The next two days went by so slow it was almost painful. I hung out with Willow and Aaron as much as possible. Aaron was occupied by his chariot a lot. I felt bad I would not be here for the race. I was here for the Capture the Flag games, though. One was a continuation of the previous game. My team came back to win that. The next game the night after was against the Hunters. They won. One of the idiot Morpheus kids had put the flag within an easy reach for the Hunters. A couple of people ganged up on the kid after but Chiron broke it up before it got too serious. I do not know if anyone else noticed this, but after Chiron broke up the fight he started walking back to the Big House with the son of Morpheus.

Carol jumped on the foot of my bed. I rolled right off the bed. The book I had been reading fell onto the floor. I sat up. My head hurt a little now from the contact with the floor. I crawled back onto the bed. I growled at Carol to go back to sleep. I curled up in the covers. Carol jumped back to her bed with disappointment. I heard her open a book. It was probably the one about sea horse reproduction that I had taken from her.

For a few seconds I was in a half-awake daze. The Hunt! The thought hit me like a bullet. I threw off my covers. I picked my watch up off the bedside table. It was eight fifty seven. I did not even bother to change. I was wearing sweats anyway. I ran to the Artemis cabin. It was empty. I looked across the camp. The Hunters were going up the hill. I started running to catch up with them.

I stopped at the top of the hill. It was too late. They were already out of sight. I kicked the ground angrily. I walked over to Peleus. I petted him. I think he purred. I walked slowly to my cabin. Carol hovered over me as I got some jeans and my camp T-shirt. I went into the bathroom and changed. Carol was right behind me as I walked to the pavilion. She tried to ask me what was wrong. I told her not to worry about it.

After breakfast I went to the Big House. Chiron was nowhere to be seen. I went back to my cabin. I took my backpack out. I put some jeans and shirts in. I tossed in my stash of ambrosia, nectar, drachmas, and cash. I also put my first aid kit in. I slung my quiver over my shoulder sideways with my bow in it. I put my backpack on over it. I tied my knife sheath to my belt loop. I decided to leave my sword and spear. I left the cabin before Eddie woke up.

I started back up the hill. If the Hunters were gone, I was going to track them down. Ever since I was ten I had wanted to be Hunter. I always got this happy feeling in my stomach when I talked about the Hunt or looked over its brochures. There was no way I was missing out on my dream because I overslept. Who cares if I had no idea where I was going? If I really was meant to be in the Hunt, I would find them.

"Where you off to, Nicolette?"

I knew who it was because he is the only person who calls me Nicolette besides some of my family members. I turned to face Shylock with a death glare worthy of Medusa.

"What do you want, Shylock?" I asked.

"I want to know where you're going?" he asked. "Any place of interest?"

"Not to you."

"Sassy."

"Shut up." I started back up the hill.

He ran to catch up with me. "Look, I know where you're going."

"Really, buddy, and where is that?"

"To find the Hunt."

"No," I lied. "That is so not it."

"Yes, it is. Can you stop speed walking for like a second?"

I stopped at the top of the hill. "One Mississippi." I went to move.

Shylock stopped me. "Seriously, wait, I need to talk to you."
I shrugged off his hand. "What?"

"Ivy joined the Hunt."

"Lucky for her. What's the significance of you telling me this?"

"I think her decision was stupid, much like I think you're decision is stupid. However, I can do more about her decision than yours. When you find the Hunt, can you please tell my sister to send me an Iris-message or come back if she can?"

"Why? It's her life. She can make her own choices."

"You don't get it!" He shouted hysterically. "You have no idea what will happen! Neither does her!"

I held up my hands. "Shy, calm down."

He dragged his fingers through his hair. He started to pace. I was a little bit freaked out. He seemed both scared and fearful, but more the latter. Finally he took a deep breath and stopped. "Can you please just tell her to somehow get in contact with me?"

I paused. I felt really bad for the guy. He had just freaked out for what seemed like no reason. Then again, it was Ivy's life. He should not make choices for her. However, telling her to just talk to her brother was not making a choice for her. It was just showing her that her brother wanted to talk to her. "Fine."

"Thanks."

Willow popped up out of nowhere. Something told me she had taken a few more sips of espresso than usual. She was practically jumping up and down. I braced myself for a million words a minute.

"HeySherlock," she said.

"Shylock," he corrected.

" .HeyNickiwhyareyou

carryingabackpack?" Shylock started walking away. "Whereishegoing?Whoreallycares?

Washeannoyingyouagain?!"

"You never gave me a chance," I said, somehow understanding her. "I am going to find the Hunt so I can join."

"Really?Really?Really?Havetheyalreadyleft? .

."

