My eyes snapped open and I gasped. Rolling onto my side I coughed and dry heaved. Remnants of green smoke came out in little puffs. It tasted disgusting. I tried spitting it out. My head was pounding and my body shook violently. I felt like I had the flu.

"Oh thank the gods!"

"Nora!"

"Percy's little Big sister! Are you okay?"

"What happened!"

"Are you okay?"

People above me and around me started talking over top of each other, making my head hurt. I gasped again and with a groan rolled onto my back. There was a crowd of people around me. All of the Apollo cabin, Percy, Tyson, Chiron, Selina, Annabeth and for some reason Raph. I groaned again the laid an arm over my face.

"What ..what happened?" I croaked. Even my voice felt as rough as my body.

"Shh. Quiet a minute. Drink some water and eat this." Will demanded.

Percy helped me sit up. Will shoved a cup of water into my hands and then something small that looked like a mix of a cracked and a cookie.

"Eat!" Will demanded and practically shoved it into my mouth. It tasted like the nachos dad used to make on Friday night movie nights when I was home. With a hint of his homemade pancakes. It was a weird combination. And it made me feel homesick.

"What-?"

"Ambrosia. The food of the gods. It's used when someone gets injured in battle or something. Demigods can consume it, but if they have too much it can make them feverish and mortals cannot eat it at all without it, turning their blood to fire and bones to sand. So good thing you're a demi god!"

"Why does it taste like Friday night nachos and Saturday morning pancakes?" I asked with the mouthful of the cracker cake.

"It also tastes like your favorite food." Annabeth said.

"Oh."

The homesickness increased. I swallowed hard, but felt the headache lesson, and I wasn't so dizzy. And the weird ferverish shivers stopped. I took a second to gather myself and then asked, "Okay, now tell me what happened?"

I could feel everyone pushing closer, trying to see. I shifted, placing my arms around my knees. Physically I felt okay, felt fine, but I was shaken and had no idea what was going on. I could still hear the harsh whispered voice of Delphi swirling around my head. The after taste of the green smoke and the uncomfortable feeling of someone being inside my head. I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"The Orical breathed the spirit of Delphi into you." Annabeth said.

"I have seen on very rare occasions the Orical share Delphi's spirit with Apollo's blessing...it is rare." Chiron said, frowning down at me. He was frowning AT me, just frowing deep in thought.

"Delphi's spirit has been cursed though." Annabeth stated with a frown.

Chiron gave her a hard look, I felt Percy squeeze my hand and the group sucked in a sharp breath.

Chiron's tail swept back and forth. "How are you feeling?"

"A little freaked out, Mr Brunner!" I cried. "Some hippie boho grandma just gave me unwanted CPR and then I heard voices in my head! I spoke some weird riddle while choking on green smoke and convulsed for a while! How do you think I'm doing?" I glared at them, that seemed like a really dumb question.

"To be given a blessing if Apollo, to have been breathed into by Delphi's spirit herself!" Chiron tried reasoning.

"That's huge! A huge honour by the gods! Know how many campers would die for a blessing like that from their godly parent?" Annabeth snapped.

I felt suddenly angry. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask to be a demigod. I didn't ask to come here. I didn't ask to be forced to take an Orical prophecy, I didn't ask to be handed some magic gift. I didn't ask to have some spirit of some prophecy priestess forced into me.

"I didn't agree to that!" I shot back. "Also you said it was cursed! I didn't ask to be blessed!"

"She's got a point." Percy muttered beside me."

There was a thunderous boom that shook the whole pavilion, making campers flinch, cower and cry. Chiron whinned and side stepped nervously, his tail swished. A few kids around me glanced nervously at the sky.

"Eleanora!" Chiron scolded me, "respect!"

I scrambled to my feet. And stared at him, narrowing my eyes.

"Next time they wanna bless me with a cursed spirit, they can shove it right where the sun don't shine!" I spat.

Spinning on me heel I fleed the area as the pavilion boomed and shook again. I knew I had pissed of someone up there. Probably Zeus- he seems tempromental. Or Apollo, no idea what he was thinking, he has a cabin full of kids who apparently adore him, while I'm struggling for begrudging respect.

I fled back down the hill, tears in my eyes. I didn't even know where to go, but I eventually found myself sitting on the beach,  my toes in the water, watching the sunset. I had taken my sneakers off and was standing in the water. The gentle water lapped my ankles.

I wished dad was here. After I got back from school, for the first week of the summer he would take me camping. Our milkshakes and then off we would go, up the mountains for some camping. I hardly saw him during the school year, with me shipped off to boarding school, but summers were for us. And now I sat alone, lost, frustrated and angry.

"Crying really does help, my dear. It releases all the nasty stress hormones." A gentle voice floated over me.

I jumped, I hadn't seen anyone approaching or heard them.

