I walked out of the bathroom already dressed. Katie and Miranda were staked out waiting for me like a pair of personal bodyguards, which earned a chuckle out of me. We were heading back to the cabins together when, out of nowhere, the distant blare of a horn echoed through the camp.
The campers were already scrambling into lines. I bolted to my cabin, slotting myself in right behind Lucas. I caught a ton of side-eye thrown my way — some people were whispering curiously, while others snickered under their breath. But what actually put a genuine smile on my face was looking over at the Ares cabin; the god of war's kids were staring at me like they were plotting my funeral. A few of them were rocking fresh bruises from punches straight to the face. I spotted Clarisse La Rue in the middle of the crowd and waved, but she just turned her head with a scoff.
My heart skipped a beat when I passed the building that looked like the Aphrodite cabin. The girls there were absolutely stunning. One of them caught my eye, giving me a mocking smirk before I forced myself to look straight ahead.
We marched up the hill toward the dining pavilion. Satyrs filtered in from the meadow to join the line, while naiads emerged from the lake. Other creatures crawled out from the deep woods; I noticed a girl around twelve years old step out from behind a tree. She locked her eyes on me and, skipping with a huge grin, started heading up the hill. I felt this sudden wave of positive energy radiating from her. Even though the camp was already clearing out since the season was ending, the path to the mess hall still had some life to it. I counted a dozen satyrs and a few dryads just watching the whole scene with bored faces.
Inside the pavilion, torches lit up the marble columns. Right in the center of the hall, a massive fire roared inside a bronze brazier the size of a bathtub. Each cabin took their respective table, which were draped in white tablecloths with purple accents. I sat next to Lucas, with Katie right across from me. Most of the tables were empty, except for Cabin 11, which was bursting at the seams.
Chiron stood near the head table, which looked tiny next to his massive centaur frame. I thought to myself that he really could've just used his wheelchair form at times like this. A sudden chill ran down my spine, making me look away: the entirety of Table 6 was staring me down. They were all blond, built, with deeply tanned skin and harsh expressions, looking at me like I was guilty of some major crime. Annabeth Chase locked eyes with me, refusing to blink for even a split second. I just let out a heavy sigh.
Clarisse sat at the Ares table like she owned the joint. To my surprise, her brothers were laughing and belching at the top of their lungs, acting like they'd completely forgotten about the whole mess from earlier. Chiron struck his hoof hard against the ground.
"To the gods," Chiron announced.
Katie raised her chalice. I mimicked her right away.
"To the gods," I said, chiming in with everyone else. It was loud, but honestly pretty badass. The sync was epic.
Right after that, the wood nymphs appeared carrying overflowing platters: grapes, apples, fresh strawberries, all kinds of cheeses, steaming bread, and every type of roasted meat you could think of.
"Caleb, to get a drink, just tell the chalice what you want. It can be anything except alcohol… and please, don't eat a single bite yet."
Katie said that last part dead serious. I stared down at the empty cup.
"Lemon juice," I requested quietly.
The liquid materialized out of thin air, filling the chalice to the brim. I took a huge gulp and felt an instant wave of crisp coolness hit the back of my throat. Man, that was amazing. I watched Katie, Lucas, Mel, Olivia, and Miranda pile food onto their plates, though nobody dared to take the first bite. I did the exact same. I grabbed some grapes, apples, a thick slice of pork loin, and a warm buttered roll that made my mouth water on the spot.
"Come on, now we make the offering to our mother. Everyone has to give the best part of their food to their divine parent. They love the smell, and it's a sign of respect."
I stood up, following the rest of the pavilion. Campers formed a single file line in front of the brazier, tossing juicy cuts of meat, strawberries, grapes, and peaches straight into the flames. I watched Miranda and my siblings sacrifice the bread they'd taken. I looked down at my own plate; that warm buttered roll was, hands down, the best thing on it. I was positive she'd love it. When my turn came, I carefully placed the food into the fire.
"Enjoy the meal, Mother," I said, keeping my voice calm and steady.
