Q&A:

Drizzle: Thanks drizzle! I appreciate the support! On to your questions!
1) Yes, that was her in the dream. If you're wondering if that was a pairing foreshadow, it's not. It's just Percy being a twelve-year-old boy in puberty, and Silena being the most attractive girl in camp. I wouldn't read much more into the dream than that.
2) Well done picking up on that signal! Percy doesn't know his mortal parent, which is why he doesn't know if he's the child of a god or goddess. His mortal parent will be touched on a bit more as the story progresses, but won't be a main focus of the story.
3) I'll have to apologize, but I'm gonna leave that last one unanswered for now!


I do not own Percy Jackson


Chapter Three: The Heir of Moonlight

The car rolled to a stop under the white streetlight, snow crunching under its tires. A man with a brown hat, gloves, and a rosy nose got out, opening the car door for a woman in a red shirt and skirt. The man looked up to the sky at the snow drifting down at them, saying something to the woman that couldn't be heard. The pair headed up the sidewalk to an iron-barred gate, with an almost church-like building behind it, the two smiling like they were in a photograph.

Through the window, a young boy, maybe four or five, watched the two. He had black hair, a slim face, and silvery green eyes that carried some curiosity, a bit of worry, and a lot of hope. A little smile came to his face.

"You think that's them?" he said, with a soft, young voice.

"Dunno, Perce." A girl double his age, probably more, said in return. "Could just be a couple looking to browse."

"Bowes?"

"Browse. Shop around." She said, "See if they find someone they like. Or it could be your couple."

Percy put his hand on the window, his palm on the cold glass separating him from the pair. The woman was a little plump, and the man a little stern-looking, but neither overly so. The man took her hand like it was a thing to treasure, and the woman held it to her tummy as they walked. Mrs. Adler, the headmistress, opened the door for them, spilling yellow light on the snow, and brightening up their warm expressions. They were both... happy. A couple that shared enough love that one could feel it in the air around them. And perhaps, just enough to share with someone else.

Percy turned back, sitting on his bed, leg bouncing. He glanced around the room, the other kids sitting around on their beds. His hands found the silver locket around his neck, fiddling with it. He clicked the well-worn button he'd clicked a thousand times, and it flipped open to a little pane of glass with no picture behind it. His eyes flicked to the picture on his bedside, of himself as a baby the night he was found on the porch, resting in Mrs. Adler's arms, the same locket bundled on his chest.

Percy stood, grabbing a glass cup from off his nightstand, his hand tiny enough to barely make it halfway round its base. He scurried over to the wall that separated the bedroom from Mrs. Adler's office, put the cup to it, and slid his ear over its base.

"...does very well in athletics. He beats boys twice his age in foot races!"

"His picture certainly does seem energetic." A woman's voice said. "He definitely- oh, Charles, look! He's adorable in this one!"

"Would be nice to have a- oh yes, he does look sweet, dear- an athlete in the house! Could show off some trophies for the neighbors."

"Now" Mrs. Adler said, "His grades do need some work. He seems to have some trouble, but nothing out of the ordinary for anyone his age. I'm sure its simply a phase."

"What are his grades like?" The woman asked.

"Well, D's currently." There was a small hmm from beyond the wall. "But I'm sure in a more stable environment, he will flourish."

"I'm sure. Oh, honey, why even wait? Can't we just sign now?"

"Well, I'd love to see the boy first, of course. And find out if there's any behavioral or health issues- oh, that reminds me, by the way. Do you have his medical files?"

"Oh..." Mrs. Adler said. "Um, of course. Here. Let me look through here. You get so many things stuffed in your desk, its hard to remember where everything is."

"Oh, goodness, you wouldn't believe my desk back at the college." The woman said. "Just clutter, clutter, clutter."

"I can imagine" Alder said with a laugh. "If it's anything like mine, it must be a nightmare. Oh, look here. I forgot all about this picture. He drew this one of course. Loves to draw all kinds of deer and birds."

"Oh, honey, look at that! He's an artist, too!"

"A renaissance man!"

"He is." Mrs. Adler said. "You were saying you'd like to meet him? He's right out here with the others."

"Ma'am?" The man said.

"Yes?"

"The medical files?"

"Yes, of course. My apologies." There was some rustling of papers, and then silence.

"Oh... oh my"

"What is it dear?" The woman said.

"He has ADHD and dyslexia?" The man said.

