SAFE . . . reyna ramirez-arellano

4 - girl time

BRIAR SOON REALIZED Annabeth's heart wasn't in the tour.

She talked about all this amazing stuff the camp offered — magic archery, pegasus riding, the lava wall, fighting monsters — but she showed no excitement, as if her mind were elsewhere. She pointed out the open-air dining pavilion that overlooked Long Island Sound. ( Yes, Long Island, New York; they'd traveled that far on the chariot. ) Annabeth explained how Camp Half-Blood was mostly a summer camp, but some kids stayed here year-round, and they'd added so many campers it was always crowded now, even in winter.

As they climbed a hill at the edge of camp, Briar 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. Briar 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.

Briar blinked and she saw a different view — skyscrapers towering, cars driving into the mass of buildings, and houses sprawled out. A girl with dark eyes who took Briar's outstretched hand.

And the second their hands connected, Briar suddenly found herself next to Annabeth again, with a throbbing pain in her head, wondering what the fuck was that?

"The valley is protected from mortal eyes," Annabeth said, not noticing Briar's internal dilemma. "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 Briar like she was trying to judge how Briar was handling the news.

"Hey, are you alright?" Annabeth frowned at her. Well, her frown became deeper than before.

"Yeah . . . I'm fine." Briar shook her head, but the pain was still in her head. She tried to ignore it. "So you're saying my mother was a goddess."

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

Briar couldn't tell her why. The dream had warned her this was coming. Soon they will find you, demigod, that voice had rumbled. When they do, follow our directions. Cooperate, and your girlfriend might live.

What girlfriend? She'd asked. I think I'd know if I had one.

But her memories were gone. And somewhere, where they were being repressed . . . a feeling came out of it. That the fact that her mother was — is — a goddess wasn't alien to her. She'd known this for her entire life.

Briar rubbed her temples. "I don't get surprised easily, I guess. So who's my mom?"

She should know this. The dove on her tattoo has to mean something related to that. But what?

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

"The deal?" Briar didn't comment on how she didn't know how old she was.

"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."

"Why thirteen?"

"The older you get," Annabeth explained, "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."