I caught a few campers giving me looks that basically said, "Are you an idiot?" At that exact second, a curtain of smoke drifted up. It didn't make me cough at all; instead, it brought a comforting breeze that wrapped around me like a warm hug.
We headed back to our seats. Chiron struck his hoof against the floor once more. Mr. D stood up, letting out a dramatically long, drawn-out sigh.
"I suppose I'm expected to say I'm happy or thrilled to have so many of you still hanging around… but I'm not. And today, the Athena cabin takes the laurels."
Applause echoed across the pavilion. The children of Athena clapped back with expressions that clearly showed they couldn't care less about any of it. Clarisse shot me a death glare, and the rest of the Ares cabin joined right in. Judging by their faces, I figured they must have lost the competition — which explained all that bitterness pointed at me.
"Personally, I don't care who wins or loses, but I do have an announcement: this Solstice, there will be a quest led by the senior campers… and we also have a new camper: Clebes Thernes."
He collapsed back into his chair. Chiron flashed me a welcoming smile, while the director kept his signature look of pure contempt.
"Caleb Thorne, a very warm welcome to you," Chiron said.
Mr. D stayed quiet, looking bored out of his mind.
I gave a shy little wave under the sound of whispers rippling through the hall. Finally given the green light, we dug in. Everything was so lively, so chaotic… but man, it felt amazing to be here.
I stood up, holding my empty chalice, completely satisfied. Looking around, I noticed a few campers heading toward the hearth and the amphitheater. What really caught my attention was a group of Apollo kids, who were starting to belt out a melody.
Their vocals were seriously impressive; I caught myself wondering if they happened to know who Michael Jackson was.
"Lemon juice," I requested, and the vessel filled up on the spot.
I took a sip and started walking toward the music. On the way, my siblings were standing there, watching me. Katie threw me that classic look that clearly said: "Please don't start any trouble." I just waved back, totally chill, and kept going.
The song was serene, all about the gods and daily life at camp. Most of the campers were snacking on sweets and smiling; in stark contrast, Clarisse was locked in an arm-wrestling match like it was a life-or-death battle.
The vibe was great. For the first time, I actually felt at home, surrounded by everything I'd ever wanted. I took another sip of my juice, but something strange stole my attention. A little girl, who looked about eight or nine years old, was wearing a super simple brown tunic and a scarf that completely covered her head.
With those completely closed-off clothes, she looked like a phantom. She was poking at the embers with a stick that, curiously enough, wouldn't catch fire at all. I walked over and sat down right next to her. She didn't move, acting like she hadn't even noticed I was there.
"Hey, kiddo, isn't it dangerous to mess with the fire like that? You might end up burning yourself. Want some help?" I asked, before taking another sip of my juice.
The girl's hand stopped over the firewood, and her head turned slowly toward me. What I saw shocked me to my core: her eyes were completely red. At that exact moment, the flame of the hearth shifted to a celestial blue, and her pupils matched the color change. Right after, the fire snapped back to orange, and the girl's eyes followed the same pattern, glowing in perfect sync with the embers. A comforting warmth spread through my chest — the exact same cozy feeling I got whenever I was near my mother.
She offered a sweet smile.
"It's okay, I like the fire," she replied, her voice incredibly warm and gentle.
"Alright then... but do you want some help anyway?"
I brought the chalice to my lips, but I nearly choked on my drink when a voice whispered right next to my ear: "Who are you talking to?"
I jumped back, spilling juice all over my orange t-shirt. Annabeth was standing right there, having materialized out of thin air like a straight-up ghost. Behind her came Clarisse and an older guy who looked incredibly athletic: tall, muscular, with short, sandy hair. He wore the camp uniform, shorts, sandals, and a leather necklace with five clay beads. The most striking thing about his face was a thick, white scar running from under his right eye all the way down to his chin.
"Look at that, Sprout. I want to hear the rest of that story," Clarisse barked, stepping up with the sheer audacity of someone who owned the place.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow, staring at me with curiosity.
"A story, interesting... I'd like to hear it too," the daughter of Athena commented, making herself comfortable on a nearby log. I swear I felt a vein throb in my forehead from pure stress. The blond guy measured me up from head to toe with a friendly smile.
