Things I thought were obvious but I'm going to say anyway:

A) Luke is going to end up redeeming himself. I like him.

B) Sally is my favourite. She's not going anywhere.

Thalia followed her father and her uncles out of the throne room to a small sitting room down the hall. She preferred this room; it felt much less pretentious.

"Now Thalia," Zeus said, once they had seated themselves, "speak."

Thalia took a deep breath. "At some point, the book is going to reveal who took the master bolt and the helm of darkness and none of you is going to like it. The thing is … the person that did this … there's more to it. I'm not condoning what they did and I'm not asking you to ignore it, but … If they come forward and confess, is there any way you could show them …"

"Leniency?" Zeus finished.

Thalia winced. "I know it's a tall request, Father, but this person is being manipulated by something far older and stronger than he is."

"What?" Poseidon asked.

"Who?!" Zeus demanded.

Hades chuckled humourlessly. "Isn't it obvious, brothers? The Oracle spoke of it in her prophecy – 'the crooked stirs in dungeon deep'."

"No." Zeus said firmly. "I forbid any mention …"

"And that is what will destroy you, Father." Thalia said sharply. "You refused to acknowledge the threat and we paid the price, just like always. Killing the Lightning Thief won't stop him. It will just switch his attention to another demigod. What are you going to do, kill us all just in case?"

"That will cause a war within the family." Poseidon warned.

"What do you propose I do then?!" Zeus demanded. "Let him get away with this … this insult?!"

Hades looked thoughtfully at Thalia. He was just as furious as Zeus, but he also had a long history of disagreeing with him. "What do you suggest, niece?"

Thalia steeled herself. "A deal. Aside from … um … our friend way, way, way downstairs, there are two people involved here, one who took the items and one who now has them. If they come forward before the book reveals it and show remorse, then you acknowledge that. If not … Well, I can ask you not to kill anyone, but I'm not stupid enough to try to stop you."

Hades nodded thoughtfully. "That does seem fair."

"You agree with this?" Zeus asked, surprised.

Hades sighed. "You forget that part of my job is judging the dead, Zeus. Those that come before judgement with remorse are judged less harshly. That has always been true."

Seeing that Poseidon was nodding in agreement, Zeus sighed. "Very well. If this thief comes forward with genuine remorse, I will not kill him. I make no other promises, however."

Thalia let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you Father, Uncles."

Now she just had to figure out how to get Luke to confess.

They returned to the throne room to find that Persephone had the book on her lap. She smiled at her husband as he sat down, and opened the book to the next chapter.

Chapter Eight

We Capture a Flag

Annabeth and Malcolm cheered and Clarisse groaned.

Luke grinned at Percy's bewildered expression. "We've formed an alliance with Athena for the game tomorrow night."

The next few days I settled into a routine that felt almost normal, if you don't count the fact that I was getting lessons from satyrs, nymphs and a centaur.

Rachel giggled. "It does take some getting used to."

Each morning I took Ancient Greek from Annabeth … After a couple of mornings, I could stumble through a few lines of Homer without too much headache.

Percy absently rubbed his temple, but the ache was more of a ghost than anything.

The rest of the day, I'd rotate through outdoor activities, looking for something I was good at.

Thalia cracked a smirk. "Don't hurt yourself."

Percy rolled his eyes. "What was the verdict?" He murmured.

Thalia shook her head. "Later."

Chiron tried to teach me archery … He didn't complain, even when he had to desnag a stray arrow out of his tail.

The Apollo boys sniggered.

"Percy," Thalia said, "where was Chiron standing?"

"Erm, behind me?" Percy said sheepishly.

"Oh dear." Artemis said, trying to hide a smile. "Well, it's safe to say you're not my brother's son."

"Not all Apollo kids are good at archery." Michael said, nudging Will. "Are they?"

"I get by." Will said defensively.

"I know." Michael said, his smile softening. "I was joking, kid. You're the best Healer we have."

Nico frowned at Percy. "I've seen you use a bow before. That was a good shot."

"The one and only." Percy said. "And there was a goddess guiding it."

Foot racing? No good either … it was a little humiliating to be slower than a tree.

Travis and Connor sniggered.

And wrestling? Forget it. Every time I got on the mat, Clarisse would pulverise me.

Ares sneered at Poseidon, who ignored him.

'There's more where that came from, punk,' she'd mumble in my ear.

The only think I really excelled at was canoeing …

"Well, that makes sense." Thalia said.

… and that wasn't the kind of heroic skill people expected to see … I didn't have Hephaestus's skill with metalwork or – gods forbid – Dionysus's way with vine plants.

"Yes, you have been a bit of a puzzle." Chiron said. "Then again, we hadn't considered all the options."

Luke told me I might be a child of Hermes, a kind of jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

Hermes smiled, not taking any offence. "Sorry, kid."

But I got the feeling … He really didn't know what do make of me either.

