Gracie Jackson

~ Part 26 ~

"Oh my gods! HELP! HELP!" He screamed and campers started rushing over. Me and Connor helped get Nico, Rose and Jack on makeshift gurneys. I started to walk down the hill and my knees buckled, luckily Connor caught me and furrowed his brows.

"You sure you're ok?" I shook my head. I couldn't break, not after all this.

"The prophecy is over." The sun was rising, had we really spent a whole day in that cave? "Off to Camp, across the sea she shall travel, lightning she'll need to find for her task to unravel, the wise-sea's daughter stands alone, to reach the dark prince's throne. Well I came to Camp, found you, stood alone in the mist, and the Dark Prince was Nico. It's over."

"Thank the gods." Connor looked at me and I laughed, like a good laugh. We looked like sewer rats. "Happy birthday." I stared at him and put my hands over my mouth, it wasn't until then that I realized my ring was missing, probably lost somewhere in that cave.

"Gracie!" My dad was running up the hill. He tackled me in a hug then realized what I was sticking out of my backpack. "No way. Annabeth, check this out." My mom pulled out the dagger and the campers watching all gasped.

"Where did you find this?"

"Nico had it, it was the package that was delivered." She shook her head and handed it back to me.

"I want you to have it, I have no real use for it now, plus it is your birthday." She hugged me and I winced. My white funeral outfit was soaked through with blood.

"Ow." Connor helped me to the infirmary and one of the healers from the Apollo Cabin bandaged me up. I spent the rest of the day retelling the story of what happened to my family and fellow campers.

While I was telling the story Bella ran over and hugged me. "Gracie! You really are alive!!" I hugged her and she sat in between me and Connor while we finished. By the time everyone who wanted to hear the story was satisfied, Nico was ready for visitors.

"Daddy!" Bella jumped up and down and hugged her father. Connor leaned over and joined the hug then turned and motioned for me to join.

Soon enough the dinner bell was ringing. Today I sat at the Poseidon table with Luke and Cleo, we got some looks but we got even more when Connor and Jasper joined us at our table. "Us oddballs gotta stick together right Blondie?"

"Who are you calling oddball?" Luke faked looking hurt and Cleo slapped his arm.

"Oh stop being annoying Luke. You are the biggest oddball of us all." Luke ruffled my hair and I hugged him.

"I missed you guys." They both tapped the table simultaneously and sent the message "we missed you too" through morse code. Cleo pulled out a blue cupcake with a single candle on it and our little group of misfits sang Happy Birthday wildly.