Chiron left the Big House for less than 10 minutes, and I already had three campers call him back.

Once I'd calmed Rachel down with a few back pats and breathing exercises, we left the building to get some fresh air. Campers were already crowding the patio, mumbling as to what was going on. I didn't recognise a single person there, although I was impressed that it was so diverse.

My eyes scanned the onlookers for Piper and Irene, but they were nowhere to be found. Once Chiron returned and I explained what had happened, I found out why.

"Campers!" He coughed to get their attention. "We have barrier action."

Several boys and girls began whispering, some gasped and others, mainly the satyrs, started running for their homes.

Chiron kept trying to explain the problem, but refused to acknowledge another one. As he waffled on about setting up ranks, he eventually realised that we weren't looking at him, rather behind him.

Stood in the midst of the bushes leading toward the fields, grazing normally, was a boar. The campers stared in such a way that made me believe that it wasn't supposed to be there. It stood 5ft tall and had muscles that made Dwayne Johnson look small. Shaggy grey hair covered its body and its mouth was home to a mouth full of razor sharp teeth and two curved, ivory tusks.

Chiron reached slowly for a fashioned bow on his back as the campers and Rachel started retreating. That's how I really knew it wasn't supposed to be there. I figured I should follow suit, so I began inching away slowly from the beast.

Chiron took an arrow from his quiver and readied his aim. Then, as he was about to fire an arrow, we were startled by a noise. Under different circumstances, I would have loved to see my best friend. However, as she began approaching the big house, accompanied by Piper and another woman, the beast popped its head towards the us

"Please don't shout," Chiron muttered under his breath.

"Guys!" Irene shouted. "What's going on? I had to invite her in because you—"

The boar roared, which was new for me, and Chiron fired the arrow as we scattered and the bull charged toward camp.

It was embarrassing how slowly I evaded the creature. The other campers already produced swords, spears and other weapons, and Chiron instantly reloaded his bow. Even Irene had a sword in hand that looked like it was made of bronze, with a butterfly on its hilt. She ran straight to the fight, leaving the unknown woman standing beside me.

"This is exciting isn't it?" She said, gazing at the camps residents trying to control the boar. Some tried throwing nets around the creature to subdue it. After failed attempts and several screaming kids being dragged, they quickly moved onto other methods.

The boar looked feral. It looked so big, but it almost seemed like a peaceful animal. Now, it stampeded toward anything that moved. Even with Chiron shouting coordinated commands, it was too much for them. Too fast, too wild, too big.

I wanted to help but I didn't even have a weapon.

"You want to go in?" The woman said.

I side-eyed her. "Who even are you?"

"Someone who can help. Now answer the question."

I furrowed my eyebrows at her. I didn't like the way she spoke, but I still answered.

"Yes."

"Υπακούω," she said.

"What?"

"Here," she said, taking my hand. As soon as she did it felt like a spark of static shot through her into me. I wanted to let go, but at the same time, it was bearable.

"Repeat it with me."

Piper appeared from the fight.

"Are you sure?" She said. "He doesn't know yet."

"Know what?" I asked. "Why is nobody telling me anything?"

"Go," the woman said to Piper. "They need you to calm the beast."

She hesitated, but nodded and began backing away. The woman turned back to me.

"Will you repeat?"

I felt a sense of compliance. Υπακούω, I repeated.

"Again," she said. "With me."

She began speaking the word, as did I.

In all honesty, I didn't know what was going on, but I felt weird in the moment. The static morphed into a faint electricity running through my bones. I was shaking, but not from the cold, or nerves. I could feel something coming from inside my body, exiting as I spoke with the strange woman. The sun set behind me as the moon appeared behind her and I glanced toward it.

"You can feel it," she said as I kept repeating the phrase unwillingly. "Sense it. It will give you power." After a few more chants, she let go of my hand and I started to stop. Realising I hadn't taken a breath that whole time, I inhaled sharply. The electric feeling subsided and I began feeling the breeze.

"What was that?" I asked. Irene and a few others emerged from the fields, panting.

"She did it. Piper did it, she-she calmed the monster." She kept trying to speak in between breaths but gave up that idea instantly. Chiron, Piper and the rest of the campers began returning also. She motioned to the woman, and then to me. "Does he know?"

The woman smiled painfully. "He's about to."

Chiron stopped before he reached us, looking at me, slightly sighing. The campers wheeling a cart with the monster on it stopped too. In fact, I'd realised everyone was looking at me.

"What now? Something on my face?" I joked.

Irene looked sympathetically at me. "Not on your face..."

I began checking my arms, legs, torso. I couldn't see anything.

"Above your head," she said.

I flicked my head upward. I was met with a bright purple light and a symbol that I couldn't make out.

"Chiron?" I asked, worried.

He approached. "A pair of torches." He looked at the woman next to me. "But a spiral? I don't know that."

"Unique circumstances," she replied.

"Very well," Chiron accepted, and began kneeling toward me as the woman stepped back. The others followed suit and soon, everyone was on one knee facing me. The only two stood were me and the lady.

"Hail," Chiron started. "Daryl Carvers. Descendant of the moon, child of the orb. The son of Hecate, Goddess of Magic."

"I've always wanted to see that in real life," the woman smiled giddily.

"Now are you going to tell me who you are?" I snapped.

"Ah yes," Chiron remembered. "We had barrier action...it was her. She told us—"

"Oh spit it out centaur," she hastily said.

Chiron huffed. "She's Hecate. She's your mother."