From the Author: This is my first fanfic. I've spent the whole week reading other people's work
but I think I understand everything. Almost everything.
Anyway, I do not own Camp Half-Blood or any of Rick Riordan's characters.
Enjoy, and please tell me if I need to change something!
Chapter 1: LILY
Lily was trapped. The alleyway was a dead end, and it was all she could do to blend into the shadows. Her heart was racing uncontrollably, but she tried to calm herself anyway. She desperately wished she could simply melt into the darkness and disappear. Unfortunately, the approaching dark figure had trailed her nonstop since she fled her home in New Jersey.
No matter how hard Lily tried, she could not seem to shake off the thing that was following her. First, she had tried to surround herself with people. She traveled to New York, where that was easy. But the person—or whatever it was—had tracked her through thousands of people to a coffee shop where Lily had stopped for a break. After running away from that, she decided to go to the airport, with both lots of people and women's restrooms. Lily had gone into one bathroom after checking behind her to glimpse the long, black trench coat her pursuer always wore, then quickly left through the other door on the opposite side of the room.
But still, the thing had followed her. Now, it seemed Lily was trapped with no way out. The figure was drawing nearer, and all Lily had to defend herself was a stolen kitchen knife and a crowbar she had found in a junkyard.
Lily had decided earlier on that her mysterious pursuer was a man. The only visible part of his face was his eyes—the rest was covered by a large black hat—but he was large, tall, and walked with a sense of purpose, like a very commanding man.
No matter what gender, it had her cornered and seemed to realize it too. Lily could see the gleam in its eyes as it marched towards her.
Suddenly, the figure stopped. In a deep, raspy voice, it hissed,"I know you are there, Lily Noble. Come to me; I won't harm you."
Yup, definitely a man. Lily pressed her back against the wall and tightened her grip on the crowbar, which hung at her side. She didn't want to give herself away, in case he was bluffing, but she was still on guard.
The man cackled cruelly. It hurt Lily's ears.
"So be it," he said, and drew a curved sword from his long trench coat pocket. It was black and wicked-looking, about the length of Lily's arm.
He closed in and Lily lifted her crowbar in a last effort...
But he never got there. His expression turned to surprise before he disintegrated into a pile of ash. His hat sat alone upon it. It would have been funny, if he had not just tried to run her through with a sword.
Lily sank to the ground and looked up at her savior. A teenage girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen, stood with a sword at her side. She had electric blond hair pulled back in a tiny ponytail. She wore an orange faded T-shirt and jean shorts. Her amber eyes were sharp, like a hawk's. The girl helped Lily up.
"Hey, I'm Kayla. Nice to meet you," she said, as if the man had never been there.
"Lily," Lily said quietly. "Thanks for saving me."
"Oh, him? No problem. He takes a long time to come back."
Kayla turned to go out of the alley. "Come with me. There's someone I want you to meet."
Lily had no idea what Kayla was talking about, or how the man could come back. He was dead, wasn't he?
When the two girls reached the street, a boy ran over. He had a navy blue beanie on his head and a green T-shirt that read "Peace to the Earth". He had baggy pants and tattered shoes.
"Kayla! I swear, never do that again or I will—," he cried.
Kayla cut him off. "Never mind! Lily this is my friend Bobby. Bobby, meet Lily."
Lily shook Bobby's hand. He was either very nervous or very hyper, because he kept glancing wildly around and picking at the hem of his shirt.
"Nice to meet you. You had better come with us. I don't like the smell around here," he said.
Everything was happening so fast, Lily thought. And was this kid part dog or something?
Bobby hailed a taxi and ushered Kayla in quickly. He beckoned Lily, who hesitated. She trusted these people, not just because Kayla had saved her, but because they didn't resent her. Lily, who had grown up feeling like she was a burden, liked the way they treated her. She glanced at the alleyway one last time and shuddered, thinking of what would have happened if Kayla hadn't been there. Then, she got into the taxi with two strange people that just might take her somewhere more dangerous than the place she had left.
