When Percy and Jason arrived at the throne room, everyone was already there—everyone except Hecate, who was nowhere to be seen.

Percy's eyes fell on Henrik, who was resting his head on his sister's shoulder, eyes closed. Kiara was chatting with Luke as she lovingly stroked her twin brother's hair.

Percy frowned and took a step toward them, but Annabeth called him over to sit next to her.

"Hey, seaweed brain, didn't see you at breakfast," Annabeth said, shifting to make space for him.

"I was with Henrik," Percy replied, not noticing the change in Annabeth's expression.

"Didn't know you two were so close," murmured the daughter of Athena, her tone carrying a hint of feigned indifference.

Thalia appeared beside Grover, letting out a mocking laugh.

"Close? Percy practically jumped into his arms like a princess when he saw him."

Percy's face turned red, and he quickly shook his head.

"That's not true."

"Oh, it definitely is," Thalia insisted.

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"No."

"Yes."

Thalia raised her eyebrows, a satisfied smile on her face as she watched Percy fall right into her trap.

"Whatever you say, Jackson," she teased, taking a seat near Artemis as they both started talking.

"I hate her," Percy muttered, crossing his arms in frustration.

Grover shook his head and gave him a pat on the back, jumping when Hecate suddenly appeared with her throne.

"Alright, let's continue," the goddess said, giving no one time to react before a screen materialized and the show began.

"Don't let Annabeth near him," Kiara warned, gently placing Percy's head on a pillow.

"Kiara, you've told me a thousand times," Lee replied as he approached his sister. "I know what I have to do."

"I did it anyway," Annabeth mocked with a grin, missing the disapproving look her mother gave her.

"Of course, because you're stubborn," Kiara muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I won't let her in, but why don't you want her here?" Lee asked, curious.

"Dad said only his children could enter the infirmary," Kiara replied absentmindedly. "I'm just following his orders, Lee."

"A Mikaelson following orders?" Damon scoffed with a crooked smile. "As believable as my dear brother's 'self-control.'"

"Those aren't just anyone's orders, idiot," Kiara shot back, glaring at him. "They're from my father. Of course I'll follow them."

"Liar," Hecate chimed in with laughter, coughing a bit as she watched her granddaughter blink like a broken doll.

"And what would you know?" Kiara asked, fixing her gaze on the goddess, oblivious to the fact that Apollo had turned to look at her the same way.

Hecate shrugged, amused.

"Sweetie, I'm from your timeline. I know everything that happened," she said with a mocking smile.

Kiara raised her eyebrows, and for a moment, she glanced at a certain god watching her with interest.

"Are you going to show them that?" she asked, feeling a lump form in her throat.

A melodious, scandalous laugh from Aphrodite broke the silence, capturing everyone's attention—especially Kiara's, who closed her eyes tightly at the sound.

"I only caught a few little details, but I can already imagine your parents losing their minds," the goddess commented with a malicious smile.

Apollo and Klaus exchanged a look before turning to their daughter, watching her intently. Kiara avoided their eyes as much as she could.

"Would you care to explain?" Apollo asked Kiara in a gentle tone, though those who knew him could hear the threat in his voice.

Kiara shook her head repeatedly, saying nothing. The demigod looked away, staring anywhere but at her parents, who sighed in exasperation at their daughter's stubbornness.

Everyone watched the family closely, not wanting to miss a single detail, while Aphrodite stared brazenly at her son with a smug grin.

As Kiara wouldn't speak, Klaus signaled for his mother to continue, though he didn't miss the way Apollo's gaze remained fixed on Kiara. Nor did he overlook the way a certain winged god watched his daughter from the corner of his eye.

"Really?" Lee asked. "Why would he make a rule like that?"

"For the safety of the patients. He found out Annabeth was pestering them to see if they were the 'chosen ones,' and he didn't like it at all. So, those are the rules now," Kiara replied, placing a damp cloth on Percy's forehead.

Lee nodded, still looking confused as he sat beside Percy's bed.

"Well, I'm going to sleep," Kiara said, leaning down to kiss her brother's forehead before heading out the door.

"Best big sis in the world," Michael said with a radiant smile, making Kiara's cheeks flush red as Lee, Kayla, and Will nodded in agreement.

"Oh, shut up," protested the tribrid, covering her face with both hands to hide.

"You're the eldest?" Alicia asked, a sad smile crossing her face that didn't go unnoticed by Hayley, who squeezed her hand in support.

"Yes, she is," Lizzie answered for her, rolling her eyes.

Caroline cast a disapproving look at Lizzie's tone before turning to Klaus's daughter. The tribrid simply shook her head with a smile, downplaying it.

Kiara left the infirmary, walking through the Big House halls until she reached her room. When she entered, she jumped at the sight of Luke lying on her bed, watching her intently.

"Idiot, you scared me!" she exclaimed, clutching her chest.

Luke let out a soft laugh and opened his arms, inviting her to cuddle with him.

"I thought you didn't let any demigods into the Big House," Athena commented, observing her brother curiously.

Dionysus shrugged without looking up from his magazine.

"Her room is there, Athena," he replied.

"Since when does she sleep in the Big House?" Apollo asked, confused.

Kiara visibly tensed, exchanging glances with her half-siblings.

