Daughter of Light
Chapter 1
Lost. She was lost. The little girl looked around and panicked. She was on the water at the
beach, and came out and her mother was gone.
“Mommy?” She she said softly.
The little girl started to cry. “Mommy?!”
Someone at the beach turned, and walked up to her. The stranger examined her carefully
before his eyes widened. He walked closer, and knelt down.
“Hello there. What’s wrong.” The little girl looked up at the young man. He looked about
twenty one, had golden hair tied into a man bun, tan glowing like skin, and blue eyes like the sky.
The little girl couldn’t say anything with how much tears were in her eyes. Somehow the
stranger already knew. He put a hand on her shoulder, and pulled her over. The girl looked at
him, because the warmth from his skin, felt like the sun hitting skin on a cold day.
It was perfect.
The man looked at her, as her tears slowly stopped. The stranger smiled, and started to sing
softly to her.
“Σιγά μικρέ, θα είναι εντάξει. Ο πατέρας είναι εδώ για να σας πάρει πίσω.”
The little girl’s eyes drooped, and she fell asleep. The stranger picked her up, and heard
something.
“Please bring her back! Please I beg of you.”
The stranger turned like he knew, and walked. He held the little girl closely, and glared at
anyone who gazed upon her. He walked further down the beach, and saw a woman
frantically looking around asking people something. The woman turned and her eyes fell on him,
and her sleeping daughter. She froze, and gave a shocked smile.
The stranger brought her over, and handed her to the woman. “Is she out cold? How?”
The woman said laying the little girl. The man smile and looked at the woman.
“Simple song. She might be out for a hour, or thirty minutes... or um—”
2 “You don’t know do you.” The woman said giving him a side eye. The man shrugged and
shook his head smiling. The woman put a towel over the girl, to block the sun, and the man
shook his head.
“She’s not going to get sun burn Elisabeth.”
“I know, but if she’s going to be out for gods know how then might as well giver he a
blanket.” Elisabeth, the mother said. She had black hair, and pale skin. She had green eyes and
freckles.
Elisabeth walked up to the man.
His smile faded.
“When she reaches the right age, take her to Camp Half-Blood. Please. Give her this.” He
said softly.
He pulled a bow and arrow from who knows were, and gave it to Elisabeth. It was a
beautiful bow, with white wood, golden carvings, and a leather handle. The mother nodded softly
and set the bow down. She looked at the arrows with bronze tips.
“Thank you.”
“No problem at all.” The man said turning to leave. The woman grabbed his hand, as he
walked away.
“Apollo.” She said getting his attention.
“Yes?” He said turning back. The woman looked at her daughter.
“Stay, you won’t get to know her until it’s to late. At least we can be a family for one day.”
Elisabeth said softly.
Apollo looked at her, and smiled. “Fine... just one day.” He said smiling as he sat down on
the sand with Elisabeth. He looked at her and smiled.
“Your my favorite mortal woman I have ever met.”
Elisabeth smiled and blushed. Apollo looked back at his sleeping daughter, and smiled.
Present day
I opened my eyes and smacked the annoying alarm clock next to the bunk bed. It wouldn’t
stop so I smacked it again.
It didn’t stop.
3 I grasped the clock and chucked it against the wall. I smiled as it broke to pieces, and laid
back down.
“GET UP GET READY, TIME FOR SCHOOL!” My stepfather yelled to the whole
apartment complex.
“UGH!”
“Shut up!” My stepsister yelled.
I put on my uniform, and grabbed a bowl of cereal. I looked up at my stepdad, Bexter, who
made eggs for his kids. It was obvious that he proffered his real children other than me, but
sometimes he gave me cool things, so it wasn’t all that bad.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
“Eating.”
“No, go brush your hair, get your shoes on!” He demanded. I didn’t fight back, because
there was no reason to. I walked to the bathroom, and grabbed my hairbrush. I looked at
myself for a minute. I looked nothing like my stepdad and step sister, or even my mother. I had
long golden blonde hair, blue eyes, and tanish skin that made it look like I was always in the sun.
Was I?
No.
I actually staid inside to write, play piano, or guitar. It was what I enjoyed doing after all. I
started to brush my hair, and it didn’t take long.
“What are you doing?”
I rolled my eyes and looked at Micah, my stepsister.
“Getting ready for school.” I snapped.
She rolled her eyes, and grabbed her hair brush and brushed her brown hair. “Got a test? I
hope you fail again.” She said smiling.
I glared at her. I had something called dyslexia, which made it hard in school. I did try and
learn everything I could, but it was hard.
I kept my glare on her, I wished she would just feel pain.
I walked out, and grabbed my backpack.
“Bye Bexter.” I said hoping to be on his good side today. He looked up at me and waved. I
walked out of the apartment, and down to the streets of New York. The buss came and picked
me up, and I put in my AirPods and listened to my music. Literally my music. Mom was helping
4 me write stories, busy correcting my grammar and spelling due to my Dyslexia, and even
recorded me. I felt proud to have a mother who cared, but it also meant she didn’t tell me much.
The buss stoped and I went ahead to class and sat down. I took out my AirPods, and put
them away.
“Astraea.”
I looked up at my friend. His name was Grover. He was kinda disabled in his legs, and had
crutches. Not to mention he looked a bit old for a seventh grader, as he seemed to have little
whiskers above his lip, but it was fine. He had bushy brown hair and allayed wore a baseball hat. I
didn’t care how he looked, because he was my only friend, and I was his. He set his crutches to
the side and sat down next to me.
“How are you?”
“Fine, you?”
Grover shrugged. “I’m alright. Nothing really changes for me.” He said pulling out a pencil.
I groaned as I pulled out my notes to study really quickly.
“Astraea, what’s wrong?” Grover asked. It was like he knew exactly my emotions.
“I’m going to fail Grover. No matter how hard I study I just fail. My grade average is a C-.
A C-!” I said angrily.
Grover look down, and I knew he felt empathetic.
Class ended, and I turned in my test. I walked over to the gym with Grover, and hung my
head.
“It’s going to be alright. I mean, I know someone who got kicked out of seven school’s in six
years.” Grover said trying to raise my spirits.
“Why?”
“Because he is very impulsive. It’s actually annoying. He also has Dyslexia, and he is
strategy smart. Your book and strategy smart, and well school is um. Well actually that’s a great
question. What type of smart does school teach?”
I bursted out laughing, and smiled, as I walked in.
Grover had an excuse not to participate. Me… I had to. I always finished the mile run first
but I was exhausted. I laid down in the grass and let the sun hit me. It always made everyone else
5 hot and sweaty but not me. It also always made me wonder about my father. Mom never talked
about him, and when she did she always withheld a lot of stuff. I knew she knew something, and
she knew I knew.
“Look dead.” Grover said laughing.
“Whatever.” I said sitting up. I looked up and everyone disappeared. “Grover… where did
everyone go?”
“I… I don’t know.” He said softly. We both stood up, and looked around ourselves. I got a
eerie feeling like how have before. Just the other day, someone tried to grab me, and their eyes
looked like snake eyes.
This was different.
Clouds appeared out of nowhere, making it dark.
“Astraea.” Me and Grover jumped up and turned to the gym coach.
“Coach Lincoln! Where did everyone go?” I asked impatiently. I was terrified, and wanted
inside.
Grover seemed to smell the air, and then grabbed me. “RUN!” He yelled. I looked up yah
coach who suddenly had one eyes. I turned to run, as Grover slapped the coach with his crutch
and turned to run with me. I ran as hard I I could before hitting the ground. My foot was tangled
on a branched. The coach ran at us, and Grover turned around. He pulled out a pipe and I
glared at him.
