lead until everyone around me was kneeling, though a majority of the Ares cabin certainly didn’t look happy about it.

And I could tell that a few of the unclaimed campers were jealous as well, that was fine though. Now that I was claimed I could fix it, they wouldn’t sleep on the floor in sleeping bags for long if I could help it.

“Poseidon. Earth shaker, stormbringer, father of horses, King of the sea. And–” he pauses, everyone stares when he says and, the only other time he did that was when the Dionysus twins were claimed, I knew, because they were claimed by both Dionysus and Ariadne. I could see the realization creeping onto everyone's face. The realization that I had two godly parents, not just one.{I could tell it hit Annabeth a little harder than it hit everyone else}

“And Amphitrite. Goddess of water, Protector of sailors, protector of aquatic animals, Queen of the seas.”

Chiron takes a breath here, fully bowing his head. “All hail, Persi Jackson, Daughter of the seas, Princess of Atlantis.”

Chapter Text

Link to Fanart!!!

I am literally so excited to see it in color!!! Fanart is for chapter 15, Persi's claiming! Thank you so much Anymine!!!

W.I.P-

Chapter Text

‘Sign Language’

Horse Speak

Oracle Of Delphi

Actual Prophecy

Persi’s POV{Friday June 5th, 2015- After Capture the Flag}

The next thirty or so minutes after the game went by in a blur. Most of the campers dispersed immediately, the backwards glances they were casting at me made it obvious what they were discussing as they left, but Chiron and Kas stuck around.

Lee checked on me as soon as I stepped out of the creek, sending me a reassuring grin before he too headed back to his cabin.

“We don’t have long before curfew, but I do believe that we’ll have time to grab your stuff from the Hermes cabin and move you into cabin three tonight.” Chiron spoke as he approached us.

Kas offered to grab my stuff for me and meet Chiron and I at cabin three, speeding off seconds later with an unreadable look in his eyes. I really wanted to move people in tonight but I knew that it wasn’t plausible, I needed at least a day to get settled, I’d start moving people in on Sunday.

Besides, I just want to collapse in a real bed for once and not think for the foreseeable future. Something that is extremely unlikely what with the whole seer thing.

Chiron and I had barely reached cabin three before Kas dropped off my things. The son of Hermes sent me a strained smile, but didn’t say anything before turning on his heel and heading back to his own cabin.

We both stared, the cabin had changed, seemingly in the last two seconds. Chiron looked like he wanted to have a few choice words with my father, but even so he didn’t stay much longer after that, simply informing me that we would get together in the morning to go over my new schedule before galloping in the direction of the Big House.

I was finally alone.

I inspected the change outside first, before it was long and low, similar to the others. Now it was more temple like, although it still had the porch on the side that faced the lake, there was now an obvious second floor. It still had stone walls inlaid with shells and coral and other hidden treasures but now it was so much bigger.

I took a deep breath, pushing open the door to my now changed cabin.

I’ve been in here before, in my dreams, but I hadn’t done more than look around. And it was a good thing too, because the inside had definitely changed. I’m glad I wasn’t attached, before I could look around I saw a note taped to the wall by the door. I grabbed it.

“To our Beloved Youngest Daughter,

We have heard your request to house unclaimed children in your cabin and we have adjusted the cabin accordingly. We have spoken to a few other gods as well, if any unclaimed child is claimed by a god or goddess that has ties to any of the Olympians, other than Zeus or Hera, they shall be allowed to move into that god or goddesses cabin. There was once a rule stating that the leader of a Cabin could house any camper they pleased so long as the Patron of the cabin agreed. This is us giving you our permission, we hope the cabin is to your liking and that all whom you house shall be comfortable here.

With all of our love, Your parents.”

I smiled, all three of my parents were amazing.

I finally looked around. The walls in the common area still glowed like abalone, high ceilings with beautiful murals, each of a different sea creature. But now, to my immediate right was a large fountain filled with gold coins. To my left was a fucking kitchen, something I know for a fact only the Demeter cabin may have. The kitchen had a gray fridge, a literal industrial oven with a stove top, a microwave, a toaster, a coffee machine, and a dishwasher. I walked over and opened all of the cabinets and the fridge, it was fully stocked with anything I’d need to cook or bake. Twenty five plastic plates, plastic cups, forks, spoons, and knives. The fridge was full to the brim with different cheeses and fruits and veggies, yogurt and milk and eggs, juices and sodas, the freezer had fish and different meats and ice cream. Not to mention the stocked cabinets and the fucking spice rack and other assorted kitchen stuff. My parents had gone all out, I could live out of my cabin if I so chose.

