Chapter One
Annabeth's POV
Camp Half-Blood, by the cabins
Late evening

"You coming, seaweed brain?" I laughed. Percy--my boyfriend!--came running up the hill, panting. "Geez, Annabeth! You could beat a dryad in a foot race!" But he was smiling that incredibly cute grin, that always made me melt. What was it about that smile?
Anyway, he stepped toward me, putting his hand on my cheek. I leaned in, expecting a long kiss, but our lips had barely touched when Percy cursed. "Campfire!" I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand. "C'mon..."
We ran toward the trees where smoke curled up toward the ever-darkening sky. We quickly darted into our seats before anyone saw us. Just in time, too.
"Campers!" Chiron the centaur called.
We all composed ourselves (generally) while he made the announcements. Clarisse, (the biggest, ugliest, meanest, dirtiest Ares kid of the bunch) sitting behind me under the Ares banner, tapped me on the shoulder and growled, "You and Barnacle Boy gonna sneak out early tonight? Cuz if so, don't forget your blueprints. I'm sure that's how you'll spend the rest of the night." She snickered. I resisted the urge to punch her in the face, and instead tried the diplomatic approach. "Of course," I said sweetly, "you'd have to actually have to have a relationship survive more than a week and a half before you make innuendos about other couples, Clarisse," and turned back to Chiron.
"...new camper. So please make her feel welcome." We all clapped politely, but new demigods had been popping up like baby rabbits lately. Chiron motioned for her to get up on stage.
Everyone gaped. Sixteen or so, saying that she was beautiful was like saying that Clarisse could be a little rude. Gorgeous chestnut brown hair fell like a waterfall to her waist. Her long, slightly upturned nose accented her delicately perfect face. Her rose-red lips were slightly parted. The light tan glowed in the approaching starlight.
Great, I thought, rolling my eyes. Just what we need, another Aphrodite kid.
But then I saw her eyes.
Silver. Not gray, like mine, but the irises seemed to radiate pure moonlight. They were intelligent, too. Being Athena's kid let you know when someone was intellegent or not.
Of COURSE there had to be a riot. Apollo's cabin against Demeter, Dionysis vs Athena, everyone wondering the same thing:
Who was her godly parent?
"CAMPERS!" Chiron yelled.
We shut up.
"This is Lilianna. She will be staying in the Big House until her parent claims her, so if you'll come with me, child..."
"I already know who my godly parent is." This creature, this girl said in a musical, bell-like voice.
I gasped. How?
Lilianna took a deep breath. We all sat, transfixed now. "My godly parent is Artemis."