Dinner time is crazy at Camp Half-Blood. Food was everywhere, and I mean everywhere; not just on the tables. There was even food and drinks flying through the air. I wasn't really sure what was moving the food, but it was definitely in the air with nobody carrying it. Kids of all ages were everywhere too. There were definitely a couple hundred people crowded into the dining pavilion. Everyone was all in high spirits and greeting each other. Christian had told me earlier when we were walking around that Annabeth had said since today is the last day of classes and the first day of summer, there are more kids at camp now than during other times throughout the year. So, everyone was excited to see each other again, and they eagerly chatted to one another about all the amazing things they were going to do at camp this summer.

Unfortunately, according to camp rules I couldn't sit with Annabeth, Percy, or Christian at just any table. Each table was designated to a god or goddess and the offspring of the god or goddess all sat at that one table. Annabeth, who I found out was a daughter of Athena, Percy, who was a son of Poseidon and sat at a table all alone except for a three-eyed teenage boy (Not sure how to explain that one), and Christian all sat at their tables. Me, not knowing who my godly parent was, had to sit at the Hermes table.

I sat towards the end of the table. The table was pretty much filled. Some of the kids who sat next to and across from me asked me a few questions, but I didn't really pay much attention to them or what they were saying. I would answer with a simple "yes" or "no", or I would just nod my head. Eventually, they just let me be, seeing as I didn't want to talk.

I was deep in thought. Who could my godly parent be? I thought about the things I knew about my parents, which wasn't much. I know my mom told me stories about Greek heroes all the time, so it would make sense that she was my godly parent. But my dad would tell me stories as well about Zeus and the other gods and goddesses. My Grandma, if she was in fact even my Grandma, would make Greek dishes all the time. She too would tell me bits and pieces of Greek history, and she claimed to be my Dad's mom. So, I have always considered my Dad's side of the family to be more Greek-like. I kept running these thoughts through my head trying to work it all out.

I then thought about how one of my parents must still be alive, since one of them is supposedly an immortal being. It made me excited and happy realizing that I hadn't really lost one of them. But then again, why haven't they claimed me yet? Why didn't they come visit me? Why did they pretend they were dead? It made me kind of upset just thinking about it. Sure, one of them was alive. I might be able to see one of them again. But at the same time, they have ignored me for the past 14 years. They haven't once come to visit or at least say, "Oh, yeah. By the way, I'm not dead. I'm an immortal who just doesn't want to see you." I mean, it sucks to hear or realize that someone you had trusted and loved, even if it was brief, turns out to be a total lie. The whole image you had in your head of them disappears. Now the image of my loving and caring parents, both of them, was ruined forever.

Before I could get my thoughts even more jumbled up, a plate of food appeared in front of me. It had the most amazing smelling food you could think of. I didn't know what some of it was, but I was starving. I hadn't eaten since lunch time at school, which felt like a million years ago. I was about to tuck in when the girl beside me tapped my shoulder. She was a couple years older than me and had dark black hair. She had a very mischievous look about her, but her intentions seemed kind enough.

"We have to go give an offering to the gods before we eat," she said. "Come on. Follow me and I'll show you."

I followed the girl towards the front of the hall where there was a long table that was raised slightly higher than the other's. Chiron, Apollo, and a couple of pudgy men (Were those goat legs? They look like the goat thingies in my dreams!) sat facing the rest of the mess hall. The girl walked around that table to the big furnace that was behind them. It looked like one of those fancy outdoor chimney fire places, just a lot bigger.

"So, all you have to do is say a little prayer, give thanks to the gods, and throw a bit of food in the furnace," she said. "Like this." The girl tipped her plate towards the furnace. She closed her eyes and said something under her breath. She then scooped some of her food off her plate and onto the flaming coals. The food quickly burned and disappeared.

"See? Just like that. And then when you're done you just head back to the table and start eating," she said standing up and smiling. She then turned and headed back towards the Hermes table.

I looked at the burning coals. I wasn't really sure if the gods listened to every camper's prayers. I mean, could they really hear us talking to them?

Whether they could or couldn't, I knew what I wanted to say. As much as I was upset with my parents for not telling me who they really were or not claiming me, they were still family, and family is very important to me. Family is my everything, even if they aren't flawless.

I bent my plate closer to the furnace and closed my eyes. "Hey, mom or dad, which ever one is the god or goddess. Look, I am upset with you for not telling me who I really am. But I just wanted to say that I still love you. I understand that you didn't have much time for me or whether or not you really cared about me because you are so busy doing, you know, godly things. I would like to know who you are though; just a simple "hey" would be nice. I miss you, or at least the person you were when I was little. Anyways, this is an offering to you." I pushed a little bit of food off my plate into the coals. The food quickly disappeared. I turned and started to walk back to my table just as more kids were coming up to give their offering. Once I was back at the Hermes table, I sat down and started chomping on my dinner.

