[ the second book in the drops of sunshine series ]
As much as she ended up loving her first one, AJ Hood never wanted to go on another quest. But somehow, she ended up on one anyway. And this time, it's not going to have a pretty ending... but at...
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~ ☼ ~
The look Aria had in those deep brown eyes could put my fangirling ways to shame. It was like she'd just met Patrick Stump. I swear, if I hadn't grabbed her arm, she would've fallen to her knees.
I'll admit, I was a bit shocked too. But it was more out of confusion. This was Artemis - the Artemis? My name sake was a scrawny, red haired teenager?
That being said, even if she looked 14, she did have a startling aura around her, like an alpha wolf leading her pack.
The goddess walked forward, her maidens behind her, and nodded at each of us. "Half-bloods. What are you doing here?"
"We're on a quest," Kiera answered, coming up beside her friend - Aria - and putting a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to Chicago to find the sword of Peleus. I got a prophecy from the Oracle at Camp Half-Blood. My name is Kiera Bane."
Artemis narrowed her eyes. The dark-skinned girl next to her watched Aria warily. And the other one, with the freckles, smiled at Kiera.
"I know you," she said, stepping forward. "You were on border patrol the day I came to life."
Kiera grinned proudly. "That's me. And you're Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus."
I blinked.
I'd never seen Thalia before, but I thought back to what the girls told me, about she and Percy and a few others questing over the winter before she joined the Hunters of Artemis.
Last summer, Aria had told me she desperately wanted to meet Artemis, and join that same team. The team that had 3 members standing in front of us right now. No wonder the girl was still slightly quivering.
"This is my best friend, Aria Nalau'i," Kiera said, patting Aria's head like she was her new puppy. "And over there, that's AJ Hood, daughter of Apollo, and Lucas Burgess, son of Athena."
Artemis flicked her gaze towards me, and gave me a sort of knowing expression I couldn't completely decipher. Behind her, the other girl scowled.
"4 people on a quest? That's bad luck."
Lucas frowned, Kiera dropped her hand, and Aria shifted uncomfortably. Bad luck? That's news to me.
I tried not to glower at my questmates, but it was useless anyways, as they were all avoiding my eyes.
"We're doing our best," Kiera stated sharply. "What are you here for?"