“YOUR GOING TO PLAY MUSIC RIGHT NOW?!?” I yelled at him.
Suddenly the vines around my ankle let go and Grover helped me up. I looked at the coach
who grabbed Grover and flung him into a tree.
I turned and ran to Grover. I helped him up, as he winced. “Your ankle is broken.” I said
calmly. Wait… how did I know? Grover looked up at the very strong coach, and glared at him.
Now I wished he felt pain.
“Astraea, here.” He pointed to a bow and arrow, that randomly appeared. It was old, but I
grabbed it. I went to hand it to Grover.
“I can’t shoot it. You do it.”
“I don’t know how!”
“JUST DO IT!”
6 The coach punched me, and I hit a pine tree. I hit the ground and looked up at Coach
Lincoln. He had a literally tree in his hand and was about to kill me when he froze. He took a
step back and black blotches formed on his body. It remained me if the Black Plague.
He dropped the tree and I picked up the bow and shot it at him multiple times. Golden dust
suddenly appeared and he was gone.
I looked at Grover who had a grave facial expression. He looked up at me, and stood up
weakly. I helped him get to his crutches, and he picked them up.
We were silent for a a while as we walked back to the main part of the school. All I knew
was that I was going to be dead meat.
7 Chapter 2
I walked into the apartment and only mom was home. She looked at me and her eyes
widened.
“What happened?!” She begged running over to me. I shrugged. I didn’t actually
understand what happened.
“Um… coach was like a… one eyed guy. And then he tried to kill me and my friend with a
tree… then he got the Plague… then I hit him with some random bow and arrow and he turned
to gold.” I tried to explain.
Mom didn’t say I was crazy for once. Half the time when something like this happened she
said it was in my imagination, but now she nodded. “Pack your things. No electronics, so they
can’t find you. Understand?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Do you understand Astraea?!” She begged with worry. I nodded and ran to my room, and
started to pack into my backpack and an old brown suitcase.
We walked down to the car and mom drove. I wanted to tell Grover and ask what the heck
is pipes did back at school, but now I couldn’t. We drove in silence and mom kept checking the
car mirrors, and saying random stuff like, “Thank the gods… please let them be gone… oh
thank you.”
I wondered what the heck was going on at he whole time and tried to ask but she said
everything would be explained later.
“Mom, please. It’s making you worried.”
“Yes, and I said at by everything would be explained la— AH!”
She slammed the brakes and I almost went flying, lucky I had a seatbelt on. I flung back
into the seat and hit my head, but I was fine. Mom jumped out of the car, and started yelling at
someone. I got of the car of curiosity and my face fell.
“GROVER?!”
Grover looked up at me and stood up. The bottom half of his body was kind of like a
donkey, or sheep.
8 “Astraea you know him?”
“Yeah… He’s in my class. What the heck are you doing here?! And um whats with the
um…” My voice trailed off as Grover rolled his eyes.
Grover ended up getting in the backseat, and told us where we were going. I looked at
Grover then my mom.
“What’s happening?! Mom, what is going on?! I almost got killed, and now my best friend is
a donkey!”
“IM NOT A DONKEY! I am part goat! Every time I swear!” He complained. I rolled my
eyes, and turned to Grover.
“Im really sorry if I offended you, but what is going on?!”
“Your a half blood—”
“Say one more word goat boy and I’ll send you to Hades myself.” Mom snapped. My
eyebrows raised. It was the first time mom had ever said something like that, and me and Grover
were terrified of her.
“Mrs. Lakeshead, she’s about to find out. Um turn left onto that dirt road.”
Mom turned the car as Grover continued to talk. “And well it would be easier if she knew
now, rather than watched the video… STOP!”
The car came to a halt as Mom and Grover jumped out. I grabbed my stuff and got out
too. “Grover,” she said turning to him. “Charon has something for her I gave him. Remind him
of that.” Grover nodded and mom looked at me and kissed my forehead.
“Astraea, your a half-blood. The gods in Greek mythological are real. Your father is one of
them. Go now.” She said in a hurry through tears.
I nodded my head and hugged her, and Grover looked at me. “We have to go now.” He
said softly.
I nodded again and ran with Grover. I looked back at my mom, who waved. I waved and
ran into the woods.
Grover led me through the woods and to a clearing. We were on a hill, and a large barn
stood at the bottom.
“We’re going to go done there.” Grover said taking off his hat. He had little horns in his
hair, and now I knew why he wore a hat.
9 “Your a Satyr aren’t you Grover?” I asked. Grover nodded as we walked down.
“Yeah I am. You’re the first one I didn’t have to explain that to. Not to mention you’re
really lucky we didn’t run into another monster on our way over here.” Grover said as he opened
the door for me.
I walked in and saw two people playing poker. One was in a wheelchair and the other
was… well, he was wearing a tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt and purple running shoes.
“Ah Grover, good to see you haven’t failed.” The man in the tiger-striped shirt said.
Grover hung his head. “I only failed twice.” He said under his breath.
“At least this one is alive.” The man said, clearly hearing what Grover said.
“The other ones lived too!”
“Your first mission resulted in Thalia turning into a tree.”
“Mr D, please calm down.” The man in the wheelchair said. He looked at me, and had a
twinkle in his eyes, and a kind expression. “Grover, does she know? Do we have to show the
video?”
“No sir, although I should explain how the camp was founded, and how you are claimed.”
Grover said. Grover then looked at me and saw my confused expression. “Oh, Charon, her
mother said you had something for her.”
The man in the wheelchair nodded and jumped out of it. He had a horse’s body, and the
top half was human. He was a Centaur.
“Hello Astraea. I am Charon, the activities director. I believe your mother wanted me to
give this to you.”
I nodded as he grabbed a white bow and arrow with golden carving. The handle was made
of beautiful leather. He handed me the arrows, and they had bronze at the end of them.
“Thank you sir.”
“No problem. Your father gave them to your mother, who gave them to me to give to you
now.”
I looked up at him. The question that I had always had my whole life could finally be
answered. “Who is my father?” I asked.
Mr D looked at me. “Won’t know till your claimed kid. Now get your shirt and scram.” He
said bitterly. I glared at him for a second before I saw the smile on Charon.
“Grover, show Astraea to cabin eleven for the meantime.”
10 “Yes sir. Come with me.” Grover said. I nodded as he handed me a bright orange shirt, that
read Camp Half-Blood.
Grover explained almost everything in the span of two minutes. We walked down all of the
cabins, and he stopped at Cabin 3. “Remember when I told you about Percy Jackson?”
“Yes. You mentioned him like fifty times.” I said laughing.
Grover’s face whet red with embarrassment. “Oh. Anyways this is his place. I think you two
would be good friends.” Grover said firmly. I nodded as we continued to walk. We stopped at
Cabin 11, and Grover handed me my suitcase.
“Be careful. Herme’s kids are good thieves. Lost my favorite hat in there.” He said angrily. I
nodded. “And you stay here until you get claimed.”
“Yup. Thanks.”
“Anytime really. Capture the flag is tomorrow after lunch. I’ll try and get you some training
early.”
I looked at Grover. “For me? Why?”
Grover shrugged. “You just remind me of my friends.” Grover said smiling. He opened the
door for me and the whole cabin froze.
“Claimed or not claimed?”
“Unclaimed.”
The whole cabin groaned, and I kinda agreed. If some new kid walked in, and might not
stay I might be mad too. I was soon directed to the floor in the corner of the cabin, but I didn’t
mind really.
Dinner came by quickly, and I lined up with the cabin as we were taken to dinner. I sat
away from the cabin, and to be honest nobody cared. I picked at my food, and sighed. I missed
my mom. She had seemed so worried.
