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The Tour of Camp Half-Blood I

Piper's POV

After a morning of storm spirits, goat men, and flying boyfriends, Piper should've been losing her mind. Instead, all she felt was dread.

It's starting, she thought. Just like the dream said.

She stood in back of one of the chariots with Jason, while the bald guy, Butch, handled the reins, and the blond girl, Annabeth, adjusted a bronze navigation device, while Leo, the two brunettes, Zoe and Theo, followed them in the second chariot. They rose over the Grand Canyon and headed east, icy wind ripping straight through Piper's jacket. Behind them, more storm clouds were gathering.

The chariot lurched and bumped. It had no seat belts, and the back was wide open, so Piper wondered if Jason would catch her again if she fell. That had been the most disturbing part of the morning—not that Jason could fly, but that he'd held her in his arms and yet didn't know who she was.

All semester she'd worked on a relationship, trying to get Jason to notice her as more than a friend. Finally, she'd gotten the big dope to kiss her. The last few weeks had been the best of her life. And then, three nights ago, the dream had ruined everything—that horrible voice, giving her horrible news.

She hadn't told anyone about it, not even Jason.

Now she didn't even have him. It was like someone had wiped his memory, and she was stuck in the worst "do-over" of all time. She wanted to scream. Jason stood right next to her: those sky-blue eyes, close-cropped blond hair, that cute little scar on his upper lip. His face was kind and gentle, but always a little sad. And he just stared at the horizon, not even noticing her.

Meanwhile, Leo was being annoying, as usual, on the other chariot.

Leo: This is so cool! Where are we going?

Theo: Somewhere safe. The only safe place for kids like us. Camp Half-Blood.

Piper: Half-Blood?

Piper was immediately on guard as she glared at Theo. She hated that word. She'd been called a half-blood too many times—half Cherokee, half white—and it was never a compliment.

Piper: Is that some kind of bad joke?

Theo furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before raising them, as if he realized how racist that sounded. He opened his mouth, but Jason beat him to it.

Jason: He means we're demigods. Half god, half mortal.

Annabeth: You seem to know a lot, Jason. But, yes, demigods. My mom is Athena, goddess of wisdom. Butch here is the son of Iris, the rainbow goddess. Theo and Zoe are children of Artemis, the moon goddess.

Leo: (to Butch) Your mom is a rainbow goddess?

Butch: Got a problem with that?

Leo: No, no. Rainbows. Very macho.

Zoe: Butch is our best equestrian. He gets along well with the Pegasi.

Leo: (mutters) Rainbows. Ponies.

Butch: I'm gonna toss you off this chariot.

Piper: Demigods. You mean you think you're...you think we're—

Lightning flashed. The chariot shuddered.

Jason: Left wheel's on fire!

Piper stepped back. Sure enough, the wheel was burning, white flames lapping up the side of the chariot.