A/N We're so sorry we haven't updated in forever. I fyou want you can blame it all on me, not Thalia Castellan, seeing as it was mostly my fault. Now that school's started the updates will most likely be even less frequent. Well with that said, on with the story.
Chapter 10
As soon as the meeting was over, I went to my cabin to pack again. I grabbed my backpack off it's hook and emptied it of it's contents—mostly old candy wrappers. Then I started filling it with supplies for the quest. I packed an extra t-shirt and two pairs of shorts, my refilled canteen of nectar, a baggy of ambrosia, and a few extra drachmas incase of an emergency. I did not want to have to ask Thalia for some the next time I needed to make a call.
I then hung the bag on of my wooden barnacle hooks, letting my fingers linger on the bag a moment longer then necessary. Every time I hang my bag up, I always wonder if it'll be the last time, if I'll make it back to camp alive.
With a sigh, I push my cabin door open and headed down to the beach, hoping it'd calm me down a bit.
The yellow sand was hot under me from the late morning sun, and the cool waves lapped at my bare feet and ankles. Leaning back on my hands, I thought about the events of the past few days.
Who knew so much could come out of going to the dentist! Seriously, the dentist had never been exactly exciting. Most of the time it was just a place I had to go twice a year, and even though I liked the dentist, I did not like getting my teeth cleaned. Sitting still for fifteen minutes or more is a pain.
But now, the dentist's office would be the start of one of my quests. I'd go back to have my teeth cleaned of course, but now it would be like a monument to the quest I'm about to undertake. Weird.
Maybe I could convince my mom to let me stop going to the dentist by telling her how dangerous it is. And then maybe I could get off going to the eye doctor and regular doctor too! Hmm, I wonder how much Nico or Luke would charge me if I had them have some monsters storm the doctor's
office...........
I was snapped out of my scheming by the conch horn signaling lunch. I jumped, startled. For a moment I considered not getting up and going to lunch. I was very comfortable sitting in the sand. But then my stomach growled and I realized how hungry I was. I hadn't eaten since yesterday
afternoon, and that had been half a sandwich, I was starving, Literally.
I stood, wiping the sand of my shorts as I walked towards the Dinning Pavilion. I passed some campers I knew. Clarisse glared at me, and Connor and Travis Stoll winked from their line of Hermes' kids and the unclaimed. I waved to them and then continued on my way, imagining the great food the wood nymphs would have made.
The moment I reached the dining pavilion, I started piling food onto my plate. The Aphrodite kids behind me looked horrified, and a few went without food. I was hungry. What was the big deal if I made a bit of a mess?
After I'd scrapped a rather small portion of my food into the fire--hey, I am hungry--I sat down at my table, and started eating. Or rather, I started shoveling food into my mouth as fast as humanly possible. Even Grover--who was sitting with Thalia-- looked disgusted. And the look he was giving me was nothing compared to the look Annabeth was giving me, and don't get me started on the Aphrodite kids again!
Once finished devouring the food on my plate, I exited the pavilion and walked back to my cabin. I considered going back to the beach, but the idea of lying down on my bed was very pleasing, so I ignored the beach and jogged back to cabin three.
As soon as I entered my cabin, I flopped down on my bed, exhausted. The effects of not sleeping in over forty-eight hours, were taking their toll. And sure, I'd been knocked unconscious, but that didn't count as sleeping.
Just as I was about to doze off, a rainbow appeared right in front of my face, and I found myself, face to face with my biggest mortal/demigod enemy, Luke. Can't you feel the enthusiasm?
"What do you want, Luke?" I spat at him.
He just smiled. Gods, he is so annoying! At least he could show contempt, when he smiles, I know he's up to something. And that's never a good thing. Every time Luke is up to something, I end up almost dead. Yeah, killing me ranks pretty high on his 'to-do' list.
"Don't waste time on this silly quest, Jackson. It's a waste of your time, and more importantly, my time. I have a deal for you, a deal that could save us both a lot of time."
"I'm listening," I replied, not really interested in where this was going. I just wanted to get some sleep.
"I will return the Hunter, in exchange for you."
"And what makes you think I would just happily come running to you?" I was fully awake now, angry that he thought I was that stupid.
"Because, Jackson, you cannot hope to save her, this way, no one gets hurt. You get the hunter back, Artemis is happy, etc. I will give you until sundown to reply, if I don't get an answer, then I guess you are actually foolish enough to appose the Titan Lord."
"The 'Titan Lord'? Who do you think you are? Bellatrix Lestrange?" I frowned, pondering briefly over the fact that audiobooks were the best thing since microwavable popcorn to those of us with dyslexia.
By the time I was done pondering, Luke had broken the connection. I winced, telling Luke he thought of himself as Voldemort's most devoted and female death eater probably hadn't improved his temper.
Sighing, I stood up and made my way to the Big House. I was tired and didn't feel like being a messenger or possibly live bait, but Chiron needed to know about this, sleep would have to wait.