Signs of a Storm

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter 17: Voices Influence My Friends

“Hey there, Tara.” I woke up to a calmly smiling camper. I had no clue who it was, so I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes to see clearer. Just to my luck, it was the only person who I didn’t want to see.

Leo.

“What’s up? Trying to save the world without me yet?”

“Never in my wildest dreams.” He chuckled in response. Hearing the sound made me smile wide. I hated to say it, but I did like Leo.

But I couldn’t. He loved someone else. My smile faded. I tried getting off the cot and succeeded. Before I could rush past Leo and exit, he tapped my shoulder.

 “Wait. Chiron told me it would be wise to tell you that you were passed out for three days. And while you were, you suffered from extreme cold, and nobody knows why. You became like ice, and your body temperature dropped so badly, we were afraid you’d… you know…” He trailed off, but I knew what he’d say. They thought I was going to die.

 “Proceed.” I allowed him to go on, and with each startling detail, my face became more like when I was knocked out.

It was Khione’s fault. I knew that much. She had made me literally into a Tara-pop. “You don’t look that good, are you cold again?” He came closer, but I didn’t want him to.

“St-stay b-back.” I shuddered, and it seemed he didn’t hear me. Leo tried to wrap me in a hug, to warm me up, but I stumbled backwards into a wall. He wasn’t acting like the isolated version of Leo that tried to avoid me at every chance he saw me. Maybe he was giving me another chance, but for now I was blowing it.

“He will abandon you.” Her voice came back into my mind. I whimpered and slid down the wall, clutching my head in my hands.

“Tara! Oh gods, are you alright?” He sat next to me and put his arms over me, creating a shield against the cold.

“You will be nothing left except a freezing figment with nobody who loves her.” I could tell Leo heard it too this time.

His hand blazed with fire, and he shouted out, “Who’s there? Stop messing with Tara!” Soon enough he’d figure out who it really was.

“Leo Valdez, long time no see.” She laughed in the wind.

His hand blazed so hot, even I had to back away a bit. The cold was no longer surrounding me, and I could finally get a grip on what was going on.

Leo was standing now, and hand both hands ablaze. I had no clue he could get so mad. The area where he was standing was smoking and sizzling. “Show yourself! Do you know how much pain you’ve caused me?!” He was in pure rage.