Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The world was not like Reverie remembered. It was louder, foggier, and packed with humans.

The stars, her once-friends, had disappeared from the sky. It was the first thing she'd noticed when she had been brought back to life.

The amulet she wore weighed heavily on her neck. Its magic served to conceal her true nature, the blood that flowed through her veins. Because Reverie wasn't a mortal like so many others, not like the one whose name she'd stolen. She was a demigod.

She was a one of the first generation.

«Do you have any idea who your divine parent might be, dear?» The centaur asked her.

Reverie shook her head, her red hair swaying slightly. It would have been wise of her not to reveal anything, to pretend to be a demigoddess of some sort, a half-breed who had arrived there by chance without knowing anything about that world.

«I have no idea, sir» she said.

Then, she mentally cursed herself for that answer.

Sir.

They told her she had to drop formalities, because no teenager spoke like that anymore. Certainly not 21st century teenagers.

Chiron nodded and gave a reassuring smile. «Don't worry» he said. «You'll find out soon».

It was the typical white lie the centaur told every half-blood. She already knew it, they had told her. The demigods and the gods were not on good terms, for them the concept of family did not exist. The Olympian gods ignored their children, used them as pawns when needed, and then went back to pretending they didn't exist.

That was the cruel truth the ancient centaur refused to admit.

Reverie, however, didn't call him out on it. She didn't want to tell him the truth either; she had no right to accuse him when she was the first to lie.

«I hope so too» she muttered.

His hand warmed her shoulder. The gesture felt unnatural, a kind of comfort she wasn't used to. Chiron's dark irises looked at her gently: the centaur looked at her like a father, with the same kindness a teacher reserved for his students.

But he was a liar too.

Just like her.

«Let me take you to Cabin Eleven, okay?» he broke the silence.

Reverie nodded and followed him.

It was a sunny day, with few clouds visible in the sky, and the trees gently swaying in the wind. No birds were visible, however. Yet their chirping could be heard from the campers. The gentle summer breeze tickled her cheek, a caress from Aeolus.

The Camp was full of life: the colors of the cabins, of the various pavilions and of the orange shirts of the demigods intent on running in the fields entered her vision. Those half-bloods lived carefree, unaware of their fate. For a moment, Reverie was lost in the sight.

The wind carried the scent of flowers through the air, mixed with that of the gardens, along with the sweet music that some children of Apollo were playing near the hearth. The clang of swords was barely audible from where she stood. From the arena to the beach, where the waves crashed onto the shore, life inhabited every inch of the Camp. The demigods lived in harmony with nature, with the lightheartedness attitude that only young kids could possess.

Unlike them, Reverie no longer possessed the carefree nature of children nor the innocence that contaminated them.

Chiron told her about the gods and how things worked there, but his voice blended with the many others she heard. It became just background noise as her mind thought. The tranquility of that place was only a contrast to the tumult Reverie was experiencing.

She felt it inside her, heavy on her heart, that she did not belong there.

But being distracted so easily was dangerous, especially in the presence of a centaur who had welcomed myriads of demigods over the centuries.Her distraction prevented her from noticing Chiron's attentive gaze, the small frown that adorned his face. He was scrutinizing her as if she were a forgotten memory, something familiar yet foreign that he couldn't quite place in his mind. So he continued the explanation about the Camp and the greek gods.

Once they reached Cabin Eleven — the cabin of the children of Hermes — he stopped.

«This is where you'll stay, dear» the centaur announced. «At least until your divine parent claims you».

At that point she would move to the cabin belonging to her divine parent. Until then, she was just an unclaimed demigoddess.

Reverie knew she would never change cabins, she would remain among the half-bloods forgotten by their parents, with the only difference that her father knew exactly who she was and where she was. After all, he was the one who wanted her there.

«Okay» she said, her voice barely above a whisper. «What if they never claim me?».

In response, she received a smile. «They will, dear child. They will».

Liar, she thought, nodding anyway.