"Thanks for trying." Percy said.

Luke gave him a smile and ruffled his hair. "We were going to find you a niche, kid. We will."

Despite all that, I liked camp … I tried not to think too much about my mom … surely there was some way to save her, to bring her back …

"Percy …" Sally said warningly.

"There is no bringing the dead back." Persephone said gently. "No one has ever managed it."

I started to understand Luke's bitterness … Why couldn't my dad, whoever he was, make a phone appear?

"We can, but we aren't allowed to." Apollo said, glaring at Zeus.

"Enough." Hera said tiredly. "We can debate the rules later."

Thursday afternoon … I had my first sword-fighting lesson.

"That was yesterday." Annabeth said. "Just before we came here."

Everybody from cabin eleven gathered in the big circular arena, where Luke would be our instructor.

"Naturally." Thalia said.

We started with basic stabbing and slashing … The problem was, I couldn't find a blade that felt right in my hands.

Luke frowned. "That's because they were forged on land?"

"Exactly." Poseidon said.

Either they were too heavy, or too light, or too long … Luke announced he would be my partner, since this was my first time.

"You did alright." Luke said.

"I was hopeless." Percy said with a groan.

"Hey, you said so yourself." Luke said, nudging him. "It was your first time."

'Good luck,' one of the campers told me … Luke showed me thrusts and parries and shield blocks the hard way. With every swipe, I got a little more battered and bruised.

"Oh great." Percy muttered, bracing himself.

'Keep your guard up, Percy,' he'd say, then whap me in the ribs with the flat of his blade.

Percy winced and then yelped when Thalia prodded him in the ribs. "What was that for?!"

"That is so weird." Thalia murmured.

"Sorry, Percy." Luke said.

"Shove it, Castellan." Percy grumbled.

Persephone took pity on him and kept reading.

'No, not that far up!' … By the time he called a break, I was soaked in sweat.

"Oh, that's disgusting." Annabeth said, shifting away from Percy.

"I'm not actually soaked." Percy said, examining his own – apparently dry – shirt. "It just feels like it."

Everybody swarmed the drinks cooler. Luke poured ice water on his head, which looked like such a good idea, I did the same.

"Oh, you're done." Nico said with a grin.

"What?" Luke asked. "Wait a minute … it wasn't beginner's luck at all, was it?"

"Nope." Annabeth said cheerfully. "The water re-energises him."

Instantly I felt better. Strength surged back into my arms. The sword didn't feel so awkward.

Luke shook his head with a smile. "That explains so much."

'Okay, everybody circle up!' Luke ordered … He told everybody he was going to demonstrate a disarming technique: how to twist the enemy's blade with the flat of your own sword so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon.

"It's a useful tool." Ares said. "But not one you want to rely on too much."

'This is difficult,' he stressed … He demonstrated the move on me in slow motion. Sure enough, the sword clattered out of my hand.

"Which was to be expected." Thalia finished. "Since a) you're not a master swordsman, so you couldn't hope to block it and b) it's a demonstration."

'Now in real time,' he said … His eyes narrowed, and he started to press me with more force.

Thalia glanced at Luke. "Jeez, go easy on the kid. He's only twelve."

"Talent doesn't grow by itself." Luke said.

The sword grew heavy in my hand … so I figured, What the heck?

Clang.

A couple of the campers applauded, the Stolls whistling loudly.

"That's my boy." Poseidon beamed.

Luke's sword sword rattled against the stone. The tip of my blade was a couple of centimetres from his undefended chest.

Thalia smiled. "How long had it been since someone beat you?"

Luke sighed. "That would have been the first."

The other campers were silent … My short burst of manic energy abandoned me.

"Or you've just dried off." Annabeth said.

But Luke insisted. This time, there was no contest … After a long pause, somebody in the audience said, 'Beginner's luck?'

"That would have been me." Connor said. "Didn't even consider the water."

Luke wiped his the sweat off his brow … 'Maybe,' he said. 'But I wonder what Percy could do with a balanced sword …'

"He's very good." Thalia said, her eyes gleaming.

"No." Percy said.

Thalia frowned. "You don't know what I'm going to say."

"I can take a guess, Thalia." Percy said. "No."

"How about a rematch?" Annabeth suggested.

Percy turned to her with a betrayed expression. "Annabeth!"

"What?" Annabeth asked innocently. "You told Thalia 'no', not me."

"I thought you would be wise enough not to suggest it." Percy said. "Besides, the fight's no fairer …"

"It would be if you duelled our Luke." Travis said. "The age gap is smaller. He's still got more experience, but not by as much."

"Is everyone going to conspire against me?" Percy asked. "No fighting in the throne room, remember?"

Hestia gave him what could only be described as a mischievous smile. "I'll make an exception."

There was a murmur of agreement among the gods.

