Ghost King and Glow Worm

Chapter 1

Rowen’s P.O.V.

I stood next to Will Solace, my half brother, through our father, the Greek God Apollo. We looked over the battle field, as hundreds of our cousins fought with Roman clad soldiers and monsters of all kinds. The morning sun was rising over the hill. My heart was sinking lower as the sun rose. If they didn't get here in time what would happen to us. I looked to my brother and he looked at me.

“What are we going to do if they don't get here in time Will?”

“I don't know Rowen, I don't know.”

He crossed his arms over his chest as he surveyed the battle. I on the other hand was looking for my best friend. I was worried about his health and how much he was pushing himself. The last time he'd sent me an Iris Message he wasn't looking so good. He was with a girl I didn't know and Gleeson Hedge, the satyr. They were bringing back the Athena Parthenos to camp. Of course this meant that Nico was shadow traveling the three of them and the bloody statue all the way from Rome. This was after he'd been trapped in a jar for weeks with no food, but a few pomegranate seeds, and after his romp around Tartarus. I know everything he had been going was for the greater good, and to save everyone, but that didn't make me worry any less.

Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades, Ghost King, and my best friend. He and I met years ago in the Lotus Hotel at the age of 10. Mind you, do to the effects of the hotel, we were 10 for 74ish years. He is now 15 and I am almost 15. There was a lot that happened since we left the hotel, and well, we lost Bianca, his sister. I am Rowen Christie, son of Apollo and Agatha Christie, born September 15th 1924 and well, I guess it's important to know I am trans. I was born Betty Dorothy Edith Christie, being a demigod amongst mortals in the 1920’s was a nightmare. Having the adhd and dyslexia that all demigods have school was a pain in the ass. They couldn't understand why I couldn't sit still in class or really read well. It's not my fault my brain was wired for ancient Greek.

My siblings of course knew about my being trans, and my best friend did as well. Of course Nico knew, he knew me when I was still Betty. However not a lot of other people know about me. It's not necessarily a secret, it's just that I have seen what people do to my kind out in the mortal world. I hesitate to find out what the demigod/monster world would do to me.

The sun rose higher in the sky and now we see shadows over the battle field. Looking up to the sky we see pegasi carrying a large statue to the hill Will and I are standing on. He looks at me and smiled.

“Rowen their here!” He was excited, but I grew more worried.

All I saw was the black haired girl that had been with Nico. My best friend was not with her. I looked from the statue to the battle field, had he joined the fight. Was he dead and that's why the pegasi were bringing the statue the rest of the way. Then I saw him, barely there but there was no denying that it was Nico. He looked like a ghost of himself. I grabbed Will and ran for him. I may be a child of Apollo, but let me make one thing clear, I am not a very good child of Apollo. I am not a good archer, I am not good with musical instruments, I am not a good healer, don't take care of animals well, I am not a prophet, I have nothing to do with light, and I am not a good protector. However my writing is the best in camp. So when I grabbed Will and took off running towards my shadow of a friend, it was because I knew if I didn't bring someone with me, I just may lose Nico for good. Will Solace was the leader of the Apollo Cabin and the top healer. If anyone could fix Nico, it would be Will.

We got to him and he looked up at the sound of our foot steps.

“Bet-Rowen.” He said weakly, before collapsing against me and passing out.

“Will!” I shouted at my brother who had already gone into full doctor mode fussing over the unconscious boy rest against me.

“Help me get him to the medical tent.”