In the Beginning

Chapter Seventeen

     "What?" Nico raised an eyebrow.

     "Mythomagic. That's the card game you showed me when we were younger." Nico frowned.

     "Yeah...yeah, Mythomagic." My mind raced with questions but I tried to prioritize. I turned to Inez to refrain from strangling the kid for not telling me he knew about my past before.

     "How do you know about my father?" Inez exchanged a glance with Nico.

     "Let's not get into it...it's getting late." Inez yawned but she over exaggerated it a little much. I just nodded and as quickly as Inez and her brother dissolved into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared. Brittney and I returned to our cabin. I sat, awaiting dawn, knowing I could never sleep.

     Morning came surprisingly fast. I couldn't have been more relieved to see the sun. We sat in the dining pavilion. It was all smiles and laughs but I felt a pit of dread weighing me down. That is, until I saw him. The knot in my stomach started to unravel when I met his golden eyes. He grinned at me, I blushed and looked away. Brittney raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.

     "You're going to get hurt." She looked over at the pale blonde son of Apollo.

     "What are you talking about? I'm interested in him, I don't even know his name."

     "Lance Scott." She said it very matter-of-factly. "And believe me, he's bad news." I frowned.

     "Don't worry." Britt didn't seem convinced but she dropped the subject. The rest of the day I couldn't seem to focus. In the sword arena Percy had bested me five times before Chiron trotted into the arena.

     "Would you mind if I borrowed Percy for a minute?" I shook my head and Chiron pulled Percy aside, speaking in a hushed voice. Percy nodded as Chiron reccedded out of the arena.

     "Don't suppose you would tell me what that was all about?"

     "A small quest, Chiron was given the location of a demigod and we would normally send a satyr to retrieve them but...we're a little short on satyrs." A look of grief settled on his face. He caught my worried look. "It's been a busy year." I still didn't understand what he meant but I knew that was the only explanation I would receive. I looked down at my feet, feeling awkward as silence settled over the room. We were the only ones in here which made it worse. I looked back up to see Percy studying my face as if he was deciding what to make of me. "You should come." I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

     "Me? I'm not the most qualified....Besides I'm not that great of a swordsman yet."

     "It's a small quest, don't worry." He offered a smile, trying to make me feel better but I was worried.

     "Okay."

      "We'll leave tomorrow." I nod and he walks out of the arena leaving me alone with the silence. I still hold the sword, the weight isn't right for my hands and the blade is too long. I frown down at it. I'm tired of feeling weak, I would do something about it.