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Percy's expression transformed rapidly from shock to bewilderment then back to shock. "Uh...alright," he mumbled.

Grover's reaction was the exact opposite. He kneeled before Artemis and babbled, "Wow...wow—thank you, my lady! I can't even—you're so—thank you!"

"Grover, get up!" snapped the spiky-haired girl. "We don't have time for this!"

"Okay, hold it," the unknown girl said. She had silky black hair, brown eyes, and olive skin. "Who...are you all?"

"My name is Ainsley Theron," I said gently. I inferred from the girl's tachypneic breathing and darting eyes that she was frightened and stressed. "What's your name?"

"Bianca Di Angelo," the girl replied breathlessly.

"You don't need to be scared, Bianca." Raiden stepped forward at an inconspicuous gesture from me and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're not going to hurt you, I promise."

Bianca's shoulders dropped, and her posture relaxed. I nodded my approval at Raiden and spoke into her mind through our telepathic link. Well done. What spell did you use?

Ἡσυχία, Raiden responded.

I mentally translated the Ancient Greek word for "calm" or "tranquility."

"Who's the boy?" I asked, glowering in the unknown male's direction.

"My brother, Nico," Bianca said, frowning at my sullen expression. "We're the only family each other has; our parents are dead."

"That's not true," said Raiden. "One of your parents is a mortal and the other is an Olympian. Or in some cases..." She scrutinized Bianca closely, as though attempting to confirm a suspicion. "Another god."

"That's not possible." Bianca shook her head. "They're just myths."

"I assure you," Zoë said, "Raiden's statement is truthful; thy are half-bloods."

Nico raised his hand ecstatically. "Oooh, oooh! Are you a half-blood? What was Dr. Thorn? Did you kill him?"

"He was a manticore, boy," I said coolly, irritated by his bombardment of questions. "Not a half-blood nor a god. And no, we did not kill him."

"What do you mean?"

Artemis intervened in our conversation, sensing my rising impatience. "Hopefully, we have vanquished him for the moment, but monsters are never truly eliminated. They reform repeatedly within Tartarus's depths and subsequently must be hunted whenever they return."

"Or they'll come after us," the spiky-haired girl added.

Bianca shuddered. "That reminds me...Nico, do you remember when we saw that dog in D.C. that looked like a dog?"

"And that woman on the subway," Nico said. "I told you that she had a goat leg!"

"You'll need to come to camp," Percy said. "That's where you'll be safe from monsters and be trained to defend yourself."

"What camp?" Bianca asked.

"Camp Half-Blood," Raiden explained. "It's the only place where demigods are safe. However..." Her eyes locked with mine and then Zoë's. "...it's not the only place where Bianca will be safe."

"Oh no," the spiky-haired girl said. "The two need to come to camp."

"That is not thy decision," said Zoë, glaring at the girl.

"She'll be safer at camp!"

The two glowered at each other until Artemis spoke.

"We have troubled these young ones enough," the goddess announced. "My lieutenants, we shall remain here for a few hours more. Tend to the injured. Assemble the tents. Recover our visitors' possessions from the school. Bianca, please walk with me; I would like to speak to you alone."

"Very well, Mother," I said.

At my response, the spiky-haired girl's expression transformed from vague puzzlement to contemplative to comprehension.

"Certainly, my lady," said Zoë.

"What can I do?" Nico asked eagerly.

Artemis surveyed him thoughtfully. "Possibly, you can share your Mythomagic game with Grover. I'm sure he would be delighted to amuse you for a period...as a kindness to me?"

Grover jumped to his feet and nearly stumbled. "Absolutely! Let's go, Nico!"

The two of them strode toward the forest, while the Hunters started to unpack and raise our tents. Zoë glared at the spiky-haired girl one last time departing to oversee them.

I whistled for Zade, who had been hunting for a midnight snack during the conversation. He soared out of the canopy, carrying a deceased snowshoe hare, and alighted on my shoulder. I began to proceed after Zoë before my path was blocked by the spiky-haired girl.

"Get out of my way," I said, the beginnings of anger rising in my stomach.

"Not until you answer my questions," she snapped. "You're the daughter of Artemis, aren't you? The one Percy mentioned?"

"Yes, and you're Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus. Now move."

I shoved a surprised Thalia out of my way. Almost immediately afterward, my neck hairs stood up, and I sensed the rapid increase in the static field. I darted right as quickly as thought, instinctively dodging the lightning bolt.

The fury I had been containing erupted, and I whirled around. However, Agro got to her first. She charged at the demigod faster than the wind and slammed her paws onto Thalia's chest. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of the daughter of Zeus, causing her to ram into the ground and drop her spear. Zade lifted off my shoulder and snatched the weapon from the ground. Thalia gasped and struggled to summon another bolt, but Agro was wiser; she placed her front paws roughly on the demigod's arms.