"Oh..." The woman said "I had no idea he... you didn't think this was important to bring up?"

"Well, I didn't think it would be a concern." Mrs. Adler said. "I, well... I certainly hope this doesn't affect your decision at all?"

"Well..." The man said. "It's not exactly something to breeze over."

"Right..." The woman said. "I think that... well... me and my husband were looking for a child that was more... what's the word I'm looking for... um... honey?"

"I think my wife is trying to say that our house would not be suitable to meet all the... unique needs that he must have." The woman gave a "yes" of agreement.

"Well, I'm sure you're both more than capable."

"No, honestly. He needs a home that can give him more specialized care than ours. We really thank you for showing him to us though, but we think we'll be going with our second choi-"

Percy let the cup drift off the wall, eyes on the floor, slouched over. He pulled his knees up to his chest. He wondered if he'd gotten C's in his classes, they would have taken him.

"No luck?" The girl sat next to him. Percy shook his head. "Eh. Gonna be hard to find a pair for you. Being, ya know, the way you are. Next time, though."

"Yeah." Percy said. "Next time."


"Relax your grip."

Bailey opened her hand, and rolled her fingers over Percy's bow. They rested on the dark wood, as Percy knelt next to her, the forest's soil dipping under his knee, a silver, pictureless locket dangling under his shirt. He laid his hand on her shoulder, the fur of her coat piling between his fingers. He looked off towards the target in the distance; an oak tree that branched in the middle like a large "Y", his green eyes sharp.

"Keep everything light. Relaxed. Only have tension where there needs to be tension."

Bailey let out a breath, and any stiffness her body held went with it into the air. She closed her eyes, her thumb gently running up and down the grain of the bow. She drew both a breath, and the arrow to her chin, opening her eyes. They were just as sharp as Percy's, her gaze aimed down range at the tree.

"When you're ready, let it go."

Thwip!

The arrow slapped into the wood, the shaft vibrating up and down. Bailey smiled, hopping in place as Percy turned, grinned, and gave her a high five. She skipped off to retrieve the arrow, a few Athena kids talking in the distance. He looked over to them. They were examining Zeus' Fist, finding the best place to stow the flag tonight. Bailey came trotting back up.

"You're doing great, Bailey!" Percy said. "I'd say you're ready for capture the flag this evening!"

"All my sisters and brothers have been helping me since I got in the cabin!" Bailey said. "You were right, they're so nice! Even Silena! I thought she was gonna be bossy."

"Yeah? You've been having fun in there?" The pair began walking back to the Athena campers.

"Yep! They keep talking about my claiming. They said it's the fastest they've seen someone be claimed."

"I'm not surprised. Its the fastest I've seen, since I've been here."

"Really? Who's the slowest claim you've seen?"

"Some kids in the Hermes cabin. Lots of them are still waiting for their's."

"How long did it take for Hermes to claim you?" Bailey said.

"Oh, um. I'm not a Hermes kid. I've... well, I'm still waiting on mine as well. I've never been claimed." Percy said.

"Really?" Bailey said. "Why not?"

"Well, most godly parents don't claim their kids until after they perform some kind of feat. Like yours, for example. The kid has to prove their worth to be claimed."

"And so you haven't done a feat yet?"

"...I've tried." Percy said. "But I guess I'm not... I haven't shown something impressive enough yet."

"Oh." Bailey said. "If I was your parent, I'dve claimed you right away, feat or not!"

"Yeah..." Percy said. "That'd be nice...-"

"Hey Perce!" Malcom came trotting up, breaking the two out of their thoughts.

"Whats up, Malcom?" Percy said. "Got our positions for tonight?"

"Yep!" Malcom said, laying out a map on the grass. He jabbed a thumb towards Zeus' fist. "Perce, you're gonna be up on Zeus fist helping the other Aphrodite girls guard the flag."

"The Aprhodite girls?"

"Yep. You helped out with my enchanting assignment a few days back, so I thought you might enjoy the company!"

"Oh. I, um... I don't think-"

"So you're good with it? Awesome" Malcom interrupted. "Now, onto, uh, Blakely"

"Bailey" Percy corrected.

"Yeah. You'll be right..." He scanned over the map, before pointing a finger at it. "Here. A bit a ways from Zeus' Fist, towards the left flank."

"Oh. Okay. Who's gonna be there with me?"

