"There's only one known living child of the goddess Harmonia, she lives in that cabin over there." Keno pointed to a simple wooden structure way off near the woods. It hadn't been there the last time Percy had been here, it must've been built in the years since. From a distance, the cabin didn't look like much, but Percy figured it probably had its own quirk, like how being near the Ares cabin made him want to punch someone in the face. Harmonia's cabin, Percy reflected, would likely have just the opposite effect.
"Wait, before we go over there, I still need to know some things about the prophecy-"
A whoop from somewhere behind them cut off whatever Percy was about to say next. The group turned as one, and saw another small group of half-bloods racing down from the camp boundary, high fiving each other excitedly like they'd just won a round of capture the flag. The group was led by a muscular boy with dark blond hair, following him were three others, two boys and one girl. They all looked about the same age except one of them, who looked a good deal younger. Upon closer inspection, Percy saw that the boy's feet were actually hooves, and realized that he wasn't human at all, but a satyr. With his gangly, boyish features and curly hair, for a moment, Percy was reminded of a younger version of Grover, his old pal, and now he wondered if he was still alive. Then he thought of Gleeson Hedge, the action junkie satyr who had practically become an unofficial member of the Seven on their quest to stop Gaea. Before he could think any further, the second group reached them.
"Hey guys! Guess who got the most kills, again," The blond kid said excitedly, as if he'd just gotten the new high score in a video game.
"The guy's a natural, what can I say?" his friend conceded with a grin as he clasped him on the back.
"No fair! I would have beaten you if there'd been more!" The young satyr took out an imaginary enemy with a swing of his bat.
"Maybe next time, kiddo," the blond haired boy laughed as he ruffled the satyr's hair, much to his annoyance.
"Can we try to take the business of keeping our camp safe a little more seriously, boys?" Caroline asked in an irritated tone, as if this were a daily occurence. The group instantly fell silent.
"Sorry Caroline," the blond boy said reproachfully. "Who's the new guy?"
"I'm Percy Jackson," Percy interjected, appraising the teen standing before him. He had already begun to formulate possible conclusions in his mind, and while he couldn't be certain-
"Percy Jackson, as in, from the prophecy?"
When no one from the group corrected him, the boy's facial expression slowly shifted from disbelief to amazement.
"Wow, it's an honor to meet you, sir."
"Um, "Percy" is fine," Percy answered, more than a little uncomfortable with the honorific.
"Sorry, sir- I mean, Percy. It's just you're a legend. Everyone in camp talks about you, especially Caroline-"
A quick death glare from Caroline shut him up before he could finish the thought.
"I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Sam Grace."
That all but confirmed Percy's suspicions. The boy's build and blond hair were vintage Jason, while his eyes, which Percy now saw were like kaleidescopes, constantly changing colors, could only have been passed down by a daughter of Aphrodite. Specifically, Piper McLean. The fourth legacy.
"Jason and Piper's kid," Percy mused, more to himself than to anyone else. He patted Sam on the shoulder and grinned. "Pleasure to meet you, Sam."
"I'm Chuck!" The satyr exclaimed, swinging his bat wildly again. This caused Sam and the others in his group to visibly flinch away to avoid being caught in the strike zone.
"Hey, Chuck," Percy said with a laugh.
"They were in New Rome when Eris's army torched San Francisco. Chuck's father sent him and his mother to Camp Half-Blood to protect them from the destruction. He stayed behind to help defend Camp Jupiter." Caroline explained, then took an emotional breath before finishing. "He didn't make it."
Pain seized Percy's heart again, for he had just made the connection at that moment. Chuck. He remembered Coach Hedge and his wife Mellie were having a child, and they were going to name him...Chuck.
"Gleeson Hedge was the father?"
Caroline nodded silently. "I'm sorry, Percy."
Percy looked back to Chuck Hedge, who had been oblivious to the whole conversation and was now using martial arts on invisible monsters. With a sad twinge, Percy realized how much the son resembled the father, if anything, he was even more energetic and hyperactive. Hedge would've been proud.
"Hey, who's got the next patrol?" Lucy asked.
"That would be you two," Sam said, pointing to Lucy and Keno, who groaned.
"But Caroline needs us!" Lucy protested.
"It's fine, Luce, I can handle it from here. You guys can take Adrian with you," Caroline reassured her.
"Okay," Lucy grumbled, and she and Keno walked off towards the armory, presumably to stock up.
"And you," Caroline said pointedly to Sam, "should start getting ready for tonight, we're going to officially announce the quest at the campfire."
"You got it, boss," Sam quipped with a playful smile, which he let die when she replied with a stern look. Within moments, he and his friends too were gone, leaving Percy alone with Caroline.
"Are you okay, Percy?"
Truthfully, he still felt overwhelmed by it all. He'd thought that by now he would get used to running into people from the past, but he couldn't stop the same feeling from welling inside him that he'd somehow failed everyone in some way. It was true, he'd had no direct connection to Hedge's death, but the overarching incident, the whole reason for the destruction of San Francisco, could have been prevented. How could they all have been so blind?
"I'm fine," Percy replied shakily. He didn't think it would be fair to burden Caroline with any more than she already had to deal with. "So, about this mysterious daughter of Harmonia...Keno said she was the only living child of this goddess?"
"Yeah, it's pretty rare, but there's a good reason for that. Um, I think we should let her explain."
