"Dad…you know I love you. Right?"
He tilted his head to the side and nodded, smiling awkwardly. "Yeah." I grinned faintly, he looked so much like a puppy.
I pushed down the smile and rubbed my face, rubbing my forehead. "So, truthfully, in all honesty, what in the actual hell is this?"
Dad tossed his head back and laughed hard, throwing a hand over his eyes. Out of sheer amusement, he started snorting and snickering. His face started turning a deep red despite the dark skin he apparently chose for today, neither of which I realized was possible for normal humans. You can't choose your skin tone and which ethnicity you belong to, and usually, you can't blush under dark skin.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. "I can't believe I keep forgetting you're not used to ANY of this."
"Could you just tell me what's going on?"
He smiled and rubbed my back. "So, usually, when campers go on quests, their godly parents or the head counselors will give them some kind of magical item to help them on the journey. The kids usually don't know how it'll help them, but it's up to the questers to be creative in their use of the item."
I raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Okay. So you decided to give us a sheet of paper?"
Reginald was clearly trying to avoid falling into hysterics at my question, and Tlato just had his face in both hands, like Why would anyone subject me to this situation?
Dad kissed my cheeks and chuckled. "Oh, silly child," he cooed while tossing his long dark braids back behind his shoulder, "Maybe read the book before judging it." I took the weird metaphorical advice of his and looked over the letter.
I read it aloud to my two friends. The paper felt very weird and fancy in my hands. Almost too strong and too delicate at the same time. "I, Apollo, god of the Sun's light, god of the arts, god of the protection of youths, god of archery, god of healing, god of civil order, god of cities, and god of plague, hereby declare that those who claim to be under my protection and who possess this letter are to be given all they need from whoever is shown this letter. This applies to all beings, monstrous, mortal, or otherwise. Any violation of this expectation will be met with swift and brutal divine retribution from yours truly."
My dad had stamped his golden seal right below this message, with his name written in Ancient Greek beside the seal, a sun with seven triangles around it to form the rays and a bow and quiver of arrows inside it. A laurel wreath encircled the sun, a leafy halo symbolizing his role in sports and games, as well as a symbol of his lost love, Daphne.
Still a newbie to this whole Greek mythology world, Reginald and I didn't really know what to make of this letter, but Tlatoany looked close to fainting.
He stared at my dad and just bowed really deeply. "Th-thank you so much, Lord Apollo. We really appreciate this. Thank you!"
Dad patted Tlato's shoulder and chuckled. "Stand up, my boy. No need for all that. Friends of my children are friends of mine, kind of. But thank you for your gratitude. It's nice to be loved and respected." Weird way of saying thanks for showing minimum human decency and respect for an adult, but my dad's a funky guy. I like that about him.
Tlatoany gazed at me with disbelief. "Aren't you gonna thank him?"
I rolled my eyes. "Tlato. I have to thank my dad for my own existence. What's one letter compared to me?"
He smacked his own forehead with his palm again. "I don't know if that's hubris for yourself or for your dad. You confuse me constantly."
The sun god patted Tlato's shoulder again. "Kiddo, that's a theme with the women of Anu's family. All of them are like this. They're both smarter than anyone and more confused than anyone. I don't know how I caught her mom when no one else did, but do not get on a Rajachari girl's bad side. Well, I think you already have once."
My best friend shivered in horror, imagining the day we fought, I'm pretty sure, or the time I nearly killed his to-be murderer. "Believe me, sir. I do not plan on doing that again," Tlatoany admitted.
Reginald shrugged. "So long as you don't yell at her like the last time, you'll probably be fine."
That would have been a bad choice of words around any other dad, but Apollo just nodded. "Yeah, not smart. Not sure why you would have done that, but be careful."
I tried to bring the conversation back to the quest. "Dad, anything else for us?"
He smiled and pulled out a tiny little metal box like a tin of breath mints. He handed it to Reginald. "Explore this one on your own. You'll know what it is soon. Having more than one healer is never a bad idea." I felt bad for Reggie. Dad gave me this super powerful letter with his formal seal on it, and all Reggie got was an Altoids tin.
And to Tlatoany, he gave a rectangular velvet box, kind of similar to what would contain a necklace. I poked and prodded until he showed me what was inside. I hummed. It was this beautiful gold chain with a sun pendant on the end. The pendant was a coin with another sun with seven triangles around it. The whole design was one millimeter deep in the coin, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It even seemed to glow despite the bright morning light falling over Camp.
Dad smiled at him. "You'll know what this is eventually." He looked at me oddly, and I stared back at him before realizing that his gaze fell on something behind me. I turned around to try and spot what had grabbed his attention and nearly squealed my lungs out.
"DELOS! My little baby~!" I rushed forward at the snake smoothly slithering towards me, tongue flicking out as it climbed quickly up my arm and rested like a massive living scarf around my shoulders and neck. Delos bumped his snoot into my cheek, and I couldn't help but grin like a fool. I'd missed my baby so much, and now he was back! Only after a few moments did I see that Dad, Tlato, and Reggie were all grinning at me too, each with varying kinds and levels of affection.
Apollo's expression oozed with paternal affection. Tlato just looked like I gave him the world's biggest shark plushie. (Don't you dare fucking judge him. He fucking loves shark plushies.) And Reginald beamed like the sun itself, eyes bright and happy, though clearly startled by the size of my snoodle doodle baby.
"Yeah, I know. Smiles look weird on me. Hard to remember how to do them, okay?" I rolled my eyes while making this comment, and they all rolled their eyes in response.
"Yeah, right, drama queen," Will called out to me as he approached me from behind the boys. "You were all smiles until recently."
He walked over and smiled awkwardly when his eyes landed on Delos. "Honey. You know I love you. But put that snake away or give him to Dad, please?" I snorted with amusement that his statement to me mirrored my statement to our dad. I rested a hand on Dad's shoulder, and Delos, like the very good boy he is, slithered onto the sun god's shoulders and snoozed for a bit.
Will sighed in relief and hugged me, kissing the top of my head. I sighed and pressed my face into his chest.
Out of nowhere, I felt Nico rest a hand on my shoulder and leaned in to hug me from behind. It was like being squished between two trees. Unexpected, but not really unpleasant. I pulled away when the trees let me breathe, and I looked up at them. Will leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Don't forget what this quest is for. Bring Izzy back home, Anu." I squeezed his shoulder and nodded. I would never forget the reason for the quest. Not until my sister was back in Dad's arms, safe and sound.
Nico then also leaned down and whispered just as softly, maybe softer, "Don't forget your basics. And don't forget what you promised to your friends and family. Don't forget your mercy." My jaw clenched a little, but I nodded. He was right to suggest that.
Then, a couple of my other siblings rushed over, shoving Will to the side to throw themselves at me. Naomi was the first, shining brilliantly in the morning sun, to the point of nearly blinding me until I told her to maybe tone down the brightness. She apologized sheepishly and grinned, letting Maximus grab me in a hug while she dimmed the glow of her body. The kid was my height, which is fun because most of my brothers and friends are taller than me.
I ruffled his hair as he pulled away tearfully. I smiled as much as I could. "I promise I'll make everything right…everything." He nodded and smiled back, rubbing away the tears with the back of a pale, bony hand, not unlike Nico's. I didn't think to pay attention to what my siblings were wearing, but I do remember that all of them felt as warm as a fire that day.
A few of my sisters clung to me and started crying until Austin and Kayla dropped by to give me those awkward side-hugs and mess up my hair. Austin grinned and patted my back. "Just keep an eye out. Do rounds of staying awake to guard the others while they're asleep. You need any cash, Anusha?"
Reginald bounced over like a fucking gazelle and beamed, tossing an arm over my shoulders. Kayla gave him an unimpressed look and rolled her eyes. "We're good, Austin! I've got my credit card and my own bank account. I can handle all the expenses!"
