In which, Adira Lancaster falls in love with her rival, Percy Jackson
OR
he falls in love with her first, unknowingly.
She only seemed to think about a rivalry. Nothing else. Zilch. Nada. Zip.
-disclaimer- I do not own the Percy Jackson Books, or an...
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I'd almost forgotten what Camp Half-Blood looked like in winter before, because the snow surprised me.
The camp has the ultimate magic climate control. Nothing gets inside the borders unless the director, Mr. D, wants it to.
Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they were balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and the windows, weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body. I wondered if the spirit of Delphi was roasting marshmallows up there or something. I wanted to go join her.
"Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?"
"Yeah," I answered.
"Why is there lava pouring down it?"
"A little fun extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—" Percy said.
"I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."
"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.
"We know the way."
"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"—he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—"like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"
Zoe rolled her eyes, but I guess she figured there was no getting rid of Grover. Brett followed her, and by the looks of his face, the Hunters were making him sleep outside, AGAIN. No boys to watch them sleep, though, technically, since they're Artemis adopted children, we're siblings, but oh well.
The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins. As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she leaned over and whispered something in her brothers ear. She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.
"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at me. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."
"What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. "Remeber, my facorite twins," he called, "remember you're uncle is awesome!"
Of course that's what he told us. "And, uh, be good!"
He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. I turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When I looked back, the lake was steaming. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight.
Nico was still looking grumpy. I wondered what his sister had told him.
"Who's Chiron?" he asked. "I don't have his figurine."