"Luke doesn't have a sword." Percy pointed out. "And neither of us have …"

With a clang, he and Luke were dressed in armour, and Hermes handed his son a sword. "No problem."

"You don't have one either." Luke said, frowning at Percy.

Percy sighed and pulled the pen out again, flipping the cap off and handing it to Annabeth before giving Riptide a few practice swings. "Ready."

The spectators backed up to give them some room, forming a circle around the demigods.

Annabeth smiled, pouring herself a glass of water. "Want me to count you in?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Percy said, a little tersely. It had been a long time since he'd had a practice duel, one where the outcome wasn't life or death. "And I'm fine." He added, before Annabeth could stand up.

Annabeth held up the glass. "You don't want it?"

"Don't need it." Percy said.

Annabeth shrugged. "Suit yourself." She set the glass down in front of her. "Ready? Begin."

The swords met in a clang of metal.

"That was not counting us in." Percy said, blocking Luke's next strike.

"You don't get counted in in real life." Thalia said.

"This isn't real life." Percy said. "This is an educational display, so I hope you're all paying attention."

The campers were definitely doing that, riveted by the flight playing out in front of them.

"They're too evenly matched." Thalia murmured, after five minutes. "There's never going to be a clear winner."

"There will be if I throw this over Percy." Annabeth said, waving at the water.

"He wants to win without it." Thalia said. "I get that."

Annabeth bit her lip. "This was a bad idea, wasn't it? They're going to …" She inhaled sharply when Percy's blade just nicked Luke under his armour, not nearly enough to win him the fight.

"They're going to get more and more intense." Thalia finished. "And Percy's gone through enough that …"

"It could end up deadly." Annabeth said, her face pale. "This was a really bad idea, Thals."

"Relax, Annie." Thalia said. "I thought it'd be over in a few minutes. I underestimated both of them. We just need to call it a draw."

"They won't go for that." Annabeth said.

"Oh yes they will." Thalia said, raising a hand.

In unison, the two boys yelped, their swords falling to the ground.

"As Percy said," Thalia said loudly, over the startled cries of the spectators, "this was an educational display. And the moral of this lesson is that you never take your eye of your surroundings."

"Because you never know when there's a daughter of Zeus waiting to give you an electric shock." Percy finished. "What was that for?"

"There was never going to be a winner." Thalia said. "And after this summer …"

"It was a bad idea." Annabeth finished. "I'm sorry, I should never have suggested it."

Percy sighed. "She's right." He held out a hand to Luke. "Good match though."

"Definitely." Luke agreed, shaking his hand.

Ares scowled. "I was hoping someone was gonna get creamed."
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Ugh, can't you just be happy they're good? Sephie, read please."

Persephone pulled a face at the nickname and found her place again, letting everyone settle once more.

Friday afternoon …

"This is it!" Annabeth squeaked. "We've reached the future. Sorry." She added.

Persephone smiled at her.

Friday afternoon, I was sitting with Grover at the lake, resting from a near-death experience on the climbing wall.

Sally gasped.

"Percy's exaggerating." Annabeth said tiredly. "No one's ever had a near-death experience on that thing."

Grover had scampered to the top like a mountain goat … The hairs had been singed off my forearms.

Percy frowned, scratching his arms.

"And one of the Apollo kids fixed that right up." Annabeth added.

We sat on the pier … until I got up the nerve to ask Grover how his conversation had gone with Mr D …

'So your career's still on track?'

He glanced at me nervously. 'Chiron t-told you I want a searcher's license?'

"What's a searcher's license?" Sally asked.

Grover opened his mouth to answer, but Percy cut him off. "Sorry, Grover, it's just that I ask you that question later, so is it alright if we let the book answer it?"

"Of course." Grover said. "Saves repeating it."

'Well … no … did you get it?' …

'… If you got a quest and I went along to protect you, and we both came back alive, then maybe he'd consider the job complete.'

Grover sighed.

"But that could still happen." Silena said.

"Unlikely." Chris said. "Luke already said there hasn't been a quest in two years. Why would Percy suddenly get one?"

Silena smirked. "Because when they first looked at the books, Annabeth said the titles sounded like quests, so they must get one."

My spirits lifted. 'Well, that's not so bad, right?'

'Blaa-ha-ha! … The chances of you getting a quest … and even if you did, why would you want me along?'

"Because you're my best friend." Percy said. "And you know more than I do."

'Of course I'd want you along!' … Finally, I asked him about the four empty cabins.

'Number eight … belongs to Artemis,' he said. '… If she didn't have one, she'd be mad.'

Artemis rolled her eyes. "That's not the only reason. My Hunters use that cabin from time to time."

'Yeah, okay. But the other three, the ones at the end. Are those the Big Three?'

Grover tensed … 'No. One of them, number two, is Hera's … She's the goddess of marriage, so of course she wouldn't go around having affairs with mortals.

"None of us should." Hera said, glaring at her husband.