“Astraea!”
I looked up at Grover walking over with someone. He was tall, thin, black hair, and green
eyes. He looked at me and waved.
“Hi. Grover was telling me that he wanted me to give you Lessons before capture the flag.”
The boy said softly. He looked at me and covered grovers ears.
11 “HEY!” Grover bleated.
“To be honest, I would have said yes. But being that Grover is a friend who won’t stop
nagging I had to say yes within a millisecond. Am I right?” The boy said letting go of Grover.
“PERCY! What the heck!?”
Percy Jackson shrugged, and looked at me. “Grover also said you have a good aim with bow
and arrows, and that you got a nice one.” He said smiling. He walked away and sat alone at his
own table, but didn’t seem to mind. I smiled at Grover as he hopped away, and was glad I still
had him as a friend.
I sat down in Hermes Cabin on my blanket on the floor. I didn’t mind really, but I hope that
you claimed soon. Some of the other kids were telling me that sometimes it took up to two
summers. The kid next to me sat down too, and looked at me.
“Unclaimed too?”
“Yup. First time here too?”
“Yup.” The boy said. He looked past me at my guitar, sitting against the wall.
“Do you play?” He asked. I looked at it and smiled.
“Yeah actually. I find it calming.” I said smiling. The boy smiled. He had brown hair, with
red streaks, and dark brown eyes.
“Well play something.” He said smiling.
“Oh um… any preferences?”
He looked at me. A small smile crossed his face again. “Can you do—”
“Alright Hermes! Time to go to the fire pit!” The counselor said.
“Bring the guitar!” The boy said as everyone stood up. I nodded and grabbed it and walked
out with everyone.
I sat down on a log, and the boy sat next to me. One of the kids from Aries Cabin looked at
me. “Hey you! Play something!”
I shrugged and played Rush E. People were talking as normal but soon it faded.
Talking seem to stop as I started to play faster.
“STOP!” Everyone turned and looked at Mr D, who came down. By this point I already
knew he was Dionysus, god of wine, and my guess ‘Ruiner of fun’.
12 “Come on! We are enjoying it!” Percy yelled.
“Mr Jason will you shut up!”
“Will you?” Percy said with a smart mouth. Mr D looked at him, as Percy held up a hand.
“Please Mr killer of fun! Let us enjoy one day.”
Mr D rolled his eyes and walked away. Everyone got a smile on their face except for the
Dionysus Cabin. They kind of shook their heads. I turned to the bo next to me, from earlier.
“What did you want me to play earlier?”
“Oh! Um… do riptide!”
I nodded and started to play.
To my shock an angelic voice started to sing the lyrics, and I looked to see it was the boy. He
nudged me to keep going. Everyone started to clap along, and the fire started to rise and burn
brightly, which was a good thing. I kept playing as everyone clapped the beat, and the boy sung.
“I just gotta know… if your gonna stay. I just gotta know, I can’t have it another way. I
swear she’s destined For the screens. Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen,
oh…”
He kept singing and well I ended up joining in and playing. I hadn’t sung in years but it felt
good. He looked at me with a smile as we continued.
Suddenly the fire seemed dim, as a brighter light took over. It took me a minute because me
and the boy finished what we started. Nobody clapped but stay in aw. I looked up at the brightest
light I had ever seen over my head. It was the sun, the rays were arrows, and the center had a old
fashioned harp over my head.
I looked at the boy, who’s face was blank.
I looked over at Percy, who clearly read my, ‘What the heck is happening’ face.
“Astraea… daughter of Apollo.” Percy said smiling in shock.
13 Chapter 3
That night Mr D had me leave Hermes cabin, and I started to feel bad. The boy helped me
get my stuff together and I just felt worse.
“What’s your name?” I ended up asking, to keep him from noticing my down spirit.
“Cole! What about you Golden Girl?”
“Astraea.” I said softly. Cole looked at me, and his eyes had a soft expression.
“What’s wrong?”
I looked at Cole. “I… I feel bad. It’s my first night, and I already got claimed. I feel bad
because your stuck here.” I said softly.
Cole looked down. He looked back up with a smile. “Hey, maybe I’ll be claimed during
capture the flag.”
“You will.”
We both looked at each other. I didn’t mean to say that but… I… I knew? I looked down
with confusion.
Cole got a big grin. “Your Apollo’s daughter. He is the gif of sun, music, poem, and
prophecy.”
I shrugged. “Wait… do you think I just said a prophesy?”
“I don’t know. Do you?”
I gave a confused look and shrugged as he helped me with my stuff. I got to Cabin 7, and
the door was open for me. I looked in, and to my shock a lot of the kids had brown hair. Very few
had my golden hair… actually I only had golden hair. The rest were a beach blonde. I turned to
Cole and he handed me my bag.
“Thanks!”
“No problem. Anytime really.”
One of the kids walked up to me, and he grabbed my bag. “Your going to sleep on that
side. It’s for the girls.” He explained.
I turned to Cole who waved and walked away. “Bye.”
“Bye.” I said softly.
14 Cole left and I felt bad again. “Hey, get your stuff unpacked, and rest. We have a good
game of Capture the Flag tomorrow.” He said. He was beach blonde and tall and thin.
I nodded and turned to him. “Your name is…?”
“Will! My name is Will.”
I ended up training in the morning with Percy and a girl named Annabeth. To be honest
Annabeth reminded me of my mom, and she often yelled at Percy.
“THATS NOT MY PROBLEM!”
“PERCEUS JACKSON! ITS HER SECOND DAY!” Annabeth yelled. Percy put a cap
over his sword and it turned into a pen. He put it in his pocket and rolled his eyes. Annabeth
turned to me.
“You are very good with that bow, I am not worried about it. Your good with a shield too,
just the sword needs work. And—”
“By the time wise girl stops talking, Capture the Flag will be over.” Percy complained.
“Shut it seaweed brain!” Annabeth snapped.
Percy looked at his watch. “Shoot! We gotta get our armor on!”
Annabeth eyed Percy. I did too, because we were already wearing armer. Percy looked at us.
“It’s called a joke Owl Girl.” He said laughing.
I got into the line that I was divided onto. I looked up as Cole was put on the other team,
and I sighed. I wanted him to be on my team, but I was okay. Cole looked at me and shook his
head and I shrugged.
“I’m going easy on you!” He called.
“Sure!” I called back.
Cole gave a faint smile. “Okay Golden Girl! We’ll see!”
I nodded as we split up and headed into the woods.
Game on.
Annabeth gave a great battle plan, and it was really cool. We would have people in the
trees, and make it look like nobody was around. My role was to be kind of on a mountain like
15 hill, and shoot people with my arrows… that had tennis balls on them currently so I didn’t kill
anyone.
The game started and I was over the hill. It had a ledge leading about a two hundred foot
drop. I didn’t care, as long as I didn’t get close to the edge I was fine. We waited for… a while.
Before some kids came by. I turned and shot hitting both of them in the chest. They groaned and
I heard one swear.
I smiled to myself and looked at the bow. Then it made sense. I found a gold carving with
the sun on it. I didn’t know what my father looked like, or technically Apollo, but he obviously
cared enough to give me something. But why didn’t mom tell me who he was?
“Well well well, well well.”
I turned and pulled out my shield, and sword, wrapping the bow arrows around me. I
turned to see a smiling Cole.
He turned and slung his sword around. I pulled up my shield but Cole… he was really
good, as if it came naturally. He turned and hit me with the shield, and I flung back. I was close
to the edge, and I looked back. I ducked down and ran at Cole, slamming him down. He jumped
up, and flipped me over, and I hit the ground. I flung the helmet off and stuck my hands up.
