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the doors slid open, and the campers filed out.
some of the campers looked a little green from the long ride, but everyone stood on their feet, looking to percy. there were forty campers in all — i did a headcount before we left camp. everyone shared nervous glances. we were sending off a lot of demigod aura, probably attracting every monster in northeastern united states.
i walked up to percy. he was staring at me — like staring. with his lips slightly parted, and his brows furrowed. i wondered what was up with him.
"what's wrong?" i asked, once i got closer to him.
"huh?"
"you're looking at me funny," i clarified.
"oh, uh... it's — it's nothing," he said, which obviously means it's something.
i raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but before i could call him out on, percy had turned to address the rest of the group.
"thanks for coming, everybody. chiron, after you."
the old centaur shook his head. "i came to wish you luck, my boy. but i make it a point never to visit olympus unless i am summoned."
"but you're our leader."
he smiled, and shook his head slightly. "i am your trainer, your teacher. that is not the same as being your leader. i will go gather what allies i can. it may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs to help. meanwhile, you called the campers here, percy. you are the leader."
percy looked like he wanted to argue, but then his gaze fell over the campers. he had called us here, and here we were.
he nodded to himself slightly, "okay, like i told riley on the phone, something bad is going to happen by tonight. some kind of trap. we've got to get an audience with zeus and convince him to defend the city. remember, we can't take no for an answer."