"Just you! You're gonna be forward guard! You shouldn't see anyone, we normally don't expect a..." Malcom's words went on in the background, as Percy mind flashed back to his first time at camp, being put in the exact same place, and being told the exact same thing. Don't worry! Nobody comes that way! Except the Ares kids, who love "welcoming" the new campers. In fact, they love it enough to slow them down from taking your flag, ensuring a win for your team! Be sure to drop by the Big House for some ambrosia once they're done!

"Malcom" Percy interrupted.

"Oh, uh, yeah?"

"Why don't you set me up on the left flank. Bailey can take my position. I'm sure she'd like to talk a bit with some of her new cabinmates."

"Well, we can't really... I mean-"

"Why not? You said yourself, we're not expecting an attack, right?"

"Well..." Malcom's eyes flicked to Bailey. He leaned in, and whispered. "Perce, they'll eat you alive, man. They never do anything too bad to the new kids, but someone who's been here a couple years like you? It isn't gonna go well." Percy stepped in front of Bailey, like a brother guarding his little sister.

"I know." He whispered, eyes locked with Malcom.

"...Alright... just make sure to slow'em down..." His eyes flicked to Bailey, who was looking confused at both of them. "On the slim chance that anyone does come, ya know?" he said with a smile.

"Sure." Percy said. He was gonna need a long shower after tonight... and some ambrosia.


"Hey Perce!"

Luke came trotting up the hill. Percy looked down at him with a smile. He pat the grass next to him, as Luke stuck his sword in the dirt, and took a seat, a water bottle hanging from his grip.

"What's up, man." Percy said. He felt like Luke had talked to him more times these last few days then he ever had since he'd been at camp.

"Making the rounds. Checking to see if everyone knows where their going for capture the flag. You-"

"Yeah. The clearing a ways off from Zeus' fist. Aphrodite guards the flag there, I slow anything down that tries to come through."

"Great man. Looks like your set!" He laid back, hands behind his head. Percy did the same, watching the clouds above them. The sky was starting to turn orange. Would be dusk soon.

"You're getting better in swordsmanship by the way." Luke said.

"Think so?" Percy said, not believing a word of it.

"Yeah man. You're already way better than when you got to camp."

"Feel like my training's going slow."

"Ah. Everyone progresses at different rates. I feel like you might break through a wall here soon. Then you'll start to blossom."

"We'll see." Percy said. He bounced his leg up and down, fingers drumming across his stomach.

"You nervous?" Luke asked.

"A bit, yeah." Percy said. "I always get nervous before capture the flag."

"Battle nerves'll do it to ya. I still get nervous before a fight."

"I- yeah. Battle nerves."

"Something else?" Luke asked. "You sounded unsure."

"Well, it's this thing I've dreamt of... no, you'll make fun of me."

"Nah, man. Shoot."

"Well, I guess I kinda envy you." Percy said. Luke cocked an eyebrow as he sipped from his water bottle. "I mean... way back when you got claimed, I saw you take down some of those Ares campers during capture the flag. Everyone in the camp had finally given you respect. But most of all, you got that moment from your dad where he claimed you. We knew you were his son, but when he recognized you, claimed you were his, it was a sign he loved you. I've dreamed of the same exact thing happening for me. I think about it every time I go into capture the flag"

Luke said nothing. He looked across camp to Thalia's tree, the camp's barrier shimmering every so often, catching the light before it turned invisible again. His expression stood still at the sight, but Percy could see mourning filling up his eyes. Luke took another sip from his bottle of water, his gaze never leaving the pine tree. He nodded his head towards it.

"You remind me of her, ya know?" He said.

"Thalia?"

"Yeah. Not in personality, you two couldn't be farther apart, but it seemed like she was always waiting for a parent to claim her too, without the whole claiming part. Except she had it worse than anyone I've seen. She couldn't take a compliment, couldn't believe when me or Annabeth told her she was a great friend. To her, the only place she could find some value was...". Luke didn't need to finish for Percy to know the answer. He looked up at the sky, the domain of Thalia's father.

"She wanted her dad's approval?" Percy asked.

"Heh. 'Want' is a bit of an understatement, but yeah." A wry grin lit up his face. "Gosh, I remember how happy she was the first time she got some sparks running down her fingers. Annabeth went to hug her and got her hair all frizzy." Percy could see it playing out in front of him, like he was in her shoes, sparks running down his own slim fingers. He could see her looking up in the sky, waiting for something from her parent for the feat. A smile tugged from behind his own lips, threatening to spill out.