She wouldn't have expected anything else from Chiron.

«Go make some friends» he advised her. «The children of Hermes will be your new family here at Camp».

Reverie sighed and stepped into the cabin, under Chiron's watchful gaze.

Even before her eyes settled on the room, something whizzed past her face, crashing into a column.

«Watch out!» a demigod shouted, before leaping off a cot, elbowing a boy on the floor.

The would-be victim kicked his brother in the stomach, but that didn't stop their bodies from colliding. They both stifled groans of pain, only to clasp each other again.

Across the room, two demigods held lighters. They looked at each other like cowboys ready to shoot, only instead of guns, they held celestial fire.

A child whizzed past her, clutching various knick-knacks.

Reverie was stunned.

Was this the cabin she was supposed to stay in?

She cleared her throat. No one seemed to notice, though.

Sitting on a bed, two girls conspired among themselves, switching between languages with disarming ease. Only when one of them raised her head, a blonde with a face dotted with freckles, was she finally noticed.

Reverie expected a greeting, perhaps an invitation to introduce herself, but instead the girl rolled her eyes and called out to a boy.

«Luke, a new camper is here!».

Luke?

The name sounded familiar.

From the next room, a new figure emerged.

A tall, blond-haired boy entered, and as if by magic, every demigod in the cabin stopped moving.

Reverie met his eyes.

A scar runned from the underneath of his right eye down to his jaw, a wound years old. His blond hair was disheveled, his skin sun-kissed. And his posture? It resembled that of a Greek general. His shoulders were broad and straight, his chin held high. His steps were calculated and purposeful, the walk of someone who knew he commanded and possessed the attention of everyone present.

Luke tilted his face, the blue flecks in his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

«A new demigoddess, eh? Welcome among us. Luke Castellan, son of Hermes». He held out his hand, his voice soothing.

The redhead returned the squeeze. «I am Reverie, divine parent unknown».

One of the demigods present chuckled. «Welcome to the club».

His quip elicited a chorus of laughter from those present, silenced by a glance from the blond.

«Ignore them, Reverie. You'll get used to it soon».

She nodded.

She was surprisingly good at it; since returning to the living, she had nodded to everything she heard.

Maybe she still felt like a ghost. Maybe she expected all those faces to vanish from her eyes in the blink of an eye, letting her falling back into the abyss of Tartarus.

But that didn't happen. On the contrary, she found the demigods' curious gazes on her.

When she didn't say anything, Luke continued talking.

«You can take the bed in the left corner of the room». He nodded. «Have you visited the Camp yet?».

Revelie bit the inside of her cheek. «Not really, Chiron showed it to me briefly»

«Come on, then. I'll show you around».

Some of the girls stifled giggles.

A brunet snorted. «Are you going to hit on the new girl?».

She looked at him: the boy who had spoken was shorter and younger than Luke, also wearing a Camp T-shirt, and his hair was a dark tangle like a bird's nest.

«Travis», Luke rolled his eyes, «why don't you go get Connor? I heard some of Demeter's children tied him to the garden like a scarecrow».

At those words, the son of Hermes's expression changed completely. He ran out of the cabin, while some demigods mocked him.

Reverie paid no attention and followed Luke out of there.

All those living people were giving her a headache.

«Where are we going?» she asked Luke.

His pace was relaxed, matching hers. This way they walked side by side, instead of having to find her way behind him to follow.

«Anywhere» he told her. «I suppose where instinct will take us. Unless there’s somewhere you’d like to see first».

Reverie thought about it.

«Is the arena too crowd at this time of day?».

Luke shrugged. «It always is, especially on boring days like these».

He glanced at her. «Do you still want to go? Newcomers usually avoid it so they don’t have to watch the fights. You know, weapons and blood aren't their favorite sights».

The redhead flinched. «I know more or less how to fight».

That was the only thing her father had taught her.

The son of Hermes smiled at her, amused. «Like a mortal, perhaps. But here we fight like demigods».

