Avery’s POV
I swallowed hard when I reached the big house door. Looking up at it I took one deep breath and knocked on the door. Seconds after, Chiron answered the door, his lips pressed together in a line. He moved so that I could walk in then closed the door right after me, a lock clicking into place.
My heart was beating quickly and I could hear the blood roaring in my ears while I walked in. “Take a seat.” Chiron said in monotone and I did as I was told. The centaur grabbed his wheelchair and slowly lowered his lower half into the wheelchair until he looked like a human without any capability of moving his legs. He wheeled himself in front of me and handed me a glass of lemonade which I took with shaky hands.
Chiron sat in front of me, his hand rubbing his chin and mouth as if contemplating how to start this conversation. It was silent for over a minute or two, which only made me more nervous. “Chiron?” I finally asked making him look up at me with worried brown eyes. “Do you know what’s happening to me?” I asked.
He closed his eyes tightly, his hand over his face again. “As hard as this is for me, Avery, I cannot tell you exactly what is happening to you. I am here for you to help you along your path as a demigod, but this is not something that I can help you with.”
“Why not?” I asked, setting my lemonade down. I didn’t think my stomach could handle anything at the moment.
Chiron took a deep breath before answering, his words sounding as though he was choosing them carefully. “Have you ever heard of swearing on the river Styx?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
“Well,” Chiron sighed, “The River Styx is located in the Underworld and is a sacred river in Greek history.”
“Isn’t that the river that Achilles was dipped in? It made him like invincible right? Except his heel.”
Chiron’s eyes shut tight as if the topic of Achilles was painful. It was only later that I realized that Chiron must have taught him. After all he taught all the other famous demigods. “That is correct.” Chiron said, “If you swear on the river, you are making an oath or a promise. This promise, however, is not one that you take lightly. Breaking this promise will result in you having severe punishment from the Gods and the Fates as well. Breaking that promise will be more torturous than anything you would be able to experience in the Fields of Punishment. Swearing on the river Styx is a promise that is very serious. Unfortunately, in this matter of what is going on with you right now., I cannot say,” I started to argue but he held up his hand to let him continue, “I cannot tell you because, I have sworn on the river Styx not to talk of it with anyone, especially you.”
Speechless I sat there breathing heavily. “Chiron,” I pleaded, “I need to know what’s happening to me.”
A deep, long, existed sigh came from the centaur. “I will tell you what I can.” Chiron said softly nodding his head towards me and a smile of hopefulness came on my face. “You know that many Demigods, based on their parent, have certain skills.” He started. “Children of Athena, are very smart and have battle strategies that are well thought out and almost always work. Hermes children, have a knack for stealing things and for deceiving. Children of Zeus can control lightning, Ares kids can easily handle any weapon, Demeter’s children can grow things, Children of Apollo can sing very well. Hephaestus children have a skill for fixing and building things; the list goes on and on.”
“Wait a second,” I stopped him, “So far, I’ve been able to charm speak, control water, control lightning, and…and lots more but I can only have one parent right? So is it possible to have skills from more than one God but only have one Godly parent?”
“No.” He answered his voice low.
“Then what does that make me?”
“Here is where we will have to stop.” Chiron said and started to wheel away but I stood up and put my hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
“Chiron, what’s wrong with me?” I begged, my emotions on the verge of tipping.
“Nothing is wrong with you, child. You are just different than every camper here. Whether that is a bad thing, or a good thing, is up to you.” With that, Chiron wheeled away from me leaving me standing in the empty room alone.
My head was spinning from what was happening. I had more powers than I should but I only have one Godly parent? I ran my hands through my hair that was taken from its braid and was just straight down my back because of the shower I took. Taking deep breathes I calmed myself and closed my eyes then started to walk out of the Big House.
When I was turned around to close the door I turned around to see three of my closest friends, Luke, Jacie, and Brianna.
“So…” Jacie said, “What happened?”
I suddenly felt really emotional as I felt tears well up in my eyes, “I don’t know.” I said, “He said he couldn’t tell me because he swore of the river Styx not to.” Upon hearing the rivers name, everyone gasped.
“Avery,” Luke said eyes wide as he stepped forwards. “Do you know what that means? Swearing on the river means something is… I mean- something is important- huge! If he can’t tell you…Gods… it must be something big.”
Running my hands through my hair again, I closed my eyes and said, “Let’s just get back to the cabin.”
Three of my best friends looked at each other than nodded and followed me walking towards cabin. I ended up walking in-between Jacie and Brianna while Luke was on the side of Jacie. While we walked, I tried to keep my mind clear and focus on something else, movement on my right caught my eye and I turned to see Brianna fiddling with something in her hands. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing to the object in her hands.
Brianna sighed, “It’s supposed to be a ball for Luna.” I raised my eyebrow because the object didn’t look circular at all. Brianna must have seen my expression because she laughed. “It’s like a three in one thing. It turns into a ball, then a collar then a collar with a leash attached to it.”
Jacie smiled, “Dude that sick.”
“It would be,” Brianna said and started to look agitated as she messed with the object more. “If it would…” She hit it against her hand hard. “Work!” She groaned out and looked like she gave up. “I don’t know what’s wrong with it!” She sighed, “It won’t work right.”