"Did she ever get it? His approval?" He asked. The joy left Luke's eyes, and the smile seemed a bit more forced.

"No. Not till the end."

"Her last stand." Percy's eyes lingered on Thalia's pine tree. They both sat quietly.

"I sometimes wonder if she wanted it." Luke said, tossing a gesture at the hill where Thalia took her stand. "I remember when we were up there, and all those hell hounds were charging up at us. The look in her eye. She was so scared, but... it's almost like she had some kind of expectation there as well."

"You think she knew what was going to happen?"

"I... I don't know. Not in her head, but maybe deep down. She was getting more reckless towards the end, fighting more monsters, looking for more ways to get his attention. And nothing was working. So when she got to the hill... I mean, I know she sacrificed herself for us, but I wonder if she knew the only way to get his attention was giving him everything. Sacrificing her life so he could, for just a second, show some love to her."

"And he did." Percy said.

"Yeah. She spent everything chasing her dad, and all she got in the end was a second of pity to make up for a life of pain." Percy wondered if the light he saw he saw shimmering on Luke's eyes were tears he was keeping under lock and chain. If they were, the teen was either too strong, or not strong enough to let them out in front of him. Percy looked around his mind for some words that might comfort him.

"She didn't just have that." Percy said. "I'm sure he loved her, even if she never always saw examples of it."

"It shouldn't take death to show it." Luke said. "And if I'm honest, I'm not sure it would have changed anything if she had it before then." Percy's brow furrowed.

"You don't think she'd be happy if she got the only thing she was looking for?" Percy said. Luke leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. His gaze fell to his feet, on the sneakers his dad gave him so long ago. And for just a second, his gaze narrowed, a small frown dragging down lips, his brow dipping. But they all left as quick as they came. His eyes turned up to Thalia's tree again.

"No. I don't think it would." He stood up, pulling his sword from the dirt. "I just wish there was a way we could change everything. Make things better for us. For her." Without another word, he sheathed his sword, and walked down the hill, hands in his pockets. Percy watched him go, and turned back to look at Thalia's tree. He stood up as well. Almost time for capture the flag.


Clarisse stepped out of the treeline, a helmet hiding her brow, and a pair of armored Ares campers trailing behind her. Even in the night, Percy could make out Maimer's spearhead, its copper red like rusty blood, shining in the moonlight. She spotted Percy in the shade of the trees, and leveled it at him. It almost seemed to Percy like the spear was eager to have a go at him, and Clarisse had to keep it back. Like an owner holding a leash that kept back a snarling dog.

"Don't have time for you, Prissy. You fixed the spear, so you get to step aside for now, but if I see you when I'm coming back with the flag, I'm putting you down."

For a moment, the image of a godly parent, watching him from their Olympian throne crossed Percy's mind. He let out a long breath through his nose, drew his bow of his shoulders, and nocked an arrow.

"Fine." She said. "Your way then."

Percy's hand blurred as he drew, released, and flicked another arrow up onto the string before the trio could so much as step forward. The blunt arrowhead cracked into the noseguard of the smallest Ares camper, who's head snapped back, a blast of blood flying in the air from his nostrils. Clarisse and the other camper charged forward, as two more arrows swept through the air, one bouncing off Clarisse's shield, the other splitting the shoulder strap on the second boy's armor as the chestplate now flapped back and forth over his torso.

Percy drew another arrow with a small, green rune tucked down on the shaft by its fletching. In half a second, he nocked, drew, and let it fly where it hit the dirt before Clarisse's foot. Black roots came whipping out of the ground, dripping clods of dirt and trailing green and purple sparks as they wrapped around Clarisse's ankle, and sent her tumbling onto the ground in a crash of armor.

The other camper was on him now, sword flashing as he kept his chest piece up with his other hand. Percy dropped his bow by the boy's ankle, rolled under his strike, and drew his sword. The boy turned towards him, the grass whipping in the breeze of his blade as he cut the string of Percy's bow. He dashed forward.

Percy twirled his blade around, parrying a trio of strikes that came at him in flashes of copper light, backpedalling like his life depended on it. The boy, still clutching his armor in one hand, whipped a cut across his cheek, flicking blood through the air as Percy tripped, rolled backwards, and sprang up on his feet again, just in time to hastily parry a slash to the abdomen. He was brought to his knees as he blocked a strike, the boy above him pushing down on his guard with one hand. Percy's arms shook, feeling like he was trying to keep back a bear.

