𝐛𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | Thalia Grace

005. I Place An Underwater Phone Call

Evelyn

Ive seen Camp Half-Blood during the winter before, maybe a few times actually, but it's usually not snowing.

See, the camp has the ultimate magic climate control. Nothing gets inside the borders unless the director, Mr. D, wants it to. I thought it would be warm and sunny, but instead 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 seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body. But I was too nauseous from Thalias wonderful driving.

"Never getting in a car with Thalia ever again. Gods."

Thalia

Evelyn looked like she was going to puke, and i didnt blame her. Apollo was stupid for making me drive that Chariot.

"Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus.

"Is that a climbing wall?

"Yeah." Percy answered

"Why is there lava pouring out of it?"

"Little extra challenge. Come on. Ill introduce you to Chiron. Zoë, have you met—"

"I know Chiron," Zoë said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"Tough." Evelyn said sarcastically, making me glare at her.

"Ill show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh, really, its no trouble. Its easy to get lost here, if you dont" —he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking— "like my old daddy used to say! Come on!" I saw Evelyn giggling in the corner of my eye.

Zoë rolled her eyes, but I guess she figured there was more getting rid of Grover. The Hunters shouldered their packs and bows and headed off toward the cabins. As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she whispered something in her brother's ear. She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.

"Take care sweethearts!" Apollo called out after the Hunters. He winked at Percy. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. Ill see you soon."

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus.

"Later, Thalia," he called to me. "And, uh, be good!"

He gave me a wicked smile as if he knew something I didnt. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. Percy turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When Percy looked back, the lake was steaming. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight.

"Hes weird." Evelyn muttered.

Nico was still looking grumpy. I wondered what his sister had told him.

"Whos Chiron?" He asked. "I dont have his figurine."

"Our activities director." Percy said. "Hes . . . well, youll see."

"If those Hunter girls dont like him," Nico grumbled, "thats good enough for me. Lets go."

Evelyn

While walking to the Big House, we spotted Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge outside the camp armory. The Stoll brothers, Travis and Connor, from the Hermes cabin, were picking a lock on the camp store. A few kids from the Ares Cabin were having a snowball fight with the wood nymphs at the edge of the forest. That was about it. Even Clarisse didnt seem to be around, hopefully at least Silena is.