It took another eighteen hours of driving to reach New York. Myka and Pete spent the time snacking or sleeping or exploring the other items in the car. Myka found a first aid kit and bandaged her knee. Mr. Valda yelled at Pete when he picked up a bag of golden cake that was also in the kit.
"Don't eat that unless you're dying! Put it down." Pete dropped it immediately.
In general, Mr. Valda was nicer to them, or at least more relaxed. He even took them through the McDonald's drive-thru for breakfast which was a treat for both kids. Though, Pete struggled to eat his pancakes in a moving car.
"Why'd you even order pancakes?" Myka asked, eating her more car-friendly breakfast sandwich.
"Because they're pancakes," Pete said like that explained everything.
By early afternoon East Coast time (around noon Colorado time, Myka noted. She didn't want to lose track), they pulled next to a big field somewhere in Long Island.
"We're here."
Myka and Pete climbed out, dizzy and legs feeling dead from the car. There was a line of pines and tall, wispy trees lining the road. Beyond that was a large farm field of small, green plants sloping down and down until it reached a lake. A big farm house sat at the bottom of the hill. A sign stuck in the grass by the tree line and read "Delphi Strawberry Farm." Myka wasn't familiar with Long Island, but she thought a strawberry farm was out of place here.
"This is a farming camp?" Pete asked.
"Walk past the tree line."
Myka and Pete exchanged looks. They shouldered their bags and crossed the drainage ditch to reach the trees. Nothing looked different, and then they took a step more. Suddenly a path sprang up through the strawberry field, cutting right through the rows of plants until it reached the farm house. A dozen smaller buildings dotted the lake front, none of which had been visible from the road.
"Look behind you."
Myka startled. She hadn't heard Mr. Valda walk up. She turned around and saw the strawberry farm sign was now a tall archway. Along the top were symbols Myka recognized as meaning Camp Half-Blood.
"Hey, I can actually read that!" Pete said.
"It's ancient Greek," Mr. Valda said. "Your brains are naturally tuned to read it. That's why demigods struggle to read other languages."
Myka stared at the sign, basking in her ability to understand it at once without any concentration. "That's why we're dyslexic? Because our brains are looking for ancient Greek?"
"That's why you're diagnosed as dyslexic, yes."
Mr. Valda began leading them down the hill.
"Are all the books here written in ancient Greek?" Myka asked. Maybe they had translations of modern books. Maybe she could finally read Charles Dickens.
"Many, though you won't find too many books here to begin with. I believe the Athena cabin hoards most of them. This is a training camp first and foremost. That means weapons training, fitness training. Not reading."
Myka didn't agree with this definition of training.
Down by the farm house, they could see other children, all looking older than they were, walking or running between the buildings. Mr. Valda explained they were fellow demigods who they would be training with. He paused at the farm house door and knocked.
"Chiron." He knocked again. "Chiron, if you're in." He huffed when there was no answer and stepped off the porch.
"Who are we looking for?" Pete whispered to Myka. Myka shook her head and shrugged. Mr. Valda walked around to the side of the house.
"Ah, here he is." Myka and Pete walked over to see, too. More buildings sprawled out behind the farm house, and between them a man walked towards them. As he approached, Myka saw a tail flick and realized he wasn't a full human. His torso connected into the body of horse.
"Hello!" The half-horse man stopped before them. "So sorry I'm late. I had to get the other new campers started on the archery field."
"Chiron, these are Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer," Mr. Valda said. "Children, this is Chiron. He's in charge of Camp Half-Blood."
"Hello," they mumbled.
"I'll take my leave now," Mr. Valda said. "The children can be your responsibility."
"Thank you, Benedict," Chiron said as Mr. Valda walked away. He looked down at Myka and Pete and smiled. "Let me start by answering some of your questions. Yes, I am a centaur. Yes, I am the Chiron, trainer of heroes. Yes, that does make me quite a bit older than you, and no I am not speaking ancient Greek. There's no magical device here translating the words you hear into English. I simply am speaking English." He shook his head. "Now, would you like a tour?"
Myka was frowning and trying to recall a Chiron in her Greek mythology book. The way he'd introduced himself made her think he was mentioned somewhere.
Pete countered the question with one of his own. "Can I talk to my mom first and let her know I'm okay?"
"Oh, right. Of course," Chiron said. "We'll go inside to call."
He led them into the farm house which looked much like a normal house inside except for a slightly taller ceiling and more open room plans. Chiron led them through a room of cots and into a room containing only a fountain placed in the center of the room. The fountain was a large pool, with one statue rising up at the edge that sprayed water from its outstretched hand.
