The Shadow Summoner | Book Three - PJO Universe

seven

TALKING TREES?

The next day Ariana didn't do much.

She ate breakfast with Malcolm (Annabeth's stepbrother) since he was alone at the Athena table.

Then, after breakfast, she sat by the canoes until Chiron needed her help in setting up one of the activities later on in the day.

Afterwards, she was walking around camp when she noticed Sherman Yang was walking slowly, trancelike, into the woods.

Apollo and Kayla were running behind him, confused Ariana ran to catch up with the pair of them.

They almost didnt make it. As soon as they reached the tree line, the forest darkened. The temperature dropped. The horizon stretched out as if bent through a magnifying glass.

They only had to go a few steps, but it felt like a boot-camp run before the trio reached Sherman Yang.

"Sherman." Apollo grabbed his arm.

He tried to shake him off. Fortunately, he was sluggish and dazed, or Apollo would have ended up with scars of his own.

Ariana and Kayla helped the former god turn him around.

His eyes twitched as if he were in some sort of half-conscious REM sleep. "No. Ellis. Got to find him. Miranda. My girl."

Apollo glanced at Kayla for explanation.

"Ellis is from the Ares cabin." she said. "He's one of the missing."

"Yes, but Miranda, his girl?"

"Sherman and she started dating about a week ago." Ariana spoke, making the duo aware she had come. "You know, it was stupid coming into this forest alone."

"Says the one who followed us." Kayla pointed out.

Ariana smirked. "Touché."

Sherman struggled to free himself. "Find her!"

"Miranda is right over here, my friend." Apollo lied. "We'll take you there!"

Ariana wanted to laugh - the god of truth, lying?

He stopped fighting. His eyes rolled until only the whites were visible. "Over ... here?"

"Yes!"

"Ellis?"

"Yes, it's me." Apollo said. "I'm Ellis."

"I love you, man." Sherman sobbed.

Still, it took all of the trips strength to lead him out of the trees.

They led Sherman to the archery range. Between one step and the next, he blinked his eyes and became his normal self.

He noticed their hands on his arms and shook them off.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"You were walking into the woods." Apollo said.

He gave them his drill-sergeant glower. "No, I wasn't."

"You were dude." Ariana said.

Kayla reached for him, then obviously thought better about it. Archery would be difficult with broken fingers. "Sherman, you were in some kind of trance. You were muttering about Ellis and Miranda."

Along Sherman's cheek, his zigzag scar darkened to bronze. "I don't remember that."

"Although you didnt mention the other missing camper." Apollo added helpfully. "Cecil?"

"Why would I mention Cecil?" Sherman growled. "I can't stand the guy. And why should I believe you?"

"The woods had you." Apollo continued stupidly. "The trees were pulling you in."