"Didn't I mention it?" Kiara said, attempting to smile. Apollo shook his head, waiting for her answer. "I forgot, then."

"Why won't you sleep with your siblings?" Athena asked, raising an eyebrow as she watched Kiara roll her eyes.

"Why don't you ask them?" Kiara retorted defensively, unaware of the discomfort taking over Lizzie and Allison.

Hecate cleared her throat, noting the tension between the goddesses, as usual.

"Let's continue."

Kiara let out a couple of tired sighs as she settled into Luke's arms. After a few minutes, she tried to pull away, but he held her close, unwilling to let go.

"Luke..." she murmured, "I need to shower... I stink."

"Need any help?" the demigod asked playfully.

Kiara's cheeks flushed, and she quickly pulled away from her boyfriend, fleeing toward the bathroom. Luke's laughter followed her until she closed the door behind her.

Klaus, Henrik, and Apollo shot death glares at Luke, who responded with an innocent smile.

"Don't waste any time, do you?" Chris teased, laughing with Connor and Travis as Luke flipped them off.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Kiara asked, resting her head on Luke's chest and closing her eyes.

"The usual, Kie," replied Hermes' son, gently stroking her hair. "Why?"

"Nothing, it's just... I don't trust Annabeth to show Percy around camp," Kiara murmured softly.

"All that hate will kill you one day," Thalia teased, though she looked at Apollo's daughter with disdain.

"Hate is too strong of a word, and Annabeth is far too irrelevant for me to hate her," Kiara replied, unfazed by Luke's disapproving look.

What she didn't notice was the momentary sadness in Annabeth's eyes.

Luke let out a tired sigh.

"Don't start with that again."

"I hope he'll defend me," Annabeth whispered to Thalia, with a faint smile.

The daughter of Zeus looked at her with pity.

"I'm serious," Kiara exclaimed, shifting uncomfortably. "Percy just lost his mother; the last thing he needs is an insufferable girl filling his head with nonsense."

"Hey! Annabeth is not insufferable..." Luke protested, causing Kiara to turn her head towards him, looking at him seriously. "Sometimes she's hard to deal with, but she's not that bad."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, love," Kiara teased, closing her eyes and instantly falling asleep.

"In the end, I was right; Annabeth overwhelmed him with her nonsense," Kiara grumbled, crossing her arms.

Athena's daughter was about to defend herself when she seemed to remember something and settled back in her seat, blushing slightly.

"I've never seen anyone defend Prissy as much as the sunny butterfly does," Clarisse mocked, shaking her head in disapproval, recalling the beating Kiara had given her for picking on Poseidon's son.

Kiara frowned at the nickname.

"If you call me sunny butterfly again, I'll rip your tongue out, La Rue," she threatened, deliberately ignoring the rude gesture the daughter of Ares made at her.

Annabeth slipped out of her cabin, carefully closing the door to avoid making noise. As she descended the steps, she adjusted her hoodie and quickened her pace towards the Big House.

"You should be resting, Annabeth," Athena scolded, watching her daughter with a stern gaze.

The demigoddess shifted uncomfortably, exchanging glances with Kiara, who shot her a mocking smile.

Annabeth entered the infirmary and let out a sigh of relief when she saw neither Lee nor any other child of Apollo was there.

"Where were you?" Apollo asked his son, who immediately blushed.

"I got hungry and went to the kitchen to grab something to eat," Lee responded, looking down, embarrassed.

Apollo gave him a smile.

"Looks like I'll have to make some changes around the infirmary, then," the god said, prompting excited looks from his children.

"You already did," Kiara suddenly commented, absentmindedly playing with Luke's fingers.

"No, I haven't," Apollo replied, looking at her confused.

Kiara lifted her gaze from their hands and looked at her father, equally puzzled.

"Yes, you did," she repeated firmly. "After the war."

Hecate smiled bitterly, shaking her head, not bothering to stop the disaster her granddaughter was about to cause.

"What war?" Athena asked, intrigued.

Kiara turned to her, noticing the confusion on everyone's faces.

"Oh, crap."

"I'd like to hear more about that war you're talking about, dear niece," Ares said with a grin, his eyes gleaming at the thought of a future battle.

Kiara glanced between the god and her grandmother, unsure of what to do.

"Well..." she started, but before she could continue, Luke covered her mouth with his hand, earning an immediate disapproving look from his girlfriend, which he returned firmly.

"Keep quiet, Kie," Luke whispered into his girlfriend's ear, paying no attention to Hecate reactivating the screen. All his focus was on Kiara—on how she pressed her legs together and squeezed her eyes shut.

Kiara began to fidget, and Luke took the moment to pull his hand away from her mouth. He looked at her mockingly, while she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"This isn't the time or place," he whispered again, leaning in even closer.

Kiara snuggled into his neck, breathing softly as his warmth comforted her.

"Fine, fine," she murmured, leaving a soft kiss on his neck. "Then, during the next break..."

Before she could finish, Henrik, who was still sitting beside them, tapped her on the back to get her attention. Kiara turned, annoyed at the interruption, but upon seeing her twin brother, she blushed.

"Calm your hormones, will you?" Henrik said with a mischievous grin.

Still flushed, Kiara tried to regain her composure while Luke chuckled carefreely, drawing the attention of others, though he didn't seem to mind.

