Jennifer froze. Her hair fell around her face, uneven and damp. Her eyes widened and flickered to sea green.
Carefully, slowly, she turned on her heel to face the dead underbrush hiding beneath a valley of scorched trees. Her eyes darted around as she tried to pinpoint the person's location.
Finding a spot just a few feet from where she had hopped down, she bent her knees gently to pick up the dagger she had dropped when the voice had called out. Foolish... she mentally chided herself.
"I don't want to hurt you," They whispered. A rustle came from the right as a boy around twelve years old stepped out from the leaves. His curly brown hair fell just past his ears and into his startling blue eyes.
"Jennifer?"
She nodded, watching the boy warily. "What's your name?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"You know my name, it's only fair. Besides, as far as I knew I was the only demigod or legacy alive."
The boy paled. "How- how do you I'm a legacy?"
"Well," she said simply. "Your eyes, to start. Now, what's your name?
The boy fingered a ring on his middle finger. It was black with a skull like pattern. Then he looked at Jennifer, a cautious look on his face as he held out his right hand and said, "My name is Lee. Lee Solace."
Jennifer shook Lee's hand as she nodded. "So, do you know my last name?"
Solace shrugged. "Nope. Heard you mutter 'Jennifer' in your sleep."
"Well, Solace, it's Jennifer Jackson-Chase. My parents were weird."
"So were mine, I mean they practically pleaded with Aphrodite to have a legitimate child. I had nearly ten siblings when the sky turned red, all adopted. I mean I loved them so, so much but like, I shared a room with three other boys. I'm the oldest."
"I know what you mean," The younger girl agreed. "I had an older brother and a younger sister. Still think she was an accident."
"What makes you think so?"
"When... When she died, she was four or five years younger than me."
Lee nodded. Then he smiled. "Hey, Jennifer, wanna stick together? I bet you're a great fighter, and someone needs to beat them."
"Yeah, bet I could beat your scrawny butt in a duel."
He raised an eyebrow. "Really, you're only four foot eight and I'm easily four inches taller than you. I might not have the most balanced sword but I can still fight."
"Rea-lly," she drew out. "And my parents taught me to fight, one of which was the best fighter in his generation and the other a child of Athena. I would win."
He sighed "Fine. But, one more question. Can I call you Jen or JJ?"
Jennifer's response was automatic. "Jen. No JJ, no 'Smartwater' no variations. Jen. That's it."
He grinned, his lips stretching over less than white teeth. "Smartwater?"
"Yeah. Kids are rude."
"As a fellow child, I take offense to that."
"Right."
"Oh, shut it."
She snorted, shaking her head. She glanced at his shirt which was riddled with holes and didn't completely cover his stomach. Taking pity on him, she rummaged through her backpack and tossed him on of the larger shirts.
He accepted it, nodding his thanks and then pulling it over his head.
"So," Lee started. "We continue East?"
Jennifer nodded, pointing towards the rough estimate of New York. "Lets go, Di Angelo."
"And you know that name because...?"
"A girl never reveals her secrets."
Eyebrows raised, he started to walk. "Got it, Smartwater."
"Oh, for the love of the gods."
Sorry, I feel like this chapter is late. It isn't, because I never said when I would update, but still. Anyway, review if ya want and please stay safe.