Gracie Jackson

~ Part 12 ~

"Hey," Connor was staring at my arms, "How come you don't have a tattoo like the other kids from New Rome?" I looked down at my bare arms, thankful I didn't have to wear the burden.

"I never actually joined the legion. I mean sure I live in New Rome but the only person in our family that is actually in the legion is my brother Luke."

"Why didn't your sister join? Or you?"

"Coming to Camp Half-Blood is to help us decide what we want to do, Luke decided that he was better fit for the Twelfth Legion and Cleo, well she decided to be a hunter, although she didn't want to be immortal. She made a deal with Artemis that she would stay with the hunters and follow all of their rules until she turned 20 and after that she would find her own path, either decide to stay with the hunters and become immortal or try to live a normal life as a human."

"So you came to camp to choose whether or not you want to be a Greek or a Roman?"

"Not necessarily. My parents don't want us to feel like we have to be on one side or the other but they wanted to give us all the chance to see what Camp Half-Blood is like and if we would rather train here."

"But if you plan on staying, no one else will know who you really are."

"Do you think I should tell everyone else my secret?" I asked him. He looked straight into my eyes, clearly confused. He shook his head.

"People at this camp will treat you differently, trust me, I know." he looked straight into my eyes with hurt written all over his face, "wait." I reached over and hugged him for the second time that day, only this time he didn't stay stiff, he hugged back. We were still hugging when a twig snapped somewhere behind us. We both instantly turned around.

"Dad?" Connor asked. It was Will Solace in the flesh. "What are you doing here?" Connor got up and walked over to his dad.

"I don't think I've ever seen you give anyone a hug other than me and your dad," Will said. "Who is this mystery girl?" he nodded towards me.

"I'm Gracie Blo-," I stopped mid sentence and looked over at Connor. If I could trust him, how could I not trust his dad who was a friend of my parents? "Gracie Jackson," I finished.

"No way, I heard Posiedon and Athena were actually there when you were born. I mean I was there too, but I didn't see them," Will said. He was the first person ever to not immediately associate me with my parents.

"Wait what?" Connor asked.

"Yes that's true, also apparently they came to give my parents a prophecy, like recently," I explained. I didn't know much about the prophecy, in fact I had only just learned about it the night before in a dream. "It's about me, the wise-sea's daughter, I've never heard the prophecy, but somehow, I think I know it. 'Off to Camp, across the sea she shall travel, lightning she'll need to find, for her task to unravel, the wise-sea's daughter stands alone, to reach the dark prince's throne," I finished. I didn't know how I'd known the Prophecy, but it just spilled out of me.

"We need to go see Chiron, now," Will urged.