REDO

Chapter 7

Everybody slunk off to their cabins, muttering. Chiron tried to get us back to our activities, but to no avail. Eventually, we were left alone. Thank the gods.

As much as I wanted to know Dad's opinion on this whole mess, I waited. I thought it poor security to announce our plans to everyone. As much as I hate to think this, some of the half-bloods here were on the side of Kronos. Simply put: spies. Kronos probably already knew our plans. But one bit of information I wouldn't let them have was how I was voting. I knew that as the most powerful half-blood at camp (besides Nico), my vote would have a major impact. It would probably be the single most important vote in camp. Even if Thalia were here, as a child of Zeus she would not be voting. It wouldn't be fair. But then again, was it really fair for any child of a Big Three to vote? Would we be too powerful? And I'm not bragging about this, either. The thought actually made me sick to my stomach. But I knew my every move for the next few weeks would be scrutinized. After all, you don't mess with the Big Three. It made me absolutely nauseous.

With maybe an hour until dinner, I jogged around camp to see what others were doing. It was actually, strangely, quiet. Most campers were in their cabins. You could hear indistinct voices as gods and half-bloods argued. The few that were outside were silent, thinking hard. The only noises were an occasional rumble of thunder or a lightning strike as gods warned their kids. I'd heard enough. I turned back to my cabin with a sigh. It was going to be a long few days.

Dinner was, again, very quiet. The only talk was whispered in low, intense voices. The satyrs ate on their own tonight, murmuring, making alliances. I considered standing and yelling or something. Just to break the unbearable tense silence. I tried talking to Annabeth afterwards, but her family practically dragged her off. I was just about to head back, when a faint glow caught my eye. I turned, and sure enough, a tile on the floor was glowing. I looked around cautiously to see if anyone else saw it, but apparently they were oblivious. Stepping up to it, I saw that there was a small trident etched in the center. So this was for me. I hesitantly put my foot on it, but the glow and trident jumped to another tile a few feet off. When I touched it again, same thing. Could this be a summons from Dad? I followed it willingly, but my hand hovered over my pocket and Riptide, just in case.

It "lead" me into the Big House, just like Rachel's floor-brightness thing in the Labyrinth. The trident glowed brighter in the darkness of the basement, which was where it appeared when I stamped on it in frustration. Further in, it lead me down a few small corridors, and into a room with a plastic chair and a window. On the floor was a strange-looking device that looked like a mini volcano. The glow jumped on to it. When I touched it, it whirred for a few seconds, then shot out a fine mist. The mist caught the sunlight from the window, and made a perfect rainbow. A pleasant female voice announced, "No charge." Oh. It was an IMing fountain. I quickly scanned the room, then announced,

"Poseidon, Lord of the Seas."

The mist shot out with more intensity now. It swirled into a shape that looked vaguely like a trident, then smoothed and the image appeared. My Dad was seated on his fisherman's throne in his palace. At least, that's where I assumed it was. The wall behind him seemed to be made of glass and it was covered in coral of every shade. The Nerids were everywhere, all unspeakably beautiful. The court consisted of mermaids/mermen, sea horses, seals, and every other sea-creature. Immediately, I felt a sharp pang, as if I missed a home I'd never known. But this wasn't the time. Even thought this was only an IM, I knelt and called out,

"Hello Father."

All eyes were on me. Poseidon turned to me and said,

"Close your eyes, my son."

I obeyed. The room seemed to turn around me, and when I opened my eyes, I was actually kneeling in front of my father, in his court under the sea. Upon seeing my apparently baffled expression, Dad laughed.

"I told you, what belongs to the sea will return to the sea," he said. And I couldn't help but smile.