He looked around desperately for any solution, before glancing down at the boy's feet. He reached out with his free hand, and uprooted the boy's ankle, who came tumbling down with a rather un-Ares like yelp. Percy stood, and kicked the sword out of his hand. As the boy rose up, armor dangling off him, the hilt of Percy's sword dented his helmet. The Ares camper fell back down, like someone had turned the light switch off in his brain, face-first in the grass. Percy gasped for air, a little smile on his face. Wow. He'd actually-

Crack!

A heavy something slammed into his chestplate as electricity sparked through his armor. He was lifted off his feet, and sent rolling through the grass. He came to rest on his back, eyes up on the night sky, seeing stars as Maimer tumbled through the air and landed beside him. He groaned, head swimming as he looked over to see Clarisse, arm outstretched, a broken arrowshaft sprouting from the dirt by her feet, surrounded by cut roots.

She stood, brushed some dirt off her, and strode over to him. He grabbed his sword, and made to stand before a kick to the face sent him sprawling, and lit up his cheekbone with pain, his sword skittering across the grass. She plucked it up by the hilt, and stomped on the blade, the celestial bronze snapping with a flash of light. As she picked up her spear, Percy grabbed at her ankle, which she yanked from his grasp, before marching off towards Zeus' Fist without so much as a glance at him. Percy's head rolled back up to the sky. Up in the clouds, the moon stood tucked away, full, glowing.

For a moment, the image of his parent came to his mind, sitting on their throne, waiting to see what he would do. He tried to roll over, to no avail. Shame welled up in him like a rising tide, his locket a thousand pounds around his neck. "I'm sorry" Percy whispered in his head, unsure of his parent even cared to listen to him at this point. "I-I'm sorry". He was ready to close his eyes, until he heard them.

In the distance, he could faintly hear Bailey's conversation with her cabinmates at Zeus' fist, passed the sound of Clarisse's retreating footsteps. He let out a breath, closing his eyes. He could see it now, the shaft of Clarisse's spear cracking Bailey in the face, her tears flicking up in the air as she fell. The hurt in her eyes when she next saw him. Waves of dread rolled in his chest. He flipped on his stomach, groaning, and called Clarisse's name. She turned, and her brow furrowed when she saw him.

The moon's glow brightened in the sky.

A slim, pale beam of light cast down from the sky and onto Percy, high enough to see from the other side of the camp. He stood, his bangs swaying across his face in the wind, chest heaving, eyes on the girl that was about to go hurt his friend. Then, the light drew towards him, like water to a drain, and rested on his form, casting white light through the clearing, and silhouetting the tree's in its shine.

Percy stood, wrapped in glowing luminescence. It swirled about in him a fog of light, with specks of white, like stars, floating in their midst. The clearing was lit in his glow, the grass around him swaying in its breeze, the leftover raindrops sparkling on their blades in a rainbow of colors. The light shot off Clarisse's armor in a white-gold shine of copper. She readied her shield, spear pointed towards him, its tip glistening in his glow.

Instinct took Percy as he sprinted forward like wind coming down a hill. He passed the Ares camper with the bloodied nose, and kicked his spear up in the air, catching it, and leaping forward with a spin. He brought it down like a hammer onto Clarisse's shield. She buckled, falling to a knee, before Percy slipped his foot under her shield, swept her guard up, and with a deft flick, cut the strap over her arm with a swipe of his spearhead.

Clarisse rose as her shield fell to the floor, and advanced behind a series of swiping stabs, electricity sparking off her spearhead. Percy took a few steps back, dodging each with a turn of his torso, before flipping around a sweep from Clarisse, cracking her in the head with the shaft of his spear as he went. Her helmet went flying, her hair spraying around her head. She turned back with a glare, blood coming down her temple. Behind her, Percy noticed campers beginning to surround the clearing.

She swept her spear towards him with a grunt, as Percy did a handspring off her shoulder, landing behind her in a crouch and a swish of grass. She stumbled forward, turned, and swung the spear at him again. He caught it by the shaft, feeling a light tickle that he realized only after a moment was Maimer's electricity, before wrenching it from her grasp and throwing it behind him. He raised the spear to her chin, stopping her followup charge dead in her tracks.