Don't you ever try to attack Ainsley again! Agro growled and moved her face so that her teeth were inches from Thalia's throat. Or I'll finish this!

"Get your stupid wolf off of me!" Thalia demanded, sparks erupting off of her as I raged toward her sporting my Hunter Glare.

I unsheathed my daggers, kneeled by Thalia's left side, and touched the point of my right dagger to her throat. "I want to make something very clear," I snarled. "If you ever-ever-try to stop me from caring for my Hunters or attack me from behind like the coward you are again, you will be sorry. I'm not someone you want to mess with, Thalia Grace. Agro, let her up."

I stood up and backed up a few steps, and Agro retreated to my side. Zade dropped the spear by Thalia's feet and then alighted onto my shoulder again. I walked back into camp, still donning my Hunter Glare.

"Ainsley!" Pax hurried up to me with a huge grin. "Check this out!"

"What?" I snapped.

Pax's ecstatic expression vanished, replaced by one of disappointment and fright.

"I'm sorry." I placed an apologetic hand on their shoulder and greatly softened my tone and expression. "You didn't deserve that. What did you want to show me?"

Pax lifted their hand. In between their fingers was a slightly curved, sharp black object. "It's a manticore spike," they muttered. "I caught it myself."

My face split into a smile. "That's great!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Do you know how fast the manticore shot those spikes? Like at least 15 miles per hour. This goes to how fast your reflexes are, which as a demigod, is really helpful."

Pax beamed. "Thanks, Ainsley!"

They departed and skipped in the direction of where Joan and Alex were setting up the fire. I watched them briefly until a voice called, "Kid!"

I turned around to face the voice's origin. Dad's head was sticking out of Artemis's tent, and he was waving urgently for me to come over. "We need you!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" I jogged over to my mother's tent and entered. "What's going on?"

"There are urgent topics to be discussed, Ainsley," Artemis said, indicating with her hand that I should sit on her left. "Once Zoë returns with Percy Jackson, we shall begin."

I nodded my understanding and settled down onto a silk rug. Agro laid down on my left and placed her head on my leg to receive attention, which I gladly obliged. Raiden sat on my left, while Dad stroked Snow's head across from me. Bianca rested nervously to the right of Artemis with Zoë's spot between them.

Within roughly two minutes of my arrival, Zoë returned with Percy. She settled back down in her spot and glared menacingly at Percy.

"Sit, Percy Jackson," said Artemis. The son of Poseidon sat down across from her. "Does my appearance startle you?"

"Um..a bit," Percy admitted.

"I could decide to appear as an adult woman, a roaring flame, or any form I desire. However, I prefer to appear as the average age of the maidens I patron and my Hunters before they lose their way."

"What do you mean?"

"Grow up. Become enamored by males. Become mindless, distracted, insecure. Lose themselves."

"Ah."

"Stupid males," I scoffed quietly, though loud enough for Percy to hear. "They know nothing."

"You must excuse my Hunters if they are brusque," Artemis said with half a glance in my direction. "Seldom do we host males in our camp. They are most often prohibited from having any interaction with the Hunters, except Orion Theron. The last foreign boy to visit..." She turned to me. "Who was it?"

"The stupid one from Colorado," I said. "The one you turned a jackolope."

"Wait, who is Orion Theron?" Percy said glancing at Dad and interrupting our conversation. "Are you him?"

"Yes," Dad said. "I'm Ainsley's father."

Percy glanced between Artemis, Dad, and then me. "But that means that you and Artemis-"

"Drop it," I growled. "You were saying, Mother?"

"Yes, I remember now." Artemis nodded with satisfaction. "I take pleasure in making jackalopes. Nevertheless, Percy, I've requested you here to receive more details about the...er...unsettling things the manticore said. While Bianca witnessed his words, she may not have understood. I would like to hear your account."

And so, Percy informed us. When he had finished, Artemis surveyed him pensively.

"It appears your suspicions are correct, Ainsley," the goddess said. "I was afraid of this."

Zoë leaned forward quickly. "My lady, the scent?"

"Indeed."

"The scent?" Percy asked.

"Beasts stirring that I have not glimpsed nor hunted in millennia," the goddess murmured. "Prey so ancient it has nearly faded from my memory."

"We've been here a couple of days," I told Percy. "We came here sensing a powerful monster manticore, so we waited for him to show up. The smell got stronger around him. He isn't one we want though; he isn't the monster the Wild is whispering about."

"The Wild has also been very uneasy the last few weeks," added Raiden. "They all know something is coming. Also, the taunts of Kronos..." She shuddered at his name. "...have been growing worse in my dreams. He said, 'You will soon lose, little hero. The worst is coming.'"