Annabeth approached the cot where Percy was resting, looking at him with a mixture of disbelief and mockery.

"Am I supposed to believe that you defeated the Minotaur?" she scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, right."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Percy said sarcastically, though the smile he tried to hide gave him away.

"It's just... you looked so scrawny and small to be..." Annabeth began, stumbling over her words.

"A child of the Big Three?"

"Yeah, that."

Percy started to stir on the cot, his face twisted with an expression of anguish. Annabeth watched him with wide eyes, nervous and unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, he sat up, though it was clear he wasn't fully conscious. His gaze was distant, disoriented, as if he didn't recognize the place or the person in front of him.

"It might not be show, but you really scared me when you sat up like that," Annabeth told Percy with a soft smile.

"It was shown," Thalia commented mockingly.

Athena's daughter rolled her eyes, amused.

Annabeth quickly leaned over him, trying to get his attention.

"What will happen at the summer solstice?" she asked, her voice full of urgency.

Percy looked at her, fear in his eyes, as if he didn't know where he was or who she was.

"What...?" he mumbled, confused.

Poseidon shot a glare at Athena's daughter, who shrank uncomfortably in her seat, also feeling her mother's silent reproach.

"What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!" Annabeth exclaimed, exasperated.

"I'm sorry," Percy murmured. "I... don't..."

"He probably didn't remember his own name, and you were pestering him," Henrik interjected, casting a disdainful look at Athena's daughter.

"I just wanted to know," Annabeth murmured, embarrassed.

Percy took her hand gently, looking at her softly, which made Henrik roll his eyes and look back at the screen.

A silhouette appeared at the door, startling Annabeth and causing her to stuff pudding into Percy's mouth without thinking.

"Where did you get the pudding?" Thalia asked, stifling laughter as Percy choked on the screen.

Annabeth blushed, flustered.

"I... I had it ready just in case he woke up," she replied, hiding her face in Percy's neck as she heard Aphrodite and her daughters cooing.

Kiara watched the scene amused, until her gaze fell on her brother, who seemed downcast.

"Hey... are you okay?" she whispered, her tone just loud enough for him to hear.

"Yeah, sure. Why wouldn't I?" Henrik replied, avoiding her gaze.

Kiara sighed, feeling exhausted as she watched him turn his back on her.

"Careful," said a familiar voice, catching Percy's attention.

Grover was leaning against the porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in a week. Under his arm, he held a shoebox.

"You saved my life," Grover said, "I... well, the least I could do... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this."

He placed the box in Percy's lap with a deep bow. Inside was a bull's horn, its tip smeared with dried blood.

"The Minotaur..." murmured Percy, remembering.

"It's a miracle you're still alive, Jackson," Luke mocked.

"No thanks to you," Percy shot back, resentment clear in his voice.

Luke rolled his eyes, tired of the childish behavior of the son of Poseidon.

"Um, Percy, it isn't a good idea—"

"That's what they call him in the Greek myths, isn't it?" he demanded. "The Minotaur. Half man, half bull."

Poseidon sighed, covering his head with both hands while murmuring quietly.

"I have a feeling this won't be the last time Perseus mentions a forbidden name," Amphitrite commented, casting a glance at her husband, who was still mumbling to himself.

Grover shifted uncomfortably.

"You've been out for two days. How much do you remember?"

"My mom. Is she really...?"

Percy looked down, then his gaze wandered to the meadow: groves, a winding stream, and acres of strawberry fields under the blue sky. Rolling hills surrounded the valley, and on the highest one, directly in front of them, stood a great pine tree.

"Ahh... the sun suits me so well," Thalia sighed, satisfied.

"You're... the pine?" Stefan asked, perplexed, catching everyone's attention.

Thalia nodded with a mischievous smile.

"That's me."

"How is that possible?" Bonnie inquired, intrigued.

"Oh, come on, Bon Bon, haven't you read anything about Greek mythology?" Damon asked, bored.

Bonnie shook her head, eliciting offended looks from the gods.

"What an ignorant," Hera murmured, casting a disapproving glance at her.

The gods ignored the conversation among the mortals, merely watching as they tried to explain to Bonnie how the lovers or offspring of gods always ended up turning into lovely plants.

"I'm sorry," Grover sobbed. "I'm a failure. I'm—I'm the worst satyr in the world."

"It wasn't your fault," Percy said, trying to console him.

"Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you."

"Did my mother ask you to protect me?"

"No, but that's my job. I'm a keeper. At least... I was."

"What?" Thalia asked, looking at her friend.

"Don't worry, Thals, they didn't end up removing me as guardian," Grover said with a slight smile.

The daughter of Zeus nodded, satisfied.

"But why..."

Grover interrupted her before she could continue.

"Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."

As Percy turned the corner of the house, he inhaled deeply. From there, the valley stretched down to the water sparkling along the coast.

The landscape was dotted with buildings featuring ancient Greek architecture: an outdoor pavilion, an amphitheater, and a stadium, all shining under the sun with their white marble columns.

"It's beautiful," Alicia murmured, her eyes sparkling. The Romans nodded, acknowledging that although it wasn't like New Rome, the camp had its charm.

The Greek demigods smiled proudly, pleased with their home.

Near a sandy court, a dozen kids and satyrs were playing volleyball. A bit further away, canoes glided across a nearby lake. Kids dressed in orange shirts, like Grover's, ran around a group of treehouses.

