The Hunters of Artemis: The Return of the Hunters

Chapter 10: A Reunion of Sorts... ish

Dear readers,

I just wanted to say quickly thanks for reading, and that you'll be seeing a lot more of the characters in this book. They didn't really come up much in the last one, and now you'll be able to witness Atlanta's awesome magic, more of Hannah, and also some new characters with cool powers. So hang tight!

-flygirl1

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"So, Lyra. What do you want to know?" Dad sat back in a chair in the Big House. Is arms were stretched out on the armrests. 

Lyra sat forward from the couch where she sat with Robyn. "First, I want to know if you can describe the person that took Kat."

Dad sat forward. "I'm telling you. I didn't see anything. It was dark, in the middle of the night. I just heard her scream and she was... gone."

"How do we know you didn't take her?" Atlanta accused. 

That made me angrier than dad. Now, I don't get angry often. It's not a normal occurence for me, so when I exploded, everyone shut up. "Dad would never do anything like that!"

Robyn stared at me before whispering loudly to Lyra, "She's a carbon-copy of Rhea..."

"Who is this Rhea?" I yelled. 

The Hunters... and Dad exchanged looks. They had an eye-argument before Lyra sighed. "Well... It's hard to explain. Really hard... but... You look and act exactly like a girl that died... And, well, she died because of your..." Her face was obviously trying to hold back disgust. "Mother."

Robyn pat Lyra's hand. "It's true."

I just stared blankly at them. Atlanta sighed and stood up. "Rhea, stand up." I did as she asked, rising from the couch that I shared with Anna and Jack, who hadn't said a single word throughout our whole conversation. Maybe I should ask later... Or would that be too weird? I mean, it was a bit of a strange conversation. 

"Rhea, you're going to have to trust me." Atlanta jarred me from my thoughts. 

"Wait, why? What are you doin--" Just as I--almost--finished speaking, a blast of bright purple light blinded me and I fell... onto cold concrete.

"Ow..." I rubbed my behind as I stood up and looked around. I was certainly not in the Big House anymore, but everything looked fuzzy, like one of those flashbacks you see in movies, so I couldn't be totally sure. Although, looking around, it became clearer. Literally. My vision cleared and I could see everything fine now.

I saw that I was in a long hallway with flickering fluorescent lights overhead. I was standing on cold concrete, my feet freezing through my thin sneakers. I wrapped my arms around me, hoping to gain some warmth. Where the heck was I? How did I get here? What did Atlanta do to me?

Loud shouts rang through the halls in front of me, and only then did I see one door ajar and light pouring out of the room it led to. I tiptoed down the hallway, trying not to make a sound. Maybe the people in the room could help me figure out where I was.

I peeked into the room and gasped. The room was pretty big, with the same lights in the hallway decorating the ceiling, a table to the side, a giant pegasus with a horn in the corner (Wha?) and nine people standing in the middle of the room. Well, some were standing. A boy was sitting to the side, holding his side. I noticed blood on his fingers and realized he must have been hurt. 

My focus shifted to two girls whom were very tense. One girl was wearing a silver parka, like the ones the Hunters of Artemis wear, and the other was wearing a black leather jacket, along with shimmery black leggings and combat boots. She looked like a biker chick... but without the bike.