Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 42 - I am reunited with a dead friend

I really regretted volunteering for guard duty that night. I was still exhausted from the quest and standing out in the darkness and cold was not what I had in mind.

I shuffled uncomfortably, my armour weighing heavily on me. I'd been decked out in full armour as the barriers were still weak and honestly, I could be attacked by anything. I even had the helmet on with the silly plume sticking up and a shield on my left arm. My cap was in my pocket but I doubted I would have time to use it with the helmet blocking my head.

Ally, a daughter of Hermes, was on patrol with me. She was unusually quiet and shy for a child of the god of merchants, but don't let that fool you. She was ruthless at thieving, so stealthy that she was almost as invisible as me when I wore my cap.

She was pacing around not far from me, her metal breastplate too big on her and her helmet sloping over dark bronze-coloured eyes. Her spear swung loosely in her hand as she paced, but despite how alert she appeared, I could see that she was bored out of her mind. The pacing was more to keep her awake than to watch for attackers.

I stood just inside the camp borders, leaning against Thalia's tree. It was pouring down rain, lightning flashing but the camp's borders kept me dry and relatively warm. It was amusing to see the rain sleeting down only a metre or so from me but not touching me. When I got bored, the silliest things fascinated me, much like Percy in day-to-day life.

I sighed and shifted to make myself more comfortable, wanting the next hour to pass quickly so I could hop into bed. I'd already been standing there for three hours and my legs ached.

Ally glanced at me as I moved but didn't move. I had the distinct feeling that she was in awe of me, or that she was scared of me. I could see where she was coming from. She was a relatively new camper, arriving at the end of last year, and hadn't left camp yet. I'd gone on two quests and survived, which was two more than what most people would go on. Even thought I couldn't say that I was the hero in either of them, I'd still helped. I deserved the right for a little respect.

Footsteps sounded behind me. I gripped my sword and turned around to face them, only realizing as I did so that they weren't ordinary footsteps. They were hooves.

Grover stood behind me, dressed as he normally would when not disguised, his hairy legs showing and a T-shirt that read I BITE. JUST KIDDING. NOT REALLY. He yelped as I leveled my sword at him.

"Point that somewhere else!" he protested, stumbling backwards.

I smiled and sheathed my sword. Ally looked up, saw Grover, shrugged and turned away and resumed her pacing.

"Have you slept yet?" I asked Grover, glad for the distraction.

"No," he sighed, running a hand through his curly locks. "I can't. Something . . . something just doesn't feel right. Chiron agrees with me. Do you feel it?"

I paused for a moment, opening up all my senses. But there was nothing out of the ordinary that I could see. "No. What about Percy?"

Grover grinned, his exhaustion fading away slightly. "Snoring in his cabin. I could hear him from outside."

I grinned too. "I bet he's drooling."

"Does he sleep any -" Grover broke off suddenly, his eyes going wide. A shocked expression came over him. He looked more surprised then when he found that enchiladas were served in the Party Pony's caravan park.

I grabbed his shoulders. "What is it? What's wrong?"

His mouth worked, but nothing came out. His gaze seemed to be looking over my shoulder and as I listened, I could hear the distinct sound of breathing.