"No one would guess they're my worst nightmare," Zeus complained, addressing his wife, who just rolled her eyes, ignoring him once again.

Down at the end of the porch, two men sat at a table, playing cards. A blonde girl leaned against the railing behind them.

"That's Mr. D," Grover whispered to Percy. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase; she's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anyone. And you already know Chiron..."

"'Just' a camper?" Annabeth interrupted, raising an eyebrow and looking at the satyr with curiosity.

Grover shrugged, feeling a bit awkward, not responding.

"I thought Kiara was the one who had been the longest," Kayla commented, alternating her gaze between her sister and Annabeth.

"Grover means that Annabeth has spent more time because she never leaves camp," Kiara clarified for her sister. "I only go in the summer."

Kayla frowned but then nodded, satisfied with the explanation.

"Mr. Brunner!" Percy cried.

The Latin teacher turned toward him and smiled.

"Ah, good, Percy," he said. "Now we have four for pinnacle."

"He doesn't even know how to play," Dionysus grumbled, taking a long sip of his wine.

Percy rolled his eyes, amused.

Chiron offered him a chair next to Mr. D, who looked at him with bloodshot eyes and snorted.

"Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now. Don't expect me to be glad to see you."

"Uh, thanks," murmured Percy.

The gods turned to observe the god of wine, who returned the gaze with boredom.

"What?"

"Is that how you welcome all our children?" Poseidon asked seriously.

"Well... yes," Dionysus replied, unfazed by his uncle's piercing glare.

"Useless," Eris commented, receiving an annoyed look from Dionysus, but she didn't care.

"Annabeth?" Mr. Brunner called the blonde girl and introduced them. "Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

"I hope in the future you start claiming your children and leave my poor cabin alone," Hermes complained, shooting annoyed looks at the other gods.

"How do you expect us to claim our children if we don't even have a cabin?" Nemesis asked, her eyes shining with frustration.

"Not my problem," Hermes shrugged.

The goddess frowned but, upon looking at the daughter of Apollo, her expression turned confused. When Kiara's eyes sparkled, Nemesis's did too.

Nemesis let out a giggle, drawing Hermes's attention, who alternated his gaze between the goddess and his niece, not understanding a thing.

"A true hero," Nemesis whispered, licking her lips as she watched Luke, who didn't notice her gaze.

"You drool when you sleep," Annabeth said before running off to the field, her hair flowing behind her.

The laughter of the demigods soon followed, everyone teasing Percy's stiff expression on screen.

"So," Percy commented to change the subject, "You, uh, work here, Mr. Brunner?"

"Not Mr. Brunner," the former Mr. Brunner said. "I'm afraid that was a pseudonym. You may call me Chiron."

"Okay," Percy agreed, still perplexed, looking at the director. "And Mr. D... does that stands for something?"

Mr. D stopped shuffling the cards and looked at him as if he had just said something vulgar.

"Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason."

"Not even when D warned you, you listened," Apollo teased, earning a sharp look from Percy.

"It's been three years, and I'm still alive," Percy responded arrogantly. "I guess I have a free pass."

"Or maybe you've just been lucky enough not to cross paths with someone who doesn't need you," Luke commented, attracting curious looks from the gods.

Percy grimaced, recognizing some truth in Luke's words and deciding not to respond.

"I must say, Percy," Chiron interjected, "I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."

"As if he did all the work," Kiara complained, glaring at the centaur on the screen.

Grover shot her a sideways glance, nodding in agreement.

"House call?"

"My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Grover alerted me as soon as he met you. He sensed you were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to...ah, take a leave of absence."

"You came to Yancy just to teach me?" Percy asked.

"Lucky you," Thalia murmured so quietly that only Jason and Artemis heard. The goddess shot her a pitying look while her brother watched her with confusion.

"Of course," Travis and Connor said in unison, "he went to your school because you're The Chosen One," both laughed, just before receiving a pillow smack from Annabeth, which made everyone laugh when the sons of Hermes ended up on the floor.

Chiron nodded.

"Grover," Mr. D said impatiently, "are you playing or not?"

"Yes, sir!"

Grover trembled as he sat at the table, though I didn't understand what was so terrifying about a chubby little man in a striped shirt.

Apollo, Hermes, and Ares burst out laughing at the demigod's thoughts, unbothered by Dionysus's fierce glare.

Percy smiled innocently, feeling the reproachful look from his father burning into the back of his head.

"You do know to play pinochle?," Mr. D said, eyeing Percy suspiciously.

"I'm afraid not," Percy replied.

"I'm afraid not, sir," he emphasized.

"Leave him alone, Uncle," a voice sounded from behind Percy. Recognizing it, he quickly stood up.

"Kiara!" he exclaimed, running toward her and throwing himself into her arms. The demigod wobbled a bit, but she eventually managed to embrace him without falling.

"Awww, how cute!" Aphrodite exclaimed, gazing at the screen with hearts in her eyes.

"Whatever," Percy complained, tired of Kiara's teasing.

"Admit it, Sharkbait, you can't live without me," Kiara said, smiling smugly.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kiki-Dee."

"Kiara, what's going on? Where am I? Where is my mom? Why do you have a bow on your back?" Percy asked in rapid succession, firing off questions without letting her answer.

