A huntress brother

Going on my quest

Percy Pov

I almost blew it.

I was coming up the steps behind Nico. He didn't see me at all. He was behind a column, peeking around the corner, all his attention focused on the dining area. I was five feetaway from him, and I was about to say What are you doing? real loud, when it occurred to methat he was pulling a Grover: he was spying on the Hunters. 

There were voices—two girls talking at one of the dining tables. At this ungodly hour ofthe morning? Well, unless you're the goddess of dawn, I guess.

I took Annabeth's magic cap out of my pocket and put it on.I didn't feel any different, but when I raised my arms I couldn't see them. I wasinvisible.I crept up to Nico and sneaked around him. I couldn't see the girls very well in the dark,but I knew their voices: Zoe and Bianca. It sounded like they were arguing.

"It cannot be cured," Zoe was saying. "Not quickly, at any rate."

"But how did it happen?" Bianca asked. 

"A foolish prank," Zoe growled. "Those Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaurblood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis HuntingTour T-shirt with it." 

"That's terrible!" 

"She will live," Zoe said. "But she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. Thereis no way she can go. It's up to me... and thee." 

"But the prophecy," Bianca said. "If Phoebe can't go, we only have four. We'll have topick another." 

"There is no time," Zoe said. "We must leave at first light. That's immediately. Besides,the prophecy said we would lose one."

"In the land without rain," Bianca said, "but that can't be here." 

"It might be," Zoe said, though she didn't sound convinced. "The camp has magicborders. Nothing, not even weather, is allowed in without permission. It could be a landwithout rain."

"But—" 

"Bianca, hear me." Zoe's voice was strained. "I... I can't explain, but I have a sense thatwe should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worsethan Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our fifth companion. And... I don'twant to risk another Hunter." 

Bianca was silent. "You should tell Thalia the rest of your dream."

"No. It would not help." 

"But if your suspicions are correct, about the General—" 

"I have thy word not to talk about that," Zoe said. She sounded really anguished. "Wewill find out soon enough. Now come. Dawn is breaking."

Nico scooted out of their way. He was faster than me.As the girls sprinted down the steps, Zoe almost ran into me. She froze, her eyesnarrowing. Her hand crept toward her bow, but then Bianca said, "The lights of the Big Houseare on. Hurry!"

And Zoe followed her out of the pavilion.

I could tell what Nico was thinking. He took a deep breath and was about to run afterhis sister when I took off the invisibility cap and said, 

"Wait."He almost slipped on the icy steps as he spun around to find me.

"Where did you comefrom?" 

"I've been here the whole time. Invisible."He mouthed the word invisible. "Wow. Cool." 

"How did you know Zoe and your sister were here?" 

He blushed. "I heard them walk by the Hermes cabin. I don't... I don't sleep too well atcamp. So I heard footsteps, and them whispering. And so I kind of followed."