"Goodnight, Andy," Chiron waved as he passed by the closet door. Tomorrow was my birthday. Or, in an hour it would be. It was eleven and Chiron was telling me to turn my lights out.

I'm so ecstatic. Chiron told me that a sacred oath was given a couple months ago in the Titan War that made the gods promise on the River Styx to claim their children by the age of thirteen. It hadn't happened so far, but it must happen tomorrow.

I wonder if I'm an Athena child. That would make so much sense. See? I'm, already being sensical. Except, a logical person would realize that I don't have blonde hair like Annabeth.

I hope I'm not Ares. They pick on me like a guitar. I don't think I could take it anymore living with them. I might start sobbing.

Well, if I was going to take that much of an emotional turn, maybe I'm an Aphrodite. Sure, I don't like all of the gossip, but I could live with having my sister be Lila. Lila was the girl who let me sit at their table.

Forget the Big Three, I don't think I'm that important.

I must be a minor godling. I'm not sure which one yet. Iris might be the reason Argus gave me the braclet because it sure is a rainbow. I'm not as lazy as the Hypnos cabin, but it might give me an excuse. I'm still thinking hard about Aclepius, because of my comfort feeling. I have never told anyone about it.

I still have to figure out tomorrow. The curiosity is killing me! It stinks to be a girl.

It reminds me of Pandora, the first woman. Hera gave her the curiosity of women. At least she had Hope. I have to have Hope and trust that my parent will claim me. Patience is necessary, Chiron told me. And Hestia told me to be patient. It's so hard. Oh well. Another day of adventure awaits tomorrow.


I'd never seen my grandfather's dairy farm in spring, but I remember pictures of the grassy spring fields for his cows. The grass from the pictures wasn't a brilliant blue like this, though.

That's where I was now in my dream. I was sitting in the field only about a week ago I had sat before. Meggie wasn't there. The wind was picking up and the tall grass was swaying back and forth. The man in black from the gas station appeared in the middle of the field in the distance. I stood to run, but my feet were stuck in place. In an instant, he was right in front of my eyes towering over me. His dark dog was prancing behind him howling.

The wind picked up even faster. The powerful man's mouth did not move, but I heard his words.

"I know who you are."

Suddenly, the grass ripped out of the ground and formed a tornado behind the man. He and his dog disappeared into it. I was glued to my spot unable to move. I violently twisted trying to break from the ground. The tornado formed the shape of Meggie without her wings. The giant cow stepped forward and proceeded to stomp the spot I was in.

The same suffocating feeling filled my throat. I felt the grass fill my throat and each step the cow took crushed me harder and harder. The sky turned black and I fell into a black, polluted river deep inside the earth without any breath left to escape.


I woke up with sweat and tears mixed onto my face. I gasped the air like it was the only thing I had ever tasted.

I checked the green eye. It blinked 5:51 A.M. I put on my new orange shirt with the Camp Half Blood logo and I dressed quicker with the presence of fear in my soul.

I hurried to the bathroom and Mrs. O'Leary jumped in front of me. I fell to the ground and cried again. The dog in my dream was the same animal that attacked my dad's truck. Now, I identified that animal as a hellhound.

I started running away from the dog, which I know you should never do. Mrs. O' Leary chased me until I was in the bathroom. She became disinterested. I splashed cold water on my face and eventually calmed down. I thought I'd walk to the stables where Apollo's red cattle from the Triple G Ranch were.

The cows were so sweet. Their beautiful red hides were as bright as the sun. I stroked them and they were so calm around me. They made me feel calm, too. I seemed to forget everything there. I forgot about hellhounds. I forgot about my dream. I can't believe I even forgot about being claimed. I talked with them for a long time before my watch read 6:45 and I walked out.

Nico di Angelo was coming out of the forest. I stared at him trying to remember who he reminded me of. Then I came to the realization that he was the son of Hades. It was Hades in my dream. Hades wanted me to die. Hades knew who I was. Was the polluted river the River Styx? What did the River Styx have to do with it? Why must I die? Who am I?