"That's a lot of questions," Hayley said, surprised. She then looked at her daughter. "It's like you're his male version."

Alicia grimaced and lowered her head, her cheeks flushed.

"Hey, having ADHD isn't that bad," Percy commented, noticing Alicia's embarrassment. Other demigods nodded in agreement with him.

Alicia raised her head, looking at the son of Poseidon in confusion.

"I don't have ADHD."

Percy exchanged a glance with Kiara, hoping for an explanation, but when he saw her shaking her head, he shrugged.

"Alright... if you say so."

"Wow, that's a lot of questions," Kiara said, pulling away from the hug, though Percy held her firmly by the shirt.

"Kiara..." Percy whispered, his eyes shining with sadness.

"Hey, it's okay, Perce," Kiara reassured him, softening her voice.

"Please," he said. "What is this place? What am I doing here?" He turned to Chiron. "Mr. Brun... Chiron, why did you go to Yancy Academy just to teach me?"

Mr. D snorted.

"I asked the same question."

Kiara shot him a glare, and the god raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

"You always say the wrong thing at the worst moments," Kiara scolded her uncle.

"That is not true," the god pouted like a small child.

"Percy, didn't your mother tell you anything?" Chiron asked, receiving a reproachful look from Kiara when he noticed Percy's shoulders slumping.

"She said... she told me she was afraid to send me here, even though my father wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her."

"Typical," Mr. D interjected. "That's how they usually get killed."

"D!" Kiara scolded, nearly shouting.

"What? I was just saying," the god murmured. "Now you kids get offended by everything."

"He's an idiot," Hypnos suddenly remarked, causing Eros and Thanatos, who were flanking the god, to jump in surprise.

"Were you not asleep?" Eros asked, giving him a reproachful look for startling him.

"My mind may be asleep, but I would never miss this drama," Hypnos replied, placing his arms behind his head.

"I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron intervened. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."

"Orientation film?" Percy asked, confused.

Apollo gasped, offended.

"You didn't see my film?" he asked Percy, who shook his head. "You didn't show him my film?" he said, directing a reproachful look at his brother and daughter.

"I forgot," Kiara replied just as Dionysus said; "I'm not interested."

"And that's why I'll be the one explaining everything to him, right, Uncle D?" Kiara added, staring at the god. He looked back at her with disdain.

"And why would I agree to that?" the god asked.

"No one better than me to explain to Percy all about... us," Kiara began, gesturing with her hands as she spoke.

"You never lost that habit," Apollo said, a gentle smile forming.

"I choose to be happy, Dad," Kiara murmured, smiling back.

"... Besides, if you don't let me do it, I'll be a pain in your fat ass," added Apollo's daughter, finishing her statement.

"My ass is not fat!" Mr. D exclaimed, his eyes glowing a shade of purple.

"I hate her," Dionysus whispered, his cheeks tinged with a golden blush of embarrassment while his brothers mocked him mercilessly.

"So?" Kiara asked with a teasing smile, looking at her uncle, who summoned a mirror to admire himself from behind.

"Chiron got ahead of you, little monkey," Mr. D replied, pointing at the centaur. "And... you have work to do with those brats."

Kiara frowned, glancing sideways at Percy and the god.

"But..."

"Go now, Kiara," Dionysus ordered, a serious look in his eyes.

"Percy wouldn't be so confused if you had let me explain to him," Kiara protested, crossing her arms.

"Go cry to your daddy," Dionysus responded, ignoring the aneurysm his niece caused him.

"No, no... wait, where are you going?" Percy asked quickly, approaching Kiara with a worried expression. She looked at him in surprise, saying nothing.

"I didn't ask at the time, but why did you look at me like that?" Percy said, catching Kiara's attention.

"You picked up Ancient Greek really fast; it surprised me, that's all," Kiara replied.

"But don't we all know Ancient Greek?" Percy asked.

"Yes, but Kiara's much more advanced than ours," Annabeth added, joining the conversation.

"Why is hers better?" Elena asked, intrigued.

"Kiara was raised by them, Elena. It makes sense that her knowledge is superior to that of a normal demigod," Klaus replied seriously.

"Are we normal?" Clarisse said, looking at Silena in confusion.

"If the handsome one says it, I believe him," Silena replied, smiling playfully.

"My dad means that you didn't receive the same kind of education I did," Kiara explained, shooting a glare at Silena. "You know Ancient Greek because it's part of you, but I had these," she pointed at the gods, "talking to me in Ancient Greek since I was just a baby."

"And thanks to that, you are good at it," Athena mocked, shaking her head.

Kiara glared at her but didn't respond.

"What Kiara is trying to say is that she's a nepo baby," Luke said, laughing as his girlfriend pushed him.

"What's a nepo baby?" Piper asked curiously.

"You," Kiara said, laughing at her own joke, though she fell silent when no one else understood. "It's a term used for the children of celebrities; when someone benefits from the achievements of a relative to secure a good position in the industry. Though that's neither your case nor mine."

"Yours is..."

"Shut up, Luke."

"There are kids to take care of, Perce, but you're in good hands," Kiara said, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen into his eyes behind his ear. "Chiron is still Mr. Brunner; you'll be fine."

"You're acting like a mama bear there," Henrik commented, smiling at seeing his sister being so kind.

