Book 1 - The Lightning Thief
"You should have told me it was capture the flag today?" Percy muttered as he sat down next to Ayden at breakfast.
"Where's the fun in that?" She smiled eating a piece of ham. "It's just a nice game of capture the flag."
"It's for glory. Have you ever been a part of one of these?" Percy asked as he stared at his eggs with his fork gripped in his hand.
"Nope." She took a drink of water. "So we are in this together."
"Who's team are you on?" Percy asked. Ayden stared at him. "Sorry." He laughed.
"Yeah so I'll have your back if you've got mine," Ayden added eating a bit of her biscuit.
"Ayden, I don't think you want me covering your back," Percy reasoned. "I can't even handle a sword."
"So, at least you'll be there to yell out when someone is coming. That's something," She smiled. Percy watched her take another drink before turning to him. She looked at his plate of untouched food. "You need to eat that."
"Are you nervous?" Luke asked as he sat down. Ki sat down next to Ayden. She thought he might say something to her about yesterday, but instead, he gave her a cheeky smile.
"Yes," Percy and Ayden said at the same time. Percy looked at Ayden.
"Why are you nervous?"
"I can be nervous," She admitted. "I'm allowed to be nervous."
"Are you though?" Percy asked. She looked away from him watching a few campers walk past. "Mhmm." Luke laughed at the two of them.
"Look you will both be fine. We are on the winning team anyway," Ki took a bite of bacon. "Annabeth's team is the best. She always wins."
"That sounds a little like favoritism," Ayden glanced at him. He paused his eating as he glared at her.
"You want Clarisse to win?" Luke asked.
"Never said that just surprised she wouldn't throw a fit or something," Ayden muttered as she looked across the tables at the girl who was already staring at her. "Oh, she's happy today."
"She'll be coming for you," Luke added. "This game isn't just for fun. It's to prove who is better. It's for glory. It's about who knows more about strategy. It's about who is better at combat. She will want to go for you or you," Luke pointed at Ayden and then Percy.
"Me, why me?" He frowned.
"You killed a minotaur, alone. That's impressive. That got everyone's attention at camp. Clarisse wants that kind of recognition." Luke explained. "You win something like this and that might just get their eyes again."
"Wait, so you're saying that if I win this then maybe my father will claim me?" Percy asked. Luke nodded. "Well, now I just have to make sure I really don't mess up."
"That's not how that works," Ki mumbled as he tried to keep the food in his stuffed mouth.
"Percy, you will do fine," Ayden assured him. "I promise. You just have to trust yourself."
"Yeah I don't," Percy shook his head.
"Eat your food," Ayden shoved his head lightly as she laughed. She pushed herself up.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"I have to talk with Annabeth about today and my tray is empty," She showed him. "Now eat your food, Luke don't stress him out, and Ki just keep stuffing your mouth," Ayden warned as she gave Ki a long stare. He smirked at her and nodded.
"Yes, ma'am," Luke answered as he smacked the side of Ki's head. His smile fell as he touched his head. Ayden rolled her eyes and moved away from them discarding her tray and moving toward Athena's cabin. Annabeth would be planning, not eating right now.
"What's the plan general?" Ayden asked as she walked in. Annabeth didn't look over at her as she stuck her sword in its sheath. "Oh, you are already dressed too. Isn't it a bit early?"
"It's never too early," Annabeth reasoned. "I want you to stay with me today. We are going to observe."
"And what are we observing? The game?" Ayden asked.
"Clarisse is going to go after Percy," She muttered. Ayden stared at her and then scratched her forehead. "We are going to watch him."
"Wait, so you want me to stand by while she goes after Percy?"
"Exactly that," Annabeth nodded as she moved toward the door.
"Wait, why would she go after Percy and not me?" Ayden asked. Annabeth took a deep breath and paused.
"She knows she can beat Percy, he's given her reason to doubt that. She's out for blood. You, she is unsure about and she won't risk embarrassing herself again," Annabeth reasoned. She stared at Ayden like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Ayden tilted her head from side to side.
"Okay, I'll agree. But if it gets too far, I will intervene. Percy is new, but he needs to build confidence in himself." Annabeth agreed as they moved out onto the grounds.
