Chapter 2

He seemed so...confident, like he'd done that kind of thing before.

I didn't realize I was still holding his hand until he coughed and looked at me like I'd completely lost my mind-which at that point in the day I was sure was absolutely possible.

I quickly dropped his hand and laughed awkwardly, turning my head to look at the roof so I could avoid his gaze.

"So-so um, what exactly was that?" I stammered. He gave me a confused look. "What?" He asked. I looked at him and raised my eyebrow. "That bull-monster-thing that you killed on my roof," I answered slowly, trying to jog his memory.

He looked confused for about two more seconds before he clapped his hands together. "There was nothing on the roof, you hit your head really hard on the door frame when you were coming outside. You might've just been seeing things." He said comfortingly.

Well now that had to be bullshit.

"No, no I wasn't seeing things. There really was a big bull monster on my roof and you, you killed it by shooting fire out of your hands!" I practically shouted. He clapped a hand over my mouth.

I glowered at him as he leaned in to whisper to me, "Okay, okay, you got me. Gods, just don't yell, please. You don't want to become the neighborhood loon do you?" I shook my head.

"Then let's go inside and I'll tell you everything you need to know, and we'll figure out why you can see through the Mist. I mean I know why you can, but you don't, so you need to be filled in."

He let me go and started towards the door that I'd left completely agape. I sighed and followed him, somehow knowing that once Leo set his mind to something he didn't give up on it.

"Do you want anything to drink?" I asked as he flopped down on my couch and made himself comfortable. "Just some water is fine," he answered as he bounced his legs.

"Do you have ADHD, too?" I asked, unable to look away from his bouncing legs. "Yeah, some dyslexia, too. I've learned how to get past it, but sometimes it acts up." He answered as he started fidgeting with his hands.

This guy really had some bad ADHD.

"Were you ever medicated?" I inquired as I raised an eyebrow and set his water glass down in front of him.

"Nope, I never saw the need, why?" He inquired as he continued to bounce his legs uncontrollably. I sighed and shook my head. "No reason."

He cocked his head to the side but only for a second. "Anyway," he started, "that thing you saw on your roof was, well, I'm gonna level with you, it was a monster." I rolled my eyes. "I knew that. What kind of monster was it?" I asked.

"It was a minotaur or something, I'm not sure. I never know what any of the monsters are until Piper or Annabeth explains them to me." He admitted. "Hmm, no minotaur sounds right, I just think it's weird that it escaped the maze." I mumbled as I played with my hair, a bad, nervous habit I'd picked up from my mom over time.

"Anyway, what is this 'Mist' and why can I see through it?" I asked. He took a deep breath and clasped his hands together. His legs had stopped bouncing. He was serious and, in a way, kind of...handsome...

"I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. You're probably a demigod," he started, "that's why you can see through it, it's why I can see through it." I choked on my own breath.

"Are you serious? One of my parents is a god?" I shouted. "Or goddess, don't forget the goddesses," he muttered as he checked under his fingernails.

I flopped back in my chair. "Wow, this is a lot to take in. Which parent is...you know...the immortal one? Is there a way to tell, like a quiz or something?" I asked.

"Nope," he answered. "You'll know which parent is the god or goddess when they claim you, which could be any time. Usually that time is really inconvenient, to be completely honest with you." He said. I sighed.

"So...I won't know until he or she finally decides I'm ready to know? How long does that usually take?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders and blew out a breath. "I dunno, it all depends on when we get you to Camp, I guess. Usually kids are claimed at age eleven or twelve, but Piper, Jason and I weren't claimed until we were sixteen. And since then I've had...personal issues, let's say, there was some drama I don't want to get into, it's uh...it's been a journey." He admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I nodded in understanding, even though I understood most of those words separately and had no clue who or what he was talking about.

"Well, let's get me to this Camp, then." I said as I stood up. He looked gobsmacked. "What?" He asked.

"Well, I'm rather impatient, so if I'm going to find out which parent is immortal we need to leave, now. I need to know as soon as possible." I said, grabbing a backpack and running upstairs.

I shoved some clothes, extra underwear, my hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a few books into it and ran back downstairs.

"Amanda, are you sure? Like, really sure?"

I smirked.

"Of course I am."