0003. | ARES' DAUGHTER
HAS A (APHRODITE-LIKE) PLAN
Octavia was singing healing hymns to Annabeth.
She and her siblings had recounted ten times over. No camper had suffered more than one, single bite from the plague-carrying rats. Only Tantalus had suffered the majority of the plagued bites, and it showed. As the rest of the campers were healing, their sickness now reduced to a lightheadedness and a weakness of the limbs. But Tantalus was still poisoned a green colour and itching his skin with the only strength he could muster.
Octavia wasn't feeling bad at all about any consideration of Tantalus' state of plague, other than sympathy for James who had taken over from her to heal him. Tantalus had screamed and argued too many times that whenever Octavia touched him, she was apparently trying to kill him. He was a lot calmer when James approached.
It was totally ridiculous. James might have been able to sing the healing hymns better than her (a fact she loathed to admit ever), but Octavia was still the best healer at Camp. If she wanted Tantalus dead, she would have let the plague run its course. She knew the potency of the plague she was healing—Apollo had intended death if it hadn't been for the healing abilities of his children.
"Iyah..." Annabeth hummed. "When will it be gone?"
Octavia continued her tuneful notes but moved from wiping Annabeth's brow with a cool, wet cloth to inspecting her wounded finger. It was no longer tinged green, thanks to her healing, but still required Ambrosia or Nectar to close up the open cut. She suspected that was the same level that the other campers were at too.
Her healing melody came to its final end. Annabeth was able to gather the strength to sit up.
"By the morning, latest." She promised her. "You'll be able to attend the races. Everyone will, hopefully."
"Are you still racing?" Annabeth frowned, sipping from a glass of Nectar that was placed at all the bedside tables.
Nectar was never typically given for cuts. Those were left for larger wounds or damages. But a God-given plague was dangerous, and they needed all the help they could get. It had been Michael's call to ration the Nectar for the patients, but to leave their stores of Ambrosia for storage.
"Yeah." She confirmed. "I just need another rider, now you're incapacitated."
"Sorry for the inconvenience." Annabeth scoffed.
Octavia laughed. "I didn't mean it was your fault." She promised. "I just... I really need this win, you know? I need to help my siblings. It's not fair that they're getting the treatment I deserved—,"
"It's not your fault!" Annabeth fought with the greatest strength of volume she could manage. "You know that, right? The way Tantalus has been treating your cabin is not your fault, it's his. You shouldn't have to pay for your father's actions."
Octavia sent her a chiding look. Annabeth should have known better than that. "Of course I must answer for Apollo." She insisted. "He answers for me, too. His honour represents me, I have to reciprocate—,"
"It's ruining you, Iyah." Annabeth frowned. "Look at yourself. You're exhausted. You're stretched too thin. You have to sleep."
Octavia didn't like to hear such silliness from the daughter of the Goddess of wisdom. Annabeth often convinced herself of things that weren't true, like when she thought Jackson was a son of Zeus, not Poseidon. Octavia didn't believe her then and she didn't believe her now. She wasn't even that tired, she could last way longer than this, plus, she was needed in Camp. She didn't need Annabeth telling her to take a seat. The Camp needed healing and protecting. That was what Octavia was made for.
She grinned instead of listening. She waved her off. "Sleep is for the weak. I'm fine." She stood from the stool she had perched at whilst tending her best friend. "I have to check on the others now, but call for me if you need me."
Before Annabeth could use any strength she had regained in two days to fight her and force her to rest, Octavia moved away to another bed.
She courted herself by, adding ice to the Nectar glasses so the godly medicine didn't sour for the sleeping wounded. She added it to Connor's glass as the boy snored in his sleep.
Travis had pulled up a stool by his younger brother's side. He hadn't left in hours. He only moved to eat or prepare for the chariot race. Connor was supposed to be his partner, but like Octavia, he had been forced to regroup.
"Should he be sleeping his much?" Travis asked her. He looked exhausted.
Octavia looked at him, not having expected him to speak to her. He was busy watching Connor snore. "Um," she cleared her throat. "Yeah, perfectly normal. His body's just catching up on itself. Healing is tiring, especially from sickness. I was just saying to Annabeth, he should be okay by the morning. I'll have Michael make sure he drinks the Nectar when he wakes."
Finally, Travis looked at her. "Thank you."
Her stomach pooled with guilt. "You don't have to thank me." She flushed and turned her head away so she wouldn't blurt out the truth. That the plague was her own doing.
Everyone in the Infirmary was there because of her. She had thought Jackson's monster was going to do damage when it arrived at her home. She had never expected herself to be the biggest threat to her home and family.
"I do." He said. "You're holding everything together."
She frowned, confused.
He noticed. "I know you organised the nightly border patrols." He explained. "I know you're also on guard every night. I would have joined but..."
Her heart hammered at the thought that Travis was offering to hang out with her, but she knocked the idea away. She had to concentrate on healing right now, not her own heart palpitations because the cutest boy at Camp was talking to her.
"It's not your responsibility." She shrugged him off. "If my brother was in here, I'd be worried too."
