Katoptris

Book 1 ~ Part 1

The Titan war has ended. Friends and enemies have fallen. But some believe the biggest traitor is still out there. The blonde. And that she will come back and destroy those she once considered her friends.

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Megan opened her eyes, shut them, and opened them again. Nope, this was actually happening. She was on a bus in the Southwest United States with a boy she'd met before. When? She didn't know. How did she know where she was? She didn't know that either.

But she knew this boy. They'd met before. She knew she could trust him. 

But how could she know that? She knew nothing of her life before a few minutes ago.

"Nico, why am I here? How did I get here? and when can I go home?"

Home. Megan didn't know where home was.

"Nice to see you to, Meg." He faced the front of the bus, not even bothering to look at her. "Why do the gods do anything? You're here, that's all."

A scrawny boy turned around in the seat in front of them. "You've been here all semester, Megan. Ditching classes. Hanging out with Neeks and me."

"Don't call me that." Megan could almost see a touch of color in Nico's pale cheeks, making her think he secretly like being called Neeks.

"I haven't been here that long." Megan could see it in Nico's eyes. No, she definitely hadn't been, but he was hiding it. She sighed, wishing she had a band to tie back her long hair. She hated long hair and would cut it the first chance she got. She crossed her legs, and saw a flash of white near her ankles. She lifted the hem of her skirt. "There's wings on my shoes."

The other boy almost leapt over the seat so he could see them too. Megan could see slight panic in Nico's eyes. "Nico, what did you do?"

"Alright, cupcakes, listen up!" Megan looked towards the front of the bus. There was a short man, who must work for the school Nico and his friend were from, was talking to the students on the bus. "We'll be arriving soon. Remember you're assigned partners and answer as many questions as you can."

The bus came to a stop and Nico whispered into Megan's ear. "I'll explain what I can, but not here, not now." Nico gently squeezed her hand before getting off the bus. His assigned partner was Piper or something. Megan was with Nico's friend from the bus. She could hear rumors spreading, but chose to ignore them. 

They were at a museum in the middle of the desert. Megan felt the ground, and wasn't exactly sure how she knew they were in Nevada. Or that she'd been here before, or that she'd met Nico on that visit. He was younger then, and she'd promised him something. Something important.

Megan kept her voice low as they wandered around the museum. "What's your name?"

"Leo. Leo Valdez."

Nope. No bells.

"When did we meet?"

"I don't know. You just showed up one day. You and Nico were always together and then last night you just appeared in our room."

Last night, Megan thought. Something happened last night, but not what everyone's saying. Disgusting people.

And then he asked a question which fit to well with the whispers around them. "How long have you and Nico been dating?"

Megan almost laughed. From everyone around them, it sounded terrible. But from Leo, plausible, and he sounded hurt at the idea that Megan would do that. "Leo, don't listen to the rumors. I may have a terrible memory, but I'd remember dating him. Besides, Nico and I could never be together. It wouldn't work out." She had to admit that Nico was cute, but in a little brother kind of way. He was not a potential suitor.