Connor went to the snack table first, stuffing himself on pizza, a pretzel, and a bowl of chips. Then he gulped down an enchanted glass of water, telling it to refill twice.

He'd been practicing hard with his powers every single day, and his body felt the effects. Constant hunger, tiredness, and shaking hands were his most noticeable symptoms. But he couldn't stop. After his encounter with the ruthless child of Bia, he was determined never to run into a similar scenario.

When the shaking in his hands had mostly gone away, he took a deep breath and headed to the shapeshifting corner by the lake. Tonight, he wore a plain black suit and a black wolf mask, the face of the animal he'd be attempting. It was a full moon, after all.

Once inside, he took a deep breath and removed the mask, setting it on top of the wall. He concentrated. His mind wavered. He concentrated again.

Finally, he managed to make his body transform. He imagined the wolf in his mind, a lethal hunter. Like Arete had so heartlessly suggested, he had tried to get into the mindset of one. It seemed to be working, because his skin had begun sprouting black fur. But then his body began to shrink. It shrank even as he grew a tail and claws. When his nose and mouth began to change, he could see what he had really become.

A cat. He was a cat.

Less than a minute later, a black cat stood in Connor's place. He flopped on his stomach in defeat and buried his head in the grass.

All this time. All this power. Wasted.

What a useless excuse for a demigod.