Her eyes shifted to Michael and James who were trying (and failing) to teach Lee how to make an anti-inflammatory paste. He had forgotten the turmeric. Lee wasn't much help in terms of healing. The medical ends of Apollo's talents hadn't spread to Lee, only his weapon ability. Lee couldn't sing or play an instrument, he couldn't heal or mend, but he could do archery. Unfortunately, James was adamant on teaching him.
Travis frowned, looking at her. "Yeah, it's weird that no Apollo kids got hurt." He said.
Her eyes widened in a betraying way.
He didn't notice. "Lucky, I guess." He shrugged. "Apollo's the God of Healing, makes sense that you all have better immune systems."
"Ha, ha..." She winced. "Yeah, totally."
She distracted herself again quickly. She dunked a cloth into a bowl of ice water, ignoring the sharpness against her skin. She rinsed it and applied it to Connor's forehead. His snoring soothed as his breathing regulated itself.
Travis watched her every concentrated action.
She looked across to him. "So," she mumbled. "You still wanting to do the chariot race tomorrow?" She tried to sound nonchalant.
He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, Connor's out of commission, but Nyssa's made this awesome chariot so she asked me to team up. I reckon we can take out Katie Gardner's team easily."
"Oh." She managed to say. She could feel her cheeks burning red with embarrassment. He already had a partner.
He frowned. "What?" He asked. "Who's your team?"
"I don't have one." She said. "Annabeth..."
He winced. "Oh, Gods, I forgot!" He looked over at Annabeth's bed.
Octavia glanced too and saw Annabeth avert her nosey stare in time towards a book. Octavia flushed with embarrassment again, only for a different reason. Annabeth had been watching her pitiful interactions with her crush.
"I didn't realise you didn't have a team..." Travis mumbled awkwardly, his own cheeks warming. She guessed he pitied her. She hated that. "I would have asked—,"
"You don't have to worry about me!" She promised. She wanted suddenly to stick her head in the ice bucket to avoid the conversation with a sudden bout of hyperthermia. She was so embarrassed. "I'll sort it out. I always figure something out."
Travis' face was as red as the cut on Connor's arm. "I could pair Nyssa with someone else—,"
"I could ask Silena, or someone—," she said at the same time.
Her heart hammered, feeling like an idiot that she had just shut down his offer.
He cringed inwardly, realising she didn't want him as a partner.
She ducked her head away from him before he could see her face morph into the same shade as her hair. "I should go." She coughed. "Um, Connor will be fine—," her voice went squeaky. "I have to— er, I need—," she gave up her futile efforts to lie and made for the exit of the Infirmary.
Travis stood, as if to follow after her, but she was too fast.
She bolted once she was out the door, hurrying for... she actually didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to avoid the Medical Bay like her life depended on it.
In her hurry, she hadn't noticed the unfamiliar figure sat on the steps of Cabin Seven. Clarisse.
"Oi!" She shouted for her attention. "Carrot head!"
Octavia saw her and sighed. "Not now, Clarisse..."
Clarisse jogged to her side. "I've been waiting for you for—like—ten minutes. Where the hell were you?"
Octavia frowned. "The Infirmary." She said. "Tantalus needed his medicine and I needed to check on everyone."
Clarisse tightened her bandana over her forehead. "So you've chickened out of the chariot race, then?"
Octavia scowled. "No!" She argued. "Where'd you get that idea?"
"You're spending all your time in the Infirmary or on patrol duty." Clarisse said it like it was obvious. "You haven't even chosen any horses, so I figured..."
Octavia hated the idea. Was everyone at Camp underestimating her ability to multitask? "Of course I'm racing, I just—,"
"Do you want to be my partner?"
Octavia froze. Her scowl softened to a frown of confusion. Any thought of Travis' offer left her mind as she was left wholeheartedly confused. "You... You want me as your chariot partner?"
Clarisse rolled her eyes. "That is what I asked."
"Sorry," she grumbled. "I just didn't expect you to want me. I mean, aren't you partnering with one of your siblings? Brad's good with the horses."
Clarisse looked embarrassed. It was weird. Octavia had never seen her embarrassed before. Clarisse mumbled something under her breath, avoiding eye contact.
"I'm sorry, what?" Octavia couldn't lip read for the life of her.
Clarisse scowled with annoyance and blurted it out. "They don't want to partner with me." She spat. "Bradley says I'm too competitive and Joey is scared I'm going to skewer him not Beckendorf."
Octavia's eyes widened with her confusion. Clarisse had never been so honest. It was weird, she didn't like it.
"What's wrong with being competitive?" She asked. "It's a competition."
Clarisse's face lit with excitement. "That's what I said!"
Octavia cracked a smile without meaning to. "So... you want to partner up? Why?" She listed. "And how? I'm terrible with the horses and there's not way you'd give up being the guard—,"
"I'll be the rider." Clarisse cut her short.
Octavia couldn't believe it. There was no way Clarisse, daughter of the War God was going to give up violence for the sake of Octavia. "Why?"
Clarisse smirked. "I have an idea of how to win." She said. "And you're kind of the core to that."
Octavia frowned, curious. "Which is...?"
