The Tide of Thieves book 1

CHAPTER 1 - Jasmine: The Sea, the Storm, and the Stolen Crown

The ocean always made more sense to me than people did. Waves didn't lie. They didn't pretend. They didn't gossip behind your back or ask why you smelled like engine grease again. They just rose, fell, and breathed with you — steady, honest, alive. Which is why, on the morning everything went wrong, I was sitting waist‑deep in the Atlantic, letting the tide swirl around my hands while I tightened the last bolt on a half‑finished engine block. Yeah. I was building a motor in the ocean. Don't judge me. The sun was barely up, the sky a soft watercolour of pink and gold, and the water was warm enough that I could pretend it was hugging me. My hair was already soaked, my shorts were covered in sand, and I had a wrench between my teeth. Perfect morning. "Jasmine!" someone yelled from the dunes. "You're gonna rust that thing!" I spat out the wrench. "Engines don't rust that fast, Claudia!" Claudia jogged down the beach, her dark curls bouncing, her expression already in full strategic crisis mode. She always looked like she was planning a heist, even when she was just walking to breakfast. "You said that yesterday," she said, hands on her hips. "And the day before. And the day before that." "Because it's true," I said, tightening the bolt with a satisfying click. "Besides, saltwater and I have an understanding." "That's not how corrosion works." "Maybe not for you Athena kids." She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Claudia didn't smile often — she was too busy thinking ten steps ahead of everyone else — but when she did, it felt like the sun came out twice. I wiped my hands on my shorts, not caring about the grease stains. "So what's the emergency? You only run before breakfast when something's wrong." Claudia hesitated. That was bad. Claudia never hesitated. "Chiron wants everyone in the Big House," she said. "Now. Something's been stolen." I froze. "Stolen? What? When? Who?" "That's the problem," she said. "We don't know. But the gods are already blaming each other." Great. Just what we needed. Another divine meltdown. I stood, brushing sand off my legs. "Okay, but why do we need to be there? We're not exactly the A‑team." Claudia gave me a look. "Jasmine, you're a daughter of Poseidon. You're automatically on the A‑team." "Tell that to the people who keep asking if I can summon dolphins on command." "You can." "That's not the point." Before Claudia could answer, a blur of motion shot past us, kicking up sand like a tiny tornado. "MEETING!" Erin shouted as she sprinted by. "BIG HOUSE! NOW! POSSIBLE DOOM!" Erin never walked anywhere. She was pure Ares energy — hyperactive, fearless, and constantly one bad idea away from blowing something up. She was also one of my best friends. Behind her came Jessica and Olivia, the dancer duo, moving in perfect sync even when they were just jogging. Jessica waved cheerfully. Olivia counted her steps under her breath like she was memorizing the rhythm of the world. Then Naite appeared, silent as a shadow, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. Jocelyn followed, carrying a bundle of herbs she'd probably foraged on the way. Kenzie trudged behind them, yawning dramatically. Leni strolled in last, jacket sleeveless as always, defying the morning chill. And then Jorja arrived on horseback — because of course she did — her braid whipping behind her like a banner. She guided the horse with effortless grace, Poseidon kid style. Finally, Nate came running, tripping over his own feet, shouting something in German about ducks. Our whole chaotic friend group. All here. All confused. Claudia looked at me. "Ready?" I took a breath. The tide tugged at my ankles like it didn't want me to leave. "Yeah," I said. "Let's go see what the gods screwed up this time."

The Big House was buzzing with tension. Campers crowded around the porch, whispering. The sky above us darkened, clouds swirling unnaturally fast — like someone was stirring the atmosphere with a giant spoon. Chiron stood at the center of the porch, looking more serious than I'd ever seen him. "Campers," he said, voice steady but grim, "an artifact of great importance has been stolen from Olympus." A ripple of fear moved through the crowd. "What artifact?" Jessica asked, her voice soft but steady. Chiron's eyes swept over us — and landed on me. "The Crown of Tides," he said. "A relic belonging to Poseidon himself." My stomach dropped. "The theft has already sparked accusations between the gods," Chiron continued. "If it is not recovered soon, war may be inevitable." War. Again. Fantastic. Claudia whispered, "This is bad." Chiron raised a hand. "The Oracle has spoken. A quest must be undertaken." Everyone held their breath. He unrolled a scroll. "Nine shall rise when the sea is crowned, Two from shadow, two from wing, Three from wisdom, one unbound, And one whose heart commands the spring. Seek the thief where storms are born, Or watch the world be split and torn." The crowd murmured. Claudia's eyes widened. "Nine... that's us." "Two from shadow," Naite muttered, glancing at Kenzie. "Two from wing," Leni said, tapping her Hermes pendant. "Three from wisdom," Olivia whispered, looking at Claudia and Jocelyn. "One unbound," Erin said proudly. "That's definitely me." "And one whose heart commands the spring..." Jessica murmured. "That's—" Everyone looked at me. I swallowed hard. Chiron nodded. "Jasmine, daughter of Poseidon... you will lead this quest." My heart pounded. Me? Lead? I could barely lead myself out of bed on time. But the sea inside me stirred, rising like a tide. "Okay," I said quietly. "Where do we start?" Chiron's expression darkened. "With the one place no demigod wishes to go," he said. "The birthplace of storms. The place where the sky first learned to rage." A crack of thunder split the sky. "Mount Othrys."