Chaos Descends

Down In The Forest

We were forbidden from making earthquakes.

I guess that's the best our half human half horse camp counselor could do. We technically weren't at fault in this situation and the Ares kids involved were being reprimanded but it's not like they could exactly limit our powers or anything. They couldn't slap anti-earthquake bracelets on our wrists and be done with it. Chiron was a bit amazed that we could even make earthquakes.

"The last son of Poseidon I encountered only had control over the sea. He tried many times to bring about an earthquake but he failed every time." I wondered how long ago that was. How many daughters and sons of the Gods had Chiron come across?

"Well that went better than I expected." Percy said, rubbing the back of his neck as we took the short walk to the pavilion. I shrugged. It went about about as well as I hoped it would. The hard part would be right now, sitting with all our friends and the other campers.

"Hey guys!" Leo called out excitedly as we walked towards them. I fixed my eyes firmly on Nico so I wouldn't look around me at the other campers. Nico looked grim but he always looks like that. Jason and Hazel looked worried while everyone else seemed to be trying to act natural.

"Hungry?" Annabeth asked as we got closer.

"I'm so hungry my stomach might split in two." I groaned and hit Percy as he sat down.

"That was just bad." Frank said shaking his head.

"Yeah, I have way better earthquake jokes than that." Leo prompted as I took my place next to Nico. He kissed my cheek and grabbed my hand under the table. I blushed, my ears turning red.

"Please don't make any puns." Hazel begged him.

"But I love cracking jokes." Jason sighed next to Leo and I watched Nico roll his eyes. Leo laughed lightly.

"Are you okay?" Nico asked lowly. I nodded my head as I glanced around the table. Nothing looked different but it sure felt like something had changed. It was in the air, a stiff veil covering us. I was sure that by now both camps had been informed of what had transpired.

Poseidon's children had rocked the earth. They had split it open. Had anything so powerful been seen before?

As dinner progressed, I didn't speak unless someone talked to me. Even then my sentences were short and eventually everyone understood that I just wasn't in the mood. I was glad Nico wasn't much of a talker either, unless we were alone. I didn't know what to say to him right now but I was positive he would have a lot to say to me later.

Percy kept telling me to stop worrying but I couldn't help it. I kept giving everyone sideways glances. It felt like everyone was talking about us, everyone was looking at us. I just wanted to curl up and die. I wanted everyone to forget. I wished it had never happened. I wished we hadn't gotten so mad.

I showered quickly, escaping the bathroom before I could hear anyone talk about me or look at me funny. I basically ran back to the Cabin, startling Percy. His hair was wet from the shower and he was reading some book on his bed when I came in. "You're so fidgety sis." I sighed. "Nico dropped something off for you by the way." He gestured to my bed and I walked over, placing my clothes down.

There was a white chrysanthemum on my bed, a note attached to it. When he had first sent me the flower, I had seen it as a sweet gesture but he ruined it after he told me the flower symbolized death. I had rolled my eyes at him and I think I even threw the first flower in his face but what was I supposed to expect from the Ghost King?

I picked up the flower with a sigh and untied the note, unrolling it. In his scrawled handwriting read,

Meet me in the forest. Same time, same place.
-Nico