In the middle of the main front room, because there was a back room too, was a circular staircase, a little ways in front of the stairs was a raised brazer with a bright fire, a hearth. They’d given me my own hearth.

Bookshelves now lined the back wall, some books already present. The left wall was floor to ceiling shelves, partially filled with shells, ships in bottles, and some sailing equipment. There were five seashell bean bags in front of them. The work desk with maps and other nautical themed gadgets had been moved to the corner near the bookshelves. The family journal, now in a glass case right in the middle of the table. I have a feeling that only I and maybe a select few others would be able to open it.

When I went through the door at the back wall I found bathrooms separating the front and back section. The left side had Five sinks and twenty five small bathroom cubbies. The right side had five showers and five sectioned off toilet stalls. There was a cabinet on the right side as well, between the toilets and showers, it was filled with towels and other toiletries including multiple types of menstrual cycle equipment. And a small stock of Ambrosia, nectar, and even mortal pain killers. Have I mentioned that my parents are amazing? Because my parents are fucking amazing!

I kept going, it was obvious to me that the cabin was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside, and it was plenty fucking big on the outside!

The backmost section had two pools. The front pool was freshwater with a waterfall coming from the right wall and the back pool was salt water with a waterfall coming from the left wall. The waterfalls looked like they’d been plucked straight up from some mountain in the middle of nature, stones and rocks of all sizes decorating the entire wall.

I am going to give my parents the biggest sacrifice, this was the best thing I’ve seen in my entire life!

At the bottom and sides of both impressively deep pools was sand, as well as appropriate aquatic plants and shells. The back section was taller than the front sections, the ceiling was going up nearly thirty feet. There were large windows, starting about ten feet up. A few mosaics made of sea glass decorated the walls, depicting aquatic animals and equine creatures. The ceiling looked like an open ocean. Hanging from the ceiling were wind chimes made of shells, rocks, sea glass, and driftwood. There were also several different aquatic animal skeletons. From a minnow all the way to a sea serpent!

I grinned, heading back out to go upstairs and check out the bedroom area– scratch that, bedrooms, plural. Upstairs, after the spiral staircase, was a circular room with twenty five doors. Each door was numbered and had a nameplate under the numbers where a name could be added. I opened the one closest to me and smiled, a full sized canopy bed with blue curtains that shimmered like a waterfall in the middle of the opposite wall. The bed had a full set on it, it looked so comfortable!

I entered the room fully, there was a curious structure sitting on the bedside table, I ran my hand over it carefully. It felt like it was made of coral, and I drew back in surprise as it lit up with a warm glow.

It was a lamp.

A really cool lamp.

With more of the room revealed, I could see more of the coral pieces attached to the walls, forming an intricate pattern across the walls and ceiling.

I reached out, placing my hand on the piece closest to me, the coral lit up just like the lamp had.

The glow spread around the room the longer I kept my hand on the coral, until the whole room was lit up.

I took my hand off before putting it back on, darkness. I grinned and lit the room up again to keep looking around, I was in room number twenty five I think. 

Other than the canopy bed and bedside table I could see a long storage ottoman at the foot of the bed. There was a big, soft, circular throw rug in the middle of the room, a little bit in front of the ottoman.

There were several curtains against the left wall , shimmering slightly in the warm light. I moved towards them curiously, peeling back one of the curtains to find several shelves carved into the wall.

I frowned. What was this for? I pulled back one of the other curtains.

Same thing only bigger with a long rod and hangers.

Oh! They were dressers and a closet, carved straight into the wall. There was even a shoe area at the bottom, now that I’m looking.

So cool!

I stepped back and noticed numerous cubbies set into the wall at the back of the bed. They were all different sizes, except for a single row in the middle that I was sure was meant for books, and on closer inspection I saw a small coral lamp here too, no need to light up the whole room when the canopy bed could have light.

And then on the right side of the room was an empty vanity, as well as a comfy looking rolling chair instead of a stool. On the side where the door doesn’t open on is a desk, clearly meant to work on, with an even better rolling chair that has a throw blanket neatly folded on it. And in the corner near the dressers was a beanbag chair like the ones downstairs.

