Not Quite Mortal • HoO

XVI Savannah Bell

"How many people did you say?"

I sat in the midsection of my family's van, my parents seated in the front, Lara beside me, and the twins in the back. We had decided that going back to comp as soon as possible would be the best option, seeing as nothing was more important than safety, and we had time available during spring break.

The question of how many people they had seen at camp had come from my mom, Maya. She sat in the passenger seat nervously tapping her foot and grabbing onto the armrest every time the vehicle turned a corner.

"I don't know, mom, hundreds probably," Lara answered. "And they all had weapons like our own - except better. They were organized, and they all knew how to fight the monsters."

"I don't believe it," Maya muttered. "I just don't believe it."

Dad reached an arm across to take his wife's hand. "Isn't it amazing? Maybe we'll be able to send the kids there and finally get a vacation to ourselves," he joked.

"Hey," Lara interjected, "you get plenty of time to yourselves when Vannah and I take Molly and Christian with us."

"And we don't need that much attention," Molly said. "We take care of ourselves!"*

My mom laughed lightly. "That's true. I was hoping that finding this place would mean that we could be together more often without so much risk."

No one said anything then. That was everyone's wish and something that seemed much too good to be true.

When we finally got to camp, the sun was low in the sky. Lara and I stood together behind our parents and watched them take it all in. Neither said a word as two satyrs walked by carrying a large piece of machinery. They only watched, eyes wide, as a group of teens walked towards the cabins, two dressed in jeans and t-shirts, and one in full battle armor, carrying a sword. Their silence was only broken when Christian expressed his exuberance in a sentence that made our parents scold him for his language, and made Lara laugh.

"Savannah!" I heard a voice call from behind me. I turned. Annabeth was already at the big house, beckoning to us from the front porch.

"Let's go." I walked towards my friend, making sure that my entire family was following.

Everyone but Lara and I stepped backward when Chiron came into view in full on centaur mode.

"Hello," Chiron said. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Bell. I've been very interested to meet you." He held out a hand to Ben, who shook it, smiling and nodding. Maya didn't do such a good job at staring and Chiron's hooves and tail as she shook his hand.

"I'm Molly," Molly piped out, offering her hand.

"Nice to meet you as well, child," Chiron said, accepting her hand. "And you are?" He turned to Christian.

"You're a centaur."

Chiron chuckled. "Of that, I am quite aware. I was wondering who you might be."

"Oh, I'm Christian."

"Good, good." Chiron turned back to our parents. "Have you been filled in on how our camp works? The cabins? The gods?"

"We've heard everything you told Larissa and Savannah when they were last here. We were hoping for more," Ben said. "Is it possible for us to be claimed as adults? Will our children be claimed?"

"No," Chiron answered. "Your children will not be claimed as they are not direct children of the gods. However, I have no reason to suspect that you can't be claimed. If you are to be claimed, it is likely to be at the campfire, which will take place momentarily. Annabeth will lead you there, and when you return, you can stay at the big house for the night, or cabins if you are claimed."