"You shut up too," Kiara said, ignoring the heat in her cheeks.

"Where are you going?" Percy asked again.

"To visit my kids," Kiara replied, smiling softly.

"To visit the only people who don't hate me at camp," Kiara added in a teasing tone.

"They hate you?" Alicia asked, intrigued.

"Yes," Kiara replied. "You're not the only outcast in the family, Ali."

Alicia frowned and looked at her disdainfully.

"I'm not an outcast."

Kiara smiled and looked at Lizzie, as if waiting for her half-sister to speak, and she did.

"In fact, you are," Lizzie teased. "Josie and Olivia tell us everything," she pointed to herself and Allison. "They talk a lot about you."

Alicia rolled her eyes, refusing to answer her parents' questions.

"But are you coming back?"

"Of course," Kiara confirmed. "I'd never leave you alone among so many snakes."

"It would be easier if you hadn't gone all guardian dog," Clarisse complained, crossing her arms.

"Get over it, Clarisse."

"I'll see you later, Perce," Kiara said before leaving the Big House, leaving Percy in between Grover and Chiron, staring at him.

"Well, Percy," Chiron began, "your friend Grover is a satyr. You know," he pointed to the horn in the shoebox, "that you killed the Minotaur. That's no small feat, kid. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. The gods, the forces you call Greek gods, are very much alive."

"My mom mentioned it, but I thought she was losing her mind," Percy said, gripping a chair as if he had suddenly lost all his strength.

"So," he asked Chiron, "are you telling me that gods exist, like... for real?"

"I don't know about you all, but I feel pretty real," said Dionysus, mocking the son of Poseidon.

"Ugh, I hate him," Percy muttered under his breath, audible only to Annabeth and the vampires in the room.

"Yes, quite. The gods we discussed in Latin class."

"Zeus," Percy mentioned, "Hera, Apollo... you mean them."

And there it was again: a distant thunder on a cloudless day.

"I don't know whether to feel flattered that you named me or scold you," said Apollo, looking at Percy with amusement.

"Better neither," the demigod replied, faking a smile.

"Young man," Mr. D interjected, "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you."

"But they're stories," Percy said. "They're... myths, to explain lightning, the seasons, and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."

"Science!" Mr. D scoffed. "And tell me, Perseus Jackson," the demigod visibly flinched at hearing his name, which he rarely used. "What will people think of your 'science' two thousand years from now? Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals—they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've come so far. And have they, Chiron? Look at this boy and tell me."

"The princess got offended," Kiara said, provoking laughter from her godly family and drawing the attention from Percy to herself.

Klaus seemed to notice, shaking his head as he searched for Apollo's gaze, who also seemed aware of what was his daughter doing.

"Percy," Chiron said, "you may choose to believe it or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?

Chiron's tone seemed to make Percy hesitate about what to say.

"Why does that centaur make it sound like it's bad to never die?" Kol asked out of nowhere.

"Never dying sounds pretty boring to me," Clarisse said, not really caring.

"What are you on, brat? You've been alive for five years and already want to die?"

"I'm nineteen, asshole," Ares' daughter growled, glaring at the man.

"Oh! So old," Kol teased, amused by the girl's rabid dog expression.

"And what about you, old man? When do we hold your funeral?" Clarisse shot back, fake-laughing. "I might have to find a dinosaur to speak in your honor."

Everyone watched the argument with clear amusement, including the gods, who were the real fossils. Maybe that's why none of them had spoken up to interrupt the fight.

"Heeeey," Kol said, pretending to be offended. "If you keep this up, I'm going to have to claim my copyright on fossils."

"As if you could!" Clarisse shouted. "What are you, an endangered species?"

"Better that than a rage-filled demigod," Kol retorted, laughing as Elijah looked at him disapprovingly.

"Kol, that's enough," Klaus reprimanded, though his brothers could see he was trying to stifle his laughter.

"Alright, alright. It's not like I want to waste my time with Pinky Pie from My Little Pony," the original said, laughing again as Clarisse tried to lunge at him.

"And how do you know about the My Little Pony characters, huh?" Damon teased, earning a pillow hit from Kol.

"Are you saying people believe in one, or does it not matter if they believe?" Percy asked, curious.

"Exactly," Chiron nodded. "Imagine, Percy: if you were a god, how would you feel knowing you're called a myth, just a simple story to explain lightning? And what if I told you, Perseus Jackson, that one day they might see you as a myth, a story created to help children cope with the loss of their mothers?"

Hayley let out a pained sigh, casting Percy a look full of sadness.

"This has to be a damn joke," Kiara muttered, glaring at the centaur on screen.

"It's okay, Kiara," Percy said, trying to downplay it.

"No, Percy, it's not," Kiara replied, shaking her head in frustration.

"That's why I've always hated that damn camp," Henrik muttered loud enough for some demigods to hear and frown.

"We never saw you," Annabeth remarked, eyeing him warily for his comment.

"Because, unlike my sister, I didn't care about you at all," Henrik replied coldly.

"Are you implying that Kiara cares about us?" Lizzie asked, mockingly.

Kiara looked down at the ground, saying nothing. Henrik, noticing his sister's reaction, frowned and turned to Lizzie again.

"If you didn't matter to her, you'd already be dead, Elizabeth," Henrik said, glaring at her.

