Chapter 4: Nico

I was still debating what I should do the next morning. Something happened however to drive all thoughts of potential romance from my mind. During morning announcements, Chiron said something totally unexpected, not to mention shocking. "I know this is a bit of a surprise," he called, "but bear with me for just a few minutes." He paused and cleared his throat uneasily. "You all know we have a new camper, Kenzie. When news of her arrival reached Artemis, she at once, made plans to stop by Camp Half-Blood."

"What?"

I turned on my section of the bench. Kenzie was standing up, her white face even paler than usual. In her dark blue eyes, the only emotion that I could detect was fear.

"I know it's rather shocking," Chiron said kindly. "But-"

"Are her Hunters coming to?" she demanded, cutting him off.

Chiron didn't answer. Dionysus spoke up for him. "Yes she and her Hunters are to be arriving shortly. Within the hour I expect. So all of you half-blood brats had better show that you have some wit about you."

Kenzie slumped down again, head bowed. I didn't know what was going on, but I had a distinct impression that she was in serious trouble. If only I knew why though. She was holding something back. I hadn't heard any of her story yet, but I wondered briefly if she had been a Hunter. She always carried around a bow and quiver on her back, but also a sleek silver sword in her belt. Maybe she was just paranoid, or maybe there was something else in play. As breakfast broke up, I resolved to ask her about it.

She looked up as I got close. A ghost of a smile flitted across her face and she rose. "Nico," she said, "how did they find out about me?"

I shook my head. I had no idea if all campers were supposed to be officially registered at Olympus or what, because that would be the only explanation for Artemis or her Hunters knowing anything about Kenzie. Unless someone told her. I remembered the snatches of conversation I had overheard. I didn't mention it to Kenzie, it would only make things worse. Instead, I hugged her to me and told her, "No matter what happens, you'll still be my favorite girl in the world." I wondered if I was being way too abrupt, but something stirred behind her eyes that said differently.

Before anything could happen, there was a bellow from the top of Half-Blood Hill. "CHIRON!" I turned quickly, recognizing it, and let go of Kenzie. A familiar looking Hunter was walking towards us with a murderous expression on her face. She wore tattered black jeans, a death to Barbie t-shirt, skull earrings and a tiara on her black hair. Her electric blue eyes looked livid with rage. Other Hunters walked behind her with the same expression.

Chiron looked uneasy. "Thalia," he greeted her. "To whom do we owe the pleasure of this unexpected surprise?"

Thalia looked grim. "Don't play games with me. You know we are here for the new demigod." Her eyes met mine. Almost regretfully I thought. "Stand aside Nico," she told me sternly.

Kenzie squeezed me hand once, then walked forward, head high. "My name is Kenzie, daughter of the exiled goddess Nimn. You have no right to judge me as if I was no better than a hellhound. I refuse to come with you." Her voice shook slightly, but it was defiant.

As she said the first part, my curiosity was aroused. Who was Nimn? Exiled goddess? We had never been taught such things at camp or in the Latin classroom. What was going on?

Thalia looked as if she had expected such an answer. "Lay down your weapons," she snapped. "It will be over as soon as possible. Zeus might even grant you a quick death if you're lucky. If you're very lucky, you could get off."

She glared at the Hunter. "That's a lot of 'if'. I am nor have been a person to whom fortune has ever smiled upon. I refuse to stand trial before Zeus like a criminal. I haven't done anything wrong."

A small Hunter, perhaps six or seven, stepped forward. Autumn colored hair fell to her waist and her silver eyes shimmered with power. I knew that this must be Artemis, and I sensed that Kenzie knew it too. The goddess looked at Kenzie not with pity or regret, but like a monster she was ordered to capture. "Child," she said with great finality, "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice. You must come with us or suffer the consequences."

Kenzie continued to look defiant. Suddenly, she swung her bow from her shoulders and notched an arrow. "You'll have to take me then," she snarled. "You know as well as I that no happy fate awaits me on Olympus."

I watched this with increasing apprehension and confusion. It was obvious that the Hunters wanted Kenzie alive to take her to Zeus and that she would never allow it. But it was unclear as to why. Had she killed one of their number perhaps? Then I remembered chasing Kenzie in the city. She had run so fast and with such desperation, that I had felt in awe of her. But what if she had spent her entire life like that. Chased by the Hunters and other gods because of her parenting. The idea made me sick and I understood why she wanted to fight and why her weapon of choice was a bow. It was also that of the Hunters, making them even in combat. However, she also carried a sword. It made sense logically. You had to run out of arrows at some point.

Thalia drew her bow as well, and both eyed each other warily. "Drop your weapons," she commanded.

Kenzie didn't move. She didn't make a sound. Her eyes shifted restlessly around, but all the time they never left Thalia's hand that held the arrow.

Artemis decided to end the game. She walked towards Kenzie, growing taller and more womanly. She stood at last before her in her adult form. She held a hand out to her. "Come on child," she said gently. "It's time."

Kenzie took a step back. She seemed to make a quick decision. A second later, Thalia had been knocked to the ground, an arrow in her right shoulder. Artemis whirled and Kenzie seized the opportunity to run. Firing twice more, she sprinted past the Hunters and up the hill. Two more Hunters fell with minor wounds and the rest angrily gave chase. Artemis was with them. Meanwhile, Thalia and the other two remained in the valley. She looked surprise as she carefully extracted the arrow. I stood watching her, shocked. Then it hit me. Kenzie was gone, pursued by the Hunters of Artemis for some reason or another.

I couldn't abandon her. I was about to sprint off after her when someone grabbed me. I fought to be free, but the unseen person's grip tightened. "You can't help her," the person gasped, and I recognized the voice.

I went limp. "Percy?"

He let me go and I faced him. He looked sad, but not regretful. "I'm sorry Nico, but I can't let you go after her. Artemis will capture her in the end and if all goes well, she'll be back by the end of the summer session."

I glared at him accusingly. "You made contact with the Hunter's I accused. "You told them that she was here, didn't you?"

He looked uncomfortable. "Nico," he said, "you don't understand."

Angry now, I pushed him hard. "You're pathetic!" I yelled. "You're supposed to be the protector of heroes, not the one to bring their enemies down upon them!"

Percy was getting angry too now. "You think that was an easy choice for me?" he snapped back. "I didn't want to betray her. Believe me!"

"Why should I?"

He glared at me. "I was doing what I thought was best for the camp," he cried.

Not backing down in the slightest, I demanded, "Oh yeah? Will it be best for the camp to know that one of their own was just chased out of her by vicious Hunters? How will that make you look?"

"I know what it's like to be thought of as an enemy, as a danger. But we can't afford to have her here." He threw his arms up as if trying to make me understand.

"Why can't we?" I yelled then. "Come on, what's so terrible about her lineage that we can't afford to call her our own?"

He sighed. "That I cannot reveal to you Nico. She will have to tell you that herself or perhaps Chiron. It isn't my place."

"You're just like the rest of them!" I yelled. I didn't wait for an answer. I pushed past him and stalked away. I vowed to find her. I didn't care who she was. I loved her and I wasn't ready to give up on her just yet. I went to my cabin and threw some things haphazardly into a backpack. An extra pair of clothes, ambrosia and nectar packets, a few choice weapons of destruction, and last of all, the figurine of Hades that Bianca had found for me. I tucked it into my jeans pocket and looked for a good place to shadow travel.