The Sun Without Stars Solangelo

The Sisters

Reyna's POV

"Hey Frank," Reyna called out from within the crowd, the campers who recognized her voice immediately making way for her to pass. Frank, who crouched slightly to hear what Hazel was telling him, perked up frantically, obviously still a bit intimidated by Reyna.

Where are they? Will is going to miss his chance. Although, I guess I could ask in his place if he doesn't end up showing up, but it wouldn't kill them to send an iris message. Will, when I find you, I swear to god--

"Oh. Hey, Reyna. If you're going to ask about the horse crap in the arena, let's just say that the Ares kids were not a fan of horse stable cleaning duty," Hazel groaned when Reyna made her way over, pinching the bridge of her nose as Frank fanned her face.

"No–-wait, they did what? Nevermind, this isn't about that. The sun is about to set, but I can't find Will anywhere. He thought that Apollo might have some answers about the monsters surrounding camp, but I lost him and Nico on the way," she replied, still searching the crowd for the boy's golden hair.

Just the mention of Nico further tarnished Hazel's mood, a rare grimace settling on her face. She had been colder towards Reyna ever since they'd returned, and Reyna had a feeling she knew why.

She's envious.

"Look, I know you two are having a fair amount of trouble because of the whole quest, but if you can put that aside for just a second, I really need to find Will," Reyna pleaded when Hazel refrained from giving an answer.

"...What's wrong with him?" The question was blunt, and Reyna had no idea how she should respond.

"Why didn't he think he could tell me about it? Why do you know more about him than his own sister?" Hazel mumbled, red from humiliation.

So it's about that, then: I was right in thinking she was jealous. 

"Huh–Hazel, I can't even say that Nico willingly told me anything, considering that he fought me when I tried bringing him to camp. He's been more of a prisoner than a camper these days, and it only got worse after those two campers died. All I know is that he thinks we're in some sort of danger, but for some reason he won't tell us what. "

Nico is afraid of speaking about it with you because he cares the most of what you think of him, Hazel.

"Why would he leave camp? I know they were treating him like the plague here... and maybe that's why he resents my passivity towards the whole situation... but why would he want to leave if Will was at camp?" Hazel asked in a self-accusatory tone. She looked slightly ill--the stress must have really been eating away at her.

Unexpectedly, Frank interrupted, asking, "Can I say something that's going to sound crazy?" 

When they both nodded slowly, he continued. "For a second when Hazel slapped Nico... I thought I felt something strange." He paused, as if pondering his wording for what he would say next. "It was only a split-second--and I could have been imagining it--but I felt genuinely terrified. That feeling when you're being... hunted down by a monster, but you can't pinpoint where they're waiting to pounce," Frank finished, shuddering slightly as if the thought still made his blood run cold.

It was real.

Something really is off about this...

"I didn't feel any–" Hazel began.

"I thought I was going mad... It's been happening ever since we met in the woods." Reyna, who had been anxiously waiting for him to finish speaking, agreed, nodding desperately.