That's her husband's job.

Grover yelped at Zeus's glare and hid behind Chiron.

Poseidon chuckled. "He has a point."

When we say the Big Three, we mean the three powerful brothers, the sons of Kronos.'

Thunder rattled the windows.

"Oh yes." Thalia said conversationally. "We do not mention the K word. Even if there's a legitimate reason to do so."

'Zeus, Poseidon, Hades … But Hades doesn't have a cabin here.'

'No. He doesn't have a throne on Olympus either.

Nico scowled and muttered something under his breath.

He sort of does his own thing down in the Underworld. If he did have a cabin here …' Grover shuddered. 'Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. Let's leave it at that.'

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nico asked.

"Nico, he didn't mean anything by it." Thalia said, raising an arm. "May I?"

Nico frowned for a second, but nodded. He wasn't generally comfortable with being touched, but he had also managed to end up with friends who used physical contact like a lifeline. Although it was nice sometimes, he thought, as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"Grover had never met a child of Hades before." Thalia said. "And, let's face it, a lot of your half-siblings have been a little …"

"Dark?" Nico finished glumly. "Evil?"

"The opposite of you." Thalia finished. "Okay, you can be a little dark sometimes, but you're not evil, Nico."

"And Camp's not the same without you." Annabeth added.

'But Zeus and Poseidon – they both had, like, a bazillion kids in the myths …'

Grover shifted his hooves uncomfortably. 'About sixty years ago … Zeus and Poseidon, made Hades swear an oath with them: no more affairs with mortal women.

"And yet my husband was the only one to keep that damn oath." Persephone said, glaring at Zeus and Poseidon. She may not have been happy about Maria Di Angelo, but she did love her husband, and shutting his children away had hurt him deeply.

They all swore on the River Styx … Seventeen years ago, Zeus fell off the wagon. There was this TV starlet with a big fluffy eighties hairdo – he just couldn't help himself.

"Wait a minute …" Sally said slowly. "Your mother was Beryl Grace?"

Thalia sighed. "Yeah, that's her. Terrible actress, worse mother."

"I seem to remember reading about her having two children." Sally said. "There was a boy as well, wasn't there? Younger?"

"So not only did you break the oath," Hera said icily, "you broke it with a woman whose private life was plastered all over the tabloids, putting your child in more danger."

"Thalia?" Sally said gently. "What happened to your brother?"

Thalia swallowed hard. "I don't want to talk about it."

Her voice was saturated with pain.

Sally got up and ushered Percy and Annabeth towards the other end of the couch, so she could sit beside Thalia, drawing her into a hug.

Thalia closed her eyes, resting her head on Sally's shoulder. The story was coming. She could feel it. Still, it was better than thinking about Jason. Much better.

When their child was born … well, the River Styx is serious about promises … he brought a terrible fate on his daughter.'

Zeus looked down. He hadn't even considered the consequences breaking the oath would have on his daughter.

'But that isn't fair! It wasn't the little girl's fault!'

Persephone paused to give a dark glare to her husband and father.

Grover hesitated. 'Percy, children of the Big Three have powers greater than other half-bloods … When Hades found out about the girl, he … let the worst monsters out of Tartarus to torment Thalia.

Sally tightened her hold on the girl in her arms, feeling her shivering.

A satyr was assigned to be her keeper when she was twelve … He tried to escort her here with a couple of other half-bloods she'd befriended.

Malcolm was looking pale. "Annabeth … that was you and Luke, wasn't it?"

Annabeth nodded, her face bypassing white and reaching grey.

"Annie, come here." Luke said softly, nudging Connor gently. He moved to Luke's other side beside his brother, and Annabeth took his spot, letting Luke wrap his arms around her.

They almost made it … All three Kindly Ones were after them, along with a hoard of hellhounds.

Persephone's voice shook with anger.

They were about to be overrun when Thalia told her satyr to take the other half-bloods to safety … he had to protect the others.

"Of course you did." Sally said quietly.

"And we're glad you did." Athena added, gesturing to Hermes, who was nodding.

So Thalia made her final stand alone, at the top of that hill.

Luke sucked in a rattling breath. He could still hear her telling him to take Annabeth and run, hear her pained cries, hear his own agonised scream as she fell.

As she died, Zeus took pity on her. He turned her into that pine tree … That's why the hill is called Half-Blood Hill.'

"I will never look at that pine tree the same way again." Will said faintly.

Thalia sighed at the sudden attention. "I'm alright. I'm right here, alive and kicking …"

"And drooling in her sleep." Annabeth added with a smirk. "Must be a Big Three thing."

I stared at the pine in the distance … I wondered, if I'd acted differently, could I have saved my mother?

"You couldn't have." Thalia said. "Not without getting her over the boundary."

"And I wouldn't have left her if Luke hadn't made me." Annabeth added.