I turned off the light and exited the room, opening a few more doors to find the exact same thing. Finally I entered the door labeled one that had my name already in the nameplate. It was the same as all of the others, only mine was decorated slightly. Pictures of mami and I lined the walls and there was already a bunch of art stuff in a few of the little “cubbies”. I swear I could’ve cried. 

I quickly put away all of my things, leaving my sketchbook and personal journal on the bedside table for easy access. I had an amazing feeling that no one would be able to enter my room unless I gave them permission, it would probably be that way for any and all occupied rooms.

Finally I collapsed onto the soft sheets. There would be time for anything else I needed to do in the morning, I thought as my eyelids slid closed.

That night, I suffered from one of my worst visions yet{So far, little did I know but it would get much, much worse}.

The white horse and golden eagle were back, grappling with each other, fighting once more. The dog, black, I now noticed, was watching from farther away again, hidden in the shadows cast by the sandy hills. Wind blew in every direction, the water crashed down on the beach like a terrible symphony.

“Hey!” I yelled this time, my voice getting carried off in the wind. “Hey! Stop!”

But they couldn’t hear me, I wasn’t loud enough. I was starting to get annoyed, every single time I was here, every single time I couldn’t stop–

Below us, that voice, the terrible, dark one, laughed at them. It goaded them on.

“Hey!” I tried again, fighting my way forward. I wanted that voice to go away. I wanted them to listen to me. I wanted to be heard, for once I wanted the gods to just look at me. I focused on the waves in my gut, yanking on them. “Είπα ΣΤΟΠ!(I said STOP)!”

Everything stopped.

The voice below grew silent, seemingly stunned. The fighting ceased; the horse and eagle backed away from each other.

The black dog was staring at me with equally black eyes.

I startled, looking back to find that the horse and eagle had also turned their eyes towards me. The depths and the sky.

“Can’t you see,” I tried, “this is what he wants. You have to stop, you can’t give him what he wants, you should be fighting him, not each other!"

No! The voice growled. Keep fighting! Don’t stop!

The floor began to shake violently, and unlike before I couldn’t keep my balance. I tripped backwards with a yelp as it started to crack between the animals and I. The ground was like a giant maw, ready to swallow me whole. The dog started barking in warning; joined by the eagle’s screech. I could see panic in the animals eyes.

The horse neighed in panic and concern, launching itself forward and towards me like a wave. It was too slow.

I screamed as I plummeted into a dark abyss.

Meet me on the other side! We’ll close the doors, I promise!

I woke up with a gasp, jerking out of bed, a scream stuck in my throat as I was caught by something and restrained.

“Easy, daughter, peace. Breathe avineh(princess). It’s okay. Opu mu pahiti(You are safe). We are here.”

The arms around me were strong, I couldn’t get loose; I fell limp, focusing on getting my breathing back to normal as a second pair of hands started brushing my hair out of my face and cupping my cheek.

“Breathe,” the goddess said, “there we go. You’re alright, my auherea potaio(beloved pearl). It was just a bad dream.”

“No– not a dream,” I whimper, grasping at my father’s blue chiton and my mothers hand. “Not a dream.” I gasp.

Mama and Papi were both quiet, their eyes churning. The tight grip they had on me was the only thing belaying their worry, their fear that they had almost lost their youngest daughter to the dark. They both looked perfectly human, but too perfect. There were no flaws on their skin even amongst the laugh lines and crows feat. Like they were chiseled sculptures brought to life. Every so often papi’s form flickered into that of something intangible, swirls of blues and greens and blacks, sharp glittering golden scales, teeth, too many eyes, too many arms. And mama’s form flickered into something straight from the depths of the sea, from the very bottom of the ocean. But I didn’t feel as unsettled as I did safe. For the first time since Mami was taken I felt safe.

No one could touch me while I was in my parent’s hold, no one would dare to try.

“No,” Papi finally murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead as mama braided my hair back. “Not a dream, a vision. Something you shouldn’t have been able to see.” It occurs to me then that my parents don’t know that I’m a seer. 

“Peace, potaio(pearl). Go back to sleep. We don’t want to go just yet, but we’ll have to if you continue to be awake.”

I was suddenly, incredibly tired despite having been wide awake just moments before.

A flash caught my eye.

“You’re both wearin’ the bracelets,” I murmured, eyes fluttering, “I‘m glad you liked them…”

Lips brushed against each temple, a rumbling chuckle and light chiming laugh that I committed to memory lulling me back to sleep.

