Trident

  “This is ridiculous,” Percy muttered as he stared at the surface of the lake. And strangely, for some reason, he felt an overwhelming urge to just dive in. As if his instincts were pulling him toward it. As if the water itself were calling him.

  That earned the lake a very serious look. He even took a couple of steps closer.

  But before he could even touch the water, Percy lifted his head.

  Clank.

  He swung his sword just in time to knock aside an arrow flying straight at him, his eyes already shifting to the other side of the river, where several figures were stepping out of the trees.

  Among them was Clarisse, wearing a smile that was nothing but revenge the moment she saw him, followed by several of her brothers, who were looking at him with open mockery.

  “Found you, loser,” she said, staring at him as she and her brothers rushed across the river toward him. In her hands was a metal spear glowing with a faint red light. The others carried swords that looked noticeably better than the one Percy held. One of them stayed behind, already nocking another arrow and aiming straight at him.

  Percy raised his shield just as the arrow flew. At the same time, one of Clarisse’s brothers was already on him, slashing down with his blade.

  Percy stepped aside, avoiding the strike, braced his shield against his shoulder, and rammed forward, sending the boy crashing to the ground.

  In that same instant, he felt danger and tilted his head. Clarisse’s spear passed so close to his cheek it left a faint numbness even without fully touching him. For a split second, Percy saw small sparks along the shaft. The spear was enchanted with electricity.

  With a sharp motion, Clarisse pulled it back and thrust several times in quick succession. Percy raised his shield to block, but every impact sent another jolt through his arm. The shield was bronze, maybe copper, and let’s just say it was not ideal protection against lightning.

  Percy had to drop it. The weight did not help, especially with his hand going completely numb. He flexed his fingers a few times, trying to shake the stiffness away.

  And realized he was surrounded.

  “Well… uh… if I tell you where the flag is, are we good?” Percy asked, glancing around at them.

  They answered with mocking, contemptuous smiles.

  “We don’t care about the flag. We just want to carve you up so you understand what happens to people who mess with our cabin,” one of them said, while Clarisse watched him with open hunger for payback.

  “Oh. Then you probably should’ve brought more of you,” Percy replied with a confident grin.

  He felt movement behind him and shifted quickly, barely dodging a blade that grazed his shoulder. He stepped on his opponent’s foot and drove an elbow straight into his face, forcing him back with both hands over his nose.

  Another strike came from the front. Percy raised his sword and, with a quick twist of his wrist before the blades collided, deflected the attack. With the pommel, he smashed his opponent square in the nose. Blood followed instantly.

  “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to—” Percy paused for half a second when he saw it.

  That was enough for someone else to take advantage. A blade cut toward his shoulder. Percy reacted fast and shifted, but not fast enough to avoid a shallow slice that immediately began to bleed.

  “Hey. We’re not supposed to make each other bleed,” Percy said quickly.

  “Oh, that’s too bad. Guess we’re skipping dessert,” the one who had cut him replied mockingly, just as Clarisse’s spear drove toward his side.

  “Oh. I see,” Percy said, stepping back and barely avoiding what would have pierced straight through him. They had been aiming for that from the beginning. Percy had not.

  “Then we can fight for real,” Percy said.

  And he let go of the stupid sword in his hand.

  His fingers moved to the pendant at his neck, tracing a small circle over it as he ducked under a furious swing aimed at his face from the boy with the bleeding nose.

  A silver blade appeared in Percy’s hand.

  He cut an arrow out of the air as it flew toward his shoulder, and in the same motion slashed at one of the swordsmen, who raised his shield to charge him.

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  Percy sidestepped, hooked his foot to trip him, and sent him sprawling just as Clarisse’s spear lunged for his chest. Percy knocked it upward with his blade before blocking another sword from the side. He tilted his head to avoid another arrow, caught it out of the air, and drove it straight into his attacker’s wrist. The boy screamed and dropped his sword.

  Another arrow whistled.

  Percy moved fluidly behind the next attacker, grabbed him by the back of his armor, and dragged him in front of him like a shield.

  The arrow struck the boy square in the chest. He froze, cold sweat breaking across his face as he realized the armor had just saved him. He swallowed hard and dropped his weapon out of sheer fear.

  Before the sword hit the ground, Percy kicked it. It spun through the air toward the archer, who stood frozen watching it come. He only reacted when it struck the tree behind him.

  The blade had buried itself inches from his head, close enough to slice his cheek. Blood ran down his face.

  And panic followed.

  Percy ducked another strike aimed at his back, slipped under his opponent’s guard, kicked out his rear knee, and drove an elbow into the side of his head.

  The boy collapsed, unconscious.

  And now only Clarisse remained.

  She looked at Percy with pure hatred, then at her fallen brothers and the ones who had already backed away in panic.

  She let out a furious scream and charged again, attacking with even more violence, trying to run him through with her sparking spear. Percy moved side to side, dodging every strike.

