Chapter Text
Prologue
Before Percy's first quest
"Never before has an unclaimed demigod been chosen to go on a quest. Are you sure about this, Percy?"
Grover whispered in the son of Poseidon's ear but the boy had already decided and would not change his mind. Annabeth, who was beside them leaned in Percy's direction with a deep frown on her face.
For the first moment in a long time, the daughter of Athena was taking longer than usual to make her decision.
"Also, three is a sacred number when it comes to quests. Nothing good happens when demigods try to defy the divine laws." She remembered the words Chiron had told her a long time ago.
Still, Percy's eyes were locked to the older camper's who was patiently waiting for the trio's decision while pretending to be unbothered by their words. But they hurt her anyway. And gods! How they hurt!
Adeline had been cast aside her entire life and didn't expect this time to be any different. As Grover said just a few minutes ago, she was an unclaimed child, just one of the dozens that occupied Cabin Eleven without a single hint of who her godly parent would be.
"It doesn't matter. It's thanks to her and Grover that I got here safely. Also, she promised to help me to save my mother... the promise is still up, right?" The boy stared at her with hope shining in her eyes.
Adeline smiled tenderly at Camp Half-Blood's newest camper and nodded without hesitation.
"I promised you I'd help and I have every intention to keep it." Her voice echoed.
Percy smiled widely at her words. Adeline was the one who helped him to distract the Minotaur so Percy could send him back to the Underworld and he immediately felt a new source of calmness in the middle of the chaos his life had turned into. After that, Adeline put herself in the position of assisting him and answering any questions he might have.
Annabeth, for her part, needed to admit she was a good choice. Adeline was only two years older than her and Percy, however, she was already there once Anabeth arrived at the Camp, but unlike her, Adeline never got to know her divine parent.
Still, the older girl trained every single day without exception and could even triumph over some of the Ares' children and Athena's which included Annabeth herself.
The unclaimed could manage swords and daggers precisely and she was also pretty good with a borrow which didn't help them with the doubt that was always around her.
"She could be a daughter from Ares... maybe even Hecate." It was one of the Camp's bet about her parent.
Another demigod, however, would even believe she could be an Athena's offspring, which would fulfill Annabeth with joy to have such a wonderful demigod like her by her side.
"Then it's sealed. I want you to join us." Percy said, giving Adeline no other option than to accept it.
Chiron stared at them with arms crossed and worry all over his facial expression.
May the gods protect them since I've never heard of an unclaimed joining a quest either. The centaur nodded at them.
"Very well. The four of you should go tomorrow first thing in the morning."
Their mission was to retrieve Zeus's master bolt and return it to him to avoid a war between him and Poseidon.
Adeline was optimistic about it. Maybe, if she proved her worth by helping save the world, she'd finally know who her mother or father was. But of course it wasn't what happened.
Once they returned in triumph and the world was safe, she prayed for whoever was listening that she could be claimed, but silence was the only answer she got. Like always.
And still, no matter how many times she helped to save the Olympus, she'd always be one of the many unclaimed children in Camp Half-Blood and Percy, Annabeth, and Grover didn't know what to do to help her... or if she wanted to get help at all, which was the scariest part.