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"Gods, Apollo is annoying," Raiden grumbled as we exited the bus. "And so is Thalia."

That dam bus! Zade squawked, shuffling on my shoulder. It made me dizzy and ruined my feathers! I just cleaned them!

As Zade grumbled, the sun god clicked his keys and turned his sun bus back into the Maserati. "Be safe, darlings!" he shouted to us, winking. "Ainsley, Percy, be careful of the prophecies!"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"Which prophecy?" Percy added. "Are there more I have to deal with along with saving your godly butts?"

Apollo didn't respond and climbed back into the driver's seat. "See you, Thalia. Stay safe!"

He started the engine with another wink and mischievous grin and vanished in a blast of heat and light. I watched as his car climbed into the sky until it was just a red dot.

"He is annoying," I said to Raiden. Then I raised my voice. "Hunters, Let's go."

"I'll lead the way," Grover suggested.

"I do not think so, satyr," Zoë said coldly. "Thy help is not needed. Inform Chiron we are in Cabin Eight."

"Oh, it's not a bother! Let's go!"

Zoë scowled, but we still followed Grover to Cabin Eight. I opened the door and surveyed the inside for a moment. My bunk was made, even though I had left it messy the previous summer.

"Alright," I said. "Hunters, pick a bunk and unpack, except the first bottom one on the left, That's mine. If you take it, I will dump snow on you."

The Hunters walked inside, while Pax gaped at our cabin's interior. "This is so cool!" they told me, grabbing a black bear pelt blanket. "We get to stay here?"

I grinned. "Yep."

"Sweeeeet!"

"Thee may leave now," Zoë told Grover. "We do not need thy help anymore."

"Maybe I could-"

"Leave, satyr."

Grover departed, appearing slightly flustered. I headed over to my bunk and sat down on it. I set down my rucksack beside me, and my thoughts raced.

"Aren't you gonna unpack, kid?" Dad called.

"Huh?" I glanced up while feeling around in my rucksack. "Oh, yeah. I'll unpack later."

"Are you sure? It'll be easier if you just unpack now."

"It's fine, Dad."

"Okay, kiddo."

I stood up, and the Hunters all fell silent. "Alright, so now until dinner is free time. Y'all can play basketball, use the archery range, or whatever else."

"We will meet at the Dining Pavilion this evening," Zoë said. "Now, go."

The Hunters all departed, chattering.

"How about basketball?" Raiden suggested.

I shook my head. "I have something to do."

"What?"

I held up the Drachma I had just grabbed. "I need to send an Iris Message to my grandparents."

"Oh. You'd better go, then. They'll need to know about all this if they don't already."

I nodded and dashed toward the beach with Agro bounding beside me. Within a second, I had reached Long Island Sound. The sea spray whipped my braid up and sprinkled us with frigid droplets. Agro shook out her winter fur, while Zade squawked furiously and preened his feathers.

"Brace yourselves," I warned. "I need to raise a wave."

Oh, please no! Zade squawked.

"Sorry, Zade."

I willed a moderately-sized wave to rise and then sent it down. The spray from the sea towered above us and then crashed down. Zade screeched as the water droplets soaked his feathers and soared off into the trees. The sunlight and sea spray formed a rainbow.

"Iris, O' Rainbow Goddess," I said, "receive my sacrifice."

I threw the Drachma into the rainbow, and it vanished. "Show me Pearl and Zach Dunamis in Camp Jupiter."

The rainbow shimmered, and an image of two people sitting on a bench appeared. They were seventeen-year-olds, sporting jeans and fleecy coats and drinking something from steaming mugs.

Grandma was the first to spot me. "Ainsley!" She nearly dropped her mug. "What's going on?"

"I'm currently stuck at Camp Half-Blood," I said, bitterness creeping into my voice. "Artemis is off hunting a major monster alone, and she wouldn't let me go with her."

"Hm." Grandpa frowned. "It sounds like it's coinciding with what's going on here. What else is happening?"

"Hang on. I want to know what's happening with your life."

"You go first."

"No, you go."

"No, you."

"Can you two stop arguing?" Grandma interjected. "I'll explain what's been happening. There's been several discussions about Mount Diablo; we've have some spies by the Bay Area, and they've reported a dark presence coming from the mountain."

"My birds also reported seeing the Princess Andromeda going through the Panama Canal," Grandpa added.

My heart began to pound. "Was Aidan on it?"

"No," Grandpa said. "They didn't see him on it or Luke Castellan."

"That's weird." I scowled. "Where else would those two ilíthios boys doing?"

"I don't know," Grandma said. "Now, what's going on your end?"

I explained about the scent and the Wild's unease.