They walked across the grassy field towards the cabin in silence. Percy noticed that there were other cabins that had been built since the last time he'd seen the camp. He faintly remembered a promise Jason had made to have cabins built for every god, and if they hadn't succeeded, it hadn't been for lack of trying. The original horseshoe shaped semi-circle of cabins was now the inner ring, while an outer ring mirrored it in shape. The Harmonia cabin was tucked behind the ceremonial cabins for Zeus and Hera, nearest to the woods; with its plain appearance, it would have been difficult to notice if you weren't specifically looking for it.
"How many of these cabins are occupied?" Percy asked suddenly.
"A little over half," Caroline answered somberly.
Percy still remembered his first days at camp, when it had been so crowded that most campers had to be placed in the Hermes cabin. The thought that now it was the opposite, multiple empty cabins, struck him as haunting. How many half-bloods had died in this war? How many more lives would be lost before it was over? Percy was gripped then by a powerful sense of urgency. Every second that ticked by, another kid was putting their life on the line. This quest couldn't start soon enough for his liking.
After another stint of walking in silence, they at last reached Harmonia's cabin. As Percy had initially suspected, as soon as he got within a short distance of the structure, he felt his earlier anxiety replaced by a sort of centered calmness. It was like he'd just taken a yoga class with the Dalai Lama, and he had to forcefully remind himself of the reason he was here.
If Caroline was feeling the same effects, it didn't show as she led him up the wooden steps and knocked om the door. Moments later, it opened.
She looked like she'd stepped out of the 1960s into the modern day. She had wavy brown hair that fell past her shoulders, her camp shirt was tie-dyed, and she wore a love bead necklace along with the standard issue camp necklace. Behind her on the walls were posters of Woodstock, Abbey Road, and the peace symbol. She couldn't have been older tban 13 or 14, Percy thought.
"You're here about my mother?" the girl asked quietly.
Caroline nodded. "Can we come in?"
The girl stepped aside to let them pass. The cabin had no electric power, aside from natural light, the only other source of illumination was a bunch of scented candles which emitted a soft glow and more of those calming peace and love vibes. Aside from the posters, there were no other obvious signs that someone lived here. The girl sat on the edge of her bed and stayed silent, as if waiting for one of them to say something. Finally Caroline did.
"May, this is Percy Jackson. Percy, this is May, daughter of Harmonia."
May looked up at Percy, as if examining him for the first time. "It's really you."
"It is," Percy said. "And we're going to save your mother, I promise."
"You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep."
Percy was momentarily taken aback. He tried to come up with a response, but nothing seemed right. He slightly shifted his gaze and caught the concerned look in Caroline's eyes. He suddenly wondered if there was another reason she had brought him here. Then it hit him. He wasn't just here to meet the crucial member of their quest, "Harmony's daughter". He was here to persuade her.
"I know why you're really here," May stated matter of factly, she must have come to the same conclusion, Percy thought. "I already told Caroline why I can't go."
"And why is that?" Percy asked gently.
"Because...because I'm useless. I'm no good with weapons. Swords, knives, spears, it doesn't matter, some people just have that killer instinct, you know? And I don't. My dad even gave me my middle name, Lennon, as in John Lennon, one of the greatest peace advocates of all time. It's my destiny. I would only hold you back."
"But-"
"There's more," May interrupted quickly. "Children of Harmonia...well, there's a reason we're so rare. Tragedy has followed the children of Harmonia since the day she was cursed by Hephaeustus."
When Percy gave her a look of confusion, May comtinued. "Harmonia was a child of Aphrodite and Ares, Hephaestus was understandably upset about that."
"But it wasn't her fault, that's not fair," Percy complained aloud.
"It wasn't, but since when have the gods cared about fairness?"
Again, Percy found himself without an answer, she'd made another really good point. He got the sense that despite her youth, May was wiser than her years. Maybe that had something to do with being Harmonia's child too.
"Anyways, what I was trying to say is that since children of Harmonia are cursed, tragedy often befalls us and those who associate with us. Ghandi, Lennon, MLK, you get the idea. That's why I can't go with you. I- I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you because I was there."
Percy thought for several moments, he could do one of many things at this point. He could tell her that she had to go because it was willed by the Oracle or offer some sweeping, satisfying cosmic explanation, that's what Chiron would have done. He could have said tough luck, punk, and forced her to go. That's what Mr. D would've done. He felt neither approach really suited him, so he went for the third option.
"Okay. I won't make you go if you don't want to."
Caroline gave him a look like what are you thinking?
May shifted on the bed, she seemed surprised by Percy's abrupt answer. "Really?"
"Really," Percy confirmed. "The gods may not be fair, but we half-bloods try to be. Going on a quest is a personal decision, no one else can make it for you."
"Thank you for understanding."
Percy stood up and before Caroline could object, started walking to the door. Once they were outside, she tugged at his shoulder and made him face her. Her arms were crossed and he noted this was one of the few times he had seen her truly upset.
"You could've tried a little harder back there, you know."
"I did the only thing I could, given the situation."
"We need her, Percy. The quest fails without her, just like it fails without you. And if I lose you again-"
"Trust me on this, Caroline, please. She needs to come to this decision on her own terms."
Caroline nodded and gazed at him for several seconds with a grim expression before finally slipping into a playful smirk. "I'm actually starting to see how you drove mom crazy."
Percy broke into a relieved grin. His daughter, and it still felt strange to think that, but now it made sense. She had his sarcasm, and Anmabeth's wit. He had a feeling there were going to get along just fine. "There's a method to my madness though."
She punched him in the arm. "For our sakes, you'd better be right."
Percy laughed. "Let's get ready for that bonfire. I have a feeling it's going to be interesting."
Percy will return in chapter four, along with more from our new cast of characters. To be continued...