BABY DON'T CUT - jason grace

Chapter Four

Estella was quick to realize that Annabeth's heart wasn't in the tour.

     Annabeth talked about everything that the Camp had to offer, such as magic archery, pegasus riding, the lava wall and fighting monsters, but she showed no enthusiasm, as if her mind were elsewhere. She pointed out the open-air dining pavilion that overlooked Long Island Sound.

     Annabeth explained how Camp Half-Blood was mostly a summer camp, but a lot of kids stayed there year-round, and they had added so many campers it was always crowded now, even in winter.

     Estella wondered who ran the camp, and how they had known that Estella, Jason, Leo and Piper belonged there. Estella wondered if she would have to stay full-time. Would she be any good at any activities? A million questions crossed her mind, but given Annabeth's mood, she decided to keep to not voice them.

     As they climbed a hill at the edge of camp, Estella turned and got an amazing view of the valley—a big stretch of woods to the northwest, a beautiful beach, the creek, the canoe lake, lush green fields, and the whole layout of the cabins—a bizarre assortment of buildings arranged like a Greek omega, Ω, with a loop of cabins around a central green, and two wings sticking out the bottom on either side. Estella counted twenty cabins in all. One glowed golden, another silver. One had grass on the roof. Another was bright red with barbed wire trenches. One cabin was black with fiery green torches out front.

     All of it seemed like a different world from the snowy hills and fields outside.

     "The valley is protected from mortal eyes," Annabeth told her. "As you can see, the weather is controlled, too. Each cabin represents a Greek god—a place for that god's children to live. "

     She looked at Estella to see how she was handling everything.

     "You're saying that my dad was a god." Estella's voice was practically emotionless.

     Annabeth nodded. "You're taking this awfully calmly. "

     Yeah, but on the inside she was losing her mind. But she didn't say that, of course.

     Estella took a shaky breath. "Yeah. So who's my dad?"

     "We should know soon," Annabeth said. "You're what—fifteen? Gods are supposed to claim you when you're thirteen. That was the deal. "

     "What deal?" Estella questioned.

     "They made a promise last summer ... well, long story... but they promised not to ignore their demigod children anymore, to claim them by the time they turn thirteen. Sometimes it takes a little longer, but you saw how fast Leo was claimed once he got here. Should happen for you soon. Tonight at the campfire, I bet we'll get a sign. "

     With her luck, she'd never be claimed.

     "Why thirteen?" Estella asked.

     "The older you get," Annabeth said, "the more monsters notice you, try to kill you. 'Round thirteen is usually when it starts. That's why we send protectors into the schools to find you guys, get you to camp before it's too late. "

     "Like Coach Hedge?"

     Annabeth nodded. "He's—he was a satyr: half man, half goat. Satyrs work for the camp, finding demigods, protecting them, bringing them in when the time is right. "

     Estella had no trouble believing Coach Hedge was half goat. She'd never liked the coach much, he was scary, but she couldn't believe he'd sacrificed himself to save them. Guilt clawed Estella's throat.

     "What happened to him?" she asked. "When we went up into the clouds, did he ... is he gone for good?"

     "Hard to say. " Annabeth's expression was pained. "Storm spirits ... difficult to battle. Even our best weapons, Celestial bronze, will pass right through them unless you can catch them by surprise. "