MELANCHOLY [1]

FOUR

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four
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VIA TOOK PIPER AROUND THE camp, explaining the magic archery, pegasus riding, the lava wall, and fighting monsters. They climbed the hill at the edge of camp, and Via let Piper enjoy the view so she herself could get a minute. She hadn't gotten a second's break the past three days, hadn't slept and was surviving purely on caffeine. The view of the camp from where they were standing relaxed her a little.

"The valley is protected by mortal eyes." Via explained. "The weather's controlled by Chiron. Each cabin in camp is for a specific Greek god, a place for that god's kids to stay. As you can see, the weather's controlled, too. Each cabin represents a Greek god- a place for that god's children to live." She looked at Piper and tried to judge how she handled the news.

"You're saying Mom is a goddess."

Via nodded. "You're taking this very calmly."

Piper took a shaky breath. "I guess after this morning, it's a little easier to believe. So who's my mom?"

"We should know soon." Via said. "You're fifteen, my age. Gods are supposed to claim you when you're thirteen. That was the deal."

"The deal?"

"We won a war on the behalf of the gods last summer, and the gods cut a deal with us. All demigod kids need to be claimed by thirteen. It does take longer sometimes, but you saw how fast Leo was claimed when he got here. Won't take more than a few days for you too."

"Why thirteen?"

"The older you get," Via explained, "the more monsters notice you and attack you. About thirteen is when it usually starts. That's when we send protectors into schools to find you guys, get you to camp before it's too late."

"Like you and Coach Hedge?"

Via nodded. "He's- he was a satyr: half-man, half-goat. Satyrs work for the camp, finding demigods, protecting them, bringing them in when the time's right. Demigods aren't usually assigned as protectors, I was more of a temporary solution. They couldn't spare anymore satyrs, so Chiron made me an offer to go."

A pool of guilt formed in Via's stomach, a sigh leaving her lips. Coast Hedge had a prickly personality and his annoying moments, but he'd always been pretty okay to her.

"What happened to him?" Piper asked, "When he went up into the clouds... is he gone for good?"

"Honestly, it's hard to say." Her stomach twisted in guilt. "Storm spirits are one of the more difficult ones to battle. Even our best weapons, made with a material called Celestial Bronze, will pass right through them unless you catch them by surprise."