The Blazing Fate

Chapter Three

Leo was loving the place and Astrid felt her heart swell as they walked around the camp. It had been a while since a new camper showed so much enthusiasm. Astrid had missed home and had missed her brother.

Astrid and Will showed Leo the cabins, the dining pavilion, and the sword arena.

'Do I get sword?' Leo asked.

Astrid glanced at him, finding the idea terrifying. 'You'll probably make your own, seeing as how you're in Cabin Nine. But my advice is stay away from pointy objects.'

'Yeah, what's up with that? Vulcan?'

'Usually, we don't call the God's by their Roman names,' Will said. 'The original names are Greek. You dad is Hephaestus.'

'Festus? Sounds like the God of cowboys.'

'He-phaestus,' Astrid corrected. 'God of blacksmiths and fire like I said before.'

'So, the flaming hammer over my head,' Leo said. 'Good or bad?'

Will hesitated and that made Astrid keep her mouth shut. She hadn't been back in a while, and she didn't know what curse Butch was talking about.

'You were claimed almost immediately. That's usually good.'

'But that rainbow pony dude, Butch—he mentioned a curse.'

'Ah... look, it's nothing. Since Cabin Nine's last head counselor died—'

'Died? Like painfully?'

'Is this important?' Astrid asked.

She remembers the feeling when Percy came back without Charles Beckendorf. The sickening sobs of Selena when she realized. Astrid almost couldn't shake the noises away.

'We ought to let your bunkmates tell you about it,' Will conceded.

'Yeah, where are my home dawgs? Shouldn't their counselor be giving me the VIP tour?'

'Yeah, where's Jake?' Astrid questioned. 'I didn't see any Hephaestus kids.'

'He, um, can't. You'll see why.'

Will forged ahead. Leo turned to Astrid.

'Curses and death,' he said. 'This just gets better and better.'

Astrid shrugs. 'I haven't been here in a while. I'm learning things right alongside you.'

Leo scoffed slightly, which Astrid knew she deserved.

----

They were halfway across the green when Leo froze in his tracks.

'What's wrong?' Astrid asked.

'That old lady...' Leo said. 'What's she doing here?'

Will and Astrid shared a confused look as they tried to follow his gaze.

'What old lady?' Will asks.

'Dude, the old lady. The one in black. How many old ladies do you see over there.'

Astrid frowned. 'I think you've had a long day, Leo. The Mist could still be playing tricks on your mind. How about we head straight to your cabin now?'

'Just messing with you,' Leo said. He pulled some gears and levers from his pockets and started fiddling with them to obviously calm his nerves. 'Let's go see cabin nine. I'm in the mood for a good curse.'

----

From the outside, the Hephaestus cabin looked like an oversize RV with shiny metal walls and metal-slatted windows. The entrance was like a bank vault door, circular and several feet thick. It opened with lots of brass gears turning and hydraulic pistons blowing smoke.