After breakfast. The teams broke apart as they went to get ready for the game. The gear wasn't totally appealing. Ayden didn't like the helmet. Hers was too big so she didn't wear it since it would distract her as it slid down over her eyes. Ki had taken it from her and wore it instead.
"Are you going to be able to conceal yourself?" Annabeth asked. Ayden glanced over at her slowly smirking. She teleported on the other side of Annabeth.
"I'll do fine," Annabeth nodded as she slowly turned to her.
"I'm glad we're friends." Ayden's jaw dropped at her words.
"What's happening?" Cameron asked as she joined the others. Ayden watched the way Luke's eyes followed her. Percy came up just behind him.
"She just," Ayden muttered as she stared at Annabeth. "She, we're."
"Okay, well get your head focused," Cameron put her arm on Ayden's shoulder as she glanced across the river. "This is a winning day."
"I can second that," Annabeth agreed. A vine started to grow up Ayden's leg but was cut off by a shadow.
"Rude," Cameron scoffed. Ki came forward smirking as he shrugged. He had a sword, but no shield. He didn't need one.
"With us three it's a definite win," Ki nodded as he gave Ayden a wink.
"Say that again?" Annabeth moved forward catching his eyes. His entire ego dropped when he saw her.
"That's not what I meant, but, well you know, we chose the right side," He tried to correct himself. Ayden looked over to Percy both of them bursting out laughing the moment they met eyes. "Shut up."
"Are we ready?!" Chiron yelled as he moved onto the rock ledge. "You all know the game. Capture the other team's flag and cross this river successfully to be declared the winner!" Across the river, Clarisse's team wore red, while Annabeth's team was blue. "Any children with magical items or magic themselves are permitted. Not killing or maiming!" A horn was blown as the sides screamed out. Annabeth turned to Luke.
"You know what you're doing?" She asked. He nodded.
"Yes ma'am," He pointed his sword down the river's edge. "Company move out!" He winked at Cameron as he moved with his men. Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm.
"Not you sunshine, you're with us," Percy looked at Ayden with a worried look.
"Relax," She muttered. "You're with the best."
"Yeah that's what worries me," Percy moved after the two of them.
"You know where to go?" Annabeth asked as Ki stood on her other side. He nodded moving off into the woods. Cameron waved lightly as vines came around the trees wrapping around her body and pulling her back into the woods.
"That was cool," Ayden muttered. Percy nodded.
"Keep it moving," Annabeth called. Ayden had to admit that their team was equipped with magic and weaponry. Luke was the best swordsman. Cameron controls the woods and wherever else was in the shade was Ki's domain. They walked through the woods. Percy struggled with his sword and tripped over a log. The girls turned staring at him. He pushed himself up and huffed.
"I'm fine thanks."
"Good," Ayden smiled as she offered him a hand. "I'm glad." He looked down at his mud-covered pants. Ayden reached forward fixing his strap on the leather gear.
"Look I uh–need this to go well for me today, so if there is any way that you could make me not make a fool of myself would be fantastic," Percy added looking past Ayden at Annabeth.
"You'll be fine. Let's keep moving."
"What exactly is the plan?" Percy asked Ayden hoping he would get an answer. Instead, he got a shrug. Ayden didn't know what she was going to tell him because honestly, she had no idea either. He was going to be left alone, but that was all. "This is awful." Ayden laughed as she grabbed his arm pulling the muddy kid forward. They moved toward a rock edge looking over a major part of the woods.
"Alright this is where we leave you," Annabeth pulled the NY cap from her pocket.
"Wait what?" Percy looked at Ayden for help. The girl gave him a grimace. "What do you mean leave me?"
"Exactly what I just said. You'll know what to do when the time comes," Annabeth muttered as she put the cap on turning invisible. Ayden's jaw dropped as she looked around.
"I didn't know you did that?" Ayden breathed as she stared at the empty space. "What the hell?"
"Are you going to leave me too?" Percy asked.
"Yeah, I've got a job of my own," Ayden lied. Percy glared at her. "Trust yourself, Percy. You know what you're doing. I have full confidence in you that you can handle yourself."
"I can't handle myself, you saw me fall earlier?" He gestured back to the trail behind them. Ayden laughed a little and then sighed.
