The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

three

TYSONS CLAIMING

On the surface, things didn't look all that different. The Big House was still there with its blue gabled roof and its wraparound porch. The strawberry fields still baked in the sun.

The same white-columned Greek buildings were scattered around the valley - the amphitheatre, the combat arena, the dining pavilion overlooking Long Island Sound.

And nestled between the woods and the creek were the same cabins - a crazy assortment of twelve buildings, each representing a different Olympian god.

But there was an air of danger now. You could tell something was wrong. Instead of playing volleyball in the sandpit, counsellors and satyrs were stockpiling weapons in the tool shed.

Dryads armed with bows and arrows talked nervously at the edge of the woods. The forest looked sickly, the grass in the meadow was pale yellow, and the fire marks on Half-Blood Hill stood out like ugly scars.

As they made their way to the Big House, Ariana recognised a lot of kids from last summer. They were all returning for the summer.

Nobody stopped to talk. Nobody said anything. Some did double takes when they saw Tyson, but most just walked grimly past and carried on with their duties - running messages, toting swords to sharpen on the grinding wheels.

The camp felt like a military school.

None of that mattered to Tyson. He was absolutely fascinated by everything he saw.

"Whasthat!" he gasped.

"The stables for pegasi." Percy said. "The winged horses."

"Whasthat!"

"Um ... those are the toilets."

"Whasthat!"

"The cabins for the campers. If they don't know who your Olympian parent is, they put you in the Hermes cabin - that brown one over there - until you're determined. Then, once they know, they put you in your dad or mom's group."

He looked at Percy in awe. "You ... have a cabin?"

"Number three." He pointed to a low grey building made of sea stone.

"You live with friends in the cabin?"

"No. No, just me."

Annabeth nudged Ariana. "What we're those ghosts?"

She shrugged. "I've been practicing. Turns out I can do some pretty cool stuff. But it exhausts me. I've passed out a few times."

The girl frowned but said nothing else.

When they got to the Big House, they found Chiron in his apartment, listening to his favourite 1960s lounge music while he packed his saddlebags.

As soon as tyet saw him, Tyson froze.

"Pony!" he cried in total rapture.

Chiron turned, looking offended. "I beg your pardon?"

Annabeth ran up and hugged him. "Chiron, what's happening? You're not ... leaving?" Her voice was shaky. Chiron was like a second father to her.

Chiron ruffled her hair and gave her a kindly smile. "Hello, child. Ariana. And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year!"

Percy swallowed. "Clarisse said you were .. you were.."

"Fired?" Chiron's eyes glinted with dark humour. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr D had to punish someone."