Clarisse's smirk grew, knowing she was winning her over. "I figure Hermes, Hephaestus, and Poseidon are going to be our biggest opponents." She said. "Hermes is the God of Travel, Travis is going to have something up his sleeve, plus Nyssa built their chariot—it's going to have a trick. Beckendorf will do the same. Katie says she saw him and Jake building automaton horses, they'll be fast, but also breakable. And Poseidon..."
"Jackson's paired with the monster?" Octavia cringed. She had thought he had better taste than that, or even a sense of survival better than giving a monster a weapon and a chariot.
"Yeah, I'm about as thrilled with that as you are." Clarisse sneered. "But, apparently he's gentle with the horses. The monster will drive and Jackson will fight."
It was a good ploy by Clarisse, but Octavia was still confused. "I still don't understand what I have to do with this." She said. "You clearly want to break the automaton horses—good idea by the way—," Clarisse grinned. "But what have I got to do with Travis and Percy?"
Clarisse made a face at her. "Gods, you're such an idiot."
"Hey!"
She snickered. "It doesn't matter." She insisted. "Are you in, or out? I know you need this for your cabin... I'm giving you a chance to win." She offered. "In, or out?"
Octavia felt put on the spot, but she knew Clarisse was right. If she had known earlier that Clarisse was without a partner, she probably would have approached her before she did Travis (Travis might have been more attractive and funnier, but Clarisse was better with a spear). It was a good opportunity to win, a very increased likelihood, and Clarisse was right. She needed to win for the sake of her cabin.
She struck her hand out. "I'm in."
Clarisse grinned toothily. She shook her head definitively. "Good choice."
The morning of the chariot race came with the added celebration of the return of the plagued campers.
The Apollo Cabin was heavily cheered as they entered the arena for the racetrack. They had worked tirelessly to revive all the bitten campers, and they had succeeded. In just three days, the entire Camp had been healed from a plague sent by a God.
(Of course, no one knew that particular piece of information. Octavia had made sure to keep her lips firmly sealed, and no one besides Jackson had asked her. From the lack of uproar, she guessed he was keeping her secret.)
Even Tantalus was on the mend, but barely. He had demanded James take him to the race track to watch the charioteers. James had found an old wheelchair and blanket for the activities director and pushed him to the arena because he was too weak (lazy) to push himself.
The charioteers had been told to line up at the start line for five laps around the track. Whoever was the first to cross the line after five laps would be crowned the winners and have their chores absolved.
Octavia tightened the vambraces on her forearms. Annabeth was straightening her breastplate for her and brushing dirt off of the leather skirted fringe.
"Be careful." She muttered to her. "It's a narrow track—,"
"I'll be fine." Octavia steeled herself. "I have to be. I need this win."
Octavia's tummy had been churning with butterflies the whole morning. Kayla had tied her laces for her and Michael had offered her his shield, with the hope of wishing her good fortune. As dangerous as they had all deemed it, they also wanted her to win. They needed this break.
She had pushed her nervousness away. She had a good team, she had good horses, she had good blades, and she was better than the other fighters. She could do this, she knew it. She had faith in herself. She was the saviour of Apollo, she was the pride of Zeus. She had held the sun, she could win a chariot race for the honour of her cabin. She had faith in herself.
"I know you need it." Annabeth minded her. "I'm worried that you're riding too much on this win—,"
"Annabelle." Mr D's voice rang out from behind her. "Give me a moment with Olivia, yes?"
Mr D was looming over her shoulder with an expression which left her with no space for wiggling her way into further conversation with Annabeth. Annabeth knew there was no room for argument, even if she was being called the wrong name. "Good luck, Iyah." She wished her before she was forced away.
Octavia was left with the God. She turned to him, expecting a spiel about how the china plates hadn't properly been polished, but she was met with a much harsher look than she had expected.
He leered over her and grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her close. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"
Octavia frowned, confused. His grip on her arm was harsh. "No," she said. "Sir." She added quickly when she saw his glower.
"Really?" He said slowly. He sounded like he didn't believe a word she was saying but she had no idea what he was talking about. "Nothing?"
"Sir," she said, glancing around for support. Everyone was busy with their chariots or finding a good seat in the stands. They were alone. "I don't understand what you mean."
Dionysus sighed with frustration. "You are telling me you knew nothing of the plague on this Camp which incapacitated my son for three days, as well as twenty campers, and Tantalus as well?"
Her stomach dropped. She knew her guilt shone on her face and she felt awful, but so afraid. She knew she was in huge trouble and she felt like she was going to shrivel up into a hole under his withering stare.
She figured her only chance was to beg forgiveness. "Please, sir," she floundered. "I swear, I had no idea that was going to happen! You have to believe me," she begged. "I never wanted to invite a plague on everyone, I just wanted Tantalus to leave us alone. I—,"
He held up a hand to silence her. She shut her mouth in a second.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" He glared.
She bowed her head in dismay. "I'm sorry." She said. "I really am! I'm so, so sorry. Please don't kick me out—,"
Dionysus rolled his eyes at her, blinking away the flickering of purple which echoed in his eyes. "You are not banished from this Camp," he mocked her fear. "But listen carefully to me, Little Eleni. If you ever bring a plague upon my Camp again, I will ensure you face a punishment not even your father can protect you from. You might think what you feel for Tantalus is fury, but I promise you, you have never known the sensation. Do not threaten my Camp, do not threaten our home because you wish to throw a mortal tantrum."