"Just relax, you've got this. I promise you won't make a complete fool of yourself," Ayden assured him as she patted his shoulder. He shook his head watching her teleport away from him. She didn't actually go far. She was back in the woods a few yards away.
"How touching," Annabeth whispered. Ayden rolled her eyes. She didn't know if Annabeth could see the action, but she still did it.
"He really needs this to go well," Ayden muttered. "Are we really just going to watch him?"
"No, we will move off in a bit to scout the rest," Annabeth added.
"Why don't you want me fighting or anything?" Ayden asked. Annabeth appeared to her left the NY cap in her hands. "That's an awesome item by the way."
"Thanks, it was a gift from my mother," She nodded. "I needed you with me to keep him calm long enough to get him into position."
"Position" Ayden muttered as she glanced around. "You made sure he would be found." This time Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Let's go," She smacked her shoulder as the pair moved through the woods.
"Did you really call me your friend earlier?" Ayden asked remembering her words. Annabeth turned around staring at her. "Sorry, I just remember it."
"I would say don't let it go to your head, but it already has," Annabeth added.
"One day Annabeth, I'm going to get you to laugh. One day," Ayden smiled. "Alright, general, now what do you have planned?"
"You need to go find Luke," She added. Ayden narrowed her eyes.
"Is that because you don't want me around to see what you are going to do to him?" Ayden asked. Annabeth stared at her.
"I'm really glad you catch yourself on, now go find Luke." She put the cap back on making Ayden throw her hands in the air.
"Oh come on," She shook her head and started teleporting around the forest. The entirety of this game was Ayden playing hide and seek with her own team. She would go from one place to the next either assisting or searching for Luke. When she finally did find him she ended up helping him since they seemed tied up in fighting.
"Where is Clarisse?" Ayden breathed when she kicked the final person down. Luke helped his teammates up.
"I don't know," Luke muttered. "But we have to move, we are going to win this." They grabbed the flag as they moved. Ayden teleported ahead of them. She could hear Clarisse's scream from the shore so she teleported onto the rocks. Clarisse's had her hands on Percy's vest. Two of her teammates were lying on the ground next to them. Ayden saw no sign of Annabeth, but she could see the rage on Clarisse's face.
"Clarisse!" The girl let go of him and stumbled back her eyes moving to something on the ground. Percy was cut up and looked exhausted as he fell to his knees. Clarisse grabbed a piece of her spear off the ground and then the second half. Ayden watched her disappear with her two teammates as the rest of Annabeth's team came down to the shoreline celebrating their victory.
"Well done," Annabeth revealed herself sticking the cap in her pocket once more.
"You were here the whole time?" Percy asked. He stood up shaking his head. "Why didn't you help me?" Ayden looked between Annabeth and Percy.
"You did it though," Ayden reasoned. "You did that on your own. You defeated them on your own." Percy shook his head as he looked down at the cut on his arm.
"Your right," Annabeth moved forward helping him up. He let out a long breath as he looked at his hands. "I'm sorry." She shoved him back. His arms flailed as he fell into the water.
"What is wrong with you?!" Percy yelled. Ayden moved forward, but Annabeth grabbed her arm stopping her. Ayden took a deep breath but didn't move. Percy stood up his clothes and gear soaking wet. He was angry. His dirty blonde hair stuck to his forehead. Ayden's expression fell when she watched the water move over his skin slowly healing his wounds.
"Holy shit," She muttered. Percy touched his arm and then his cheek as the wounds dissapeared. Above his head appeared a trident it was a neon blue.
"Your dad's calling," Annabeth muttered. Percy looked up seeing the trident as well. Ayden couldn't help, but smile. It was just what he wanted. He was claimed. He knew who his father was now it was time for him to get answers.
"Percy Jackson you have been claimed. Earthshaker, Stormbringer, God of the sea. Percy Jackson son of Poseidon." Chiron announced. Ayden looked over at Luke. Just behind him were Cameron and Ki. They'd found their way back to the group. She moved toward the water finally moving Percy's wet cloths to look at his arm.
"My father is Poseidon," He muttered. Ayden nodded as she turned his head.
"You are completely healed," She smirked. "That's one hell of a gift, Percy." He stared at her. His eyes moved over her face as he lost himself in his thoughts. "You are a child of the big three, a forbidden child."
