Chapter Eight - Oh Brother

In my dream I was drowning. Dark water surrounded me on all sides with no sign of light to show me the way up and out. Something moved, the currents pushing against me, and I realized I was not alone.

"Penelope."

My lungs burned and I instinctively gasped for air, only for the icy black water to flow past my lips and gurgle down my throat.

"Wake up."

My eyes shot open and I sat up flailing and gasping for air. A moment passed and the fog of sleep lifted from my brain letting me realize that I was safe and dry in my bunk in Cabin Nine. The ornate knife caught my eye from the shelf where I had decided to display it. It was beautifully forged and engraved with a pattern of roses and a dove - two symbols that signified the owner must have been a daughter of Aphrodite.

I'd taken it from a girl a couple years previously while running from a hellhound in Central Park, and was unable to return it afterward. I had brought the knife with me to camp hoping to finally make things right and return it to the original owner, but Silena was the oldest one in Cabin Ten and her predecessor had left the year before. I didn't mention the knife to her. It was my burden to carry.

I slumped back down with a sigh before climbing off my bed to get dressed. I had unpacked my bag the night before, putting my spare clothes in the dresser, hanging my shirts in the closet. Since today would be the first official day of camp, I decided to wear the orange camp shirt and a pair of shorts. Once dressed, I climbed back onto my bunk and input the numbers 3-1-4-1-5. The bed rumbled slightly and began to rise with the sound of grinding gears. I frowned. I would have to see about getting that fixed eventually.

The door to my bunk unlatched and folded down to reveal Charles Beckendorf and Annabeth standing nearby in heated conversation. Well, Annabeth seemed worked up. Beckendorf looked unphased as ever.

Noticing me looking, he glanced over and pointed me out, "Looks like she's up, so you can tell her yourself."

Annabeth turned around, her blonde curls swinging wildly and her grey eyes narrowed slightly as she took in my appearance. "Did you sleep in your clothes? Nevermind, not important right now. You're needed at the Big House, come on."

"Ack, l-let go!" I stammered, as she grabbed me by the arm and practically dragged me out of the cabin.

When she didn't immediately drop my arm, I planted my feet and wrenched myself from her grasp. I didn't mind being dragged around by her - I'd unpack that later - but I didn't want her getting hurt by my body heat.

"Are you alright?" I asked. "And what's going on?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she huffed. "A new camper made it over Half-Blood Hill late last night carrying Gro- his satyr protector and passed out on the porch of the Big House. Chiron sent me to come get you."

"What's any of that got to do with me?" I asked, then gasped.

She had almost said 'Grover'. That was the name of my brother's protector. The only reason I could think for Percy to be carrying Grover would be if something big had gotten to them first. And he had passed out? I took off running toward the Big House leaving Annabeth to scramble after me.

The Big House, as its name implied, was a big house. The outside walls were painted baby blue with white trim, and there was a bronze eagle weather vane on the roof with wind chimes that turned into dryads as it turned. The camp's administration offices, along with Chiron's apartment, were located off the main room on the first floor. The first floor also had an entrance to the infirmary in the back of the building and a recreation room that sometimes doubled as a meeting room for the cabin counselors.

The second floor was mostly off limits and blocked off as Mr. D and Argus lived there full time. The basement was accessible from a door under the stairs inside as well as the outside cellar doors and served as a root cellar for storing stockpiled strawberry preserves and ambrosia as well as containing the boiler room. The attic was used primarily as storage for things that were left behind by previous campers like trophies from quests or other possessions that would otherwise have been thrown out.

I ran around the back of the Big House to where the main Infirmary doors were located, skipping the steps as I jumped onto the porch. All of the beds were empty except, I guessed, the one that had the curtains drawn closed around it. Before I could reach it, however, Annabeth caught up and grabbed my shoulder.

"Don't just run off like that," She said, catching her breath. "Chiron's waiting for you in his office."

"That's my brother in there," I said, gesturing to the closed curtains. "I need to see him. Please."

She hesitated for a moment, but the nearby on-duty healer spoke up; "Go ahead and look in on him if you want, but don't get your hopes up for a heart to heart reunion. He's out cold right now and probably won't wake up for anything."

I looked back to Annabeth who just nodded her head, "I'll let Chiron know you'll be on your way soon."

"Thank you," I said.

"Just don't go making me a liar," she said, heading through the hallway door to the Big House.

I couldn't stop the small gasp that came out as I pulled back the curtains to see him lying there. It was like I was looking at an inverted mirror image of myself. His face was almost identical to mine, a little sharper around the chin and nose maybe, and his hair was the exact same shade as my natural color. His eyes were closed as he was asleep, but it didn't seem peaceful if the deep frown was anything to go by. Looking at him, he looked like he'd been run through the ringer a couple of times. His clothes were torn and, in a few places, bloody.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Dunno," the healer said. "Chiron mentioned a monster attack when he brought him in last night and dealt with most of his injuries. As for what's wrong with him right now? I'd guess shock. His mind is struggling to make sense of everything that happened up to the point where he passed out. It happens sometimes when we get a new camper who was completely unaware."

"How long will he be like this?"