Before she could reply, he changed direction and headed toward the arena.

«But if you want to fight, then the arena is our destination».

The walk didn't last long, and when they reached the arena, several demigods were already training.

On one side, some half-bloods were practicing archery, elsewhere, several young men were fighting among themselves; some were using swords, others were tackling dummies, and several couples were engaging in hand-to-hand combat.

Reverie let her gaze sweep over them all.

A primal instinct surged within her, strong and overpowering. She wanted to grab a sword herself and remind her body of the teachings she'd learned. She shook her hand without thinking, grasping the air.

She was no longer in ancient Greece.

She was no longer in the presence of Kronos, in his arena.

She was at Camp Half-Blood, in the guise of a twenty-first-century demigoddess.

«I've changed my mind» she said to Luke. «Let's go elsewhere».

She didn't think twice before turning and walking away.

If she was going to obey her father's orders, she had to appear as unsuspecting as possible.

These kids had no idea who she was or what she would do.

They were oblivious to everything.

And so was Luke.

Luke.

She looked at the blond and steadyed her voice.

«Where's the quietest place?» she asked.

The son of Hermes placed a hand on her back. «Zeus's fist» he replied solemnly.

Chapter Text

«Do you need a hand climbing?» Luke asked her, his back resting against the rocks.

The sun's rays illuminated his blond locks, like golden threads adorning his face. His rosy lips were lifted in a gentle smile, his irises curious and calm. His face was an otherworldly portrait, something that belonged only on Olympus.

Reverie shook her head.

«I can do it alone».

He raised his hands in surrender. «You go first, then».

Luke wasn't there to argue with the newcomer, he wanted to put her at ease. Being a demigod was difficult, living with this knowledge even more so. And the redhead was just one of the many half-bloods who would have to live with that life of danger and loss.

Although, Luke couldn't have deciphered the thoughts behind her eyes. Even looking at her, he couldn't sense any discomfort or fear or the usual uncertainties that plagued demigods.

She was… Oddly reserved.

The blond took a few steps forward, away from Zeus' fist, and tilted his face. In this way, he could see her better.

Reverie climbed up, her hands finding their way on the cold, weather-worn surface of the stones. Her movements were rusty, slower than she'd liked. She — who once had been able to scale the highest mountains — now had to get used to climbing just a few meters.

Her father would have laughed at her. And not with sympathy.

She could feel Luke's blue irises on her. He was studying her, she deduced. Even though they were there together, he had to figure out what kind of half-blood he was supposed to be hosting in his cabin.

Because she wasn't a daughter of Hermes. But she wasn't the daughter of any of the other gods of the Camp either.

Once she reached the top, she sat down on the large stone surface and looked down.

«Aren't you coming up?» she asked. «See, there's room for both of us».

Luke didn't need to be told twice. As one corner of his lips curved upward, a hand gripped a ledge. Within seconds, he reached the top sitting next to Reverie.

Their irises met again: blue on blue, discretion versus curiosity.

No one could tell if they were studying each other, or if there was a recognition of something similar in their gazes.

In the end, Luke was the first to break eyes' contact. «You're a good climber» he said, his face turned toward the mid-afternoon sky.

Reverie continued to look at him.

«I grew up in the countryside» she replied. This was partially true: when she was born, it was all countryside; cities didn't exist yet.

«So it was just you and… your parent?» Luke asked. «You must have been lonely».

Reverie nodded.

«It was just me and my mother» she replied.

This was totally a lie.

Reverie remembered nothing about her mother. She didn't even know what she'd looked like, what she liked to do, what she hated. She'd been dead too long for her to know, nor had they ever met in the underworld. All she remembered was the coldness of her father's eyes.

Her mother had been nothing more than a naive mortal, fallen victim to the attentions of a titan. After her death, nothing remained of her.

«But it was nice» she hastened to add. «The countryside gives you skills that come in handy, when you grow up surrounded by mountains and wild animals».

