Tempest

Eight

[auribus teneo lupum / I hold a wolf by the ears]

Tessa's grace period ended.

The next night, she sat yet again in the amphitheater, front row to the bonfire. Staring at its amber flames, the daughter of Poseidon forced away all memory of the explosion. The last thing she needed was to be anxious on that night that made everything official.

Tessa took a deep breath as Chiron trotted in. All conversation fell silent, the crackle of the bonfire making up for the voices of the demigods, becoming a heartbeat to the embodiment of halfbloods gathered.

"Heroes," Chiron began. "It appears that the recent events that have unfolded at our beloved camp are connected. One of our campers has been subject to meetings with a god, and after conversing myself with this deity, my suspicions have been proved to be correct."

People glanced at Tessa, but she kept her eyes trained on Chiron.

"Deimos, the god of terror and panic, has fled Olympus and is threatening to throw off the imbalance of the world through his strive for power. Zeus and Ares are on the verge of civil war, which is a situation we will have been all too familiar with. It is up to one hero, and who she chooses to accompany her on this quest to retrieve Deimos's source of power in the West." Chiron continued, his voice grave.

The centaur turned to Tessa, a sorrowful look in his eyes, as if he knew what was to occur on this quest and couldn't stop it.

"Tessa Brennan, daughter of Poseidon, do you accept this quest to defeat Deimos and retrieve his spear of power?" Chiron asked. The camp hung in silence, awaiting her decision.

Tessa took a deep breath, standing up straight. "I do," she said confidently, although her conscience was cowering in a corner in her mind.

Scattered applause rippled through the amphitheater but Chiron held up a hand to silence them. "Who do you choose as your companions? Phobos has made it clear that there is no required number of questers, but I advise you to remain within camp regulations, my dear."

Tessa looked around, even though she knew who she was choosing. She kept a prideful smirk on her face, as if this was nothing. Going on a life-threatening quest? What else is new?

"I choose Kaden Gray, Mark Akagi, Dale Alcander, and Reese Hale." Tessa's voice echoed through the amphitheater, confidence laced throughout it.

Chiron gave her another sorrowful look, and Tessa wished he would stop doing that. It was throwing off her confidence. How could she be levelheaded about this quest with her father figure looking at her like she was her own grave marker?

"Very well," he said in a gravelly voice, turning to address the camp. "The questers leave in two days, on the morning of July Seventh. While they are gone, as a camp we shall do our best to strengthen our borders in case another attack by Deimos approaches. You all are dismissed."

~~

T-Minus one day until Tessa left for her impending doom and she was acting as if nothing was happening. She headed to breakfast with a skip in her step, ignoring the groups of campers that watched her just as they had when she was first claimed. She was back on their dangerous radar for sure, but she didn't care.

She headed to the arena and spotted Reese, firing away at the archery range set up within it. His blonde hair turned gold in the sunlight, focus in his blue eyes. Tessa had half a mind to scare him and disrupt his focus, but she waited to speak until he fired his last arrow.