Turning Tides | P. Jackson Books 1-5

We're Leaving

"I'm in it for the long game, everything is too complicated right now also I'm very sure that her mother would curse her if she ever admitted anything to me. The child of Eris isn't exactly something to brag about." Ki grimaced. They saw the stands as the campers filled in. "I'm going to tell her good luck." They split apart as he went to Annabeth, while Ayden went to Percy and Tyson.

"How's it looking boys?" She asked. Tyson gave her a big smile.

"Great," He jumped off the chariot and picked her up off the ground.

"Oh," She winced as he squeezed the air from her lungs.

"Don't hurt her Tyson, light hugs," Percy warned him. Tyson put her down and patted her arms.

"Sorry, sorry," He smiled.

"Do you're best and don't let Clarisse kill you please," Ayden joked as she walked toward the pegasi as she pet them. Percy watched her brush her hand across their mane. He could hear the way the horses spoke about Ayden. They liked her presence, her soul.

"Anything for you," Percy mumbled as he adjusted the reigns of the horses. Tyson stared at his brother oddly.

"What?"

"Nothing," Percy secured the ropes.

"Annabeth is going to take you out with ease," Ki smirked as he walked past with his hands in his pockets. Ayden hit his arm as she shook her head.

"Shut it," She glared. Ayden turned back to Tyson and Percy. "Have fun and don't trample each other." She moved back into the stands joining Cameron and Ki. They were sitting on the first row. The Ares children were on the other side and scattered throughout the stands were the other god's children waiting for their chariots to start.

"Placing bets!" One of the Hermes kids called. Ayden shook her head as Ki pulled out a drachma.

"Don't you dare," Cameron laughed at him. Tantalus got ready as he instructed the charioteers what the rules were. Then he called out for them to ready themselves as he raised his hand. As it dropped each of them took off. Just as it started Apollo and Hermes chariots clipped each other as they collided with each other's chariots and horses.

"Damn," Cameron grimaced. "The twins were really excited."

"Ope," Ayden muttered. Clarisse speared the Demeter chariots watching as they brought and tumbled into the grass. "Sorry, Cameron."

"No hard feeling," She shrugged. Clarisse was leading the race. Annabeth behind her. Percy and Berkendorf were getting close to one another. Ayden chewed the inside of her lip as she watched the two of them stab at one another.

"Hey," Ki looked at the trees. "Why are there so many birds?" They watched as Clarisse and Annabeth got closer to the forest. The birds seemed to get spooked as they rose in the air. Swarms of them as they spotted the sky.

"That's not—." Cameron was cut off as the shrieks started. The birds dove for the crowd.

"Ki!" Ayden yelled as she jumped into action. She teleported behind the stands and through the forest. She needed a net. Blood-curdling screams erupted from the stands. Ayden grabbed the net and teleported back quickly.

"Ayden!" Annabeth yelled as she threw the neck over a solid portion of the birds protecting some of the campers. They all had scratches on them. Ayden was constantly teleporting at such a fast rate that the birds moved through her. Annabeth got out of her chariot and was almost stunned at how holo Ayden was. She didn't know she could shift that fast. 

"The big house! We need Chiron's music!" She yelled over the screaming. Ki and Cameron were using their magic as fast as they could to take out the birds as the other campers struggled to defend themselves. Ayden teleported into the big house as she struggled to find the music box.