The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

one

ONE LAST PROPHECY...
(HOPEFULLY)

Ariana felt it when it happened; it did happen, very quickly. She felt a piece of her die similar to when Bianca and Zoe died.

And so, when Percy returned from his mission and Ariana saw Beckendorf wasn't with him, she broke down crying. What would Silena say?

If you want to be popular at Camp Half-Blood, don't come back from a mission with bad news.

Word of Percy's arrival spread as soon as he walked out of the ocean. Their beach is on the North Shore of Long Island, and it's enchanted so most people can't even see it.

People don't just appear on the beach unless they're demigods or gods or really, really lost pizza delivery guys. (It's happened but that's another story.)

That afternoon the lookout on duty was Connor Stoll from the Hermes cabin and Ariana. When they spotted him, Connor got so excited he fell out of his tree. Then he blew the conch horn to signal the camp and ran to greet him.

Connor had a crooked smile that matched his crooked sense of humor. He's a pretty nice guy, but you should always keep one hand on your wallet when he's around, and do not, under any circumstances, give him access to shaving cream unless you want to find your sleeping bag full of it.

He's got curly brown hair and is a little shorter than his brother, Travis, which is the only way Ariana can tell them apart. They are both so unlike her old enemy Luke it's hard to believe they're all sons of Hermes.

"Percy!" he yelled. "What happened? Where's Beckendorf?"

Ariana already knew but when she saw his expression, it hurt her even more.

his smile melted. "Oh, no. Poor Silena. Holy Zeus, when she finds Out."

Together they climbed the sand dunes. A few hundred yards away, people were already streaming toward them, smiling and excited.

Percy's back, they were probably thinking. He's saved the day! Maybe he brought souvenirs!

Ariana gazed across the valley and tried to remember how Camp Half-Blood looked when she was younger.

She sighed, remembering how Beckendorf used to create her all kinds of things just to keep her entertained

She remembered all the times Silena used to blush and smile whenever he walked past or when somebody mentioned his name.

Her heart broke for the girl she saw as a sister.

From the dining pavilion, you could see pretty much everything. Hills ringed the valley.

On the tallest, Half-Blood Hill, Thalia's pine tree stood with the Golden Fleece hanging from its branches, magically protecting the camp from its enemies.

The guard dragon Peleus was so big now Ariana could see him from here curled around the tree trunk, lending up smoke signals as he snored.

To her right spread the woods. To her left, the canoe lake glittered and the climbing wall glowed from the lava pouring down its side.

Twelve cabins one for each Olympian god made a horseshoe pattern around the commons area. Farther south were the strawberry fields, the armory, and the four-story Big House with its sky blue paint job and its bronze eagle weathervane.

In some ways, the camp hadn't changed. But you couldn't see the war by looking at the buildings or the fields.

You could see it in the faces of the demigods and satyrs and naiads coming up the hill.