❝In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt❞
"I'm fine." I said, trying to hide the frown and tears that threatened to spill.
Percy looked at me once.
"I'm not going anywhere, unless you tell me what's wrong," he declared and I would h...
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Frost covered a chariot track and strawberry fields. Cabins, in the shape of an almost horseshoe shape, where covered in little flickering lights, like Christmas lights, but they felt, or what I could sense from them, were very controlled flames. More lights flickered in the woods and I could sense a fire lit in the attic of the large house, or Big House as it was known.
"Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus, I was directly behind him, between him and Percy. "Is that a climbing wall?"
"Yeah," Percy said.
"Why is there lava pouring down it?"
"Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you two and your brother to Chiron. Zoe, have you met-"
"I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."
"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.
"We know the way."
"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"-- He tripped into a canoe and came up still talking. He really was a crazy goat-- "like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"
Zoe rolled her eyes but must have realized that the delulu goat wasn't leaving anytime soon. The Hunters shouldered their packs and bows and headed off in the direction of the cabins. As Bianca was leaving, she leaned down and whispered something in Nico's ear. She looked at him for an answer but he scowled and turned away, grabbing my hand. She glanced at me and I smiled reassuringly, but when she was out of sight, I let out a troubled sigh. The family was falling apart, Caelan and I were fighting again and now Bianca and Nico were.
"Take care, sweethearts! Ash, you coming?" Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at Percy as Ash gave Caelan and I each a hug. He took his seat in the front and winked at me. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. You too Novalie. I'll be seeing you soon, Percy."
"What do you mean?" Percy asked while I stood there with a raised eyebrow.
Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia." he called. "And, uh, be good!"
He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. I turned to the side as the chariot took off in a blast of heat that I knew Caelan didn't appreciate as the heat almost immediately died away around Nico, Percy and I. When I glanced back, the lake was steaming. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunshine.
Nico still looked grumpy on the outside, but I knew after years of taking care of him, that he wanted to cry but was refusing to. He hated angry tears.
"Who's Chiron?" he asked. "I don't have his figurine."
