Chapter 1.

I can hear my name being screamed out from the crowd. My little brother is standing up from his seat and waving a red flag. I wave at him from the side of the pool before I go to my lane.

I stand on the edge, preparing myself for the dive. I'm representing my school so I need to make sure I don't hold back too much, but still not reveal my secret.

The whistle blows and I dive into the water and begin my butterfly stroke.

Now that I'm in water, I'm at my strongest point. It's tempting to go all out, and finish this race in less than ten seconds but I stay in control.

When I've finished the race, I look over three lanes to my right. The boy who's always matched me is looking over at me too and we both look annoyed. I am a daughter of Poseidon, how can this mortal boy be as good as me? Of course, without me using my Poseidon powers.

The judges look confused.

Turns out we had the same exact time. We always do.

When we get out of the pool, we shake hands and accept joint first place.

"I'll get you next time!" He laughs.

"Next time you'll be eating my bubbles!" I promise. I have no hard feelings. The race was fair, well as fair as I could make it, and I didn't win. I'll just have to practice even harder and beat him next time.

When the winning school is announced, I can tell my match is as disappointed as I am. My school didn't win and neither did his.

"You did great out there Elizabeth!" My mom smiles.

"Thanks, still can't believe he was still as fast as me."

"Now don't be upset, you did your best and that's all that matters." My grandma tells me. "Let's go out for ice cream."

They wouldn't understand. My family doesn't know I'm a half blood, because I don't want my mom to worry about me when I go on quests. My little brother Charlie hugs my leg and Ryan, my step dad, ruffles my hair. "Don't be mad kiddo, you'll win next time!"

"You got it!" I punch the air in front of me.

The ice cream is great but it's ruined my mom saying we're going to pick up my older siblings. I thought they'd arrive tomorrow, and after I left for the airport.

They live with their dad, and they hate me. They stay with us over the summer and Christmas break. Since I'm away at camp every summer, I only have to see them for two weeks a year and on birthdays.

I have four siblings, two younger siblings who are Ryan's children and two older siblings. Willow and Connor are twins and almost a year older than me. Tilly is fourteen and Charlie is five. I turned seventeen yesterday. It's confusing explaining things to people when they ask.

Ryan, grandma and I go in Ryan's car and my younger siblings and my mom go to pick up my older siblings.

At home, I quickly hide away any valuables I won't be taking to camp with me. As far as my family is aware, I'm going to visit my dad. It's sort of true, I've only seen him once, and that was because he happened to be with Zeus when I was asked to visit him.

Other gods say I'm the image of Poseidon, with black hair and sea green eyes, as well as a brooding look that I try to hide with a fake smile. I also look like my mom, with deep dimples when I smile and freckles across my nose and cheeks.

I smell like chlorine, so I shower and when I get out I find Willow and Connor in my room.

I dash into my room in just my towel.

"What are you doing?"

"Relax Liz, we're just looking."

"Well don't. And stop calling me Liz, you know I don't like it."

"Aw, is this your friend?" Willow asks, holding up a photo of me and my best friend Lily, a daughter of Demeter. We're holding ice creams and didn't realise our photo was being taken. "Give it back!" I snatch the photo.

After pushing them out of my room, I sigh. It's four รณ clock, and we have dinner reservations at six for my birthday meal, since we couldn't get a table last night. Time to get ready.

I wear a short dress with shorts and weapons underneath so that if I had to, I could fight.

My family have started playing 'under the sea' from the little mermaid.

My entire family, including my older siblings, love the ocean. They know all about Poseidon and mythical sea creatures. They even worship him, and I wish I were joking. They believe in the Greek gods despite not knowing my father is the Poseidon, not some mortal who shares the same name.

I think it's funny how I'm the half blood of Poseidon yet the only one in this family who has never prayed to him.

The next day is filled with goodbyes and me getting shocked looks when I eat sushi.

I take a dagger from my luggage and place it under my belt. I prefer a sword but they're harder to travel with. My family doesn't notice the dagger, as the mist fools him. I don't know what they think I'm doing and I don't care.

"So your dad is definitely picking you up from the airport in Houston?" Ryanasks.

"Yes."

"Right, just making sure. Let's go."

"Good bye New York!" I call out.

The plane is quiet and when I exit the airport I'm immediately body slammed by a short blonde girl.

"Oh my gods Elizabeth!" She screams with delight.

"Lily! You're crushing me!" I giggle.

"I've missed you!" She helps me up. "Let's go to camp, my dad is waiting in the car!"

I throw my chest on top of Lily's luggage and greet her father. "Good evening Mr. Davis!"

"Hello Elizabeth. You've gotten taller."

"I'm five feet seven inches now! I'm tall!" I tell him.

"Can't relate." Lily sighs. "I'm five feet one!"

Mr. Davis drives Lily and I to camp. It's almost two hours away from the airport, which gives us enough time to catch each other up on the past year. Lily is a year older than me and will be studying Agronomy at Cornell University in New York. She's always excelled at environmental science, which is natural as her mother is the goddess of agriculture. I tell her that I've decided to join the swim team and is surprised that I'm always matched by this boy.

"Yeah, so I first noticed at the beginning of September when we first saw each other. At first I didn't think much of it, but the next time when I actually tried he still matched me!"

"What's his name?"

"I don't know, we don't speak much."

"Next time you see him get his name."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

When we get to camp, we cheer.

Camp is made to look like a mortal summer camp. The few magical items we have are hidden away in case any mortals come here. There's a town ten minutes down away so it's not unusual to see mortals.

We carry our luggage in and tell our captain we're here.

Our captain's name is Jack. He's eighteen, a son of Ares and really hot. I've told Lily what I think and she must be blind because she disagrees.

He's well built, with brown hair and blue eyes. He's two inches taller than me, and carries a celestial bronze sword at his hip at all times.

The best thing is that he always chooses me to go on quests with him.

"Elizabeth and Lily, great to see you're well and not missing any limbs."

"Back at you captain!" I high five him. "How was your year?"

"Well, you know how I decided to tell my mom I'm a half blood?"

"Yeah?"

"She kicked me out."

"Oh my god!" I gasp. "Are you alright? Where've you been staying?"

"I'm doing fine, I stayed at my friend's house for a while then found a job, I'm living in student accommodation right now after tricking some people into believing I'm a student at college. Does your family know about you yet?"

"No, now I'm thinking I might never tell them."

"Yeah, well at least now I won't have to lie about what I am anymore.

"Lily, could you give us a minute please?" Jack asks.

"Sure cap!"

The butterflies in my stomach are going crazy. I know it's nothing to get excited about, Jack probably wants to tell me that Zeus is having a tantrum again.

"Holly contacted me two weeks ago," he begins. Holly is our vice captain, a daughter of Athena and the oldest camp member. "She's no longer returning to camp." He says. "That's why I want you to be my new vice captain." He says.

"Me?"

"Well, you're powerful, everybody respects you and older than sixteen. And I like you more than some of our other options. What do you say?"

The vice captain and captain share a cabin and a lot of time together.

"Yes!" I can barely contain my happiness. "Speaking of other options, is Cameron and Sabrina here yet?"

"They arrived earlier today. Now don't sulk and be nice! Don't run this in either."

"Yes Captain!" I smirk.

"Follow me, I'll give you camp's keys and show you to your new cabin."