"No longer than a week at most," the healer said. "Maybe less if Castor or Pollux can do something for him."

"Who?" The only Castor and Pollux that I knew of were the Gemini.

"Twin sons of Dionysus," the healer said. "Their thing is mostly helping the Demeter kids grow the strawberries, but they also have a small level of mind healing power from their dad's domain over madness."

Percy let out a low whine as he twisted in the bed, and I ran my fingers through his hair to soothe him. It seemed to work as he quieted down after a moment.

"Is there anything that I can do?" I asked.

"Unless you know specialized mind healing magic," the healer shook his head. "Let him rest, and he'll wake up in time. Until then we'll just keep him comfortable as we can."

I sighed, but nodded my understanding, "In that case, I might as well see what Chiron wanted from me."

"Down the hall, third door on your left."

"Got it," I said, heading through the door Annabeth had walked through. Following the directions I was given, I stopped outside the door and knocked before entering.

"Miss Jackson, do come in," Chiron said. He was seated behind a heavy wooden desk that was piled high with scattered paperwork. "Annabeth told me that you've already seen your brother."

"What happened?" I asked. "The healer said he arrived last night and that you brought him in. Why is he so beat up?"

"That is part of the reason I asked you here," he said softly. "Please, have a seat."

Something in the way he spoke was sounding alarm bells in my head. There was clearly something that he was hesitant to say, but I wasn't going to let him beat around the bush.

"Please, what happened? What's going on?"

"Miss Jacks-... Penelope," he hesitated. "Last night I found young Percy on the front porch of the Big House. He had made it over Half-Blood Hill carrying his protector - a young satyr named Grover Underwood - who was at the time unconscious. Unfortunately, I was unable to ask Percy at the time what had happened, as he had expended all his effort just making it through the camp before nearly succumbing to his own injuries. I treated his wounds as best I could and took him to the infirmary for bed rest and observation."

I nodded along. His words pretty much matched the version of events the healer had told me.

"Mr. Underwood awoke a few hours later, and I was able to get the full story from him of what had happened," Chiron continued. "Percy had left Grover at the bus stop, deciding to take a cab home. By the time Grover had reached the apartment, Percy had already gone. His mother... Your mother... had planned a weekend trip to the beach in Montauk."

I shuddered slightly. The beach was already not my idea of a fun time, but coupled with the gathering storm clouds it just seemed like a terrible idea.

"Grover reached their cabin just after night fall and explained about the attack at the museum to your mother. According to Grover, she had at that time already begun to realize something was amiss, and had no arguments about taking Percy to the camp. Unfortunately, their vehicle was struck by lightning during the storm causing a crash."

I gasped, my eyes going wide, but Chiron held up a hand and continued; "Unfortunately this is where things begin to get hazy. Grover had hit his head in the crash and was drifting in and out of consciousness. I've already had Argus investigate the site and from what he could gather a very powerful monster had caught young Percy's scent and tried to stop him reaching the hill, and Percy had somehow managed to defeat the monster."

"What about my... our mom?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, we do not know," Chiron said. "Aside from a small amount of blood at the crash site, and a second set of human foot prints in the wet ground, there was no trace of her presence."

"Could the monster have dragged her off?" I asked. "Or eaten her?"

"The monster in question was destroyed," Chiron said. "And while there were no further tracks on the ground, it is a possibility there might have been a flying monster. However, it is unlikely for one to drag a mortal woman away."

"But, she's not mortal," I said. "Not fully. Right?"

"How do you mean, Miss Jackson?"

"Well, it's like you said when I was claimed. I'm a daughter of Hephaestus, but a legacy of Aphrodite. That means that my mom has to have been one too, doesn't it?"

"Oh," Chiron said. "I see. Yes, that is correct."

"So my mom is monster chow and that's it?" I asked. "There's nothing we can do?"

"We don't know that for certain."

"But we don't not know that, either!" I was shaking. "There's got to be something we can do."

"There is one thing," Chiron said. "It's rare that we do it for non-campers, but in this case the exception is acceptable. We can burn a shroud for her."

"What does that do?" I asked.

"It's a basic funerary rite," he explained. "Customarily, the body is wrapped in a shroud and cremated. However, if there is no body - as can be the case - then the shroud itself is burned alone. It helps to ensure that her spirit, should she be dead, can find it's way to the Underworld."

"Where do you keep the shrouds?" My chest hurt and I could feel my eyes stinging.

"They are hand woven by the deceased's cabin-mates. In this case, that would be Ten," he said gently. "If you like, I can speak with Silena Beauregard about it."

"Thank you," I said.

"You can take the day off from activities as well if you like..."

"No," I interrupted. "No. I... I think it will be best to keep my mind occupied on other things, if it's all the same."

"If that's what you wish," I nodded. "Very well. In that case, speak with Mr. Beckendorf. First day Hephaestus campers are usually sent to the forges."

"Th-thank you," I said, standing.

"Don't force yourself, Miss Jackson," Chiron said. "If you feel the need to stop at any point, do so. Grief is a painful, but necessary, part of being human after all."

"Right now I don't particularly want to feel human," I said without looking back as I left the office and the Big House to find Beckendorf.