𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦 ⇉ 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗫

𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗔 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗜𝗔 had a secret. Not a big one, really, but Chiron would definitely not be pleased with how they spent their time. The fact that it wasn't technically a crime was Val's defense, but, as Mia reminded her, the mortal lawmakers didn't know about magic, and if they did, they would probably outlaw it.

She didn't seem too concerned with committing crimes, though.

Now that Mia had left for school, Val spent a lot of time alone. Most campers were slowly moving out, promising to return next year. They got their beads—black with a turquoise trident—and slid them on their necklaces. The emblem was the same as the one on Val's lockbox.

The lockbox that she had yet to unlock. Percy had been back for weeks, but Val hadn't managed to ask him. It was a bit awkward- Hey, Percy, do you mind touching this lock so I can see what's inside this old box I'm not supposed to have?

Mia, while hugging her goodbye, told her she could go ahead and open it without her, but Val was hesitant. Mia's help was the only reason she even know how the box worked. It seemed like a betrayal, opening it without her after that.

So, she just had to wait until next summer. Percy seemed to be staying throughout the school year, though Bella insisted he hadn't made his choice yet. Val still had to wait a couple weeks until her brother could pick her up, but eventually she'd leave camp, too. As soon as they all returned, they could open the box and finally see what was inside.

Val looked both ways and very subtly pulled down the attic stairs. She was fairly certain nobody was in the Big House, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

They creaked as she clambered up them. Once she reached the top, she pulled them up behind her, trying desperately to ignore the Oracle's milky gaze.

The corpse didn't scare Val, really, but being alone in the attic with it did. What if she started to move? What if she woke up and gave Val a prophecy? What if she fell down and broke and Val had to go tell Chiron what happened? She couldn't deal with that, not when the biggest secret of her life was hiding behind a couple boxes three feet from the Oracle.

Val had to move a couple old cardboard boxes to reveal the small crawl space leading to their secret. It's dusty, and cramped, but Mia had been so excited when she'd revealed that most of the boxes were just a façade, allowing for a small room to be constructed behind the barrier. Val doesn't know how she did it. Four hours, a drill, and several pieces of scrap metal were all it took to create Val and Mia's very own apothecary.

Well, technically it was Val's apothecary. Mia couldn't do much more than stir the cauldron without messing up the potion, but she'd built it, so Val gave her the credit.

This was their space. This is where they could go during free time, and Val could try to recipes inked in her old dusty tomes, and Mia could fiddle with her littler projects in the corner, on the armchairs they'd set up. The sun would filter in through the dusty old window, or they'd set up candles, and they would chatter about nothing, really. They could talk about their days or what they were doing, and the other would just listen. Val couldn't let Chiron take this away.