His grip on her elbow was tight and threatening. She knew from the brewing in his purple eyes that this was no mere scolding for stealing the strawberries before they were ripe. She was in danger if she misbehaved again.
"I'm sorry." She admitted, feeling childish. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I just... I just wanted Tantalus to leave us alone."
Dionysus narrowed his eyes at her but she saw his brow crease with something else. She was too foolish to recognise his sympathy. "Lord Zeus' eye watches you, little Eleni," he reminded her of the eagle so often seen in the skies. "Be careful with what prayers you wish for and what anger you demonstrate. Your father is not a peaceful God. If you demand defence from him, he will return it tenfold. You have watched the wars of Troy, you know how dangerous that return is." His tight grip on her arm loosened and his hand moved to her shoulder, holding her sternly. "Do not try to wear your father's anger, Octavia. Those shoes are too big for you to fill."
Her eyes widened with horror at his words. She hadn't been so angry... had she?
Mr D saw her expression and sighed wearily. He patted her shoulder and released her. "Go." He said. "You must prepare for your race. But remember this, Octavia," he raised his chin. "You are under watch."
Octavia, at that young age, would take years to understand what Dionysus had truly meant by the eyes on her. But then, barely a teenager, she took his scolding and hurried off, unknowing of his real intent of warning.
"Octavia!" Clarisse shouted for her. "Do you want to take any longer?"
Clarisse was already boarded on their chariot.
It was a refined chariot, golden and painted with blood red accents. It was a grand vehicle, a demonstration of the Apollo-Ares alliance the two daughters had forged, and menacing. Octavia noticed Clarisse had added additions of spikes on the wheels. Knowing Clarisse, they would extend and retract too to spike the other chariots.
Octavia didn't know if that was against the rules or not, and as much as she wanted to win fair and square, she couldn't afford nobility that came with being fair. She needed to win.
The other chariots around them were just as grand. The Hephaestus chariot especially. Octavia should have known that they would pull out something so incredible. Clarisse's rumour was right too. Their horses were automaton creatures, made out of metal like the Colchis Bulls. Apparently they had been inspired.
Further down the line of chariots, Travis was mumbling in conversation with Nyssa, gesturing at their chariot like it was holding a secret.
Even further down, the monster was coaxing the horses like they were its friends. It was feeding them sugar cubes.
She looked for Jackson, wondering if he was planning some trick as well for the race, but she couldn't see him.
Annabeth was in the stands, sat next to Drew and Connor. Drew was holding a painted pink sign that read: GO SILENA! GO LACY!
Silena was by their chariot, stroking the manes of their white haired horses. Lacy, her younger sister, was admiring the new gap in her front teeth now that the last of her baby teeth had fallen out yesterday.
"Any time today, carrot-head!" Clarisse bellowed.
Octavia rolled her eyes but hurried to jog over. She was intercepted.
"Hey, O, can I talk to you a second?" Jackson caught her by the elbow same as Mr D had only moments before.
She frowned. He hadn't called her that nickname properly since last summer, back when they had been friends. She scowled quickly to cover her expression. "I have a race to win—,"
"I had a dream about Grover!" He said quickly, trying to draw her attention.
She rolled her eyes. She knew what he was trying to do but it was a dirty move. "Stop trying to distract me." She argued. "You aren't going to win this way."
"I'm not kidding!" He insisted. He looked genuine but he had looked genuine when he called her a traitor and that wasn't true, so... "It was last night. He told me he had a plan to save the Camp."
She faltered. He had got her there.
Despite her hatred for Jackson, his words intrigued her. Saving the Camp was a priority that superseded any chariot race or cabin chore. And it was about Grover, too. Without Luke and Thalia, Octavia only had Annabeth left after Grover went on his search. The prospect of him returning was overwhelming.
'What is it?" She demanded.
His eyes lit with excitement that she was actually listening to him. "He said he was in the Sea of Monsters? I don't know what that is, but I figured you might. He was dressed all silly—like a bride. He said this cyclops was trying to marry him instead of eat him. He said something about the cyclops having a blind eye after someone poked it? I don't know. But Grover says he's in trouble. He's found something—he didn't say what—that can save Camp, but he's in danger. He told me there's a chance he could die."
She blinked at the onslaught on information.
A cyclops was threatening Grover. On the side of all her other thoughts, she wondered how Jackson could hear that information and still accept his own monster as his brother. But that was another thought. Grover was being threatened. If there was a chance he could die like Thalia had, then she had to stop it. She couldn't let him get hurt if she could help it. The Sea of Monsters was a big area, but she would find his hiding spot if it meant helping him.
Besides, she had an idea of where to start given the familiarity of his story.
Jackson sighed. "But... I don't know where to start."
When she finally clocked everything he said, she processed her shock. "How have you never read the Odyssey?"
He frowned at her. "What the hell has a book got to do with any of this?"
She rolled her eyes at his stupidity. "Because, idiot, there's a very famous half-blinded cyclops in it. Polyphemus. He was blinded by Odysseus after he tried to eat him and his crew members."