I raised an amused eyebrow at him, trying to not snicker. "If this is your attempt to get me and Tlato to fall in love with you or whatever, leBlanc, it's not working." Reggie just poked my face and huffed.
"I'm being serious! I do not want to make you guys pay for shit when I can handle every expense. Not like I'd do anything else with it. What's the point of having money if you're not gonna use it?"
Tlato called out, "Too bad billionaires don't have your mentality, my friend." Reginald grinned at our friend over his shoulder and turned to me, his face bright pink.
"How in the world do you deal with his compliments?"
I smirked faintly. "My whole thing is hubris, buddy. Compliments make my world go 'round."
He sighed. "I totally forgot about that."
And then, the Hermes kids, including Emilia, and the Ares kids, including Kayda, ran up to greet us. The goodbyes were overwhelming. Sherman and Mark and I spoke for a little while about Tlato. I talked to Connor and Chris about Reggie. Once everyone had said their goodbyes, we picked up our backpacks and items and got ready to make the trek down to the long van that had brought me to Camp earlier that summer.
Emilia stopped to speak with me while everyone else was heading to the showers or back to their cabins. She smiled and gave me a tight hug. I returned it, grateful that her confession hadn't hurt our friendship. When I pulled my head back, she laid a sweet kiss to each of my cheeks and patted my shoulder.
"Stay safe, Travestí."
I smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheeks as well, though with less love and more guilt. I still worried that her heart was broken. What was I supposed to do? Not feel bad? Fuck that. Anxiety is my thing, after all. Well, one of them. "You too, trickster." We shared one more hug, and I grunted when Noah sprinted over and crashed into my legs. I knelt down to hug him properly.
He pouted and stared at me indignantly. "You better come back safe and sound."
I only chuckled and patted his cheek. "I will. I'm the most powerful demigod in Camp. What would happen to my ego if I failed? Don't you worry, buddy. I'll be back soon." Smiling proudly at me, Emilia rested a hand on Noah's shoulder and patted it reassuringly. I could see his eyes get watery as I stood. Oh, my heart burned. I couldn't believe how painful this was.
Not wanting to prolong the heartache, I walked over to my dad. He gave me a gentle stare and then coughed awkwardly when I got down on my knees and pressed my hands and forehead to the ground before his feet. I knew my friends and siblings who'd stuck around to watch us leave were staring at me like I was crazy. People don't grovel before the gods. Sometimes, if they're crazy enough, like me or Tlatoany or Reginald, people argue with them.
Dad started sniffling, and I spoke as gently as I could. "I swear by all the gods that exist in this world. I will bring Izzy back. I'll protect those demigods. I'll bring honor to the plague-bringers before and after me. You won't have to worry about losing them anymore." I pushed myself up so I could stare at him more easily.
"Even if I die, you will never lose a plague-bringer after me. I swear by the grace of Olympus."
With a flick of his fingers, Apollo willed the tears away and yanked me up into a strong hug, nearly cracking my spine, even with the bag hanging on my back. "Don't die. You can't. You won't. But don't." I smiled and nodded, leaning into his warmth. "You'll do everything right. You almost always do. You're the best of my plague-bringers. You're young, but you've made it so far, my beloved. My sweet little mouse. You can do this."
I laughed a bit. "Dad, this sounds like you're saying it for yourself." I pulled back and brought his head down so I could kiss his forehead. My smile widened. "Just stay positive for me, and you'll see just how much this plague-bringer can do."
He kissed my cheeks, and then I joined Tlato and Reggie. We clasped hands and gazed back at Camp one more time before rushing down the hill. I, like the cool girl I am, slid down the slope sideways. Reggie slipped and nearly fell over while sprinting down at his normal speed, but Tlato, who'd been walking slowly and patiently, caught him. "Weeeaaak!" I yelled at Reggie, who pouted at me again.
I could only snicker as I climbed into the van. "Hey, Argus." Argus was the transportation guy for Camp. He basically looked like my dad during the blue-eyed-blonde days, if my dad had a couple hundred extra eyes all over him. Argus nodded hello and grinned, wiggling his fingers at Delos, who recoiled and stared at him with those beautiful dark eyes. I think Argus was one of the few monstrous beings in Camp that didn't hate me. He waved to my quest-mates when they entered the vehicle.
Tlato and Reggie got in behind me, and they returned Argus' greeting. After making sure we had everything we needed, we were off. My eyes wandered to my friends, who weren't shaking for some reason. "Are you guys not nervous?"
Reggie shrugged. "Not exactly. I'm more scared about the fights, but I'll manage. As for the journey? I came to Camp alone from LA. No worries there."
Tlatoany hummed. "I don't think so. I've been here for years, went on a few little mini-adventures with Sherman and some of the Hephaestus kids. I'm not nervous. Are you?" I didn't respond. I think I was shaking too much to think about replying. "Hey, Anusha? Are you okay?" He scooted over and wrapped both arms around me, letting me panic in peace. Reginald did nothing except brush away my tears every few minutes.
Eventually, as we approached the highway, I relaxed. The two of them moved away to give me a little room. I sighed. "Thanks, guys. I'm just. I am really scared. I've never been so far from home before. And I haven't left Camp ever. I'm not used to being on the road."
Reginald leaned over and kissed my cheek sweetly while avoiding Delos' little head, and I could feel my heart speed up for no real reason. He gave me this soft grin that also seemed to make Tlato melt. "Then we'll get you used to it. Kinda have to. Now just relax. Get in your headphones. We'll handle it for now." I nodded and leaned my head against my giant friend's shoulder, smiling a bit when he slouched to give me comfort. My in-ear headphones went in, and my consciousness evaporated. The faint scent of strawberries that wafted all throughout the vehicle helped soothe my anxiety and motion sickness. I fell asleep so fast that time, in minutes or something. It was amazing, and it also never happened ever again.
By the time I woke up, we'd reached one of the Greyhound bus stations in Manhattan. Reginald smiled and thanked Argus with a tip of the head before the many-eyed man yeeted away in the strawberry van after the three of us got out, bags and belongings secured.
"Come on. I'll bring you guys someplace nice. Mom's got a bunch of little condos all over the US and lets me and the general public just hang out there and get some rest. It's usually for people who are homeless, on the run, or poor. I've come here alone plenty of times while she was in business meetings. I'll get the cab," he promised with a big smile while running off towards the road. Tlato and I waited on the sidewalk awkwardly, just rolling our eyes.
"Is it just me or is he compensating for something by taking care of all our financial needs?" I wondered aloud but quietly.
Tlato shrugged. "I think he just misses Izzy. He took care of her for quite a while. And he kept her safe until the last moments he was conscious. Can you blame him for wanting to handle shit for us?"
I sighed. "Poor guy. I didn't know the kid enough, but damn, she reminded me of myself. Such a sweetheart." A smile peeked out from my lips. "Still. Glad to know she had him to protect her. Such a little girl alone in the world? That's scary. Even if her powers are weird and startling as fuck."
"Mmhm," my buddy agreed wordlessly.
We waited in silence for Reggie to return, not wanting to scare him by wandering off somewhere else.
I honestly just wanted to go ahead and get things started by heading for wherever the boys had planned, but I had a feeling Reginald also was stalling by doing this. Maybe he was just as nervous as I was but didn't want to admit it. Then again, if he was the one planning, it made sense that he didn't want to admit to his fear.
While waiting for our friend, I stood quietly and closed my eyes, trying to practice using my powers. My little snoodle doodle snoozed on my shoulder as I focused on my powers. Maybe I could try to expand them or find a new use for them. I tried to search for every disease and pathogen and harmful microscopic creature within five feet of me. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Fifty. As the radius of observation increased, so did my ability to keep track of all of them. I knew exactly what pathogen was where and how dense. I pulled it all to me, trying to get as diverse and expansive a collection in my knives as possible.