"These things seem to be connected," Grandma said. "Maybe the scent has to do with the dark presence on Mount Diablo. I-"

She stopped and paused to listen. I heard distant voices shouting, sounding urgent. Grandma sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ainsley," she said. "The Praetors are calling a meeting and as Senators, we have to go."

Grandma stood up and whistled. A buckskin stallion raced into view and skidded to a stop in front of my grandmother. Grandma climbed onto his back.

"We love you, Lee! We'll see you soon." Grandpa waved his hand through the rainbow, and the connection ended.

I called for Zade to return and proceeded back toward the archery range. I furrowed my brow and thought hard as the archery range came into view.

"What do you think the dark presence is?" I asked Agro.

Something to do with Kronos, she barked. I don't know what else, though.

I summoned my bow and nocked an arrow. "You're probably right. I just don't know what Kronos is gonna do if he finds this monster."

Use it to destroy the gods, Zade answered.

"So, there's another quest involved where I have to do something for the gods?" I watched as my arrow hit the bullseye.  "Oh joy."

The Hunters all gathered in the Dining Pavilion during sundown. We settled down at the Artemis table, and Raiden regaled us with a tale of her team's victory. I loaded six plates with BBQ pork until the pork towers were roughly as tall as my arm. The dryad had to keep returning with the BBQ, so I could even fill the plates.

"Here you go, you two." I dumped four plates' worth of pork in front of Agro and set down another plate at the edge of the table for Zade.

Thanks, Chief! The two started devouring the BBQ, while I took my time.

Raiden finished her story, and Dad looked sulky. "You only won because of your height," he grumbled.

"Not my fault you're short, Orion! You couldn't even beat me with your adult height!"

This prompted ripples of laughter from the rest of the Hunters. Even Zoë smiled. She placed a hand on Dad's shoulder from her spot to my left from where the two of us sat at the head of the table. "Do not worry, Orion. Thy basketball skills do not matter."

"I know that," Dad said, "but I'm not gonna let her win everything!" He smiled wickedly. "Raiden, I challenge you to arm wrestle!"

Raiden raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure you wanna do that, Orion? I'm pretty strong."

"I can beat you."

"If you say so. I'm gonna kick your butt."

Raiden reached her arm across the table with it bent at the elbow. Dad reciprocated her action and transformed into his 36-year-old form, and they locked hands.

"3...2...1!" Hunter said as Dad tensed his muscles. "Go!"

"Too easy." Raiden smirked, and she easily slammed Dad's hand onto the table.

"Jeez!" Bianca said. She and Phoebe were arm-wrestling to the left of Raiden and Dad. "You're strong!"

Raiden released Dad's arm and flexed her muscles. "Yep! I can lift up to 1800 pounds, you know?"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"I want a rematch!" Dad cried.

"Maybe don't," I said. "You don't want your ego to be shattered anymore than it already is, Dad."

Dad pretended to appear offended. "I beg your pardon. My ego is not shattered. It's-"

"You're right," said Ash. "It's been destroyed."

Everyone roared with laughter. Pax laughed so hard that they lost their balance and fell over. Dad scowled, but I could see his eyes twinkling. Raiden challenged him to a few more arm wrestles, all of which he lost (although I thought the last one was a tie because it ended with Raiden getting a face full of snow and Dad with hair smothered in BBQ).

"Well," Chiron announced as everyone finished their meal, "it has been indeed a long day. I would like a raise to a toast to the gods." He raised his goblet toward the heavens and inclined his head. "I would also like to welcome the Hunters of Artemis to Camp Half-Blood. They will be remaining with us until the Winter Solstice."

Disgruntled mutters erupted from this statement along with lukewarm, scattered applause.

Chiron cleared his throat to halt the muttering. "There will also be a goodwill game of Capture the Flag tomorrow evening!"

"Let's go!" an Ares camper yelled. "We'll beat your butts, Hunters!"

Raiden stood up and squared her shoulders. She strolled over to the son of Ares and gazed down at him from her height of 6'8". The Ares camper quickly stood up, but his height only came up to Raiden's ribs.

"You sure you're gonna beat our butts, shortie?" Raiden asked.

All heads in the hall turned the Ares table, and silence fell. It was clear to everyone that Raiden was challenging the son of the war god. Everyone waited with bated breath.

The Ares camper jumped to his feet with a reddening face. "Short, am I? You'll be shorter when I'm done with you!"

He whipped out his sword and launched himself at my best friend. Well, he was in trouble now. Raiden grabbed the boy's shirt and lifted him into the air.

"Nice try," she said, holding him two feet off the ground.

The Dining Pavilion burst into laughter with even the other Ares campers chortling. The son of Ares's face blushed crimson with rage and embarrassment. Raiden placed him on the ground again with a smirk, and he sulked away, muttering, "I'll get you back for this."

"Sure you will," Raiden said.

