Chapter 1: Oh, You Just Got Burned

I was walking by the Big House when Nick St. Vincent came running out. He was carrying a piece of paper. He ran right up to me. His stormy gray eyes were wide with excitement. He looked like a total maniac. That could only mean one thing…
"Oh my gods, Jessica Alba replied to your fan letter?" I asked.
He grinned. "No. But I got an internship!" He waved the paper in my face. "See it? See it?"
"Yes, Nick, I can see it." If I could not I would need some serious help. "Where's the internship?"
"This architectural firm my dad's friend owns." We started walking. "It's huge. And, the best part is, I'm actually getting paid."
"Does Norman know?"
"Not yet. I'm going to tell him right now. Want to come?"
Norman and I were not exactly on what you would call "speaking terms" right now. "I'll have to pass."
"Okay."
He ran off again. Nick was running through a dark shadow created by a tree when he was suddenly tackled by a guy dressed in all black. The guy in all black stood up. He helped Nick up. "Nicoooooo!" I yelled and ran over.
"'Sup?" he asked when I got there.
"Nothing. How about you?"
"Nothing. Just randomly tackling my best friends. I heard you got a bad injury a month or so ago." Nico could be like an overprotective brother sometimes.
"It wasn't that bad. I didn't die a slow painful death or become obsessed with cheese puffs. How was Zombieland?"
"The Underworld," he corrected, "was fine."
"Cool."
"You're back just in time for Capture the Flag," Nick informed him. "Ares versus Athena."
"Apollo on your team?"
I frowned. "Norman ruined the chances of that ever happening again."
Nico looked at me. "Yeaaah, I'm not playing."
"Why not?"
"You, Norman, competition involving weapons. I actually like my limbs so I'm just going to sit this one out."
"Wise choice," Norman whispered to him. It was so quiet that I heard it clearly. "C'mon, I'm off to the arena."
The two walked away. I head back to my cabin. I had barely come within view of the cabins when the smell of smoke filled the air. I squinted through the growing haze. Flames were flickering in the Ares cabin. I sprinted over.
All the Ares campers were standing in a row outside the cabin. Chiron, the Hecate kids, and Percy Jackson were trying to put out the flames. Marcus, the Ares head counselor, was making sure everyone was okay. Suddenly he shouted. He went running back into the burning cabin. I looked at the sad faces of the Ares children.
"Why did he just-"
"Isabella is still in there," a girl cut me off.
"She's ten," another added.
I looked back at the burning building. Chiron looked near panic. He was yelling for Marcus to come back out. A yelp of pain came from inside the cabin. I knew this was not my family, but I had to do something.
I dashed inside. People had tried to stop me, but I was too quick. Even when I squinted my eyes still smarted from the smoke. I could hardly breath, the heat was so horrible. I dropped onto my hands and knees. The fire was alarmingly close to my right side. I scuttled sideways.
Through the smoke I saw Marcus hoisting an unconscious girl onto his shoulder. I stood up slowly. I stepped forward to help. A ceiling beam fell down in front of me. Now a wall of fire blocked Marcus from me and the entrance. The flamed were about four or five feet high. I backed up. I tripped on an empty quiver. I fell back onto a bed. Part was the sheet had caught on fire. My left arm hit that part for a brief seconds before I pulled it away.
The fire was the wooden beam spread to the floor. I stood on the bed. I could see over the flames to where Marcus was struggling to open a window. He needed help. I turned to got back through the door so I could go around and open the window from the outside. I had forgotten the door was blocked by flames. I looked back at Marcus, still struggling to open the window.
I started to jump up and down on the bed. Then I jumped as I high as I could go. I dived over the wall of flames. I crashed to the floor, choking on the smoke. I had landed about two feet past the wall of fire. I scrambled over to where Marcus was having trouble with the window. The flames from along the right side of the cabin were getting closer.
I pulled my knife from its sheath on my hip. I put the tip against the bottom of the window. I started to drag it along. The rust that had sealed the window came off. After it all came off I jammed the tip of the knife in the middle. I started to pry it open. It opened with a loud screeching sound. I pushed it up so Marcus could get out with Isabella. I climbed out right after them just as the flames reached where we had been standing.
My lungs burned. I staggered far away from the cabin. I took a humongous breath of fresh air. My legs and arms were scratched, bruised, and sooty. Hint: do not wear shorts when saving people from a burning building. I examined my burn on my arm. It was not as bad as I had thought it was. But, it still hurt like Hades.
A cheer went up behind me. I turned. The fire was out. A few of my siblings were carrying Isabella to the infirmary on a gurney. I realized almost the whole camp was now standing in front of the cabin. I was at least one hundred feet away. They could not see me. Before they did spot me, I hurried into my cabin. I took care of my wounds quickly. I had just put my first aid kit back on the shelf when there was a knock on the door. I opened it.
"Thank you for your noble efforts," Chiron said gratefully.
I smiled modestly. "You really don't have to thank me."
"Yes, I do. The whole Ares cabin would also like to thank you."
"They really don't have to." I got the humble thing from my mom. My dad is completely self-absorbed. Gotta love him anyway.
"Yes, they do. Now, while they decide on their gift to you, I have some business to take care of." He bowed and cantered off.
No sooner had he left than Nico and Nick appeared. They gave the usual "Are you crazy? You could have died!" speech that most parents give their kids. I tuned them out. I nodded every now and then, of course.
"Monkeys are singing the blues," Nick said.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Just making sure you were listening."
"Nicholas, when do I not listen to you?"
"Every time I tell you to be careful."
I shrugged. "True."
"And you're not playing Capture the Flag," Nico said sternly.
Okay, this was becoming way too much like a conversation with my mom and step dad. "Yes, I am."
"No, you're not. Soleil, you have a burn."
"Wow, I have a little burn. World stop turning!"
"Sol," Nick pleaded, "don't play."
Ohhhhhhh, I see what's going on here. Do they really think I am that stupid? "Who gave you two the idea I shouldn't play?"
"Norman," Nico replied. "Why?"
Nick frowned. "He didn't say that for selfish reasons. He really wants you to rest."
"Believe what you want about your brother," I said coolly. "And be sure to tell him I am playing tonight, so he better watch out."
I closed the door in their faces before they could respond. It was quite a dramatic way to end the conversation. That is just the way I like it.