Chapter Four

Lucius

I don't even have to pause before I know my answer. Nodding at Chiron I answer as a smile tugs at my lips. "Yeah I do."

Everyone turns to the black haired girl beside me. I still didn't know her first name, but I doubt she was ever going to give it to me. Her skin was extremely pale in contrast with her black hair and black eyes. She looked like she was half stoned and I hadn't seen her smile once yet.

"Yes." I barely hear the answer even though I'm sitting right next to her.

"Good." Chiron rolls his wheelchair over to the door. "Annabeth, Percy, I need you two to join me for a minute."

Percy rises with Annabeth and I notice that she slips her hand into his. The trio leaves the cabin, and I'm left sitting next to "Miss. Valdez".

"So," I start as I stretch out my legs. Turning to face her, I give her a huge a smile. "What's your name?"

She glances at me. Her face is most certainly not an open book. The girl was practically impossible to read.

"Phoenix." She says and then scoots her chair a little farther from me.

"Phoenix." I repeat, surprising myself with how much I loved the way her name sounded on my lips. "That's a beautiful name."

She doesn't say anything, but the tips of her eyes blush a little. I smile again, and speak again. "It's kind of neat isn't it? I've always known there was something different about me; I just didn't think it would be this cool."

Phoenix doesn't react to my attempt at conversation. I'm intrigued. Everyone else I'd ever met was always sucked up by my cheery personality. Although it got annoying, I was very curious as to why Phoenix was so cold.

"I mean, our parents are gods! That is one freaking amazing thing to brag about to kids at school or something. Did you-"

"Goddess." She interrupts me

"Excuse me?" I smile again, happy I got her to talk.

"Your mom and my mom are goddesses. Not gods." She looks over to the door as if praying that Chiron, Annabeth and Percy would come back.

"Still, it's pretty cool. I live with my dad, but I thought that my mom had died in childbirth. Although I knew there was something weird about my eyes, I had no idea it was because they looked like hers. Goddess of the morning light; Dawn." I whistle. "That's pretty awesome."

She doesn't make a remark. I gaze at her even though her back is to me. Suddenly I thought occurs to me. "Hey, who do you think Percy and Annabeth have for parents?"

"Annabeth is Athena and Percy is Poseidon." She gives me a backwards glance and then returns to staring at the door.

My mouth drops. "How did you know that?"

"Eyes." Phoenix says simply.

"You don't talk much do you?"

She turns around in her seat. Her black eyes feel like they're piercing me to my very soul as she speaks. "I don't like p-people. When I speak t-too much, I st-stutter. It m-makes me look like a fool. So I d-don't talk."

Phoenix turns back around and I smile at the back of her head. She was actually really hot when she was pissed. Not that I was going to tell her that. Because I'm sure she looked hot in any emotion.

"That's probably the most I've ever heard you say before." I grin at her as she turns in her seat again.

She's glaring at me and a chill goes up my back. "I d-don't like you either. You're t-too cheerful fo-for my l-liking. And our p-parents hate each other. I'm not g-going to be added to l-list of c-conquests you m-might have. You leave m-me alone, and I'll l-leave you alone."

Phoenix continues to glare at me and I swear that the light around her was disappearing. The chill that had gone up my back spread to my entire body. My eyes connect with hers and suddenly all I can see is the black in her eyes. Everything else around me fades out of sight.

I can feel my body wracking in shivers. My hands were cold and all of a sudden I wasn't happy. Couldn't remember what it was like to be happy. Or angry. Or upset. Or turned on, or anything. No emotion could find its way to my heart, but I didn't care. All that mattered was her eyes.

Suddenly Phoenix wasn't looking at me in anger anymore. I could make out her face, but nothing else. She looks scared and worried. Personally I can't fathom why. All I wanted to do was stare into her black eyes.

I see her lips move, but I can't make out the words. In the back of my mind, I hear a door burst open. Suddenly Phoenix stands up and I can't see her eyes. At that moment all sight and sound come back to me.

"What the hell?" Percy shouts. "What the fuck did you do to him?"

"Percy!" Annabeth cried out.

