It was the next day, I was honestly getting confused about what day it was these days. I would usually just ask my mom, but well—she's not here. I just woke up, groggily. I felt super drained, it was so weird. I didn't even do anything that much last night. Other than running for my life from harpies, falling at a height taller than a house, discovering a new rare power, mourning the quick death of Kassie, overhearing Chiron and Eleos speaking, plus Jarvis and Isa talking smack about each other. Okay, that part was kind of chaotic.

I yawned as I climbed down the ladder, waving hello to Cora.

"Morning," I mouthed, still half-asleep. Cora, still in bed with her blue blanket, stretched her tanned arms.

"Good morning, y'all," she replied, groaning, "boy, last night was something else, huh? All the deaths, I wonder how many people were lost—"

"Oh more than ten demi-gods," I said, remembering all the graves from last night. Cora and everyone stared in horror.

"Uh, okay," Leah chuckled nervously, jumping out of her bunk.

Everyone got up and ready, changing and still telling Thomas to shut up with his cat puns. I got dressed earlier and made my way toward the feasting hall. The sun glimmered on my tanned skin, birds twittering high in the sky, and people talking behind my back. Wait—what? When I got to the feasting hall, everyone started staring at me. I walked around, going for the table of food. All eyes were on me, make it stop. People whispered so quietly but it was so loud in my head, echoing. Make it stop, just make it stop.

I heard so many murmurs and whispers about me, bad or good. Amara has this moon glitch power, they say, or, Amara's still unclaimed? Panic arose in my mind, hushed whispers stuck in my head, and my chest compressed. I don't like this, make it stop, what if everyone is talking about me? Is it about my power or is it my pity of me? I glanced around, seeing people stop staring at me. But I knew they were tracking my every move...

I quickly swooped up some food and rushed to find an empty table somewhere in this maddening crowd. I scurried across the crowd when I tripped. I fell to the ground and my tray of food flew across the ground. Oops.

I landed on the grass, my glasses were knocked off my face. I could hear shouts and laughs around me. Suddenly, I didn't feel so hungry anymore. I stood up, trying not to burst into tears. Then a group of girls walked over to me, the Girls of Aphrodite, I held my head low.

"What?" a girl with black hair said, "Cat got your tongue, daughter of Artemis?"

I widened my eyes in confusion, what?! What did they say now?!

"It's quite obvious, Shine." another replied to my confusion, battling her eyelashes, "You're unclaimed since Artemis wants to be a virgin and doesn't want people to know about her mistake. Which is you, and you don't have a father in your life. Probably because Artemis murdered him!"

I blinked, what the actual heck?! I have a mom already!

"And then that means you're adopted!" a girl with red hair giggled, reading my mind, "And that explains your moon powers!"

I wanted to yell and shout because that was the dumbest thing I ever heard. That does NOT explain anything. Is this why everyone was talking and whispering? Because of these false rumors made by the Girls of Aphrodite?

I stumbled away, scared. I felt like I was hounded by savages with heavy makeup. I made a quick escape from the group of girls, hurrying to anywhere else.

"These people are crazy—whoa!"

I landed face-first onto the ground, dazed. I really need to stop falling and tripping.

"Amara, oh get up, you old soul," a voice said, I looked up. Eleos.

"Are you alright?" Eleos asked, lifting me up. I stretched my back, groaning.

"I feel dead inside honestly," I kidded, Eleos just gave me a kind smile.

"Come, sit with me, let's talk." she smiled, and I nodded slightly. She led me to a vast and dense area with a large rock in the middle, surrounded by tall trees. We sat down on the large rock, sitting in awkwardness. I noticed some messages and doodles drawn on the rock. Such as, Alecia will be forever missed.-Hannah, or—Marcus Jones is the best person ever to exist, R.I.P!-the Apollo kids. And, Mangus may you be blessed on your way to Hades! Something like that.

"So," Eleos said, being straightforward with me, "I suppose you already heard the rumors that were spread around the camp. Something about you being a daughter of Artemis,"

"Ah gee, you found my worst fear, "I muttered, mocking Eleos. Eleos remained calm, collected, and stood her ground.

"I understand very well, Amara. You must be very stressed with all of this?" she asked, I shrugged. I lay down on my back, sighing.

"Certain death from harpies, Kassie dying, my moon glitch thing, and the fact I'm still unclaimed? Yeah, it's sort of bugging me,"

"Amara, do have any reason to suspect why your godly parent didn't claim you yet?" Eleos asked, I raised my eyebrow.

"I don't know, maybe my dad's busy? I don't care," I shrugged, Eleos stared into my glaze. I could tell from her soft eyes that something was going on.

"Eleos, what is it?" I asked, she looked away, saddened.

"Amara, I think it's past the point where we say your godly parent is male...I think it's time to consider female goddesses," she explained, I froze. I felt like someone took a kitchen knife, held it to my chest, and stabbed me in cold blood. A sharp turn compressed my flat chest.

"B-but, my mom...she's—she's my mom!" I stuttered, trying to present this case forward. Eleos gently took my hands into hers.

"Look at me," Eleos said, "I think your mom didn't shed some light on some things, and well...your ability to teleport within the moon is...unlikely from a male god. I just can't find more proof to support your reasoning with your mom—"

She stopped, seeing me terrified. I didn't want to cry but sometimes I can't help it. I tapered up a bit, only a bit, but my mind was wandering. Was my life a lie? It was already a huge lie but this—this isn't fun anymore, it's...scary stuff.

"N-no, Amara! I—okay. I guess we all get scared sometimes," Eleos sighed, pulling me into her arms. I couldn't help but sob, okay? It just felt natural for me to cry in front of Eleos even if I barely knew her.

She was in her mid-twenties, so she still had her glow. But I just felt...comfort in her. To be honest, I was stressed. Maybe I didn't notice it before but I was nervous all the flipping time! But it was just nice to sob and let it all out. Then Eleos pulled some bread out from her pocket that was in her pouch, and gave it to me, sensing I was probably starving. I greedily feasted on the slice of bread, smacking my lips.

"Do you feel better, Amara?" she asked, I nodded.

"Yeah, sorry about that, hehe,"

"It's fine, I have experience with other kids before. The pressure...it gets to a lot of them, that's what makes them vulnerable to bounty hunters,"

"That's kind of unfortunate," I said, Eleos nodded.

"It's the way of the world, Shine," she replied, "and you don't question the world."

My face turned pale, the way of the world, huh? What a load of—

"I supposed we must just hope we'll get some peace until the next attack, huh?" I chuckled, and Eleos dimly smiled at me.

"Next time, Chiron and I will be ready..."

"Well, Eleos," I said, "the whole camp depends on it."