She'd only just found out what that meant. She was glad she wasn't one of them. Their lives were hard. They were always sought out by the creatures of this world. Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon. That's how she knew about Thalia. Luke and Annabeth had brought her to Thalia's tree a few times to talk about her. They were family. But that was the price of a forbidden child.
"What does that even mean?" He asked.
"Well let's get you different clothes and I'm sure Chiron will explain it to you, I think this means something like a quest," Ayden reasoned as she gently tugged him from the water. Percy looked above his head once more but the trident was gone.
"Well, well, well, I knew there was something special about you," Luke smirked as Percy walked toward him.
"Did you know?" Cameron asked. Luke glanced over his shoulder but didn't lose the smirk.
"Honestly, I wasn't sure, but I had a very high suspicion, after the other incident," Annabeth explained to Percy. Ayden turned to the water looking at it once more. Percy was the son of Poseidon. "Are you mad at me now?" Ayden saw that Annabeth was speaking to her.
"No," Ayden shook her head as she moved toward her. "You just have a very interesting way of finding things out." Annabeth shrugged and walked off with the rest of her team. Ayden stayed at the water's edge watching the ripples crash against the rocks. She looked over to where Clarisse had been. Where the spear was broken. She pitied Clarisse. She shouldn't, but she did. Both of them weren't only daughters of the god of war, but they were daughters of a god who only wanted sons.
Ayden teleported to her cabin to change quickly before Clarisse could try and start something. Percy was grabbed by Mr. D and Chiron. He was going to be sent on a quest for something that was stolen. Ayden didn't know the exact details the only things she did know came from the grapevine, which wasn't very trustworthy. She walked around the grounds until she stumbled upon Percy. He had his back on his shoulders.
"Hey," She gave him a tight smile. He nodded. "You okay?"
"I'm moving to Cabin 3," He let out a long breath.
"Do you want company?" Ayden hesitated. He stared at her for a moment and then nodded as they walked together.
"So I guess you heard?" He asked. Ayden furrowed her brows. "I have a quest."
"Oh yeah, I kind of assumed, since you know," She gestured to the cabin. No one lived in this one. Just like Zeus's cabin. No one was there either. The big three. He pushed the door open for Ayden to walk in behind him.
"Home sweet home," Percy sighed as he looked around.
"God it's so depressing in here," Ayden grimaced. Percy stared at her and she winced. "Sorry. I—that's—sorry." She walked toward one of the walls looking around. She liked looking in other people's cabins.
"Poseidon, may be my father, but I'm Sally Jackson's son," Percy mumbled as he set his bag down.
"And I don't doubt that. Sally Jackson raised one hell of a son," Ayden turned. She was on the opposite side of the room, but she could still see his small smile.
"Yeah, well she was one hell of a mom," He breathed. His eyes moved over the building. "So I guess I get this all to myself."
"A blessing and a curse," Ayden reasoned as she looked around. "You've got all this space to yourself, but it's all just for you."
"This doesn't mean like people will avoid me right?" Percy asked. Ayden paused but laughed as she shook her hand in the air.
"No, Percy, if anything you need to be careful of who you trust. I'm sure the others have told you, but from what I've learned over the few weeks I've been here is that. A lot of people are going to be coming after you, so you have to be careful with who you trust. Many will want to have favor with a child of the big three." Ayden reasoned as she moved back toward him. Percy nodded as he looked back to the door. A group of people were walking past celebrating the fact that they won capture the flag.
"Great advice," Percy breathed.
"Sorry, I'm not the greatest, like I said I'm still new at this too, so you'll have to bear with me," Ayden crossed her arms as she tilted her head to the side.
"What?" Percy lifted his eyebrows.
"What?"
"What's with the face?" He pointed at her face. Ayden laughed a little and walked past him. "That's not what I meant!" Percy yelled after her. She turned seeing him standing in the doorway.
"I'll let you settle in Jackson, a lot of things are going to change for you in the next twenty-four hours and you are going to need time to process that." Ayden reasoned. Percy leaned against the door crossing his arms. Ayden fought the smile as she walked away from him. He was going to be a big problem for her and she already had so many to deal with.