  “Coward! All you know how to do is run!” she shouted when she could not even graze him. She spun the spear over her head and launched a wide sideways sweep, trying to hit him no matter what.

  Percy dropped into a low turn, slipping under the swing, and came back up with a downward strike aimed straight at the shaft.

  The metal split cleanly.

  Half of the spear clattered to the ground.

  Clarisse’s eyes went wide.

  “No!” she screamed as she saw her precious spear destroyed.

  Blinded by fury, she rushed at Percy with the broken haft. Percy stepped aside and, in the same motion, drove the pommel of his sword straight into her chin.

  Clarisse went down instantly, unconscious.

  Percy looked around at the others who no longer seemed eager to continue, now watching him with something close to fear.

  “Well then… who wants to keep going?” he asked calmly.

  The few still standing shook their heads quickly.

  At that moment, cheers began to echo from the direction of the woods. From Ares’ side, Luke emerged with a small group, carrying the boar flag that represented Ares’ cabin.

  As he crossed the river without being stopped by anyone, the banner gave a sharp flicker and changed, revealing the symbol of Cabin Eleven.

  Chiron stepped out from the trees and blew the conch.

  All the campers gathered there, even Harry with Lily, who held his hand happily as they walked out of the forest as if it had been nothing more than a casual stroll.

  Harry handed her over to Dean and Daniel, who looked clearly shocked that she had gone into the woods at all. They took her away to scold her.

  Then Harry approached his brother.

  “Have fun?” he asked, glancing at the small tear in Percy’s clothes and the cut that was still bleeding slightly. He would probably have to go to the infirmary.

  “Well… a little,” Percy said with a faint smile. “This really isn’t Hogwarts, is it?” he added, looking around, knowing it was not exactly the kind of place Harry would enjoy too much.

  “Yeah. But it’s not that bad,” Harry replied with a small smile.

  Just as Percy could tolerate Hogwarts for him, Harry could tolerate camp for his brother’s happiness.

  “Well done, both of you,” a voice suddenly said from behind them, catching them slightly off guard.

  They turned and saw Annabeth appear almost out of nowhere, pulling what looked like a Yankees cap off her head while standing on a rock in the river.

  “You… know how to use magic?” Percy asked, staring at her.

  “No,” Annabeth answered immediately. “It’s not magic,” she added, stepping forward without caring that her feet splashed into the water.

  “Wait. That’s not the point,” Percy cut in. “You used me as bait, didn’t you? To draw Clarisse in. You knew she’d come for her stupid revenge.” He stepped into the water as well, anger in his voice as he stopped right in front of her.

  He held her gaze.

  Annabeth did not seem uncomfortable under the brothers’ stare. She simply shrugged.

  “You always need a plan,” she said calmly.

  “Yeah. And getting pulverized is a great plan for the one who isn’t part of it,” Percy shot back, irritated.

  “I came as fast as I could and was about to help you, but… you really didn’t need it. Where did you learn to fight like that?” Annabeth asked now, genuine recognition in her voice.

  “From my cousin and my grumpy teacher,” Percy replied, still slightly annoyed at her nerve.

  Annabeth’s eyes then dropped to Percy’s shoulder, and she frowned.

  “How did you get that?” she asked.

  “Are you still pretending not to know? Obviously during a sword fight—”

  “No, Percy,” Harry interrupted. “Look.” He pointed at his arm.

  Percy looked down at his wound.

  And noticed it was disappearing.

  It was closing right before his eyes. The blood was vanishing too, as if someone were slowly wiping it away.

  In the end, only the tear in his shirt remained.

  All three of them stood there in stunned silence.

  Annabeth looked at Percy, then lowered her gaze to his feet. Percy had not even noticed he was standing in the water.

  Suddenly, Annabeth pulled out a dagger, grabbed Percy’s hand, and made a quick cut across his palm.

  “Are you insane?” Percy shouted.

  Without answering, Annabeth shoved him backward into the water.

  Percy fell onto the riverbed, completely soaked.

  “Yes. You are insane,” Percy grumbled, glaring at her.

  But then he noticed that both Harry and Annabeth were not looking at him.

  They were looking above him.

  Percy became aware that everything had gone quiet.

  The campers around them, his brother, and Annabeth were all staring at him with clear shock. Chiron’s expression had turned serious.

  Confused, Percy lifted his head.

  And saw, slowly fading into view above him, what looked like a shimmering, translucent symbol.

  A three-pronged spear.

  A trident.

  It glowed green.

  “The son of the god of the sea, Poseidon, has been claimed,” Chiron said suddenly.

  Every camper dropped to one knee before Percy.

  Every single one.

  Harry, the only one still standing, looked at his brother for a moment.

  A faint, amused smile appeared on his face.

  And then he knelt as well.

  “Hail, Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon,” they all said in unison.