The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

five

DINNERS AND ARGUMENTS

Ariana loved winter.

She could tell the snow surprised Percy.

See, the camp has the ultimate magic climate control. Nothing gets inside the borders unless the director, Mr D, wants it to.

After much convincing from Silena and Ariana, the snow had been allowed to fall lightly. Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields.

The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they were real balls of fire.

More lights glowed in the woods, and a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body.

Upon their return, Skye greeted Ariana. She was wagging her tail, that was covered in snow, and using her head to head but her.

"Hey girl." Ariana said, squatting so that she was at her height, and she started petting her.

Both Apollos and Nico's eyes went wide.

"Is that a hellhound?" Nico exclaimed excitedly.

Ariana smiled broadly. "It is, her name is Skye."

"Woah! Can you do your weird shadow thing again?"

Percy was quick to jump in. "She shouldn't."

Nico frowned and Ariana shrugged.

"He's being stupid of course I can." Before Percy could protest she sent him a glare as she began to summon shadows from around them.

"This is so cool." Nico said, admiring them. It made Ariana smile as she ignored the exhaustion beginning to pile up on her.

"And I can travel using them." She told him.

Percy's eyes went wide again. "Absolutely not!"

Nico didn't listen to him. "Woah! Can I see!"

Ariana pondered for a moment, debating whether or not she should. So far, she hadn't successfully managed to shadow travel without passing out but she didn't want to disappoint Nico.

She summoned shadows around her and teleported herself to the strawberry fields.

"Hey Katie!" She shouted and waved at the Demeter kid before teleporting herself back to where Nico, Percy and the hunters were.

The moment she landed, her knees buckled and she passed out.When she woke up, a straw was in her mouth and Lee Fletcher stood over her.

Not only were the hunters still there but so was Apollo and some other campers had surrounded them.

"Well that's embarrassing." She whispered to herself.

"Did you have to show off!" He shouted.

From the corner of her eye she could see Apollo laughing. Ariana shoved Lee away and stood up. For a moment she felt dizzy but nonetheless she was fine.

"You need to go on best rest."

"Absolutely not." Ariana argued. "That is the most boring thing I have ever done in my life."

"You might pass out again!"

"I won't!"

"You said that last time!"

"Whoa." Nico said, stopping the argument. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah." Percy said.

'Why is there lava pouring down it?'