Kaylee interlocked her fingers and bent over, waiting for me to climb on. I stared at Percy, he seemed confused so I smiled at him and placed a foot onto Kaylee's palms. I waited for three seconds before Kaylee pushed off and I leaped upwards and swung myself onto the lower balcony. I grinned to myself and looked at the pipes above me; they were still within my reach. I hopped onto the banisters and tightly gripped the bigger pipe with both of my hands.
I tried to put as much strength into my jump off the banister, and I managed to find footing on one of the lower pipes, and I began to climb skilfully up the wall and I tried not to get distracted. I did look down a few times and saw Percy's face plastered with worry, I chuckled to myself and leaped onto my window sill, feeling just like Spiderman. I won't lie to you; I almost fell down enough times.
I entered my bedroom, checking it out for any disturbance –I have a right to be cautious y'know- and then I landed quietly on my bed and took a whiff of my own scent, hey, it smelt better than the rest of my house!
I bent over and looked at the darkness beneath me, pulling out a large bag from under the bed. It was already packed and full of clothes and everything I'd need to get to this 'camp'. I quickly packed a hairbrush and anything else I could fit in there. Then I noticed a tiny box on my bed.
It was small and wrapped with a soft sparkly tissue paper. I thought I may as well pack it in my bag as well as the note tied to it. I had no time to read it right now, maybe later if I wasn't dead.
I swung the bag onto my back and crept back onto the bed. I gave one last look at my room, elegant crème walls and a nice chocolate coloured carpet. I would miss it, kind of. I watched my pet goldfish, Leonardo, swim around his bowl casually. Maybe it was my idiocy, but I had to feed him before I left. I probably shouldn't have actually fed him the WHOLE darn shaker of fish food, but, I was feeling rather generous today, so I thought why not.
With a nod at my shimmering buddy, I heard a faint voice inside my head. What did it say? Alright, that's creepy. I stared at Leonardo, my eyes wide with wonder, but it was cut short.
"Hello Lyrian."
I froze in place. "Jim." I said in a high pitched voice, with a teeny tiny nod, bubbles came from the fish bowl. His baby blue eyes stared me down, he looked like he'd just come out of rehab, his scraggly brown hair was greasy and in need of a wash, which was funny, because he was a millionaire. He was never invited to any fancy parties though, as he was not the nicest, or the most civilized.
I stared back at him, determined not to lose this fight. Instead of hitting me, he grabbed a hand full of my hair and pulled me out of my room. I gave a silent farewell to Leonardo, I'd miss him. My stepdad glared at me, a cruel smirk on his pudgy face. I rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking, this was probably a sign that I needed to stop reacting to things with a bad attitude, but what can you expect from an adolescent?
He dragged me by the hair all the way down the twisty plain hallway, I guess I was so used to this treatment I didn't care anymore, but I was worried about how I'd get away before Percy and Kaylee return. The man holding me reeked of alcohol and tobacco; normally I'd make sure he'd stay outside my room so he didn't make it stink, but I really did not have much of a choice because he was still dragging me everywhere.
Well, he let go and let me slam into the wall as I took a look at the large welcoming hall. A man stood there with a sneer. I knew him perfectly well. Mr. Winnet, one of the most evil mortal monsters to roam the earth. Okay, so he was human, but hey, if he's an enemy and I'm a demigod, why not call him a monster?
"Lyrian, daughter of the w-" He began with his sneer still there on his ugly face. I frowned at him.
"-Shut up will you?" I asked politely, and he raised his hand, but the smug smile on my face must've put him off. I tried to make it look like I knew something he didn't, which in a way, I guess was true.
"How dare you -you- speak to me this way, brat!" He spat –no, quite literally, he spat- his sneer changing to a look of anger. "Where is Katherine?"
I shrugged with a fake look of confusion on my face. "I haven't seen her in two years." I lied easily and casually.
"That's not what your teacher told us, Mrs. Sphine was it? She informed us that you had missed a detention- together." Jim grinned the evil grin of his; I just gave him a dull look in reply.
"Oh, you mean Kaylee?" I smiled, earning a sharp tug on my hair. I swear everything I say gets me in trouble; I need to keep these remarks to myself.
"You know who we meant!" Her father's eyes narrowed ferociously. I shook my head.
"I do not know a Katherine." True, Kaylee had put her two names, Katherine and Lee, together to create the name Kaylee. She hated her real name, just how like I hate mine.
"You are with her now; she'll come looking for you, I know my daughter." I glared at him with all the evilness I could muster at the moment. I was dragged outside and forced to sit and wait for Kaylee to appear, maybe she'd send signals to let me know she could see me. I prayed she wouldn't come and 'save' me. I was better at handling my family relations, but she feared her stepfather so much, he haunted her every single day and would continue to until she decided to face her fears of him.
I had no feelings towards Jim because what would I ever be able to do to make my mother leave him? Sure, she's been cheating on him with countless other men, but my mother's a smart lady, she knew that Jim was cheating on her the whole time after they were wed. But he was rich, and we needed money and a roof, so she seduced him.
I mean, if she seduced a god then she'd have to be pretty darn cunning, am I right? Either that or the gods did not have good taste in women. I closed my eyes, the sun burned my face as I waited, and waited. No sign of them yet.