She let out a dog-like growl, and rose an arm as quick as she could to bat his spear away. Percy counted the number of times he could've thrust through her, five, before he let her swipe it back. He twirled the spear with the momentum, taking a single step back while turning three-sixty as Clarisse's hook sailed past his nose, and let the end of his spearshaft crack against her temple. This one knocked her out, as she went tumbling to the floor.

Percy twirled the spear back into guard position like it was the most natural thing in the world, a little smile on his face, and noticed that he was still breathing through his nose. He let the spear drop. He felt... light. Lighter than he'd ever felt before. It felt like wind was flowing through his veins. He wanted to move, to spring, to jump up into the treeline far off the forest floor in a single bound. He thought he might be able to do it too.

He could feel everything. The grass against his ankles, the nighttime breeze against his face, the smell of the forest around him. All things he could feel before, but so much more vivid. Like going from black-and-white to full color. This felt like... it felt like home.

The campers stepped out from the trees, Chiron slowly walking with them. Percy's glow illuminated each of their surprised faces in pale light. Each cast long shadows behind them, along with the trees and the blades of grass. Percy held his hand up, inspecting this glow for the first time. It was soft, little shimmers, like stars, floating down from the smoky wisps of white that tumbled between his fingers. Percy waved his hand, those shimmers fluttering off in a trail behind it like constellations. Was this... what he thought it was?

"Solarkinesis" Lee Fletcher trotted up, sporting a grin. "I knew it. I knew you were a son of Apollo!" He clapped him on the shoulder, and the other Apollo campers came out to join him, sporting big smiles. All of them had appraising looks on their faces, a few with a proud look in their eyes. And yet...

There stood Chiron, looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"Lee..." Chiron said, almost in a trance.

"It's rare for it to appear in a son of Apollo so young! You must be strong. Or maybe it's your aptitude with magic, I-"

"Lee." Chiron interrupted. Lee turned. "That's... that's not sunlight."

Percy's brow furrowed, looking down at his hands again, remembering the time when Sebastian, the councilor before Lee, showed off his solarkinesis. Then he remembered. Sebastian's solarkinesis wasn't white. It wasn't shimmering and misty, like this. It was yellow, and came off him in rays. So then, if it wasn't solarkinesis, what...?

"Then what is it?" Lee said. Chiron swallowed, and muttered a prayer under his breath, like he was afraid of saying what he was about to say.

"Solarkinesis can only be harnessed in the sunlight, during the day." He said. "I had thoughts... the hunting, the archery, but this..."

"Chiron... whats going on?" Percy said. A pale light reflected off Chiron's eyes, as he glanced above Percy's head. A few feet above his head, to be exact. The teen's breath caught. For the briefest moment, hope fluttered in his chest. His mind flashed through every dream he'd had of being claimed, every fantasy of Apollo, or Hephaestus, or Demeter, or any other god laying their hand on his shoulder, smiling down at him, pride in their eyes. Was it... was it finally here?

With hope, Percy looked up. Hope for the parents he'd stayed up countless nights waiting to pull into the orphanage. Hope for the claim he'd longed after for so long. Hope that he'd finally shown he was strong enough, good enough, to be loved. Hope for a family. Hope that he was finally worth something. Hope for the thing he needed to feel whole. His eyes drew up to the air above him.

And his hope died, as he saw nothing but black night sky.

He... he missed it, right? He must have looked up just as it had faded out. Must have... right? Dread started crawling up his skin. He scanned for any faint twinkle of light, anything that might have been left behind from the image. Desperation whipped his head back down, looking for the Apollo camper's eyes that might have been starring above his head. Any confirmation. Each pair of eyes were leveled straight at him. In fact, those eyes held fear, as they backed away from him.

He glanced back at Chiron, and realized the centaur was never looking above his head. He was looking at the sky behind him. He turned around to see the full moon tucked in an opening between the clouds. As the light around him dissipated and left him in the dark, reality hit him, like cold air after being shoved away from a warm embrace. He realized that there'd be no family of brothers and sisters waiting for him in a new cabin tonight. There'd be no claim. There'd be not so much as even a hello from his godly parent. All he would have tonight was a disappointment that would keep him from sleep in a cold, lonely cabin to which he was never invited.

"Hail Perseus." Chiron said slow and hesitant, bowing his knee "Prince of the hunt. Patron of maidens. Heir of moonlight. Hail Perseus, the firstborn son of Artemis."

The campers followed in silence, taking their knee, bowing to an unclaimed son.


Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry for the very late update!