Tlato only disturbed me to let me know Reggie was coming over. I opened my eyes and he squeaked, jumping back. I couldn't help but laugh, and Tlato grinned awkwardly. "Nice to see you laugh, but why were your eyes glowing?"
I raised an eyebrow, unamused. "My eyes. Sure. Okay."
I know my powers are very colorful and glowy, but my eyes had never glowed before that point, except when I was healing Reginald with my siblings and the Ares kids.
Tlatoany just huffed, rolling his eyes. "You'll see what I mean eventually." We followed our easily-excitable friend to the cab he caught and got in, holding our backpacks on our laps.
Reggie smiled sweetly at the older white man driving the car. "Thank you, Mr. Hanz. Cedarwood Apartments, please. Just a quick drive."
The driver, Mr. Hanz, nodded. "Sure. Is that everyone?"
"Yes, sir, thank you!"
"No problem. Seatbelts, please." After noticing the startled look he gave me when he saw Delos, we did as he told us. Later on, we also understood why. The guy drove like a speed demon, despite his old age. Honestly, that just made me respect him more. Old people who fear NOTHING and just do whatever the fuck they want? Coolest people in the world.
At least, that was my opinion. The fast driving was fine for me because it eased my anxiety since I wasn't hyperfocused on every bump and shift of the car. It was lots of fun! And for Reginald who ran at the speed of light? It was nothing.
Tlatoany, on the other hand, took it all very badly. He turned the kind of green that resembled a swamp, and I tried to ease his discomfort by taking away his nausea, but it didn't help much. So, I opted to just rub his back and keep him calm while slowly removing nausea and the muscular stress in his body. Having that much tension in his neck, torso, and back would give him pains and cramps for hours on end, and that would not end well for a quester.
The car stopped in front of this massive gate, and the driver turned to Reginald, who smiled. "Pull forward a bit more, and open the left side back window. They need to see my face." The elderly man nodded his head and moved the car forward so the back left window was aligned with the window of the gatehouse of the complex.
Reginald leaned across Tlato and me to put his face near the window, and a bright-eyed young man leaned through the window of the security stop, smiling brightly. "Hello! Do you have security clearance to enter the community?" he asked Tlatoany and me, and his face paled at the sight of my snake baby. I tried to push down the rising grin. I loved seeing people get nervous about my pet. We turned and stared at Reggie, who held out an ID card of some sort, grinning sweetly at the gate guard. "Reginald leBlanc, son of Evelyn leBlanc, nice to meet you." The gate guard floundered and gaped, staring at the card with some kind of odd expression, as if he didn't think he'd ever see it in the years he'd work as a guard for this community.
"Oh my god, of course, um, absolutely, sir. Sorry for the inconvenience," he apologized shakily while returning the card to my newest friend. The guy's hands even quivered as he held the card out. I couldn't comprehend why, but Reggie grasped it and, still beaming with as much charm as was possible, tucked it into his wallet again.
I turned to stare at him as Tlato bent over at the waist, still nauseated and sick to his stomach. I sighed and rubbed his back. "Sea mejor si salimos del coche, hm?" He only nodded in response to my question and groaned. I turned back to Reginald. "Was that some kind of rich person superpower that I don't know about?"
He shook his head and chuckled. "No, I have my own ID and entrance cards for each of the apartments my mom owns. I have this one as a formal ID from her company. I'm only named as one of the heirs since my cousins are also eligible, and I show this as my general ID to any law enforcement or security people of a gated complex. Easier that way than to look for the specific entry card for each place and have them call my mom to confirm that I do have access."
Tlatoany and I shared a meaningful glance. He laughed lethargically when I declared, "I want rich people powers."
He leaned over and pressed his cheek to mine, and I swear I felt a little warmer than I did before. Not sure if that was because he was massive (big body and big muscles equal lots of heat production) even at that age, or if that was just me. Either way, Reginald stared at us with this weird expression on his face, eyes soft and watery with this emotion unfamiliar to me as he rested his elbow on his knee and leaned his chin on his palm.
"You guys have the most beautiful friendship I've ever seen in my life."
I could only look away when my face started getting warm again. I knew from the feeling of his arms pulling up to his face that Tlato was trying to hide from Reggie's startlingly all-knowing eyes.
Our new and beautiful dumbass of a friend just grinned so big his eyes closed and hummed, leaning back in his seat to stare dramatically out the window. Fuck him. Metaphorically.
The three of us got out of the car when the driver pulled around to that awning place thing where it's like in front of those really fancy doors and there's a giant fancy covering thingie where it's like a part of the building that keeps people dry as they walk into the hotel if they have luggage. (Why do rich people hate nature, man? And what the fuck is that structure called?)
Before we got out, Reggie told me to hide Delos somewhere because the apartment staff would freak out if they saw a snake. I told Delos to climb under my clothes and stay there until I allowed him to come out. He hung around my waist like a weird belt, and I tugged a large band hoodie (a gift from Nico, actually) over my head.
When we exited the car, a pretty woman in a black three-piece suit with dress pants, a white shirt, a vest, and a coat greeted us at the door, smiling welcomingly at Reginald. "Mr. leBlanc. How are you, sir?" She laughed brightly when Reggie lunged at her for a hug. She tried to shake her head and keep her dark brown locks out of her face. Her steely blue-green eyes softened at the sight of the young man.
"Ramona! It's so awesome to see you again! How are you?"
She chuckled. "Better since the last time we met, sir."
He snickered, nodding his head as he moved back to hook his arms and stand between Tlato and me, as if claiming us as his escorts in a fancy ball. "I would hope so. You were looking very green at that fundraiser event last year, and I don't just mean because of your dress." The woman's eyes wandered to Tlato and me, her snow bright smile wobbling a little when she noticed us. I already didn't like her.
Tlatoany seemed to feel just as uncomfortable as I did, just based on how his hand tightened around Reggie's elbow.
"And who are these fine young people, Mr. leBlanc?" Ramona wondered semi-respectfully. I could practically taste the shade in her tone. I did not appreciate that at all. I could see from the judgment in her narrowed eyes and the dimmed upward curve of her smile that she didn't like me and my best friend. Probably because of our skin.
"These guys are my best friends! This is Tlatoany Castillo and Anusha Rajachari. I'm just taking them on a little cross-country road trip."
She smiled weirdly, but I don't know if Reginald noticed. "That's nice. Well, just let me know if there's anything I can do for you and your friends, sir." He nodded and waved to her while guiding us towards the elevators.
I frowned and stared hard at the ground as we entered the singular and massive and elaborate elevator. Reggie sighed and let go of our arms. "I know you feel uncomfortable. I'm really sorry. I should have warned you. These guys are super classist and racist. It's disgusting how they treat some of my and my mom's guests. I really don't like it, but I've got limited safety and security while I'm here, and I don't want to get you guys in any sort of trouble. With my mom, I can make complaints. When she's not here, well…"
That surprised me, which is odd. I suppose I didn't expect him to be this aware of stuff. In my experience, people as rich as or richer than Reggie didn't know or care about racial- and class-based microaggressions.
I got that kind of treatment all the time, especially because some of my friends did have wealthier relatives who lived in Chicago's suburbs, and whenever I joined them for Thanksgiving or Christmas if my mom was busy, I always felt judged by their neighbors or friends or other family members. It's not a nice feeling, to know someone's putting on an act to cover up how much they don't like your presence. I first saw microaggressive behavior from white people towards people of color when I was seven, hanging out with a friend whose mother had a white client come over to look at designs for home decor. How fucked up is that? Just that man's reaction to me made me feel like a criminal in my friend's own house.
But Reggie knew exactly what that woman was doing and why. I appreciated that he knew, but it sucked that we weren't the first people to deal with this shit at this fancy place.
He scowled. "The rich are usually racist too. It's not a coincidence or a pattern. It's a system, and they want to keep it that way. My mom's been trying to change things, at least in her own business if not in others', but it's hard to make any difference when her clients here in New York City won't accept certain services and such from her because the whole process is usually managed by people of color, who comprise about 80% of our employee population."