"That's the name Grover said!" Jackson pointed wildly at her. "Poly-whatever. Where does he live?"
She racked her brain. "Homer never gave an exact address. Besides, it's not going to be in Greece anymore. Everything shifted with the Gods."
Jackson was getting frustrated. "But that's where Grover's been trapped and where he found the thing that can save Camp—,"
Octavia faltered.
She realised suddenly, awfully, that Jackson was trying to distract her. The monster must have been a real burden to him if it meant that he was willing to let her and her cabin suffer Tantalus' torments more. She couldn't believe he had such little honour, even after all he had done and said to her. She thought he was better than that.
"Wait, wait..." she said. "You're telling me, right now, right before the start of the race, that Grover, who hasn't spoken to anyone since he left, magically contacted you last night to tell you he's found the one thing that can save Camp?"
She scoffed. She couldn't believe she had fallen for it. He was trying one last dirty trick to throw her off. It wouldn't have surprised her now if he had also snitched to Mr D about the plague.
"You're impossible, Jackson!" She scowled. "I can't believe you would even try that! Bringing up Grover! Pretending he's in trouble—!"
"He is!" Jackson argued, but interrupting her was the wrong idea now.
"Whatever you say, Jackson." She rolled her eyes. "Bring me a prophecy from the Oracle, then I might consider it." She barged past him.
She climbed onto the chariot and left Jackson behind.
Jackson, with a scowl on his face and his head hung low, dragged his feet over to his own chariot where the monster was waiting for him.
She was so annoyed at him. Bringing up Grover was a low blow, especially after all he'd accused Luke of to Chiron. Jackson was just delusional! She knew it in her soul that he was an idiot, but worse than that. He was mean. Trying to distract her, when everyone knew how much the Apollo Cabin needed this win, was horrible. She couldn't believe he had learned to dislike her so much in only a year away from Camp.
She sighed and straightened her vambrace.
Clarisse was scowling at her for being late. "Are you kidding me?" She drilled her. "We have two minutes until the horn and you're flirting with your boyfriend?"
All of Jackson's trickery left her mind in a second of horror. "Ew, no!" She shrieked. "Don't be disgusting! He's awful, and he most certainly is not my boyfriend!" She cringed. "As if!"
Clarisse snickered. "Relax, red, I know." She calmed her. "But I need your head on the game, not on boys."
Octavia knew it was none of Clarisse's business that the only boy on her mind at that moment was Grover.
A horrible, nagging feel that ignored Jackson couldn't help but argue in her head. What if Grover was in trouble? Jackson might have been lying just to trick her, but also, she hadn't seen Grover in a year. For all she knew, she might never see him again.
"Whatever." She scowled and unsheathed her swords, readying them in her hands. "I'm ready now."
"I like your game face." Clarisse grinned, bolstering her. "Good swords too." She noted, impressed. "Where'd you get them?"
Tēi Kallistēi felt heavy in her left hand. Like any reminder of Luke, it made her feel ill. Nobody had spoken much about him since he left, least of all Octavia. She had no one to tell her feelings to, not even Annabeth and that wasn't because Annabeth had been in Virginia for the year. It was because she couldn't begin to explain how she felt, and Annabeth had loved Luke well but in different ways. He hadn't asked her to come with him, he had asked Octavia.
Any reminder of Luke made her feel like she was going to burst into a blazing fire of fury, or burn out completely and implode on herself like a star at the end of its life. She didn't know what those feelings meant.
His sword glistened with the reflection of the sun, darkened only by its engraving. She forced herself to look away and back to the race ahead. "Forges." She showed her standardised sword, not her gift from Luke.
Clarisse nodded, satisfied and probably not entirely caring.
She turned to the horses and looped the reins around her hands in tight fists. In motion with the other drivers, she drew the chariot and horses up to the starting line.
Tantalus, in his wheelchair, and with satyrs and James tending on him, looked particularly comfortable at his high viewing spot.
"Charioteers!" He spoke through a megaphone. Octavia knew his voice was too weak to shout with the plague coursing through his body. "Attend your mark!"
The butterflies from breakfast returned to Octavia.
She was beyond nervous. She glanced to the stands and saw her siblings, all but James, sat together. Their expressions were frowning but she knew the hopes they had riding on her. She could do it. She knew she could. She refused to fail.
They waited at the start line on Tantalus' call.
Octavia tightened her hold on her swords and widened her stance so that she narrowed her risk of falling from the back. She had spent years watching the charioteers riding across the fields of Troy. She knew how to plant her feet and attack from such a vantage point.
In front of her, Clarisse broadened her shoulders and tightened her grip on the reins.
They waited with bated breath.
Tantalus' hand struck down and the starting signal dropped.
The chariots roared to life and the hooves of the horses thundered against the sand. The crowds cheered and stormed to their feet.
Immediately, Pollux fell off the back of his chariot. He hadn't prepared for the jolt. His team was out.
A sharp crack shot through Octavia's ears and she risked a glance behind her. Pollux's chariot, driven by Castor despite his late journey to recovery from plague, had steered into Katie Gardner's chariot. The Demeter chariot flipped and the reins to the horses was severed. They drove themselves off to the side of the track and Castor broke a wheel.
