LUNACY; percy jackson

04.2

She pulled a small photo out of the back pocket of her shorts and unfolded it. Andromeda smiled as she watched the daughter of Athena's cheeks tint red. In the photo was a young girl, the same age as them, though she was just a bit younger. She had cinnamon toned skin and dark brown curls. Her eyes were a bright amber and her ears had a little point at the tip. Her rosy lips were turned up in a brilliant smile, black smudge—that was later identified as oil—coated random spots of her face. Her name was Janaya Silva and she was a daughter of Hephaestus. She also happened to be Annabeth's kinda-somewhat-notyetofficial-girlfriend. Andromeda was keeping track of their relationship status through percentage. They were about 94% as of now. She was just waiting till they reached 100%.

They were very adorable.

As they headed through Brooklyn, Percy used Annabeth's phone to call his mom. Half-bloods try not to use cell phones if they can avoid it, because broadcasting their voices is like sending up a flare to the monsters: Here I am! Please eat me now! He left a message on their home voice mail, trying to explain what had happened at Goode. He probably didn't do a very good job. He told his mom he was fine, she shouldn't worry, but he was going to stay at camp until things cooled down and that Andromeda and Annabeth were perfectly safe. He also asked her to tell Paul Blofis he was sorry.

They rode in silence after that. The city melted away until they were off the expressway and rolling through the countryside of northern Long Island, past orchards and wineries and fresh produce stands.

Andromeda was leaning her head on Annabeth's shoulder, mumbling words under her breath in, once again, a language the other two demigods vaguely understood. She kept making faces whenever Annabeth stared down at her confused, the redhead also confused on why the daughter of Athena didn't understand her. It was becoming a somewhat normal occurrence.

The taxi exited on Route 25A. They headed through the woods along the North Shore until a low ridge of hills appeared on their left. Annabeth told the driver to pull over on Farm Road 3.141, at the base of Half-Blood Hill.

The driver frowned. "There ain't nothing here, miss. You sure you want out?"

"Yes, please," Annabeth handed him a roll of mortal cash, and the driver decided not to argue.

Annabeth, Percy, and Andromeda hiked to the crest of the hill. The young guardian dragon was dozing, coiled around the pine tree, but he lifted his coppery head as we approached and let Annabeth scratch under his chin. Steam hissed out his nostrils like from a teakettle, and he went cross-eyed with pleasure.

"Hey, Peleus," Annabeth said. "Keeping everything safe?"

Andromeda skipped over to him, rubbing his snout with both hands. He made a purring sound and pushed against her palms.

The last time Percy had seen the dragon he'd been six feet long. Now he was at least twice that, and as thick around as the tree itself. Above his head, on the lowest branch of the pine tree, the Golden Fleece shimmered, its magic protecting the camp's borders from invasion. The dragon seemed relaxed, like everything was okay. Below them, Camp Half-Blood looked peaceful—green fields, forest, shiny white Greek buildings. The four-story farmhouse they called the Big House sat proudly in the midst of the strawberry fields. To the north, past the beach, the Long Island Sound glittered in the sunlight.

Still...something felt wrong. There was tension in the air, as if the hill itself were holding its breath, waiting for something bad to happen.

They walked down into the valley and found the summer session in full swing. Most of the campers had arrived last Friday. The satyrs were playing their pipes in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow with woodland magic. Campers were having flying horseback lessons, swooping over the woods on their pegasi. Smoke rose from the forges, and hammers rang as kids made their own weapons for Arts & Crafts. The Athena and Demeter teams were having a chariot race around the track, and over at the canoe lake some kids in a Greek trireme were fighting a large orange sea serpent. A typical day at camp.