Vines and Thorns

𝟘𝟙𝟛-ℚ𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔹𝕒𝕣𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕦𝕖

I was pleasantly surprised to see the camp dusted in a thin blanket of snow. Every year, it depended on my father's moods to determine how much snow found its way into camp. Last year, we got nothing after the Stoll brothers decided to test out their firecrackers in their cabin, and nearly set the whole camp on fire.

Christmas was only a few weeks away, and as usual, the camp was decked out in lights and an assortment of random decorations. Each cabin could decorate as they pleased, and everyone made it a competition to have the best setup—although the Aphrodite cabin won every year.

The Hephaestus cabin had a mechanical reindeer they made three years ago sitting on their roof, and it glowed brightly amidst all the other cabins. The only cabins that were left dark were the ones that were empty—Poseidon, Zeus, Hera, and Artemis.

There were only a few campers outside—fewer than their usually was at this time of year. The camp was usually pretty empty after summer ended, but there were a few faces that I didn't see walking around, Clarisse's included.

"Woah." Nico's eyes were as large as saucers as he looked around camp. "Is that a climbing wall?"

I cracked a smile. "Yep."

"Why is their lava pouring down it?" I looked towards the large tower that was used during exercises. The lava glowed brightly in the dark sky, illuminating the camp in a soft glow.

Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoë, have you met—"

"I know Chiron." The girl interrupted in a hard tone. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

Thalia ground her teeth next to me as Grover stumbled after them. "I'll show you the way." Neither Zoë or the other Hunters slowed down, and they continued to walk towards their cabin.

"We know the way." Zoë told him in an annoyed voice, barely giving the Satyr a second glance.

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't—" I stifled a laugh when he tripped over a canoe, his body disappearing for a moment before he scrambled to his feet. "—like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoë continued to ignore him as the rest of the hunters followed after them, grabbing their bags and bows and slinging them over their shoulders. Apollo, who had been the last one to exit the bus, gave them all a big wave. "Take care sweethearts!" The god turned to look towards Jackson, giving him a wink. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."

Jackson pushed his brows together. "What do you mean?"

But the god had already moved on, and I tensed when I felt his gaze slide to me. That same knowing look entered his eyes, and I stared right back, daring him to say whatever it was that he was seeing. But he just gave me a wink, a sly smirk on his face when he turned towards Thalia.

"Later Thalia! And uh, be good!" The smile he gave her was akin to the one he had given me—the one that said he knew something that she didn't. I watched as the god hopped into sun chariot that now resembled the red car he had originally been driving before.

I looked away when I heard the thing roar to life, heat blasting my back as the car takes off into the sky. I turn around after a few seconds to watch the red car climbing into the sky, flying farther and higher until it disappeared in the rising sun.

"Who's Chiron?" Nico asked after the god had disappeared. "I don't have his figurine."

Jackson spared the small boy a quick look. "Our activities director. He's...well you'll see."