𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 ꨄ

F o u r t e e n

"If I see them one more time, someone is coming out of this without a head."

Luna startled out of her reading at the sound of their cabin door bursting open. Clarisse and Sherman walked through, sweaty and angry and looking for all the world like they could do with a fight. But then again, they looked like they'd just come from one, so who was she to know.

She'd been enjoying a relatively nice June morning, just her and Maeve (because she was the only one who actually liked listening to music with her) and they'd been going through some of the CDs Cora had lent her two days ago. Luna had felt extremely proud of herself when Maeve had gaped at the Justin Timberlake disc and declared that they should immediately stick it in. They'd gotten through three songs. That was when Clarisse had barged through the door, promising bloody murder.

"Oh," Maeve got up from her bed and lowered the sound on the Walkman, grinning. "Who are we fighting?"

"The Athena kids," Sherman said angrily as he slumped down on his bed. "Gods, they get brattier every day."

Clarisse grunted as she tugged her curly hair out of her ponytail. "You should of heard what they were saying, those nerds. Going on about how Zeus has every right to wage war because his master bolt has been stolen and that it is his right as King to do what he wants. What a load of bull."

"They're one hundred percent sure that Poseidon stole it and that he deserves what's coming for him." Sherman added, the look on his face making it clear that he thought that theory was stupid. "Nevermind the fact that if Zeus and his brother go to war, then we'll all suffer and possibly die."

Luna's mouth hung open. The master bolt. That's what had been stolen - of course. Now it all made sense.

"But how do you even know that its the bolt that's been stolen?" She asked him.

"They're the ones who told us. Had a proper laugh when they figured out we didn't know, too. Gods, we have to beat them at the next capture the flag, or they'll go on continuing like they own the world."

Clarisse smirked. "Ah, but we have the advantage this time. Did you forget? Wise girl has gone off with Jackson to save the world. Without her, they're basically nothing."

"Doesn't matter who wins capture the flag if we all die," Maeve said matter of factly. She thumbed her short brown hair in between her fingers, hazel eyes focused intently.

"We won't die," Clarisse said in her no-nonsense voice. "The other gods are going to back Poseidon -because its obvious he's the right choice - just like we are. Zeus can't fight a war all on his own."

"You can't actually know that," Her sister countered. "Cabin six is already on his side. That means that Athena is with her father too."

"Also," Luna got up, and because she's petty and hadn't spoken to her in a week, looked right at Clarisse. "How come we're with Poseidon?"

The Ares girl raised her eyebrows. "I literally just said-"

"No, I meant that its rich you're backing Poseidon when, like, a week ago you were trying to maim his son." Her tone adopted something haughty and sarcastic. The air became thick with tension. She saw Sherman and Maeve exchange a confused glance - Luna was aware that the rest of their cabin mates knew something had happened between the two of them, but none of them had brought it up so far. She wondered how much that luck would last.

Clarisse's eyes hardened as she stared at her. "Jackson isn't that important, regardless of what you believe. And I'm not petty enough to be on the wrong side of a war just because some twerp got on my nerves."