Daughter of Poseidon

Chapter 8

**Maura's POV**

How can Chiron just leave? He isn't going to tell me how to get to the underworld? I don't know how to get there! And plus, I'm not going anywhere without Percy or Annabeth.

"I'm coming with you." Percy says to me, a cool breeze running through his dark hair.

"What? No, Percy... You're not going to die too."

"Who says we're going to die?"

"Percy! News flash! No one can defeat a god!" I say, raising my voice.

All eyes are on me. Whispers are bouncing around the pavilion:

"They're sending out the new demigod."

"She can't be that good."

"No one can defeat Hades. Or a god in general."

I can't stand it. Annabeth walks over, ignoring the dirty looks from the other tables. We're supposed to sit with our cabins.

"Percy, Maura, emergency meeting at my cabin. Now." She says.

Percy and I both nod and start to stand up.

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We are sitting in the floor of the Athena cabin. It's nice, painted blue and gold, with an owl carved over the doorway. It has plain white curtains, and lots of books, and maps, old scrolls, and other reading materials spread out across the desks and chairs.

"I heard them say something the other night," I look at both of them. "Something about someone, being too powerful and having to get rid of them in a way they won't notice."

"You two are the only kids of Poseidon. They're extremely rare. They thought Percy would be too overwhelming, so it's possible they could have been talking about you." Annabeth mentions. "Maybe they think having two would be dangerous."

"I'm not letting you go on that quest without me." Percy says.

"Same here. You've only been here five days." Annabeth says.

"Is Chiron going to let you guys go too?" I say, doubting that he would. "It seems like when he puts his foot.. er.. hoof down, he means it."

"I guess we could talk to him." Percy replies.

"I doubt that he will," Annabeth says with a bit of bossiness. It seems that she would be a bit of a know-it-all, being a Daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. "But I guess it's worth a try."

"You bet it's worth a try. It's worth my life, actually, and I don't really know any of the other demigods that are supposed to be going with me. You guys are really the only ones I trust- the only ones I know. And plus, the other demigods coming could be secretly plotting to kill us or something.. I don't know."

"Maybe we can convince Chiron to not have the others come," Percy suggests. "The three of us would just be dragging them around."

"Maybe they'll just be the first to die." I say under my breath.

"Oh, stop it!" Annabeth says, getting slightly louder. "If you guys keep thinking like that, we'll never complete this quest... and I do think that we should try to drop the others. There obviously is something strange going on, though. The prophecy says that a hero is only allowed two companions on a quest. Chiron announced way more than two demigods to accompany you."

"After the afternoon activities we should go see him." I say, as I see that lunch is officially over and the other demigods started to head back to their cabins.

"Yeah." They both say in unison.

We leave the Athena cabin just as the others come filing in. We try to stop thinking about the quest ahead, and head to the stables. Percy says he has someone he'd like me to meet.

The stable looks like any other stable, but it's not the stable that's strange. What's strange is the animals that live in the barn. Percy walked up to a jet black pegasus. Pegasus? Pegasus! I am still not used to this.

Hey, Perc. Who's this?

I look around. "Who was that, Percy?"

Ooh! You can hear me? A Daughter of Poseidon?

"That was Blackjack." Percy says, rubbing the pegasus above his muzzle.

"The pegasus?"

"Yep. Poseidon created horses, somehow giving us the ability to talk to them.. or close relatives." He said, motioning towards Blackjack, who isn't exactly a horse.

"Right," I said. "I learned a little bit of Greek mythology in school."

I walked closer to Blackjack and stroked his mane. He was soft, and his jet black fur was shiny.

Ooh. I like that. Percy, bring her here everyday.

Percy and I both laughed. Annabeth was petting a white pegasus that was a few stalls down from Blackjack. She looked up and gave us a puzzling look.

"She can't hear him, can she?" I whispered to Percy.

"Nope," He said, with a slight laugh. "She doesn't have a clue what he's saying."

Annabeth walks up the middle or the barn, with the white pegasus. As Annabeth gets closer I notice that the Pegasus has grey specks dotting his white fur.

"This is Marbles," She says. "I think you two would be a good fit."

"Wait.. I get to ride them?"

Heck yes! Jackblack yells.. or.. neighs. Why else would you be here?!

"Of course you do!" Annabeth replies. She hands me the rope that is strapped around Marbles' bridle.

Hey honey-bunch! Ready for a riding lesson? Marbles says. Marbles is a girl?

"I guess." Who knew I would be learning to ride a pegasus? "I never rode a pegasus before." I say, with a slight laugh.

Don't worry about it, honey. I'll make it easy for you.

Marbles lifted up her wings and Annabeth threw a worn, leather saddle onto Marbles's back. Percy led Blackjack out of his stall and did the same. I helped Annabeth buckle the straps that would secure the saddle, and led her out of the barn. It was a nice, sunny day. It never seemed to be rainy here at Camp Half Blood. Maybe that had something to do with the magical barriers that kept monsters out.

I hopped onto Marbles' back and she started to gallop, Percy and Blackjack following behind.

Hold on, tight! Marbles said, starting to flap her wings. I grabbed the horn on the saddle and the reins tightly. Marbles' hoofs started to lift off the ground, and I held on even tighter.

Soon enough we were high off the ground, defying gravity. Percy was flying next to me.

"This is pretty cool!" I yelled over to him.

"I know right!" He replied, yelling over all the wind.

Annabeth followed behind on a brown pegasus, and she soon caught up.

We flew all over the camp, and I saw everything from a different angle. This was amazing.

And just for a moment, I forgot that I might be meeting my doom in two days.