Daughter of Poseidon

Chapter 5

After an awkward silence, I asked, "Didn't Chiron say I was supposed to be watching some sort of video?"

"He did, but he spoke to me at dinner and said it can wait until tomorrow. It's a few hours long, and he didn't want to rush it before curfew." Sam shrugged.

I nodded, and then changed the subject, "When you said that there were monsters other than humans, what did you mean?"

Sam seemed happy to explain, "I meant that any Greek myth is real, even the bad ones. Some are a little exaggerated, but still true. There are monstrous creatures made deep in the Underworld and they sniff out demigods like us. The only thing that can kill them, or protect us, is celestial bronze. It turns them into dust. Though, they don't really die. The dust returns to the Underworld, where eventually they reform. It's stupid, but that's the way it goes. Oh, and before you ask, that does not happen when we die. When demigods die, we just die. If you die heroically enough though, you get access to a place called Elysium. It's paradise for the honored dead."

"Wow. That's insane. You know, I keep fluctuating between whether or not this is all real. I don't think you're lying, but it's just all so crazy. Gods and monsters." I said, following him through the doors of a building.

"This is the armory. All the weapons are fashioned from or tipped with celestial bronze. Take a look around and see if anything calls out to you. I'll find you some armor." Sam told me, heading off to the right to search through the gear.

I walked forward, surprised by how shiny the metal was. It seemed to be glowing all on it's own, even brighter than the dim light above my head. Every weapon I could think of was in here. It still seemed impossible that I'd never seen a monster, if what he was saying was true.

"I have a dumb question for you." I called out, running a finger down the flat part of an axe.

"Go for it." Sam reappeared, holding armor identical to his in a slightly smaller size.

"If all this is real, why haven't I seen anything crazy before? If they go after us, why haven't I seen a single monster?" I wondered, realizing I had said us for the first time.

"I'm not sure. Monsters tend to find us more quickly once we realize who we are. Maybe it's to do with the fact that you weren't told about your parentage until recently? More likely though, I think your dad was hiding you. I don't know what it means." he mused, messing with the leather straps of the armor.

"Another question: what weapon do you use?" I queried, head spinning. Could my dad have been protecting me?

"A bow and arrows. Apollo is also the god of archery, remember? They're back in my cabin." he answered.

I smiled as I wondered, "Percy said you can sing?"

Sam froze, and then came closer with the armor. He gestured for me to lift my arms before speaking, "It's another of my dad's tributes. It's not that I don't think I'm any good. It's actually quite the opposite. My songs tend to get strong reactions out of people, and I don't like doing it unless we're in danger. I'd rather be good with a bow, anyway."

I let him put the armor on, aware of how close he had gotten, "I hope I can hear you some day."

"No, you don't. I hope you never have to." Sam tightened the straps around my torso, securing the armor in place. It was heavy, but I barely noticed. The nectar must have repaired me more as time went on. His hand rested on my arm, holding me in place.

I gasped quietly at how intense he had become. It felt like a low level of electricity was radiating from him and arching across my skin. What did this mean? I thought sparks flying when you met someone was just an expression!