The Missing Prophecy (pjo/kotlc) book 3

Chapter Nine

Ana lay in her cot, which was probably the most comfortable bed she'd ever slept in. Her room, while small, was nice because it was private. At Camp Half-Blood, she'd had to share a cabin with her million other half-siblings, and the line for the bathroom was always a mile long.

Ana clutched the small compact Jolie had given her. It had a jeweled outside, and two mirrors inside. One mirror was an Elvin mirror, but the other was a human mirror, Jolie had explained. What she didn't explain, though, was why she'd given it to Ana.

After they'd practiced Channeling and Telekinesis, Jewel had decided that she'd trained enough, and that she should get some rest before the next training session. Then, she'd taken Ana to the very bottom floor, down a hallway, and through three doors. Then, she'd locked Ana's door, and told her that she'd be back soon for more training.

Ana tried to sleep. She really did. The uber-comfy bed helped a lot but sleep just wouldn't come. Ana flicked on the light, scanning the room. Then she used the mirror to scan the small, black room. Hammock cot with mattress and blankets. Small closet with all the dresses, black Neverseen Cloaks, and shoes that she had. A small desk with empty scrolls in one drawer, and pens and seals and writing supplies in the other. Ana sat on the desk. She randomly tapped a rhythm of a song her mom would play all the time, "One Glance and You're Mine," by Piper McLean. She swung her legs to the rhythm, stopping when a hidden drawer popped open, banging her leg.

"Ow!" She yelped, hopping off the desk.

Bang! Bang! "Ana, are you okay?" Jewel shouted.

"Yep! Sorry! Fell off the bed," she lied.

"Hmm." Said Jewel.

Ana peeked in the secret drawer. Lying there, unprotected, was the wand Lady Gisela had used to bring her to the Lost Cities. Except, this time, the crystal was blue.

Ana quickly slammed the drawer shut and jumped into bed. She closed her eyes, breathing heavily. Then she grinned. She could escape anytime she wanted! Granted, Ana had no idea how a pathfinder worked, but... she could learn, right? Ana closed her eyes and relaxed.

10 hours later, Jewel banged on her door.

"Wake up, Ana!" BANG "Time to train!" BANG, BANG "Get up, let's go!" BANG!

Ana groaned. "Coming!" she yelled, slipping on her tunic, pants, and cloak. She considered brushing her hair, but shrugged, threw her hood up, and ran out the door. Jewel was waiting.

"Ten minutes." She said, holding a stopwatch. "That is unacceptable. Algorithm, I expected better. Anyway. Today we'll be practicing light leaping." Before Ana could react, or even ask what the Hades light leaping was, Jewel snatched her wrist and clamped a fluffy grey bracelet with a beautiful amber gem the same blonde as Ana's hair set in the middle of the beautiful bracelet. Smaller light pink gems circled the amber stone. When Ana looked at the underside of her wrist, she saw a small gauge, set at 0.

"What's this? Get it off!" Ana cried, trying to pry the bracelet off.

"It's a nexus," Jewel explained, "and you can't take it off. It unlatches when your concentration is strong enough to light-leap."

"Okay, let me light leap so I can get it off!" Ana stomped her foot.

Jewel groaned. "I never signed up to deal with child temper-tantrums! Hurry up, and make sure you levitate up, not down."

Jewel grabbed Ana's hand and dragged her up the shaft, and out of the rock.

Jewel gave Ana a complicated lesson on Pathfinders, light leaping, the Council's restrictions on pathfinders and light leaping, how to avoid detection when light leaping, nexuses, what kids her age were learning how to do, and finally, learning how to light leap. Three long hours of practicing later, it was dark out, and Ana's gauge read 30%.

"You can do better," Jewel said, taking her inside. They practiced breath control, and Jewel was surprised that Ana could hold her breath for 30 minutes!

When Ana's lessons were over, and Jewel let her take a break, Lady Gisela herself walked in.

"Jewel. How is Algorithm doing? Is she excelling, like I predicted she would? Will she need a Vanisher to mentor her?" Lady Gisela asked Jewel as Ana gulped down water, or bottles of youth, as Jewel called them.

"Algorithm is doing amazing. Her skills are most promising! I will mentor her with Vanishing, I understand the basics. Her concentration is at 30% on her nexus, and she can hold her breath for 30 minutes. Her levitating is promising, as is her channeling." Jewel reported.

"Wonderful!" Lady Gisela said. "Will she be ready for the fifteenth?"

"Yes." Jewel replied.

Ana squirmed. The bottle she was holding on her palm fell through her hand to the floor and smashed.

"Sorry!" she squeaked.

Jewel looked horrified.

Ana flickered nervously.

Lady Gisela glared. "I was under the impression that you were a god-born. And that such mistakes could cost you your life. Here, we are not as different as you think. Jewel. Work on her ability and skills. Do hurry," she added. Then she swished her gowns and levitated out of the room.

"Ana!" Jewel hissed, pointing to her feat, which had somehow gotten stuck in the floor. "I'm taking you to the med lab."

Jewel grabbed Ana's hand and levitated down the shaft to the med floor.