ℚ𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕤 | ℙ𝕁𝕆 𝟙

♡VI♡

My shoulders sagged in relief as Silena got us all to line up for dinner, and we trekked up the hill, sitting down at our designated bench. I was sat next to Drew and my younger sister, Amara. Most of the cabins were already piled in, and it was pretty crowded as people settled down and waited for the plates to be handed out.

Once Cabin eleven pushed their way onto their table Chiron stamped his feet and raised a glass. "To the gods!" he shouted, and we all repeated the chant.

Wood nymphs came around with platters of fresh fruits, breads, cheeses and a range or barbecue meats. I picked up my glass, whispering, "pink lemonade" into it and it filled up with the sparkling pink drink.

And then, Silena told us to stand up and, one by one, we sent offerings into the fire. When it was my turn I got the juiciest piece of steak, and a couple ripe berries, and tossed it in, kneeling to do so. "Aphrodite. Please, please, please take care of Percy. And for the love of Zues don't let his father be who I think it is." I murmured, and then went back to my seat, not taking notice to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy watching me with interest.

I sat back down, and almost immediately the younger campers in our cabin were all over me, asking me what the outside world was like, how school was, did I meet any boys, do I have any mortal friends, and finally,

"You and that new boy seem really close!" Amara said suggestively.

Drew looped her arm around my shoulder, humming. "Yeah, Val, what's that all about." She smirked mischievously at me, and I blushed furiously.

"Oh stop encouraging them, besides were just friends." I said, giving her a pointed look when all she did was raise her eyebrows suggestively. She smirked at me and I sighed, rolling my eyes jokingly.

After dinner and a singalong where I spent the whole time gossiping with Silena and Michael, I flopped onto my bed without bothering to take my socks off and in a matter of minutes sleep overtook me.

And once again, the dreams were not pleasant.

I was running, constantly looking behind me only to see tall trees falling to the ground and giant footsteps being marked in the ground by an invisible creature. By the looks of it, it was four-legged, but other than that and the occasional roar I had no hint to what it might be.

Suddenly, a weird sense of danger overwhelmed me and for some reason I stopped in my track, and rolled to the left. Just as I did something chomped down right where I just was, leaving a big imprint in the ground. Without missing a beat I leaped back up and began running again, only stopping again when I almost fell into a river with a current so strong I knew I wouldn't make it to the other side. I felt the beast closing in.

And then I woke up with a gasp.

-----------

The next few days were bland and boring, the freak storms and rain clouds swirling around the borders of camp. I ran into Percy a few times in lessons, and he seemed to be adjusting well, but I could tell he missed his mother.