𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬

VII. Moms pissed at me and the Stoll brothers are assholes

Carmilla's POV:

I was packing my things for tomorrow, everyone else was asleep except me and Bianca. I knew mom was pissed, especially cause she's refusing to talk to me right now, which is a bad sign.

I finished packing my bag and I put it down next to my bed. I looked over at Bianca who had already finished. She looked nervous about tomorrow since it will be her first mission. I remember the first time I was going on a mission with the hunters, I was scared and nervous the whole time.

I glanced at mom and Phoebe, who were both already asleep. Mom refused to even look at me, I knew she was mad and that she didn't approve of me going, but she cant stop me if I'm going as a camper, even though I'm not at camp most of the time I'm still considered one.

I looked back at Bianca then back at mom, just to check if she was asleep. "Hey, Bi, wanna sneak out?" I asked her with a smirk on my face. She looked back at me then back at mom. "Wouldn't you get in trouble?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Come on, it wouldn't hurt to sneak out for a bir, wouldn't it?" I asked as I moved off the bed and towards her, getting into her face with a teasing grin. She blushed and looked away, thinking about it.

"Sure, but you're taking the blame if Zoe catches us." she told me.

We both slowly walked out of the cabin, making sure to not make any noise. Once we were in the clear, I grabbed her hand and ran towards the forest, she was barely keeping up with me.

"Where are we going?" she asked me, confused as she continued running behind me, " I want to show you my favorite place!" I told her, smiling back at her.

We ran to the edge of the forest, right near the beach. There was a huge rock surrounded by water, but there were a few rocks that could be hopped on to get to the big rock.

I hopped on the rocks and I held Bianca's hand, helping her too. Once we got to the big rock we sat on it, looking up at the stars, they were the most visible here.

"I like to go here whenever I'm nervous or scared, it's my safe spot." I told her, glancing at her. Bianca blushed and she looked away, realizing that I knew that she was still nervous about tomorrow.

"I know you're nervous about tomorrow, to be honest I'm too, but don't worry too much, okay?" told her and gently took her hand in mine, squeezing it a bit.

Bianca looked at me and she smiled. For a moment I swear I saw her look down on my lips for a split second, but it's probably just my imagination.

We both sat in comfortable silence as we looked up at the stars and the moon, Bianca laid her head on my shoulder, both of us taking comfort in the silent night.
___________

"I'm going to kill those stupid little fucks-" I was cut off by mom hitting me on the head. It was tomorrow morning, or rather it was still night since the sun hadn't shown up yet, and the stupid Stoll brothers decided to poison the shirt they gave Phoebe.

I was extremely pissed off, the only reason I still haven't marched up to the Hermes cabin was because mom and Bianca were stopping me.

We reluctantly went to the Artemis table on the dinner pavilion to eat before we went on the quest. I could feel someone was watching us, but I didn't know who.

"It cannot be cured," mom said to Bianca. "Not quickly, at any rate."

"But how did it happen?" Bianca asked, obviously since she was new to this world she didn't know.

"A foolish prank," I growled. "Those stupid Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid! Everyone with a damn brain knows that! They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it." i was practically ready to throw hands at them, maybe i can set their cabin on fire.

"That's terrible!" Bianca gasped, it is, I would know.

"She will live," mom said. "But she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. There is no way she can go. It's up to me, Carmilla... and thee."

"But the prophecy," Bianca said. "If Phoebe can't go, we only have four. We'll have to pick another."

"There is no time," mom said. "We must leave at first light. That's immediately. Besides, the prophecy said we would lose one."

"In the land without rain," Bianca said, "but that can't be here."

"It might be," mom said, though she didn't sound convinced. "The camp has magic borders. Nothing, not even weather, is allowed in without permission. It could be a land without rain."

"But-"

"Bianca, hear me." Moms voice was strained.

"I... I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our sixth companion. And... I don't want to risk another Hunter."

Both me and Bianca were silent. "You should tell Thalia the rest of your dream." I told her, but she only shook her head.

"No. It would not help."

"But if your suspicions are correct, about the General-"

"I have thy word not to talk about that," mom said. She sounded really anguished. "We will find out soon enough. Now come to you two. Dawn is breaking."

As we sprinted down the steps, mom and I froze, I knew I felt a presence and so did mom, her eyes narrowing. Both mine and her hand crept toward our bows, but then Bianca said, "The lights of the Big House are on. Hurry!"

And mom and I followed her out of the pavilion.