orenda [leo valdez]

lx. The God of the Sun Vomits on Kira

❝it am homesick for a person, not a place❞

⤷ me

△△△

Number one Demigod Rules: Never, under any circumstance, ever, ever, say "This should be easy." This will immediately result in the quest becoming ten times harder.

The first thing that Apollo said into the silence was "This should be easy." with a sigh of relief.

Kira groaned. "Way to go, Lord Apollo."

"What?" He asked defensively.

"You just jinxed, like, the entire thing."

From where the three stood at the top of a hill, the entire camp was spread out below us.

Kira had seen it a half an hour ago, but it had been a while for Apollo, and Meg had never seen it.

Meg's mouth hung open. "How come I've never heard about this place? Do you need tickets?"

"Don't worry, Meg." Kira reassured the girl. She had dealt with lots of new campers. "This is your new home, if you'd like it to be."

"You see, Meg, magical borders camouflage the valley. From the outside, most humans would spy nothing here except boring farmland. If they approached, they would get turned around and find themselves wandering out again. Believe me, I tried to get a pizza delivered to camp once. It was quite annoying."

"You ordered a pizza?"

"Never mind," Apollo said. "As for tickets...it's true the camp doesn't let in just anybody, but you're in luck. I know the management."

"Shut it, Apollo." Kira found it extremely humorous to be able to talk down to an Olympian god. Besides, she could beat him in a fight now. She turned to Meg. "He's got nothing to do with this."

Meg grinned.

Peaches growled. He sniffed the ground, then chomped a mouthful of dirt and spit it out.

"He doesn't like the taste of this place," Meg said.

"Yes, well..." Apollo frowned at the karpos. "Perhaps we can find him some potting soil or fertilizer when we arrive. I'll convince the demigods to let him in, but it would be helpful if he doesn't bite their heads off—at least not right away."

Kira didn't mind the grain spirit. She hadn't had the best experience with them, but this one seemed to like Meg, and that was enough for Kira.

Peaches muttered something about peaches.

"Something doesn't feel right." Meg bit her nails. "Those woods...Percy said they were wild and enchanted and stuff."

Kira shrugged. "I don't walk this way normally, but I'll protect you guys."