JAWBREAKER

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

"They wouldn't if Yew would hand over the chariot," Maya grumbled.

"Oh my gods," Warren blinked. "Look, I don't mean to be a bitch...well, yeah actually I do- what is wrong with all of you!?"

"What's wrong with us?" Clarisse said hotly. "What's wrong with us? More like what's wrong with you! You're so hellbent on keeping precious Prissy safe that you leveled a city block. Maybe if you cared a little less about him and more about your actual family, you would have fewer problems. Besides, the prophecy is all over camp, we all know he isn't going to make it."

"Take that back," Warren hissed.

"Or what?" Clarissed challenged, stepping close to Warren. "You gonna tell Chiron on me?"

"I could," Warren said coldly. "Or I could tell dad what a disappointment you are."

Clarisse's face turned purple with rage, but Warren continued. "I wonder how he'd react to the news that big, brave Clarisse is refusing the fight of a lifetime, all because she didn't get her way. She can't take orders, she can't be told 'no', and she can't get over herself! I don't know about you, but if I were him I'd see nothing more than a failure-"

Clarisse slapped Warren clean across the face. The impact was so hard that Warren saw stars. She cupped a hand to her stinging cheek.

Clarisse looked back at her, eyes shining with angry tears. "Get out."

"What?"

"Get out!" she repeated.

"I live here, you can't kick me out."

"No," Clarisse spat. "This is where my family lives. And I don't recognize you."

"I could say the same."

Warren turned on her heel, and with harsh, furious movements she began shoving her belongings into the duffle bag under her bed. She knew when she wasn't wanted, and she also knew she couldn't be in the same room as her sister without committing first degree murder. The rest of her siblings kept their mouths shut and looked at the floor. Some were angry, others were sad. But Warren just shouldered her bag silently and headed for the door.

"One last thing, Walker," Clarisse called out. "If you thought you had any chance of changing my mind, forget it. You and the rest of this camp are on your own."

"Thanks for letting me crash, guys." Warren said, wringing out her damp hair and tossing it over her shoulder.

Connor Stoll shrugged. "It's what we do. Wanderers, the lost and weary, well, our casa es...theirs too, or whatever."

"Yeah," Travis said. "We wouldn't want you sleeping out in the dirt."

"Although our floor isn't much better," Connor frowned at the scuffed and battered floorboards. "Sorry there's no more beds."

The Hermes cabin was overcrowded at the best of times, campers, unclaimed or otherwise, stuffed shoulder to shoulder like sardines in their bunks and on sleeping bags. But Warren didn't mind, anything was better than sharing with Clarisse.

"It's really fine," she said.

"Why not bunk with Percy?" Conner asked.

"Romantic cabin for two," Travis winked.

"Shut up." Warren chucked her pillow at him.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"No," she lied. "It's just too risky. Chiron would kill us."

"I'm more worried about Percy killing us," Connor laughed. "You in a cabin full of dashing young demigods? He might get the wrong idea."

"Not even if you were the last men on earth. Besides, Percy's not the jealous type."