I nodded, and only because I knew a little bit about business practices from my friends' parents who owned mom-and-pop shops back at home. "What exactly does your mom do that makes her so much money, anyway?"
"Oh, she owns leBlanc EntreView. We basically teach people how to find and get jobs in their hometown and elsewhere. The whole business is set up as a kind of teaching service mixed with a subscription service mixed with a career coaching service. We hire more people of color than not, and diversity is our greatest strength and pride. We're super excited to expand because we do things very differently compared to other companies. And as difficult as it is to maintain sometimes, our minimum wage is fifteen per hour."
I stared at him like he'd grown a second head out of his shoulder. "Bro. I thought you were joking. You guys seriously do sound like a dream." Reginald beamed at that, face as happy as a clam.
He leaned over to hug me tightly and chuckled. "I'm glad you like the company. But it's been hard to expand recently because the wealthy and middle-class of white America don't like the idea of a company mostly run by non-white people, even though for many others, that's a dream come true." I did feel bad about that. I think that the company was his mom's dream, the fresh start he told us about when talking about his shitty family from Paris.
His face brightened up quickly, though, and his enthusiasm was almost infectious (pun fucking intended). "Still, we've hired a new head of security for the company, so that's fun! He's based in Arizona. He's this super cool guy. Mom told me a lot about him. Apparently, he's a former military officer who has a lot of expertise in tech, a master's degree in cybersecurity, I think, and he's also from the Navajo nation. I think he's famous, too!"
Tlatoany's jaw dropped. "Wait. What's his name?" What was going on? Tlato had clearly made some kind of connection, but I didn't know what it was.
Reggie raised an eyebrow. "Franklin something. A Navajo and Indigenous rights activist. Pretty big in the Southwest."
Tlato opened and closed his mouth like a fish until Reggie pinched him. "Bro, what is it? Are you okay?"
Tlatoany coughed. "Dude, your mom hired my dad as the head of security for EntreView…"
I wanted to faint. "What?!"
The boys grinned at one another and hugged tightly, laughing to themselves. "Holy shit, man. Wow, so I guess fate really did bring us together, huh?"
My best friend chuckled and nodded. "I guess it did, colonizer," he joked. Reginald snorted and snickered, almost falling over from laughing too hard.
I just smiled dimly and looked away, trying to avoid the feelings of jealousy and exclusion that had bloomed and begun to boil in my heart. I didn't know my family history like they did. I wasn't even from the same side of the US like they were. And now, fate didn't even think to bring me into the trio too. I was here somewhat by accident or something.
Reginald must have noticed because he tossed an arm around my shoulders and smiled, poking my cheek. "Hey, you okay? Don't feel bad. Maybe your mom knows my mom too! This is just the start of a long journey. And remember, you brought me back. You connected us three, okay? Fate's got less hand in this than you do." I tried to smile and pass it off like I didn't care, but that stung. I was so used to being excluded, but not like this. Not at Camp. I was a part of things. Of something. Of most things. People always asked me for some kind of help. Even if they just thought me useful rather than a friend, it felt good to be seen and needed. But this just ached, and I didn't know what to do with it.
I followed the boys to Reginald's mom's apartment and tried to not sink into that train of thought. It would only end badly, I knew.
At some point, that creepy red guy showed up again, floating in front of me, still behind the boys, and smirking. He lied on his back, massive wings keeping him afloat as they beat gently, leaving no breeze, causing no disturbance. I kept silent and spoke only in my own mind. "What do you want now? Can't you see I'm trying to not wallow in self-pity?"
"Oh, come now, darling. I know you're already wallowing. Now. I have another lesson for you." I rolled my eyes at that.
"Oh, wow, thanks. Another lesson after, 'Don't be a sore loser and just ask for help!'. What a fantastic idea, O asshole-ish one." I sneered in response. The red angel rolled his eyes and huffed.
"You know, the least you could do is be nice. I'm giving you genuine good advice. I'm trying my best here."
I sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'm sorry."
"Thank you. This is your next lesson. Do not compare before knowing all the facts. You can't compare two objects without knowing enough information about both of them. Do not compare yourself to your friends without knowing who they are, without knowing who you are." And with a soft smile and a pat to my cheek, he vanished into a puff of red smoke. I sighed. Well, he did have a point. I didn't know enough about either of the guys to make any kind of guess or judgment about who they were or what they were going through. How could I feel lesser to people I didn't know?
I took a deep breath and kept moving forward. Self-inflicted pain brings no benefit. Only pity. So, I pushed down all the stupid jealousy and sadness and tried to think about what I would see. About how to protect my friends. About how to resolve the situation with my mother. That would suck, but I had to prepare myself for the worst, right?
The apartment was more like a mini mansion. I couldn't even process what I was seeing.
Right when you walk in, you have a fully-furnished, modernist kitchen to the left, with a large, high-ceiling living room area opposite the door. There was only a wall on the right, so nothing to see there except for a little shoe rack and a little table with a fake plant on it and a wooden bowl for the keys and a wonderful floral painting hanging on the wall above the table. The living room encompassed the rest of the bottom floor, with several couches, a massive flatscreen TV on one wall, a working fireplace under that, and some other knick-knacks displayed in the adjacent shelves.
There was only one bathroom on the first floor, a toilet and sink in a little cranny that's visible once you take a right turn along the wall after walking forward into the apartment. All the bedrooms were upstairs, all fully furnished and decorated to the max.
I couldn't help how I gawked at Reginald. "You live like this on the daily?!"
He smiled and shook his head. "My mom's house in LA is wayyy bigger than this. But this place is open for the public and for Mom's employees to use for however long they need, just so long as they tell her. It's kind of a thing where she lets people rent it out, but without asking them to pay rent."
My mind still couldn't comprehend how people could live with so much wealth and not feel overwhelmed. But I guess Reginald was accustomed to that way of life.
The LA boy stretched his arms and yawned, dropping his bag on one of the couches. "If you guys need anything, just go ahead and take it. Snacks in the kitchen, bathroom, shower, anything you want. I'm gonna go upstairs and get the clothes that I left here last time I visited with my mom."
The staircase was right across from the first floor restroom, and just as he began walking up the steps, I asked if I could just go around and look at stuff, give Delos a little break from the space heater that is my abdomen. Reggie raised an incredulous eyebrow at that, but nodded, smiling in confusion as my snoodle doodle baby slithered out of my clothes and stretched himself out onto the couch where Reggie's bag lay.
Tlato sat down on one of the stiffer seats and called out to me. "Anu, you okay? Relax. Just get some air."
I nodded and rubbed my face. I had lied. I didn't care about the tour. I just needed a safe place to have my panic attack. I know what you're thinking. Two attacks in one day? Yeah, I'd never been far from home or from adults until now. I was full of anxious energy. I had no way to calm down after everything that had happened.
"I'm alright. Just need to walk around a bit, let off all the steam. I'll see you in a bit," I reassured him with a half-ass smile. Tlatoany didn't seem super happy with my answer, but he sat back and let me go anyways. Which I greatly appreciated.
At first, I did take things slow. I walked around, observed every single thing until I was bored of that area. Upstairs was even cooler than downstairs. So many cool little doohickeys and whosawhatsits in every room. Something new to learn and see wherever I walked. But then I entered the last of the four upstairs bedrooms, and I couldn't take it anymore.
I sat down in a corner of the room, with the TV on its stand to my right and this cute little wicker couch with blue, purple-flowered cushions to my left. I pulled my knees up to my chest, put my head in my hands, and cried like I'd never cried before. This was almost as bad as when I had that run-in with the Grove. Almost.
To my extreme misfortune, I hadn't realized that this was Reggie's bedroom. Because he walked out of the bathroom in the room right as my crying got louder. The bathroom door opposed the wicker chair, so he didn't see me immediately, but he definitely heard my cries, and that made him turn his head and watch me sob like a newborn.
