June 2006

Kiara sent a playful glare at Luke. "Did you really have to steal it?"

Cabin eleven was packed as ever. Kids were sitting on beds playing games or gossiping about the latest news. Luke was setting out a new sleeping bag next to some of the younger kids.

"Well how else were we going to get the new kid some clothes?" The ones who were listening in to their conversation laughed.

There was never any real privacy in Camp Half-Blood and nothing ever was kept secret for long.

Kiara sat on Daniel and Luke's bed. "Buying them? I'm sure you can spare some drachmas for a shirt."

Daniel crawled down to where she was sitting and climbed into her lap. Kiara draped her arm over him so he could mess with her bracelet.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Daniel let out a giggle at Luke's words. "Yeah, Kiki. Luke let me ride on his shoulders. And they didn't even see us. We were like ninjas!"

Kiara sighed, bringing one hand up to fix Daniel's hair. "I'm sure it was a lot of fun." She looked pointedly at Luke. "But try to keep from messing with the new kid. He's gone through a lot."

The smile on Luke's face dimmed. He got up from the floor and leaned against Ethan's bunk.. "I heard some of the rumors. Did Grover finally tell you what happened?"

Kiara shook her head. "He sleep talks. I heard enough to piece together what happened."

"And?"

"How about you wait for him to tell you himself?" Kiara tilted her head towards the door.

Chiron blocked out the light coming from the open door. By his side, Annabeth and a fidgeting Percy stood. Everyone gave a slight bow to their instructor.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner."

Percy looks around the room like a warry cat. He eyed the Hermes cabin members with as much hesitancy as they did him. Kiara felt something in her relax. He would be fine at Camp.

That feeling was shook when Annabeth pushed Percy forward and he tripped on the door frame. Daniel snorted, his tiny body shaking with stifled laughter in her arms. Kiara shushed him with a slight squeeze.

Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" Lou yelled from the back.

"Undetermined."

Kiara held back a sigh as everyone in the cabin groaned. She had hoped he might have already known his parent or maybe been claimed but that had been overly optimistic. Percy looked even more confused than when he entered. Kiara looked over at Luke and jerked her head towards the boy.

"Now, now, campers." Luke pushed himself off the bunk bed. "That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."

Kiara pulled her hand from Daniel's grasp and gave Percy a wave. "You made it. We were starting to worry you had gotten lost."

"No. Just had a talk with Mr. D." Percy rubbed the back of his neck. "Chiron took me here. He said you and Annabeth were going to help me with the rest of it."

Kiara smiled. "Got it."

Annabeth snuck up behind Percy, making him jump when she spoke. "This is Luke. He's your counselor for now." Annabeth tried to hide her blush but no one was convinced.

"For now? What about the other cabins? They're empty, can't we go there?" Kiara hid her wince. Percy had just entered the cabin and had already poked at a touchy subject.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained, skirting the issue of the other cabins. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

"How long will I be here?" Percy's confused expression never went away.

"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

A few campers let out bitter laughs. Kiara felt her heart clench. She remembered the terror of waiting in the cabin. Waiting for something she was not even sure was going to come. She had been one of the lucky ones. More than half of the cabin was made up of undetermined and Kiara swore that at least one or two of them were her siblings. She knew their faces and held them close to her heart but there was nothing they could do against the rules. The gods made it that way. But still Kiara would sneak Rowan and Lilith into her cabin. She would teach them and love them even if their father neglected to remember their presence.

"Come on." Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm and tugged him away. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it."

"Come on."

Kiara helped Daniel off her lap and stood up. She turned to Luke. "I'll see you when I drop him off. Try not to steal anything else."

-o-

Kiara found Annabeth and Percy not far from the cabin. They were far enough that no one from the Hermes Cabin would hear them. Annabeth was in her lecturing mode and Percy looked close to exploding. Kiara rushed over before the two eleven-year-olds could strangle each other.

"Your father's not dead, Percy," Annabeth tried to explain, frustration seeping into her voice.

"How can you say that? You know him?"

"No, of course not."

"Then how can you say—"

Kiara stepped between the two. "How about we explain this a little kinder, Annie." She looked around the cabin area. A few campers were trying to listen in on Annabeth and Percy's argument. "Let's move this conversation to somewhere a little less out in the open."

Kiara did not wait for another argument to start between the two and walked off. Annabeth's frustrated grumbling and Percy's stomps followed her all the way to the sandy benches on the edge of the arena. A few campers were sparing but they were not going to try and listen in on their conversation.

