Stupid clicks at the deadliest time it's just like parents calling at the worst moments. My only hope is just that they aren't smart enough to look around the corners...yep we're dead.
Of course I always have to be right because Ledan looks around and sees both of us in the shadows. He quickly grabs both of our wrists sending gasps out of our mouths.
He forcefully drags us onto the shadow platform and into the middle forcing us onto our knees with everyone staring at us.
I feel a smirk come across Shadow's face having 2 of his 4 most wanted right at his knees. "These two were hiding behind the corners" Ledan says going back to his own spot by his father.
His father glares at us and a small chuckle escaped from his lips followed by a tiny smirk.
He walks from his spot looking down on us. "Spill it, what made that clicking sound your shoes couldn't have" he says his fangs purposely showing to scare us and it worked.
Siana hesitates to take the communicator out but she does. She probably knew that they would find it anyway and we have no other excuse.
He snatches the thing from her hand and turns it on we can here the beeping and the little Siri voice says "One new message, would you like to play it?"
He turns up the volume button so everyone at the meeting can hear it. I can hear the voice say "Voice message one" he obviously clicked the yes button and now he's going to let everyone hear Justine and Beatrice's message.
"Siana! Holly! We need your help! Come as quickly as possible to the Black Lake, there's this guy that's d-Justine! Look out!" Beatrice says. I also hear a loud scream in the background, that's definitely Justine's. The voice message goes out with a large crack sound.
The hall erupts in laughter, every family member laughing at Beatrice's panic and Justine's screams.
"Father, let me take it from here" Shadow says after the laughter dies down.
King Alptraum glares at him but steps back still holding the communicator.
"Well that was a pretty interesting message, 2 children from the eldest gods calling for help to two children of regular gods" Shadow says adding a little chuckle to his voice.
"Unfortunately you will not be able to help them in time, so I am prepared to give you an offer" he continues.
We look at each other and then look back at him. "What is it?" I say the first of me or Siana to speak.
"Knowing that little Shadow Dagger he'll kidnap those two until I give him a higher offer. I'm prepared to let you search this tower, go free afterwards, and I'll send soldiers to protect and heal your friends" he says.
"Okay that sounds like too good of an offer, what do you want in return?" Siana says.
Shadow does an amused smirk at her. "I thought you'd ask that. In return I expect Beatrice and Justine to be my prisoners" he says.
I knew it, too good of a deal, I don't want to say yes but it's tempting. He'd save both us and them but it would cost Justine and Beatrice their freedom.
"Oh don't be jealous girls, it will be your turn soon enough either way you all will be kidnapped, just two of you will do it sooner" he says. We gulp down our fears, he wants us all, why doesn't he just take us all?
We both hesitate answering, we're in a room with all of the Black family, some of the most powerful people in the universe. It's either Accept: walk out clean, and surrender two people
or
Deny: Suffer the wrath of the Black family, get captured, possibly have Beatrice and Justine captured later and Shadow will have all of us.
Unfortunately the answer is clear...we have to accept.
"Fine, it's a deal" I say, Siana looks at me for a second and realizes this is the only reasonable answer.
"Great, now you have to swear on the River Styx that you can will not break this deal" he says.
We hesitate but we say "We swear on the River Styx we will not break this deal". I suddenly feel that guilt weigh me down.
"Good, I want them in 3 months at the most, now get out of my sight!" He says growling at us to leave. We do exactly the that and start running off the platform afraid.
"Oh, and one more thing! Make sure Camp Half Blood doesn't know about this little deal" he says. We nod and quickly shuffle out hearing them laugh behind us.
********
We've searched this entire tower and still, no stupid black rose. I feel like the most idiotic person in the world right now. One of the options and he twisted it to make it seem like the black rose was here. Hopefully he kept his other parts of the deal and the others are safe.
I don't know how we'll have to break the news. Both not finding the Rose and the deal.
"Did you find it?" Georgia asks.
"No..." Siana says.
"Oh, well I'm sorry..." she says obviously feeling bad. Of course my momma bird instinct kicks in, I can't help that I love kids. I kneel so I'm eye level with her and grab her small hands.
"Surprised you know so much for a 7 year old girl" I say. She giggles, and rubs her head against her shoulder.
"I'm actually 8 and a half" she says as a smile breaks across her face.
Siana kneels down so she's eye level to her too.
"Well we're heading back to camp, would you like to come with?" She says.
"Could I?" She asks her face perking up.
"Of course. We welcome all sorts of kids and there are demigods your age that you can play with" I say.
"Come on let's go then!" She says pulling my hand trying to drag me out the door. She must really want to go, I wonder what the Black family treats their kids at a young age?
Uh oh, that's when I remembered we have a big problem on our hands.
•Since we're not meeting Justine and Beatrice we are supposed to head home.
•Shadow's castle, the black lake, and the tower we were just in are in another dimension from earth.
•To get back to earth we need open a portal
•To open the portal we need to use the Communicator and click it 5 times
• And King Alptraum has our communicator