"Luke Castellan. You must be the rookie, right? Word travels fast around here; getting carried in by a dryad has got to be a record for the fastest claim in camp history," he joked, letting out a laugh.
I locked eyes with him, noticed the position of his hand, and gave a brief nod of respect.
"Thanks for the compliment. I'm Caleb Thorne, but you can just call me Caleb," I replied.
He nodded and sat next to Annabeth, joining our little circle. Her cheeks flushed a light pink, but she brushed it off quickly and went back to staring at me.
I looked down at the bottom of my chalice.
"Lemon juice," I whispered, and the cup filled right back up. I took a sip, keeping my eyes locked on the hearth, officially running on zero patience for this.
"Come on, just finish the story already," Clarisse grumbled, annoyed by how long I was taking.
"No. I'd rather stay quiet," I shot back, boredom dripping from my voice.
"I absolutely love stories. Don't you, Luke? What do you think?" Annabeth prodded, flashing a smile that only dialed my stress levels way up.
Luke offered a diplomatic grin.
"Sure, sure. A good story is always welcome. I'm actually looking forward to it," he agreed.
I knew this guy. I swear I did. Where had I seen that face before? I needed to rack my brain to remember...
"I want to hear it too," another blond guy chimed in as he walked over. His tone of voice sounded familiar. He beamed a bright smile at me. "Where are my manners? Sorry about that. My name is Lee Fletcher," he added, holding out his hand.
I smiled back and shook it.
"Caleb Thorne."
I noticed more campers starting to swarm around us, looking like hungry bees after honey. Some stood right behind us, while others leaned into the circle. Everyone was practically radiating curiosity.
"I got curious too. I'm Malcolm Pace," another guy introduced himself as he stepped forward. Judging by his gray eyes and posture, I knew right away he was Annabeth's brother.
I took a deep breath, letting out a heavy sigh. What a drag...
"I heard we have a rookie with quite a story to tell... Would you mind sharing it with me now? I'm absolutely fascinated by tales," a teenage girl who had just arrived requested.
She had Asian features, was tall, slender, and walked with absolute elegance. Her makeup was flawless, highlighted by a super flashy pink eyeliner, and she was rocking several expensive designer jewels.
I noticed that every single guy stopped what they were doing just to watch her movements, parting the way as if she were royalty itself. She was pretty, I'll admit — but those guys were clearly under a spell.
I glanced back at the little girl tending to the fire. She raised an eyebrow, visibly bored by all the commotion, ignored the crowd, and went right back to poking the embers.
The new girl walked over and, without a shred of hesitation, invaded my personal space, sitting down right next to me on the ground. As she tossed her hair to the side, it brushed against me. Her perfume was heavy and suffocating — a scent of nutmeg mixed with pine that sent a bad shiver down my spine.
In the distance, I saw Katie watching the whole scene with a terrified expression.
"Drew Tanaka, get away from him right now!" Katie shouted from the back.
The newcomer flashed a cynical smile. Even Annabeth had a dopey grin on her face while looking at her, which felt totally bizarre to me.
"What's your problem? I just want to hear a story," Drew countered. Her voice was soft and sweet... then a violent headache slammed into me out of nowhere.
A traumatic memory triggered in my mind: the image of the empousa that had almost taken my life. I was hit by a sudden, overwhelming fury, a killer instinct born of pure self-defense. I snapped to my feet, glaring down at her with pure hatred.
"Hey, you son of a bitch! Who gave you the right to crawl into my mind and try to control me?"
Her eyes widened in total shock. In one quick, fluid motion, I pivoted my hips and landed a punch square in the middle of her face. The impact threw her backward, sending her crashing hard onto the ground. Drew let out a sharp shriek of pain as blood began to gush from her nose. All around us, the campers gasped in absolute horror.
"You know... the monster that almost killed me used that exact same trick, and I felt that same disgusting sensation just a second ago. It brings back some pretty bitter memories," I hissed, standing dead still, locking my gaze on her.
With her eyes swimming in tears, she stared up at me from the dirt. Her expression was one of pure terror and disbelief, like she still couldn't accept what I had just done.