Synopsis: A daughter of Hermes wakes up to some horrible news concerning her brother. Now she must tell the others what he made her promise not to tell anyone, or he may die.
"What happened?" With an exasperated expression on her face Lilianna, demigod daughter of Hermes, burst through the doors of the Big House.
"He's gone, Lily," Conner Stoll looked up from his place around the ping-pong table where all the camp counselors were gathered.
"Gone? Gone where?" Lily drew in shaky breaths, attempting to comprehend the disappearance of her brother, Adrianne.
"We were hoping you could tell us," Travis Stoll led the small girl toward a vacant chair at the table's head.
Hesitantly, she took her seat, eyes shooting from one face to another as they stared intently at her, waiting. "I-I think-he-maybe-said something a-about…" Lily trailed off, unsure of what to say. She felt like she was the prey of a hungry heard of vicious lions as they awaited orders to pounce.
Lily knew where her brother had gone, he had attempted to persuade her to join him the previous night, but she feared to relay the truth to the others.
"Lily?" Katie Gardener laid an apologetic hand on the girl's shoulder, brushing away her mousy-brown hair.
Young Lily tried to focus on Katie; she tried to block all else from her mind, but the occurrences of the precious day continued to play in her mind, penetrating her every thought.
It had happened after the evening campfire; Lily was in high spirits when Adrianne found her and pulled her to the side, out of the dispersing crowd. He pushed her roughly against the backboards of the bleachers, out of sight. His blue eyes were bloodshot and bouncing around skeptically, his blond hair was a ratty mess and his clothes showed marks of sweat. Her older brother towering over her, she pushed him away roughly and he staggered back.
"What are you doing Adrianne?" Her eyes shot wide open.
"I…I needed to…to talk to you…" He panted, straightening to his full height.
"So you pushed me back behind the stands?" Lily's voice began to rise uncontrollably.
"Quiet down, Lil," he hushed. "I don't want anyone to hear…" He stepped closer to his little sister.
"Hear what?" Whispered Lily, slinking away from her brother nervously. "Adrianne, you're scaring me…" Her startled eyes narrowed in on him.
"Listen, sis," he placed his hands on his sister, gently caressing her shoulders. "I'm leaving."
"What?"
"I can't stay here, Lil. I…" He sighed, "I don't belong here."
Lily was taken aback by this comment. Of course he belonged here, he was the son of Apollo, as she was the daughter of Hermes. They had come to this camp together nearly three years ago when Lilianna was merely nine years old and Adrianne thirteen. Their mother had ordered them out of the house after a rather devastating thunderstorm; thunder, but no lightning. They had traveled to Camp half-Blood together, never leaving each other's sides. Different gods claimed them both almost immediately after their arrival. They had always known that they were only half-siblings, but brother and sister just the same. Lily had settled her place in Cabin eleven rather quickly, growing close with the Stoll twins, however Adrianne was not so lucky. He often had rows with his cabin leader, Lee Fletcher and often spent his time alone at the shooting range. But Lily had never expected him to leave. She wanted to tell him this, tell him that he must stay, but her mouth was dry and it was everything to say, "But…where?"
Adrianne spoke very reluctantly, as if he did not wish to stare this information with her, "The Titan's army."
"What?"
"Shh," he slapped a pale hand over her mouth. "No one can know, Lil, do you understand me? No one."
Shaking, she nodded.
"Okay," he slowly removed his hand from his sister's bewildered face. "I'm leaving tonight…I'd better go so they don't ask questions. I just thought you should know."
He made to leave, but just as he reached the edge of the stand he turned back to Lily's frozen form and ran towards her.
Taking her hands in his he pleaded, "Come with me, Lil. Come with me and we can be a real family again. Please, Lil, come with me."
Lilianna's eyes were wide with horror as she shook her head fervently and she spoke once more to her beloved brother, "I'm sorry, Aid, I really am, but…but I can't…"
"Can't come?" His hands fell and his shoulders sank. "Yeah, I figured. Well…bye then…" He turned solemnly once more to make way for the Apollo cabin, but paused for a moment as his sister called out.
"Adrianne…be careful."
And without a word or so much as a second glance he continued on, leaving Lilianna alone in the ever-darkening area. Hair falling messily in her face she fell to her knees, sobbing intensely.
In the Big House Lilianna found herself sobbing horrifically into Katie Gardener's arms.
"Shh…It's okay sweetie…It's okay," the daughter of Demeter tried to sooth the depressed girl.
Lily found herself pushing away from Katie's embrace. "I'm…s-so s-sorry…I sh-should've…"
"Lily," Conner was kneeling in front of his half-sister ruefully, "I need you to listen to me. Tell me where Adrianne is."
Lily looked up, rubbing her swelled eyes terribly, "A-Aid…he-he…oh gods…" And she broke out into sobs once more.
Katie pushed Conner dramatically, "Just back off Conner. That's not going to get us anywhere." Conner stormed off towards his bother and joined the rest of the counselors in staring intently at the pair. "Now, Lily. I need you to do me a favor, okay?"
Reluctantly, the daughter of Hermes spoke once more, "O-okay…"
"You're brother could be in be in horrible danger, and if we don't find out where he's going then we can't help him. But we need you to tell us, we can't find him on our own."
"Uh-huh…"
"Lily, look at me," Katie gently turned the eleven year old's head to face her, her hazel eyes rimmed with puffy red skin. "Now, where did Adrianne go?"
"He-" Lilianna found it difficult to speak through her raspy throat, "He went…to the Titans." Her last words came out so quickly that they were almost inaudible, but no doubt were followed by a chorus of inevitable gasps of shock and horror.
"Lily, are you sure?" Travis and Conner emerged from their corner, which they had been hiding in to avoid Katie.
She nodded. "Yeah…" She took a deep breath, "I tried to stop him, I really did, but I couldn't, I-he-it's just…I'm so sorry Conner…Travis…I'm so, so…" She could not contain her tears any longer. They came swarming out of her eyes in such heavy streams that it seemed she would soon create a lake at her feet.
"Shh-shh," Katie held tightly to the shaking Lilianna as she wailed. Her cries echoed throughout the vast campground to the Apollo kids who were playing tether-ball in the courtyard, to the Athena children, who sat in their cabin reading the latest advances in technology, to the children of Ares, who were preparing for battle in the sword arena.
Miles away at the Titan's base a boy with ratty blond hair and light blue eyes awaited the judgment of a certain son of Hermes, on whether he was fit to join the Titan army. He sat on a rather uncomfortable log and was seconds away from sleep when a cry resounded in his ears and he jerked awake, "Lily!"