I ate breakfast with Chiron at the Big House still as an unclaimed daughter of the Greek gods. I felt very dreary although I should be bursting with joy. Hades knew who I was. Was I his daughter? I'm not that sad am I?

I just wanted to feel wanted. It felt like my parent abandoned me. They drag me all the way here on a flying cow ripping me from my good life in Wisconsin and now they won't even tell me my heritage. Chiron said this is the reason Percy made them swear.

A feeling of hope entered me and I know the day isn't over yet.

As I was walking to my activities and classes, I got a lot of "Happy birthday"s. I was finally thirteen. I had thought I'd be on my grandfather's ranch, but I was at a camp for heroes with my distant family. I thought I'd be climbing hills with my dad, but I'm scaling the side of a cliff with lava pouring down. I was wearing a bright orange shirt and ready to take on the world. It's the thrill that keeps me upbeat here. I was feeling brave. I wanted to try everything. I was on top of my game. I'm having a very happy birthday.

I finally met the famous Percy Jackson yesterday at sword fighting, and today I had the same class. He gave me a cupcake with blue frosting and a smile. Then I battled Lila, and she was as skilled with a sword as you would think a mascara brush.

Even the Ares kids were friendlier. They punched me in the shoulder and gave me a pinch to grow an inch. Lou Ellen from the Hecate cabin made an illusion that said Happy Birthday. It was the best trick I'd ever seen.

I felt so cheery by lunch. I sat on my grass spot and tossed my juicy apple into the fire and whispered, "Thank you for this day."

Fretta gave me a silver arrow before she went on her hunting trip when she saw me at lunch. I put all of my special presents back in the closet. I had accumulated quite a lot by the end of my activities.

At dinner, Argus came over and hugged me to grant me a happy birthday. He pointed to the eyes on my bracelet. The green one and the yellow one I already knew, but he tapped the blue one and it showed a cloud with snowflakes showering over the Greek gate of Camp Half Blood. The blue eye blinked again and it was only clouds over my house in Wisconsin that I vaguely had in the back of my mind. Argus tapped the purple eye and I saw myself, but with a confused look on my face. Then it blinked to Chiron with a very concerned solemn look.

It didn't make me feel good to see that image, but from Argus's smiling eyes, I couldn't tell if he could see what I saw.

I forgot about the purple eye with all the celebration. I gave part of the grape cake that Mr. D made to the fire with the prayer, "I love you."

This was my family. This was the best place I'd ever been to. I felt out of place with the redheads back home, although I loved them. But, here, even though we'll be eventually killed sometime, they're still the best friends I've ever had.

Yeah, kind of awkward, but next is more nervous. Chiron made me stand up and announce my thanks. I'm okay with getting up in front of people, but it still makes the butterflies shake inside of me. Yet, this time I felt almost silly or drunk off of happiness.

I went up to the podium and spoke with all my might,

"Thank you so much, guys. This is definitely a birthday to remember. You're the best family I have ever known. I love you guys."

Everybody was smiling and I started to cry tears of joy. I felt on cloud nine. Nothing could break me now when I was with my perfect family.

Okay, maybe that was an understatement. Suddenly, Meggie flew through the sky and made a beeline toward me. I held my arms out to brace myself, but she went right through me. My skin started glowing golden and I felt a crown on my head. I reached up to grab it and when I caught it down to look at it, it was a crown of peacock feathers. Everbody stared as a spinning cow stood over my head.

I was being claimed. It had happened faster than I would have expected. I'd never seen anybody claimed before, so I spoke out,

"Who am I?"

Chiron said with the same concerned look from my bracelet, "The daughter of Hera."

I could feel the confusion on my face and the golden glow die down, but the crown was still on my head.

"What?"

Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or the rights to the idea of Camp Half Blood heroes.