It was late in the evening in June. The night was dewy and cool. I sat with Luke on the front porch of the Hermes cabin. Campers were hanging around, looking for things to do before bed. More had come back, from public school. Now the Hermes cabin was even more full. I felt kind of bad for Luke, who had to deal with them all… but at least he got his own bed.

We had a few new ones come in with satyrs. One had been claimed as the Daughter of Hypnos. He's the God of Sleep, and works hand in hand with my Dad, so she was placed in my cabin. Her name is Nikki Pizzi (Nikki Pete-zee) and she's eleven years old. She's become like my little sister. Her hair is a little darker brown and her eyes are black as night; big as ping pong balls too, but she's exactly like me. I was surprised that we get along great.

"There's so many kids now…" I said, looking at a bunch of pre-teens standing in a circle near the gardens.

Luke laughed lightly, "Yeah, just get ready for this summer. There's more of them coming in than ever."

The girls started to giggle as the boys teased them.

"Are they claimed yet?" I asked, nodding towards the kids.

He stared out at them thoughtfully, "One is a Daughter of Aphrodite… not surprising—there's about ten more of them every year… and the little boy with the curly brown hair is another Demeter kid… I don't exactly know about the rest…"

"Wow," I mumbled.

Just as everyone was heading back to their cabins—and I was saying good night to Luke—Annabeth came streaking down the trail towards the cabins. She was headed straight for us. We both sensed something was wrong.

"Luke! Whitney!" She yelled as everyone piled into the Hermes cabin. "Come here!"

We exchanged a glance, starting off towards her.

"Andrew!" Luke yelled, "You're in charge!" He told his eighteen year old half-brother. The blonde nodded, smiling like he was expecting that.

"What is it, Anna?" I asked, pulling Luke by the hand to make him walk faster.

She glanced down at our hands, "Uhm… there's a boy that just arrived… he's hurt… bad…"

We jogged through the trail and up to the big house. The steps creaked as we entered the threshold. "Chiron?" Annabeth called out.

"In here," he answered.

We followed her into the room where I had first been taken. It was near the back porch. I remember getting carried in here by my satyr friends, Emily and Casey. Everything was the same… except for the limp body of a half-blood boy lying on the cot instead of me.

His hair was glossy and black, and stuck to his forehead due to sweat. He was bleeding from his side, like me. I guess that happens a lot though…

He looked a bit wet… my best guess said it was raining outside the bubble of camp.

"Oh my Gods," I mumbled. He looked like he was in bad shape.

"What's that in his hand?" Luke asked Anna, pointing to something pointy and white.

Annabeth gingerly plucked it from his hand, holding it up. "A minotaur horn… he must've gotten attacked by the minotaur," her eyes got wide.

Luke stepped forward, putting a hand to the boy's forehead. "He's getting cold," he said in a concerned tone. "Go get some bandages, Anna… Whitney, go get some ambrosia and nectar."

We both nodded and walked off in different directions. I went to the first aid closet, which was filled to the ceiling with ambrosia and nectar, among other healing potions and medicines. Grabbing the ambrosia and nectar I rushed back into the room. Luke started to prepare the nectar, getting a glass from the kitchen.

Chiron stood in the doorway, whispering in hushed tones with Mr. D. Mr. D looked slightly concerned, but not enough for anyone to believe he actually cared. I knew he wouldn't want them to know that. After all, it wasn't part of his character.

"Whitney, can you help me with the bandages?" Annabeth asked from the other side of the bed. I nodded and walked around to the other side of the bed. I held his leg up while she bandaged a small slash from a thorn. No doubt he'd been running through the woods.

We wrapped about ten other minor cuts before wiping our foreheads in exhaustion. Anna started to wipe the dirt and grime from his face as Luke took my hand and led me into the sitting room, where Mr. D and Chiron were still talking under their breaths.

"He's no normal half-blood—" That was all I caught from their conversation before they stopped, looking up at us. I realized I was still holding Luke's hand and let go awkwardly.

Mr. D's eyes didn't even have to look back at me to know what I just did. "It's quite alright, Whitney, everyone in camp knows you two are seeing each other." I rolled my eyes as a slight smile made its way onto my face for a second. "I saw that." He said. I gave him a look. He only laughed.

He's been treating me very well ever since I helped him with his sleeping issues. The poor guy hadn't been getting a good night's rest in a while. But after one session with the daughter of the god of dreams he was fine. He even has a nick name he uses when no one else is around… dream girl. I know, not like him right? But the Gods know how to repay someone who's helped them.

"Okay, I thought I'd seen the worst after what happened with Whitney and the Kindly One… but a minotaur? This kid's got to be something special." He insisted.

Chiron nodded. "I certainly sense something strange in him… the minotaur usually saves his rage for very powerful demigods… I will ponder this overnight… why don't you two go get some rest?" He dismissed us and we walked out of the big house, the porch steps creaking as we did.

"Okay… that was totally normal…" I mumbled.

Luke chuckled. "You know, that's kind of how it was when you showed up… we'd never seen a Kindly One attack like yours before… I guess that's how we knew things were starting to change… the prophecy was coming to pass."

"Is everyone nervous about that?" I asked. Though, I already knew the answer. I just needed assurance.

"Yes," he said, shortly.

I sighed, "It feels like I'm a part of something… bad… I can't explain it… it's just… a feeling…"

"How have your dreams been?" He asked, squeezing my hand. "You know all the kids in my cabin have been absolutely tortured by nightmares lately…"

I bit my lip. I didn't know if I should say anything to him. For some reason… it felt like he was the wrong person to tell. But I shook off that feeling. He was one of the only things I had left, besides Emily, Casey and my mom. I just keep telling myself I can trust him.

"Well… they've been… stranger…"

"Stranger how?"

I looked around, as if the trees could help me spit out what I was trying to say. "There's this voice…"

He stiffened. I noticed and we stopped at the steps of the porch on my cabin. He stared down at me, with a strange, nervous expression on his tanned face. "You too?"

I nodded.

"So it's not only my siblings and me…" He glanced around thoughtfully. "Have you… talked back?"

"I said I wanted nothing to do with it… but my father keeps saying I should trust the voice…" I took hold of his other hand. "But I don't trust it… do you?"

Luke made a strange, strained noise. It's one of those sounds that a person makes when asked something they know they have to tell the truth about. His expression went from nervous to serious. "I trust it more than my father."

With that I shook my head. "Okay, I'm going to get some sleep…"

I went to simply peck him on the lips. But he spoke before much could be said.

"Whitney… if I ever did anything… anything that the other campers didn't like… would you stay with me?" His eyes turned soft, staring down into mine.

I got emotional just thinking of losing him. "Of course… You're one of the only things I have left, Luke. I would never abandon you, just like you'd never abandon me."

Satisfied with the answer he got, he leaned down and kissed me sweetly on the lips. I suddenly felt something slip onto my wrist. When he pulled away he whispered. "Don't look until I'm gone… we'll talk in the morning." With one more kiss on my forehead I heard his steps rustle across the grass. They grew fainter and fainter, until I didn't hear anything at all.

Upon opening my eyes, I definitely knew I was right. There was something on my wrist now. I went inside and flicked on the lights. Nikki groaned and turned over in bed. She's an early sleeper.

It was a gleaming gold bracelet. It was simple, and looked hand beaten into shape. Designs of flowers with a heart for the focal point were etched into it. I swear I almost cried. But I managed to get dressed, and get to bed by curfew. Chiron peeked in and checked, like every night. Except this time, for once, I was smiling in my sleep.