Old Family and New
"Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother." Said Artemis, leaving the tent. My sister followed a few steps behind, dressed in the same silver parka as the hunters. As soon as she got out, she was embraced with warm hugs. Me? Annoying? Really. Okay, I may be a little geeky, but annoying? For real? And all that hugging, something tells me it's not just because she's a girl. Something fishy is going on.
The Grover kid/goat looked over dreamily: "I envy her. An eternity with Lady Artemis? Gods, I wish I were a girl."
"Wait, what? Who?" A legend about Artemis and girls nagged at the back of my mind, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
"They get to choose to become immortal. Partially though, they can die in battle. The girls, if they choose that, they'll become her hunters. And spend eternity with Lady Artemis…" His eyes became unfocused, as if daydreaming.
Bianca looked for the first time in years, alive, as if before she was constantly on the verge of exhaustion, and only now does she look rejuvenated. She seemed a bit edgy but was very much enjoying the company.
"Awesome!" It sounded great, but - "Don't they hate boys? I mean judging from their less than friendly attitude, it's not like I get to visit her very often."
"No, she's cut all ties with boys. As a lover, as a friend, as a sister, but who can blame her? Immortality and Artemis?" He sighed again.
Does that mean - They must've tricked her into it. The hunters looked smug. I must tell her.
She would never ever, ever - She looked guiltily at me.
Really? She knew?
Really? Who wouldn't have made that choice? Here's free immortality, and as a bonus, you don't need to take care of your annoying brother anymore! Oh, and we'll throw in a dozen BFFs, literally.
The Mythomagic figures suddenly felt heavy in my hands. They clattered to the ground, but neither me nor Grover cared.
Sure, I'm not the best brother around, but this is going too far.
I strolled into the forest, not really watching where I was going. The wolves on the borders of the camp paid me no notice.
What if I'm really that unbearable? Maybe that's why she abandoned me.
The hunters' camp trailed further and further behind me.
No, you did this to me. I am not perfect, but leaving me behind is completely irresponsible.
My boots trod a freezing path of destruction deeper through the forest.
If you can just ditch me like that, then don't bother with what I do.
Behind me, Grover suddenly snapped out of his daydream, "Where's Nico?"
For real? You're only noticing me now? Oh, yeah, you're too busy being in love with Artemis to notice me, the annoying guy.
He sniffed the air and followed me, right up until to the wolves. They stopped him dead in his tracks, growling and baring their teeth.
"Wonderful!" He muttered to himself, "What am I going to tell Lady Artemis?"
She's a godly-sized super dirtbag and you're treating her like your dagnabbed crush? Snap out of it, goat! You have issues.
Then I noticed something strange: he couldn't see me.
Sure, I was in the shadows, but it wasn't that dark, I could see perfectly around me. In fact, everything seemed clearer, like I had a pair of glasses that I didn't know I needed. Strange.
Grover gave up and bounded off to find the merry band of certified dirtbags, who returned with him moments later.
Queen Dirtbag (Artemis) looked around. "The wolves didn't sense him. How did he get -"
Ex-sis cut her across: "But he's right there. Can't you see him?" She pointed straight at me, looking guilty as Hades. Like you even care.
Then, the shadows enveloped me.