The Secrets Behind the Demigods:

PIPER

Drew's idea really bothered Piper.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Piper shakily asked.

"Of course it is," Drew said in an obvious voice. "Everyone's going to like it. You need to spread the word too."

Ever since Drew had become leader of Cabin 7 - the Aphrodite cabin - things had been, different. Drew had been bossing campers around, and spreading untruthful rumors and gossip. Making events nobody liked or wanted, but she told us to.

So they hed to.

Piper was in her bed, sheeted by her light pink covers. She was thinking about what Drew, the daughter of Aphrodite was doing. She kept maliciously ordering campers with her charm-speak, things like:

"Get me some water, you imbecile!"

"Somebody, please - get my hair in a French braid!"

"I swear to the gods... why were you born?"

Piper McLean could naturally speak French, the language of love. She and her siblings switched between the vibrant languages of English and French. She sat up in her bed and looked over at Drew - controlling like a goddess herself.

"Travaillez plus rapidement, vous êtes des idiots! Je souhaite que vous condemed Tartare!" Drew ordered in an undertone, translating into: 'Work faster, you idiots! I wish you were condemed to Tartarus!'

A daughter of Aphrodite, Lacey, came and sat on the edge of Piper's bedding.

She had long, stringy black hair and braces. She needed some foundation and makeup as her siblings offered, but she refused, saying she liked how she looked as herself. Natural. Living. Not covered up by some cheap powder covering up who she was.

"Hey, Piper," Lacy mumbled. She played with her hair nervously. "I went to a dance a couple of nights ago. Want to hear about it?"

"Yeah, Lacy. That sounds fun. Tell me all about it," I said with a grin. Lacy got visibly exited. Earlier, Piper heard other campers tell her to shut up and call her annoying. She was enlightened, and glad she wasn't the one to do that to someone as sweet and joyful as Lacy.

"So, we met these..."

"We?"

"Uh, yeah. Drew and I."

"Why would you want to go with her?" Piper asked, tension obviously in her voice.

"She told me to."

"WHAT?"

"Anyways, we met these really nice kids. Sadie, and... what was it? Cade? Clark? Oh, yeah! Carter. Sadie had a bit of an accent, and Carter was American. Don't know how those two are related, but whatever."

Piper wondered if those two kids were demigods - or half-bloods by the way she described them. For some reason, they just gave her the shivers. She didn't think they were mortal.

"Drew is controlling everyone," Piper whispered to Lacy, hoping Drew couldn't hear her.

"Ah hem?" Drew cleared her throat, scanning the room and resting her eyes atop Piper, looking innocent.

"What did you say, daughter of Aphrodite? Do you want to question my authority? Everyone - tell this... creature to put on some makeup to cover..." she held her hand and motioned it around my entire face. "That."

Piper rose quickly and walked over to Drew, in a matter-of-fact manner. Drew didn't care, adding blush to her cheeks and forehead. I slapped the makeup out of her hands, and she gasped in anger.

Frankly, Piper was getting angry too. Piper, was not ugly. At least, a better looker than Drew ever was.

"Excuse me? Are you really going to do that?"

Piper stood her ground. If a fight was going to break out, Piper knew she'd come out on top. Always.

Always.

"Yeah, Drew," Piper spoke, pouring all my emotion and power into my words, ordering her. "I think I'm going to."

Lacy skipped over beyond Piper, obviously excited, believing a fight was about to break out in the pretty little Aphrodite cabin. If a fight broke out, Piper thought Lacy would probably defend her. Drew stood out of her little white chair and seethed into my eyes - burning with power and control, thirsty for domination over others.

And for the first time, she wasn't scared.