Two chariots were down already in the first ten meters.
"Steady!" Clarisse gave her warning.
Clarisse reared a sharp left and the spikes at the wheel of their chariot stabbed into the sides of the Athena Cabin's wheels. The spokes of the wheel jammed.
Malcolm, wielding a javelin, was the fighter for the chariot. With a longer range weapon, and the smarts to realise that Clarisse was trying to drive them off the track, made a strike at Octavia.
Octavia reared backwards and nearly fell off the back but her planted feet had steadied her. She dodged Malcolm's attempt and grabbed his javelin. Off balance, Malcolm lost his grip. Octavia smacked the side of the javelin against Malcolm's chest and he went flying off of the back of the chariot. With the same momentum, she crashed the flat side of the spear into the driver, Oliver, who smacked into the front of the chariot. She pulled back with the javelin and speared it into the spokes of the wheel. The chariot dragged into the sand and the wheel broke. Their chariot was down.
The Athena team was out.
Octavia's body flooded with adrenaline and she grinned.
Clarisse cackled. "Nice!" She steered away from the wreckage and towards the inside lanes, narrowing their distance. "How're we looking?"
"Athena, Demeter, and Dionysus are down!" She called back. "Who's left?"
Clarisse glowered. "Hermes is leading with Hephaestus!" She told her. "Then Jackson!"
"Get them!" Octavia screeched. They might have wiped out those behind them, but she wasn't going to come in fourth.
Clarisse veered sharply to the left with no warning and they flew past the first lap.
Beside them, Silena in her chariot were racing alongside. Lacy, in the back, was bending her throwing knives. Octavia ducked as one sailed by her ear.
Lacy sent another knife at her head and Octavia knocked it aside with her sword. Lacy's eyes widened with horror as she realised who she was fighting. Octavia felt adrenaline course through her as the sun burned overhead.
"Clarisse, jolt!" She ordered.
Without knowing what she was doing in the back, Clarisse had no choice but to blindly trust her. She jolted the chariot against Silena's and Octavia battered her sword against Lacy's breastplate, hooking her onto the spare spear she had in the back of their chariot. Lacy yelped. She was too short to get herself unstuck but she was at least not hurt.
They crossed their second lap.
Clarisse steered away and Octavia took a chance. Silena was good with horses, their only chance was stopping the chariot. Octavia leaned herself over the edge of the chariot, bracing with all the life of her to not fall into the spikes of her own chariot. Silena tried to steer away from her but Octavia had lunged herself too daringly. She swiped with her sword, aiming for the gap between the chariot and its wheel. In a shining slice, the Aphrodite chariot's wheel flew off and the horses, unbalanced, ran into the side of the track, galloping straight into the strawberry fields.
Clarisse's hand grabbed her by the back of her breastplate and yanked her back up onto the chariot and back to her two feet. "Nice one!" Clarisse cackled. "You're going to need long range for Hephaestus!"
Octavia looked ahead. They had looped onto their third lap.
Beckendorf was leading the race with his automaton horses.
Octavia sneered. "Can't we go any faster?" She demanded.
She didn't have to see Clarisse to know she was scowling. She snapped the reins and the horses bolted. Their chariot went flying past Jackson and the monster. They were driving too wide for Octavia to aim any attack at Jackson. He was lucky, for now.
Travis was struggling to keep up with Beckendorf when suddenly, Nyssa pressed a button on their chariot. A creaking sound was heard and then, two great exhaust pipes unravelled from the back of their chariot. With a great roar of fire, their chariot shot forward with speed, melting the side of Beckendorf's metal horses. They had modified their chariot with speed boosters!
Beckendorf, focused on Travis and Nyssa, wasn't concentrating on Clarisse and Octavia coming up on his rear.
Octavia sheathed her sword quickly and took out her bow. She notched an arrow and aimed. She had to get the angle just right, but if there was one thing she could trust herself with it was archery.
She took aim and shot her arrow at a whizzing speed. The bolt of Celestial Bronze soared through the air and cracked straight into the chest of the metal horse on the inside of the track. Broken and shattered in its mechanics, the wrecked horse steered into its pair and the chariot took a violent turn into the wall. Beckendorf and Jake made a jump for it and rolled into the sand on the track. They weren't hurt, but their chariot and horses were ruined.
"Yes!" Clarisse cheered. "It's in the bag now!"
Octavia wasn't so faithful. "How are we going to catch up to Hermes?"
The Hermes chariot was already on its final lap thanks to its speed booster. They would never catch up in time to win.
Clarisse crossed them ahead of Jackson's chariot and onto their fourth lap. She snapped the reins and their horses galloped even faster, stretching their legs finally.
"Leave Travis to me!" Clarisse was grinning, Octavia could hear it in her voice.
Even though the Hermes chariot was lapping them, Clarisse was getting closer to their chariot. Octavia unsheathed her swords again and readied herself to fight Travis for when Clarisse got them side by side.
Her effort was unnecessary.
Clarisse, with one hand on the reins, and the other amplifying her voice, shouted so loudly she could be heard in the stadium seats and over the roaring sound of the Hermes chariot's engines.
"Oh, my Gods! Octavia! Are you okay! That's so much blood!"
