SAFE . . . reyna ramirez-arellano

5 - touring around

ON THE CENTRAL green, a group of campers was playing basketball. They were incredible shots. Nothing bounced off the rim. Three-pointers went in automatically.

"Apollo's cabin," Annabeth explained. "Bunch of showoffs with missile weapons — arrows, basketballs."

"I'd like to see them try against me," Briar said, and then she stopped. What? She had a faint memory of an orange ball dropping onto her foot, and a warm embrace and a lot of tears.

"Briar?" Annabeth turned and frowned.

"I'm fine," Briar said quickly, jogging to catch up with her.

They walked past a central fire pit, where two guys were hacking at each other with swords.

Annabeth ignored them and said, "that's my cabin over there. Number Six." She nodded to a gray building with a carved owl over the door. Through the open doorway, Briar could see bookshelves, weapon displays, and one of those computerized SMART Boards they have in classrooms. Two girls were drawing a map that looked like a battle diagram.

"Come here," Annabeth said.

She led Briar around the side of the cabin, to a big metal shed that looked like it was meant for gardening tools. Annabeth unlocked it, and inside were not gardening tools, unless you wanted to make war on your tomato plants. The shed was lined with all sorts of weapons — from swords to spears to clubs like Coach Hedge's.

"I know you already have a knife," Annabeth said, "but dual wielding knives is a big advantage for battles."

Briar didn't feel much like shopping for deadly objects, but she knew Annabeth was trying to do something nice for her.

Annabeth handed her a massive sword, which Briar could hardly lift.

"No," they both said at once.

"I don't like using swords," Briar frowned. "I think." She thought about it for a second, before nodding. "Yeah. I don't like them."

Annabeth rummaged a little farther in the shed and brought out something else.

"A shotgun?" Briar asked.

"Mossberg 500." Annabeth checked the pump action like it was no big deal. "Don't worry. It doesn't hurt humans. It's modified to shoot Celestial bronze, so it only kills monsters."

Briar held it in her hand. "I don't like this," she said. "Maybe a bigger one?"

Annabeth took the gun and put it back, and while she started poking through more guns, something in the corner of the shed caught Briar's eye.

"What's that knife?" Briar asked.

Annabeth dug it out and blew the dust off the scabbard. It looked like it hadn't seen the light of day in centuries.

"I don't know, Briar." Annabeth sounded uneasy. "I don't think you want this one. I could get you a gun."

"I don't think I want a gun," Briar said. "Give me the knife."

Annabeth shrugged. "Well, take a look if you want."

The sheath was worn black leather, bound in bronze. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy. The polished wood handle fit beautifully in Briar's hand. When she unsheathed it, she found a triangular blade eighteen inches long — bronze gleaming like it had been polished yesterday. The edges were deadly sharp. Her reflection in the blade caught her by surprise. She looked older, more serious, not as scared as she felt.

This knife wasn't like the one Briar's had. Yet it felt the same in her hand.

"It suits you," Annabeth admitted. "That kind of blade is called a parazonium. It was mostly ceremonial, carried by high-ranking officers in the Greek armies. It showed you were a person of power and wealth, but in a fight, it could protect you just fine."