Reverie, sitting with her legs close to her chest, rested her chin on her knees.

She looked at the sky: the blue was beginning to fade, the wind was carrying the scent of flowers and some birds were flying west.

The silence between them didn't weigh on her. It didn't seem awkward, it didn't make her uncomfortable. On the contrary, she could almost feel Luke's brain processing her words.

«You're lucky» he said, in the end. «Many demigods learn certain skills the hard way. Whether your mother knew of your father's divine nature or not, she made your life at Camp easier».

Reverie detected a note of resentment in those words.

«Yeah» she murmured. «I've been lucky».

Had she?

«And you?» she asked. «How long have you lived at the Camp?».

Then, Reverie looked at him.

His eyes were already on her.

«I've lost count of the years» Luke admitted. «But it doesn't matter. The Camp is the only home I know now».

The blond's evasive and vague answer made her nod: it was clear that the question was uncomfortable for him.

For a while, neither of them said anything. They both sat watching the sky change hues, letting the birdsong do the talking for them.

When dinnertime arrived, the two climbed down from Zeus's grasp. This time Luke helped her: he didn't ask if she needed it, but once he began to climb down, he assisted her.

The son of Hermes accompanied her to the dining pavilion. They walked together, and every now and then he glanced at her secretly.

Reverie pretended not to notice, but the constant glances made her feel under investigation.

She wanted to ask him if he wanted to say something, but she lacked the will to do so.

Instead, she focused on the dinner.

This was the first time in centuries that she would finally eat food.

As she sat among the demigods at table eleven, Reverie wondered what flavors she would experience. What sensation would the food have on her palate? Would she be able to distinguish sweet from salty? Would her body recall the flavors of the past, of the meats and fresh fruits she had picked back then?

When she opened her eyes in that world, she had only been given water. The Titan's two servants hadn't welcomed her with affection, they hadn't tried to help her settle among the living. They had merely dictated the mission her father had placed upon her.

But like a ghost, Reverie hadn't felt a hint of hunger. Her body, still new to this life, was getting used to the throbbing.

Luke gave her one last look, before sitting down too and joining in one of the conversations between the children of Hermes.

After a while, dinner was served. Reverie's plate filled with food, and her hand instinctively reached for her fork.

A girl sitting next to her interrupted her.

«Wait–».

Reverie stopped and fixed his eyes on her.

The one who talked was a girl with brown hair and big eyes darker than coal. A few freckles could be seen on her nose, and her complexion was rosy. Her features were soft, reminding Reverir overall of a deer.

«What?» she asked.

The brunette smiled slightly, a dimple decorating her right corner.

«You must first make an offering to the gods» she explained. «It's mandatory. Our table will rise shortly to do so».

Reverie raised an eyebrow. «Do I have to do this seriously?».

What should she have said?

"Please, father, will you accept this offer?"

"Thank you, father, for bringing me back to life?"

Or maybe she should have directly offered Kronos her entire plate?

This would surely have satisfied him. The Titan didn't like small gestures; he demanded everything — even if that everything was the little Reverie possessed.

But she didn't mind; throughout her life, she had dedicated every breath to him, every sword thrust, every counterblow. And in this life, things wouldn't change.

No matter what, her father would always have control over her. She had accepted it for centuries; only death had given her freedom.

So distracted by her own thoughts, she didn't hear the girl's response.

But when the brunette stood up, Reverie followed suit.

It was cabin eleven's turn.

Each demigod — whether a child of Hermes or unclaimed — lined up to sacrifice a portion of food in honor of the gods.

«I don't think the gods care» Reverie whispered to the brunette.

The gods attended banquets more luxurious and ornate than any dinner held in that Camp. Offering a part of roast chicken could not compete with the necther and ambrosia of Olympus. That was just a waste of food.

The girl shrugged. «Maybe» she admitted. «But as their children, we have to honor them».

