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I shouldered my knapsack that carried all the supplies I'd need for the quest and exited my tent. The 'gift' from my mother was in my pocket, and my daggers hung from my belt. I trudged across the campsite to Thalia's tent. I paused before the entrance and glared at the waxing crescent in the northeastern sky.

"This isn't fair," I told the moon. "I shouldn't have to go on this stupid quest. I don't even care about Camp Half-Blood. This just isn't fair!"

The moon didn't respond. Leave it to the artificial satellites to ignore you. I composed myself, forcing my expression from anger to impassive. I entered Thalia's tent and woke her. I explained the situation and said goodbye. I hugged her very tightly, wishing that I could never release her. My hands shook to my displeasure.

"Don't die, Theron," she told me.

"I won't," I promised. "Tell the others—tell them I'll...I'll miss them."

She smiled and then lay down again. I exited her tent and headed to my father's. I paused outside when I heard his voice, frustrated and angry, sounding like he was quarreling with Snow.

"I can't tell her, Snow; it'll kill her!"

You're not doing a favor by keeping her in the dark, Orion! You know that!

"That's exactly why I'm doing this!" I heard Dad brandishing a piece of paper.

A dam letter won't explain anything!

"What other choice do I have? She'll try to stop it if she knows!"

And it'll only hurt more when she finds out! Because she will!

"I've kept the secret for five months, and I'll continue keeping it!"

Orion, she has eyes and ears literally everywhere!

"Snow, that's enough! Are you going to help me or not?"

No! This is such a bad idea!

"Snow, please." Dad's tone turned from angry to pleading. "I need help. I can't tell anyone, including Artemis or any other Hunter. It'll get back to Ainsley otherwise. If she finds out, it will destroy her."

I couldn't handle listening any longer. I cleared my throat and called, "Hey, Dad, I need to talk to you?"

With my strong hearing, I heard Dad swear in Ancient Greek. There was a sound of scrambling and then a paper being crumpled. Dad hissed to Snow, "Hide it!" Then he unzipped his tent with a smile in his thirty-five-year-old form. "Hey, kid. What's up?"

"What aren't you telling me?" I asked, keeping my voice impassive.

Dad's grin faltered. "What did you hear?"

"All of it."

Dad's face crumpled. He combed his fingers through his black hair. He glanced at Snow then at the knapsack on my shoulder. He frowned. "What's that for?"

"I have to go on a quest," I answered. "Orders from Artemis. There's a...problem at Camp Half-Blood?"

"What is it?"

"Something about the Labyrinth reopening and the threat of an invasion. Now, stop changing the subject. What aren't you telling me?"

My father sighed, and I suddenly realized how exhausted he looked. "I can't tell you, kid," he said. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because if I do, you'll try and stop it."

"Try and stop what, exactly?"

"Something out of your control."

"Dad," I said, irritation creeping in my impassive voice, "you must stop keeping me in the dark. I'm not twelve anymore; I'm seventeen. I've been Artemis's lieutenant for almost five years now. I've been on two quests, one that I led. I survived my own twin's betrayal. I held the sky for four days, d-died, and then came back. Whatever it is, I think can handle it."

Dad laced his fingers together, and he sounded truly sorry. "I know that, but it's for your own good."

My control slipped. "For my own good?"

"Yes. I'm still your father, even if you can protect yourself, meaning that I still have to protect you from some things."

I clenched my fists. "And just what are you protecting me from that I can't beat? I've survived d-death once before."

"I know, kid."

"Then, why won't you tell—" I faltered. A silver light had appeared at my feet, glowing brighter every second. "That would be Artemis," I said bitterly. "I have to go."

I embraced Dad tightly. He hugged me back, his hands shaking. We remained there for a moment before the silver light had brightened so much it was blinding.

"Good luck, kid." He kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I said.

Then the silver light enveloped Agro and I, and we vanished. When we reappeared, we stood beside the Cabin 8 at Camp Half-Blood. Raiden awaited us, transporting her knapsack. She was dressed in silver camouflage pants, an orange Camp Half-Blood tank top, and black combat boots. She was the only one I knew who could pull off such a ridiculous color scheme.

"Hi," she said, scrutinizing me. "Are you okay?"

I realized that I was still scowling and quickly composed myself. "Yes. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now, where are we going?"

Raiden pointed toward the Dining Pavilion, outlined in gold, orange, and pink by the sunrise over Long Island Sound. A few people were already gathering for breakfast. "I'd say to go get breakfast."

We jogged over to the Dining Pavilion after depositing our stuff in Cabin 8. In the next half an hour, most of the camp streamed in for breakfast. Several of the campers looked exhausted and scared. Raiden pointed out two sons of Hermes, Connor and Travis Stoll, who had tousled hair from the night.

"They're annoying," she told me. "They left a fake spider on my pillow."

I bit into a strawberry. "And how'd you respond?"

"Threw them into the lake, of course."

"Naturally."

Annabeth and Percy staggered about an hour after we'd arrived. The son of Poseidon was very pale, and his eye twitched. He glanced around as though for reassurance that his surroundings hadn't changed. Then he spotted me.

Percy strode over. "Hey, Ainsley; hey, Raiden. What are you doing here?"

"They're here for the quest, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth answered, surveying us with her intelligent gray eyes.

"You don't know that for sure, Wise Girl."

"Except we are," Raiden said. "So, Annabeth's right."

"Told you." Annabeth elbowed Percy in the ribs.

"Shut up, Wise Girl." He looked at me. "How are you doing, Ainsley? You look tired."

"Fine, thank you, Percy," I replied impassively. "I did say I would see you around, and so, here we are."

"I guess so. C'mon, Wise Girl, let's get some breakfast."

"The war council's meeting in the sword arena," Annabeth told us. "We'll see there."

Then two of them walked away.

How are they not dating already? Agro barked from under the table where she was devouring her tenth plate of bacon. They have such good chemistry!

"I agree," I said.

"Percy clearly cares a lot about Annabeth," Raiden said. "I mean, he literally went on a quest last winter to rescue her."

I dropped my plate at the mention of last winter. It shattered on the marble floor. "Yes, he did."

"What's wrong, Ains?" Raiden scrutinized me.

"Nothing," I muttered, blush creeping up my neck. "Nothing. Let's just go to the sword arena."

The three of us stood up and proceeded to the sword arena, an amphitheater with a ground of compacted sand. Greek armored straw dummies stood around the area. By one wall, a rack of weapons was equipped with well, weapons. I summoned my bow and shoved several Celestial bronze-tipped arrows into my quiver. While I wasn't low on arrows, I had a feeling I would need more.

A few minutes after we entered, a man in his early fifties arrived, with an immaculate gray beard and short gray hair. He donned an orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt under a bronze breastplate and black mountain-climbing pants. He was accompanied by a hellhound.

"What in Hades's name is a hellhound doing here?" Raiden demanded of the man. She wasn't fond of hellhounds, as one had almost bitten her head off right before our quest to retrieve the Golden Hind.

"Don't worry," he answered. "She's mine and perfectly friendly. Her name's Mrs. O'Leary."

"Can you even tame a hellhound?"

The man chuckled. "Yes, you can, but believe me, it took a long time and many, many giant chew toys." He extended his hand. "I'm Quintus."

Raiden shook his hand still suspicious. "Raiden Kairos, champion of Artemis."

I didn't shake his hand. "Ainsley Theron, daughter of Artemis."

Quintus raised an eyebrow. "Daughter of Artemis?"

"Yes."

Before he could begin arguing with me about the impossibility of Artemis being my mother, a voice said, "Ah, good. Quintus, you're here."

Chiron had arrived, followed by the rest of the war council.