It dawned on Myka that Chiron had been in her mythology book, but that she'd been pronouncing his name wrong in her head. "Mr. Chiron."
"Please, it's just Chiron." He opened a small skylight and a shaft a sunlight shone into the fountain spray.
"Okay, Chiron? Are you the one who trained Hercules?"
"Yes, I am. Along with many other heroes over the years."
Pete frowned. "But you weren't in the movie."
Chiron sighed and reached into a knapsack around his waist. "And I presume Iris-messaging wasn't either."
"Iris like your eye?"
"Iris like the goddess of the rainbow," Chiron explained. "First, we need a rainbow." Chiron gestured at the sunlight refracting in the spray of the fountain. "Then, we take a drachma," here he held up a gold coin he'd taken from his knapsack. "Toss it into the rainbow and say: Oh, Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering." The misty rainbow wavered and then melded into a grey, opaque screen.
Chiron motioned to Pete. "Now, state who you wish to contact."
"Um, my mom in Ohio. Please."
The grey screen wavered and began varying in shade and intensity like the image was panning. Then the grey pulled away to reveal a full color kitchen. Pete leaned in close to the fountain.
"Where's my mom?"
A woman walked by the kitchen door, and Pete yelled, "Mom!"
The woman startled and clutched the doorway, glancing around. When she spotted whatever portal the rainbow had made, she ran into the kitchen and exclaimed, "Peter! Pete, oh my - are you okay? Are you safe?"
"Yeah! I'm fine," Pete said. "And I killed the snake-monster. Well, Myka did, but I helped, and now we're at this camp at a farm and a goat drove us here and now this is Chiron and he said he's a centaur."
"Yes, Pete, I know. I know who Chiron is, though we've never met. But how are you? What do you mean you killed the snake-monster? You were attacked?"
Myka backed away from the fountain to let Pete and his mother talk. She stood in the doorway, and Chiron walked over to join her.
"Would you like to call your father after Pete's done?"
Myka shook her head. "No, thank you." Chiron didn't push.
Pete looked happier after ending the Iris-message with his mom. He skipped along as Chiron led them outside again.
"Time for a general tour, I believe." Chiron began with the buildings nearest the farm house. Twelve cabins - as Chiron called them for they looked nothing like cabins Myka was used to - stood in the shape of an omega, starting from the lake shore and arcing around towards the farm house. Pete repeated the word 'omega' so that it sounded closer to 'oh my god' and giggled to himself.
"What is wrong with you?" Myka asked.
"Oh-mah-ga!" Pete giggled again. He clapped his hands to his cheeks in a shocked expression and repeated, "Oh-mah-ga!" Myka rolled her eyes and tuned back in to Chiron's tour.
The twelve cabins were in honor of the twelve gods of Olympus. The campers were assigned to a cabin based on who their parent was. Only nine cabins were currently occupied. Zeus, Hera, and Artemis cabins sat empty.
"Hera is devoted too devoted to her family to have demigod offspring," Chiron said. "And Artemis is a sworn maiden. Occasionally, her Hunters will visit and use the cabin, though."
"What about Zeus?" Myka asked. Zeus had all kinds of children according to her book.
"Unfortunately, his demigod children rarely make it to camp," Chiron said. "They're too powerful. The monsters often find them before we do. The last child of his to stay here was ten years ago."
"What happened to them?"
"She turned eighteen and opted not to continue her training with the camp. It's not uncommon."
Chiron stopped them at Hermes cabin. It was the only one to look like an ordinary summer camp cabin. It was wooden with a tiny front porch, and the yard had a large sculpture of a staff with two snakes wound around it.
"This will be your cabin until you're claimed. Amongst other things, Hermes is the god of travelers. He's a bit more welcoming to new demigods than the others."
"What do you mean by claimed?" Myka asked.
"The gods have to claim each of their children, acknowledge them as official demigods."
"How do they do that?"
"They each have their own mark they use," Chiron said. "You'll know you've been claimed when it happens."
He directed them inside. The cabin was one large room with four bunk beds and half a dozen sleeping bags. Backpacks, clothes, and even what looked like pieces of armor were strewn throughout the room. Pete immediately dashed over to a helmet hanging off a bed post.
"This is so cool!"
"They're supposed to store that in the armory," Chiron said with a shake of his head.
He had them put their things in the corner by the door, and told them there would be new sleeping bags waiting for them when they got back.
"Back from where?" Pete asked.
"From the tour. You still have much to see."
