A web of fates | Percy Jackson and the Olympians

VI| Daphne and Percy vs Thalia

Daphne was pretty miserable at dinner that night.

The food was excellent as usual. You can't go wrong with barbecue, pizza, and never-empty soda goblets.

The torches and braziers kept the outdoor pavilion warm.

Nico sat with the Daphne and the Stoll brothers, since new campers always got stuck in the Hermes cabin if their Olympian parent was unknown.

The Stoll brothers were trying to convince Nico that poker was a much better game than Mythomagic.

Daphne hoped Nico didn't have any money to lose. She remembered her first encounter with her father, when he had caught her gambling at the Lotus Casino.

It wasn't a pleasant memory, she hated every bit of the encounter then and hated it even more as she looked back on it.

The only table that really seemed to be having a good time was the Artemis table. The Hunters drank and ate and laughed like one big happy family.

Zoë sat at the head like she was the mama. She didn't laugh as much as the others, but she did smile from time to time. Her silver lieutenant's band glittered in the dark braids of her hair.

Daphne thought she looked a lot nicer when she smiled. Bianca di Angelo seemed to be having a great time.

She was trying to learn how to arm wrestle from the big girl who'd picked a fight with the Ares kid on the basketball court (Daphne had heard).

The bigger girl was beating her every time, but Bianca didn't seem to mind.

When they'd finished eating, Chiron made the customary toast to the gods and formally welcomed the Hunters of Artemis.

The clapping was pretty half hearted. Then he announced the 'good will' capture-the-flag game for tomorrow night, which got a lot better reception.

Afterward, they all trailed back to their cabins for an early, winter lights out.

*•*

Daphne didn't sleep well that night. Her mind racing about what had happened to Annabeth until she couldn't take it anymore.

When she was certain her brothers, and Nico, were sleeping deeply Daphne got out of her bunk and snook out of the cabin.

Then she made her way to the Camps forest, steering clear away from the Harpies. When she was almost positive that she was in the all clear, she pressed her scythe charm - the symbol of Kronos - located on her silver bracelet.

She pulled it towards her mouth and spoke. "Luke."

The charm was voice activated, and enabled both Luke and Daphne to communicate to one another whilst she was at Camp.

A few moments pass by and Daphne was about to give up and head back to Camp when Luke spoke.

A few seconds later, a green hologram appeared right in front of Daphne.

Luke looked exhausted, there were several wounds across his body and his clothes were covered in mud and dirt.

Despite the state he was in, the son of Hermes managed to still have that trademark grin.

"Daphne...are you okay?" He asked his little sister, a look of genuine concern on his face.

Daphne nodded, she couldn't tell where Luke was or what he was doing.

"The real question is are you okay?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed together as her mind raced to its own theories and suspicions.

"I'm fine." Luke lied, he was clearly not. He looked off somewhere else, something had clearly caught his eye. "How's camp?"