The Daughter of Apollo

Chapter Seven: Can't Start School without being Claimed

Chapter Seven-Can't Start School without being Claimed

The next week went by so fast I couldn't really remember it. I spent most my free time hanging out with Meg and getting to know some of the other campers, though I was still shy of them. Nico said that I'd have to go meet up with Aunt Sally and Uncle Paul soon. Lana, Meg, and I would be living in the open apartment next door to them. Drew would be in and out of there since he was a legal adult, but he wouldn't be going to school. He was going to spend most of his time at Camp. Apparently, my parents trusted him to just train and learn how to fight with a sword and then come back to finish up school back in Kokomo.

And, apparently, my family didn't trust me like that.

In a couple hours, Meg, Lana, Percy, Annabeth, and I would go into the city, travel to the apartment, unpack, and get settled in before school starts in, like, three days.

I traveled to the arena-half of it being taken up by Percy's pet helhound, Mrs. O' Leary. Seriously? A pet hellhound? Can my cousin get any weirder?

I picked up a gleaming Celestial Bronze sword; three feet of deadly weaponry that would get any normal person arrested for owning. I sighed, wondering how I was going to hide this thing, or a bow and arrow, in the mortal world.

I continued training, slashing dummies into rags and stuffing, pretending each one was a different problem I'll have to face.

Being the new kid.

Slash!

Starting over.

Ker-whack!

Not being claimed when I'd been here for, what? Three weeks now?

Stab!

I continued on and on until my arm felt like it'd fall off. But that didn't stop me. Instead I sheathed my sword and headed toward the archery range.

When I arrived at the edge of the archery range, I grabbed a spare bow and quiver full of arrows. I then walked up to the shooting line. I notched an arrow and pulled the string back, pretending the bull's eye was one of the bullies I had to put up with.

Audrey Plow

Whoosh-ing!

Bull's eye.

Ellie Bean

Whiiiiish-king!

 Another bull's eye.

I reloaded.

Paula Stout

I pulled back on the string, but before I let go and let the arrow fly, Chiron-who had been teaching a class-and Will Solace from Apollo and plenty other Apollo campers bowed or clapped or cheered.

"Jaycee Carter, daughter of Apollo, god of the sun, healing, music, and poetry!" Chiron announced in a loud voice. Why'd he give me an introduction? I'm pretty sure everyone knew who I was by now. Or does he do that to everyone?

Wait...I've been claimed! Well, you can't start school without being claimed.

I looked up above me to see a lyre and a bow and arrow. Two symbols of Apollo. It was all bathed in a golden light. I stared at the fading symbol, the same thing running through my mind; I hadn't noticed Will and some other Apollo campers leading me to Cabin 7.

I've been claimed....

That's all I could think about. I'd been claimed. Well, now that I think about it, it was obvious I was a child of Apollo. I was exceptional at archery, I was absolutely in love with music, poetry wasn't my favorite, but I could memorize it faster than you could say Shakespeare.