"And I wouldn't have left her if Annabeth hadn't been there." Luke admitted. "And we'd been fighting monsters longer than you had. You did pretty well given the circumstances."

'Grover,' I said, 'have heroes really gone on quests to the Underworld?'

'Sometimes … Percy, you're not seriously thinking-'

'No,' I liked. 'I was just wondering.

Hermes sighed. "You're a terrible liar too – Chiron, what are you teaching these kids?!"

"Not how to lie." Artemis said, rolling her eyes.

So … a satyr is always assigned to guard a demigod? … Chiron said you thought I might be something special.'

Grover looked as if I'd just led him into a trap. 'I didn't … Oh, listen, don't think like that … You're probably a child of Hermes. Or maybe even one of the minor gods, like Nemesis, the god of revenge.

"Goddess of revenge." Annabeth corrected, trying not to think of Ethan.

Don't worry, okay?'

I got the idea he was reassuring himself more than me.

"Surely a child of the Big Three is more likely to get a quest." Malcolm said. "I know they're a bigger target for monsters, but if keeping us safe was the main priority, no one would be sent on a quest."

No one could answer him.

The night after dinner … it was time for capture the flag.

The campers cheered, and Sally released Thalia to return to her younger son's side.

When the plates were cleared away … Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner … Clarisse and her buddies ran in with another banner … gaudy red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head.

"I prefer yours." Percy murmured to Annabeth.

I turned to Luke and yelled over the noise, '… Ares and Athena always lead the teams?'

'Not always,' he said. 'But often.'

"I don't think I've ever seen it without them." Percy said thoughtfully.

"We played against the Hunters once." Thalia reminded him. "Before I joined them."

"And we all learnt that putting you two on the same team is sometimes worse than putting you on opposing ones." Nico said.

'So, if another cabin captures one, what do you do – repaint the flag? … Whose side are we on?'

"Mine." Annabeth said.

He gave me a sly look, as if he knew something I didn't.

Percy sighed. "She warned you, didn't she?"

Luke shrugged. "She may have mentioned she had a plan."

"It worked." Annabeth said, unrepentantly. "And of course I discussed it with Luke. I needed a second pair of eyes."

The scar on his face made him look almost evil in the torchlight.

Thalia managed to suppress her shudder.

'We've made a temporary alliance with Athena …'

Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins.

"Good move." Apollo said. "There's strength in numbers."

Apparently, privileges had been traded … in order to win support.

Ares had allied themselves with everybody else … Demeter's kids had the edge with nature skills and outdoor stuff, but they weren't very aggressive.

Demeter sniffed. "I should hope not."

Aphrodite's sons and daughters I wasn't too worried about. They mostly sat out every activity and checked their reflections in the lake and did their hair and gossiped.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Aphrodite said.

"And it doesn't mean we can't hold our own." Silena added.

Percy smiled almost sadly. "Believe me, Silena, I know."

Hephaestus's kids weren't pretty … but they were big and burly … They might be a problem.

Beckendorf smirked to himself.

That, of course, left Ares's cabin: a dozen of the biggest, ugliest, meanest kids on Long Island, or anywhere else on the planet.

Ares grinned, possibly the only parent who could be proud of a description like that. He was looking forward to this.

Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble.

'Heroes!' he announced. 'You know the rules … No killing or maiming is allowed.

"Well, that's comforting." Sally said faintly.

I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!'

He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, oxhide shields coated in metal.

Sally's eyes widened. "I don't know what I was expecting, but … they could get seriously hurt."

Ares muttered something under his breath and his mother gave him a venomous glare.

"It's alright." Hera said. "Apollo's children and Chiron can heal anyone up. And you already heard the rules."

'Whoa,' I said. 'We're really supposed to use these?'

Luke looked at me as if I were crazy. 'Unless you want to get skewered … You'll be on border patrol.'

"Right." Percy drawled. "Border patrol."

Athena hid a smile. "I think I know what your plan was, Annabeth. Well done."

Annabeth nodded, blushing slightly. "Thank you, Mother."

My shield was the size of an NBA backboard … I hoped nobody expected me to run fast.

Thalia chuckled. "You get used to it."

"Says the girl whose shield shrinks down to a charm bracelet." Percy said.

Thalia shrugged. "You take what you can get."

My helmet, like all the helmets on Athena's side, had a blue horsehair plume … I managed to catch up with Annabeth …

'So what's the plan?' I asked. 'Got any magic items you can loan me?'

Her hand drifted towards her pocket, as if she were afraid I'd stolen something.

"Hey, you could have been one of Hermes' for all I knew." Annabeth said.

'Just watch Clarisse's spear … Stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to me. Athena always has a plan.'

"We know." Percy said. "It normally gets me beaten up."

Annabeth sighed. "It was one time, Percy. Let it go." Her hand squeezed his and let go. She wasn't worried about him reliving the Ares cabin. The hellhound, however, was not going to be fun.

