Haley POV

I slowly opened my eyes and I was glad about the first thing I saw. Artemis. She hadn't noticed me.

I wrinkled my nose. What's that smell? Smoke. It's me. I saw flashes. Fire. Screaming. I sort of remember what happened.

I had just turned around, drawing my sword. My vision suddenly went blurry. My brain felt like it was exploding. I wondered if this was what it felt like to go insane. Stella screamed. The sound burned through my skull. I felt like my eardrums were on fire. Fire. That's what was all around me. But I couldn't feel it. My skin was burning, but I didn't feel it. I heard thundering footsteps. Mama was crying. There was a beast. A beast that was burning me. Stella! What is wrong with you! Stop screaming! I looked at Mama. Help her! She stepped through the fire and looked up at the beast. Tears streaming down her cheeks and exploding into puffs of steam as they touched the hungry flames. I wanted Stella to stop screaming. Why was I crying? Why does my brain hurt so much? Why don't I feel the pain or the heat from the fire? STELLA! STOP IT! STELLA PLEASE STOP IT!

I wrinkled my nose again. I didn't want to keep seeing that. But what had happened?

" Haley, " Artemis whispered, " don't worry. You're somewhere safe. Stella is still recovering. Sleep. We don't have that much time left. We have to get to Camp tomorrow at the latest. You need to sleep. You'll feel better. "

If I fell asleep I would see the fire again. I would hear Stella screaming again. I would feel the intense, searing pain that the beast had caused. I didn't want that.

" Haley, you have to. " Artemis whispered again. Or commanded, was more like it.

I shook my head. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes, they were stunningly bright silver, I felt like the color was burning through my retinas. I had to close my eyes. I was too weak to fight it.

Usually, I was unstoppable.

Pain? Why do you let it hurt?

Fear? But why is it scary?

Difficult? No opponent is difficult with my skill.

They're more powerful than you. Are you joking?

Why was I so easily defeated by… whatever that was. My mother was a goddess, and my 'abilities' were so powerful, I only had to look at her sharply to knock her out.

I kept seeing flashes of fire. My mom, crying and yelling at the beast that was burning me. But why wasn't she fighting it? Then it dawned on me. She knew it was coming. She just didn't know when. It was all an act. An act that was supposed to be used as an excuse to send me and Stella here to Artemis. Mama is an excellent liar. It's all she did since she was 6.

My brain seemed to feel satisfied that I had done something and figured that something out. Now it just wanted me to sleep. I obliged.

When I woke up, I was somewhere else. There was a young girl pacing around me. She was younger than me, 10, maybe? Wait, how old am I? I think I'm… 11? Or maybe 12?

Whoever that girl was, I knew she must be a Hunter. She had that silver aura, and Artemis wouldn't abandon me with a stranger or just leave me there to be found.

I rolled over and found myself face to face with my sister. She was sleeping, and I noticed a big gash in her arm. I should have stopped that from happening. But I didn't remember how it had happened. I wasn't even wondering where she was though. Artemis had told me that she was still recovering, but I hadn't given her a second thought.

I remembered her screams.

No. Stop thinking about that.

The hunter noticed I was awake.

" I'm Sydney. I specialize in medicine. You're… Haley! Right? "

I nodded. She crouched down beside me.

" You're going to be fine. So will your sister. Can you tell me what happened to you? " She sounded really serious now.

" I don't want to talk about it. " I croaked. Why is my voice so crackly?

Sydney grimaced and walked away.

Artemis appeared through the velvet silver walls and walked up to me. She brushed the hair out of my face and asked me how I felt. " Did you sleep well? "

I wasn't sure how I was. She was a goddess, so she already knew my answer once I had thought it.

" It's only been a few hours since we found you. Do you know why you're here? "

I knew that I didn't. I also knew that she did.

" You have to do something. You are part of a prophecy. You and your sister. You know all about those, don't you? Your parents were the subject of many. Though the one who gave us the prophecy didn't disclose many details. But I do know what will happen if you don't succeed. We can't let that happen. The first step is at Camp Half-Blood. "

Camp Half-Blood. Mama and Daddy met there.

" I'll have your sister healed by the end of the hour. Good as new. " Sydney smiled.

I got up, but it seemed I wouldn't be able to stand. A blinding pain seared through my head. Artemis held me up and sat still for a while. Sydney stared at me. I felt like she was looking right into my brain, trying to figure out what was wrong with me.

Artemis brushed her fingers over my eyelids, and I felt a lot better. God magic.

The pain faded slightly over time, while Sydney attended to Stella, who was lying next to me.

I tried to stand, and I didn't feel anything. God magic.

I turned to look at Stella. She seemed fine. Her cut was healing. Sydney walked over to me, holding a glass of silvery water.

" Drink this. "

I took the glass. Though we weren't outside, the water seemed to reflect the moon. I had no idea what it was, and I knew almost everything. I was one of those child prodigies that graduated college when they were 10. Seems really unrealistic, but, that's me.

Sydney must have sensed my hesitation, so she told me it was moon-water. Sort of like nectar. I also had no idea what that was, but I drank it.

After a while, Sydney told me that Stella was completely healed and that she wouldn't feel weak like I did because somehow she had fixed that whole headache thing while she healed the cut. So we woke her up. When Sydney left to go tell Artemis, I relayed to her everything that had happened since I woke up.

Stella. My twin sister. My best friend. And I will never admit this out loud, but she is more powerful than me, and would easily win in a fight against me.

" We'll figure it out. This seems like something that will take time to do. " She said.

Just then, Sydney came back and told us that Artemis was waiting.

She opened the velvety doors, and it was just then that I realized they weren't doors, we were outside. It was a tent. We followed her to another tent that was bigger than all of the others. Clearly belonging to Artemis. When we entered, I would demand an explanation. A detailed one.

Thalia POV

I waited inside the tent for the girls.

They have names! Stella and Haley.

Artemis told me that they weren't identical. There was a difference. When I asked her what it was, she said it would be clear when I looked at them. She also told me that I would be surprised when I saw it because it would reveal who their parents are. And I knew both of them.

Footsteps outside. They're here.

They walked in, but I stood behind them. I couldn't see what Artemis was talking about, but I probably needed to see their faces.

" OK, whatever you're going to say, wait. Because you need to explain what the hell is going on here, and we need some more details about this 'prophecy' you mentioned. " one of them said.

You've got a lot of nerve demanding something from a goddess-like Artemis. Or any goddess, for that matter. Or is it spunk? Maybe she's just brave.

I decided I liked her.

" Your mother sent you here, to the past, from the future. Of course, for you, that's the present. You need to fulfill a prophecy. If you don't, there will be catastrophic results. You will begin your quest at Camp Half-Blood. I'm sorry, but that's pretty much all I know. " Artemis explained.

Haley POV

" While at Camp, Thalia will take care of you. She knows the consequences if she doesn't. " Artemis narrowed her eyes at someone standing behind me. Thalia. Mama's friend. Well, Daddy is friends with her too.

I turned around to look at her. Her eyes started slowly widening in shock as she saw my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stella had turned too.

Why is she so shocked? Is she scared of us? We haven't been born yet, so how would she know me?

Thalia POV

Artemis narrowed her eyes at me. I gulped.

Gods, I never thought I'd be scared of Artemis so much.

Haley and Stella turned.

Oh, my gods! OH, MY GODS!

I remembered what Artemis had said: It will be clear when you look at them.

I had to see their faces. Their faces were different.

Those eyes. Oh, gods, I know those eyes. I know them both.