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Henrik, not another word," Hecate warned, giving her grandson a disapproving look.

"I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods," Percy replied firmly.

"Oh, you'd better," Mr. D murmured. "Before one of them incinerates you."

"I'd love to see you try," Percy replied, ignoring the shove Annabeth gave him.

"I wouldn't tempt fate if I were you, Perseus," warned Zeus.

"Are you sure you want to kill the person who's saving your butt?" Kiara asked, amused.

Ares let out a mocking laugh.

"We don't need Jackson."

"Are you sure?" Luke interjected, a smile forming on his lips as he noticed the doubt on Ares' face.

"P... please, sir," Grover piped up. "He just lost his mother. He's in shock."

"A lucky thing, too," Mr. D grumbled as he played a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even believe!"

"Sure, because the existence of the gods is super believable," Percy scoffed, ignoring the disapproving looks thrown his way.

"Percy has a point, though," Apollo chimed in, drawing strange looks from the other gods. "I mean, nowadays, few mortals still worship us. So the fact that Jackson doesn't believe in us isn't that..."

"Important?" Percy interrupted.

"Hard to understand," Apollo replied with a half-smile. "But yes."

"Wow," Eros murmured, amused.

"What?" Apollo bellowed, glaring at him.

Eros raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, a teasing smile appearing on his lips.

"Nothing, nothing, I'm just surprised that for once you said something coherent."

"Oh, go to hell," Apollo grumbled, his golden eyes flashing for a moment.

Eros let out a dry laugh, crossing his arms and giving him a challenging look.

"You, saying 'go to hell'? Wow, Apollo, I never imagined your vocabulary would be so... mundane."

Apollo pressed his lips together, trying to ignore him, but his attention shifted to Kiara, who was trying to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"And you?" Apollo snapped at his daughter, half confused, half irritated. "What are you laughing at?"

Kiara stopped laughing immediately, though a playful spark still shone in her eyes.

"Me? At nothing. Why do you ask?"

Apollo squinted at her, as if trying to read her thoughts. After a few seconds, he snorted and shook his head, giving up with a sigh.

"Mmm," Apollo murmured, although his brow remained furrowed. He was clearly irritated until he felt a warm hand caress his own. Turning, he met Klaus's calm gaze.

"Keep it calm," the hybrid whispered with a light smile. "That frown doesn't suit you."

Apollo huffed, allowing his face to relax a little, but still shot one last annoyed look at Eros and Kiara.

He waved his hand, and a cup appeared on the table as if sunlight had turned a bit of air into crystal. The cup filled itself with red wine.

"Dionysus..." Zeus's voice boomed, reproaching his son for ignoring his orders.

"Hey! It's the habit," Dionysus replied, trying to hide his wine cup from his father's view.

"Mr. D, your restrictions..." he reminded him.

"Dear me," Mr. D said, looking at the wine and feigning surprise.

He rolled his eyes toward the sky and shouted, "Old habits! Sorry!"

He waved his hand again, and the wine cup transformed into a cold can of Diet Coke. He sighed in resignation, opened the can, and refocused on his cards.

Chiron winked at Percy.

"Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits."

"I wonder why," Hera muttered under her breath, moving away from Zeus's touch as if it burned.

"A wood nymph," Percy repeated, looking at the can as if it had come from outer space.

"Yes," Mr. D acknowledged. "Father loves to punishing me. The first time, prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time... well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away..." he said, a smile forming on his lips. "The second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you. 'Be a better influence,' he told me. 'Work with youths rather than tearing them down' Ha! Absolutely unfair."

"Poor D! Sent to babysit kids. What a tragedy!" Hermes mocked, shaking his head as if what he had just heard were the most ridiculous nonsense.

"Why don't you go babysit them, then? Maybe that way you will learn how to be a better father," Dionysus replied, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he watched Hermes's expression fall apart.

"And..." Percy stammered, "your father is..."

"Di immortals, Chiron," he shot back. "I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course."

Percy's head seemed to short-circuit, as he stared blankly for over a minute.

"You're Dionysus," he said. "The god of wine."

Mr. D rolled his eyes.

"What do you say, these days, Grover? Do the children say 'well, duh!'?"

"Y-yes, Mr. D."

"Then, well, duh! Percy Jackson. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?"

"Eww," Aphrodite responded, frowning in disdain. "As if you could ever look like me."

Dionysus let out a teasing chuckle but fell silent.

"You're a god."

"Yes, kid."

"A god. You."

"I do not understand how he's still alive," Amphitrite murmured to her husband, who looked lost, unsure of how to respond.

"Would you like to test me, child?" he asked with a frown.

"No. No, sir."

The fire dimmed a little, and he returned to the game.

"I believe I win," he said.

"Not quite, Mr. D," Chiron replied. He showed a straight flush, counted the points, and said, "The game goes to me."

"You'll never manage to beat him," Athena mocked, ignoring her brother's tantrums.

"I'm tired," Mr. D commented. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."

Grover's face was beaded with sweat.

"Y-yes, sir."

"What did you do to him?" Apollo asked, intrigued.

"Nothing that hurted him..." the god replied, earning sighs of relief, "...physically."

Grover grimaced, as if the mere memory caused him pain.

"I already hate him," Alicia whispered to her mother, making sure the god couldn't hear her.

