Red. That was the first thing I thought when I saw the blazing emblems. My mind started whirling. Of course Susan wouldn't say who the father was. Of course she would marry my father, who fell in love with the goddess of war. A boar with a spear blazed above both of their heads. Bobby tried to swat it away, panic in his eyes, but I knew him well enough that he would hold his girly scream for the sake of his pride. Matthew just scowled at the emblem as if it had offended him. I could see his father in that scowl.
"That can't be what I think it is." Percy sounded stunned, but he knew as well as I did what it was. My head turned up to the front of the pavilion. Chiron was looking at me, his expression sad. Mr. D looked at his wine, bored as usual. The campers remained silent.
Clearing his throat, Chiron knelt his left hoof and we all followed his suit. "Hail Bobby and Matthew Chases. Sons of-"
"Ares. God of War.", came Matthew's growling voice. I could feel his eyes fixed on me, but I looked at Bobby. I was so sure they had been Apollo's, or even Hermes'. Ares was the worse outcome. Athena and Ares never got along. Bobby kept silent, but he had stopped swatting at his head. Now he stared at his twin, as close to a scowl as he got on his face. Chiron nodded as if Matthew had made an accusation and Chiron was the juror.
"Yes. You are children of war. Just like Annabeth." Suddenly, more eyes were on me as we all rose slowly. I didn't meet any person's eyes except for Bobby's. I could feel Matthew's hatred at being compared to me the way I could feel a drakon's breath if it was at my shoulder. Which is to say it would very hard to not feel it.
"Annabeth I-" I hugged Bobby, stopping his words. "Don't. I'm not mad. I'm just worried."
Bobby returned my hug, his arms wrapping around me. "I'm glad this doesn't change anything." His voice was a whisper and I smiled. I squeezed him tight until finally I let him go. I looked over at Matthew. He was still scowling, but the second I looked over at him, he turned away from me. Without looking he began to walk away. His voice was like an exact echo of Bobby's, except full of hate.
"This doesn't change anything anything."