The Shadows Between Us

Chapter 4

Waking up from a nightmare in the middle of the night to a guy with his hands on fire is not on my bucket list.

I scrambled to sit up, hissing, "Leo! What the hell? How—"

The flaming boy made a 'hold-on-I-can-explain' gesture, inclining his head towards Percy's bunk — where my brother was sound asleep and snoring — and putting his finger to his lips.

"You do know that you're on fire?" I shrilly informed him. An idea came to my head, "Wait, I think I can—" I grabbed an empty pitcher off my bedside table and started to stride over to the fountain, before Leo whispered, "No, Lizzy, stop, I'm fine! I'm not dying. It's a bonus of being a son of Hephaestus. Fire is kind of my jam."

I raised my eyebrows and sighed at the flickering Latino in front of me. How the people here continue to surprise me, I will never know.

"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly.

"I..." Leo rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "I can't tell you here. Let's go somewhere we can talk normally. Something... happened."

At that, he led me out of the cabin, still flaming, as caution and curiosity warred in my head.

"I'm going to regret coming with you, aren't I?" I muttered, making Leo snort but say nothing.

We walked in silence we reached the dead bonfire. It looked so small when flames weren't leaping 4 feet in the air from it.

Checking my watch, I thought irratably, it's like 2 in the morning, Leo, come on!

I was just about to voice my complaints when Leo's fire dimmed, leaving spots in my vision as my eyes adjusted to the gloom.

"Is it ready?" Something asked. "Ready as it will ever be." Another voice, a familiar voice said.

When I could see a bit better, I spotted a few people standing around the other side of the fire pit, but it was too dark to see thief faces. Leo, what is happening? I thought.

Fear began to dance along my spine, leaving cold chills in its wake. Alarm bells rang in my head. Something was wrong here. "Leo, tell me what's going on." I said, rounding on the shorter boy with steel in my voice.

He bit his lip and glanced across the bonfire nervously, but mouthed, I'm sorry.

Before I could reply, another one of the shadow-shrouded figured on the other side of the bonfire spoke up.

In a voice I knew only too well.

Well, well, well. We meet again. I told you the barriers couldn't hold me for long. Of course, it was so very helpful of your friend to offer himself up to me. Made my job a whole lot easier. Oh, In fact, I suppose I have you to thank for this opportunity, my little naïve Elizabeth.

I closed my eyes. This can't be happening. It was supposed to be safe here. It was supposed to be... well. I guess I can't trust my 'friends' here after all. I should have known they would... They always do.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone." I told the voice as calmly as I could.

Oh, I heard you, loud and clear. But, you see, powers such as me do not obey orders from the likes of you, unpredicted water attacks and all. You don't even realise how much you've helped me.

"I've never helped you." The words ground out of my mouth.

Oh, but you have! You see, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in possession of this new... toy.

"What new—" I inhaled sharply.

From across the fire pit, someone stepped out of the darkness. I could see their blank face. Despite the dull light of the moon, the image of their empty expression burned into my brain and I choked back a sob.

Because the person the voice had taken was Will.

I hadn't known him for long, but he seemed like one of the nicest, happiest people here.

And now he was blankly standing there, his expressionless eyes unseeing, as if awaiting... orders.

I stumbled, looking between Will and Leo, who was staring at the ground with tears and regret in his eyes.

"Leo, what is this? Are you—"

He stiffened, and I saw his eyes filled with angry tears for a moment, before he said quietly, "It took Will." Then he mouthed again; RUN.

Oh, nice try, son of Hephaestus. But I think you'll find it's a lot harder to deceive me than you think.

Then his eyes flickered and he smiled. "What did you say? I just missed it."

I stumbled away from him and ran, ignoring is confused shouts as panic rose like the bile in my throat. I've got to get someone. Who? Who would be awake at this time of night?

Then I thought back to last night, after my talk with Percy. When we'd gone back to our cabin at midnight, I had seen that kid — Nico, was it? — slipping out of the Hades cabin.

If I was right, he would still be awake. He would (hopefully) know what to do.

If I can only find him.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

As it turns out, Nico di Angelo is not an easy person to locate in a hurry.

He tends to blend in, and I could have passed him ten times in my search not noticed once.

I eventually found him, (why was he alone on the roof of the Apollo cabin anyway?), and spent about five whole minutes deliberating what to say to him.

"Uh, hi." I ended up going with. Best conversation starter ever.

Nico jumped, scrambled to his feet and turned to face me with a glowing iron knife in hand. He relaxed slightly when n he saw my face, and said tightly, "Hi. What is it?"

Taken aback by his tone but too freaked out to let it deter me, I thought it was best to get to the point before the older boy decided to... I don't know, push me off the roof or something.

"It's Will. He—" I started, but Nico's look of utter panic stopped me from finishing my sentence.

"What about Will?" He asked. "What about Will?"

My words died in my throat as the image of the Apollo camper standing there blankly appeared in my mind. I swallowed, trying not to show Nico how upset I was. He would freak out, and that would make the whole situation worse.

Nico stepped toward me, eyes blazing under the layers of fear and anger. This was the polar opposite of the shy, antisocial kid I had met in the infirmary yesterday.

"He... is fine. But he might be in danger very soon. I can explain... I think... but it will take a while." I wasn't sure where all these words were coming from. My brain was frozen, unable to think as the image of Will and the image of Nico's eyes swirled together in my mind's eye.

Nico took a shuddering breath, and looked away. Eventually, he said quietly, "Tell me everything."