Much to see included the strawberry fields ("We already saw those."), the stables ("Pegasuses!" "Pegasi."), the forest, the armory, the forge, a vicious looking climbing wall ("Is that lava?" "More or less."), and a large tent of varying craft tables. By the time they reached the archery range, even Myka was feeling dizzy, tired, and overwhelmed by all the sights.
"Can we sit down?" Pete asked.
"How about we join the archery practice instead?" Chiron said. "Rebecca! Rebecca over here, please!"
A red-headed girl looked up from the longest range and jogged over. Her eyes scanned over Myka and Pete when she reached them. "More?"
"Yes, this is Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering," Chiron said. "They just arrived this afternoon. Myka, Pete, this is Rebecca St. Clair. She's the leader of Apollo cabin."
Rebecca smiled. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. Are you sticking around here to give archery a go?"
"If you can balance two more new campers with your training," Chiron answered. "Otherwise, I can take them on to Jack."
"Nonsense!" Rebecca said. "We can definitely fit them in. Come on, you two."
Myka glanced at Chiron who nodded and then followed Pete and Rebecca over to a set of targets that were clearly designed for beginners. Three other children were there practicing.
"More cabin-mates for you." Rebecca pointed, "Myka, Pete. Dresdon, Sabrina, and Molly." The kids all mumbled hi and sort of waved. "Are you guys still good?" Some nods. "Alright, I'm going to get Myka and Pete started."
"When'd you guys get here?" Pete asked as Rebecca found them some bows.
"Molly came two days ago," Dresdon said. He gestured between him and Sabrina. "But we've been here a week."
"How old are you?" Sabrina asked. Myka realized she was asking her. "Seventh grade?"
"No, fifth grade," Myka said. "Well, sixth grade now."
"Fifth? You're only a fifth grader?"
Myka frowned. "I will be a sixth grader."
Sabrina looked at Pete. "But you're older, right?"
"I turn thirteen in July."
"But you were in my class," Myka said.
Pete shrugged. "I had a vibe." Myka was baffled.
"Less talking, more shooting," Rebecca said. She handed them each a bow and murmured, "Sorry, Sabrina didn't get found until she was fourteen. She feels behind, but it doesn't really matter."
Rebecca gave them a brief tutorial on how to hold the bow and how to load an arrow. Then, she turned them loose on the targets. They quickly learned shooting a bow was harder than it looked.
"But I could shoot the crossbow!" Pete said.
"When?" Rebecca asked.
"Yesterday with the amphisbeenino."
"Amphisbaena," Myka said. "We were attacked yesterday."
"Ah," Rebecca said. "Well, if you could shoot a crossbow without training, then it was either adrenaline from the battle triggering some of your natural skills or one of the gods took pity on you. Not your parent, though. The gods aren't allowed to directly interfere with their children's struggles."
"So, you're saying I can't actually shoot a crossbow?" Pete asked.
"No, you probably can. Demigods can become skilled with any weapon, but we tend to have preferred weapons that are easier for us to work with. Maybe the bow and arrow is your preferred weapon."
"Hmm..." Pete slotted another arrow and aimed it at the target. The arrow swung wide from the bow when he removed his finger to shoot. "Ugh! I can't do it!"
"Yes, you can. Just try again."
"I can't try a crossbow instead?"
"Nope." Rebecca shook her head. "Regular bow to start with."
Pete and Myka kept working. A half an hour later, Myka finally hit the target. The very bottom of the target, but still. At least it wasn't the grass.
"How'd you do that?" Myka tried to show him how he was positioning his hands wrong, but he was distracted by Dresdon already at the next level of targets.
"Pete, focus."
Pete groaned and tried another shot. The arrow simply fell straight to the ground instead of shooting through the air.
"Don't think so hard," Rebecca said. "Just relax and shoot."
Myka didn't believe Pete was thinking enough about his technique, but Rebecca was the teacher. Pete set his feet again, but as he pulled back on the string, his eyes drifted to what the other kids were doing.
"Nuh uh uh." Rebecca stepped over and put her hands up on either side of Pete's head. "I'll put blinders on you if I have to." Pete crinkled his nose and shook his head with a giggle. Rebecca stepped back, and he lined the shot up again. This time when he let go, the arrow flew straight ahead and stuck into an inner ring on the target.
"I did it!" Pete threw his arms up. Myka cheered and gave him a high five. "Yeah! Who's the man?"
"Good job!" Rebecca said. She handed him another arrow. "Now do it again."