"Percy, there are a lot of things that we need to explain to you. I need you to listen and try not to reject what I'm saying before I finish." Percy nodded. "I'm guessing they didn't show you the orientation film." He shook his head. "Great, I'll need to know what you've already been told."

Percy tensed up. "Well, Grover's a satyr, and gods exist and Mr. D is one and there's the whole western thingy, and Mr. Brunner is a horse and apparently things don't die anymore, and-"

"I think I got it. So I know there are a lot of new things you're learning but bear with me. Ok so lets start with what you know and branch from there. You know there are gods." Kiara looked to Percy for his confirmation. "And these gods can walk around us like Mr. D. Well, in the stories the great heroes were always the descendants of gods. And when the gods moved here they didn't change all that much. They still have children like in the old myths. Everyone here is a child of a god. You, me, Annabeth, even those kids fighting. My dad is Apollo. Annabeth's mom is Athena. Your parent is a god too."

"But how do you know? You're normal. You don't glow or shoot fire out of your hands. I'm just a kid."

"There are a lot of powers demigods can have. How do you think I fixed you up so fast? Normal dislocated shoulders take three months. You were asleep for just a few days. It's also impossible for a mortal to pass through the borders of camp. You did and you are still here even though you ate nectar and ambrosia which would cause you to implode if you were all human."

Annabeth butted in. "And Half-bloods have ADHD and Dyslexia because of how our brains are hardwired. It keeps you from getting killed by monsters."

"So let's say I believe you—which I'm still on the fence about—who's my dad?"

Kiara's shoulders slumped. "We don't know yet."

"Hey, newbie!" Clarisse yelled, entering the arena.

"Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."

"Erre es korakas! You don't stand a chance."

"No maiming remember?"

Clarisse ignored Kaira and turned toward Percy. "Who's this little runt?"

"Percy Jackson," Annabeth said, "meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares."

He stared at her. "Like . . . the war god?"

Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem with that?"

"No," Percy's words were stuffed with attitude. "It explains the bad smell."

Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy."

"No, Clarisse." Kiara stood up and stepped between them. Kiara could feel the headache that Percy's presence would cause building. "Leave him alone. There's plenty of time to fight on friday."

"Like he's 'Big Three' material. Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."

"Move along Clarisse," Kiara ordered.

"Why should I?" She squared her shoulders and stepped into Kiara's space. "He's asking for it. You can't do anything."

Kiara glared up at Clarisse. The younger girl used her height to try and overpower Kiara but she had been dealing with people who dismissed her for her whole life.

"What would Mark say if I told him I caught you fighting new campers? I'm sure your head counselor has ideas on a suitable punishment."

Clarisse sneered at Kiara before turning to Percy. "This isn't over. No one insults my father or me without retribution."

Kiara pressed her hands on her eyes and let out a loud breath.

"Well, that could have gone worse."

Kiara gave an exasperated look over her shoulder. "Really, Percy? It's your first day conscious, I'm trying to keep it that way."

-o-

The rest of the tour finished without much fanfare. Most of the campers kept away except for a few friendly waves. A few of them were sizing up Percy. They were probably wondering how he would hold up in his first Capture the Flag. Kiara already had a headache forming at the thought of the event. It was not the normal pounding in her head that came from stupid campers. There were tugs at her consciousness pulling from a distance farther than she could reach. The whispers hummed too quietly to understand but the thread of warning was cemented in her mind. Her nerves were on edge as they made their way to the canoe lake. She let Annabeth continue filling in Percy, more focused in trying to figure out where the tugs were trying to pull her away from.

Kiara sat on the edge of the dock. The sun was starting to sink in the sky painting the camp in a golden glow. Percy and Annabeth followed her lead taking a break on the pier. Percy toed the water splashing it this way and that. The Naiads waved up at them, well mostly Percy. Annabeth watched their exchange with narrowed eyes.

"Don't encourage them," Annabeth warned. "Naiads are terrible flirts."

"Naiads," Percy muttered. "That's it. I want to go home now."

Kiara wrapped her arms around herself. "There's only a few places where half-bloods are safe. When you're out in the open, everything tries to get you. Monsters. They don't care if you want to go home or if you are on a quest or just walking down the road. They will find you and try to kill you."

