Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.

Co-authors: the Minotaur, GreekGeek7, and Element Wolf. Thanks, everyone!

Chapter Three

As he drew closer, Cade realized it was Koeset, the only one at camp who was the daughter of a minor goddess.

Everyone hated her because she always made them argue uncontrollably, so she normally kept to herself.

Cade realized needed to know how much she heard. He figured he was supposed to keep it secret...

As he was about to do his best rough-neck, I'm-a-cabin-leader-and-you're-weaker-than-me growl at her, he realized that technically she was cabin leader for Zeus since she was the only one in there. So that wouldn't work.

"How much did you hear?" Cade asked. "And who exactly do you plan on telling?"

Koeset drew herself up to her full height. She was not going to be intimidated by him.

"Heard what? And you know that you used improper grammar? You should have said 'and WHOM exactly do you plan on telling'." Innocent face again.

Cade tried his hardest not to smile. "So you know the who whom rule, eh?"

Cade had been correcting people on that his whole life, but just gave up on it because people never stopped.

She nodded. That was odd... he wasn't feeling the urge to fight at all...

"Also," he continued, " I can tell you're lying about not hearing by the look in your eyes."

She automatically slapped a hand over her eyes. "I don't think so. That's not possible."

Cade laughed. "Are you coming to dinner or what?"

"I'm coming," she grumbled. As they started to walk toward the pavilion, Koeset stopped. "How did you know?"

"Easy. I read your facial expressions. And did the math. Face it, if you're sitting as quietly as a mouse, as still as a rock, and have such a surprised look on your face, chances are you were listening the whole time."

His face darkened a bit as they made it to the bottom of the hill, passing Apollo cabin.

He added quietly, "What do you think the quest is all about? Kronos is gone...what's the threat?"

Koeset shrugged. "I'm not sure. I've read a lot of Greek mythology, but I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary lately. Have you?"

Deciding to test out her new flute before dinner, Lilly pulled it off her bedside table.

She opened the case and saw a note at the bottom reading, "Go to the camp store and buy the music book titled: Tricks of Magic with the Flute." Under the note lay three golden drachmas.

Lilly smiled. Apollo had thought of everything.

After she had bought the book and safely stored it with the rest of her music, Lilly stepped outside, ready to go to dinner, when she saw the girl who had fought with her sister earlier that morning talking to some Athena boy outside the cabin. Whatever. It didn't really matter to her what they were talking about.

Okay, maybe not. Lilly's curiosity got the best of her, and she ended up crouching behind the Apollo cabin, listening to them. Then the girl said, "But I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary lately."

Suddenly, Lilly's feet slid out from under her and she fell to the ground with a thump and an "Ow!".

Cade was about to comment about how nothing seemed out of the ordinary, when suddenly he heard somebody squeak, "Ow!"

Koeset and Cade shared a surprised glance.

"Come out from behind there!" Koeset ordered in her bravest voice. An Apollo camper-the same one that had come up to her at lunch-stepped out of the shadows and dusted herself off, wincing.

"Oh. You." Koeset snorted. "Why were you listening to our discussion?"

Lilly shrugged, looking at the ground. "I was just passing by, and uh...well, I don't know." She nervously glanced up at the two.

Cade sighed. "Another eavesdropper? Wasn't one enough?"

"Apparently not," Koeset answered with a scowl.

"Well-" Cade paused. "I guess we might as well tell you, but on one condition: you can't breathe a word of this to anyone."

"I won't!" Lilly eagerly agreed.

Lilly walked into the dinning pavilion with Koeset and Cade before they spilt ways. Sitting across from her at the Cabin Seven table was Jamie. She could feel her half-sister staring at her, eyes like daggers.

Cade took a seat at his spot in the first seat on the table. After slipping a meatball to the gods, he sat down next to his friend Beckham. Being the only kid in the Athena cabin as old as Cade, Beckham was Cade's right hand man.

"You and mom had a pretty good chat, eh?" Beckham asked. "I take it you weren't just talking about your day?"

"Uh... no... she was just telling me about things back home," Cade hastily said. Beckham didn't look convinced, but he was smart enough not to prod.

"Sure. What was your gift?"

"Gift?" Cade was taken off guard. He shrugged. "I didn't get one. Anyway," he said, wanting to change the subject, "I was thinking about a little football after dinner. You in?"

After dinner, Koeset was leaving the dining hall when Apollo stopped her.

"You're that daughter of Eris, right?"

Koeset nodded.

"Any idea why my daughter was glaring at you during dinner?"

Uh-oh. Things always got messy after the immortals got involved.

"Oh, uh, we just had a little argument today about the trails for the pegasi. It wasn't anything big, just a small disagreement." Let him accept it, no more questions. Please let him accept it.

For a long moment Apollo was silent. Then:

"Fine. Don't let it happen again, though. And you should apologize to her."

Koeset nodded and ran out of the pavilion as fast as she could, her heart pounding. Immortal enemies were not good. She had gotten lucky there.

As everyone was leaving the dining hall Jamie stopped Lilly.

"What were you doing with that thing?" She asked.

"Doing what with what thing?" Lilly asked.

"You came into dinner with that thing," Jamie said, pointing at Koeset who was now talking with their father.

"She's not a thing, Jamie, she's a person. Leave me alone." Lilly started to walk away.

Jamie stared after her sister. Just earlier today, Lilly had been telling off Koeset, and now she was acting like they were best friends. What was going on?

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-Sheva Das