She pushed ahead … Annabeth stationed me next to a little creek … Standing there alone … I felt like an idiot.

"Don't say it." Percy said, when Thalia opened her mouth.

The bronze sword, like all the swords I'd tried so far, seemed balanced wrong … There was no way anybody would actually attack me, would they? I mean, Olympus had to have liability issues, right?

Thalia laughed. "Of course not. Otherwise they wouldn't send us on quests, would they? Besides, you should be fine. They'll be trying to get past you, not attacking you. There's a huge stretch of creek they could use instead, so you should be left alone. Unless, of course, someone is planning on breaking the rules." She added casually.

Far away, the conch horn blew … Then I heard a sound … a low canine growl, somewhere close by.

"A growl?" Malcolm repeated, startled. "There's nothing in the woods that makes a sound like that."

I raised my shield instinctively; I had the feeling something was stalking me.

A shiver of unease ran through the campers. They had all had border patrol at least once, and they knew that feeling, but … that was strange.

"Maybe it's me." Annabeth said hopefully. "Not the growl, I mean – that could be his imagination, but I've got the invisibility cap Mother gave me, maybe I doubled back to give him some back-up."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Why would he need back-up? Thalia already said he shouldn't have any trouble."

"Because Clarisse is upset about the bathroom incident." Annabeth explained. "That's why I stationed Percy there, because I know she'll go after him rather than trying to get the flag."

"Why you …" Clarisse began.

"It's not her fault you're predictable." Malcolm said, glaring at her.

"I am sure that Annabeth's plan is a good one." Chiron said. "But I know that Clarisse would not lead an intentional attack on another camper, especially when that camper is relatively untrained, especially not in a situation where it is expressly against the rules."

"Attacking another camper in Capture the Flag isn't against the rules." Clarisse argued.

"It is when it's unnecessary." Thalia said.

Then the growling stopped … Five Ares warriors came yelling and screaming out of the dark.

Chiron gave Clarisse a very disappointed look and she scowled at the floor.

'Cream the punk!' Clarisse screamed.

Her ugly pig eyes glared at me through the slit of her helmet. She brandished a two-metre spear, its barbed metal tip flickering with red light.

Ares smirked. He recognised that spear.

Her siblings had only the standard-issue bronze swords … I could run. Or I could defend myself against half the Ares cabin.

"Fight." The campers chorused.

Sally sighed. "I'm not going to bother trying."

I managed to sidestep the first kid's swing … Clarisse thrust at me with her spear … I felt a painful tingling all over my body … My shield arm went numb, and the air burned.

Percy made a strangled noise, the shock running through him.

Electricity … Another Ares guy slammed me in the chest … They could've kicked me into jelly, but they were too busy laughing.

"And that," Athena said, "is how you beat them. Brawn can only hold up to brains for so long."

'Give him a haircut,' Clarisse said … I raised my sword, but Clarisse slammed it aside with her spear … Now both my arms felt numb.

"Oh, not again." Percy sighed. "Still, better than the lightning, I suppose."

'Oh, wow,' Clarisse said …

'The flag is that way,' I told her.

"Percy!" Annabeth protested.

Percy smirked. "What makes you think I was pointing in the right direction?" He looked down at his useless arms. "What makes you think I was pointing at all? They knew the flag was my side of the creek, that's the point of border patrol."

I wanted to sound angry … 'Yeah,' one of her siblings said. 'But, see … We care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid.'

'You do that without my help,' I told them. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say.

"Brain-mouth filter." Annabeth muttered.

Two of them came at me. I backed up towards the creek …

"Keep going." Thalia said, grinning.

"Why do you want him to fall in the creek?" Clarisse asked. "Aren't you supposed to be his friend?"

"He's a Son of Poseidon." Thalia said, smirking at her. "You heard what happened when he poured water on his head. What do you think happens if he's standing in it?"

Clarisse tried not to look worried.

… tried to raise my shield, but Clarisse was too fast … the electric point just about shocked my teeth out of my mouth.

Percy made another strange noise, trying to rub his jaw and failing. "Oh, this is really weird."

One of her cabinmates slashed his sword across my arm, leaving a good-size cut.

Percy glanced down at his arm. "Uh oh."

"What?" Annabeth asked. "It's not like you can feel it – your arms are still numb from … Oh."

"That is so strange." Thalia said, taking Percy's arm and examining the cut that had appeared. "You're actually bleeding."

Apollo began to rise, but Percy shook his head. "It's alright, Lord Apollo. It'll sort itself in a few minutes."

Seeing my own blood made me dizzy, warm and cold at the time.

Percy closed his eyes, the room spinning around him.

"What happened to 'no maiming'?!" Sally demanded, staring at her son's arm in horror.

Chiron was still gazing at Clarisse. "I will talk to her, Sally, I promise you."

The rest of the campers were glaring at Clarisse now as well.

