~NICO~
~Nico~I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket and pulled it out to see a number I didn't recognize. I frowned at it and elbowed Will next to me and showed him the screen.
"Answer it!" His confidence reassured me and I did, even though we would probably we swarmed my monsters and ambushed because of it. I shakily answered it and heard a voice I vaguely recognized. Is it possible that was...
"Hazel?" I asked. Surely it wasn't her. She was the last person I expected to call. How would she have even gotten my number, anyway?
She giggled, "Who else would I be?" Anyone but herself, that's who. I felt Will move closer and put his ear on the other side of the phone in a failed eavesdropping attempt. I rolled my eyes at him and put it on speakerphone.
"I don't know. So, what's up?" I felt so awkward talking to her, even though she was my sister. We hadn't spoken in years, and she sounded so different. There was hardly a trace of her cute little 1920's accent or lingo. It sort of depressed me even more. Not that I could complain, though. I most certainly did not look or sound very Italian.
"I'm with Percy and Annabeth. Where are you right now?" She was with them before she came to me? I had to admit that stung a little, even though she was probably closer to them. Those three and Jason were the only of the seven that I was sure had stayed in New York. I was in Colorado because Will had family here.
"Colorado with Will, why?" She paused like she was referring my message to someone, probably the Percabeth.
"Can you shadow travel to specific people instead of places?" She asked. Will looked at me nervously. Since I'd nearly died transporting the Athena Parthenon, he wasn't comfortable with me doing 'deathly stuff'. I looked at him and whispered, "She's my sister. Please?" He gave in and nodded reluctantly.
"Yeah... You want me to come?"
"Of course I do. I'm not just calling to attract monsters and judge your abilities." I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Okay. I'll be there in a minute." I hung up. Sorry, but I wasn't one for saying goodbye. Goodbyes were too sad for me. They reminded me of all the times I didn't have the chance to say it.
"What do you think is going on?" Will asked, standing. I shrugged and stood with him, smirking when I was reminded that I was a few inches taller than him.
"She didn't sound rushed, so I doubt there was trouble. Maybe just a reunion or something." I looked around for a sufficient shadow and didn't see any good ones. I started walking, followed by Will.
"Sounds about right." He agreed and started looking for shadows as well.
"Even though I wasn't a part of any significant prophecies. I'm probably a Leo replacement." Will winced at the lack of emotion in my voice as I brought up our missing friend. I'd become convinced that he wasn't dead, even though both Hazel and I had felt him die. I couldn't call his soul, which means he's either alive or had chosen rebirth. The closest I got to Leo was Sammy. I have to say I actually enjoyed talking to him, as creepy as it was.
Will hit my on the shoulder, "You are not a replacement," He insisted, "You had just as much to do with saving the camp as anyone else did, probably even more. So don't tell me for a second that you're just a replacement." He had this crazy idea that I needed to be pelted with positivity and pills to keep my depression under control. I was totally fine!
"That sounds fake and you know it." I walked away towards a big shadow caused by an apartment building before he could answer. The cold air stung my nose as I breathed it in and stepped into the shadow. I held out a hand to Will, who accepted it grudgingly. I closed my eyes to concentrate, but my focus was broken by Will yanking his hand away from mine,
"Wait." He said. I opened my eyes to see him reach into his coat pocket and take out the bottle full of tiny happiness pills, as he called them. I called them brainwash me with false-hope pills.
"Seriously?" It irked me that he was in charge of when I took them, even if he was a qualified mortal and demigod doctor.
"Doctor's orders." He insisted. I groaned and took one, swallowing dry. He smiled, satisfied, pocketing the bottle and taking my hand again.
We melted into the shadows...
Join Qfeast to read the entire story!
Sign In. It is absolutely free!
