The Pact

Chapter 23: The Eating Game

Kyon POV:

I felt a sense of relief when I showed up at camp. Even more so when Ares flashed away without me. I looked around, hoping to see a familiar horse masked figure. I walked out from the back of the Big House where Ares had flashed us in and looked to my right to see a horde of campers running towards me.

They reached me, and I was instantly showered with praises on my fights and congratulations on getting the shrine. Many scoured me for injuries, but I assured them I was completely healed.

I frowned when I didn't see Equus or Ryan. Maybe they didn't see me get back. But with all the yelling, I'm sure they would know.

Thankfully, Chiron told off the campers, and he walked me over to the porch to talk. I sat down on the top stair as Chiron continued to stand in his centaur form.

"So, where's the shrine?" he asked, and I pulled the item from the inside of my extremely torn cloak. Showing him the small book, no larger than a composition notebook, I attempted to give it to the centaur, but he declined it.

"Ahh, I see. Well, since you got the shrine, you should be the one to give it to him. You'll set out tomorrow morning to go to Thesis," Chiron announced and then trotted off to who knows where.

I noticed the sun was around noon; campers were most likely finished with lunch and heading to their activities. I stood and dusted off my pants. I walked around camp, tucking the book into my cloak for safekeeping. I looked through all the areas I knew of that Equus or Ryan would be at; the archery range, climbing wall, Zeus's fist, the lake, everywhere. I even went to Morpheus' cabin, but I couldn't find them.

I felt a bit under the weather from not seeing them but decided to go to the dining pavilion to meet with someone I knew would be there. Taking a deep breath, I went into the dining pavilion to see Hestia sitting by the fireplace.

"Welcome home, Kyon. Why do you look so distressed? Did the trials not go well?" Hestia greeted, and I nodded my head to her in greeting.

"No, the trials went fine, just tired, I have the shrine with me. I'm worried though, I've looked everywhere for Equus and Ryan, but I can't find them. Where are they?" I asked quickly. Hestia's face grew dark, worried, and distressed as she prepared to answer.

"Chaos informed me of what has been happening. You have been gone for five days; today is the sixth. Equus met your friend Ryan after you left, and Ryan felt the need to show him around, not knowing that Equus wasn't new. Unfortunately, Equus was in his Summer emotion the next day, and so Chaos had to tell him what was going on when Equus didn't show up the next day. After a day of absence, Equus showed up in his Winter season, not leaving the training hall for anything. Ryan attempted to get him to come to eat, but Equus merely defeated him and threatened to kill him. When Equus came to the next day, in Spring, he apologized profusely to Ryan. But then Ryan basically forced Equus to allow him to help out.

Right now, they are most likely both in the Poseidon cabin. While you were gone, Equus was reclaimed." Hestia finished her rundown, and my face continued going pale. I quickly stood up, offered my thanks, flashed her a tight smile, and ran to the Poseidon cabin.

I tried to think of the days and which season Equus would be in at the moment. I left during Spring, so the sixth day would be Fall. When I was here last, Equus didn't tell me what was going on during the Fall; he merely happened to forget to include it, so I had no idea what was going on.

I arrived at Cabin 3 and threw the door open, heart racing as I looked for Equus and Ryan. Ryan was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Equus. I was just about to run out of the cabin and look around camp again when I heard soft sobbing coming from the restroom.