Marcus DimascioThe Hurricane Throne

CHAPTER NO.13

I stayed in the back of the van with Chloe and Jake.

I kept hold of one of Chloe's hands, hoping she'd wake up. She gained most of her colour back, but she still slept, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took. Her dark hair covered the left side of her face. Her body swayed every time the van turned a corner.

The more I looked at her, the more I wished that I was the one who had to endure her tortures. I felt guilty that my twin sister had to go through all of that pain and agony.

"She'll be fine," Jake promised me. "She's bound to wake up eventually."

I just nodded in reply. I couldn't believe how much I lost it back at the beach. But seeing Proculus made me want to punch anything in sight. So much anger...I thought I'd go insane.

"You really hate Proculus, don't you?" Jake asked.

"After what he did to us," I muttered, "anyone would hate that guy."

After a short pause I continued. "Chloe and I suffered too much thanks to Proculus, Jake. If you were there that day, you of all people would understand how I feel."

"I wasn't the one who got taken prisoner for three months, Marcus. But yeah, I would understand how you'd feel. Trust me – I know what it must feel like to be tortured for fun and sport."

"What?" I asked. "Like being thrown into a gas chamber to be drugged with pain serum? Being forced onto a surgical bed and had to endure the agony of being electrocuted? Being thrown into a freaking gladiator arena and had to defend yourself from some of the best experienced fighters Cyclone City had? Those kind of freaking tortures?"

Jake looked stunned. He shook his head. "You've got to calm down."

"I'll calm down when I'm as far away from Cyclone City as possible," I snapped back.

Chloe stirred, which got my attention. She slowly opened her eyes. She groaned as she struggled to sit up.

"Help me up," she groaned.

Jake and I lifted her into a sitting position. I placed a hand on her back, which felt bony underneath the palm of my hand. She started gagging but didn't throw up, which was a relief.

"How do you feel?" I asked

"Like I've been through a firestorm," she snapped at me. "What do you think?"

Jake checked her temperature. "On the bright side of things, you seem fine, though you should avoid eating anything for a couple of hours, just in case. Drink plenty of water to heal yourself."

Chloe looked at Jake in surprise. "Oh, hello Jake," she blushed. The last time we met, Chloe had what you might call a crush on Jake (yeah, technically Jake is her cousin, yet that didn't matter when you're involved in the world of the god's) but she didn't get the chance to tell him.

Jake smiled at Chloe, which made her blush even further.

I tapped her arm. "We're on our way to the school. We'll be there in a couple of minutes."

Just after I said that, the vehicle came to a stop. Ten seconds later, the back doors slid open and we stepped out.

Just as before, the school was still at the California State Normal School. When I last came here – before I got banished – Chiron told me that he and his students bought this building and made it into their training school. It's been standing there since the 1800's and became one of the most important buildings in the state. No one knows that it's full of demigods and weapons. The sign outside the building said 'RENOVATED FOR REDEVELOPMENT.'

"We're back," I muttered under my breath. "We're really back."

The doors to the school flew open. Twenty teenagers poured out, all of them armed with spears and bows. All of them wore bronze armour and helmets, and they didn't look happy at all. The archers drew their bows back. Spears were aimed at our chests.

One of them shouted, "Hold it right there!"

"Don't move," another one warned, "unless you want to have arrows lodged in your stomach! We won't even hesitate!"

"Stop," Jake cried. He held up his hands. "Put the weapons down!"

"What are those two doing back here Jake?" a girl screamed at him. "They're supposed to be banished!"

"I invited them here."

Everyone turned around to see Chiron, who came out the doorway, trotting up to the group of demigods.

When I mean by 'trotting', I mean he's a centaur.

From the waist up, he was a middle–aged man in a grey business jacket. He had a bushy brown beard and had short hair. From the waist down, he had the body of a full–grown horse with brown hair. It connected with his top human part and looked impressive when you first see him. At first, you would think that he was on top of a horse, but then you would find out that he was a full grown centaur.

Chiron looked at me with an emotionless expression. I suddenly felt everyone's eyes on me, making me uncomfortable. Chloe stood close behind me, while Jake stood at my side, his sword outstretched. Hermes stood at my other side, looking at the crowd of half–bloods.

"Zeus was a fool to send you here," the horse–man said, his pale grey eyes blazed for some reason. "Why you've decided to come back here, I have no idea. But for now, you have my hospitality."

"Are you crazy?" a husky voice roared. A seventeen year–old teenager came forward, holding a two meter long spear in his right hand. "We can't have children of Poseidon at the school. They're dangerous!"

"Quiet, Paris," Chiron sternly said. "They are guests for now. I will not be cruel to them, like most of you were when they first came here."

He looked back at me. "Come with me. We'll talk in private."

He walked over to the front doors of the school. I looked at Chloe and Jake. They nodded at me.

With all the students looking at me, I followed Chiron inside, thinking that I was going to have the most intense conversation of my life.