After this entertaining scene, we headed to Cabin Eight for the night. I waited until the majority of the Hunters had fallen asleep before I grabbed bearskin black and snuck outside. I willed the grass to grow and had the plants place Agro and I on the roof.

As sleeping on the roof wasn't very comfortable, I willed the grass to form a hammock. I settled under my bearskin blanket and leaned against Agro's fluffy winter fur. Zade nestled himself next to my right arm, and I placed it around him.

"I hope you're okay, Mom." I gazed at the crescent moon.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. I was hoping to have a tranquil night's sleep without dreams or at without nightmares. Of course, Morpheus never listened to my wishes, and so, I had a nightmare.

Artemis was in a night-darkened forest on the shores of a lake. Her hands gripped her bow, and her eyes scanned around her. She crept silently along the sand.

"I have you know, beast," the goddess murmured, as a water bubbled in front of her.

I could smell something; it was ancient and caused the hairs on my arms to rise. Artemis notched several arrows and released them. The arrows whizzed through the air quicker than cheetahs and struck where the bubbles had been. The goddess waited, expecting to see something rise to the surface. However, nothing did.

Artemis frowned. "Something is amiss. Where is the beast?"

"Not here," said a voice.

Artemis whipped her gaze upward. A figure had risen from the water dressed in full Celestial Bronze Armor with a leather belt buckled around their waist with a scabbard attached at the hip. The figure also gripped a Celestial Bronze xiphos. I could see the cold silver eyes under the helmet and knew that it was my twin.

"Hello, Mother," Aidan said coldly.

Artemis's expression hardened. I only then realized that it had been over sixteen years since the goddess had last seen her son. Her eyes were silver ice, and she raised her bow. "Why are you here?"

"Why do you think?" Aidan sneered.

He charged at the goddess. Artemis released several arrows, striking the weak chinks in Aidan's armor. He staggered but still summoned a large wave. It crashed in the goddess's direction, but she dodged it quickly. Artemis unsheathed her knives and parried a strike. She pushed hard against Aidan's sword and caused him to fall.

The fight continued for a few more minutes until Aidan's helmet had fallen off and his face was covered in bleeding cuts. He retreated into the water to recuperate while Artemis raised her bow.

"Enough." She placed her own Hunter Glare on her face.

She notched an arrow and aimed for his heart. Aidan watched her with terror flickering in his eyes, but he still laughed manaically. The goddess paused here, confused. That was a mistake.

As the goddess hesitated for a second too long, light erupted from the forest behind her. What appeared to be minute comets whizzed through the air and struck the goddess. She staggered, and a dozen armored figures rushed out from the forest, grasping Celestial Bronze chains.

They fastened the chains around Artemis's ankles and arms as she was distracted. She slipped away as swiftly as a cheetah but then was pummeled by more minute comets. The goddess stumbled, and the armored figures exploited her distraction to finally enchain her.

A towering man sporting full Stygian Iron armor emerged from the woods. "Hello, Artemis." His voice was ancient and cut like a jagged piece of glass through the frigid air.

Artemis caught sight of the man, and her face contorted with lividity. "You."

The towering man cackled and addressed Aidan, who had come out of the lake. "Take her away, Theron. Let us begin the rise of a new age!"

"Yes, sir," my twin replied. "Take her away!" he barked at the armored figure holding Artemis. "Alabaster, place a weakening spell on her!"

As Artemis was hauled away, my nightmare started to fade. Aidan sneered in my direction as if he knew I was there, before following.

"Wait!" I shouted. "I need to know what happens!"

My nightmare faded, and I plummeted into darkness before I jolted awake in my hammock.

"Mother!" I shrieked.

Chief! Agro and Zade jerked awake and looked at me. What's going on?

"No time to explain!" I yelled. "Artemis in trouble! We need to leave!"

I scrambled out of my hammock and jumped off the roof. I crashed through the door, causing it to bounce off its hinges. Several Hunters stirred from the noise and sat up with bleary eyes.

"Ainsley?" Pax muttered. "What's going on?"

Zoë was already awake, sitting up in her bed with an agitated expression. "Ainsley, do not act irrationally. I know of the dream thee just-"

I was already out the door, gripping my rucksack. "I have to go, Zoë! I love all of you!"

I shot myself onto the roof again using a long blade of grass and handed Agro my rucksack. She took it into her mouth, and I transformed into a pegasus. My wolf jumped onto my back, and we soared into the air.

"Ainsley, wait!"

I glanced down for a moment and saw Raiden standing on the ground, waving her arms. My heart ached having to leave her behind, but I needed to help my mother.

I'm sorry, Raiden! I said. I need to go help my mother. I love you!

"We can do it together, Ainsley! There's gonna be a quest, no doubt!"

I can't wait, my friend.

And I flew off with my companions into the night.