Chapter Text
Prologue
Wylan chased after the brown owl, his chest heaving with exhaustion. He clutched his bronze dagger tightly and pushed on further into the night, reluctant to stop and catch his breath. He was running on adrenaline alone, fearful of what might catch him if he stopped.
The small bird disappeared into the dark leaves of a tall pine and Wylan hoped the creature was leading him towards friends and not foes.
He was following the bird purely on instinct. This specific type of owl, called simply the small owl, wasn’t usually found on Long Island, or anywhere near New York for that matter. At first he had thought it was the guide the woman, who claimed to be his mother, had sent for him but now he believed he was being led on a wild goose chase. Still, he continued towards the pine, not sure where else to go.
He clambered up a small hill, his ankles twisting on the uneven dirt path. He fell to the base of the tree, his legs finally giving in. Whatever spell that managed to get him this far had broken.
Not far in front of him was a tall, white archway, framing the entrance of what looked like a courtyard. Beyond that he could see the shadowy outline of buildings and the reflection of the moon on water. He tried to push up onto his knees, but found he had no strength left.
He lay at the pine’s trunk, feeling his eyes droop with tiredness. The anxiety he felt while running had eased and he lay blissfully on the grass. He didn’t know how, but he knew he was safe here. The stars above twinkled in their constellations as Wylan felt his eyes close slowly.
Someone was yelling. Maybe they had found him or perhaps he’d lay by himself until the morning light finally revealed him to whoever lived here. He felt his consciousness fade and the dark world around him became pitch black.
Chapter 1
(Kaz)
Kaz sat in the front of the cab, watching the price on the meter go up as they travelled away from New York City and towards Long Island.
Inej and Jesper sat in the back, both looking at the 3am darkness outside their windows. It had been a long, uncomfortable ride. The taxi driver had tried to make polite conversation multiple times during the hour and a half drive but even Jesper had been too tired to answer properly.
The driver cast the three teenagers a concerned look as he drove past more and more empty fields.
“Just here,” Kaz said, motioning for him to pull over.
He nodded uncertainly and parked on the side of the road, stopping the meter.
“That’ll be $130,” the man said.
Kaz nodded and reached into his pocket, running his gloved fingers over the golden drachmas inside. He felt them change into their worth of US bills and pulled out enough to pay for their ride.
He handed the notes to the driver and opened the door, grabbing his cane from the floor. Inej and Jesper got out of the backseat, joining him by the passenger side door.
The man leant over the console in the middle and took a quick look at Kaz and his leg.
“You sure you kids want to get out here? There isn’t much around.”
Kaz stayed silent but Jesper cleared his throat,“we’re quite fine sir, but thank you for your concern.”
Than man didn’t seem convinced but regardless, he waved goodbye and closed the door, driving off into the night.
“I feel bad for him,” Inej said, “he has to drive all that way home.”
Jesper shrugged, “we told him he’d have to drive all the way out here, he chose his fate.”
Kaz waved his hand impatiently. “Hurry up,” he snapped, “I want to get back soon.”
He begun crossing the road, his companions speed walking to catch up with him.
The three of them ran an underground business at camp. Stealing things from the mortal world to sell to demigods. Usually they’d go somewhere more local but Kaz had wanted to go into the city and see what was going on there.
Camp wasn’t far from the road so it didn’t take long for Thalia’s Tree to come into view. Kaz frowned as they got closer though, there seemed to be a group gathering around the entrance to Camp Half Blood.
He looked at Inej who nodded, instantly understanding what he wanted her to do. She disappeared into the darkness, presumably shadow travelling closer to spy.
“We’ll have to go through the trees,” Kaz said.
Jesper sighed, obviously wanting to just get back to his cabin and sleep, but followed Kaz anyway. The two of them went into the woods lining the path, keeping the track in sight but far enough so that they, hopefully, wouldn’t be seen.
They were halfway there when
a piercing screech filled the air. Kaz looked up and saw two dark shapes circling them in the air.
Harpies.
The half human, half bird beasts landed on the floor around them, flapping their brown, feathered wings.
“Campers out of bed! A good meal for the harpies,” they shouted.
Kaz didn’t bother drawing his sword. He looked at Jesper, motioning to the rings on his hands.
“Give one to them,”
Jesper clutched his hand to his chest,
“Do I have to?” He whined.
Kaz rolled his eyes,
“Not unless you want to be dinner.”
Jesper sighed in defeat and pressed a kiss to one of the rings on his right hand. He threw it to the monsters and their eyes followed the shining metal through the air.
The ring disappeared into the shrubbery and the Harpies chased after it, bickering about who the prize belonged to.
Kaz and Jesper snuck past them, quickening their pace. Someone would’ve definitely heard the harpies screaming so they would have to hurry.
It wasn’t long before the armoury and arts pavilion were in sight. There weren’t a lot of trees around the buildings so they’d have to use the darkness to cover them. Kaz motioned Jesper to follow him and they went closer to the back of the armoury.
That’s when Kaz felt something snake up his leg.
