Sunburn- phoebus apollo

--v. rhea gets a new deadly weapon

CAMP HALF-BLOOD DURING THE WINTER was a sight to see. See, the camp has the ultimate magic climate control. Nothing gets inside the borders unless the director, Mr. D, wants it to. Snow had been allowed to fall lightly. Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body. Rhea wondered if the spirit of Delphi was roasting marshmallows up there or something.

"Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah," Percy said.

"Why is there lava pouring down it?"

"Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—"

"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 Rhea guessed she figured there was no getting rid of Grover. 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. Rhea couldn't blame the kid.

"Take care!" Apollo called after the Hunters, before he smirked at Percy. "Watch out for those prophecies, Jackson. I'll see you soon."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked with a light scowl on his face.

Instead of answering, Apollo turned his attention to Rhea, who suddenly felt like she had a dozen butterflies swelling inside her gut under the weight of his stare. As if sensing her flustered state, he smiled at her--but there was something heavier in his gaze now; something deeper than the warm, kindled gaze he'd sent her back at Westover and the ones in her dreams.

"You're leaving now?" Rhea asked quietly.

"Just for now," he confirmed, as he reached out from his collar to take out his sunglasses and transferring them onto Rhea's shirt collar instead. "But you will be seeing me very soon, Rhea, and any time you step out into the sun, you have many attention. Whenever you need me, just dream, and I will answer."

"Can you leave now?" Percy said impatiently with a frown. "Stop hogging my sister."

Apollo's eyes flashed dangerously but softened when Rhea nudged his hand. Then, Apollo reached down to cradle her hand in his and press his lips tenderly to her knuckles.

After giving her a peck on the cheek, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!"

He gave Thalia a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then, after blowing a kiss to a blushing Rhea, he closed the doors and revved the engine. She turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When she 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.

Rhea couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at his quick departure. After all these years of knowing him, the girl had only met Apollo twice.

"What the hell was that?" Thalia demanded, her jaw slack. "What did I just witness?"