After the whole Colchis Bull situation, Annabeth, Percy, Logan, and the Cyclops walked to the Big House to talk to Chiron, who was packing his things when we entered.

The Cyclops gasped once he saw him. "Big pony!" he said, jumping for joy at the sight.

I looked at everyone else before pointing my thumb at the Cyclops. "So is anyone gonna tell me who this is and why he's here?"

Annabeth sighed. "This is Tyson," she answered. "He helped Percy during the bullfight and also smashed one of the said bulls."

"Ah," I muttered. "And how do we know him?"

"Percy met him at school and they almost got trampled by some Laystigonians."

I nodded. "Okay," I dragged. "Makes sense."

Percy looked at me. "Do you actually care or are you just trying to get info out quickly so you can leave?"

I shrugged. "Can't it be both?"

Percy groaned before we watched as Chiron walked out of the Big House with his suitcases. Annabeth was the first to walk to him.

"Wait, Chiron," she called out, stopping the centaur. "Didn't the gods say that you live to teach heroes, what would happen if you-"

"Annabeth," Chiron interrupted. "Don't worry about me. Remember the prophecy I've told you. Remember it."

Annabeth looked down before nodding. "I will."

Chiron then looked at me. "Heather," he greeted before handing me a note. "This was sent for you."

I sighed, looking at the wax seal. I didn't even need to try hard to see who it was considering she was messaging me like fifty times when I was in the underworld.

"Thanks, Chiron," I said. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay out there? Like Annabeth said the gods made you immortal to teach heroes, what would happen if you were gone for too long?"

Chiron shook his head. "Just make sure you stay safe," he told us. "Hopefully the new activities director will do his job as well as I did."

Logan scoffed. "It's not like we're gonna listen to him anyway. We all know he hates children."

"Let's hope he didn't make 'children noodle soup' with the unconscious campers at this point," I joked, making Chiron and Logan chuckle a bit.

Chiron looked at Logan next. "Please make sure you get yourself under control," he told him. "We don't want another flood happening do we?"

I looked from Chiron to Logan, confused. "Flood?"

Logan waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

I knew that there was something he wasn't telling me, but I didn't ask him about it since I told myself I would do it later.

Chiron finally looked at Percy. "Stay safe my boy," he said. "And please don't give the activities director any problems."

Percy looked at Logan, Annabeth, and I before looking back at Chiron. "You're talking to me and not them? Wow, thanks for the exclusion."

Chiron smiled before he looked at all of us again. He looked at Annabeth, who had tears running down her face. He immediately walked up to her and hugged her tightly.

"I'll be back soon," he said. "I promise."

Annabeth sniffed before letting go of the centaur. "Please do."

Chiron nodded, smiling before he turned around and began walking down the cliff.

Tyson tried to run to him. "Big pony, come back!" he shouted, and when Chiron didn't come back, he began crying.

My mouth hung open at the sight. Without taking my eyes off what was happening, I grabbed Eris and started backing away.

"If y'all want me I'll be at the lake," I said before turning around and walking towards the lake with Eris licking my face as I scratched her.

A few hours after that, everyone was called into the dining pavilion for dinner. I was there for about ten minutes until I left since the new activities director, Tantalus (yes the one who killed his son and put him in a soup to feed to the gods and got punished by not having the ability to eat or drink again) was getting on my nerves.

I am now sitting in the lake, feeding Eris some chicken from the dining pavilion. Some naiads waved at me and I waved back. It was then that I finally decided to read the note from earlier.

It was from Zoë Nightshade, one of the Hunters of Artemis and more strict than Artemis herself.

I expect you guys need context, huh? Well, remember that letter I got from last year? Well, it was from Artemis, goddess of the Moon and Hunt, asking me to join the Hunters of Artemis. A group of badass women who protect nature and vow to never marry. After a bit of thinking and some try-and-fail persuasion from my father, I agreed, but I can still talk to men like my brothers and my father, people I know and/or respect.

