{BOOK 2} Percy Jackson's Sister

Goats Allowed. Boys, Not so Much

       "There will be deaths," Chiron determined. "That much we know."

      "Oh, goody!" Mr. D smiled.

      Everyone fell silent and looked at him. He took his eyes off his magazine, seeing our judgmental faces. "Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don't mind me."

     "Percy is right," Silena said. "Three campers should go."

    "Oh, I see," Zoë said sarcastically. "And I suppose you wish to volunteer?"

     Silena's face reddened. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters. Don't look at me!"

     "A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at," Zoe scoffed. "What would thy mother say?"

    Silena stood up as if to start a fight with Zoë. The Stolls pulled her down by the arms.

   "Stop it," Beckendorf said. He didn't say it angrily but Beckendorf was a big guy with a deep voice. When he spoke, people tended to listen. "Let's start with the Hunters. Which three of you will go?"

    Zoë stood. "I shall go, of course, and I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker."

     "The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis asked, making a face. Zoë confirmed.

      "The one who put the arrows in my helmet?" Connor asked.

    "Yes," Zoë growled. "Why?"

    "Oh, nothing," Travis said in false innocence. "Just that we have a T-shirt for her from the camp store."

     He pulled out a huge silver shirt that had the words ARTEMIS THE MOON GODDESS, FALL HUNTING TOUR 2002 on it. A huge list of words I couldn't make out followed it. "It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?"

    "Travis," I said in a cautious tone. I wasn't very fond of the Hunters but any gift from the Stolls, there was bound to be a prank. I still ha da scar on my eyebrow from the last time they had given me something. I'm sure the prank would be worse if they didn't like you.

    "Relax, Casper," he winked.

    Zoë took the shirt. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go."

    Bianca was taken aback. "Me? But... I'm so new. I wouldn't be any good."

    "You will do fine," Zoë assured. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

    She didn't say anything else, she looked a mixture of scared and honored. I didn't know how Nico would take the news.

    "And for campers?" Chiron asked, looking directly a t Percy.

    "Me!" Grover hit his legs on the table from getting up so fast. "Anything to help Artemis!"

    Zoë made a face of disgust. "I think not, satyr. You are not even a half-blood."

    "But he is a camper," Thalia argued. "And he's got a satyr's senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?"

      "Absolutely!"

      Zoë reconsidered.

    "Very well," she said. "And the second camper?"

    "I'll go." Thalia stood. No one questioned that decision.

    "That leaves one more," before Chiron could even finish his sentence I was already on my feet.

     "I'm going," I said.

     Zoë looked at me, as if trying to read my mind. "No."

    I felt my face contort in anger. "No?"

   Thalia bumped my shoulder lightly, warning me to cool it.

    "My best friend is still out there, fighting for her life," I said. "If you think I'm going to stay here and do nothing about it than you're a big-"

      "Cassidy is coming," Thalia said. "She's one of the best fighters we have."

       "Thy curse is uncontrollable," Zoë said. "It will not do well in battle."

      "I can handle it."

      "Yes, how you handled it after the game."

      "Listen, Nightshade, if I say I'm going, I'm going. Whether you like it or not. I'm not doing this for you, or even for Artemis. I'm doing it for Annabeth."

     "I trust Cassidy can carry her own," Chiron said. The tension in the room was so tangible, nobody wanted to speak. Except Percy.

     "Whoa, wait a sec," he said. "I want to go too."

      No one said anything.

     "Oh," Grover said, following Percy's train of thought, which wasn't hard considering they had an empathy link. "Whoa, yeah, I forgot! Percy has to go. I didn't mean... I'll stay. Percy should go in my place."

     "He cannot," Zoë said. "He is a boy. I won't have Hunters traveling with a boy."

     "You traveled here with me," I argued.

     "That was a short-term emergency, and it was ordered by the goddess. I will not go across country and fight many dangers in the company of a boy."

     "What about Grover?" I pointed out.

     Zoë said, "He does not count. He's a satyr. He is not technically a boy."

    "Hey!" Grover protested.

    "I have to go," Percy said. "I need to be on this quest."

    "Why?" Zoe questioned. "Because of thy friend Annabeth?"

     Percy's face slightly tinged with a pink hue. "No! I mean, partly.I just feel like I'm supposed to go!"

     "Percy," I said. "You don't have to rescue everyone all the time."

     "I'm not trying to," he insisted. "I just need to go on this quest."

    "No," Zoë said bluntly. "I insist upon this. I will take a satyr if I must, but not a male hero."

    Chiron spoke up in defense of the Huntress. "The quest is for Artemis. The Hunters should be allowed to approve their companions."

    Percy sat back down, not making eye contact with anyone in the room. I lightly kicked his foot with my own, something we'd gotten accustomed to doing. It was our own way of saying it's okay, you're not alone, I got you. He just glanced at me quickly then looked away again.

     "So be it," Chiron proclaimed. "Thalia, Cassidy, and Grover will accompany Zoe, Bianca, and Phoebe. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods"—he turned to Dionysus—"present company included, we hope—be with you."