Reverie sighed at those words, but didn't argue back. Instead, she watched her sacrifice a slice of pizza and some potatoes over the fire.

«Did you offer your food to Hermes?» she asked.

The Titan's daughter hadn't heard her say any prayers.

The girl — whose name she didn't yet know — chuckled. «To Hermes? No. I begged my hypothetical parent to claim me».

Reverie took her place before the fire.

«Don't you know who your divine parent is?».

Yet that girl was older than her. She looked sixteen, unlike Reverie, who was thirteen.

Thirteen years if she didn't count the years spent in Tartarus.

Some of the demigods behind them complained. Reverie was taking too long to make her offering, and they wanted dinner.

The redhead looked back at her plate. She dumped the entire contents onto the fire without blinking, under the confused gaze of the demigods nearby.

Father, I would have preferred to remain stuck in Tartarus. This world is too chaotic, please reconsider your plan.

Unfortunately, she meant every word.

The food dissolved in the flames, disappearing like golden dust before her eyes. An arm dragged her away from the line, toward table eleven.

«Are you crazy?».

The brunette looked at her in disbelief.

They sat down in front of each other, one with the plate half filled and one with the plate empty.

«Why?» Reverie asked. «I made my offer, like you told me».

The demigoddess ran a hand through her dark locks. «I never told you to offer your entire dinner» she replied. «You don't need to. If they want to listen to you, they'll do it with even the little you give them».

Reverie felt the words tingle on the tip of her tongue, almost aching to come out. Whatever offer she made, her father would always know about her.

And she would always know who he was.

Because both were bound by blood and power.

«Okay» she said, his tone controlled. «What's your name?».

The sudden question seemed to take her by surprise. Her cheeks flushed a light red, the embarrassment evident on her face.

«I'm Marliene» she introduced herself. «Marliene Nordskov».

She held out her hand to her.

«I’m Reverie». She said, returning the handshake. «It is a pleasure to met you».

Both their skins were cold to the touch. The redhead almost wondered if Marlene was an unliving being herself.

But that could not be the case, because the dead did not blush with embarrassment.

Having discarded that thought, the two girls began talking to each other, finding a shared interest in stars and constellations. Reverie worried several times, often tempted to tell her the original positions of some stars and thus allowing herself to be discovered. But her fears were soon dispelled by Marliene herself, who told her about the first stars.

Time flew by and before they knew it, dinner was already coming to an end.

When the other demigods stood up, they followed suit and returned to cabin eleven.

They could have gone to the fireside, but neither of them enjoyed being among so many half-breeds, nor did they intend to sing: Reverie because she didn't know the songs of that period, Marliene because of her natural introversion.

In the end, they both entered the cabin and got into their respective beds.

Reverie laid her head on the pillow, and when she did, the world of dreams immediately trapped her.

When she opened her eyes again, she was no longer at the Camp. Instead, she was back in front of the imposing golden palace, whose tall columns made her feel like an ant.

Around her, light but plaguy, the scent of the Titan king permeated the place.

«Welcome home, Kore».

The floor shook, the voice scratched her ears. Her father had just acknowledged her presence.

Instinctively, her legs buckled to the ground and her head bowed in reverence.

Reverie kneeled, even though there was physically no one there.

Her father had decided to speak to her, his power pulsing through her. Every fiber of her body recognized that feeling: like centuries before, she had returned to being a soldier of the Titan.

«All hail Kronos» Reverie murmured.

No. Not Reverie.

Kore.

His only half-blood daughter.

The weapon that Kronos had created against the gods.

Chapter Text

The ether between them was heavy.

Even though it was a dream Reverie could feel the tension in the air: Kronos had not yet shown his form, but his power permeated every corner of the palace.

She could feel it, the tremor caused by his presence — his eyes, cold and calculating, nailing her to the floor. And her body, as if by reflex, bucked, bent by his essence.

For as long as she could remember, it had always been this way. Their dynamic had never been a typical father-daughter one, she had never seen him that way nor had she ever conceived the idea of father and family.

