Flames {Book One: The Deadly Dream}

Part Eight: I Learn About My Cursed Half Brother

The next two weeks were okay. I managed to befriend Jack, Maddie, Ethan, Buttercup, Pearl and Cindy. Well, I guess me and Cindy were friends. She was a little bitter to me, but we were friends, most of the time. She didn't ask me again how I knew so much about this place before I got here. I was okay with that.

Pearl hung out mostly with the Aphrodite kids, but she talked to me sometimes. We weren't close friends but still friends. She seemed like a flirty type, which made things awkward, but she was all around nice.

I tried to hang out with Thάvma to get to know her better and maybe find out why she was so scared when I had my glowing green eyes scenario. I didn't want to press too hard though. She would probably punch me if I did. She seemed to be training harder than usual, and showed none of the weakness she showed to me when I asked about her family.

I didn't get to see Jules much. We would talk during my tracking class, which is what he helped teach. Before I came to camp, he was basically my only friend, and I didn't want my friendship with him to end.

My classes, lessons, and training in general went okay. I wasn't the worst, and I wasn't the best. Thάvma helped me with my archery, and even helped me pick out a bow.

We went to the weapon shack by the basketball court. It looked old, and the weapons looked even older.

She scanned the walls of weapons. "You're not good with a sword, so we're getting you a bow. You're okay with a bow."

Thάvma had seen me do sword fighting during training. She tried to teach me some moves, but it didn't turn out too well. With a bow and arrows, well, I wasn't as good as Thάvma, but I was pretty good.

She picked up a bronze bow and quiver, with gleaming bronze arrows. It was a little dusty, and had a few cobwebs, but other than that it looked fine.

She handed it to me. I held it, lifted it a few times, pulled the bow string, but it didn't feel quite right in my hands. Thάvma had told me a few days ago that you'll know the right weapon when you hold it.

I handed it back to her. "Not the one?" she asked smirking.

I shook my head. I looked around the shack and saw a glimmering silver bow and quiver full of sharp silver arrows. I went over and picked the bow up and the quiver.

The bow fit perfectly in my hand like someone had made it just for me. It felt balanced, and not to heavy like a sword.

"I like this," I commented, smiling. I studied the bow. There was an engraving in the bow. It was in greek, which was no problem for me to read. I had found out that being a greek demigod, my brain was hardwired to understand greek. That explained why I have dyslexia and why I get F's in english class. Carved into the bow was the word Shining.

Thάvma circled around me like a lion stalking its prey. She studied me with the bow in my hands.

"It suits you," She finally said.

"Yeah," I agreed. But I wondered if it could turn into something more portable, like how Thάvma's golden bow and quiver turned into a golden lyre.

Just then my new bow and quiver changed into a silver charm bracelet.

"Whoa," Thάvma said. "That is pretty cool."

I nodded and put on the bracelet.
We headed out of the shed and ran into Nicole, the daughter of Nemesis, and some of her goons.

"Nice bracelet you got there, Bandage Boy." Nicole snickered. "I didn't know you liked jewlery." Her friends snickered.

"I guess it makes sense," one of her friends said. "He acts like an Aphrodite camper, always making sure he looks fabulous." More snickering.