After the dessert, which was very good by the way, had been passed out and everyone was finished eating, Chiron stood up. As he stood, the loud mess hall suddenly became dead silent. Even though the Hermes table was the last table in the mess hall and the furthest from the big table and furnace, I could see Chiron as plain as day in his stallion form. His white tail flicked behind him, and his white horse coat seemed to shine.

"Good evening all," he said smiling, the crinkles around his eyes coming out. "It is good to see everyone back and ready for their summer training. Before we get started with everyone's favorite game tonight, I have a few announcements to make."

All of a sudden, Chiron's face turned grave and very serious. He no longer had crinkles around his eyes.

"I am sure many of you have heard the rumors. Many newly found demigods have been dying off because of monster attacks from Chimera's. Our friends at the Council…," Chiron said gesturing to the pudgy goat-men, "…have been trying their best to send out more recruits to find these demigods before the Chimera's do. We don't know who is behind these attacks, but we are trying to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, please be alert if you go outside the camp's boundaries."

Chiron then glanced to his left at Apollo who nodded at him. Apollo also had a very stern expression on his face.

Chiron continued on. "In addition, Apollo would like me to inform you all that the gods are asking all demigods to avoid the Labyrinth for the time being. At the moment, it is very unsafe; probably the most unsafe it has ever been before."

A couple of campers in the mess hall started whispering and mumbling to each other. I wasn't sure what labyrinth they were talking about. I hoped Chiron was talking about a corn maze labyrinth or something like that. Not the Labyrinth I had read about in my Mythology class. Unfortunately, my intuition told me otherwise.

Chiron cleared his throat causing all talking to cease. The mess hall was quiet again.

"But now for some positive announcements," Chiron said. His crinkles returned around his eyes.

"We have gained two new campers today. Will the two of you please stand up."

I really didn't want to get up in front of the whole camp. Honestly, it wasn't that necessary for the whole camp to know who I was, let alone the fact that I'm one of the newbies. But, I didn't want to get on Chiron's bad side. I stood reluctantly. Since I was in the back-right corner, I could see Christian standing up at the Apollo table across the room from me.

Chiron gestured to Christian first. "Please welcome Christian, son of Apollo!"

Christian smiled his confident grin and waved to the whole mess hall. The Apollo cabin whooped and hollered while the rest of the campers clapped. I looked up towards the big table where Apollo sat. He too grinned and clapped slowly.

After a few seconds, the mess hall became silent. It was my turn to be introduced. I hope I don't make a fool of myself. I kept thinking in my head, be confident, be confident, be confident; You can do this.

Chiron smiled again and looked right at me. "Please also welcome...," but that was all he could get in before the sky blasted open. Across the Long Island Sound, bolts of lightning crackled and lit up the sky. Thunder shook the whole camp. Everyone turned to look out over the sound, shocked by the sudden disturbance. Chiron and the others at the front table turned behind them to see what was going on. Some kids even stood up to look out over the sound. After about a good 5 seconds, the lightning and thunder stopped.

Chiron was the first person to turn around at the big table. He turned back to me ready to continue on with the introduction, but something stopped him. When he turned around and looked at me, his face slacked and he no longer smiled. His lips parted slightly and his eyes grew bigger. His white tail flicked. A look of shock appeared on his face.

Apollo and the pudgy men slowly turned back around ready to listen. As they turned around to face the mess hall, their eyes too landed on me. Looks of shock and disbelief appeared on their faces. Apollo slowly stood up, his eyes unwavering from me. I couldn't hear him, but it looked like he mouthed the words, "Impossible."

Most of the kids sat back down and faced the front ready to listen to Chiron as he continued on. As kids watched them, they too looked in the direction that the camp leaders were looking. Before I knew it, the whole camp was staring at me.

I felt like I wanted to bolt just like I had in the infirmary earlier. I wasn't sure what was going on. I swallowed hard and look down at the table to try and avoid eye contact with everyone. As I did so, I saw a glowing light reflecting off the table. I wasn't sure what it was.

I glanced sideways at the girl who sat beside me. She wore a shocked expression just like the rest of the camp. I then realized that she wasn't looking directly at me, but above my head.

I looked up to find a bright, glowing image above my head. The image was that of a peacock.

I tried wracking my brain of what god or goddess had a peacock symbol.

I looked back up at Chiron. He still wore a shocked expression on his face. After a beat or two, he seemed to regain his composure a little bit. He swallowed hard.

"Please welcome Cyan," his voice echoed. "Daughter of Hera."