“Let me see it.” I said and she gave me a look but she must have figured there was no harm in it because she shrugged and handed me the object. I looked the piece over in my hands but something caught my eye. I squinted at it then saw that two wires weren’t connected so I put them together. Right when I was about to hand it back, I saw a screw that was loose. “Give me a screwdriver.” I said, holding my hand out to Brianna. Luckily Brianna always carried tools in her overalls, I thought it was strange but this time it was a good thing. One was placed in my hand then I tightened the screw and gave it back to her. Content with my work I handed her back to object. “Try that.” I said.
She hesitated and Luke said, “Come on, Brianna, it couldn’t do any harm.” She shrugged and pressed a button and immediately the object made some noises of gears turning and shifted into a ball. “Woah!” Brianna exclaimed and I smiled as she continued to hit the button, the toy doing what it was supposed to each time. “You fixed it! Maybe you could be a Hephaestus kid, sis.” She said and nudged me.
Immediately after she said that, my smile dropped.
My mind went back to what Chiron said about campers that had abilities based off their parent. “Hephaestus children have a skill for fixing and building things.” He had said. There’s one more thing that I have and that I shouldn’t.
I closed my eyes tightly and stopped walking, “Guys,” They all turned to me, “Could I have some time alone for a minute?” I opened my eyes at the last word, a pleading look on my face.
Brianna and Jacie nodded but Luke didn’t look to sure. “Come on, Luke.” Jacie elbowed him and he finally slowly turned away to walk with them, his face worried. They started to walk away but Luke looked back and mouthed, ‘Are you okay?’ I just nodded and he continued on but didn’t look convinced.
Once they left, I rubbed my shoulders and looked around the camp, whishing there was somewhere I could be without anyone following me.
I walked along toward the cabin, my mind swarming and my thoughts slamming against my head. What Luke said came into my mind- that if Chiron had to swear on the river than it’s something big and important, but, what I didn’t understand was, what was something so “great” about me? What could be so big that Chiron couldn’t tell me why I have all these powers when I should really only have powers that associate with my Godly parent.
Rubbing my face hard, to the point that my sprinkled of freckles should have rubbed off, I wished that my life could be easier. Being a Demigod sure sucked at the moment.
When I walked into the cabin, it was empty except for Luna sleeping on my bed. I didn’t want to bother her so I quietly walked out and climbed to my favorite thinking place; the roof.
Ever since I first came to camp, I’ve been on the roof every night. The roof was a place of peace for me, a shield from the rest of the world and everything that was happening. It was a good escape.
My eyes looked out past the cabins. Movement caught my eye and I saw someone that I haven’t seen for what seemed like years. “Grey!” I called out my best friends name. Grey’s head immediately turned to me and her face turned into a bright grin.
“Avery.” She said, smiling but it faded into a look of confusion. She tilted her head, “Why are you on the roof?”
I laughed and shrugged my shoulders. “I needed somewhere to think. I like high up places. They help me to think. Plus, I like to be somewhere where I can see everything.” After I spoke, Grey muttered something to herself, “What was that?” I asked.
Her eyes widened in panic. “Nothing.” She said and quickly changed the subject. “What are you thinking about?”
Looking away, I bit my lip. Grey gave me a sympathetic look and made the clump up the roof. When she made it, her breath was slightly ragged as she plopped down next to me. “what’s up?” She asked, her voce concerned.
“Everything I guess.” I sighed.
“Talk to me.” She encouraged and rubbed my back soothingly.
“You know how every demigod has an ability from their parent?” I asked her and she nodded. “I have more than I should, Grey.” Her hand tensed for some unknown reason but she continued to rub my back only slower.
“What do you mean…?” she asked, almost carefully.
“Grey, I have powers from more than one God. I can charm speak, I can sing well, apparently I can fix things, I can control lightning and apparently I can control water- amount other things!”
By this time, Grey’s hand was frozen on my back. I continued. “And…Chiron can’t tell me why. He said he swore on the river Styx and couldn’t tell me” I turned to her. “Why could he not tell me? What’s so important that he had to use the most sacred oat of all time?”
Grey’s hand dropped and she looked away. “If he couldn’t tell you, Avery, I… I have no idea what he’s talking about.”
Her voice sounded slightly high as it always was when she lied. She sounded guilty and I squinted my eyes at her, “Grey.?” I asked suspiciously.
“look, Avery.” She said, “I have to go, Nico and I have training and I’m…gonna be let.”
Before I could stop her, she stood up and climbed down quickly then raced towards the training gym.
She knew something. I thought to myself. She’s hiding something from me, but why would she do that? No she wouldn’t, we’re best friends, she wouldn’t hide something from me. I shook my head, trying to clear the horrible thought but there was still a sliver of doubt in my head. What if she did know something and was hiding it from me?
Letting out a groan, I stood up from my seated position and climbed down to meet my cabin in our activity for that hour. Hopefully it would get my mind off of everything.
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A/N: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Not my best chapter. I know it wasn't what you all wanted and I'm sorry. It's just not the time to reveal who her parent is. If you guys want, you could comment your guesses? It would be cool to see who you think her parent is. Well I love you all!! And sadly, I will be going camping soon and I won't have any internet connection so I won't be able to get back on until next Monday. Sorry guys!! I'll miss you all, I would MUCH rather be here than camping. Until next time!!
-Breann