I didn't notice his state of dress until he was right in front of me, holding my face in both hands, gentle fingers brushing against my ears. My tears streaked down the sad slopes of my face, and I could hear the muffled sound of Reggie calling for Tlato to "HURRY UP AND GET UP HERE NOW! ANU'S NOT OKAY!"
Tlatoany's footsteps thundered throughout the apartment, his face slack with worry as he noticed my condition. I felt at home again. The moment he sat beside me, an arm around my shoulders, Reginald still holding my face and trying to console me, I figured out my home base. I figured out where I felt safest. And that was with these two idiots. Even though I didn't know them that long, I knew myself. I knew my gut, and it told me that if I should trust anyone at all, it should be these two.
After I'd significantly calmed down, the two of them sat with me and tried to cajole me into drinking some water and then some warmed milk with sugar and cinnamon in it. I did actually feel much better after getting some fluids and affection.
I addressed Reggie once he stood up to finish dressing himself.
He told me while getting his shirt on and his items packed that he had been carefully trying to wrap his chest just before, and was about to dress himself when he heard what sounded like crying. When he realized it was me having another panic attack, he said, he figured it was more important to calm me down since he didn't know how badly the attack would affect me this time.
"Are you okay?"
Reginald let out a snort. "You're asking me that? You're the one who just had a panic attack, Anu."
I huffed. "I meant like, you wrap. It's not the best for your chest, lungs, or ribs. I have a feeling this may have contributed to your injuries when you were trying to run to Camp all the way from New York City."
He sighed. "Yeah. I know. It's probably gonna fuck me up eventually. But I just don't want to spend the money I have on binders when I could be helping people with it."
Tlato, ever the man of few words, murmured softly, "It's okay to spend money if it'll keep you safe, Reggie. I'm sure your mom told you that often. Safety first. Kind of important for a hemophiliac, right?"
The son of Hermes couldn't argue with that, but I was shell-shocked. "Wait, you're a hemophiliac?! No wonder I had so much trouble undoing your cuts and bruises. Your blood just didn't want to clot!" I smacked my forehead with my palm in exasperation at myself. "How did I not see that earlier? That's literally part of my job. Wow."
Reggie just shrugged. "Not many people know that. Besides. I don't need my medical record out in the public." That made sense. HIPAA regulations and all that. Understandable.
"Everyone's got enemies, and with Izzy's kidnappers still at large, I can't take any chances." Still made sense.
"Okay, but you still shouldn't be binding with bandages, Reggie."
He groaned loudly. "Ughhhh. Okay, then what do you want me to do?" I smirked fully for the first time in several days. Tlato pulled me up to my feet when he realized I had a plan.
"Quick shopping trip. We're gonna get you a sports bra."
Reggie's face contorted into confusion and slight disgust until I explained. "Compression sports bras are somewhat like binders. They keep the chest compressed down. For binders, a size too small will hurt your physical health. For sports bras, though, it's not that harmful to get one that's a bit tighter, so long as the bottom part isn't too tight under the chest because, then, you run into the same issues of too-tight binders."
He nodded slowly, smiling. "That makes sense. So are we going now?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I think I just needed to get that cry out. I'm okay now. But I do need some food, so I'm gonna take some of the snacks and stuff before we head back out."
Tlatoany bent backwards to get the cricks out of his spine. "Alright then. Let's go." He and I stepped around Reginald to get to the door but paused when our friend grabbed our wrists, one person for each of his hands. We glanced at one another and yelped when Reggie tugged us back into a tight hug, pressing his face into our shoulders.
"I just…thank you for not judging me or being weird about this. I really do appreciate it." Both grinning, Tlato and I tilted his chin up to kiss his cheeks simultaneously, me on his left and Tlato on his right. I could feel my ego swelling as the shorter guy's face erupted into red and pink from the affection.
"We're your friends, Reggie. We gave part of ourselves away to save you. There's no reason in the world we'd let you go because your body doesn't match your heart. You are who you are, and we care about you no matter your differences from the societal norm."
Tlatoany put it into words better than I could have.
But not wanting to stay silent in the sweet moment, I said what I could. "I understand your struggles. It's not easy not trying to fight against what society wants you to be." I pulled back and smiled. "I know that intimately." Not wanting to say too much and spill my whole life story to them when there was still other stuff to do, I patted Reggie's shoulder and kissed his cheek one more time before heading downstairs again.
In the corner of my eye, I could see Reggie and Tlato making eyes at one another, both soft and sad and sweet together. I just smiled and kept going.
Delos hissed lazily in greeting when I moved closer and picked him up gently, cradling him like a baby in my arms, his body coiled up, head resting in the crook of my elbow. "Big baby, always sleeping for no reason," I joked. He just hissed and gnawed at my arm without using his fangs. "Oh, hush. Whiner."
The serpentine creature opened his mouth big and wide, as if yawning. I laid him around my neck like a scarf and headed into the kitchen to grab some of the snacks, mostly protein bars, granola, trail mix, and protein powder packets to mix into water.
After collecting and packing the foodstuffs into my bag, I made a quick call to Will to let him know what had happened so far.
"Wait, he has an apartment in Manhattan?"
I hummed. "Will, his mom has apartments all over the US. She's like a multimillionaire or something. I don't know how I didn't realize how rich this kid is. Anyways, how are things at Camp?" My voice darkened when I remembered how far I was from home. I didn't like that I wasn't there to protect my siblings and Emilia and Jonah when they needed me. "Any attacks?"
Will sighed. "No. But everyone's on high alert. Another flaming arrow. But the assassins hurried away when they learned you aren't here. We saw a group of six rushing down the hills towards NYC. You guys better hurry. I don't know how far they've gotten since then."
I scowled. That was not the kind of news I wanted to hear. Delos licked my cheek in response to my irritated state. "When did they leave?"
"Two hours ago."
My hand went to the back of my head. "Fuck. Okay. Thanks, Will. I'll keep you updated. Stay safe. Stay alert, at least until I get back. Okay? Have the Hecate and Hermes kids make traps for those losers in the woods, and leave some in the Grove, too. Find some way to strengthen the borders, and have Leo make every building in Camp fireproof. I don't know what will happen, and that means it's better to be safe than sorry."
Will's voice trembled when he responded then. "Got it. And Anu?"
I took a deep breath and tried to keep my calm. "Yeah, Will?"
His smile was more audible. "Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. And if you need a favor, call me. I'm here for you, and I've got connections and family all over the country."
Trying to keep the tears of love at bay, I replied with a chuckle. "Thanks, Will. I'll talk to you after the next stretch is over, okay? Love you. Tell everyone I love them on my behalf, okay? And make sure Nico knows that I left my position to Emilia while I'm on the quest. Bye."
"Love you too, honey. Stay safe. I'll tell everyone. Love you. Bye."
I hung up and rubbed my face. It didn't seem possible that I already missed everyone at Camp.
Tlatoany and Reginald hurried downstairs, clothed and looking ready for anything that came our way. They grabbed their bags and heaved them over loose shoulders and strong backs. I did the same, making sure Delos laid over the straps and not under them. We checked that we had our necessary belongings before hurrying out the door. I told them the situation as we rushed. "Will said that there was another flaming arrow situation. Those assholes are back. They left Camp and headed for NYC two hours ago after learning that I wasn't there. We need to pick up speed, and fast. I have no clue how fast or how well they can track us."
Reggie furrowed both eyebrows and cocked his head back. His eyes wandered towards the ceiling, as if trying to think of answers for a test. "I don't think anyone told me about that. Did that happen a while ago or was I just passed out?"
Tlato explained the event while I worried and tried to imagine the fastest way to scare away the attackers if they did reach us. I didn't want to kill them. I didn't want to injure or ruin them with plagues. Worst case scenario, I could give them bad colds and keep them weak. If that doesn't work either, I could give them weaker versions of the flu. It would hinder them enough that they'd have to seek shelter and housing for a little while.