Percy doesn't answer her and run over to me. When he kneels down, I realize that I'm on the ground.

"Pethy, theee hath pwetty eythes." I slur unable to make my tongue form the words I wanted to.

Angrily he stands up and turns on Phoenix. "You bitch!" He roars. "You've killed him!"

He approaches the scared girl and slaps her on the face.

"Percy!" Annabeth yells in horror.

Before Percy can turn to face her, Phoenix punches him in the nose. His head snaps back and I see blood dripping from it. Phoenix has a guarded face once again, but her fists are up and she looks like she means business.

My heart flutters, though I don't know why. This quiet girl before me seemed to hate me, but when I saw her land that punch my admiration for her only grew.

Suddenly, Percy throws a punch at her. She blocks it with her arm, but he gives her a second blow to her stomach. Phoenix doubles over and Percy karate shops her back so she falls on the floor.

Desperately I try to get up so I can help her. I can't get my limps to work any better than my tongue though. I hear a thud and I look up to see Percy on the ground next to Phoenix. Their fistfight quickly turns into an all out brawl.

Annabeth runs into the brawl and attempt to pull Percy away from her. I look to Chiron and see that his face is a mask of worry. Suddenly a huge girl enters the cabin. Not hugs with fat though, huge with muscles. This girl defiantly looked like she could kill someone.

The girl drags Annabeth away from the brawl and then separates Percy and Phoenix. She throws Percy against the wall and holds Phoenix by the collar of her tank top.

"Thank you Clarisse. That will be all." Chiron nods politely to the girl.

She nods back and then drops Phoenix so she drops into a heap on the ground. As Clarisse walks calmly out of the room, I drag myself over to Phoenix.

"What the hell Percy?" Annabeth yells at him.

He stands by bracing himself against the wall. "Your friend fucking killed my best friend!"

"No she didn't!" Annabeth yells back at him. "He's fine!"

She gestures to me. I see the shock on Percy's face, but then I hear Phoenix groan. Quickly I glance down at her. Her eye was blackened and her mouth was full of blood.

Phoenix blinks her eyes and sees me in front of her. I smile at her, already feeling much better than I had mere moments ago.

Her face is still a mask, but she sits up and doesn't edge away from me. Suddenly Percy speaks up. "Oh my god. I am so sorry."

He walks over to Phoenix and kneels down beside her. I notice that his nose was still bloody and that he had a long cut down the side of his face. "I'm really sorry Phoenix. Can you forgive me?"

She nods her head but doesn't look at him. In fact, she's staring straight at the ground and her arms are wrapped around her legs.

Percy stands up and walks over to Annabeth. He takes her hands but she pushes him away from her.

"I can't believe that you would attack my friend." She whispers.

"Annabeth…" Percy starts.

She holds up a hand and silences him. "Save it Percy."

Annabeth holds her head high and walks out of the cabin without a further word. Percy didn't see, but I saw tears beginning to streak down her face.

Percy looks at me briefly to make sure I was okay. I jerk my head in Annabeth's direction and he runs after his crying girlfriend.

Once he's gone Chiron wheels over to Phoenix and me. He doesn't say a word, but I know he's studying me.

I look at him and surprise myself by speaking clearly. "I'm fine now Chiron. Really."

"How can you b-be fine?" Phoenix's head snaps up and she looks at me. "You looked like you j-just died! One s-second you're on the c-chair and the n-next you're laying on the g-ground!"

"I'm not sure." I admit. "You looked at me and…" I trail off, not wanting to get her in trouble.

"Lucius, you can tell us. In fact, you actually have to tell us." Chiron urges me.

I look back and forth between the two of them. Suddenly Chiron chuckles. We both look at him as he speaks. "You're not going to get Phoenix in trouble Lucius."

I sigh gratefully. Chiron had seemed to know exactly what was on my mind.

"Well," I start. "She looked at me and it seemed as if everything just faded away. The room, the sound, and my emotions. Everything but…"

"Her eyes." Chiron finishes.

I look at him in shock. How had he known that? Could Chiron read my mind?

Chiron sighs. "It's part of the prophecy that I mentioned earlier. C'mon you two. It's time that you both met Rachel."