“Cole the ledge!”
His eyes softened immediately and he reached down to help me up.
Crack.
I dropped down as the ledge gave.
My arm was grabbed, and I looked up at Cole. He started pulling me up.
Crack.
I fell again, and my hand was grabbed. I looked up at Cole who was holding on with one
arm. He adjusted his grip and started to try and pull the both of us up.
“Your very sweaty!” I said trying to old onto his hand.
His strained face looked at me. “Yeah… no kidding.” He said.
It my shock something happened. Cole’s face went a bright red, and his arm that was
holding onto the hill was pulling us up. His other hand squeezed mine, and he pulled. It was like
he got this powerful strength.
A bright red glow appeared.
It wasn’t as bright as the sun that appeared on my head but it was bright.
16 A shield with a spear down the middle, and the shield had a boars head.
Cole pulled the both of us up, before somebody got to us. He sat there for a minute before
looking up at the symbol on his head.
Charon ran up and looked at us. The red lit symbol was still over Cole’s head, and Charon
looked at him. He grabbed Cole and I and helped us up.
“I can’t believe your team ran to me instead of helping you two.” Charon said angrily.
I nodded as Cole looked to tiered to say anything. Charon let us ride on his back, as he
brought us to the big house. He set us down, and left. I looked at Cole, who looked ready to pass
out. The light over his head was fading, but Charon saw it.
“Cole.”
He looked up. “Yeah?”
It was hard to say thank you because well… he save my ding dang life. “Thank you… I
mean that’s the only way to say it.” I explained.
He smiled that nice smile and closed his eyes. “No problem Golden Girl.” He said softly.
“You we’re right too.” He added.
“About what?”
“I was claimed during capture the flag. You made a prophecy.” He said sitting up. I gave a
sight nod.
“I guess I did… who claimed you?”
Cole looked up.
“Ares, god of war.”
17 Chapter 4
STABLE DUTY?!? Mr D was insane! He gave me stable duty because I almost died?!?
This was mental. Percy and Annabeth offered to help me, but I told them it was fine. I mean I
was mad, but I wasn’t going to show it.
I finished with the poop, and cleaning when I decided to take a break. I washed my hands,
and sat down.
“Hi. Is this yours?” A man said walking up with my guitar.
“Um yes?” I said, as he handed it to me.
“You like playing it?” He asked.
I nodded. He watched as I played something simple. “You can do better.” He said. I looked
at him and raised an eyebrow. Then it hit me. I had seen him before. He looked about twenty
one, had golden hair tied into a man bun, tan glowing like skin, and blue eyes like the sky. I had
seen him when I was young. Then it hit me again.
We had the same hair, eyes, and skin.
Like a copy but a boy.
He smiled and picked up a wrench. “How’s your mom?”
I shrugged. “I actually don’t know right now.”
He nodded and walked over to me. He grabbed my bow and arrows, and held them.
“When you shoot keep your elbows up.”!
I nodded and gave a slight smile as he went on and on with tips and tricks. Finally, he
walked over to me with the bow. He showed me the sun carving on it.
“Press this.”
I did, and the bow and arrows turned into a golden necklace. It had a golden sun on the
end. “When you want the bow just press the same sun. Okay?”
I nodded as he put the necklace on me. He gave a warm smile and turned to walk out. I
looked down.
“Dad?”
He turned and smiled.
18 “Yeah?”
I wanted to ask a million questions and I knew he knew that. “Um… never mind. Thank
you.”
“Anytime kiddo.” He said. I watched as he walked to a white and gold chariot, and flew
away. I didn’t know what to say, so I headed back to Apollo cabin.
After a night of being there I was the only girl. To be honest, I liked it. Having six older
brother wasn’t bad, my favorite was Will, because he didn’t poke fun at me. I loved all of my
brothers, they were way better than Micah, and the treated me better than Bexter. In the center
of the cabin was like a mini hospital, and Mr D told everyone is they were hurt, sick, or dead to
come here to get help. Mostly me and Will did it together and he showed me how to use some
healing power.
Will sat up and tossed a toilet paper roll to Jason, (one of my brothers) who chucked it at
Marcus’s head (another brother).
“WHY ME?!?”
“Because.” Jason said smirking. Marcus walked out, and Jason chased him. Will shrugged
and walked over to my side of the cabin.
“Lunch is about to start. Go ahead over.” He told me.
“Oh okay.” I said leaving. To be honest I had been a little late to lunch on the other days so
I didn’t complain. I headed out and saw Cole. He had changed since he got claimed. Not in the
way he acted, or talked, but his appearance. He grew a little, and was fairly muscular for a twelve
year old like me.
“Hey!” He said running over.
“Hello. Going to lunch?”
“Yup. Hoping it’s not meatloaf again?”
“Yup!” I said laughing. Cole smiled and laughed a little. “How’s Ares Cabin?” I asked.
Cole’s face hardened. It then soften.
“It’s not bad. We have a punching bag for stress, or whatever you want to call it. My sisters
have already made fun of me, and brothers think I’m weird so… yeah.” He said softly.
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
19 “No! It’s fine! To be honest it’s better than Hermes! I lost my favorite pair of socks to those
thieves.” He said watching a Hermes girl with a side eye. I burst out laughing and stopped
walking.
“What?!”
“That… that’s what happened to me!” I said trying not to laugh. Now, it was Cole’s turn to
die. He laughed and looked ready to pass out. We stopped ourselves as we got side eyes from kids.
“Anyways, what’s with your siblings?” I asked.
Cole looked at me. “They said Ares, doesn’t sing, and his kids don’t either. Guess I’m the
odd one out.”
“Makes sense.”
He looked at me. “Ouch.” He said softly.
“No! It’s that he is the god of war! And well… him and his kids singing?!”
“Alright alright, I get it!”
“Do you?”
“THATS… yeah I do.” He said softly, but smiling. I smiled and kept walking to lunch with
Cole. To be honest, I was glad he wasn’t my brother, but I didn’t know why.
I ducked and put my shield up. I pulled my sword around and smacked Will’s side.
Obviously we were wearing armer, but it was a solid hit.
“That’s great!” He said. I looked up, and he swiped my feet from under me.
“Never let your guard down.” He said as I looked up at him. I nodded slightly as Will
helped me up. I looked at Will, as the sun set.
“Um… I… I met dad today.” I said softly.
Will turned and looked at me. He had a look of shock on his face. “Really?! He hasn’t done
that in a while!” Will said… he sounded excited. “Gave you the necklace didn’t he?” Will said
smiling.
“Uh yeah.”
Will turned around and glared at someone. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Will rolled his eyes
and looked at me.
“Ares Cabin.” He said walking up to someone. My other brothers walked up and watched
as Will had a argument with someone from Ares. I didn’t get why though.
20 “This is stupid.” Marcus said.
“Agreed.” Jason said folding his arms.
“Why can’t they leave us alone?!” Gabe (yet another brother) asked. The six of us siblings
shrugged. The argument between Will and the head of Ares got a bit yellyer… is that even a
word? Well it is now. It got the attention of a boy, who walked over.
“Is there a problem?” He asked. He had black hair, and eyes. Pale skin and wore a leather
jacket. Will looked at him and smiled.
“Well, Ares said they had it booked.”
“Did they?” He asked.
“YES WE DID!” The head said angrily. The boy and Will glanced at each other. “Fine
whatever. Apollo Cabin, do what ever.” Will said grabbing his sword angrily. We walked away as
the boy and Will started to talk. I glanced at Cole who walked past me. He looked at me with a
‘Sorry’ look on his face.
