Chapter 9: The Stoll Brothers

They stopped laughing and talking when I came into their view. "What's wrong?" I asked as I sat down. "Nothing, why do you ask?" "You just stopped laughing and talking as I walked up. I wondered why?" they shared a look and I knew they were talking to each other with their eyes. "We just wanted to make sure you were alright." I nodded and looked at my lap.

"I know you dislike me and only came to get away from camp." I looked up to see they looked slightly hurt. "But I really do need your help with this quest. If you are willing to help, if not then you can leave and I'll try to finish it myself." I couldn't read their faces anymore, so I was surprised when Travis jumped up. "Of course we'll help; I mean it's good to be needed." I looked at them both and nodded.

"So what is this quest?" Connor asked, pulling his brother back down onto a log. "It's not a real quest to the camp or probably not to you either, I just promised someone I would do this and a promise to me is like swearing on the River Styx." I explained and they nodded, still listening.

"I am to assist Percy Jackson on his journey to complete his own quest. I am not to reveal myself to any of them, unless it is necessary. I am to protect him and his friends as best I can and help them without them noticing." I said and after a minute of silence, Travis laughed. "Wow, that's funny." Connor was smiling along side his brother. "Yeah I know right!"

I blinked, not understanding them at all. "You need help on a stealth mission…" "Yes?" "And they sent us…" "I see that." "But there is a problem…" "Which is?" "We suck at stealth!" they laughed at each other and I blinked at them both, but then started laughing with them.

After a moment, we stopped laughing and Connor said, "I never heard you laugh before." "Yeah, it's been a while since I laughed like that." I said and pushed my hair out of my face. Connor stood up and got the last bit of wood and put it on the fire. "We should get some sleep, long day tomorrow, gotta catch up with Percy."

I nodded and stood up, they followed me. "What?" we all asked and laughed again. "I'll take the first watch, you two get some sleep." "I think I'll get some firewood before I go to sleep." Travis said and Connor nodded and pulled out a sleeping bag, then lay down. I walked with Travis into the woods and found a tree near camp where I could see if anything or anyone was headed our way.

"I'll watch up here. Don't take too long, I'll wake Connor for his shift." I said and grabbed a branch when I heard Travis speak. "You have a glow." I slipped and fell on my butt. He rushed over and helped me up. "Yes, it's the moonlight." I said and looked at the moon. He nodded and walked off, leaving me alone.

I climbed into a good spot and could see Travis gathering wood. He seemed to be talking to himself or something, but finally he had his arms full and went back to camp. He put the wood down, but didn't lie down; instead he walked back to the tree and looked up at me. "Mind if I join you?" he asked and I shook my head. He climbed up the tree quickly, quicker than I thought he could move. He sat on the branch directly across from mine, each of us on one side of the tree, facing different directions.

"Erika?" he asked after a long time of silence. "Yes?" "Just making sure you were still awake, if you are tired, I'll take the next watch." "I'm fine." I said and he yawned. "Go to sleep Travis." I leaned back, hanging onto a branch, so I could see his face. His eyes looked tired and were drooping a bit, but when he saw me looking at him, he blinked and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm fine, I'm wide awake." I smiled and touched his arm. "It's fine really, I like the night, and it's peaceful for me. I'm the one that's really wide awake." He smiled at me and grabbed my hand as I adjusted my grip on the branch. I glanced at him and he said, "Sorry I thought you were falling." He didn't let my hand go, but I didn't mind for some reason.

A nice breeze blew and I suddenly smelt the sea, and remembered about Poseidon. I quickly let his hand go and he looked at me, but I lost my grip and fell backwards out of the tree. "Erika!" he called as I fell, but I twisted and turned, trying to find something to grab. I didn't hit the ground, but there were strong arms around me.

I looked up and saw Travis was staring at me, I looked down and saw Connor turning over in his bag and realized that this was someone else. I slowly looked up at my savior and saw it was none other than Hermes. He didn't sit me down as Travis climbed from the tree. "Dad?"

Connor had turned over and woken up, seeing our scene must have looked strange. I looked away from Hermes and he sat me down. "Erika, you need to be careful." He said and the guys looked at me. "You know our dad?" I nodded and looked back at Hermes. "We've met a few times. Thank you." I said and did a slight bow, but he lifted my chin. "No need to thank me, it was my pleasure."

Then he turned to his children, "Take care of her as if she was the most important thing on this earth." I stepped between them, glaring at Hermes. "I'm thankful you caught me, but I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself as you very well know." I snapped and he chuckled. I turned away from him and saw the guys' mouths were open, surprised that I spoke to a god like that.

"I actually was sent to deliver a message to you, in person." He said and I glanced over my shoulder and saw the paper. I took it and fished out a coin from my pocket. "Thank you again Hermes." "Anytime, Erika." He nodded at his children and walked away, but I saw a faint glow, which meant he changed into his true form.

"How do you know our dad?" "How come he let you speak to him like that?" I ignored their questions and walked to the fire so I could read the message. I sighed and read it a few times, making sure I missed nothing. I folded it up and put it in my pocket. The guys followed me and kept their eyes on me the entire time.

"Drop it guys, I can't tell you, even if I wanted to." I said and they still didn't take their eyes off me. "I need a moment alone, I'll be back." I said and hurried off, leaving them to talk. I didn't go far, but hid from their view. "She knows our dad." "And she acted like he was a mortal guy, snapping at him." "There is more to her than meets the eye."

"Yeah I know, did you see the way he was looking at her?" I looked away, most of the gods looked at me the same way. "I felt as if I had just walked into something very private." "Yeah, me too." "Why do you think he just appeared out of nowhere like that?" I sighed and turned to see a shadow moving quickly behind a tree. I held my breath, not screaming again, but acted as if I didn't see it and started walking, but slowly bringing my ring to my chest.

I turned and the shadow was just a bit behind me, it wasn't someone, it was just a shadow. I notched an arrow and shot at it, but it just disappeared as it touched the shadow. The shadow moved toward me, I felt my fear rising and it flew at me. I couldn't help but scream as it plowed into my chest.