Silver Tears - Ethan Nakamura

Forty-seven: I get a nice welcoming and we hire a new guide

HONESTLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING BUT RACHEL AND ANNABETH ARE FIGHTING, I THINK? AND ASTRA THINKS I'M HOPELESS.

Hours later, my raft washed up at Camp Half-Blood.

How I got there, I have no idea. At some point the lake water just changed to salt water. The familiar shoreline of Long Island appeared up ahead, and a couple of friendly great white sharks surfaced and steered me toward the beach. When I landed, the camp seemed deserted. It was late afternoon, but the archery range was empty.

The climbing wall poured lava and rumbled all by itself. Pavilion: nothing. Cabins: all vacant. Then I noticed smoke rising from the amphitheater. Too early for a campfire, and I didn't figure they were roasting marshmallows. I ran toward it.

Before I even got there I heard Chiron making an announcement. When I realized what he was saying, I stopped dead in my tracks.

"—assume he is dead," Chiron said. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his best surviving friend to do the final honors."

I came up on the back of the amphitheater. Nobody noticed me. They were all looking forward, watching as Annabeth took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames.

That's when Astra looked in my direction. She looked shocked, she had new scars on her arms. They were burning my shroud. Annabeth turned to face the audience. She looked terrible. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she managed to say, "He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He..."

Astra stood from where she was seated.

Then Annabeth saw me. Her face went blood red. "He's right there!" Heads turned. People gasped.

"Percy!" Beckendorf grinned. A bunch of other kids crowded around me and clapped me on the back. I heard a few curses from the Ares cabin, but Clarisse just rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe I'd had the nerve to survive.

Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him. "Well," he sighed with obvious relief. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—"

He was interrupted when Astra shoved him aside, she stood in front of me. I thought she would scream and yell at me but she did sometime that I'm not exactly surprised she did.

She punched me and I stumbled back at the sudden force. Astra had gotten stronger since I last saw her. That's when Annabeth said, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" She shoved aside the other campers, even Astra, who seemed unaffected by it.

I thought she was going to punch me, like Astra did, but instead she hugged me so fiercely she nearly cracked my ribs. The other campers fell silent. I saw Astra smiled softly.

Annabeth seemed to realize she was making a scene and pushed me away. "I—we thought you were dead, Seaweed Brain!"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I got lost."