The boy talked to me a little, because I was the only girl. His name was Nico, and he was
sort of nice, sort of… terrifying. I was tuning my guitar in the stables, away from all the campers.
I didn’t want requests by random people.
“I… I’m sorry about earlier.” I looked up at Cole, who had his head hung.
“Oh it’s fine. To be honest I was done with having my butt handed to me.” I said firmly. I
got a small laugh from him. He sat down next to me, and looked at the wall.
“So what’s with the muscle?” I asked laughing. Cole looked at me, and shook his head. He
did try and hide a smile.
“Some dumb blessing, so I was told.” He explained. He looked down. It seemed like a
burden to him. I didn’t ask, but finished tuning my Guitar. He looked at it, and smiled.
“Do you know Little Talks?”
“Do I?!” I said smiling. I started to play, because I would gladly play anything Cole liked. It
was fun hanging out with, playing, and him singing along with his oddly angel like voice. I smiled
and played more, and I sing along too.
21 Chapter 5
“Nope!” I ducked down as a chunk of Lave went past my head. I looked up and reached
for the next part of the rock wall.
“Keep up Golden Girl!” I looked up at Cole who was practically at the top. I shook my
head and pulled myself up quicker. I actually got up pretty quick and caught up to him. I used
my energy and passed him.
“Keep up Hercules!” I called down. Cole eyed me for a second. He shook his head and
smiled and climbed up. “I’d prefer if you didn’t call me Hercules.” He said. I shrugged as we sat
at the top looking down at the camp.
“So… you gonna jump?”
Cole looked at me with wide eyes. “Are you crazy?!”
“No, I said you.” I said starting to climb down.
We reached the bottom, and walked over to a large gathering of campers. We looked at Mr
D, who’s eyes fell on me and Cole.
“Cooper! Go to the Oracle.”
“The what?”
Chiron walked up to us. “Cole, we would like you to speed with the Oracle of Delphi.
Normal this happens… differently, but this is important.”
I looked at Cole, who was just as confused as I was.
“I’ll walk you up Cole.” Chiron said smiling, but something told me is wasn’t exactly a
smiling matter. I turned to see Percy and Annabeth watching what was happening.
I walked up to them, and went ahead and asked the obvious, “What’s happening?” They
looked at me.
“Well he might have a quest.” Percy said simply.
I raised an eyebrow as Annabeth clarified saying, “A quest can only be given if a camper
receives a prophecy from the Oracle. A quest is also one of the few times that a camper will be
allowed to leave the safety of the camp, unless a you want to live in the mortal world during the
22 school year.” She explained. I nodded, pretending I understood exactly what she meant, but I
still had questions.
Moments passed and Cole hadn’t come back yet, until he finally did. You see, Cole was
Indian, but I could tell that something was up because his tan face was white as snow. He looked
afraid, and very confused.
“Did you get a prophecy boy?” Mr D asked.
Cole nodded slightly.
“You may pick two to go with you.” Chiron said with a stern face. Hands went up, but mine
stayed down. I wasn’t thinking, because I was more worried. Cole picked a kid from Demeter
Cabin, but was thinking of who else.
“Astraea.” He finally said. My eyes went wide and I pointed at myself.
“Me?”
“Um… yeah.” He explained with embarrassment. Percy pushed my back and I turned to
see him smirking. I walked over to Cole and the boy from Demeter Cabin. I had no clue what
this was for, and had no clue how it will affect me
“Get packed young heroes. You leave at dawn.”
“I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IM DOING!” I said packing my backpack early the
next morning.
All six of my brothers looked at me. Gabe tossed me a bronze dagger and it’s sheath. I
attached it to my side, as another brother named Bruce tossed me a nice shield.
I looked up at them. “You don’t have to give me this.” I said softly.
“It’s fine! I have more at home.” Gabe said.
“Same.” Bruce said nodding. I gave them a slight smile as I put on a jacket, and flung my
backpack up over my shoulder. I wondered why I was chosen by Cole to go, but I would just have
to hear the prophecy he was told… wait. He came out confused… I was the daughter of the sun
and prophecy god.
‘He probably wants me explain it along the way.’ I thought to myself. I turned back to all of my
brothers. I looked at Will who had helped me a lot in the span of half of two months.
“Thanks… and um… bye?”
“Bye!” Marcus said waving.
23 “Peace out Dude sis.” Kris with a K said. (My last brother).
“Goodbye!” Jason said smiling.
Gabe waved, and Bruce nodded.
Will nodded to and gave a thumbs up as I left the cabin. I stood outside the door, but
something felt off. I ran back in and hugged them. I grabbed my Guitar after I hugged them,
because I didn’t trust that it wouldn’t accidentally break.
I walked to where Cole was, and the Demeter boy.
“Tyler.” He said shaking my hand. I nodded and told him mine. I looked at Cole as we
walked to the edge of the camp and it’s boundary.
“Ready Hercules?” I said softly.
Cole looked at me. “Sure thing Golden Girl.” He said, and with that, we all took a step.
24 Chapter 6
The sun was barley up. It was still dark out, and you could see the stars. I looked up in the
sky and saw a star constellation I hadn’t seen before. It looked like a girl with her bow and arrow,
running in the stars. I thought I was crazy when I saw details of a silver crown like bandana on
her head.
We walked for a few hours way from the road, but staid close enough to read signs to see
where we were going. I glanced at Cole who’s head was hung, but he was still looking around.
“So… what are we doing exactly? And where are we supposed to be going?” I asked. Tyler
agreed with me, and Cole stayed silent.
“I… I don’t know exactly.” Cole said softly. I believe him as Tyler raised an eyebrow.
“Your telling me that you have no clue what we are supposed to do?!?” He said clearly mad.
Cole nodded slightly.
“The Oracle was confusing. It said al sorts of rhymes that didn’t make sense. All I know is
something about ‘Keeping the Light’.” He said softly. I looked at Tyler who was definitely mad,
but he didn’t say anything. Something else was bothering Cole, I could just tell, because his smile
he always had was gone.
I had my guitar, around me, and started to play something.
“Can you stop!? It’s going to attract more monsters then our sent. Why did you bring that?”
Tyler asked. I pulled Tyler aside but we still walked.
“Something is up with him, and I’m gonna find out.” I said softly. Tyler nodded. I knew he
wasn’t a bad person, but rather just trying to save our necks. We bought back up with Cole, and
walked more and more. We all arranged an idea, that at the first gas station we would get food. I
packed my money and Tyler did too. I offered Cole to get him something.
“I’m… I’m fine. Thank you though.” I nodded and heard a small hum. The three of us
immediately bundled up like sheep, before we heard a growl.
Tyler was the brave one as he looked around us. “Um… guys.” He said softly. He pulled me
and Cole back to keep us from walking.
“Yah?”
Cole didn’t say anything but turned his head.
25 Me and Cole turned to see it in front of us. I taped my necklace, as it turned into my bow. I
held it up, as Cole pulled his sword out, and Tyler his. A snarl came, from their fiery red eyes.
Hellhounds.
The two circled us we Tyler, Cole, and I stood back to back.
“Their searching for a weak spot!” I said to the boys.
Tyler swore and said, “Ah, that’s great.”
“I say we offer Tyler as bait.” Cole said darkly. I turned to Cole and saw a small red glow in
his eyes.
“Cole are you okay?”
“LOOK OUT!” I turned back over as one jumped at me, Tyler knocked it down with his
shield. I turned around and shot one with the bow in the eye. It turned and jumped at me, and
Cole jumped in front. He caught it’s mouth and held it in the air. I watched as his face strained,
and I heard a loud,
CRACK!