Octavia, totally okay and not bloody at all, was incredibly confused.
Up ahead, Clarisse's plan had worked like a charm. Travis, not driving, but concerned all the same about the sudden shouting for the daughter of Apollo, had reached over Nyssa and slammed on the breaks for their chariot. In his same motion, he had grabbed the reins, forcing the horses to the side to falter and inspect the damages of Octavia Mason.
Disturbed from their pattern, the horses slipped from their reins and the Hermes chariot was left unmanned and without fuel. They were at a standstill on the middle of the track in their final lap. They had lost.
Nyssa glowered at Travis and smacked his arm. "Idiot!"
Travis hung his head in shame and his shoulders slumped. "Sorry..."
Octavia waved to him as they whizzed past on their own chariot, showing him that she was completely fine and that Clarisse had merely baited them. She was flattered he had been so concerned. Clarisse was just cocky.
"Ha ha! Suckers!" Clarisse shouted as they shot past on their chariot.
Octavia and Clarisse had now taken the lead. They were on their fifth and final lap now.
"We're so going to win this!" Clarisse shouted with glee. Octavia was close to believing her if it wasn't for the sound of pounding hooves in her ears.
Behind them, Jackson and his monster were closely the distance at scary speeds.
"Close the gap, Tyson!" Jackson shouted. "Get up beside them!"
Octavia glared at him heatedly. She readied her swords when she saw him preparing his fighting stance with his own blade. Their chariot was closing in next to her and Clarisse and she raised her sword, arcing down on Jackson and making the first strike.
Jackson parried her well but she was already striking again with Tēi Kallistēi. She cut through the leather cover of his metal breastplate and he was shoved back with the force. Their chariot jogged slightly but the monster got their horses back under control. Clarisse was protruding the spikes from their wheels to slash into Jackson's wheels.
Jackson took the next strike and Octavia knocked it aside, cutting at him again. This time, he dodged it. Their swords clashed and made the awful, majestic sound of warfare as they cracked against each other. Metal on metal, no one could tell whose sword was whose. The spectators in the stands were all on their feet, trying to get a better view of what was happening between Octavia and Jackson.
Octavia threw a punch with Tēi Kallistēi in her grip and Jackson was forced backwards to mind the blade. She struck again, quickly and efficiently but Jackson evaded it. He was getting quicker.
His sword struck and swept at her faster than it had during their practice. She ducked, narrowly missing his blade cutting her arm. He swiped again, and too low to duck again, she brought her vambrace up to her face to defend herself. His sword rebounded from her shielded forearm. He struck at her again but she wasn't going to get hit again.
With both his hands on his hilt, Jackson had arced down on her. With a sword in either hand, Octavia caught his blade between hers, stuck in an x formation. It was a fight now of strength. Octavia had no idea who between them would win that.
She risked a glance ahead. They were nearing the finish line.
She grunted, pushing back against Jackson but he was strong. His biceps were tensed, fighting against her.
"Argh!" She grunted, pushing as hard as she could. He was beating her. They both knew it. She gritted her teeth and fought. "I need this!" She spat, bearing down on him.
His eyes shifted from their locked swords to her face for a split second.
Jackson's grip slackened and his sword flew out of his hand, pushed out of the way by Octavia's strength.
She nearly wobbled off of the chariot, regaining her balance from her fight but she managed to stay on board. Clarisse cheered loudly and snapped the reins. Octavia didn't relax. Without a defence, Jackson couldn't stop her from cutting the joint of the wheel to his chariot. He grabbed the back of the monster's t-shirt and yanked him off of the back of the chariot as it screeched to a stop, landing on its side in a crash.
Jackson and the monster were left in the dust of the sand.
Clarisse charged them over the finish line at record speed. They screeched to a stop and the entire arena erupted in cheers.
Octavia was exhilarated! She had won!
The campers charged the race track. Some ran for their siblings who were suffering grazes from their crashed chariots, but the majority were charging for Octavia and Clarisse.
Octavia felt on top of the world. It was everything she had wanted. She had won! Not only had she been the fastest chariot and the best team, but she had left herself with no opponents for when she crossed the finish line. She had well and truly won!
She almost couldn't believe it, but the logistics didn't matter to her when the ecstasy hit and she was flooded, not with adrenaline but, with relief. She had done what she had promised to do. None of her siblings had to suffer anymore. She had saved them for a month at least. She had bought them time and lived up to her promise. She felt like she was on top of the world.
The Ares Cabin launched Clarisse up onto their shoulders, carrying her overhead in a massive flourish of a cheer.
Michael and Lee, the fastest of Octavia's brothers, were the first to reach her.
"Octavia, you fucking legend!" Michael shouted and launched himself at her. She laughed as he dragged her into a hug under his arm, messing her braided hair. "That was fucking awesome!"
Lee was alight with glee. "Oh, my Gods!" He bounced. "You annihilated everyone! That was insane!"
Austin and Gracie came over next with Kayla and the others.
"Hell yeah it was insane!" Michael cheered her. "That's my Head Counsellor!"
Octavia laughed loudly, her snort ricocheting embarrassingly from her lips, but she was too elated to care. She had won. Her eyes searched for Clarisse.