He looked down and saw a thick vine wrapped around his ankle.
“Shit,” he muttered as he was lifted into the air.
Him and Jesper were thrown into the roof, landing in front of the last person Kaz wanted to see.
Camp Director, Mr D.
“I had a feeling it was you two,” he said, glaring at them both.
At first glance, Mr D looked like a normal mortal man, with bloodshot blue eyes, a red, chubby face and curly black hair, but in reality he was so much more than that.
He was Dionysus, god of wine, theatre, parties and vines.
“Hey Da, fancy seeing you here.”
He also happened to be Jesper’s dad.
Mr D rolled his eyes.
“I could’ve had a son that stayed at camp and behaved himself but no, you decide to hang out with a criminal.”
He shot a disapproving glare at Kaz who only shrugged in response.
“What can I say? My dad’s the god of thieves, it’s in my blood.”
Mr D released their ankles and smiled cruelly.
“Luckily, I have to perfect punishment for you both. Jeremy, you can work in the strawberry fields,”
Jesper groaned, he hated working in fields.
“And Callum, you can show the new kid around.”
Kaz and Jesper didn’t bother to correct Mr D, he loved to call campers by the wrong name and correcting him never got you very far.
As for his punishment, Kaz wasn’t happy about it. He didn’t want to spend his day showing some twelve year old around camp.
“The two of you should get back to your cabins,” Mr D said, “you have a busy day tomorrow.”
Jesper complained the entire way back to their cabins.
“I hate strawberry duty, it’s boring and the weather this time of year does horrible things to my hair. Why can’t we switch and I show the new kid around?”
“Because Jesper,” Kaz said exasperated, “I can’t grow plants at will and it’s not a punishment if you enjoy it.”
Kaz was thankful when they got to the cabins, he could finally get away from Jesper’s complaints.
There were twenty cabins in total, twelve for the Olympians and eight for a few minor gods and goddesses.
At first there had only been cabins for children of the Olympian’s, the kids of minor gods having to stay in the Hermes cabin, but after the Great Titan war, eight more cabins were built.
Kaz and Jesper parted ways, Jesper going towards cabin twelve and Kaz going to number eleven.
The Hermes cabin was a chaotic mess of a building. The wooden walls were stapled together haphazardly with hundreds of rusty nails. With dusty windows and creaky doors, the cabin didn’t seem all too nice to live in. Except it was. Somehow, probably due to godly magic, the cabin was cosy and spacious, able to comfortably fit all the Hermes kids.
Until last year, the Hermes cabin had also housed the unclaimed demigods. But thanks to the efforts of Percy Jackson during the Battle of Manhattan, the gods promised to claim all their kids before the age of thirteen and build the minor gods a cabin each.
There was only one half-blood living in the Hermes cabin who wasn’t one of Kaz’s sibling, Matthias Helvar. He was a son of Boreas, the god of the north wind and winter. He hadn’t wanted a cabin to be built for him, claiming he wouldn’t be at Camp Half Blood for very long but he’d been here since June and Kaz doubted he had anywhere else to go.
As he was reaching for the door handle, Kaz felt a presence behind him.
“Hello Inej,” he said.
She sighed from behind him,
“I thought I was going to get you that time.”
Kaz smirked to himself before turning around.
“You won’t ever be able to sneak up on me Wraith, I’m too good for that.”
She rolled her eyes at his cockiness,
“I’ll scare you one day Brekker.”
She looked over to where Jesper’s cabin was.
“Jes looked pretty upset. I’m guessing you guys got caught and he has strawberry duty tomorrow.”
Kaz nodded,
“I have to show the new kid around. I’m guessing that’s what the drama up on the hill was. Do you have any information?”
Inej smiled,
“I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t.”
Her smile faltered a bit,
“Though I will admit, it’s not much.”
Kaz shrugged,
“Tell me anyway.”
“Those Nike twins found him passed out by Thalia’s tree not too long before we arrived. I couldn’t see any visible injuries so I’m guessing it was just exhaustion. I don’t know much about who he is but if I was to guess he looked about fourteen, maybe fifteen. He’s been sent to the Infirmary so Nina will give us some proper news tomorrow. ”
Kaz frowned, that really wasn’t a lot to go on.
“I guess we’ll figure out who he is tomorrow.”
Inej nodded before looking over to her own cabin.
“I should get to bed. I’ll see you in the morning?”
Kaz held back a smile,
“Of course.”
Inej waved goodbye before heading in the direction of the Hades cabin.
Kaz opened the door to his cabin silently, not wanting to wake any of his siblings. He had never been particularly close to any of his brothers or sisters. They seemed to find him depressing to be around and he preferred the company of Jesper and Inej anyway. There had been one brother that he was friendly with, Luke. But he had betrayed everyone and Kaz had learnt that it hurt a lot more when it came from your own flesh and blood.
He weaved past the beds littered around the room and found his own little corner. Setting down his cane, he changed into pyjamas and settled into bed.
Hopefully this new kid wasn’t too annoying and Kaz only had to tolerate him for an hour or two.