"She hasn't done anything yet." Percy managed to say. "And this wasn't actually her."

'No maiming,' I managed to say.

'Oops,' the guy said. 'Guess I lost my dessert privilege.'

"Dessert privilege?!" Sally repeated. "They maim someone and they go to bed without dessert?!"
"No." Chiron said. "That is a fairly common punishment for minor infractions. This is not minor, but it hasn't happened before either. They will be in for a very nasty shock."

He pushed me into the creek and I landed with a splash.

"Yes, they will." Thalia smirked, watching the gash on Percy's arm begin to knit together. "And there it goes."

They all laughed … But then something happened. The water seemed to wake up my senses, as if I'd just had a bag of my mom's double-espresso jelly beans.

Percy took a deep breath, opening his eyes. "Whoa, that's better."

Clarisse and her cabinmates came into the creek to get me, but I stood to meet them … I swung the flat of my sword against the first guy's head … I hit him so hard I could see his eyes vibrating as he crumpled into the water.

The Stolls cheered.

Ugly Number Two and Ugly Number Three came at me … Both of them backed up quick. Ugly Number Four didn't look really anxious to attack, but Clarisse kept coming … As soon as she thrust, I caught the shaft between the edge of my shield and my sword, and I snapped it like a twig.

Clarisse screamed and Luke jumped forward to grab her arm, just in time to prevent her launching herself at Percy. "Whoa, hold up! He hasn't done anything yet. And you attacked him, you can't blame the guy for defending himself!"

"Watch me!" Clarisse growled.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Aphrodite asked, raising a perfect eyebrow.

Ares shrugged. "I don't fight my kids' battles."

Aphrodite pursed her lips. She knew the spear was a gift from Ares. She also knew that if someone broke or destroyed one of her gifts to her children, she would be angry on their behalf.

Then again, she thought, looking fondly at Silena, her children wouldn't act in such a way.

'Ah!' she screamed. 'You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!'

She probably would have said worse, but I … sent her stumbling backwards out of the creek.

"Well, you didn't need my help." Annabeth said cheerfully.

Then I heard yelling, elated screams, and I saw Luke racing towards the boundary line with the red team's banner lifted high.

The Athena, Hermes and Apollo kids cheered, congratulating Luke and each other on their victory.

Only Clarisse looked truly angry – Beckendorf was still absorbed in whatever he was building, and Silena and Katie, while they would have preferred to win, were not invested enough in the Ares/Athena rivalry to be really upset.

He was flanked by a couple of Hermes guys covering his retreat … The Ares folks got up, and Clarisse muttered a dazed curse.

"Always keep your eye on the objective." Athena advised the campers with a smile. "If you allow yourself to get distracted, this is what happened."

'A trick!' she shouted. 'It was a trick!'

They staggered after Luke, but it was too late … The red banner shimmered and turned to silver. The boar and spear were replaced with a huge caduceus, the symbol of cabin eleven.

The Stolls whooped and high-fived.

Annabeth grinned and nudged Percy. "Couldn't have done it without you."

"Next time, try." Percy grumbled good-naturedly.

Everybody converged on the creek … Annabeth's voice, right next to me in the creek, said, 'Not bad, hero' … she materialised, holding a Yankees baseball cap as if she'd just taken it off her head.

"Wow." Sally said. "When you said an invisibility cap, I didn't think you were being literal."

Annabeth smiled. "It was a birthday present from my mom."

I felt myself getting angry … 'You set me up,' I said …

Annabeth shrugged. 'I told you. Athena …

"Always has a plan." Thalia, Percy and Nico finished in unison.

… always, always has a plan …' Then she noticed my wounded arm. 'How did you do that?'

"Annabeth, I know you know what a sword …" Thalia trailed off. "Oh, it's healed, hasn't it?"

"Yep." Annabeth confirmed.

"Does this mean you're finally going to cotton on?" Thalia asked.

"Be nice to me." Annabeth said. "I can't be perfect all the time."

'Sword cut,' I said. … As I watched, it turned into a small scar and disappeared.

"That's pretty cool." Chris said.

"I guess you don't need us very often." Will said.

"It's not fool-proof." Percy said. "It doesn't heal everything, so I do need you guys sometimes. But water always helps."

"It's a pretty cool thing to get." Thalia admitted.

'I – I don't get it,' I said.

Annabeth was thinking hard … 'Step out of the water, Percy.'

"Yeah, she's figured it out." Nico said.

'What –'

'Just do it.'I came out of the creek and … almost fell over, but Annabeth steadied me.

"Thalia!" Annabeth said sharply, as Percy suddenly sagged towards her.

"Easy, Kelp Head." Thalia said, catching Percy's arm and helping Annabeth sit him upright again. "We got you."

'Oh, Styx,' she cursed. 'This is not good. I didn't want … I assumed it would be Zeus …'

"Well," Thalia said, brushing her hair out of her eyes, "there is a precedent."

