The Chosen Demigods

Chapter 44

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'M SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOO SORRY FOR HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO GET THIS OUT PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And yeah. Sorry. 

ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hazel's POV

I followed Will and the others anxiously. Cayden was the only person who'd gotten detention so far... I mean, what are the odds? Not to be paranoid or anything, but what if they suspected something? 

No... If we'd managed to tick of the faculty ourselves, we would have been given detention, right? And what am I doing worrying about our quest! Cayden's been tortured!

"Uh, Hazel?" Piper looked at me curiously. "Are you okay?" I gave her a wobbly smile and nodded mutely. The Selena and the boys veered left, and while they weren't running, they were walking fast enough that it was cutting quite close. As the stone doors of the infirmary came into view, Selena broke into a jog and darted into the medical space, with Will and Nico close behind. 

I came to a stop in front of the heavy doors, and licked my lips nervously. A silly action really. As if it would change anything. Slowly, I inched myself through the narrow gap in the doors. 

The first thing I saw wasn't Cayden, but the small crowd of people crowding his bed. I hurried over, almost running, and joined them. I felt my jaw drop. Cayden looked like he's just been on a short trip to Tartarus. 

His hair wet, and sticking to his forehead. Despite the fact Madam Pomfrey had clearly tried to wash it, the rest of him still reeked of sweat. His once pale skin had been painted a galaxy of blacks, browns and indigoes, along with a few cuts here and there. I winced at the sight of the blood on his dressings. 

The mess that was Divani was sitting in the chair beside his bed, and had been for a while now, judging by her messed up hair and crumpled uniform. She looked at me for a second with ghostly blank eyes, and then walked over and wrapped her arms around me. 

I gulped, taken aback. I wasn't a stranger to Divani's hugs, but usually there was a motherly air around them. Her arms would be around your forearms, and she would hold her own weight. This time however, she threw her hands around my shoulders, and leaned on me. Out of instinct, I wrapped my arms underneath hers, almost holding her up. I smiled softly as she dug her face into my shoulder. 

She stayed there for a few moments, before hastily pulling herself away. She gave me a smile resembling the one I gave Piper earlier, and ducked her head. 

"Sorry." she mumbled, her voice hoarse. 
"You're good." I said putting an arm around her shoulders. She smiled, and walked away to talk to Nico. I took the chance to survey the room. Will was talking to Madam Pomfrey as she fussed around Cayden's bed, both medics apparently discussing the possibility of sprained limbs. Piper was trying to calm a frantic Selena down, and Monica was standing in the corner with Nico. 

Before I knew what I was doing, I had walked over to the blue-eyed girl, and tapped her on the shoulder. Monica jumped, and adjusted her black-rimmed glasses. Realising it was me, she relaxed, and smiled. 

"Hello Hazel." she said in a soft tone. I returned her greeting, and followed her gaze toward Cayden.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd that out of everyone in the school, it's him who got detention first?" I asked her, not being able to hold back my worries. She gulped, and nodded. 

"You don't think they know about the locket, do you?" she turned to me fearfully. My lips morphed into a frown. I forgot about that...
"Well, I wouldn't judge too quickly." said Nico quietly. "But it's a possibility. We have to find a hiding spot, and fast." I surveyed the boy, and realised he was fiddling with his rings. Something's off. 

"Or," said Nico, grabbing my attention. "We could get rid of it for you." I stared at him alarmed. 

The objective of our quest was to get rid of the horcrux, but that was an extremely blunt way to ask her! Whatever happened to keeping a low profile! And not to mention, we can't let her think we're up to anything!

Monica stiffened at Nico's proposal, and the two of us exchanged fearful looks over her head. What if she rejected the offer?

I watched the italian girl carefully, and when I saw her muscles relax, mine followed suit. Thank the gods, she wasn't mad. 
"Yeah. If you could, that would be amazing." Nico's grim face broke into a smile, and I sighed in relief. Well that's a load off our shoulders. 

A hoarse voice rang through the room.
"Guys?" I turned my head so quickly that I swore that I heard it crick, and beamed when I saw Cayden awake, and looking around groggily. 

"What's going o-" before he could finish his sentence, Divani had thrown herself at the hufflepuff, and was now yelling at him. 
"WHY ON EARTH DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU GOT DETENTION YOU LITTLE BRAT? YOU ARE LUCKY I'M NOT USING THE CRUCIATUS CURSE ON YOU YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHI-"
"MISS ARJUN THIS IS AN INFIRMARY!" Divani winced, before laughing nervously. 

"Sorry Madam Pomfrey." she mumbled sheepishly, a underlying hint of red on her dark cheeks. Nico chuckled and walked over to Cayden. 
"She's got a point ya know, it would have been nice to have a heads up."
"A heads up?" said Will shrilly. "Heck I wouldn't have minded if you sent us a note in the middle of you being tortured!" 

"Calm down you two," I said walking up the them. I smiled slightly, seeing their confused expressions. "But..." I turned to Cayden, leaning down close to his face. 

"Let me be very clear when I say that if you don't tell us next time, I will kill you." I said glaring at him. The brown haired boy chuckled nervously, and nodded. 
"Yes mam." I smiled, and drew away. 

Leaving Divani and Selena to do their thing, I walked over to the boys and pulled Piper along with me. 

"Will, has Nico told you about the-"
"Change of plans?" The blue-eyed boy nodded. "Yeah." Piper stared at us confused. 
"What change of plans?"
"Nico straight up asked Monica whether we could destroy the locket, and she said yes."  said Will bluntly. I nodded. 
"So now we just have to figure out how to destroy them."  I said glumly. Piper groaned. 

"Well." said Nico sighing. "Let's get started."