the next generation - pjo, hoo, toa

Three - Miles

His voice had changed so much since I'd last heard it. Of course, he was a teenager so I guess that was to be expected.

I was minding my own business on my side of the room, behind the curtain that separated me and Eli when he spoke: "EJ! It's Zander." I jumped in surprise even though he wasn't talking to me. You could say that it was because me and Elianna had a special bond, but deep down I knew that wasn't the reason.

It was because I love Zander.

"Whoah Miles, isn't he dating your sister? That's weird." , you might ask. and the answer is yes, he is. But I loved him first, not that it's a competition. Honestly I don't even think Eli actually loves him. I think she's just scared that she'll die before she gets to fall in love with someone, so she's in love with the idea of loving him. As for Zander, I don't know how he feels. He's about as straight as you could possibly be, but as far as the rest of the world knows, me too.

Z and Eli started dating a while ago and it feels like they're going nowhere. When we're at camp, they don't even talk to each other much. They treat each other like best friends, if not just plain old friends. As far as I know, they've never even fought and they never kiss each other. If I was the one dating Zander... but that'll never happen.

"But first, I have to tell you something." Zander started. This seemed juicy so I got closer to the curtain. I thought that maybe, maybe he would finally break up with her and date me instead. Of course, I knew that there were few chances of that happening. "Me and Asp, we both found half-bloods. A boy and a girl. And I..." It seemed like he was having difficulty processing what had happened. "And the girl... Well we think she might be a child of the big three. She hasn't been claimed but I saw her basically get resuscitate with the power of a lightning bolt." I clasped my hand over my mouth, keeping a gasp from revealing my presence to my twin.

There hadn't been any children of the big three since Percy so the thought that my best friend might've found one was simultaneously exciting and scary. Then Zander told us all about the boy who had been living with his mom in a cave since he was only one year old. It made sense he hadn't been claimed, the goddess thinking he would live with her forever.

"We're leaving by boat today so if you guys could ask your dad to help us as a favour, that would be appreciated." Even if he knew dad wouldn't help him because of his mom, he always tried to show my father he didn't dispose him like his mother had. "Zan, you know neither dad or grandfather are going to want to help, especially if it's you on board the boat," Eli stated, "and I cant possibly guide you across an entire ocean."

But I could do it. Of course, I had the same powers as Elianna, but I had always been more in touch with them, practicing all the time. Grandad was so happy about me that the second I was old enough to understand him, he was making me try and control the water. Athena—we weren't allowed to call to call her grandmother—loves my twin so much that she wouldn't let him even remotely close to Eli. But she would catch up to me soon enough with all the training she had been doing.

Elianna and Zander said their goodbyes, excited to see each other soon.

The Iris message faded and I waited a few excruciating minutes before trying to find my best friends boat. It demanded a lot of concentration as it was only the size of a sailboat. Fortunately, it radiated so much power because of all the demigods that it was easy to identify as the right one.

I channelled all my powers on getting that boat to Camp Half-Blood. I was hoping to create a current strong enough that it didn't require constant concentration.

I wouldn't know if it had worked for a few minutes but I could feel that it had. From what I had calculated, they should arrive about an hour or so later than we probably were, if everything my mother had prepared went according to plan. And with Annabeth Chase as a mother, that was sure to happen.