"Who...? What?" Was all I could stammer.

"Crying. It's a natural response to the many emotions mortals have." The last said.

I took a closer look. The woman was beautiful, I couldn't place her age, sometimes she looked in her early twenties, then she would shift and she looked like maybe possibly in her early 40's , but always beautiful. Her eyes shifted from blue to brown to green and her hair seemed to change in the setting sun. She had a beautiful simple white flowy sundress, bare feet and pearl and seashell necklace; very simple, yet very pretty.

"Aphrodite." I finally concluded.

"Hmm." She hummed gently with a sweet smile.

"What do you want? Come to smite me down?"

"Oh no, dear. I just had my nails redone, I don't want to ruin them."

I rolled my eyes but stayed silent grinding my teeth and clenching my fists, waiting for this woman...this god... to tell me how awful I was and then punish me and then leave. Like every other adult in my life.

"Paul seems quite happy."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you not call Paul Blofis your father?" She asked.

"Yes, what does that matter?"

"Because his love life is...so interesting."

"You better not be messing with my dad! He's finally happy!"

"Oh I know dear! It's so sweet. He's finally found his one." I couldn't tell what this conversation was about and where it was headed. After I insulted the gods, made someone angry enough to shake the ground and then the goddess of love shows up to chit chat about my dad. I don't think I would ever understand my new life. I buried my feet into the sand and waited.

"Tell me about the others." Her voice was quiet and sweet yet demanding.

"Why?"

"I want to know." She said simply. The wind gently lifted her hair. I turned away and sunk down, sitting in the sand. Aphrodite followed my led, sitting delicately in the sand beside me.

"Tell me about the woman your dad dated over the years."

Trying hard not to choke up, I grabbed the black marker from my pocket and started doodling on my leg.

"They were all evil, mean and nasty. None of his other girlfriends stayed. Either they found out about me and left, tried to ship me off somewhere else or-" I spat. The tears burned in my eyes, and a few I'd down my cheeks. "Or...whatever." I muttered angerly swatting at them.

"Funny how we do the silliest things for love."

"Dad never loved them!"

"I wasn't talking about them."

I opened and closed my mouth. Frowning and very confused I looked at the goddess.

"There is different types of love, my child. Sexual attraction is a major ingredient for a lovers love. But what about a parents love for their children? Or a love between brother and sister? Or between friends? What about a love for food or a hobby?"

"Okay? What's your point?" I asked.

"Why would your father date those woman and then not invite them back?"

"Because you were messing with his personal love life? Dad was too good for those horrible monster women? I got rid of the potential evil step mother who would turn me into Cinderella?"

"No no. Not my dear Paul. I do love a good drama filled relationship, it's so... interesting... But no I did no such thing. Think child. He knew your mother had passed and it was you and him, why do you think he was dating?"

"Trying to find me a mother. But...dad had standards. Sally is the only woman I've seen him with where he makes horrible pizza pun jokes and wants to call her and tell her all the things that happened."

She smiled and nodded with a gentle hum.

"Exactly. He loved you, dear child, even though you were not his. He loved you more than them. He would rather be alone than with someone who makes you miserable."

More tears slid down my cheeks. She paused and went on.

"He loved you so much he was trying to do, what he thought was best for you. And that was trying to find you a mother figure."

I sniffed hard.

"Do you think is gods do not care?"

"Hard to say when I was abandoned, my mom was left to die by the god who apparently is the god of healing! I wasn't even claimed until I was almost 15!"

"We all have our reasons as parents. However my great nephew did not abandon you or your mother. He was forced to stay away. I don't know why, don't ask. However, do you question Paul?"

Apollo was forced to stay away? Why was he forced. This conversation was giving me more questions and less answers. Forwning at her last question I answered her with a bit of disdane in my voice.

"Yes. All the time. He explains what he's doing and why. He's never once left me to fight a pack of demon popular girls or watched as an old angry demi god pretending to be a math teacher tries to kill me."

"Again, there are things as children and mortals, you do not understand. We, as parents do love our children, but we have also been around for many generations."

"And how's that working?" I snapped. I knew I was close to crossing the line. I was toeing it. "Maybe...it's time to try something different. Be a little more of the involved parent. Or pay some child support or SOMETHING." I mumbled quietly.

"Hmm. Well. I want you to remember something, Eleanora." her voice was a bit sharper now, I knew I was toeing the line again. "You are very full of two conflicting emotions and you need to figure out which is which."

"Did you kiss the ty dyed hippie boho grandma, too? 'Cause your speaking in riddles!" I huffed.

"Love and Hate."

"What? What about them?" I groaned.

"Many people think they are the same, all because they are similar in how they make you physically respond; the racing heart, the dry mouth, the irrational decisions, the sweaty palms... Yet, they are drastically different."

"Umm. Okay? And...?" I asked, still extremely confused.