Before I could ask what she meant … A howl ripped through the forest.

"Alright, that's not right." Katie said, paling rapidly.

The campers' cheering died instantly … There on the rocks just above us was a black hound the size of a rhino, with lava-red eyes and fangs like daggers.

Silena screamed and Persephone rounded on her husband. "What did you do?!"

Hades sighed. "My dear, I could not have had anything to do with this. Hellhounds cannot get past the boundary line. Someone must have summoned it from within the Camp."

"He's right." Poseidon said, white-faced and furious.

"But who would do something that stupid?!" Thalia demanded, trembling with anger and more than a little nausea. It was one of the hellhounds that had dealt the fatal blow that night on Half-Blood Hill.

"Oh, I think you know." Annabeth murmured over her boyfriend's head.

Thalia gritted her teeth and tried not to turn around to yell at Luke. His younger self was just as pale as his campmates, fear and guilt warring in his eyes.

He hadn't been given an order like this yet, but was he really going to do that? Would he really have brought a hellhound into Camp that evening, if they hadn't been called to Olympus?

It was looking straight at me.

Sally whimpered, grabbing Percy's hand.

Nobody moved except Annabeth … but the hound was too fast.

Luke closed his eyes. That had been the point of no return.

The moment he caused another demigod almost fatal injuries.

The moment he knew he would never – should never – be forgiven.

He had no control over that thing. It could have ripped Annabeth to shreds first.

And he could not have stopped it.

It leaped over her ... I stumbled backwards and felt its razor-sharp claws ripping through my armour …

Percy let out a cry of pain, his entire body seizing as his shirt began to soak with blood.

Persephone kept reading, her words coming quicker.

… there was a cascade of thwacking sounds … The monster fell dead at my feet.

Sally breathed a sigh of relief.

Apollo smiled proudly at his sons.

By some miracle, I was still alive … Another second, and the monster would've turned me into fifty kilograms of delicatessen meat.

Percy was breathing heavily, but he seemed to have recovered from the initial impact.

Chiron trotted up next to us …

'Di immortales,' Annabeth said. 'That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment.

"But who summoned it?" Annabeth whispered.

They don't … they're not supposed to …'

Luke came over … his moment of glory gone.

"Yeah, like that's what I'm focusing on." Luke said, his eyes fixed on Percy's shirt.

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

'Be quiet, child,' Chiron told her.

Katie scowled. "Come on, of course it's not Percy! He nearly got ripped to shreds!"

"Well, he must have been the target then." Clarisse pointed out. "It jumped right over Annabeth – why not just attack her?"

"Because he knew." Luke whispered, too quietly for most people to hear. "He knew what Percy was and wanted him out of the way."

Thalia gave him a dirty look, trying to stem some of the bleeding. "Can we just let Queen Persephone read please?"

We watched the body of the hellhound melt into shadow … 'Quick, Percy, get in the water.'

"Thank Olympus Annabeth has some sense." Thalia muttered.

'I'm okay.'

"Okay?!" Sally repeated incredulously. "You call that okay?!"

"Boys!" Thalia sighed. "Slightest hint of the sniffles and they're dying, but gods forbid they show any reaction to an actual injury!"

'No, you're not,' she said … I was too tired to argue. I stepped back into the creek … I could feel the cuts on my chest closing up.

Percy sighed, stretching as the cuts disappeared. "That's better."

"Are you sure?" Thalia asked.

Percy grinned at her. "What are you, my mother?"

"Speaking of …" Thalia said, nodding towards Sally.

Percy's smile disappeared and he turned to her, reaching out a hand. "I'm fine, Mom."

Sally grasped his hand. "It's only going to get worse, isn't it?"

Percy grimaced. "Afraid so."

Some of the campers gasped … By the time I looked up, the sign was already fading … a trident.

"The claiming." Michael whispered.

'Your father,' Annabeth murmured. 'This is really not good.'

'It is determined,' Chiron announced … 'Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God.'

Persephone closed the book. "That's the end of the chapter."

Chiron was looking very angry. "When I find out who summoned that hellhound, they will be in a great deal of trouble."
Thalia glanced at Luke, asking him with her eyes if he had already done it. He shook his head.

"Chiron?" She asked. "I realise you're angry – I am as well, believe me – but … we're reading about your future now. It's already happened for us, but none of your campers have done anything yet."

"It's not fair to punish them for something they haven't done." Percy agreed.

"Although it pains me to admit it," Athena said, "they do have a point. I suggest we use this as an opportunity to find out why someone would do such a thing and try to address that instead."

A couple of the gods (namely Ares and Zeus) looked like they disagreed, but the rest seemed to be thinking along the same lines, even Poseidon.

"That sounds fair." Hera said. "The Fates clearly want us all to learn from this experience. That may be as good a lesson as any. Now who would like to read the next chapter?"