The Exchange

29- Hazel Hates Shadow Travelling

Hazel made her way to the portal with Frank. They didn't rush even though they had been given five minutes.

Hazel and Frank held hands as they walked through the streets of New Rome. Hazel had quickly changed out of her toga, but Frank was still in his Pretor cape and his toga.

They weren't speaking but Hazel could tell that Frank was anxious. “Frank what is it?” Hazel looked up at her boyfriend.

He was chewing on the inside of his cheek nervously, “I don't like this Hazel.”

“Don't like what?” Hazel frowned.

“This white flag of truce thing,” Frank told her, “I mean there's an entire army out there.”

“We're no safer inside the camps Frank,” Hazel stopped just infront of the portal and turned to look at him, “the camp Halfblood borders are designed to keep the odd monster out, or turn mortals away, and Terminus is pretty scary, I mean I has the whole smashing a giant in the face thing, but that was mostly Percy. Even Terminus can't turn away an army.”

“Okay,” Frank looked even more worried, “but I don't want you going alone, I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“Frank, I'll be fine,” Hazel grinned at him, “I swear on the river stud that I'll come back.”

Thunder rumbled off in the distance, Frank gave in, “okay, but I'm going to be waiting just inside the border.”

Hazel laughed, “I wasn't expecting anything less.”

They joined hands and walked through the portal.

********

Hazel hated portals almost as much as she hated shadow travelling.

Over the past two years she had gotten better at shadow travelling under the strict guidance of Nico and she had only ended up in random places four times (once she ended up in Rio, another time she ended up in France), but she still hated shadow travelling. She was always scared that she was going to actually become a shadow as she melted into them.

When she emerged on the other side of the portal she felt a sense of relief. Harry, Ginny, Percy and Annabeth were waiting there.

Percy grinned when he saw her and threw an arm around her shoulder.

“Hazel,” he smiled at her, “I've not seen you in a while.”

Hazel grinned back at him, “well that's because you took an extended vacation to the past.”

Percy shrugged, “what can I say? The weather is great there this time of year.” They laughed and began walking towards the border.

When they got there, Hazel, Percy and Harry continued out of the protective boundaries and towards where the white flag was hanging in a tree about ten meters away from the border.

Below the tree stood Hecate. She looked different than the first time Hazel had met her. For one thing her hair was black instead of blonde.

But that wasn't the only thing wrong.

“Hecate?” Percy growled at the goddess.

Hazel’s eyes adjusted and she saw through the mist. She stumbled backwards as she realised who the woman really was.

She had heard about her in myths, and Percy had described the woman to Hazel when he was telling her about his and Annabeth’s trip through Tartrus.

“That's not Heacte,” Hazel told them warily, “that's Nyx.” Instantly Nyx’s disguise disappeared.

Several things happened at once. Nyx pushed Percy and Harry so that they stumbled back across the Camp border. One of Nyx’s monsters grabbed Hazel from the back. Hazel tried to escape, but the monster’s grip was too strong. Nyx shot a stream of darkness out of her hands. It encircled the camp border and seemed to cling to it, creating a dome of darkness.

Then Nyx turned on Hazel.

“No escape,” she smiled evilly. And Hazel felt herself evaporate into the shadows. Reminding her yet again why she hated shadow travelling.

Yes VioletInk101 it was a trap...
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~Em xx