Finding Leo

Chapter 9: Wisemill's Family Farm

Ally's POV

Things kind of got fuzzy after Leo started freaking out and hearing a voice with some 'dirt woman'. Before I knew it, there was this blue light around me and I was speaking in a voice that wasn't my own. Then everything went black.

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the cow in my face.

Leo's POV

I was on watch guarding Ally. I turned and looked out into the distance. The ranch was beautiful, with rolling hills and cattle pastures as far as the eye can see. (Don't worry, you didn't miss a chapter :P) The sun was rising, splattering reds and oranges and pinks all over the morning sky. I turned back to Ally in time to hear her scream. A particularly large bull was standing right over her, licking her face like it was covered in peanut butter. I sighed. "Harold, she's not food!" I stood up from my spot on the porch and scrambled over to the whicker chair she was sitting in. I pushed the cow off of Ally then faced her. "Have a nice nap?"

She opened and closed her mouth like a fish a few times. Finally, she was able to get out, "W-where are we?"

I laughed. "You, miss, are in the Wisemill's family farm and ranch, located 28 miles west of Richmond, Virginia." Yep, Eddie and I had a lot of explaining to do. "However, the Wisemill's are currently on a skiing vacation in Vermont." I shrugged. "Eddie and I took use of the space."

She looked dumbfounded. "Eddie... Eddie... Who's that?"

I snapped my fingers. "I almost forgot!" I ran to the other side of the porch and opened a screen door, going inside.

Ally's POV

Leo and this Eddie kid had a lot of explaining to do. First, I wake up with a cow named Harold licking my face, then Leo says we're in Virginia, and finally I'm told that we've taken use of a currently empty house and farm.

Sure. Why not?

I shook my head, watching Harold the cow roam around the porch like a house cat. A house cow.

Ok, that's it. I'm losing it.

Why were we here? Weren't Leo and I in New York City before I passed out? And who was this Eddie that Leo mentioned?

Ok, Ally, breathe. Where was I? I took a look out onto the farm. Pastures filled with lazy cows and bulls stretched across the grass, and an old-fashioned red barn stood half a mile east, in front of the rising sun. Two black Labradors chased each other across the fields. I sat in a whicker chair on a white wraparound porch, facing the sunrise.

My third question was answered when I heard the screen door screech open beside me. Leo stepped out followed by a boy that looked to be fourteen, maybe fifteen at most. His pale complexion made his stringy black hair stand out like black sharpie on white paper. His golden brown eyes darted around excitedly, like he was watching a tennis match. He wore blue jeans, black converse high-tops, and a Brazil soccer jersey. His outfit made my worn out black leggings, stained baby blue t-shirt, dirty grey sneakers, and off-white sleeveless vest look like they came out of a dumpster. Well, they did. Street gangs don't exactly get Kohl's Cash.

Leo gestured dramatically to the boy, who had a smile not unlike Leo's plastered to his face. "Ally, meet Edwin Conn. Eddie, this is Alison... Hey, what is your last name?"

I ignored his last question, sitting up in my chair. "I'll ask again. How did we end up in Virginia? And how did he find us? And what was with that blue light around me in New York?"

Eddie spread his hands out in a Whoa, whoa, whoa gesture. "Relax. We're gonna explain everything." Somehow, his voice soothed me. I had heard about the gifts that some children of Aphrodite had; Leo gave a brief explanation when he was telling me about the whole Demigods-Are-Real situation. Apparently some of the Aphrodite kids could overpower you with their voice. They say something, and you feel the need to listen to exactly what they have to say. Leo said it was called Charmspeak. Eddie's voice didn't sound commanding like Charmspeak might. He sort of just had a calming effect to him.

The two boys sat on the porch with their backs against the railing, facing me. Leo began. "Well, apparently you're a fricking Oracle, so that's life."

I giggled. He could always make me laugh. But then I took in what he said. "A WHAT?"

He pronounced it one syllable at a time, as if I were a six-year-old. "An Oracle. It means you're blessed by Apollo or something, and you can give out prophecies and see the future and stuff. I never really paid attention when Annabeth lectured me." He stated, getting that distant look in his eyes again.

I ignored the name he mentioned. "So apparently I'm Apollo's-?" I was cut off when a glowing golden aura surrounded me, lighting up Leo and Eddie's faces. The boys' eyes almost popped out of their heads.

"-daughter," Leo finished. "Ally, you've just been claimed. Your father is Apollo, god of healing, archery, and music."

I was stunned. I glanced upwards, seeing a glowing golden lyre floating above my head. I swatted at it, covering my head with my arms in a protective shell. "And prophecy, apparently," I stated. "That's why I got all glowey-freaky in New York."

"But Apollo's children have never given out prophecies," Eddie's eyes were the size of tennis balls. "Until now, I guess. Ally, you're an Oracle, and a daughter of Apollo."

The glowing aura faded, as well as the lyre. I didn't remove my arms from the top of my head. "So you're saying my dad's Apollo."

Leo nodded slowly. "Yep. Well, this is one weird group. Bad Boy Supreme-" he puffed out his chest triumphantly "-son of Hephaestus and leader of the trio." He gestured toward Eddie. "Spookster over here, son of Hades. He's the reason we're in Virginia; he found us in that workshop about ten minutes after you spewed that prophecy. After that, he shadow traveled us here. And, our newest recruit," he pointed at me, still half in shock. "Future Girl, able to read minds and teleport to people-"

"Probably because prophecies know all, right? And they've always traveled by word of mouth," I added thoughtfully. "That could be the reason I can read minds and teleport."

Across the porch, Harold must have found a patch of grass under a floorboard, because he stomped on the wooden beam and began munching on something under it. Life must be simpler for a cow right now.

Eddie cupped his chin in his hands. "And then there's the Oracle part. You must be one of Apollo's favorite children for him to bless you with the gift of prophecy."

I sat up straighter, shaking my head. "Why would I be his favorite kid? I grew up with a street gang since I was nine, ever since my mom went crazy on drugs and I ran away." I didn't even care that I gave away my backstory. I was just angry at Apollo for everything he put me through. It was all his fault.

Leo shrugged. "Maybe he saw potential in you. Hepheastus gave me my powers because he knew I'd be part of a great prophecy one day." He flexed his muscle-less arms. "Maybe also because I'm sizzling hot."

I laughed. "I guess I know who I am now." I turned to Eddie, who was watching Harold destroy the porch floorboards for some grass. "Hades, huh? Isn't he the god of the Underworld?"

Eddie nodded, black hair bobbing up and down across his golden-brown eyes. "Leo gave me the lovely name Spookster."

"Then why aren't you all, well, emo? Goth? I'd kind of expect that from the son of the Lord of the Underworld."

Leo laughed. "Believe me, we've got one of those back at camp." When he said camp, his eyes faltered and his smile wavered, like he wished he never brought it up in the first place. Then I blinked, and his smile was back. "His name's Nico. Super creepy. He's got a nice sister, though." This time I'm positive his grin faltered. "Her-her name's Hazel."

Both Eddie and I seemed confused. The son of Hades's eyebrows furrowed. "I've got a brother and sister? At this camp you keep talking about?" He grinned broadly, seemingly excited at the thought of siblings. "When can I see them?"

"Never." Leo's tone was harsh, stonier than I'd ever heard it before. His gazed dropped to the floor, his smile gone. "I'm never going back there again."