𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 ✦ JACKSON

𝐯. 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩

He smiled at Thalia, like he knew something she didn't. He closed the doors and took off in a blast of heat.

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

"Who's Chiron?" He asked. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director," Rayn said. "He's... well, you'll see."

"If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled. "That's good enough for me. Let's go."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Another thing about camp that surprised me was how empty it was. I knew only year-rounders would be here but there wasn't much of them either.

I spotted Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge. The Stoll brothers from the Hermes cabin were picking the lock the lock in the camp store. A few Ares kids were having a snowball fight with the wood nymphs.

The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs. The air smelt like chocolate. Mr. D and Chiron were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor.

Chiron's beard was shaggier for the winter. His curly hair had grown a little longer. He wasn't posing as a teacher this year so I guess he was more casual. He had a fuzzy sweater on and a blanket on his lap that almost completely hid his wheelchair.

He smiled when he saw us. "Percy! Rayn! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—"

"Nico Di Angelo," I said. "He and his sister are half-bloods."

Chiron breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded, then."

"Well..."

His smile melted. "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?"

"Oh dear," Mr. D said in a bored voice. "Not another one lost."

I'd been trying to ignore Mr. D but it was hard since he was wearing a neon orange leopard-skin suit and purple shoes.

"What'd you mean?" Thalia asked. "Who else is lost?"

Just then, Grover trotted in the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red slap marks on his face. "The Hunters are all moved in!"

"Yeah," Rayn looked at his black eye. "They're in a good mood, I see."

Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."

"But... oh, right. Yes, sir."

"Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? Because Bianca's kinda strict—"

"It's PG-13," Rayn said.

"Cool!" Nico happily followed him out of the room.

"Now," Chiron said to us. "Perhaps you three should sit down and tell us the whole story."