I didn't notice the boys speeding through a conversation as I mulled over my plan. I only realized they were asking for my input once we already reached the lobby. "Huh? What? Did you two say something?"
Tlato just shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Anu, I know your powers make you really scary and cool and frighten off any potential enemies, but you still do need to pay attention when we're talking, you know."
I squinted at him, and he put his hands up in surrender, eyebrows raised. I smirked. "Thought so. But genuinely, I was thinking of our safety against those weirdos. I've dealt with them before. I've got the most experience. Seriously, what were you two talking about just now? And what did you ask me?"
Reggie was nice enough to explain without being a bitch. "Basically, we're planning on heading to the Underworld from the LA entrance. Tlato and I are thinking that's where Pallas is hiding because he's a Titan. He'd be smited the moment he reaches the surface by Zeus or someone else, so it makes the most sense that he's still hiding away in the Underworld. It's a lot bigger than the surface of the Earth, and there are a lot more places to hide. Nico can tell us where the entrance is in LA. I suggested we take the route I took to get to Camp. Easy, fast, convenient, and I've already done it before, so it's nothing new to me. He was asking if you had any suggestions for locations before we go."
My face turned to the floor before I could stop it. Tears rose in my eyes before I could say anything. "I need to see my mother."
The boys seemed surprised at this, but I couldn't figure out why. Tlato was the only one to speak next. I was too busy crying to make any noises. "Anu, she abandoned you. I thought she'd be the last person you'd want to see after she left you!"
I scowled through the heartache. "And who are you to assume that?"
Reggie rested a hand on my shoulder, and I did my best to calm down. "Look, she raised me. I deserve an explanation for why she did what she did."
Tlatoany rubbed his temples. "I get that. And you do deserve an explanation. But why can't you just call her? Anu, she's the reason you even had that situation with the Grove of Dodona to begin with." I grabbed him by the collar, and I could see Reginald's heart rate spike.
I growled lowly, trying to keep all of my rage at bay. "You know nothing about that. You know nothing about my relationship with my mother. You do not get to tell me what I should or shouldn't do regarding that situation. Have I made myself clear, Tlatoany Castillo? Have I?" He only nodded and rested his hands over mine, and I nearly collapsed into tears, again. Of course, because I am a coward who fears her own emotions, I shoved his hands away and went about walking to the front doors.
Reginald kept an even pace with me, staying about four feet away just to show respect for my boundaries, which I greatly appreciated. Tlato did the same, staying to Reggie's other side.
We walked out together, only to be approached by the evil air hostess-looking lady, Ramona. I stopped her before she could open her mouth. "Lady, I don't know you. And frankly, I don't care. I am exhausted with your bullshit behavior. I don't like how you look at me, and I don't like how you look at my best friend. I might argue with this guy, but he is my fucking anchor. You are nothing in his presence. And as far as I'm concerned, you are but a speck of dust floating in the air to me, only to be lost and forgotten when the wind blows you away. But that's not who you are to other people. So maybe either get a different job that isn't in the service industry, or just shut the fuck up about how much you hate people of color."
She gave a plastic smile and scrunched her eyebrows together. "Ma'am, I don't know what you're talking about. I've never spoken to either of you before."
I snorted. "You don't gotta say anything for me to know what you're thinking, you racist bitch. Your trash opinions are written all over your face, you pile of sweaty garbage."
Reggie just grinned at me all proud and laughed, shrugging at Ramona's indignant face. Tlatoany hid his snickers behind a strong hand, and we continued on our way. My best bud asked softly once we reached the bus stop, "Do you get that angry at all racists?"
I sighed and tilted my head back to look him in the face (yes, he is indeed so tall that I have to do that to look at him directly). "Tlato, that is the angriest I've ever gotten at any human adult before in my entire life."
Reginald gaped. "Wait, what?! Are you serious?"
I frowned. "Why is that so surprising?"
Tlatoany shrugged. "You're the plague-bringer. You've got a rage like I've never seen in my life. Anu, you nearly yeeted a guy to the Underworld because he tried to kill me."
A snort forced its way out of my mouth. "Please don't ever say 'yeeted' ever again, bud." That word doesn't suit you.
He rolled his eyes. "Okay, my point is, you're powerful as fuck. And you can get plenty angry. I guess we're just shocked that you've never turned that power or anger against adults before."
I hummed. "Well, part of that might be that I only discovered I was a plague-bringer after I came to Camp." They laughed sheepishly in weird unison. "But also, I never raised my voice against authority figures. Not ever. I never had the guts to yell at my mom because she was so soft and fragile and couldn't handle much stress, and she praised me for being a good kid. I ended up enforcing that in other parts of my life, which includes school and such."
"So did you never tell a teacher that they made a mistake in class if they did the math wrong or read something wrong?"
"Ummm…" I tried to recall a time when I corrected my teachers in school. "Yeah, plenty of times. But it was never loud. I just said it quietly, like a suggestion or a question. They'd apologize themselves for the mistake."
Tlato tapped his lips after that, clearly pondering something serious. "Anu, let me ask you this: have you ever gotten angry at anyone at all before you came to Camp?"
The answer was no, but I had a feeling that was the wrong answer. "Uhhh…no?"
With quick glances at one another, the boys seemed to communicate something telepathically. I admit, I was kinda jealous of that ability of theirs. Clearly, they were meant to be soulmates or whatever.
"Um, Anu, you know we love you, but like, I don't think that's normal, honestly," Reggie admitted while shifting on his feet.
I shrugged. "Normal is a social construct."
He frowned, shaking his head. "Maybe, but this isn't about social constructs, darling. I think you might have mental health issues because of your mom."
"Bro, everyone has issues with their parents. That's just how America is, honestly."'
Tlatoany grunted. "He's right, Anu. Good parents would never create scarred children."
I brushed off their claims. I wasn't mentally fucked just because I didn't get angry. Maybe I was just a more polite kid than them, and they didn't want to admit it. Then again, I'd never seen Tlato wear such concern on his face before. Especially not with a matter relating to my well-being.
The boys just kept an eye on me as we boarded the bus, tickets that Reggie had purchased, ready in our hands. Thankfully, with two columns of seats with six seats per row, the bus was quite large and could accommodate all of our luggage. And like the clever little reptile he is, Delos hid underneath my clothes, which were baggy enough to conceal him from creeping eyes. We agreed to go shopping for Reginald's binder after getting out of New York City, which was probably one of our better plans. I took away any of his health problems and tried to make sure he didn't have any circulation or breathing issues because of his wrapping.
We sat silently, waiting for the bus to start. Reggie reclined in his seat near the aisle, keeping watch over me and Tlato through the corner of his right eye. Tlatoany squished himself between me and Reginald, clearly comfortable and not worried at all about being stuck in a tight spot for what could be a ten hour ride, maybe longer. I sat near the window, needing to see the outside world to keep my motion sickness at bay.
Tlato kept rubbing my hand whenever I bent over at the waist from the nausea threatening to spill out of my mouth in the form of vomit. This was not going to be a fun time for me.
Fortunately, I had my headphones and fell asleep while listening to music, the gentle scraping of Tlatoany's rough fingertips grazing over the back of my palms as sleep took me. Not like I wanted to be awake anyways. People were still boarding the bus, and we would only depart after another half hour.
I could feel Tlato murmuring something to Reggie. No, I didn't hear it, and I didn't have my hand on his mouth. The deepness of his voice caused this heavy resonance that I could feel in my chest. I know it sounds weird, but I don't know how else to describe it. I had no idea what he was saying, so don't bother asking me. However, I am very sure that he was talking to Reggie about something in a very low tone that day as I fell asleep.
I never sleep well in vehicles of any kind, and that includes buses. That translates into me having almost-nightmares that leave me somewhat petrified upon waking. My dreams frightened me. I admit. I'd never been scared of my dreams like I have been at those ones. The dream of my death wasn't nearly as bad.
