Everyone knew Grian was a son of Hermes. Even Grian knew he was a son of Hermes.

So why hadn't he been claimed?

Tango had just been, with a floating anvil above his head. Now he was in the Cabin That Mumbo Would Be In If He Was A Demigod, in other words, the cabin of the crazy mechanic people who actually had an idea what they were doing. He would go and live in that cabin that looked all steampunky, the one that Scar said he had to build when they went back to Hermitcraft for the winter.

Grian didn't mind the Hermes cabin, even though he knew some of the Hermits hated it. Grian got along with the Hermes kids, and the other kids who hadn't been claimed, pretty well. In fact, a little too well.

More on that in a second, though.

Grian followed Tango and Beckendorf as they jogged across the lawn to find Chiron, or at least Mr. D.

They got to the big house, but nobody seemed to be there except Mr. D, who yelled at them to go away.

Grian glanced up at a dusty ladder that probably led into the attic. Spooky.

He would definitely have to go there later, probably late at night when there would be more of a thrill. Maybe he could bring Travis and Connor, too. That would be cool.

"If Chiron's not here, he's at the archery range," Beckendorf said.

"Grian," Tango said.

Grian tore his eyes away from the trapdoor and followed them back outside.

They arrived at the archery range, sweaty and out of breath. Chiron was there, teaching the Ares cabin (including Ren) when they ran up.

Chiron looked a little alarmed. "Why the hurry?"

A huge grin split Tango's face. "I just got claimed!"

"He's a Hephaestus," Beckendorf added.

"We both saw it," Grian said.

"Nice," one of the Ares kids said, then resumed firing arrows two meters away from his target. Why did he even try?

Chiron smiled. "I suppose we'll have to tell everyone at dinner," he said. "Have you informed Mr. D?"

"We tried, but he kicked us out," Grian said.

"That tends to happen," Chiron muttered.

Beckendorf turned to Tango. "I'm your new head counselor now. You should probably go tell Luke."

"He'll probably be back at the arena," Chiron said. "Most of the Hermes cabin is there."

"And Posideon cabin," another Ares kid said with distaste.

"You're not part of this conversation," Grian said.

Tango snorted.

After giving Ren a quick wave that he did not return because he was too busy trying to teach a hopeless case how to hold a bow, Grian and Tango went across the lawn to the arena. Beckendorf went to join the rest of his - and Tango's - cabin at the climbing wall.

"So. You're a fire guy now."

Tango looked annoyed. "He's the god of blacksmiths. But I guess you could say that, yeah."

"Sorry. You're a blacksmith guy now." Grian had a hard time concealing his grin.

Tango sighed. "I wish this place had redstone, though. I'm running out of supplies."

Another midnight adventure to add to his to-do list: sneaking out to find redstone supplies for Tango. Grian was getting busy, and he wasn't even claimed yet. Well, he pretty much was. But nobody would admit it because he hadn't gotten a floating glowing symbol above his head.

"I have a plan," Grian said.

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes," Grian said, grinning. "I'ma go back to Hermitcraft. Scar already misses Jellie, I can tell that much, and Bdubs left one of his clocks, and I want to find the Tegg before someone takes it."

"So you're sneaking back to Hermitcraft... to get things we don't need."

"And cats, but yes."

"I'm in," Tango said.

"Connor and Travis are coming."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah."

"Do they know about the whole pocket dimension thing?"

"Yep. They promised not to tell, though. I don't know how long it'll last."

"You are the biggest idiot... okay, fine."

"Yay!" Grian clapped.

They got to the arena, where they excitedly told Luke the news. Then Tango left to join his siblings, and the Hermits in Cabin 11 were down to four.

------

"Grian, wake up."

Grian opened his eyes. "I was never asleep."

It was true. He was too excited.

Connor Stoll looked disappointed as he dropped the pillow he had been preparing to throw.

Grian got up from his spot on the floor. Since three Hermits and Percy had been claimed, there was a little more space, but it was still cramped. However, Grian was used to messy. He was famous for chest monsters, wars, pranks, superheroes, and other bits of chaos.

He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes and followed the Stoll brothers outside. From now on, they had to be careful. Being out after curfew was almost as illegal as digging straight down.

The three of them went up to the Big House, breaking into a run when the shrieks of the cleaning harpies reached their ears. Soon, they were on the porch, and then in the house. They shut the door as quickly and quietly as they could.

Now came the most dangerous part in Grian's opinion: sneaking past the rooms of Chiron and Mr. D to get to the ladder.

"I heard there's a mummy up there," Travis said. Connor shushed him.

"There's a mummy?" Grian whispered excitedly.

"There's rumors of one."

"Wow," Grian breathed.

They climbed the stairs, wincing at the slightest creak, and went down the hallway to the ladder.

"Why are we doing this?" Connor said. "Everyone I asked told me not to go up there."

"All the more reason to do it," Grian said, and started up.

As he pushed the trapdoor open, he wanted to cough at the cloud of dust that rushed out of the attic. But he restrained himself. They couldn't risk getting caught.

It was dark in there. No light filtered through the thick curtains.

The three of them pulled out flashlights and shone them around. They left footprints in the dust on the floor as they looked around.

Trophies from various quests lined the walls on shelves, and there were several tables that held the same things.

"I was hoping to see the Minotaur horn," Connor said.

"Minotaur horn?" Grian asked.

"Percy Jackson killed the Minotaur right before he got into camp," Travis said. "Everyone was talking about it right before you came."'

"Now people are talking about how he's a son of Posideon," Connor added.

"Why isn't it up here?"

"Maybe he has it in his cabin."

Grian's flashlight beam fell on the mummy.

"Creepy," Travis said.

"Awesome," Grian and Connor said at the same time.

The mummy was female, or had once been. She wore a tie-dye dress and a lot of beads around her neck, like a hippie.

Grian had been a hippie once. Now, that was a weird experience.

"It's a hippie mummy," Connor said.

Suddenly, glowing green mist gushed out of the mummy's mouth, and a voice came out of nowhere. Then the mummy moved, turning its head toward them.

I am the Oracle of Delphi. Approach, seeker, and ask.

"Bye," Travis said, pulling on the trapdoor. It opened, and then he and his twin went down the ladder.

"You're not chickening out now, are you?" Grian said.

"Yes, we are," one of them, Grian wasn't sure which, said.

Grian looked back at the mummy. He wasn't really scared. There was a presence in the room, not friendly, but not hostile either. And it smelled like snake.

Grian wasn't sure how he knew what snake smelled like.

Since he didn't want to be left alone, he reluctantly headed back down the ladder to join the Stolls.

I'll be back, he thought.

Except maybe I'll bring Scar next time, just to hear him get scared.

They crept back down the hall and down the stairs. Connor made one stair squeal like Porkboy, which made all three of them jump. Then, laughing nervously, they continued.

At the bottom of the stairs, however, someone was waiting.

"I suppose you think you're brave," the voice of Mr. D growled.

~~~

BUSTEDDDD

-Indigo