Cole dropped the hound, and it’s lower jaw was dangling, only there because of the skin.
Cole slammed it with his shield, knowing it off balance.
He jumped up flipping around, slashing the hound with his sword.
The hellhound quickly turned to a golden dust.
I turned to Tyler who had plants choking his out, because his power came from his mother
who was goddess of plants and stuff like that.
It wasn’t enough though, as the hound started to bit and claw away the vines.
I shot my arrow right at its stomach, and one at it head. The stomach didn’t do much, but
the one for the head hit it between the eyes, turning it to golden dust.
The three of us all looked at each other.
Silence.
We all just stood there. I tapped the sun on my bow, as it turned into a necklace. I put it on
and finally tied my hair back.
Tyler was the one who broke the ice saying, “Did you actually hold one up and brake it’s
jaw?”
Cole nodded slightly. I watched as the red from his eyes disappeared, and he still looked all
down beat.
26 “Who’s hungry?” I asked pointing to a gas station. Cole and Tyler nodded, and we walked
that direction. “Cole.” I said getting his attention. He turned and looked at me.
“Yeah?” He said putting his sword in its sheath. I wanted to tell him about the glow in his
eyes, but I didn’t.
“You saved my life again. I owe you now.”
To my joy a small smile crossed his face. “Guess you do huh?” He said giving a slight laugh.
I laughed with him. “At this rate, your gonna owe me till the end of times Golden Girl.” He said
smiling.
I shrugged. “Guess so Hercules.” I said nudging him. He nudged my back and fell back
hitting the ground.
“DID I DO THAT?!?” He said with a shocked expression. I nodded my head, as he helped
me up. “I-I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine dude.” I said punching his shoulder.
“Ow.” He said softly smiling. We looked up and Tyler was already at the gas station. Cole
son of Ares looked at me.
“Race you there.”
“Not if I beat you first.” I said running off.
“I DIDN’T SAY GO ASTRAEA!” He yelled behind me.
27 Chapter 7
I got a peach, and water for all of us. Being that Tyler brought the most money, we decided
to save his, incase we needed a ride. Cole lead us into the woods, and we came out at a beach. I
finished my peach, and tossed the seed into the grass.
“Where are we.”
“Twenty miles south of New York City, and forty degrees west.”
Me and Cole looked at Tyler. He had plant powers and navigation stuff too? All I could do
is we if you broke your leg and make you get the Black Plague.
Tyler looked at Cole. “So, where are we going?”
“Jersey.” He said softly.
Tyler nodded. “Seven more hours if we keep at this pass.” Tyler said smiling. I looked at the
water, as the sun set on it.
“We’re going to have to make camp.” I said.
The boys nodded in agreement, as we looked for a good spot in the woods to camp.
Cole had packed sleeping bags for all of us, and Tyler brought a fire starter. Cole stood up
and looked at us. “I’m gonna go get wood.” He said softly.
“I’ll help!” I said jumping up.
“And I’ll… stay here.” Tyler said softly, but he did have a hint of confusion. I walked
around with Cole, as he snapped large beaches off of trees. I held them until they got to heavy, so
he took them and held them with one arm.
“I think you have enough wood.” I said. Cole looked at me and then snapped another
branch down.
“Or we can set the forest on fire.” I said, earning a laugh from him.
“You know, it’s okay to have extra wood right?” He said. I shrugged, as he rolled his eyes
smiling. We turned back to camp, and Cole flung all the wood in front of Tyler. His eyes widened
as he looked at Cole.
28 “That’s a lot of wood pall.” He said in shock. Cole shrugged and tried to start a fire. It
didn’t work, and I saw his face strain. I took the fire starter from him, and showed Cole how it
worked, as I got the fire going.
“Oh… that’s how it works?” He asked.
I nodded and tossed the fire starter to Tyler. “The only reason I took it was because it
looked like you were ready to snap it to pieces.” I said softly.
“Oh… okay.” He said smiling through the embarrassment. Soon after we looked up to see
that Tyler had fallen sleep, and started snoring. Cole and I had to restrain ourselves from dying
of laughter.
I grabbed my guitar and tested how far asleep Tyler was, and he was out cold. I played a
little bit of anything really and talked with Cole.
“So, what’s up with you?” I asked.
Cole looked at me. “What do you mean?”
I punched his shoulder and this time it was me yelling ‘ow’. The kid was hard as steal.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just sprained a knuckle.” I said firmly. I looked up at Cole’s worried face. “Oh no no
no! I’m fine I swear! I’ll be good in a week tops!”
Cole looked down and shook his head. “Anyways, back to what my question was. What
going on? One minute your laughing, the next your depressed. And your… strong.” I said softly.
Cole hung his head more. He took a small breath.
“I… well Ares thought I was going to his… ‘golden child’, so he ‘blessed’ me with strength,
or whatever. I don’t like it at all. Plus, the guy thinks I’m to soft and nice. I mean that’s NOT MY
PROBLEM BUT—”
Cole caught my wide eyes and silenced himself. “It just sucks. I’m the butt of Ares Cabin’s
jokes, not to mention all the dumb workout stuff they started making me do. I’m glad I don’t
have to deal with it right now, but still. I don’t want to be strong, I’d rather be weak. Ares found
that out and had the lovely idea to boost my stupid strength, and well… I won’t stop getting
stronger till… till I loose my light?”
I looked at him as he seemed confused at the last part. “Was that apart if the prophecy?”
Cole turned right away and his eyes widened.
29 “I said to much. Oh wow look at the time! I’m so tiered!” He said pointing to his wrist,
which had no watch. I looked at him sympathetically. What ever that prophecy was seemed to
make him scared and agile.
I ended up going to the my sleeping back, and laying there. Cole’s head was right behind
mine and I thought about asking him more stuff but didn’t. He had just told me a wave of
information that made him mad. I decided to stick with that, and went to bed.
I opened my eyes, and felt warmth on my hand. I looked over and I saw Cole. His hand
was sort of holding mine.
My heart pounded.
I looked as he was still sleeping.
I didn’t I wow hat to do or say, but I just laid back down. What do I do? He was holding my
hand, and well I didn’t want to wake him. The worst part was I felt a odd feeling inside.
No… I didn’t… did I?
I looked at Cole who was sleeping, and my heart raised. I couldn’t believe what I felt, but
then it hit. I had loved him sense we met.
I took my hand away and sat up. My heart pounded, and my thoughts ran wild. I stood up
and walked out of the woods to the beach. I watched the sun rise, and to be honest, thought
about what my father would think, or my mom and even Bexter.
I looked at the sun, because it didn’t hurt my eyes… a part of me wishes it did. I sat there,
then a voice in my head rung.
The Son of War will slaughter them.
The peace will die, and he will cry.
The Daughter of Light will slice his eye,
When she is on the verge of death, the Son of War will mourn.
And when the sun sets on the final day of Camp, the strength in him will die, along with a light.
I jumped up. I looked at the woods and ran in. The boys were awake, and talking about
what ever they were. The looked up at me.
“What’s wrong?” Cole asked with small worry.
30 I resisted the prophecy to him and his face froze.
“That was what the Oracle wasn’t it!” I said firmly. Cole looked down and nodded. Tyler
looked between us and he too nodded.
“You knew?!”
Tyler nodded. “I was brought to help him de code it.” He said softly.
I glared at Cole. His face was hidden because his head was hung so low. “Why didn’t you
tell me?! I’m literally the child of the god of prophecy!” I said angrily.
Cole looked up, and had tears streaming down his eyes. He stood up angrily. “Because I
was afraid to tell you okay?! I didn’t want to because I was afraid!” He said coldly.