"You really don't have to. Aaron probably wouldn't want to go."

"I'msurehewould."

"I would really prefer if you could just tell Chiron where I was going."

" ' . 'tbeenoutofhereintwoyears!Letmego!"

"Ireallydon'tthi-" I took a breath. Speed talking is contagious. "I really don't think you should go."

" . !"

She started running down the hill. She tripped at the bottom. She did ninja roll out of it. I plopped to the ground knowing that if I left now willow would track me down and murder me with her gardening shovel. I wondered if she knew there was no espresso in the woods. Probably not. She likes to overlook details like that.

"Hey, Superman," I said when Aaron landed next to me.

He sat down. "Did Willow have too much coffee this morning?"

"Oh yeah."

He rubbed his head. "Ugh, she was talking so fast it gave me a headache. All I got was Nicki, Hunt, help, and pack."

"It takes a while to get used to Willow when she's had caffeine."

"That's why I avoid her until late morning. Before that she's either hyped on coffee or carrying an axe to get rid of anyone in her way."

Willow came running up to us. Her bag was almost overflowing. "Heyareweleavingnow?'

today?Ihaven' .DoyouknowiftheHunterswent

rightorleft? 'tthatinUtah?Whowouldgoto

Utah?-"

"California," I corrected once everything that she had said registered. "Yosemite is in California." I looked at Aaron. "Eh."

"Eh what?" he asked nervously.

"Nothing." I stepped over the magical border of the camp. Peleus blew a ring of smoke as a good-bye. "Looks like we're going to Cali."

"That's on the west coast, right?"

I restrained myself from screaming "Duh!". "Yes, Aaron."

"And we're on the east coast, right?"

Restraint, restraint. "Technically, yes, Aaron."

"So that's waaaay on the other side of the country?"

Restraint! "Yes, Aaron."

"Okay, just checking." He started walking away.

"It'sagoodthinghe'scute," Willow babbled. "

?"

I laughed as we followed Aaron. He seemed to think he was in charge. I would let him think that for now. Willow began rambling. First about flowers, then clothes, then back to flowers, back to clothes, monsters, clothes again, weapons, school supplies, yet again flowers, and currently toys.

"

.Ifoundthemopintlessbecause-" She took a deep breath. "Wow, I'm tired."

"Good, we're here," I announced.

"California?" Aaron asked in shock. "Wow that was quick."

I rolled my eyes. "The bus station, you idiot." I turned him to face across the street. "See?"

"Oh, yeah." He blushed.

We purchase three tickets to California. I went to get us some food from one the little café. I got two bacon burgers for Aaron and me and a veggie burger for Willow. I got us all fries and soda too. I balanced the tray over my head as I pushed through the crowd around the counter. The three of us were eating peacefully when someone rudely interrupted us.

"Get out of my seat," the man growled.

I looked up. He looked like a sixty year old marine. "Your seat?"

"Yeah, my seat. I want to sit there so it's my seat."

"No."

"Nicki," Willow hissed. She gave me a warning look.

"If you wanted the seat you should have gotten here earlier." It was the logical thing to say. "We got here first so it is rightfully ours."

He blinked. His eyes went from brown to all black stone. "When I want something, I get it."

He was enveloped in large black wings. He disappeared. Aaron was frozen mid-bite. Willow looked absolutely freaked out. I knew automatically this recent funny business had to do with the funny business happening at camp. Even if I was basically running away from camp I still cared about it. I got up. Willow and Aaron pulled me back down.

"Where are you going?" Willow demanded.

"To call camp," I said.

"No, we have to stay together."

"I'll use the payphone right there." I pointed at the payphone along the wall.

They let me go. I put the change in the slot. The phone rang three times. Chiron picked up.

"Hey, it's Nicki," I said.

He went on a very long speech about how leaving camp was inappropriate, especially without informing him the proper way, and that bringing Willow and Aaron with me was a bad idea. I explained to him quickly why I left. Halfway through telling him Willow had just had a lot of coffee when she saw me leaving Chiron stopped me to say he understood. I told him about what had just happened. I only had about a minute left.

"That is very curious," Chiron said thoughtfully. "It sounds like Morpheus. I will look into this more."

"Thanks."

"Tell Aaron and Willow to be very careful on their way back to camp."

"Okay. Bye."

I went back to where Willow and Aaron were talking quietly. They stopped when I got there. There was an awkward silence after. That could only mean they had been talking about me. Fantastic. I took an old TIME magazine off the bench next to me. I began to read it. There was still another two hours before I bus came. Willow and Aaron seemed in no rush to speak to me so I would just have to occupy myself in other ways. I side glanced at them. Willow was twisting her bracelet. She only plays with her bracelets when she is hiding something.