Chapter 9

Remus POV

In the map, I saw Percy still fighting Clarisse and her goons. I had forgotten about her entirely.

I ordered most of my group to reinforce the center position, took four of my teammates with me and went to investigate, leaving the rest to stay in place should the enemy we routed decide to turn back.

When I reached the point Percy had been assigned to I saw Clarisse being knocked out by Percy and several of her inner circle lying around in the water.

Percy appeared to be watching Luke retreat to our side of the river whilst the rest of the blue team was cheering, so I ordered my teammates to lift the knocked-out Ares campers out of the water so they wouldn't drown.

"Not bad." I said. "Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?"

"You set me up, you put me here because you knew that Clarisse would come looking for me. While you sent Luke to get the flag, you had it all planned out." she said ,now angry.

"I told you Athena always has a plan."

"A plan to pulverize me!" she yelled.

"I came as fast as I could." I lied. I had forgotten about her. "But you didn't need help." I looked at her arm, it was cut. "How did you get that?" I asked.

"Sword cut, what did you think?" she said.

"No. It was a sword cut. Look at it."

She looked down and saw the cut fade away.

"I-I don't get it."

"Step out of the water, Percy." I said, thinking. It couldn't possibly be that, but I saw no other explanation seeing as Apollo's gift of healing would have been accompanied with a burst of sunlight.

"What-?"

"Just do it."

She came out of the creek and almost collapsed. I caught her.

"Oh, Styx, this is not good. I didn't want… I assumed it would be Zeus…" I said thinking about the Big Three's oath not to have children. Percy was a daughter of Poseidon.

Suddenly a defining growl came. A hellhound by my luck.

I turned around.

It was a hellhound.

God(s)dammit

"Percy run!" I shouted.

The campers' cheering had died instantly. "Stand ready! My bow!" Chiron shouted.

I drew my knife, stepping in front of Percy. The hellhound leaped.

The hound was too fast.

It leaped over me-an enormous shadow with teeth-and hit Percy claws raking her armor and flesh.

Percy stumbled backwards whilst the hellhound pressed on. I didn't dare run help her in fear of interfering with Chiron and other's aim.

There was a cascade of thwacking sounds, like forty pieces of paper being ripped one after the other. From the hounds neck sprouted a cluster of arrows. The monster fell dead at Percy's feet.

Chiron trotted up next to us, a bow in his hand, his face grim.

"Di immortales!" I cursed.

"That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't … they're not supposed to …"

"Someone summoned it," Chiron said. "Someone inside the camp."

Luke came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, his moment of glory gone.

Clarisse yelled, "It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!"

"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her.

We watched the body of the hellhound melt into shadow, soaking into the ground until it disappeared.

"You're wounded," I told her. "Quick, Percy, get in the water."

"I'm okay."

It looked like the adrenaline was acting as painkiller. I knew from experience that soon she'd collapse once it wore off.

"No, you're not," I said. "Chiron, watch this."

She stumbled back into the creek, the whole camp gathering around us.

I saw the cut on her flesh close up and broken bones mend.

"Look, I-I don't know why," she said, trying to apologize. "I'm sorry…."

"Percy, um…" I said pointing above her head.

It was a trident with green light in the background.

"Your father, this is really not good." I said.

"It is determined." Chiron broke the silence.

"My father?" Percy asked, I could tell her mind was spinning.

"Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, daughter of the Sea God."

Chapter 9 end