Hey guys, I'm sorry to leave you hanging but I will post a bunch of cliffies, just warning ya... ;)
Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Percy:
I crept up to Annabeth, walking slowly to not make a sound. In one hand I held a blue birthday gift, in the other a wrapped box. Piper, Nico, Malcolm, Grover, and a few others followed.
"Ouch, that was my foot! "Someone muttered.
"Sorry..."
"Move over!"
Luckily, Annabeth had her earphones in and was calmly watching the ocean. Our feet crunched loudly on the sand. Someone coughed. Annabeth, finally hearing us, tore off her earphones and turned around, dagger in hand. She had gotten a new one since Tartarus.
"Happy Birthday!" we all chorused.
Annabeth visibly relaxed. "Percy! Guys, thanks so much..."
She was soon buried in a pile of presents. I handed her the cake, and Malcolm lit it with a lighter.
"Make a wish!" I said.
She closed her eyes and blew out the candles. I wondered what she wished for, maybe... no, best not to think about that. Malcolm, a son of Athena, came up and ceremoniously cut the blue cake, which had taken Thalia, Piper, and my combined effort, a lot of flour, three tries, and a hot mess to bake it, so it had better be good.
"Now there won't be enough for everybody," I raised my voice over the din, "So we baked a small cake for only Annabeth"
She smiled and started eating.
"But," I continued, "As her boyfriend I have a right to get a piece also."
Several people complained, but I walked up and snatched the last piece right out of her hands.
"Hey!" She protested, and we started play-fighting over the piece, with Grover cheering me on and Piper calling Annabeth's name. Soon enough everyone had taken sides, and the fight got pretty intense. Suddenly, the piece flew out of my hands and landed right on Grover's face. Everyone froze.
Grover licked his lips and said: "Blue frosting. Tasty." Everyone laughed. When Annabeth finished opening her presents (I got her an owl engraved sheath for her new dagger) we marched her right up to the dining pavilion where I congratulated her on finally turning 18, and she made me grudgingly admit I was now younger than her, much to the general entertainment. After dinner we went to the campfire and sang Happy Birthday again.
When it got later, it was just me Grover, and Annabeth, just like the good old days, it was almost like we hadn't gone through hell, like we hadn't lost a part of ourselves in the dark pit. I shook myself to get these images out of my brain, and noticed something silver out of the corner of my eyes. I turned and came face to face with a girl who looked about my age, with long, flowing black hair and a Greek toga, and the most incredible dark blue eyes. She radiated power like a goddess, but a different kind of magic, something familiar... I couldn't quite place it.
"Um…hi?" My voice made the others turn around, Grover's mouth hanging wide open, Annabeth's eyes narrowed.
"Who...who are you?" I managed. She inspected us all in detail, then looked me in the eye. "My name...is Verity, daughter of Hecate. I am here to start my training."
I hoped you liked it, I will be posting the next chapter on Sunday!