Clarisse was up above her head, carried from one sibling to another. She reached her hand for Octavia who grabbed it. She was pulled up beside her, carried by Brad and Joey. "We won!" Clarisse squawked in her face, like she hadn't been in the same chariot. "We won!"
Octavia beamed so widely her face nearly cracked. She saw Annabeth, in her post-plague low energies jogging over to her. She had Jackson in tow who looked miserable. That made Octavia feel a whole lot happier.
"Bravo!" Tantalus called out with his megaphone.
James was wheeling him over to the amassed crowd.
Clarisse and Octavia were finally placed down on their feet. Clarisse didn't let her go far though, and looped her arm across Octavia's shoulders, pulling her tight to her side. "We make a good team, carrot-head." Clarisse grinned toothily.
Octavia rolled her name at the nickname. "I am not a carrot!"
Clarisse cackled but didn't stop grinning, and she didn't let Octavia go. She might have even mistaken it for a hug.
"Our first victors!" Tantalus announced through gritted teeth. "Clarisse la Rue!" He called out. "And—," the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. "Octavia Mason."
A golden laurel each was placed on top of Octavia and Clarisse's heads.
Annabeth cheered so loudly her voice cracked. Beside her, Jackson was applauding but his smile wasn't genuine, anyone could see it.
Clarisse grinned down at Octavia. "I might consider this a permanent partnership, pumpkin hair." She teased.
Octavia scowled, touching her hair self-consciously. "That's not any better!"
Clarisse grinned. "Sorry, red." She joked, then looked up. Travis and Nyssa were approaching with the other disqualified competitors. "Oh, incoming..." She warned.
Travis' Camp t-shirt was torn under his breastplate and his arm was cut up with a surface-level graze, but other than that, he was fine. He looked good still too, even with sand in his hair and on his cheeks.
His eyes ran up and down Octavia's body, checking her over for something. She felt herself go red just from his presence let alone his look. She felt so silly but she also hoped he liked what he was seeing. She felt the rush of butterflies in her tummy and she ducked her head away from him.
"Are you okay?" He asked her, sounding concerned. "Are you hurt?"
She frowned, looking back at him, but Clarisse answered for her. She laughed loudly. "Calm down, Travis." She chided him. "She's fine, I was just tricking you. I knew you'd fall for that."
Travis turned red all the way down his neck. Nyssa laughed and rolled her eyes at him.
"Shut up, Clarisse." Travis grumbled and kicked his shoes through the dirt.
Clarisse snickered at him and nudged Octavia. "Told you it would work."
Octavia was confused. How had Clarisse been so certain that Travis was going to be concerned enough for her safety that he wrecked the race? Did... did Travis like her? Or was it just a friend's concern?
Either way, she didn't like seeing Travis so flustered and bothered. She felt bad for him. He had been tricked, and she didn't want any association with that sort of trickery. "Sorry about that." She told him. "I didn't know... I'm fine though." She promised. "Not a scratch."
Travis' face dimmed from red to pink when he looked at her. "Good." He coughed, clearing his throat. "I'm glad." He grumbled.
Annabeth and Jackson pushed themselves through the crowd to get closer to Octavia and Clarisse.
Annabeth beamed and bounced over to her, begging for a hug. Octavia slipped away from Clarisse's arm to meet her. "Well done!" She congratulated her. "That was so good! You nailed it!"
Octavia grinned brightly. "Thanks!" She squeezed her tightly. "I was really nervous about that last lap," she admitted. "I thought Travis and Nyssa were going to get it."
Annabeth's eyes lit with excitement and she lowered her voice. "Oh, my Gods, did you see how worried he was!" She whispered. "He so likes you—,"
"Hey, O," Jackson called her, interrupting Annabeth.
Octavia turned to him, fighting her blush that had lifted thanks to Annabeth's whispering. Jackson was holding out his hand for a handshake. She looked at it confusedly. She wasn't opposed or remiss towards sportsmanship, she just never expected to see it from Jackson.
He tried to smile at her. "Fair game." He said. "You beat me fair and square. Well done."
(If she hadn't had been so distracted with her victory, she might have sensed the lie in his words.)
She measured a nervous smile in return at him. It felt wrong on her face immediately. "Thanks." She said. "You too."
She met his hand in a shake. She could feel his calluses against hers and the coolness of his skin in comparison to the heat of hers. He shook her hand firmly, and she tried to match the strength.
It was weird, being civil with Jackson. She wasn't sure her stubbornness liked it, but she knew some part of her did. She looked at him, and for a split second, she could almost forget the horrid thing he had said to her. She wanted to forget it too, she wished he had never said it, but without even an apology, she couldn't even pretend it had never happened. He had been her friend, and he was acting like he still was. She didn't want him to think that just because she had saved his life after the Pit Scorpion that he was forgiven, or special. She knew her duty to heal. He fell under it. That was all. He meant nothing more.
She dropped her hand from his. His cool fingertips brushed the colourful chain of her glass bracelet for a moment before their hands parted.
"Come on." Clarisse grabbed her shoulder. Already her laurel was falling off of her head lopsidedly. "Let's celebrate!"
Thanks for reading x