"Love is an intense feeling of deep affection, it's putting someone else's needs above your own. It's an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person, to love isn't just a strong feeling, dear Eleanora. It's a decision, a commitment, a judgment and a promise."

She had such a conviction in her voice it was hard not to disagree. But right now it was just an introduction to her speech, because she wouldn't just come down here and give me a Pinterest definition of what love was.... So as frustrated with her as I was, I sat quietly, doodling on my leg as I waited for her to continue.

"Love will do far more than get you moving. Love will put you on a plane and drop you in the line of battle, it will throw you in the way to take a bullet for another. Love will send you to college for eight years so that you are qualified to save lives. Love will have you leave the dream jobs to assist a parent in need, or to bring up a child that isn't theirs. Love can change systems, laws, countries, and history. Love is far more powerful than anger."

She was on a roll. He grand speech. Sounded like she had said this before. And probably had in the many many years she had been around. There wasn't much I could do...if I got up for sure I'd be struck down with a lightning bolt or swallowed by the sea or struck with a plague or something nasty, maybe I'd just go straight to Hades. I sighed and ground my teeth trying to listen to her ramble on about love versus hate.

"Anger, on the other hand, Eleanora, impacts our relationships with others. Anger is often fueled by unhappy thoughts of hatred and judgment against another or a group. It cannot truly unify- it can only separate, trust me I have seen this happen over and over. And we’re all interconnected, so, child, you must accept that those thoughts will have an impact on the minds and actions of others. Your hatred will be shared and spread."

I sat staring into the sunset. The warmth of the glowing setting sun made my anxieties melt away, I inhaled deeply and slowly let it out. "Okay, I understand you so far, but... So what do we do? What do I do? Why are you telling me this?"

"I can feel the conflict of anger and love. You may not realize it's love, but it's there. And it's abundant. You want a more loving world. So love is what we must bring. And here is where anger can be your tool." She paused, making sure I was paying attention. "Many of the other gods and their children laugh at my children because my children love. And love hard. For others, they love too much. But just because you love doesn't mean your weak or timmid. Fighting for something you love is the bravest thing there is. Many men have gone to war in the name of love. Love of family, of freedom of country. Love was always the root of it. Anger was the cause. Any time you experience anger it is a signal that you care about something. Just before anger takes over there is a softness. And it is that softness you can tap into."

The weird thing was I found myself nodding along now. What she was saying made sense. And I understood what she was getting at.

"You're making a persuasive argument...but I don't understand your point in telling me all this."

"You love your family, Eleanora, and very possibly the people you have met today ready. You do not want to see anyone suffer. If a threat to your loved ones, friends, family, your home makes your blood boil, it is because you care deeply about them. Yes?"

I reluctantly nodded.

"And that is the feeling you need to focus on, because there is the Love. That becomes your teacher and power source- not our judgment or hatred of my great nephews parenting job, or Zeus's pride or Ares quick to anger... Or Hera's spit-"

There was a bit of a boom, in the sky, but Aphrodite just waved a hand like she was bored and she continued like it didn't bother her.

"You know it's true." She said turning her head up. She looked back at me and continued. "Use the love you have for your home here to be your driving force. Anger takes a lot out of you."

"You're saying I need to do this quest, I spewed out?"

"I'm saying you need to remember Love is never easy. It was never meant to be. Mortals fight, gods try their best, people will leave you, walk out of your life and run back in. But when it comes to Love, there is no limit to what you would do for one another. To protect, produce, profess. It's a lot harder to stay together than it is to fall apart and become angry. But with your love for one another being unconditional, it will make it worth every second."

"That's....a lot to process."

"Love always is."

The goddess smiled at me. I sighed and looked out to the sunset again. My mind was racing and swirling with everything she had told me. Some of what she said sounded like general advice and guidance, but there were some parts that made it sound like it was a warning or a hidden message. Was there some kind of hidden meaning behind some of what she said. Was there something that was going to attack us? I knew this Luke guy was trying to form an army... this Kronos titan guy..? Was she warning me about half of us hating each other, turning in each other? If so, she should have just said so! Or was this more a personal attack about me and my love life (or lack there of!) and family life. I didn't understand.

I turned to ask but I was sitting alone. No trace of her anywhere. No footprints, no butt indent on the ground from sitting. The only thing to indicate the goddess of love was here, was a small seashell and pearl perfectly placed where Aphrodite was sitting in the soft white sand. I picked them up and held them in the palm of my hand thinking over her words.

"There you are, Sunshine!"

I turned my head and saw Raph striding down the beach in his full combat armour, with what looked like all my armour and twin knives under his arm.

"Stop moping about and it's time for Camp Games, Chiron said we'll have a meeting about your prophecy tomorrow morning. Now come on, suit up!"

He tossed me a helmet and held his hand out for me to take.

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