The Veiled Legacy | PJO - Book Two

four

Ariana knew Annabeth's heart wasn't in the tour. She knew Annabeth would've rather of been anywhere else or helping search for Percy.

Throughout the tour, Annabeth showed no excitement and Ariana was debating whether or not to tell her to go back to her cabin and rest.

Ariana wouldn't mind taking over the tour.

As they climbed a hill at the edge of camp, Piper turned and received an amazing lazing view of the valley--a big stretch of woods.

Ariana smiled. If there was one thing she was adamant on it was she knew Camp Half-Blood was where she belonged. It was where her heart would belong and always would be.

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, Q, with a loop of cabins around a central green, and two wings sticking out the bottom on either side.

In all there were twenty cabins. Before the Titan war there had been twelve, one for each of the Olympians.

Over the last few months they had been building a lot more cabins for the other gods and goddesses, including Ariana's own father, Hades.

"The valley is protected from mortal eyes," Annabeth said. "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 Piper like she was trying to judge how Piper was handling the news.

"You're saying Mom was a goddess."

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

Piper took a shaky breath. "I guess after this morning, it's a little easier to believe. So who's my mom?"

"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?"

"They made a promise last summer ... well, long story... but I basically forced them to agree to claim their children by the time they turned thirteen." Ariana explained. "We should get a sign soon. Perhaps at the campfire tonight."

"Why thirteen?" Piper asked.

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

"Like Coach Hedge?"

Annabeth nodded. "He's- he was a satyr: half man, half goat. Satyrs work for the camp, finding demigods, protecting them, bringing them in when the time is right."

"What happened to him?" she asked. "When we went up into the clouds, did he ... is he gone for good?"

"Hard to say." Annabeth's expression was pained.

"Storm spirits ... difficult to battle. Even our best weapons, Celestial bronze, will pass right through them unless you can catch them by surprise." Ariana said.

"Jason's sword just turned them to dust." Piper remembered.

"He was lucky, then. If you hit a monster just right, you can dissolve them, send their essence back to Tartarus." Annabeth said.

"Tartarus?"

"A huge abyss in the Underworld, where the worst monsters come from. Kind of like a bottomless pit of evil. Anyway, once monsters dissolve, it usually takes months, even years before they can re-form again. But since this storm spirit Dylan got away well, I don't know why he'd keep Hedge alive. Hedge was a protector, though. He knew the risks. Satyrs don't have mortal souls. He'll be reincarnated as a tree or a flower or something." Ariana explained.