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IX • between the conception and the creation

CHAPTER NINE

B E T W E E N  T H E  C O N C E P T I O N  A N D  T H E  C R E A T I O N

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Breakfast was an interesting affair, to say the least. The group of demigods flocked to the wooden table in the kitchen and seemed to eat whatever they desired. This morning, a half-eaten loaf of bread sat in front of Cameron, who was occupied reading something. Drew was nursing her third cup of coffee and seemed set on finishing it before Clarisse finished up whatever story she was telling her. Clarisse was eating an entire plate of bacon and she refused to share it with anyone. Esperanza was happily eating her way through a box of donuts that had miraculously appeared overnight, the powdered sugar giving her a faux mustache. In the center of it all, Chris sat beside Cameron, calmly eating a bowl of cereal.

Chris noticed Annabeth first, as she stood awkwardly in the doorway, uncertain if she should walk in or just turn around and go back to sleep. He offered her a genuine smile and gestured to the box of cereal that sat in front of him.

"I think I'm the only one willing to share," he said with a wink.

Cameron looked up and something like alarm flashed over his face before it smoothed over. He gave her a quick smile as he tore off a chunk of bread.

"Good morning!" Drew greeted cheerfully, pouring herself another cup of coffee, "I hope we didn't wake you."

They had, in all honesty, but Annabeth wasn't complaining; the jubilant noise of domesticity accompanied with the scent of bacon was a much more welcome interruption of sleep than anything that she had encountered in the cellar. She grabbed the bowl that Chris offered her and slowly poured cereal into it.

"We were just talking about our plan," Clarisse said gruffly, "or our lack thereof."

Drew playfully punched the other girl's shoulder. "We have a plan!"

"We have half of a plan," Chris corrected calmly, "which is still better than nothing."

Clarisse shrugged and bit into a new piece of bacon. Meanwhile, Esperanza lifted yet another donut into her mouth, unaware of the dusting of powdered sugar that fell to the table.

"We'll probably leave here in a few days," Cameron added, eyes flickering up to Annabeth. "That way, we can find Olympus and the other demigods before figuring out a larger course of action."

"What other course of action is there?" Annabeth asked before she spooned cereal and milk into her mouth, surprised by how good it tasted.

"We're going to kill Her," Esperanza informed her through a mouthful of donut.

The happy buzz of conversation died, but Esperanza didn't seem to notice. Annabeth certainly did notice the glance that Drew and Cameron exchanged, but she stayed silent.

"Uh, yeah," Cameron stammered, "that's basically the plan. But that's not a lot to go off of, obviously. So we need a better plan."

"At least the prophecy gives us something to go off of," Drew said, "we know we're looking for thirteen other demigods."

Annabeth frowned. "The prophecy says fourteen total."