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QUESTS ARE COOL IN THEORY, but in practice they're a pain in the ass.

A lesson I learned very quickly after being shipped off to Camp Half-Blood at thirteen. I try to visit home when I can, but between the monsters and that time I punched Jackass Gabe, I've practically exiled myself.

Knowing my temper and the existing risk of my family being murdered by monsters, I figured I'd stick to consistent phone calls and visiting on holidays.

As far as my little brother knows, I got emancipated and am living with some friends. Which isn't a complete lie, after all.

"Ladies, welcome back! How did your quest fare?" Chiron asked as we approached the Big House.

Lorna held up the very securely wrapped and chained shut jar known as Pandora's Box. "This thing was stupid difficult to find."

"We found it in Mount Etna." Nora groaned, some soot coming out of her nose after she had sneezed.

"How'd you even get to Italy?" Mister D asked, seemingly curious.

"Nora's dad sent a warship." I shrugged, despite knowing that Ares would more than likely ask for a favor in return at some point.

"With Odie's navigational skills and Lorna's fire powers we were there in no time." Fiona said, sharing a high five with Nora.

Chiron seemed to be deep in thought after Fiona's comment, making me send a confused glance to the centaur.

"Indeed." He simply nodded and took the jar from Lorna. "I will put this with our more fragile artifacts, while you four get settled in and rested."

"Aye aye, Captain!" I chuckled as I jokingly saluted Chiron, the other girls following suit.

"At ease, children! You are dismissed." Mister D shooed us away with a roll of his eyes.

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"What do you think our dads are doing right now?" Fiona asked as we sat by the lake. I grinned widely having the perfect answer.

"Complaining." I said pointing to Nora.

"Who gives a shit." Pointing to myself.

"Delivering something." Pointing to Fiona.

"Building shit." Pointing to Lorna.

"That actually tracks." Nora laughed with a shrug.

"You mean to tell me, that you aren't the tiniest bit curious about who your dad is?" Lorna asked, a brow raised in challenge.

"It's been four years since I found out I was a demigod, he had plenty of opportunities to claim me when I actually cared about knowing who my deadbeat father is." I admitted, having fully given up hope on ever knowing who Percy and I's father was.

"Mom talks about him like he could do no wrong, but a decent father would at the very least acknowledge his children's existence and not take four years to do it." I scoffed, still a little hurt that despite mom saying how wonderful he is, our father didn't even care.

"On the bright side if we make it to twenty one you'll be a Priestess of Persephone and who your dad is won't matter." Nora pointed out, giving me a high five.

"And you'll be a priestess for the goddess of peace. Which I will always find hilarious." Fiona countered with a laugh, the irony not at all lost on the group.

"Yeah, who gives a shit about being legendary heroes? Let's make it to our twenties and make that mortality rate our bitch!" Lorna joked, as we all looked out at the lake.

The statistics for the average age a demigod survives to, is truly next level fucked up.

"Odie! Odie!"

I whipped around to see Grover, who was acting as my little brother's protector sprint towards me.

"Grover? What are you doing here? You should be with Percy!" I rambled in concern for my brother's safety.

"It's Percy! He's in the infirmary!" He wheezed, from having run all the way here.

"Percy is here?" I asked, dread climbing up my throat. The only reason he'd be here is if something bad happened.

"He passed out after fighting the Minotaur, but he's healing."

"He fought the Minotaur?!" I exclaimed, in worry. What the hell is going on?

"I'll explain everything when we get there! Come on!" Without another word, the satyr dragged me towards the infirmary.

Why was the Minotaur so close to camp?