They practiced for another half an hour until a bell rang out across the camp indicating it was dinner time. Myka had been consistently hitting the target by the end, but Pete had advanced to consistently hitting the bullseye. He hopped and mimed shooting arrows as they walked to the mess hall.
Rebecca walked them through the line to get their trays and food. It didn't work any differently than school cafeteria lines, except the counter was ran by people who liked trees. Or people who looked like they were made from trees - either way, their eyes were green and their skin looked like tree bark. Myka and Pete were shown how to make a sacrifice into the large fire in the center of the room ("To honor the gods."), and then they were ushered over to a crowded table and introduced to a boy named Jack Secord.
"Hey, more newbies. Welcome!" Jack smiled and shook their hands.
"Jack is leader of the Hermes cabin," Rebecca said, "which means he's a trickster and show-off."
"A trickster?" Jack grinned. "Show-off, I'll accept, but trickster?"
"Uh huh, where's Apollo's golden calf again?"
"Oh, I wouldn't know. That happened ages before my time," Jack said. He did seem to have a show-offy tone in his voice, Myka thought.
"Besides," Jack continued. "Weren't you the one just scouting my new recruits before I even got a chance to meet them?"
Rebecca shrugged. "Chiron assigned the first years to archery today. Not my fault you can't shoot a bow."
"Ouch." Jack clutched his chest. "That hurts right there. Right there."
Rebecca smirked and walked off to her own table. Jack continued staring after her and it took another girl sitting at the table to shove him and make him sit down.
"Quit making googly eyes and scoot over so the newbies can sit."
"I wasn't making googly eyes," Jack said, but he made room for Myka and Pete to sit down.
"When do we stop being newbies?" Sabrina asked from a few seats down.
"When you stop being newbies," the Hermes girl said.
Myka examined the mess hall while they ate. There were thirteen tables, twelve for the cabins and another turned perpendicular to them at the side of the room where Chiron, Mr. Valda and some other satyrs. Myka knew they were satyrs like Mr. Valda because their horns were all clearly visible. Mr. Valda's were too now that he wasn't wearing his cap.
The rest of the cabin tables varied in number. Some tables were crowded like Hermes tables, while others held only a handful of campers. Three tables were empty just like their cabins. One table seemed to hold exclusively older campers that looked like full-grown adults rather than kids. Strange. The gods must differ in how many and how often they gave birth to demigods.
Back at the Hermes table, Jack and the girl were discussing plans for an upcoming Capture the Flag game.
"You should talk to Helena before you finalize the layout," the girl said.
"She's not on our team."
"She's in our cabin."
"No," Jack said. "She's made it very clear that she's in her own cabin."
The girl rolled her eyes. "She's still technically in our cabin."
"She doesn't want to work with us."
"You're supposed to be the cabin leader. Are you seriously trying to say you can convince, not one, but two Nemesis children to work with us without any problem, but you can't convince Helena who doesn't even have any parental loyalties?"
"Because she's crazy!"
"Oh-mah-ga." was suddenly whispered in Myka's ear causing her to jump. Pete cracked up next to her, and Myka hit his shoulder.
"Stop that. It's not that funny." But Pete wouldn't stop laughing at his joke and continued cracking up for several minutes even as he ate his dinner.
After the meal, the entire camp had free time. Of course, everyone else had been there long enough to have a preconceived activity in mind and split into groups upon filing out of the mess hall. Myka and Pete stood in the grass outside the building, watching the other kids until Molly spotted them.
"Want to go play in the lake?"
Myka and Pete exchanged a look and then agreed. Dresdon and Sabrina joined them later, and the five first-year campers waded around in the lake and splashed each other and then played Queen of the Hill when Sabrina discovered a submerged boulder. They were rounded up by the older campers a half an hour before lights out and taken back to Hermes. New sleeping bags were waiting by the door for Myka and Pete. After walking to the camp bathrooms to dry off and change, Jack instructed them all to go to bed. Not everyone listened. People still talked and shuffled around after the lights flicked off at ten, but Myka didn't hear how long it took the cabin to settle down. She fell asleep five minutes later.
As a person often did when sleeping in a strange new environment (and certainly when that environment involved a sleeping bag on a hardwood floor), Myka woke up before morning. Her eyes blinked heavily as her mind struggled to make sense of her surroundings. She couldn't see much, dark shadows of beds and bags, a slightly less shade of dark easing through the windows. She repositioned herself, intending to go back to sleep, but a beam of light caught her eye. It was in the back of the cabin, and without her glasses, it looked to be coming out of the wall itself. Myka was musing who else was awake in the middle of the night when her brain tugged her under and she was back asleep until morning.
