This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―iii. the swordsman makes an assumption

WHEN IT CAME TO CABIN INSPECTIONS, Cabin Four never got last place, all thanks to Katie's neat-freak tendencies. The only time they'd come close was when the Stolls had tried to sabotage their cabin and scatter laundry, trinkets, and literal dirt all over the floor so the Hermes cabin would have a chance at not getting last place (and the kitchen duty that came with it). Katie had given Travis a black eye and managed to enlist the help of a couple of dryads to get the cabin spick-and-span once again.

At Katie's request, Naomi summoned fresh flowers in the window boxes. She grew a couple of honeysuckle vines around the doorway for the fragrance, stealing one to taste the nectar from it (picking a favorite flower felt a little like trying to pick a favorite child, but honeysuckle was a strong contender). She covered the grass roof in wildflowers as well, just for the added aesthetic.

Silena was in charge of inspections today, which was bad news for most cabins. Like Katie, she was a total neat freak.

Across the green, the Hermes kids were scrambling around in a panic, yelling at each other and throwing what looked like dirty clothes at each other.

"Animals," Katie muttered distastefully.

"You're the one who's in love with their counselor," Miranda teased.

Katie's cheeks got red. "I am not in love with that slob."

"Sure," Asher said, drawing out the vowel.

Katie rolled her eyes. "This is why Naomi's my favorite."

Naomi grinned, sticking her tongue out at her cabinmates.

As expected, Silena gave them a perfect score, adding that the honeysuckle were a nice touch. Some—namely the Stolls—might accuse Silena of favoritism when it came to Naomi's cabin, but they were the only ones who complained.

Everyone knew the Demeter cabin was one of the neatest.

❊

After cabin inspections, Naomi tried to sneak off to the arena, but Katie grabbed her arm and dragged her to the strawberry fields with the rest of the cabin. After an hour of picking strawberries, Naomi managed to convince Katie to let her get in some training, having to promise to drink plenty of water and get to dinner on time later.

Quintus was there, though Naomi wasn't sure he'd ever left. Skia was gone—back to the Underworld, no doubt—but Mrs. O'Leary was there, and she barked happily upon seeing Naomi.

"Ah, Naomi!" Quintus said. "I didn't expect to see you here again so soon."

Naomi shrugged sheepishly. "I wanted to get some extra training in."

"Twenty rounds a day isn't enough?" Quintus teased.

Naomi's face flushed.

"Is there a reason you're training so hard?" he asked her, his tone curious. "Besides the obvious?"

Naomi summoned Hemlock, studying it so she didn't have to look at Quintus. "I had a run-in with the Titan Atlas this past winter," she said quietly. "Met Death. Kind of hoping to avoid ever doing that again."

Quintus nodded in understanding. "Nothing like a brush with death to kick us into high-gear, ay?"

Naomi cracked a smile. "Yeah."

"But that's not all, is it?"

Naomi was a bit surprised—but then, maybe she shouldn't have been. Quintus had been a half-blood far longer than anyone else at camp. He'd seen far more than she had.