I am a plot bunny. I jump from plot to plot without really ever finishing an idea. There's only one story I've ever written that doesn't follow that rule, and it's not even done yet (although I admit that it's nearing 20k words. Very exciting, no?)… Anywho, I'm glad to see that I have received a handful of positive responses already… This is promising. Very promising.
Thanks to KatieElizabethGrace and Sadico the Couple of the Year for reviewing, and to calypsopotter18 for pointing out that my computer was being an idiot.
I shall now let you get on with your lives and read.
Disclaimer: Last I checked, I'm not Rick Riordan. This unfortunately means that I don't own the Kane Chronicles, Heroes of Olympus, or Percy Jackson & the Olympians.
Chapter 2: Hazel
The morning was a crisp, clean one. The sun was shining brightly, and I couldn't see a cloud in the sky. I smiled, thinking today was going to be a good day.
"Hazel! Wait up!" I spun around and saw Frank running to catch up with me.
"Morning, Frank."
"Morning, Hazel," he replied as he tried to catch his breath. I couldn't blame him; he had run from the Fifth Cohort barracks straight to the Mess Hall. I couldn't do that without becoming a little winded myself, even if the distance wasn't all that great.
"Frank. Hazel." I may have flinched a bit at the sound of the voice; the kind of voice that makes you wonder what you did wrong this time.
"Good morning, Reyna. How are you today?" Leave it to the ever-polite, ever-optimistic Frank…
"Fine, thank you. Hazel, don't look like that; you're not in trouble…" I felt like there was an implied yet on the end of that sentence. "I just wanted to ask you something."
"Oh," I said. I was relieved that that was all that Reyna needed, was an answer. "Well, if that's the case, then ask away."
"Well, I actually have two questions. First, do you know when Jason will be returning?"
"I think he said he'd be back before the end of next week," Frank answered before I had a chance to open my mouth.
"Okay, good. That's what I thought; I just wasn't totally sure. And second, have either of you seen Octavian this morning?"
"I haven't, but he's probably out shredding innocent Beanie Babies," I replied.
"Of course… Though Beanie Babies seem an odd choice. Thank you both."
"You're welcome," Frank and I said in unison. That was creepy, I thought. I glanced around as Reyna headed off, presumably towards Temple Hill, to check Jupiter Optimus Maximus for Octavian. Something registered in my mind that had gone unnoticed before. I didn't see a single diamond, bar of gold, or otherwise laying around. I hadn't seen anyone else, so there was no way someone could have picked anything up.
"This isn't right," I muttered.
"What isn't?" Frank was looking at me, concern written all over his face.
"Nothing," I said. I hoped I was better at lying than I thought I sounded.
"Okay." Frank didn't seem convinced, but he wasn't about to press me for further details. "Come on, let's go get something to eat.
I didn't eat much at breakfast. Don't get me wrong; I was hungry. My mind was just too far from food to actually eat. A few people seemed worried initially, but eventually they just brushed it off and acted like nothing was wrong. I was glad for that; I didn't exactly like it when everyone's attention was focused on me.
As I looked around the room, I popped another grape into my mouth, and realized that neither Reyna nor Octavian were here. I didn't know why that should concern me, but it did.
Well, I thought, today is certainly going to be an interesting day.
And there you have it!
Who's POV should I do next? (I want it to be someone from the Kane Chronicles, but anyone works...)
Please review!
Have an awesome day, everyone!