"What else did the manticore say, Percy?" Dad asked.

"'Middle school dances suck,'" Percy replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Not that part, Jackson. The important part."

"Please tell us what else the manticore said, Percy," Artemis said, glancing briefly at me. I couldn't read her eyes, which worried me. "After his previous statement, I mean."

"He said someone known as the General was going to be explaining things."

Zoë's face paled considerably, and I noted the rapid increase in her heart rate. Raiden gripped her axe so hard her knuckles went white, and Dad's fists clenched. All of us exchanged nervous and pointed looks, and our jaws clenched.

"Continue, Percy," Artemis said, raising a hand to prevent any of us from speaking.

"Okay, then Thorn said something about the Great Stirring."

Raiden exhaled harshly. "Dam it. What else did he say, Percy?"

"Thorn said, 'Shortly, we shall possess the most crucial monster of them all one that shall cause the ruin of Olympus."

Artemis froze, so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe it was a bluff," Percy said hopefully.

"It was not; the manticore spoke truthfully," the goddess replied. "I have noticed the signs too slowly. I must pursue this beast."

I nodded. "Then let's go; there's no time to waste."

"Yes," Zoë agreed. "We shall pack up quickly and leave."

"No, my lieutenants. I have to handle this alone."

"But, Mother, I can help-"

"No, Ainsley," Artemis spoke in a firm tone that ended my protest. "This mission is too perilous for you and the Hunters. You and Zoë are both aware of where I must begin my search; you cannot journey there with me."

"Very...very well, my lady," I said, failing to hide my bitterness.

"I shall locate this beast," Artemis asserted, "and return it to Olympus by Winter Solstice. It shall provide the complete evidence I require to persuade the Council of the danger ahead." She addressed Percy. "Percy Jackson, before I depart, I have a minor mission for you."

"Does this mission have anything to do with jackalopes?" Percy asked.

Artemis smiled wryly. "It does not, sadly. I want you to accompany my Hunters to Camp Half-Blood, where they will be protected until my return."

"What?" I shouted. "Mother, we hate it there; I detest the place. You know what it reminds me of and-"

"I am aware, my daughter," the goddess said sympathetically. "However, you and the Hunters shall be secure there, and Cabin Eight is yours to use whenever you visit."

I grunted and scowled deeply. When I caught sight of Percy staring resentfully at me, my indignation increased. "Stop staring at me," I ordered, placing my Hunter Glare on. The son of Poseidon quickly looked away.

"Now, there is one more matter to attend to." Artemis addressed Bianca. "Have you decided, my girl?"

Bianca faltered. "I. I don't know."

"Wait, decided wait?" asked Percy.

"They've...they've asked me to join the Hunt."

Percy's jaw dropped. "What? Bianca, you can't! You need to come to Camp Half-Blood for Chiron's training; you won't survive otherwise."

"Close your mouth, son of Poseidon," I commanded. "It's not your choice or your life."

"Is it worth it?" Bianca leaned forward the look at me.

"Yes," I replied promptly.

"But...but..." Percy sputtered, searching desperately for another argument. "Bianca, camp is awesome! It has a lava climbing wall and a pegasus stable...what do you even get by joining the Hunt?"

"Immortality," Dad said.

Percy stared at Dad. "You're joking, right?"

"No, he's not." I scowled deeply at the demigod. "I'm sixteen, although I look fourteen."

"It's worth it, isn't it?" Bianca said uncertainly.

"Yes," said Zoë. "Thee shall also be relieved of thy responsibility."

"And you'll also get a new family," I said, glancing at Raiden for backup. She, however, refused to meet my gaze with a grim expression. "The Hunt."

"What do I need to do?" asked Bianca.

Zoë leaned forward. "Repeat after me: I devote myself to Artemis."

"I...I devote myself to Artemis."

"I reject male companionship, receive everlasting maidenhood, and accept a life in the Hunt."

Bianca echoed the words. "Is that it?"

I nodded. "If my mother accepts."

"I accept your pledge," said the goddess.

"Welcome to the Hunt, Bianca di Angelo." I nodded in approval and grinned at her.

"Wait..." Bianca suddenly appeared alarmed. "What about Nico? He stays with me."

"Do not distress," Artemis reassured her. "Nico shall be transported to camp, and you may visit him from time to time." Bianca relaxed moderately, while the goddess addressed Zoë and I with her eyes closed. "My lieutenants, dawn is nearing. Disassemble camp, and prepare to depart for Long Island."

"Hang on." Percy sounded profoundly sullen. "How are we getting to Long Island?"

"I shall arrange transportation," the goddess said, opening her eyes. "You see, Percy Jackson, akin to Bianca di Angelo, I too have an irritating brother. The moment has arrived for you to be introduced to my negligent twin, Apollo."