I was trained by Zoë and slowly but surely we became good friends, but she is very protective over the other huntresses, which I don't hate, but it would be nice if she took it down a notch. I plan on heading to the hunters once everything settles down and probably stay there until I feel like moving anywhere.

I opened the note, letting Eris hop into my lap as I read it.

Dear Heather Agulera

I send thy this message to ask how art thou doing away from the hunt? Lady Artemis has told me of your whereabouts, but I hope this message tells me true and that you are okay and away from all those men. I will send an owl to come and check on you, wherever you are.

Sincerely, Zoë Nightshade.

I smiled. Yeah, she's strict, but she cares. I folded the note back and just stared at the ocean. I was so distracted by it that I didn't even notice anyone coming up behind me until Eris started hissing at them, but even then I didn't turn around.

"When did you get a cat?" the sound of my older brother's voice rang in my ears.

"This morning," I replied. "He gave her to me before I left."

Logan came to sit down beside me. Eris continued to hiss at him until I started petting her again.

"Yeah, I am not a cat person," he said, scooting away from her. "We are completely different in that department."

I laughed at his words. "I'm sure Lord Poseidon is gonna give you a dolphin or something."

Logan scoffed. "As if," he said. "Half of those things curse, like a lot. No thanks."

I chuckled a bit before looking back at the sea.

"Speaking of Poseidon," Logan spoke again. "He actually claimed him."

I looked at him. "Who? Tyson?" Logan nodded. "Oh, wow. Dolphin Beard is adopting now, how nice."

Logan groaned. "This is humiliating," he said. "I don't want a Cyclops for a brother."

"Why not?" I asked. "I got a penguin for a brother."

Logan pushed me as I laughed at him. "Not funny."

"It kind of is," I said, holding back laughter.

Logan rolled his eyes at me. "Changing the subject," he said. "Why did you leave without telling me?"

I was done laughing at this point and I just looked at the lake, my smile fading. "I was going to tell you the day I left," I said. "And then Percy almost got killed, Persephone almost made me a class pet–explaining that later...I just didn't have time for it, so I gave you the letter. I promise I was going to tell you, but everything got so chaotic that I didn't have time for it."

Logan didn't speak for a moment. "Annabeth told me."

I swear my head almost twisted off of my shoulders with the way I turned to him. "She told you?"

Logan nodded. "And she told me why you didn't tell me first. At first, I was mad, but after that, I just thought of ways to get back at you if you eventually came back to camp."

"And what exactly did you do?" I asked him.

Logan finally looked at me. "I tore up three of your scrunchies."

I was about to speak until he spoke again.

"And gave one of your figurines to the Athena kids."

"WHAT?" I pushed him. "Why the fuck would you do that?"

"Relax, they didn't do any real damage to it, they just gave it a bit of a polish."

I groaned as I put my head in my hands. "You are a jerk."

"You're annoying."

"You're insufferable."

"You're an idiot."

"You're hideous."

"Takes one to know one."

We glared at each other for a moment until I finally turned away from him. Eris put her head under my head and I started scratching it for her, making her purr softly. I smiled at it.

"I have to go soon," I told Logan again. "Artemis wants me back tonight."

"Why?"

"I've joined the hunters," I answered. "We all have to be accounted for."

Logan's brows furrowed as he looked at me. "So you were never going to tell me that you joined the Hunters of Artemis?"

I shrugged. "Of course not," I said. "It's not for men to know."

Logan tried to say something else but he just shut up and turned away from me once again.

"Well," he muttered. "Be safe."

I nodded. "I will."

We stood up and hugged each other.

"Have fun with your new brother," I teased.

"Don't even call him that," he groaned, causing me to laugh as we separated. "Please tell me first if anything happens."

I sighed. "I'll try."

Logan smiled. "Thank you."

I picked up Eris. "Love you."

My brother nodded. "Love you too."

I closed my eyes and finally shadow traveled to the Hunters' camp, only to get surprised by one person in particular.