A web of fates | Percy Jackson and the Olympians

XVIII| Daughter of Zeus

That afternoon was one of the happiest Daphne had ever spent at camp, which maybe goes to show, you never know when your world is about to be rocked to pieces

Grover announced that he'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with them before resuming his quest for Pan.

His bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that he hadn't gotten himself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted him a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes.

The only bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long, and his musical skills hadn't improved much.

He played "YMCA," and the strawberry plants started going crazy, wrapping around their feet like they were trying to strangle them.

Daphne guessed she couldn't blame them.

As for Tyson, the campers treated him like a hero. Percy would've been happy to have him as my cabin mate forever, but that evening, as they (Theo, Percy and Daphne) were sitting on a sand dune overlooking the Long Island Sound, he made an announcement that completely took Percy by surprise.

"Dream came from Daddy last night," he said. "He wants me to visit."

Daphne wondered if he was kidding, but Tyson really didn't know how to kid.

"Poseidon sent you a dream message?" Theo asked gently, looking up from his current read.

Tyson nodded. "Wants me to go underwater for the rest of the summer. Learn to work at Cyclopes' forges. He called it an inter-an intern-"

"An internship?" Percy asked.

"Yes."

"When would you leave?" Daphne asked.

"Now."

"Now. Like .... now now?" Percy repeated and for once Daphne couldn't tell what he was feeling - was he upset or jealous?

"Now."

Daphne stared out at the waves in the Long Island Sound. The water was glistening red in the sunset.

"I'm happy for you, big guy," Percy managed. "Seriously."

"Hard to leave my new brother," he said with a tremble in his voice. "But I want to make things.
Weapons for the camp. You will need them."

Unfortunately, Daphne knew he was right. The Fleece hadn't solved all the camp's problems and she suspected that now she had joined Kronos' side, she was one of them problems.

"You'll make the best weapons ever," Percy told Tyson. He held up his watch proudly. "I bet they'll tell good time, too."

Tyson sniffled. "Brothers help each other."

"You're my brother," Percy said. "No doubt about it."

He patted Percy on the back so hard he almost knocked him down the sand dune. Then he wiped a tear from his cheek and stood to go. "Use the shield well."

"I will, big guy." Percy reassured him.

"Save your life some day."

The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, Daphne wondered if that Cyclops eye of his could see into the future.

He headed down to the beach and whistled. Rainbow, the hippocampus, burst out of the waves. The trio watched the two of them ride off together into the realm of Poseidon.

Once they were gone, Percy looked down at his new wristwatch. He pressed the button and the shield spiraled out to full size.

Hammered into the bronze were pictures in Ancient Greek style, scenes from our adventures this summer.