"We're safe here." Kiara tried to ignore Annabeth's worried look. "Sometimes, if you aren't that powerful they won't care about you. They might not find you. You'd be fine living a normal life over the school year and then training in the summer."

"And if I'm not?"

"Then you can't leave. Train year round and live at camp."

Percy frowned down at the water. "What are you?"

"I-I've lived at camp since I was seven." Annabeth pulled out her necklace to show Percy. "We choose a new bead every summer to celebrate the survivors and mourn the lost ones."

Kiara pulled out her slightly heavier leather cord. "I've gone to camp every school break since I was six. I lived with my mam until a hellhound found us. My and mam's family are followers of Hecate from centuries ago. She barely stopped it." Kiara tried to keep her hands from straying to the silver scars on her side. "I've only been able to stay with her for, at longest, two weeks before something catches my trail. Before I went to a school for the followers of Hecate I lived here all year."

"Oh." Percy opened and closed his mouth as he tried to figure out what else to say. Kiara's lips quirked into a weak smile at his attempts to help. "Um... So monsters. Those. They can't get in here, right?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes at his seemingly obvious question. "No. The border keeps them out. Well unless someone summons one in camp. No monster or mortal can get in without permission."

"Why would someone summon a monster here? Isn't it supposed to be safe?"

"Practice fights. Practical jokes."

"Practical jokes?" Percy grew pale.

"Very stupid ones. Ones that land campers on dish duty with the Harpies." Kiara placed her hand on his shoulder trying to calm him down.

They sat for a minute as Percy processed all the information they gave him.

"There's nothing stopping me from leaving, though. I could go out and try my luck in the normal world. Forget this ever happened."

"It would be suicide. You know the truth now. The monsters will find you easier. The only way you could leave anyway would be with Mr. D's or Chiron's permission." Annabeth told him what had been drilled into her mind from the years of asking and being denied. "But they wouldn't give permission until the end of the summer session unless . . ."

"Unless?"

"You were granted a quest. But that hardly ever happens. The last time . . ."

Kiara could feel Annabeth's gaze but she ignored her, plastering on a smile for Percy.

"It doesn't happen anymore. Camp focuses on keeping campers safe and prepared instead of sending kids off to fight." She looked pointedly at Annabeth.

The younger girl glared at her not subtle insinuation. Kiara denied Annabeth her stare off and turned back to look at the water beneath their feet.

Percy coughed and looked at Annabeth. "Back in the sick room, when you were feeding me that stuff..."

Kiara answered his unspoken question, "The nectar. It helps heal demigods."

"That. You were talking about the summer solstice?"

"It's not something we should worry about right now. You need to adjust to camp and-"

"So you do know something?" Annabeth leaned forward, her mind already over-analyzing everything Percy had said.

"Well . . . no. Back at my old school, I overheard Grover and Chiron talking about it. Grover mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn't have much time. What did that mean?"

"I wish I knew." Annabeth's brow furrowed like it always did when she had a problem she could not work out, yet. "Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won't tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal."

"You've been to Olympus?"

"Not the real one." Kiara stopped trying to pretend she did not know what was going on. "The gods have different cities all around the world. The one that just happens to float above the Empire State Building, is the biggest meeting point right now. They call it Olympus so it's easy for the gods to remember. It used to be in Philadelphia and before that in England."

"Those of us that were here took a field trip during the winter solstice. That's when the gods have their big annual council. Right after we visited," Annabeth continued, "the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting. A couple of times since, I've overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that something important was stolen. And if it isn't returned by summer solstice, there's going to be trouble. When you came, I was hoping . . . I mean— Athena can get along with just about anybody, except for Ares. And of course she's got the rivalry with Poseidon. But, I mean, aside from that, I thought we could work together. I thought you might know something."

Kiara gritted her teeth as the feeling that had dimmed to a low hum started up again at Annabeth's words. A few notes clicked together and the noise grew clearer. Not softer but less like a middle school band.

Percy shook his head no and Annabeth mumbled under her breath. Kiara heard a few words but tried to ignore Annabeth's plotting. It would do Kiara no good listening to the unfinished running thoughts of an Athena camper.

Percy's stomach grumbled loud enough for the whole camp to hear. His cheeks flushed and he gave a sheepish smile.

"Let's get you back to Cabin Eleven." Kiara pushed herself up and held out a hand to pull Percy too. "It's almost time for dinner."

Percy looked back at the muttering daughter of Athena. "What about Annabeth?"

"She needs a second to sort through her thoughts."

