𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 ²

Chapter 52

L I I - Fifty Two
𖤐

Piper

PIPER DIDN’T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT the rest of the night. They told their story and answered a million questions from the other campers, but finally Chiron saw how tired they were and ordered them to bed.

  It felt so good to sleep on a real mattress, and Piper was so exhausted, she crashed immediately, which spared her any worry about what it would be like returning to the Aphrodite cabin.

  The next morning she woke in her bunk, feeling reinvigorated. The sun came through the windows along with a pleasant breeze. It might’ve been spring instead of winter. Birds sang. Monsters howled in the woods. Breakfast smells wafted from the dining pavilion—bacon, pancakes, and all sorts of wonderful things.

  Drew and her gang were frowning down at her, their arms crossed.

  "Morning." Piper sat up and smiled. "Beautiful day."

  "You’re going to make us late for breakfast," Drew said, "which means you get to clean the cabin for inspection."

  A week ago, Piper would’ve either punched Drew in the face, or hidden back under her covers. Now she thought about the Cyclopes in Detroit, Medea in Chicago, Midas turning her to gold in Omaha. Looking at Drew, who used to bother her, Piper laughed.

  Drew’s smug expression crumbled. She backed up, then remembered she was supposed to be angry. "What are you—"

  "Challenging you," Piper said. "How about noon in the arena? You can choose the weapons."

  She got out of bed, stretched leisurely, and beamed at her cabinmates. She spotted Mitchell, Gwendolyn and Lacy, who’d helped her pack for the quest. They were smiling tentatively, their eyes flitting from Piper to Drew like this might be a very interesting tennis game.

  "I missed you guys!" Piper announced. "We’re going to have a great time when I’m senior counselor."

  Drew turned bug juice red. Even her closest lieutenants looked a little nervous. This wasn’t in their script.

  "You—" Drew spluttered. "You ugly little witch! I’ve been here the longest. You can’t just—"

  "Challenge you?" Piper said. "Sure, I can. Camp rules: I’ve been claimed by Aphrodite. I’ve completed a quest, which is one more than you’ve completed. If I feel I can do a better job, I can challenge you. Unless you just want to step down. Did I get all that right, Gwendolyn?"

  "Spot on, girl." Gwendolyn was giving her a thumbs up. Mitchell was grinning. Lacy was bouncing up and down like she was trying to achieve liftoff.

  A few of the other kids started to grin, as if they were enjoying the different colors Drew’s face was turning.

  "Step down?" Drew shrieked. "You’re crazy!"

  Piper shrugged. Then fast as a viper she pulled Katoptris from under her pillow, unsheathed the dagger, and thrust the point under Drew’s chin.

  Everybody else backed up fast. One guy crashed into a makeup table and sent up a plume of pink powder.

  "A duel, then," Piper said cheerfully. "If you don’t want to wait until noon, now is fine. You’ve turned this cabin into a dictatorship, Drew. Silena Beauregard knew better than that. Aphrodite is about love and beauty. Being loving. Spreading beauty. Good friends. Good times. Good deeds. Not just looking good. Silena made mistakes, but in the end she stood by her friends. That’s why she was a hero. I’m going to set things right, and I’ve got a feeling Mom will be on my side. Want to find out?"