Clouds surrounded me, like I was on the stage of some concert venue that got a bit too excited with the smoke machine. And then, like I was on a forward-moving escalator, something pulled me towards it, endless, powerful, infinite. My body forced me to kneel. This hurt my pride more than I want to admit. A king stood before me. How did I know that? His voice. I could hear the power in just his voice, without even looking at him. This was a king who ruled worlds, galaxies. He needed no permission, no acknowledgement. He simply was, and he terrified me.
Eyes like the blaze of lightning during a thunderstorm glowered down at me, lips pulled back in a wolfish sneer. His beard shifted with the movement, and the king grunted at me. "Rise."
I scrambled to my feet, trying to not make a greater fool of myself than he already thought I was. The king regarded me with an incomprehensible level of distaste, as if he noticed a giant pile of garbage on the floor of his palace. Which, in his eyes, he probably did. The king examined me after I got to my feet, and I tried to not let him see my fear. If he did, he might have looked down on me even more.
"Do you know who I am?"
I shook my head, not daring to look him in the face. He huffed, turning and taking a seat in his throne of gold, leaning his elbows on the armrests.
"Try and guess it."
The clues didn't hit me until a few moments of me biting my lip and trying to see what would inform me of who he was, symbols and such. It was so obvious, I felt ashamed that I didn't think of it ahead of time. Saying the name out loud seemed like a bad idea, but I was pretty sure of my answer. "Zeus, god of the sky, king of the Olympian gods."
He gave a wisp of a smile, the left corner of his lips pulling up in faint amusement. You'd miss it if you didn't look closely at him without moving.
"Correct."
I raised an eyebrow. "That would make you my grandfather, then, right?"
He scowled. "You are as much my grandchild as Nico di Angelo is my nephew. I do not know you, and I do not want to."
That made me wince, but I kept silent except to ask a question. "Why are you here, Mr. Zeus?"
He sighed. "I suppose you never learned to address a god properly. Your father is so informal with everyone in Camp Half-Blood. He taught you about this world as he sees fit." With a wave of his hand, the king of the gods summoned a silver bow and a quiver full of gold-tipped arrows.
"Oooooh~!" I was delighted at seeing the fancy weapons. Zeus only rolled his eyes at my response.
"Do you know who these belong to? And what they are?"
I thought hard. "They're my dad's weapons, right? Silver-bowed Apollo?"
Zeus nodded gravely. "More than that, they are the plague arrows your father used against the Greek army during the Trojan War. They had kidnapped the daughter of one of his priests, and he destroyed them with plagues. That is your ancestry."
That was not the reply I had anticipated. "I-I know Dad did some bad things, and he did some cruel things but he's still my dad. He's trying to do better and be better. Why are you telling me this?"
Zeus rubbed his forehead and spoke more softly now, almost imperceptibly so. I could tell this was more about how much he loved Apollo than about him wanting to speak to me. "Apollo has suffered great loss because of me."
That shocked me. "I didn't think you were self-aware."
The god of the sky smiled a bit more visibly. "My son has changed many of us. Whether through his good influence or his forceful lessons, he's made us learn to look at ourselves and self-evaluate." I grinned and hooted happily.
"Dad's the best, huh?"
He hummed. "I'm a king. I'm not allowed to play favorites. But I must still tell you why you're here."
I kept my mouth shut and waited for him to tell me.
"I believe you should know your ancestry before making your legacy. This was Hera's idea, by the way."
My smile curved into a grin before I could stop myself. "Tell her my thanks."
"I will. But of the matter: you come from a line of plague-bringers." I nodded quickly. I knew all that stuff already. Why was he telling me stuff I knew? "Your first plague-bringing siblings held very great importance in early societies. They kept positions as great healers and saviors of humanity."
Zeus stood and walked past me, and I turned around just as he waved his hand to create a screen from the clouds. It displayed centuries upon centuries of human history after the birth of the first plague-bringer. Each of them did something great for their civilization, whether protecting them from a disease or using it to control the environment to prevent overpopulation or excessive drought and starvation.
"They saved millions, and though they sometimes had to cause the death of some people, they avoided causing their people suffering."
I frowned, watching all the beautiful images of flourishing societies and great civilizations at peak health. "What went wrong? Why am I the first of them born in like, seven hundred years or whatever?"
Zeus snapped his fingers, and a scene formed on the floating screen. "Europe. When Olympus moved there, a great tragedy occurred. At that point, the Grove of Dodona existed in England. Camp Half-Blood was across the English Channel, where modern Holland is. I sent down a prophecy of the plague-bringers' destruction to the oracle of the Grove, and the plague-bringers who heard it tried to destroy the Grove."
I winced. I couldn't remember the details of what happened to me there, but I knew it was something bad.
The father of my father nodded gravely. "It indeed was quite the difficult issue. But the Grove told them only truth. It told them they would die, and they did. At first, the prophecy was only about a demigod with hate of disease who would kill some of them. But after their attack on the Grove of Dodona, other demigods ordered a reactive strike and killed the attackers. Eventually, the killings of plague-bringers spread all over Europe after the advent of the Black Death. First, it was small numbers in the East. As the disease traveled and increased in infection rates and deaths, so did the killings of plague-bringers. There remained only one, a girl in England. Because all the others had been killed, she couldn't learn to control her powers and unleashed the full power of the Black Plague, causing a death toll unprecedented in human history. The demigods and humans of Europe saw this suffering as a personal strike of vengeance against them and so went on to spread plagues, disease, and death to the New World. They sought to do unto others as was done unto them. The prophecy that predicted some of your predecessors' death lead to the eventual demise of the native populations of the Western Hemisphere."
Tears blinded me, and I crumbled to my knees. I swallowed down the screams and dug my fingernails into the marble beneath me. Zeus tried to speak kindly, gently, but it fell short of mild disappointment and regret. "I do not tell you this to depress you. I tell you this to challenge you. I, like all the gods, had many doubts when your father blessed you with these powers. I still do not think you should be allowed to roam the Earth freely. But you are a product of centuries of human history and suffering. You have been raised in a life that has made you choose survival and your mother over all else."
I wanted to get angry that he implied that my mother traumatized me, that choosing her over myself is a bad thing, but I was too busy being depressed. The king of the gods tilted my head up to face him by pulling up my jaw. "You have completed the circle. Your ancestors destroyed Europe. Europe destroyed the world, ruining your country of origin, and now you're back with the same powers that destroyed Europe. This is my challenge for you: what will you do with the power you were given? This is your decision at every twist and turn."
The kind man trying to soothe my tears went away, and the King returned. "Choose wisely, child."
Tlato had shaken me awake to try and stop me from screaming more. Apparently, I'd started screeching like a banshee when I was close to consciousness again. Everyone in the bus glowered at me, eyes narrowed and irritated with my unconscious screeches. My friends poked and prodded me until I explained to them what Zeus had told me in my dream. They frowned deeply, lips curved downwards in confusion, anger, and something else I couldn't determine. "None of that makes any sense to me, but…"
Tlatoany gave me those sad eyes of his when I clung to him and bowed my head, whispering traumatized apologies and words of regret. He just held onto me, not saying anything until I'd calmed down. "You didn't hurt my people. Europe still made the choice to hurt my ancestors and the other true citizens of the New World. While I appreciate the apology, you don't need to apologize for what you didn't directly contribute to."
I just nodded, leaning back and pondering the information I'd just learned. Reggie tried to ask about what I was thinking, but I told him, "No, man. Not now. When we get out of here, maybe. But…I just need to sit on this stuff, okay?"
He understood that I really did not want to talk and listened to his own music, curly-haired head leaned against Tlato's shoulder. I put in my headphones and zoned off in an attempt to piece together what I had been told by the king of the Greek gods. Very little of it made sense to me, but I had to try, right?
