Rebuilding the World

29 Headaches

“We need to tighten security.” En said to the head councillors.

I wasn’t paying much attention to the meeting, the scratch on my arm is throbbing but since it’s all wrapped up thanks to Jimuel it doesn’t hurt that much anymore. Majella has an arm around my shoulders but even she looks distracted.

“How did the empousas entered the city anyways?” Zhane asked

“They also use a bit of magic,” Carlene said, “They’re servants of Hecate.”

“So, your magical barriers aren’t enough to keep magically trained monsters away?” En asked.

“Are you saying that the barriers we put up aren’t strong enough?” Carlene said, her voice getting dangerously high of the insult

“Maybe I am.” En casually shrugged

Carlene glared at him, “Fine, we’ll strengthen the barriers. But this doesn’t mean that the initial barriers were weak, we just didn’t expect empousas to use magic on it.”

“We’re demigods,” Majella said, “We should expect the unexpected.”

Everyone nodded except for Carlene who looked hurt and insulted.

“Anyways, we have another problem.” Majella started, she took her arm away from me, “Someone ordered those empousas to take Jean.”

“What do you mean someone ordered them?” Nicole asked.

“When I woke up tied to the tree, I heard the empousas talking,” I said to them, “They were arguing why they couldn’t take another camper but their leader said they have to. She said because I’m the only one they were ordered to take.”

“Who would want you dead?” Joash asked.

“Whoever sent the manticore and the Cyclopes back in Camp Makiling.” Nicole answered.

“Wait,” Majella interrupted, “They didn’t want Jean dead.”

“What?” I asked, surprised. The others looked surprised too with what Majella said.

“If they want Jean dead,” Majella said, giving me a worried look, “We would have been too late in the forest, she would have been long dead, or else, the empousas could have killed her back in the Aphrodite tent.”

“Then they needed something from Jean to keep her alive.” Marielle said.

Everyone was looking at me worriedly.

“What do they need from you?” Anthony asked me.

“I don’t know.”

Silence filled the room as we think of a reason why anyone would want something from me to kidnap me.

“Can’t think of anything.” Majella said, breaking the silence. She stood up from her chair and motioned us to do the same. “Let’s just talk about this later, Carlene strengthen the borders now, I don’t want anything getting in for Jean. Jayson, I want you and your siblings to move the Aphrodite tent away from the woods, put it up in the middle of the city if you have to.”

“I think we don’t have to do that, Jean should sleep here in the bamboo house too for better protection.” Jayson objected.

Majella looked at me, “Then she will.” she looked back to Jayson, “but you guys should still move your tent, anyone or anything looking for Jean would assume she’s with the Aphrodite kids where she belongs.”

Everyone stood up as Majella dismissed the meeting, I followed her outside the bamboo house.

“Where are you going?” I asked