{BOOK 2} Percy Jackson's Sister

Never Play Poker with Someone Who's Last Name is Stoll

The dining pavilion was scarce of campers. The table for cabin eight was completely filled in by the Hunters.

As I headed back to my seat after throwing a portion of it into the fire (the gods liked the smell), I overheard Connor and Travis trying to get Nico to drop Mythomagic and play poker. Since Nico was unclaimed, he sat with the rest of the Hermes cabin.

I put a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Please stop trying to extort a ten year old."

Connor simply winked at me and I walked back to my table.

Most of the campers had gotten into some type of trouble with the Hunters. If we weren't eager to beat them at capture the flag, we were now.

I took a seat next to Percy. Even when he was upset, he didn't lose his appetite. He mindlessly bit at his slice of pizza and drank blue soda.

Sally had explained to me that her ex-husband had once told them that there was no such thing as blue food. To prove him wrong, Sally went out of her way to make blue food. Even after her ex-husband, who Percy nicknamed Smelly Gabe, they still ate blue food. Sally had turned him into stone with Medusa's head and sold his statue. She may be the sweetest person I've ever met, but I was also slightly terrified of her.

At the dining pavilion, Thalia sat alone. Everyone had at least one sibling with them, except for her. Thalia was the only known child of Zeus.

I started to get up, but Percy grabbed my sleeve. "It's against the rules."

"I know," I said. But I went to the Zeus table anyway.

I sat in front of Thalia who had eaten half her food and was playing with the left overs. She looked up and her eyes widened.

"Cas, go back with Percy," She said.

"No," I said.

She knew I wouldn't budge so she just smiled. We talked lightly for a couple minutes until I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

"Miss Malloy, must I remind you of our camp rules?"

I looked up at Chiron, who had a stern look on his face. I tried for a weak smile but his expression did not falter. I got up and went back to the Poseidon table.

I felt a smirk tug on Percy's face.

"If you say 'I told you so', I will push you off the edge of this table," I threatened.

"I told you so," he said anyway.

I shoved my foot into his leg and he fell on the ground. Instead of being angry, he just laughed lightly. It was refreshing to hear.

He dusted himself off just as Chiron began the announcements. We started off with a toast to the gods, as always. There were scattered claps as he formally welcomed the Hunters of Artemis. It got a lot louder when he announced capture the flag.

We didn't have camp fire singalong today which I was grateful for because I was extremely tired. Percy and I walked back to our cabin.

Percy was asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow. The fountain in the back made a soothing gurgling noise.

I couldn't help but think of Annabeth. I also couldn't believe Chiron wasn't allowing us to go look for her. I know he was just watching out for us, but Annabeth needed help. Sleep wasn't easy when one of my best friends was probably in mortal danger.

Living on the streets and in a million different houses had made me a light sleeper. Pretty much anything would wake me up, especially if I was on high alert. So naturally, when Percy started mumbling in his sleep and tossing in his bed, my eyes fluttered open.

Percy yelled out, grabbing at his sheets, looking for something to hold on to. In seconds, I was at his side as he tried to slow his breathing. He held onto me.

"Just a dream," I said.

He nodded and slowly laid back down. I sat on the edge of his bed for a little. He spoke without looking at me. "Annabeth's in trouble."

I gulped. Instead of waiting for an answer, he began recounting his dream for me. He saw Annabeth help Luke. Luke had been trapped under some type of swirling fog and the ceiling was caving. Annabeth took the weight onto her own shoulders. Luke left her there in pain.

"What an asshole," I muttered.

Percy nodded and turned over.

"Go to sleep," he said. "We have to beat the Hunters in capture the flag tomorrow."