Kiara and Percy followed the path back towards the cabins. The tree cover along with the sinking sun made the path more difficult to traverse than normal. Kiara held back a snicker as Percy stumbled on another rock.

"Um, Kiara, you know how Annabeth is head counselor for Athena's cabin?" Percy's eyes were focused on the ground as he tried to dodge tripping hazards. "Are you? I mean for your cabin?"

"No, my brother, Lee, is. He arrived at camp a few days before I did. He's older too."

"But don't you want to, I dunno, be in charge? You'd get to make all the rules..."

"And have all the responsibility. Anyway, in Cabin Seven, the head healer can't be the counselor. We need to be free to help anyone who needs us." Kiara paused trying to think of an example he would understand. "Let's say I'm off leading Seven and Annabeth gets injured. I can't just abandon my siblings and I can't leave her on her own. Our head healer can't be tied to one cabin."

"Oh."

"Yeah, there's a lot we need to teach you."

-o-

When rumors of a fight between a few of the younger campers reached Kiara's ears she gained a familiar headache. It had nothing to do with the itch at the top of her spine. The one that went away and then became her only sensation. This one was normal. No secret meaning behind it. Just an everyday headache. Kiara lovingly knew that specific one as, "Stupid kids trying to send me to my death early".

Every repetition of Percy and Clarisse's fight in the bathroom pounded in her mind. The two had somehow managed to avoid her since their fight but she knew it was just a matter of time. They would get a talking to once she found them. Kiara did not even know which version of the rumor was correct. The story had gotten outlandish by the time their senior campers had a meeting.

"So then Percy picked up Clarisse with a water hand and threw her away."

"No, I heard that the pipes burst and sprayed her." Katie corrected Lee.

"Well, Annabeth isn't going to tell us." Castor crossed his arms and frowned at her from across the room. "She's still embarrassed about the toilet water she got in her hair."

He let out an eep as he dodged the ping pong ball thrown at his head. Annabeth was deep in conversion with Beckendorf. They would not have suspected her if not for the box of ping pongs on the table.

"I think she heard you," Lee muttered, shifting in his chair.

Castor opened his mouth but Chiron stopped any complaints. "Could our head counselors give the weekly update?"

They looked around before Annabeth explained what happened with Cabin Six and issues they had. Beckendorf followed her and the rest of the head counselors continued. Kiara listened with half an ear until it was her turn.

"The infirmary is getting low on ambrosia and the bandages the Aurae brought had hail and dirt in the fibers. I think they went through a snowstorm on their way here. Until we get a new shipment we will have to eat into our emergency stash."

"Will we have to postpone Capture the Flag until-"

"No," Mark shouted.

"We've practiced all week."

"Our plans!"

The head counselors descended into chaos, trying to keep their game. The slight wrinkle in Chiron's forehead was the only response to the yelling of eight campers. Dionysus looked up once the yelling started but merely took another sip of his coke.

Kiara let out a piercing whistle. "No one is canceling anything. I have enough for this and the next week. We can continue with updates."

"New campers, Ben Pryor and Ellis Wakefield have been claimed by Athena and Ares." Luke's face hardened. "There are still twelve unclaimed in Cabin Eleven."

The noise from the rec room vanished. The air seemed to be sucked out of the room. Kiara wrapped her arms around herself. Annabeth started biting his lips. Silena curled and pulled her hair, eyes partially glazed.

"They should be happy to have a roof over their heads." Mr. D flipped his magazine page. "In my day, we lived on the road running from angry stepmothers."

Luke argued, "These kids have been waiting for-"

"Barely anything. Those brats have food and entertainment. They just sit around all day complaining."

Luke's eyes glared daggers into the god. He looked, for a second, like he was about to challenge Mr. D and win. His lips curled into a snarl and the scar that forever haunted Kiara's dreams tightened.

"Father," Castor admonished, looking between the dangerous half-blood and bored god.

"Oops, did I say that? The poor babes, left to the cruel world. Whatever shall we do?"

Luke was no longer the only one trying to ignite Mr. D with their scowl.

Chiron coughed to grab the hostile attention of ten very mad half-bloods. "That concludes our meeting for today. Please collect your cabins and move on to their next activity."

Mr. D got up from his chair and left the room without a backwards glance.

