The Demigod Selection

Chapter 55

Thalia's POV

Bianca looks around nervously. Zoe left a few minutes ago to find some food for her, and that just made Bianca even more anxious.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" I ask, trying to be gentle.

She swallows hard and smiles weakly. "Would it be too cliché if I told you it's a long story?"

"Yes, yes it would. It seems like we have a lot of time to kill, so shoot. I've got all day. Why are you so freaked out?"

Bianca sighs. "It's my brother."

I blink once. "I never knew that you had a brother. What happened to him?"

"Nothing yet. A long time ago, I faked my death. Since then, he and my entire family has believed that I am dead."

"Wait, why would you do something like that?" I ask her.

She sighs again. "Because I was told to. By a man named Mr. Livingston."

I narrow my eyes. "Wasn't that Willow's last name?"

But there was something else about that name. When I was younger, something happened. And it was all Mr. Livingston's fault.

Luke had told Annabeth and I earlier that his step-father and half sister were coming over. Annabeth and I groaned, but soon forgot about it while playing truth or dare.

"Hi!" a voice screams. "I'm Willow, Luke's sissy!"

Luke and I exchange a look. Annabeth stands in front of us both, as if she wanted to kill the other blonde haired girl.

"Go away, Willow," Luke says. "We don't want you here."

"But daddy said I had to play with you," she said, as if we were very stupid not to know that. "So I'm here to play."

"Kid, we aren't playing," I growl, causing her lip to tremble.

"This is only for big kids," Luke says, trying to sound gentle.

"But she's here," Willow says and points to Annabeth, who scowls at her. Yes, Annabeth is here, but that's because she has six times the amount of guts that you have, I think to myself.

"Listen to me kid," I say. "Only certain people can be here. People like us." People who lost their families is the part that I don't say. People who found each other and created their own family.

"But I can be like you," the little girl insists. "I can do anything!"

"How long do you think she's going to believe that?" Annabeth says. I laugh and she beams at me.

I get an idea of how we can get her to leave. If we just show her what we "play", maybe she'll get scared off.

"Oh, come on. We can let the kid hang with us," I say.

"Okay" Luke says, trusting my decision instantly. "Willow, we're going to play a game called Truth or Dare. Do you know how to play?" She nods. "Okay. Thalia, you go first."

"Annabeth, truth or dare?" I ask.

"Dare."

"I dare you to climb to the top of that tree," I say, starting off with an easy one.

She does it and then it's her turn.

"Luke, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Annabeth smirks. That alone should have given me a clue. Annabeth only smirks when she gets an exceptionally crazy idea. It's a scary, scary thing when she does it.