Percy Jackson and the Olympians : The Master Thief

Chapter 1

1 The sun was beginning to rise at the east side of camp. The heat of the Hermes cabin was raising by the minute. Everyone inside the Hermes cabin was sweating, practically dying of heat. Lucy Moran, one of the oldest campers at Camp Half-Blood, lay on her sleeping bag on the floor in a puddle of her own sweat. Her long, brown hair was matted to her pale forehead. Her eyes were rapidly moving under her closed eyelids. Her heart was pounding at a million miles a minute. Lucy whimpered in her sleep. If her cabin mates were awake they could save her from her nightmares, but no one was wake. No one was there to wake her from her terrible slumber.

Lucy dreamt of the calm ocean lapping at her feet as she sat on a beach in Oregon. The light blue sea foam gently gathered on the shore. Lucy looked out at the water, enjoying the hot afternoon sun. Sun was rare to see in Oregon; at least when Lucy was lived there, when she was a child. Eric, her father, was out in the dark water, splashing and diving about. He made his way towards shore when he spotted his daughter alone on the sand. His blonde cropped hair was beginning to curl because of the salt water, and his tanned skin was beginning to break out in goosebumps,due to the cold gust of wind that came in from the ocean.
"Lucy?" He asked as he approached her. Lucy looked up from the sand at her feet.
"Dad! You scared me." Lucy said as she looked at her father.
"Sorry Luc, are you feeling ok?" He asked as he sat down next to her on the damp beach towel.
"Just thinking. " Lucy said nonchalantly.
"About?" Eric tried to encourage his daughter to continue speaking, but she stayed quiet.
Lucy stared at the ocean, and dug her feet into the sand. Calm, peaceful minutes passed before Lucy spoke again.
"I was thinking about Mom." Lucy said sadly. Eric sighed as he wrapped his arms around his 6 year old daughter.
"Mom would have loved to have been here." Eric said before adding, " Mom is in a better place now, I'm sure of it. " Eric looked down at Lucy with a sad smile.
"Can we visit her grave tomorrow?" Lucy asked as she looked up into her Dads brown eyes.
"Certainly." Eric smiled a bit. Lucy and Eric sat on the sand for half an hour before getting up to leave.
"Let's go home." Lucy declared as she got up and began packing. Eric released a breath that he didn't know he was holding. He missed Sara with all his heart, but he had to be strong for Lucy.
While Lucy was packing she continuously thought she heard a voice calling her to the ocean. The longer she ignored the voice the louder it got.
"Come to me daughter." It spoke in a soft whisper against the waves.
"Don't disobey your mother." It said in a sharp whisper. Lucy stopped packing and stared at the ocean with an annoyed look.
" Lucy," the soft female voice began.
"In 11 years time, your fates will be demised. The Sea will rise and so shall spies. Your heart will be taken but faith in him will be shaken. Seven shall face death and only you shall save their breath. The Sea will be the last,but his soul will have past. " whispered the voice.
Lucy stared at the water in a panic. The dream began to change. The ocean was churning and thrashing about violently. Lucy was no longer her 6 year old self. She was back in her 16 year old body. Lucy looked around, frantically searching for her father. He was no where to be seen. As Lucy turned back to look at the ocean she saw a man emerging out of the waves. He walked calmly over the raging waves, towards Lucy. When he reached shore, the rage of the ocean grew quiet. The hurricane like storm didn't stop but the sounds and powerful gusts of wind did.
" Hello Ms.Moran" said the man. Lucy couldn't believe her eyes. This 25year old, 6foot 5in man, with a beard and gorgeous blue-green eyes walked out of the ocean, and casually made conversation with her.
"Um... Hello?" She spoke cautiously. The man let out a small chuckle. Apparently this was amusing to him.
"Forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself to you. I'm Poseidon, God of the Sea." Poseidon said. Lucy couldn't believe her eyes. The Greek God of the Sea was standing in front of her in a pair of khaki shorts, sandals and a t-shirt that said : Seas the day.
" OH! Your... Highness..." Lucy stuttered. Lucy had never talked to a God before, let alone one of the Big 3. Her mind had become jelly. She looked like a deer caught in some head lights. Poseidon chuckled yet again. Lucy was apparently very funny to the God of the Sea.
"Please, don't do that." Poseidon smiled. He walked towards Lucy, and sat down on the ground. Lucy followed his motions. Long, silent minutes passed by before either of them spoke again.
"Sir? May I ask why you're here? Sitting and talking with me? I mean, you aren't my Godly parent, because if you were my dad would have a lot of explaining to do." Lucy chuckled at her little joke. Poseidon chuckled a bit as well, which made Lucy feel better. At least someone liked her sense of humour.
"I am here to give you advice, since someone upstairs won't claim you." Poseidon explained. Lucy's expression saddened at hearing his words. Her mom didn't want to claim her? Why wouldn't she claim her? Lucy had thousands of questions swirling through her mind,but she held her tongue. She knew that Poseidon didn't have the answers she needed.
"A new camper will be arriving at camp in a few months. He will need all the training he can get. You are the most skilled fighter at Camp Half-Blood, apart from that Castellan boy, who I'm not sure I can trust." Poseidon began to ramble a bit about Luke Castellan, son of Hermes. Lucy felt her face get hot. She had had a crush on Luke ever since she saved his life.
"Anyway, never mind about Luke, I need your word that you'll do your best to train him for his quest. You get a benefit as well, you can ask me later for a single favour,and I shall grant it . " Poseidon said as he looked desperately at Lucy.
"You have my word." Lucy said as she gently patted Poseidon's shoulder. As soon as she patted his shoulder, she knew she had crossed the line. She backed away quickly and began to apologise profusely.
"I'm terribly sorry. That's how I comfort my dad...at least that's  how I used to." Lucy said with a sad look in her eyes.
"It's quiet alright Lucy." Poseidon said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. They stood up and looked at the raging ocean. Poseidon turned to Lucy and gave her a gentle hug. Lucy felt safe in his grasp, and he smelled of sea salt and fresh rain, which made Lucy feel protected.
"I will be in touch with you soon,"Poseidon said as he walked towards the sea. He stepped into the water and began to dissolve into sea foam. Before he completely disappeared he turned and yelled to Lucy.
"DO NOT GO ON THE QUEST!" He shouted over the roar of the wind and waves.
And then he was gone. Thunder crackled over the sky and scared Lucy.
Lucy jumped awake as the thunder in her dream boomed over the sky. She pulled in a deep breath of hot air, and tried to gain her senses. The Hermes cabin was about as hot as the Hephaestus cabin. Lucy crawled out of her sleeping bag and nearly sprinted towards the door. She was broiling, just like her cabin mates. She threw open the door and the cool early morning air rushed inside the cabin. She went around opening the windows,to get the cabin to cool down. Pretty soon everything was cool enough for demigods to function. Once the cabin was cool again, Lucy sat on her bed and thought about her dream. Her mother had called to her from the ocean, and Poseidon had asked her for help. Lucy groaned as she flopped on her sleeping bag. She huffed before falling asleep again. The dream she had, had made her extremely tired again.