Tyler was a the one to get in between us. Vines wrapped around my feet, and same with
Cole, but we all knew it wouldn’t do anything.
I glared at Cole. “The prophecy says your going to kill people! And we are going to fight!
Blood will spill!” I said bitterly. Cole hung his head.
We all packed up, and I didn’t say it even look at Cole. I was to mad, and to broken
hearted.
31 Chapter 8
We reached the boarder, from New York and New Jersey, and I looked at Cole who kept
looking down. I looked at him, and felt bad. I really shouldn’t have reacted like that.
“Cole, what are we look for?”
He looked at me. “We’re supposed to talk to a god… my… my father. We’re supposed to
get something from him that Mr D needs.” Cole said softly.
I nodded, and Tyler did too.
We walked into a town, and looked at a small burger place. I looked at the boys, who’s
mouths were practicing drooling at the sight.
“Come on, let’s go.” I said firmly. I pulled them into the restaurant and the woman sat us
down. Naturally I made the excuse that our parents told us to get a seat. The boys sat next to
each other in the booth, and I sat across from them.
“Alright m, where are we going to find this guy… or well Ares?” Tyler asked. Cole
shrugged, along with me.
“I barely know the guy. I mean, it’s not like he’s gonna walk in.” Cole said sarcastically. We
all nodded. I turned and looked around, due to an odd feeling I felt. I turned to see a biker man
point to us.
“Guys… we have a problem.” The boys looked up as the biker walked to us. He was very
tall, and muscular. He sat down next to me, and I scooted as far as I could away.
“Hello boys… girl.” He said eyeing us all. I saw through his sunglasses and to red eyes that
made my blood boil. I looked away, and at the boys who didn’t see his eyes.
“So, let me get to business. Dionysus thinks I took something, so he send my boy to find
me.”
I looked at Cole who’s eyes widened. Ares took his glasses off and looked at us all in the
eyes. I watched Tyler’s fists clench but Cole seemed unfazed.
“Anyways. I want to send you all back, and tell him to keep his fat self out of my business.”
Ares said bitterly.
“So you took it.” I said simply.
32 Ares turned to me. A small evil smirk crossed his face. “Listen punk, you say nothing and
dear old Apollo won’t have to mourn. Understand?”
I shrugged, not looking at his eyes. “I mean it’s simple. You said you didn’t take anything m,
then say to stay out of your business. It’s kinda… well a dumb excuse.” I explained.
Area’s smirk disappeared, and became a angry frown. “You better shut it punk! You sound
just like your Moron of a father!”
I glared at Ares. I wanted to give him the Plague but it wouldn’t work on him. I looked at a
necklace he had on, and it was a golden right with grapes on it.
“Where’d you get that from? Dionysus?”
“Shut up you little—!”
“Don’t talk to her like that!”
Me, Tyler, and Ares looked at Cole. Cole’s face was full of anger. Ares’s smirk returned.
Like he was planning something.
“Cole, son, let’s take a walk.” He said standing up. Cole eyed his father but soon rolled his
eyes and stood up. I looked at Tyler.
I had an odd feeling that Ares was going to do something. Maybe it was the prophecy but
inside of me.
“Tyler, I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Agreed. The guy gives me the creeps.”
I looked at him. “True, but not what I mean. I think he’s going to use Cole.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. He looked outside and Ares smiled at Cole and Cole seemed
confused. Tyler nodded and looked at me. “If we’re going to do this, we are leading them out of
the city. We can’t have the mortals see, even is the mist hides it.”
I nodded in agreement. “Tyler I have a plan, but it’s… insane.” I said firmly. Tyler nodded
in agreement.
“Sometimes that’s all we need. Now, tell me your plan blondey.” He said leaning in. I
nodded and spilled the plan.
Tyler and I walked out after we noticed Cole and Ares disappeared. We payed the front
counter and said our parents changed their minds, and left. Tyler put his hands on the ground
33 and closed his eyes. He was going to listen to the plants, and they would tell him if Ares and Cole
were coming for us.
We walked out the city and I pulled out my shield, and tapped my necklace as it became a
bow. I looked at Tyler as vines pulled him up into a near by tree.
That was the sign.
I clung to my shield as I saw Ares and Cole walking over. Cole ran over to me and was
wearing sunglasses. I pretended I didn’t notice. “Cole, we should go tell Mr D what we found
out.”
“No.” He said firmly.
“Cole, we have too!” I pleaded.
“I said NO!” He said. He knocked me off my feet and I hit the ground, but rolled. I stood
up and held up my shield. Ares snapped his fingers and the sunglasses on Cole’s head
disappeared. His eyes were glowing a bright red, and so were Ares.
He had control on Cole.
“Kill her.”
Cole ran at me with his sword and I held up my shield. I smacked him with my bow and
tossed it to the side, so it wouldn’t break. I kicked Cole and he caught me and flung me over. I
looked at my guitar… it was broken to bits.
My heart sank and my anger boiled. I turned to the controlled Cole, who was about to kill
me. I rolled over and kicked his steal of a shin. I jumped up and tackled him with the shield. Cole
punched the shield and his fist went through.
I knocked his fist out and whacked him with the shield.
“WHY WONT’ YOU DIE!” Cole yelled. His voice sent shivers down my spine. It was a
mix of his and Ares. I looked at Ares who was standing in front of a tree, unaware of the vines
wrapping around his feet.
Cole went to tackle me and slash me with his sword. I held up my shield, and slid back
trying to beat his strength.
I kept sliding.
I thought back to the prophecy. I undid the dagger from its sheath and looked at the mind
controlled Cole.
34 “Sorry Hercules.” I said. I slashed his left eye, and flung him back. Cole yelled in pain. He
looked up as his eye was gushing. I knew I was the daughter of light, and I had slashed the Son
of War’s eye. Now, I didn’t blind him but it was a deep slice. He looked at me and charged with
his fist. I looked at Ares who had vines ready to choke him.
I knew there was one way to snap Cole out of this. I dropped my shield as Cole’s fist came
in slow motion.
“Dad… it’s not his fault.” I said softly. I closed my eyes as Cole punched my head Will all of
his strength.
Cole slammed Astraea as hard as he could. The second he touched her Ares’s spell wore
off. It was to late to stop. Cole looked around as his face pained him. He tapped his left eye and
felt a sharp pain. He looked as his hand was matted with blood. He looked at his knuckles that
had some blood too… but not his. He looked Ingrid him at the unconscious Astraea.
He ran to her and fell to his knees.
“Astraea?!?” He said softly.
His eyes started to tear up, and it pained him because his left eye lead salty tears onto his
deep slice. Her head was starting to bleed. He picked her head up slowly as more salty tears
poured down his face.
It didn’t take him wrong to realize… it was his fault.
He looked back at Are and pulled out his sword. The father and son still didn’t realize the
vines still wrapping around Ares.
“What are you going to do boy?! She’s dead.” Ares said laugh. Cole couldn’t say anything.
His heart wanted to die, but he wanted to kill. He looked at Ares and his grip tightened around
his sword.
Ares started to laugh. “You should die with her boy!” He said as a spear appeared in his
hand.
Cole looked up with his face matted in blood, and angry tears. “I don’t fear death. Death
should fear me.” He said coldly. He was going to protect her body from hard.
Suddenly ares flung into the air and then was getting choked by vines. Tyler appears with
his eyes glowing a bright green as his hands stretched out.
35 Cole saw an arrow barely miss Ares’s head. Cole turned to see Apollo. His was in a old
Greek Tunic, and his hair was down and to his shoulders. . His put his bow down and looked at
Cole for a second then Ares.