Mr. Winnet dove back inside to get him and Jim (Rhyme not intentional) a can of bear each. I rolled my eyes under their eyelids, holding back a smirk. Go on; get drunk, I thought to myself with my breath sucking in some oxygen to hold back a laugh. Keep calm.
A rustle came out of the mini-forest and out came Percy with Kaylee at his side. I looked at them, eyes wide. Well, at least Mr. Winnet wasn't here yet.
"Get the hell away from her!" Kaylee said fiercely, it's been a while since I heard that tone in her voice. Percy was gripping his sword pen and prepared to uncap it. In the brief moment, we all stare at each other. Nobody moved an inch or spoke even a syllable. I sighed, trying to break the silence, but then Jim's hand pulled my up onto my feet, my skull screamed at the intense hair pulling. I had no time for this, I needed to go before my mother returned or even before-
"Ah, Katherine Lee, how wonderful to see you finally." Mr. Winnet stepped out from the shadows, two beer cans in his large and rough hands. I look at Kaylee's terrified face, I needed to protect her from her fears right away. But firstly, take my revenge on Jim.
When Mr. Winnet came close enough to me, I leaned over a little causing Jim's arm to stretch out a little. When he tried to pull me back, I kicked off the ground, smacking Mr. Winnet's wrist and causing the beer can to fly out of his hand. He gave a hoarse cry of anger and I sighed in relief as I felt Jim's grip on me, finally slacken. I bee-lined it straight to Percy and Kaylee, Percy must've uncapped his pen just before I'd done any of my amazing ninja skills, because he looked like he was about to kill someone.
Jim's upper lip turned into a snarl, like a very angry and ugly leopard. Somehow, thinking of Jim being a leopard made me laugh, and Percy just looked at me like he thought I was crazy. I probably was though. Kaylee had snapped out of her trance, but made no move to talk to her stepdad. The two men prowled like hyenas, they got closer and closer until Percy tried to take a slash at one, his blade flew right through. How weird.
He looked at me fearfully, "I can't kill mortals, I thought they were..." He left the thought to linger. I rolled my eyes, another bad habit of mine.
"Well, there is only one solution for this type of situation." I said with a grin.
"What?" Percy asked me.
"We run." I pushed Kaylee towards him and he caught on. He grabbed her wrist and ran; I followed after but I couldn't resist spitting at the two drunkard men. I'd take my full revenge later perhaps.
They shouted and cursed at me, but didn't dare to chase me. I caught up with Percy in no time, gosh was he ever slow. He looked at me, his forehead already drenched with sweat. I burst into hysterics.
"You're a slowpoke!" I doubled over, not being able to run any further due to my laughs.
"We don't have time for this; I heard a honk just a second ago." Kaylee muttered shakily.
"Guess we should get a move on then..." I sighed, only just being able to get up. I decided to go at Percy's pace as it would require less energy and take us further for longer.
In no time at all, we were outside of the school gates. A bored looking Annabeth, stood with Grover and sighed when she saw us.
"Percy, where have you been? Blackjack was anxious." Her grey eyes travelled over our flushed faces. "Nevermind." She snapped but then began whistling. I heard heavy fluttering and about five winged horses flew down from the clouds. I stared in shock. Okay, so, that proved that this was all really real. Life was about to get even weirder from now one. Each horse was beautiful in its own way. But what was even weirder... Was that I could hear the whispers of their voices.
Yo boss! How long has it been? And for some reason, I knew it was the black one that was nudging Percy in the chest that had said this.
Percy grinned, "A while."
Two Pegasus behind that, looked at Percy with interest, but the black one snapped his attention to Kaylee. Yo boss, this one stinks of coal he whinnied with a look of concern on his horsy face.
"Hey! That's rude Mr.!" Kaylee's face twisted in offense.
Boss, I think she can hear me. The black Pegasus neighed nervously.
"Of course I can hear you, you haystack chomper!" She growled at him.
"Enough!" Annabeth shouted.
Raven patted her on the shoulder and looked at the winged horses in wonder. Percy quickly helped Grover onto one of the white Pegasus and then looked at me. A chocolate-coloured mare quickly stood proudly by my side. A brown and black stallion snorted angrily, I noticed how the sunlight flickered off the tips of his wings. It looked like sunlight was dripping from his feathers.
The mare whinnied at what I know knew as her brother. Rodeo, I've chosen this demigod as my rider, I do not need your permission.
But she has not been verified yet, Rodeo complained with another snort.
The chocolate mare stared at me and she neighed quietly, lowering her back so I could jump on. I smiled lightly and did as she told me. "I can hear you." I whispered, and she snorted.
You can? She shook her mane as I patted her neck gently. Her hairs were sturdy, and a part of me knew not to mess with this Pegasus.
Annabeth, Grover and Percy raised their eyebrows at me. "What?" I frowned at them, but they looked impressed.
"No one has ever ridden Sadi before, she normally kicks them till they run, or die." Annabeth stated very simply. I stared at the mare below me with wonder.
I wouldn't beat them up if they only they'd only call me by my real name. She snorted angrily.
"Which is?" I asked quietly.
July like the summer season, she neighed.
I smiled at her, "Well let's get ready to take off." She whinnied in agreement.
Grover and Raven took a white Pegasus together, Annabeth had to take one with Safdeisha, but she wasn't as reluctant. Safdeisha was being as quiet Raven, which was odd. I had no time to ask what was wrong as when Kaylee took her seat on the Pegasus named Rodeo, the flight to camp began.