Kiara exchanged a glance with Lee telling him, in a way only siblings would understand, to take the rest of the counselors outside. He gave her a sharp nod and ushered Castor and Katie to the door. Chiron looked sadly at Luke before he plodded past. Annabeth tried to pull away from Lee but one look from Kiara and she stomped away. The rest of them followed until the room was empty. Empty, except for Kiara and a still infuriated Luke.

He was standing straight as if his spine had turned to steel. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles turned white and Kiara knew that if he released his grip small crescents would be pressed into his palm. His normally welcoming demeanor was thrown out the window. Here was a boy who lived through too much.

"Luke?" Kiara walked to him, her hands visible and posture unthreatening.

"They don't care." It was as if he was released from a spell. Luke took a sharp breath.

"They don't care," he seethed. "They don't, not about Clovis, or Blanche, or Butch. Vivian's been at camp since I got here. Her mom hasn't claimed her in nine years. She doesn't even know what the world is like outside the borders. Lou's got magic like you but she can't go. The stupid magicians don't even know she exists. Those kids wake up each day hoping to be claimed. There isn't enough space. Danny's getting too big and I don't have a bed for him. Amelia knew what to do. She would have made sure the kids were happy and healthy-"

"Ameila is proud of you." Kiara pulled his fists apart. She took a piece of ambrosia out of her pocket and held it up. Luke took it with trembling fingers. "She wanted you to be head counselor and she believed you would do great. She believed in you and I'm sure if she was here right now she would agree with me. You are doing your best. That's all you can do. It's enough."

"But the gods just sit there in their palaces ignoring their prayers." Luke glared at Kiara. "You aren't there when Ethan picks the best bit of food for his mom. He doesn't even know who she is but he's waiting. He's been waiting for too long. If they cared-"

Kiara cut off his yell. "If they don't care you can. And I can. And Chiron. And everyone else at camp."

"That's not enough. They deserve better."

Kiara's shoulders slumped. "There's nothing we can do to change the gods. If milenia hasn't done anything, what's a few kids yelling going to do."

"So you're going to just give up," Luke accused.

Kiara held back a yell. He was acting like it was with him or against him. She took a deep breath trying to push away the outrage growing in her. She could feel snakes of fire coursing through her veins and sparks dancing across her fingers.

"Amelia fought," Luke spat. "She didn't give up until the end."

"Don't you dare." Kiara tensed.

"You're just sitting there, with your perfect little cabin. You don't care."

"I do!" Kiara exploded. "I just don't complain without doing anything. You may be dealing with the kids in your cabin but I help every injured camper that walks into Cabin Seven. I work hard at what I can do."

Luke's eyes flashed with something she had never seen before, and for the first time she wondered if it was really safe inside the camp borders. He stepped closer, towering over her. Kiara held her ground but fear seeped into her. The fire in her veins was doused by the predator in front of her. Kiara's mind flashed to four years ago. Luke's scar was bleeding into his eyes, a torn claw in one hand. The memory only lasted for a second but the damage was there.

Luke flinched back at the fear in her eyes. He looked down at his hands and back at her, face paleing. He took a stumbling step back. The instinctive fear lingered in the back of Kiara's mind but the sight of her oldest friend terrified of himself pushed it back. Kiara reached forward but Luke pulled back, hitting his head on the wall behind him.

"Go." His voice was strained. "Please. I need—I need—I—just go, please."

Kiara opened her mouth to refuse but the words were missing. She gave a numb nod. She turned, everything in her screaming for her to stay and not leave the boy she knew better than her siblings but she kept walking. Every step felt like she was sinking into the flooring underneath her. Kiara gave into the temptation to look behind as she made it to the door.

Luke had slumped against the wall. He pressed his hands to his eyes and let out a ragged breath.

His whisper barely reached her.

"I'm sorry."

Kiara ran from the door. She sprinted up the stairs. She made it to the window at the end of the hall before her legs gave out beneath her. Her heart thundered in her chest the only noise she could hear over her heaving breaths. Kiara leaned her head against the window frame behind her. Her arms wrapped around her knees and Kiara set her pounding head against them. She closed her eyes from the light of the window.

She breathed out, her body shuddering, "I'm sorry."


Soooo...

I'm not quite sure what happened here but tada! Exposition with a (heavy) sprinkle of trauma.

I've been struggling with writer's block so chapter 4 might take a bit but I am still aiming for two weeks from now.

If anyone has any questions about the fic I am always happy to explain. If you liked this chapter, please consider giving it a comment or vote. Thanks for reading!

-Natalie!