Happy reading!

Jessica

It was two hours till the camp fire. Two hours.

I was shooting targets on the archery range, trying to come up with a decision. I had wanted to talk to Kayden after the lunch, but since he had disappeared to somewhere - probably to Cara - I hadn't had the opportunity. Which I felt bad for.

I drew my bow, aiming for the bull's eye. I didn't usually spend my time here, but after meeting Apollo earlier today, I'd felt like coming here. I let the arrow fly.

It missed the bull's eye with a few inches.

I remained staring at the target for a while. Archery really wasn't my thing. I preferred rather close combat than shooting sticks with a sharp head toward your enemy. They could always miss the target, even if it was still. While if you stabbed the enemy with a sword, he at least had to dodge or reject if wanting to avoid having an express to the Underworld.

But that wasn't something you should tell Apollo.

I picked another arrow from my quiver. It got red feathers, wooden shaft and a Celestial bronze point. Looking at it brought Cara to my mind. How she'd levitated an arrow while waiting for our archery class to begin. How her little brother, that stupid kid, had almost killed me as he tried to mimic his sister.

I wouldn't want to be your enemy. That's what Cara had told me, and I'd decided to concentrate in our real enemies, even I hadn't fully trusted her. That had turned out to be the right decision.

I was so deep in my thoughts, I didn't notice Kayden until he was right behind me.

"I'm sorry I didn't find you before now..."

I almost hit him in the face with the arrow I was holding as I turned around, startled.

"Kayden!"

"Yeah..." A frown appeared on his face. "Since when have you visited here other than for lessons?"

I shrugged. "Since today?"

"Something's upsetting you", Kayden suddenly stated. "It's about the interfering, isn't it?"

He looked worried out of his mind, and I suddenly wondered if he had been that worried all those days I was unconscious. I still remembered the feeling after Kayden getting hurt. That overhelming feel of guilt and despair and constriction. Had he been through that all the time from the moment he woke up to this morning?

And it had been wholly my fault... All I wanted was just my friends to be safe. Him to be safe. And now I was thinking if I should take him with me for some crazy quest that I didn't even know anything about. What a great big sister I was.

I sighed. "Yeah, it's about the interfering."

"You mean...?"

"No. They're not going to kill me", I assured, wondering what to tell him. Then, after a moment of silence, I started to tell him about my meeting with Dad. When I finished, I cast Kayden a careful look, waiting for him to say something.

He thought for a while, then asked the question I'd been wondering for the whole day.

"So... Who're you gonna pick?"

I bit my lip, looking at him closely. I realized that even the quest would most likely be very dangerous, it wouldn't probably be any safer here in camp. And if I didn't pick him just because I didn't want him to get hurt, I would be the most uncool big sister ever. Had Angelica ever told me not to come somewhere because it was too dangerous? No. And that's why she had been so cool.

Soon understanding spread on Kayden's face. "Me? But.. I suck!"

I raised my brows. "Really? Take this", I said, handing him my bow, "and this", I passed him the arrow I was still holding. "Split that arrow", I stated, pointing at the arrow that was sticking out from the target 65 yards far.

He gave me a quick frown, then placed the arrow onto the bow string. He took a quick aim, then released the string.

The arrow flew straight, then hit the target, splitting the other arrow in half.

"Yeah, I can do that, but..."

"You still suck? Well, I don't think so."

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Yeah, I'm serious. The fact that you're not so good with swords doesn't make you a poor hero. You're a great archer, a fine healer and a good guy. And to be honest, I don't know anyone that I'd pick rather than you."

For a moment he just looked amazed from those compliments, but then a grin spread on his face. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah. And you'd better not do anything stupid and get yourself killed", I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Me? I thought it was you who does those stupid things, Jess!" He said with a laugh, looking already more like his normal, casual self.

I shrugged. "Well, maybe." I wrapped my arm around him, tousling his hair. "You know what?" I asked.

"What?"

"I'm glad you're alive." I thought for a while, then added what I'd wanted to tell him already for ages: "No, it's more like I wouldn't have taken it if you weren't." I hugged him, squeezing my eyes shut.

Kayden didn't say anything, just hugged me back.

I wrote this up pretty quickly, so I hope it doesn't suck too badly!