The Daughter of Apollo

Chapter Twenty-Six: Choices

Chapter Twenty-Six-Choices

Over the next couple of days, I realized I could hear Drew talking to himself under his breath. I had been refusing to speak to him, to eat anything he'd given me, not that I was that hungry anyways. But because of that, my sense of hearing seemed to have heightened. I heard the noises of rats scuttling across the floor much louder and clearer. And if I concentrated hard enough, I could hear the heartbeats of the others.

"No, it isn't right. Jaycee said so," I heard my brother's voice say under his breath in a sad, heartbroken tone. Then it changed to a more aggressive and angry one. "They ignored you. Made her leave again. She promised she wouldn't! They must pay!"

"But she's my sister," Drew whispered to himself. "She left you," The harsh and cold voice said. It sounded ancient and evil. "She said it wasn't my fault," Drew insisted, trying to persuade this split personality. "She lies! She left you alone!"

"She left me alone," He repeated angrily. I could hear his knuckles pop as he clenched them into a tight fist. I wish Connor, Nico, and the others would get here sooner...

"Psssst!" A voice said from behind. I jumped and turned, fist clenched and already pulled back, ready to punch the potential threat. I searched the shadows, seeing nothing, then listened. "Psst!" It called again, and I suddenly recognized the voice.

"Nico?" I asked cautiously, not relaxing the slightest.

"Nah, it's the Easter Bunny. Course its Nico! Do you know anyone else who can shadow travel?" I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, yeah. Tons!" I said sarcastically, before dropping my fists but staying on high-alert. "Where are the others?"

"Close. Don't worry. We'll get you out of here!" He assured me. I subconsciously glanced back at my family.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I muttered under my breath before saying louder so Nico could here, "And my family. We got to save them too." Nico seemed to notice for the first time that there were other people here with us but he didn't argue. He just nodded and had me fill him in on what's been happening and I had him tell me of progress.

"Something weird's happening back at Camp. I don't know. It just doesn't...feel right. Like something big and bad is about to happen you know?" As he said that, I thought about my latest nightmare. A battle scene it had looked like. I had a feeling about what was coming.

"I know what you mean. Drew's been talking to himself. It's like he's arguing with someone," I confessed. Nico looked confused and like I may have just confirmed something.

"I better look into it. But first I'll tell Connor and the others your whereabouts. Then I'm going on a quest of my own." I just nodded, not knowing what else to do. I felt useless sitting in this cell. Like the damsel in distress. I hated being the damsel. My anger at my uselessness built up as the seconds ticked by. Eventually, my eyelids grew heavy and fluttered to a close. A dreamless sleep daunted me for hours until I heard my brother roar with rage.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" He screamed; his voice cracked like it did when he was going through puberty. Then it softened. "I don't know...she was here earlier."

It switched again. "This is your fault, you useless, pathetic excuse for a demigod!"

"Please...I-I didn't do anything."

"Don't talk back to me! I am your mistress! And you shall do as I tell you! Find the girl! Without her, we will not get hold of the son of Hades and his friends!"

I opened an eyelid. I was exactly where I had been when I fell asleep. I was right in front of Drew, lying on the ground. How could he not see me? Maybe...I'd heard that I could, but...maybe, just maybe...