Chapter 37

Annabeth ran up to Chiron and hugged him tightly, her voice trembling with worry. "Chiron, what's happening? You're not... leaving?" Chiron had been like a second father to her, and the thought of him departing was unsettling.

Chiron ruffled her hair affectionately and gave her a warm smile. "Hello, child. And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year!"

"Clarisse said you were..."

"Fired," Chiron said with a hint of dark humor. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."

"But this is crazy!" Annabeth protested. "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with poisoning Thalia's tree!"

"Nevertheless," Chiron sighed, "some in Olympus do not trust me now, under the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" I asked, eager for answers.

Chiron's expression darkened, and he continued packing his saddlebags. Taylor, still fascinated by him, couldn't help but whimper softly as she stared at him. "So are you half donkey or something?"

Chiron looked at her with a touch of amusement. "My dear young ogre! I am a centaur."

"Chiron," I pressed, "What about the tree? What happened?"

He shook his head sadly. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something quite powerful, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."

"Then we know who's responsible. The one demigod that betrayed us for the service of the Titan Kro-"

"Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Percy. Especially not here, not now."

"Right, well, it is quite obvious it was Luke who did this."

"Perhaps," Chiron said, his tone cautious. "But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left unless..."

"Unless what?" Annabeth pressed.

"No," Chiron said. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago."

Why doesn't he just say it, instead of pulling this bullshit. I sigh in annoyance, Chiron will never change.

Chiron closed his saddlebag. He pressed the stop button on his boom box. Then he turned and rested his hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the eyes. "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here, stay here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."

"Don't worry, I will be fine."

"Just be careful, my child," Chiron cautioned, giving me a soft smile.

Annabeth was trying to hold back tears, but Chiron brushed a tear from her cheek. "Stay with Percy, child," he told her. "Keep him safe. The prophecy—remember it!"

"I—I will," Annabeth replied, her voice quivering. Seriously talking about the Great Prophecy right infront of me... seriously how stupid can he be.

"Chiron..." Annabeth's voice trembled. "You told me the gods made you immortal only as long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp—"

"Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger," Chiron insisted. "Swear upon the River Styx."

"I—I swear it upon the River Styx," Annabeth said, and thunder rumbled in the background.

"Very well," Chiron said, seeming to relax slightly. "Perhaps my name will be cleared, and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved... one way or another."

Annabeth stifled a sob, and Chiron patted her shoulder awkwardly. "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D and the new activities director. We must hope... well, perhaps they won't destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear."

"I don't trust this Tantalus guy," I spoke up. "Out of anyone they could have chosen, they picked that guy?" A conch horn blew across the valley, signaling that it was time for the campers to assemble for dinner.

"Go," Chiron said. "You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, Percy, and let her know you're safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten you!"

With that, Chiron clopped out of the apartment, leaving Taylor calling after him, "Donkey-man! Don't go!"

Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes, and the sun began to set as we joined the campers in the pavilion. It was evident that this summer at Camp Half-Blood would be unlike any other.

As we took our places, the campers' curious gazes followed us. Annabeth was still shaken up, but she promised she'd talk to us later. Then she went off to join her cabinmates from the Athena cabin.

Next came Clarisse, leading the Ares cabin. She had some injuries from her encounter with the bronze bulls, but she seemed unfazed. Someone had taped a prank note to her back, but I removed it discreetly as she passed by.

The other cabins followed—Hephaestus, Demeter, Apollo, Aphrodite, and Dionysus. Naiads emerged from the canoe lake, and dryads descended from the trees. The satyrs, camp's seekers, who worked undercover in the mortal world, came in last. They always reminded me of Grover, and I had a soft spot for them.

Finally, the Hermes cabin brought up the rear. Travis and Connor Stoll, the cabin leaders, led the group. They were mischievous and always up to something, but they were also resourceful.

At the head table, where Chiron usually stood, was someone I didn't recognize—a gaunt man in an orange prisoner's jumpsuit with the number 000001 on it. He appeared fractured, his eyes filled with anger, frustration, and hunger.

"This boy," Dionysus said, "you need to watch. The child of the Big three, you know."

"Ah!" the prisoner said with familiarity. "That one."

His tone suggested that he and Dionysus had discussed me extensively before.

"I am, Tantalus," the prisoner introduced himself with a cold smile. "On special assignment here until, well, until my Lord Dionysus decides otherwise. And you, Perseus Jackson, I do expect you to refrain from causing any more trouble."

"Excuse me?" I asked, my fists clenching.

"Yes, trouble," Tantalus sneered. "You caused plenty of it last summer, I understand."

Ignoring Annabeth's warning not to provoke the situation, I couldn't hold back my frustration. "Do any of you know who this man is? This is Tantalus, he was the King of Sipylus. And he killed his own son and fed him to the gods."

My revelation left many campers shocked, their faces paling. Tantalus's dark past was unsettling.

"Percy, you shouldn't—" Annabeth began, but I continued.

"Yeah, instead of giving us any of the great heroes like Bellerophon, Achilles, Jason, Theseus, or even Helen of Troy! We got stuck with a killer who has done nothing good with his life."

Tantalus sneered once more. "A real scholar, aren't you, boy?"

"I have been taught by the best," I replied with conviction.

"I'll be watching you, Percy Jackson," Tantalus warned. "I don't want any problems at my camp."

"This Camp will never be yours, you old fool."

"Oh, go sit down, Johnson," Dionysus sighed, sipping his Diet Coke. "I believe that table over there is yours—the one where no one else ever wants to sit."

"Come on, Taylor, you must be hungry," I said, turning to leave.

"Oh, no," Tantalus interrupted. "The monster stays here. We must decide what to do with it."

"Her," I corrected, my temper flaring. "Her name is Taylor."

Dionysus raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Taylor saved the camp; she pounded those bronze bulls. Otherwise, they would've burned down this whole place."

"Yes," Tantalus sighed, "and what a pity that would've been."

Dionysus snickered, but I wasn't about to let Taylor's fate be decided by them.

"Leave us," Tantalus ordered, "while we decide this creature's fate. Maybe I'll have my fun with her before-."

Before he could say another word I was up close to him and slammed my fist into his face so hard he was sent into the opposite wall. "Don't you dare! Don't you dare talk about my sister like that!"

Tantalus eyes were filled ith fear and hate. "Y-you hit me!"

"Yeah I did and i will do it again! You are only a soul here, nothing more! You don't have andf will never have any real authority here." I sneered. As I turned to Dionysus. Gasps rang around us and I turned to see a symbol above, Taylor's head. It was the symbol of Hades. Guess I was right.

"Well, Peter Jo-," Dionysus began his voice filled with annoyance, "looks like you have an ogre for a half-sister or whatever."

"It's Perseus Jackson, you damn drunk." I respoonded coldly. "Now if you excuse me I am taking my sister and we are going to go eat. Anger flared in Dionysus eyes but he waved me off... and I flipped him off. Dionysus just made it on my 'to kill' list