Hayley frowned, nodding in agreement.

Mr. D turned to Percy.

"Cabin eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners."

"And he didn't listen to me," Dionysus muttered, staring blankly with a look of discouragement.

"He's Poseidon's spawn, what did you expect?" Athena teased, smirking as she felt the piercing gazes of Poseidon and his son.

He walked into the house, followed by a very sad Grover.

"Will Grover be okay?" Percy asked Chiron, who nodded, though he looked somewhat concerned.

"Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been... ah, grounded, I guess you would say, and he can't stand waiting another century to be allowed back on Olympus."

"You banned him from his own home?" Davina asked, surprised.

"Yes, they did," Dionysus replied, feigning sadness.

"That's horrible," the witch murmured.

"Now I can say I have something in common with a god," Marcel said, directing his gaze at the Originals' daggers.

"And what about you? Did your family also ban you from your home?" Dionysus asked, ignoring the gods' grimaces, as Zeus was the only one who wouldn't let him in.

"Actually, they did," the vampire replied, throwing a pillow at Kol, who was laughing hysterically.

"When was that, and why wasn't I there?" Kol inquired, wiping the tears caused by his laughter.

"You were dead," Rebekah clarified.

"Oh."

"The Olympus Mountain," Percy said. "Are you telling me there's actually a palace up there?"

"Well, there's Olympus in Greece. It's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which was actually on Mount Olympus before. It's still called Mount Olympus out of respect for tradition, but the palace moves, Percy, like the gods do."

"You mean the Greek gods are here? In... the United States?"

"Absolutely. The gods move with the heart of the West."

"The what?"

"I still don't understand, honestly," Percy commented, smiling innocently as he received Annabeth's fierce glare.

"That's because your brain is full of seaweed," Thalia mocked.

"Oh, screw you, pinecone face."

"Come on, Percy, wake up. Do you really think Western civilization is just an abstract concept? It's a living force, a collective consciousness that has shone through the centuries. The gods are part of it, even its source; they can't fade away while civilization exists. The fire started in Greece and then moved to Rome, where the gods took on different names, like Jupiter for Zeus and Venus for Aphrodite."

"And then they died?"

"Do we look dead to you, Jackson?" Ares asked with a mocking smile.

"No," Percy replied, rolling his eyes, "but I wish you were."

"Did they die? No. The West hasn't died. The gods simply moved to places like Germany, France, Spain, and Britain, where the flame burned more brightly. They spent centuries in England, and people don't forget the gods; they're in the architecture, in statues and paintings in the nations that have dominated for the last three thousand years. And, of course, they're in your United States. Look at the eagle of Zeus and the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center, or the Greek facades of government buildings in Washington."

"So you met Apollo when they settled in England?" Rebekah asked in a whisper directed only at her brother.

Klaus just nodded.

"...I dare you to find an American city where the Olympians aren't represented. Even if many don't like it (and many didn't like Rome either), the United States is now the heart of the flame, the great power of the West. So Olympus is here, and therefore, so are we."

"And after all that, you still don't understand?" Henrik asked, surprised.

"I think I started dissociating the moment he began to speak," Percy murmured, rubbing his head in embarrassment.

"Who are you, Chiron? Who... who am I?"

"You're Sharkbait," Kiara said, smiling warmly at Percy, who returned the smile affectionately.

Chiron smiled. He shifted his weight, as if he was going to get up from his wheelchair, but that was impossible. He was paralyzed from the waist down.

"Who am I?" he murmured. "Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But now we should find you a bed in cabin eleven. You have new friends to meet, and tomorrow we can continue with more lessons."

"Ha! Sure, friends," Percy mocked, looking down.

"...Besides, tonight we're going to prepare s'mores by the campfire, and I'm a sucker for chocolate."

"I want chocolate," Nico murmured, blinking in confusion when, suddenly, a steaming mug of hot chocolate appeared in his hand.

"Come on, seriously?" Leo complained, looking at Hades' son with envy. "How do you do that?"

"I just asked for it, genius," Nico replied disdainfully.

Soon, most of the demigods received their hot chocolate in the same way Nico had.

Stefan watched the scene with amusement until he heard laughter behind him. When he turned around, he found Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena laughing at Damon, who had also summoned his own cup of chocolate.

"What?" Damon asked, sensing everyone's stares.

"Nothing, Damon, nothing," Stefan replied, grinning mischievously.

He got up from his chair in a rather strange way. The blanket slipped from his legs, but they didn't move; instead, his waist grew above his pants.

"What a relief!" the centaur exclaimed. "I'd been in there for so long that my hooves had fallen asleep. Well, come on, Percy Jackson. Let's go meet the other campers."

Well... there's a lot to say...

October was, without a doubt, the worst month of my short and miserable life. To begin with, I lost all inspiration. My birthday passed, and it was horrible. But the most devastating part was Liam's death. That was the final straw, and I felt too drained to keep writing. However, here I am, back again.

I should also mention that it's taken me longer to update because it's my last year of school, and I have a final project that... for stupid reasons, I've been ignoring. Now I have everything piled up, but I'll do my best to write when I have time. I AM NOT ABANDONING THE STORY. There's so much to tell about my dear Kiara, and I would never forgive myself for leaving her behind.

Well, that's all. I hope you like it, and please don't forget to vote and comment. <3