He walked over and grabbed the golden ring from his necklace from Ares. “Dionysus will
be looking for this.”
“Shut up—”
“I don’t think I will. Now scram before I tell father about, yet another betrayal.” Apollo said
bitterly. Ares nodded and Apollo let Tyler know he could release him from the vines. Apollo
walked back over and past Cole to Astraea.
“Is… is she dead?” Tyler asked softly.
Cole didn’t look up as he had no more tears left to cry. He was beyond tears.
“No son of Demeter. She’s in a small coma. Major concussion. Can I get some nectar?”
Apollo said looking at Cole. Tyler nodded and made a flower. Apollo grappled it and had Cole
drink the nectar.
Cole felt some relief from his face, but he couldn’t dare to even look at Astraea anymore.
“It’s not your fault boy. It’s that mo— Your not in Olympus Apollo… your around kids.”
He said softly. He tossed the ring to Tyler. “Take that back to camp. I’ll get you all a ride.” He
said picking up Astraea. Cole looked at her for a split second before turning his head away. Tyler
patted his back.
“Bro.. it’s fine. Your back to normal, and she’s not dead.”
Cole turned and looked at Tyler bitterly. “I brought you to keep me from being controlled! I
did that! I DID THAT!”
“Cole it’s not your—”
“SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!” Cole yelled.
Tyler looked at Cole. It hit Tyler, that Cole had felt things for her. Tyler nodded and walked
away, but willing to get into fight.
Apollo looked at the broken Cole. His face was better, and was bit a half scab and scar over
his eyebrow to his cheek. A golden chariot speared with white pegasus’s. Apollo set Astraea on a
chair, and told the boys to make sure she doesn’t hit her head again.
Apollo looked again at Cole. “I… I forgive you.” He said softly with a smile. Cole looked
up. He didn’t respond but looked down again.
36 Two of parts of the prophecy were through. ‘The Daughter of Light will slice his eye,When she is
on the verge of death, the Son of War will mourn.’
37 Chapter 9
I opened my eyes weakly. My head pounded and I couldn’t move. I closed my eyes and tried
to sit up.
“I recommend you don’t move.” A familiar voice said. I opened my eyes to see my father
looking at me.
“Been out for a good five days. Your mother punched me, and well… it hurt okay?” He
admitted walking over. I saw him get a cup of nectar, and I drank some.
“I can only give you so much. Half-Bloods could die from to much.”
I forced a nod, and looked at him. “I… is Cole okay?”
“Physical, yes. Mentally… I can’t heal that.” Apollo said softly. I nodded softly. Suddenly
loud music played as all six of my brothers ran in playing different instruments.
Will had a trumpet, Jason had a drum, Marcus had a tuba, Kris had a saxophone, Gabe
had a clarinet, and Bruce had a trombone.
“BOYS! The lady has a concussion! Put those instruments down!” Apollo said laughing,
and half mad. Bruce made a ‘whawhawhaaaa’ sound and they all put the stuff down.
“I didn’t expect the marching band to come in.” I said laughing, even though it hurt my
head a little. My brothers laughed and Bruce looked at the shield he gave me. A hole in it, from a
punch from Cole.
“Dang… how did this happen?”
“Um… I’d um… prefer not to say.” I said softly. The boys nodded and I looked at my dad,
who looked like he had something important to say.
“When you get better, I’m taking all seven of you to see ‘Hamilton’!” He said happily, and
me and the brothers laughed and clapped.
I wanted to play, but I remembered how my Guitar got destroyed. It hurt, but i had to suck
it up. I was happy my father grabbed my bow for me and put the necklace on, so I didn’t loose it,
bu ti had other things to worry about.
38 I walked up to Mr D, who seemed… happy to see me? He didn’t smile but his eyes said
everything. “I… I want to… th—th—tha…thank you.” He spat. I looked at his hand and the
golden ring was on it.
“Your married?!”
“Why does everyone respond like that?! Is it that hard to believe?!”
I kept my mouth shut. Mr D shook his head and rolled his eyes. I knew he didn’t want to be
nice to me but he was.
“Run off kid.” He said softly. I gladly did so.
It was the last night of camp and I had talked to Tyler. He said how Cole hadn’t been
talking to him or anyone really. It took me a while to find him, but it did. He was sitting in a tree
looking down.
“Hi!” I said hoping he’d look over. He didn’t, and I jumped up into the tree with him. He
didn’t look over, but looked down more.
“Why are you here?” He asked softly.
“Because I am Hercules.”
Cole looked up at me, and I saw a scar across his eye. He was missing some of his eyebrow.
It looked cool but major guilt flooded me. His eyes weren’t brown, but a maroon, but I knew it
was him, and not Ares.
“I hurt you. Almost killed you. Why are you here talking to me?” He asked shakily. I looked
at him and I saw small tears in his eyes. It hit me that he felt beyond guilty.
“Because your my friend. Friends don’t care if their friend was mind controlled. Friends
don’t care about accidents—”
“BUT IT WASN’T! HE MADE ME WANT TO!”
“AND FRIENDS CARE! They care wether the other likes it or not. I care! I care that you
care, because accidents happen!” Cole went to say something and I held up a finger. “Don’t say
anything! Okay?”
Cole looked down. “Your not going to let me fight you?”
“No. No I am not.” I said firmly. I punched his shoulder, spraining another knuckle. Cole
gave a slight smile.
39 “Don’t hurt yourself trying Golden Girl.” He said smiling his smile. I smiled, and trued to
hide my pink face.
“Come on, it’s the last camp fire.” I said jumping down. Cole followed and smiled at me. It
was hard to tell with his skin tone but his face had a small pink on it.
I walked out of the barrier and saw my mom. She ran up to me and kissed me. “Your
father told me what happened! Are you okay?!” I nodded as she kissed me again.
“Mom… I’m fine.”
She looked at me, and smiled. I looked over at Cole who walked to his mother. She had the
same Indian look as him, but black hair. Cole looked at me and waved.
“By Goldy!”
I rolled my eyes and waved by as he left. “What a nice looking boy.” My mom said behind
me. My face turned red as my mon looked at me. “Oh… is he a good one?”
“MOM STOP!”
The drive was nice, as me and mom talked. She seemed like she wanted to tell me
something, but not yet.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Um… do you actually live Bexter? Other campers were telling me their stepparent was
there to cover the Had-Blood sent.”
Mom looked at me. “Yes, I do love him, and he loves you wether you believe it or not. As a
matter of a fact, he got you something.”
“What?!”
I begged for mom to tell me, but she smiled and didn’t say another word till me got to the
apartment complex. I ran down the hall to our door, and knocked as hard and fast as one could
physically do. The door opened and I looked at Micah face to face. She rolled her eyes but I
walked in with mom. So, because I was a Half-Blood Micah moved out into Bexter’s ‘Study’.
I heard music and ran to my room. Bexter was trying to play a Guitar. It had beautiful
brown wood, and white designs. He looked at me. “Um… I can’t play… you want it
“YES!”
40 He stood up and handed it to me, and I saw him smile. He walked up and kissed my mom.
I guess she did find a guy she liked. They forced Micah to come in, and we looked at our parents.
“Girls, it’s about time we told you something.” Bexter said smiling.
Mom nodded. She took a breath, “You two aren’t going to be… alone.”
I pieced it together immediately. I glanced at Micah and who did too. She looked at me
with shock.
“No… y’all are joking right?” She asked.
Mom and Bexter shook their heads and mom hugged us. I had a feeling it was a boy. I had
a feeling I would get a baby brother named Brent.
41