Kronos was her father, but he was not her family.

Reverie was his daughter, but before that she was his soldier.

Even though she was only thirteen, she had learned from him all the teachings of fighting—whatever it was, she had learned every technique.

From hand-to-hand combat to archery and the many blades of Greece: she had mastered it all, learned every trick of war. Only to fulfill the plan of the titan who had brought her into the world.

«What are you thinking about?».

His voice brought her back to reality — real as a dream was.

Reverie blinked. She had been distracted by the past, by what she had been centuries before, forgetting that she was in the presence of her sovereign.

«Forgive me, Father. I was... I was remembering the past, now that I'm back among the living».

Her eyes were still downcast, fixed on the clear stones of the floor. She was unable to raise her head and look at the titan. It was a habit that had become ingrained in her body; not even decades spent in Tartarus had made her forget the instinct to submit to him.

Even though she didn't see him, Reverie heard him mutter.

«Don’t get distracted anymore» Kronos replied, his voice echoing off the walls and columns. «I brought you back to this earth for a purpose. Is that clear, Kore? Keep that in mind».

There was a slight shift in the air.

«That Camp», the Titan’s voice continued, «is merely a pawn in this war. My enemy, a son of the sea, will arrive soon. Train and wait for him».

A son of the sea?

Was he talking about a son of Poseidon?

«Yes» he confirmed coldly. «And he will be the key to my victory».

She had forgotten that Kronos could read her mind.

«Should I kill him?» Reverie asked.

A shiver ran down her spine after she uttered those words.

If possible, she kept her eyes even more fixed on the floor.

«Not yet» said the Titan. «Percy Jackson will be the one who allows me to destroy Olympus and its gods».

Reverie's brow immediately creased.

Percy Jackson.

She didn't like that name.

«Will he?».

«Are you questioning me, Kore?».

Reverie froze.

Her father's veiled threat reminded her of his past punishments.

«I would never dare, Father» she replied. «But–».

The redhead bit her tongue, snapping her mouth shut. Even though Kronos wasn't visible, she had a vague idea of how he was looking at her. She could feel his fury in the air around them.

It wasn't in her nature to provoke him, she never had and she shouldn't have started now. The Titan King did not take disrespect lightly; he had the power to do everything he wanted.

«"But" what?».

The ether tingled slightly.

«Nothing» Reverie said immediately. «You're right, of course. He will surely help you».

She could only say those words with a hint of sarcasm.

✧

The Camp was bustling with life, as usual. It was one of those auspicious days, according to the children of Apollo, with whispers of excitement in the air.

Reverie wanted to know the reason for such enthusiasm, but she didn't know who to ask. Marliene and Luke had disappeared since mid-morning, leaving the redhead alone.

She should have been socializing, but she didn't know how. There was no one she trusted.

«What are you contemplating?».

A boy appeared in front of her, his head upside down.

Reverie frowned, her back against the oak trunk.

Another boy appeared from the side, physically identical to the first but with slightly more mature features.

She raised an eyebrow, hiding her surprise at their arrival.

«Who are you?».

The boy hanging from the branch sneered.

«I'm Connor Stoll! Son of Hermes, one of the best thieves in the Camp. Does that ring a bell?».

The other brother sat down next to her. «And I'm Travis Stoll, the most charming thief in the Camp».

«You're what, fifteen? Saying "charming" is rich». Reverie rolled her eyes.

The son of Hermes chuckled. «Coming from a thirteen-year-old, that's not even an insult» he joked.

Connor jumped down from the branch. «I'm prettier, aren't I?». He was younger than his brother.

The demigoddess wondered what the reason for their presence was.

«Is it relevant?» she asked. «Why are you here?».

The two brothers were both cute, as two thieves could be of course.

She tilted her face, her red locks swaying.

She wanted an answer.

