Chapter 4
It took them a week to wrap their heads around the fact that I was who I said I was. They stuck us in a cabin with a bunch of pick-pockets and pranksters, which was not at all pleasing. After a day or so there, Jink and I snuck out and poked around for a bit. After about ten good minutes, I found what we were looking for.
A section of boulders (I think the campers called it Zeus's Fist) by a creek. Jink shifted a few with telekinesis and found a passageway underneath the largest of them. He replaced it carefully and we spent five days making a tunnel from the back of our cabin to the other tunnel. It was amazingly easy; I was really amazed by it.
Once one knows the Underground and how to access it, the world really becomes an easier place. Everything is connected to everything else and I had high hopes of getting back to Laiyanya and my people through the underground networks. Jink and I carefully stocked our tunnel with supplies in case we needed to make a quick getaway and bided our time.
Our time arrived two days after that during dinner when Chiron announced a friendly game of capture the flag. Don't get me wrong here, but ever since we had wandered out of Laiyanya we all had studied this new civilization 'til our heads hurt, so we know it pretty well. We know how the lingo has changed so we don't sound out of place, how to dress now, and even what they eat. However, none of us knew what capture the flag was.
Ever the bold heart, Halithla raised a hand. "What's that?" he asked.
He may as well have set off a bomb. (Yes, we spent much time looking up the ridiculous newfangled weapons.) Everybody in the camp was either howling with laughter or catcalling. Furious, I stood and pounded my staff for silence. The resulting boom was enough to make the goblets on the tables rattle, but it did achieve the quiet I had been hoping for.
I sat back down as the porky man at the head table glared at me with bloodshot eyes. I had not seen him before; Annabeth told us he was busy on our first day. From his aura, I guessed that he was, in fact, a god. And I decided that I was right when he addressed me.
"Stand back up again child, let me take a look at you." His words were slightly slurred, but not enough to be noticed by anyone save myself. I glared at him as he continued. "Chiron has told me about our newbies. Have some respect girl, for I am Dionysus."
From the way he said it, I suppose that I was supposed to be impressed, even scared. I wasn't. I had seen far worse than this wine-sodden immortal. I crossed my arms and looked at him defiantly. "I told your Chiron and I'll tell you too, we don't belong here."
I must have offended him greatly, for he stiffened. He must not have been used to insubordination. A shallow god, I decided, but he was ruler here, and I would have to be careful.
He gave me a very evil look indeed then clapped his hands. "All right miss high and mighty; I propose a solution to that audacity."
I raised an eyebrow at him challengingly. "Bring it on," I called.
There were chuckles from the campers, but I knew I was testing his patience. "You and your companions, come up here."
Scowling darkly, we did so. I at the far end, with Jink beside me and the daemons lined up in order of creation. I faced the camp with fury concealed under a mask of indifference.
"Now," said the god. "What we have here is a perfect example of what you would be like without gods like us to keep you from sinking back into your base primitive nature." He was trying to provoke one of us, beside me Jink stiffened, but he said nothing. "As a cure to your idiocy child, in tonight's game of capture the flag, you shall be the defenders, while everybody else tries to take it from you." I opened my mouth furiously, but he said smoothly, "You shall be armed with nothing save that staff you always carry around. You and your companions are not allowed armor nor weapons of ours, excepting those which they have with them."
"So," Lyvani said slowly, "It's us versus the entire camp?"
The sot beamed with mock pleasure. "That's right lad. You go at it until you all die defending, they capture the flag, or until there are no opponents left standing. Are there any more questions?
Nobody said anything. Then Halithla raised his hand tentatively. "So what is capture the flag?" he asked.
Dionysus sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Someone fill the ignorant brat in."
The meal broke up after that and Annabeth came over, looking pale with a boy of about her own age. He had sea-green eyes, black hair, and a good tan. He grinned at the grim looks on our faces. "That was brilliant back there, Lyra right? Listen, they don't want me to say anything much to you guys, but I had to stop by." He paused for a moment and looked around, then lowered his voice. "We are going to do our best to take the flag from you without hurting any of you too badly, but these things don't always go as expected. So don't offer too much resistance and you won't get hurt. That's all I can say." With that he was off and away.
Annabeth watched him leave, and then turned back to us. "Why did you do that?" she asked.
"What?"
"You know what I mean," she said with a frown. "Why did you stand up to Mr. D like that?"
My expression darkened as I answered her. "Because he's an old sot relying on his status to dictate here, and I took an immediate dislike to him."