Persi’s POV{Saturday June 6th, 2015}

When I woke up, I was more well rested than I’ve been in months, but the empty room made my heart clench. I look to my side and smile softly when I see a letter and… I gasp. A charm for my necklace and a circlet, it was gorgeous. I picked up the letter first.

“Dear Daughter,

In case Chiron or anyone else tries to question you or your position. Once you put it on it may not be removed. However should you will it, it will become invisible to mortals, so that you do not have to answer questions. You are, always have been and always will be, a true princess of Atlantis, a true daughter of the seas. This is merely a formality and a form of protection from us. As well as a charm for your necklace, it shall grant you access to water, not a lot but enough to heal you should you need it. We hope you like them.

With love, your parents”

I smiled, I put them both on my vanity along with mami’s bracelets and my necklace. I head downstairs to take a quick shower, coming back up in a bathrobe, that I had only noticed today when I was about to grab a towel. I sit at my vanity and do a half down braided crown before putting my jewelry back on, the circlet going on last. I may not want to be a princess but this… this to me was a sign of my parents love for me above all else. They claimed me enough to announce to the whole pantheon that I was theirs, that I was protected, that I would never be without allies.

After I get dressed I hear the conch horn signifying breakfast, I sigh, preparing for the scrutiny from everyone else as I grab a tote bag that had been left for me, putting my sketchbook, journal, and a few other things inside. I head downstairs and exit my cabin.

With the exception of Lee, every reaction I’d noticed to my claiming had been… not exactly reassuring.

From Annabeth’s quiet cursing, to Kas' inability to look me in the eye, all the way to the shock that I had two parents… well, I’m not exactly looking forward to facing the rest of camp.

Especially since I have to sit alone now, it won’t be for long. I plan to get the unclaimed campers soon, but I still need time to adjust and I don’t want to just… move them so soon. I needed time.

Several other cabins were already at their tables when I got there but I ignored the sudden whispering and incredibly unsubtle glances as I headed for the Poseidon table.

I wasn’t particularly hungry, but I loaded my plate anyway, taking it to the brazier.

I threw some bread in for Tía Hestia first, then grapes for Lord Di, strawberries for Lord Hermes as thanks for letting me stay in his cabin for so long, then I dumped about half of what was left into the flames.

Thank you for claiming me, mama, papi. And, also, the cabin is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I love the circlet and the charm, and… and I’m glad that you came last night so… Thank you, for everything.

A refreshing sea breeze swept over me, a light mist settling over my skin. I grin softly before heading back to my table.

The whispering and looks continued all through breakfast, but I could never bring myself to lift my gaze up from my plate. After I finished a majority of what was left I headed back over to the fire and threw the last bit of food in for Tía Hestia. She gets the first and last of every sacrifice, after all.

I sat at my table when Chiron dismissed everyone, the rest of the cabins heading off for their morning free time.

“Ah, Persi, my dear. I’m glad you’re still here,” Chiron approached me. “We need to plan out your new schedu–” I can tell the moment he actually saw the circlet in my hair. He froze for a second before continuing, going for nonchalance but seeming extremely nervous to me. “We’ll be planning your schedule…” 

Choosing my schedule took quite some time as we had to work around the other cabin’s schedules and also I had to actually decide what I wanted to do.

The end result was really a trial run, but that’s because I want to see what the others like before I fully cut anything. Honestly, Foot racing is probably gonna be cut but other than that I think the schedule looks pretty okay! I know that the Hermes cabin schedule is different from everyone else’s because they switch it up in hopes of getting someone claimed.

Sundays were free days, although apparently we sometimes do camp activities like plays or karaoke "field trips” it seemed we had nothing planned this week though, part of the reason I chose tomorrow to move the others in, so the schedule ended up something like this-

Monday:

• Breakfast

• Music

• Arts & Crafts

• Lunch

• Foot Racing

• Canoeing/Trireme practice

• Dinner

• Campfire

Tuesday:

• Breakfast

• Battle Strategy

• Wilderness Survival

• Lunch

• Strawberry Fields

• Free Time

• Dinner

• Campfire

Wednesday:

• Breakfast

• Arts & Crafts

• Pegasus Riding

• Lunch

• Wrestling

• First Aid

• Dinner

• Campfire

Thursday:

• Breakfast