«Who knows? You might need some friends». Travis ran a hand through his brown locks. «You’re new and Connor thinks you’re pretty».

«Travis!».

The older brother snorted, barely holding back a laugh. «Okay, okay. We wanted to be your guides for Friday».

At her confused expression, Travis and Connor looked at each other.

The second, his cheeks slightly red, looked her in the eye. «We're going on a trip to Mount Olympus on Friday» he explained. «And since you're new to this world, we wanted you to stay with us».

A trip to Mount Olympus?

Fuck.

«No» she blunted out.

Connor's face went white.

Reverie mentally cursed herself. She almost felt guilty watching the demigod turn pale.

She stood up, her hands shaking slightly.

«I mean… I don't think I can visit that place». She tried to keep her tone calm, but she was disturbed by this discovery.

Now the reason for the demigods' enthusiasm and whispers was clear: they were all excited about that trip.

But she wasn't.

Reverie felt sick.

She couldn't go where all the gods were. Kronos would never have accepted that.

«Don't ask me again» she said. «Is it clear? I'm not going up there».

Around them, the tree leaves slowed their swaying.

Connor turned from white to pink, now completely embarrassed by such a categorical refusal.

«Woah, there, no one is forcing you. Why don't we slow down and just start to know each other?». Travis raised his hands. «You're scared, got it. You're a newbie, and Connor wants to be your friend. That's okay, isn't it?».

The son of Hermes looked at her with a mixture of surprise and understanding. That reaction was unexpected, but plausible. That girl had arrived there only the day before, so it was obvious she couldn't see the gods in a positive light. They'd all passed through that phase.

I'm not scared, Reverie wanted to say. She was cautious, careful. The gods couldn't have known of her parentage.

It was a miracle that Mr. D hadn't met her in instead of Chiron. He could have sensed her true essence, unlike the centaur.

«Friend?».

Reverie's blue irises flashed to Connor.

The fourteen-year-old nodded quickly. «Yeah… friends, buddies. You know. I want to be your friend, you seem cool».

He didn't look her in the eye, but it didn't matter.

Because for the first time, someone had asked Reverie to be her friend.

«I have to think about it» she said. «I don’t know you at all».

The truth was that the daughter of Kronos wasn't there to make friends, she was there to destroy Camp Half-Blood.

Her father would never have approved of such a choice.

Her father…

Kronos had already decided that Percy Jackson would be the key for his victory. Not her. Not the daughter he raised with that purpose.

Stop it.

She hadn't been reborn simply to soften. The Titan king had given her a mission, and she would complete it.

«Well, if you’re done thinking about it, I’d like to call you a friend». Connor held out his hand.

The redhead looked at him in disbelief. «No, I haven't finished thinking about it. I don't know you, and I don't need friends».

Before he or Travis could reply, Reverie shouldered past them.

Her mood had just gotten worse.

She came down the hill, nervous, her hands in the pockets of her shorts. Her red hair was as bright as the emotion she felt. She was so irritated by the two brothers' words, by the hand Connor had held out to her.

Her feet moved instinctively, carrying her elsewhere. She reached the arena, but the buzz of the demigods made her desist.

Being around all those demigods gave her a headache.

Reverie wandered around the Camp for hours, skipping lunch and avoiding every demigod who came her way.

The tension didn't leave her body.

At dinner, things didn't improve. Connor sat next to her, smiling again. It was as if nothing they'd said that morning had gotten him.

«Why are you here?». The words came out harshly.

«What do you mean?» Connor asked. «I'm sitting at my table, the one of the cabin of Hermes».

Reverie snorted.

He grinned.

That dinner was going to cause her another headache.

The girl from yesterday, Marliene, was sitting across the table from Luke. Luke was talking with her and some older demigods.

Neither of them seemed to have noticed her.

It wasn't as if she wanted it, but she'd found it easier to talk to them than to the youngest Stoll.

Reverie concentrated on her dinner, ignoring every next word Connor said.

That was going to be a really long dinner.