At some point, the bud shook and quaked as some kind of large object fell on top of it, denting the ceiling. Reginald's face paled as he grabbed onto Tlato's arm to shake him awake. I whispered my question to him in Spanish, figuring he would know at least a little bit of the Iberian language. "Es un monstruo?" Reggie nodded, and the bus driver pulled us all over, opening the door so he could go outside and see what was wrong.
We waited with bated breath, hoping it was just some large rock or a bird that landed too hard on the roof, but it didn't seem likely or possible.
Not seeing anything, the elderly black man shrugged and reentered the bus, sitting down in his seat and getting ready to continue the drive. With a slow inhale and a slower exhale, I collected all the plague from the surrounding forest, trees, and sewer system and created a sphere of plague around the bus, imagining myself blowing up a balloon made of plague gas instead of rubber.
Reggie, Tlato, and I could hear the hissing shrieks of whatever had landed on the roof, and the subsequent puff when it burst into dust.
The three of us grinned at each other like fools. Tlato poked my cheek playfully, pretending to lavish praise upon me for the new skill I'd created.
Reggie just watched me with some kind of awe before murmuring softly, "You should write a book. About yourself, your powers, your story. Ya know, so other plague-bringers after you can learn how to be good plague-bringers?"
I leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You think I'll make it through this so Olympus will let Dad have more plague-bringers and not kill them?"
He simply smiled and nodded. "Yep." And then he went back to his phone. Tlatoany and I did the same, leaning into one another as we dozed off, again. Oh, it was already a good day so far.
As we exited the bus, Reginald made a weird face, kind of like a mix of fear and confusion. And then his face brightened and he sprinted forward, tossing his arms around a man with salt-and-pepper hair styled with way too much hair gel, a faint tan from being outside too much (pale skin outlined his eyes, as if he spent most of his time wearing sunglasses). The wrinkles of his face implied age, but the brilliant cleverness in his eyes implied a deft mind.
Our friend waved Tlato and me over, so we joined him. The man held out his hand, keeping one on Reggie's back. I didn't like that. Something felt uncomfortable about this guy.
I mean, in retrospect, he probably wasn't that bad, considering his dad outfit of a yellow polo shirt, cargo shorts, and white Vans, but my gut was screaming at me to keep Reginald away from him.
Reggie grinned, pulling us forward. "Guys, this is my Uncle's best friend and my tutor since I was four. Mr. Joshua Graves. Wonderful teacher and good friend to my family. Mr. Graves, these are my friends, Anu and Tlato. I can't give you their full names because I have a feeling they don't want me to, but they're really wonderful people. Anu was the one to help me recover after a coma and stuff too!"
Mr. Graves, who was probably in his early to mid-forties, grinned easily and tipped his head forward, his Scottish accent more prominent than I anticipated. "An honor to meet you both, truly. Reginald is like a son to me, probably for the better. His cousins aren't as well-behaved," he joked. Laughs threatened to leave my throat, and I forced them down.
"Nice to meet you, too, sir. You're a friend of Reginald's uncle, then?" Tlato wondered. "How did you meet?"
The older man chuckled. "It's not an interesting story, laddie, but I'll gladly tell you if you'd like. But I presume you're on a journey? A quest?"
My heart stopped. Knowing Tlato and Reggie, theirs did too. I croaked out, "How do you know?"
He winked. "My father was a son of Mars, lass. I may not have gone to CHB, but I was practically raised in the Legion. A lot of the older members told me stories of quests of victory and of quests gone wrong." The man scratched at his stubble and let out a slow, happy whistle. "Although, I do hear many tales about that boy Percy Jackson. Any of you know him?"
I huffed. "No, but I know of him. People keep shoving his name into my face. It's gotten real old real fast."
Mr. Graves raised a grey eyebrow, a smirk rising to his lips. "Oh? And why do they do that?"
Without much hesitation, I replied, "Because I'm the plague-bringer. I'm the strongest of us three, so everyone at Camp expects me to be exactly like Jackson, to do things exactly as he would do them. It's annoying, honestly."
He gaped. "You-you're really…" Mr. Graves swayed a little, as if he were about to fall. Thankfully for him, Reginald was there to steady him.
"Sir, what's-"
The man shook his head, pulling Reginald along and directing us to follow. "Come with me! I know I must be startling you, but please. Trust me. I know what you need. I have to help you." I was cautious. I didn't know this guy, and he very well could be a monster in disguise, but Tlato followed him, and I trusted my best friend.
He led us to his home a little ways away from the bus station, and he pulled us inside, locking the door behind him. He hurried to his office, and we hurried after him, our bags bouncing on our backs.
"Here! This is it! I've been waiting so long to hear more about the plague-bringers, but I've never met one. No one has, obviously. Until you were born. The first plague-bringer." Like in National Treasure, Mr. Graves opened a huge diagram thing, kind of like a map of history rather than geography. His crazed expression and behavior startled me, but they especially startled Reginald, who practically grew up under this man's tutelage.
Graves grinned manically. "The plague-bringers disappeared around the time of the Black Death, yes. But, it's said that there lives a colony, maybe a civilization, of demigods and humans that worship the plague-bringers. In ancient times, as you know, they were considered great healers and protectors. They were Apollo's hand on Earth, defending and controlling disease to ensure humanity's ultimate success. But after they were killed, a small group of people in Europe, likely those plague-bringers' family and friends, rose up and worshipped them. The worship expanded to some areas where the plague-bringers held very high positions in society, almost like those of priests or lords."
He rushed off to get a huge display thing and fumbled with his laptop to project a PowerPoint presentation onto the display. Graves continued, showing images of the same green gas that surrounded me at any given moment, but in pictures and carvings in different monuments to the plague-bringers. "Your history goes beyond your father, lass. This cult apparently moved along with Olympus, and now, it's somewhere in the States. No one knows where, but the three of us who have studied plague-bringers in extreme detail believe that the cult used to worship Helios and had a base in Rhodes, but with the replacement of Helios with Apollo, they began worshipping the plague-bringers because they still hated Apollo for replacing their beloved deity."
I frowned at hearing all this information. Not that it was bad stuff, just that I couldn't understand how a grandson of Mars knew more about my own ancestry than I did.
"And, I believe, they can teach you many of the secrets and knowledge and skills taught by the plague-bringers. They mostly taught orally, but I know some must have transferred their information and knowledge to a written form, which the city of New Rhodes may still keep. New Rhodes is just a placeholder name until someone discovers the city."
This was promising. The boys and I looked at one another. "If he's right, guys, maybe we should go and look for it?"
Tlatoany rubbed his face, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. I feel like it might be a waste of time. We don't even know if this place definitely exists, and even if it does, where would we even begin looking? And how long would it take to find it and then get in and then have Anu learn all the stuff? What if we're too late to stop Pallas because we spend too much time on this?"
And then I was disappointed, but Mr. Graves piped up with a laugh. "Who said anything about finding them?" I stared at him. "No, my dear. You do not find them. They find you. They've been searching for the next plague-bringer for centuries. They're exhausted and want their leader back. I'm sure they've developed some way to find the plague-bringers. If they haven't, that's quite sad. Either way, just go about your quest. They'll come to you."
Reginald swallowed loudly. "That almost sounds worse than going and looking for them."
I couldn't say anything but "Tell me about it."
Tlatoany glanced at me, Reggie, and Mr. Graves. "…so. What now?"
The adult in the room smiled excitedly. "Well, I can go put on a pot of tea. In the meantime, Anu, was it?" I nodded. He clapped his hands enthusiastically, eyes almost scarily hopeful. "What is it like being a plague-bringer? Tell me everything!"
I could only nod since I knew Reggie would be really hurt and upset if I was mean to his family friend. "Sure."
"Splendid! Now, what kind of tea would you kids like? Earl grey or Darjeeling? I have a wonderful jasmine, if you'd prefer something more floral!"