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𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙠𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛𝙛, 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙠. They were really children, Andy realized.
She sighed quietly. Both sides of the war were using children as foot soldiers. It made her sad. Every year, young campers would show up at the border, most sobbing. They had just lost someone to a monster, maybe a sibling or parent. Andy could empathize.
Her 'monster' hadn't been mythological, though. Just a regular old home invader, determined to kill.
Andy turned and stared out the window.
She was one of the lucky ones, she supposed. Her demigod aura wasn't very strong. She could usually pass by, unnoticed, in a crowd. Monsters had only started to attack her when she was around nine, and on her way to Camp with a satyr.
It was one of the only reasons she was glad her father wasn't an Olympian.
She set an alarm on her wristwatch, the only piece of tech she carried on her at all times, and dozed off.
In her dream, she was back in her childhood home.
My dad must know that I hate this place, she realized. He's bringing me here on purpose.
And sure enough, her father was there, standing several feet away from Andy.
He was smiling wickedly, like he knew something she didn't.
"Adopting telkhines?" he snickered. "Camp won't be to pleased about that."
Andy jutted her chin up. "They're good blacksmiths. They can help make weapons we can use against Kronos's army. Besides, they're just children. Chiron will see the wisdom in keeping them. And if he doesn't, I'll convince him."
He shrugged. "Children-shmildren," he said, stepping a bit closer. "Aren't you afraid they'll leave you, just like everyone else?"
Andy stepped back. "I know what you're doing, bringing me back here, mentioning my mom a lot. You're trying to throw me off guard, trying to make me an easy target."
"Aw, shucks! You caught me." Her dad said, shaking his head. "Just watch out."
"Why are you here, anyway?" Andy asked. "Are you going to finally tell me your name?"
Her dad sighed loudly. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet? I would expect my daughter to be able to solve this simple puzzle eons ago."
Andy scowled. "Or you could just claim me. It's not that hard."
"Oh?" Her dad quirked his eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose so. Anyway, I liked your work with the telkhines. It would have been better if you killed them all, but the day is still young."
