Chapter 22.
I write two notes, one for Thalia and one for Nico, telling them about Chantelle and asking if she should come. After I've finished writing them, I drop them off at their seats with a smile. I'm back in my seat within a minute.
After five minutes, Thalia comes to our table. "Hey." She starts.
"Thalia, right? Hey, I'm Chantelle, cabin ten." She shakes her hand.
"I think I've seen you the last time I was at camp. Anyways, Cabin one. Why aren't you at camp?" She tilts her head.
"School hasn't ended here yet. School finishes in the middle of July and it's only the beginning June." I answer.
"Yeah." Chantelle backs me up.
"It's, Sunday, right?" I ask.
"Yup. We were going to see our grandparents in Newcastle for the weekend. Our dad lives in York."
"I thought Olivia said Yarm earlier?" I ask even though I know she did. I just don't want to seem rude. "She did. This train doesn't even go to Yarm. I think she mixed up the Y's." She says.
"Why, how far away is Yarm like?" Thalia asks.
"It's near my old school. A ten minute walk." I say.
"Egglescliffe?" Chantelle asks.
"Yeah. Why?" I stand taller.
"We used to go there, but we left last year, when I was in year ten."
"I left after year seven, when we moved back to the US."
"So, will your dad be ok with you coming with us?" I ask.
"Yeah. I didn't die in my last quest, so I think he trusts me more now."
"Ok, how long until we get to Darlington?"
Chantelle looks at her watch. "Ten more minutes."
"Cool."
Chantelle scribbles a note for her sisters and grabs her bag from above the seat.
"Where are you going?" Masie murmurs,
"I'll be fine, ignore me." Chantelle says
"Olivia." Maisie hits her twin lightly and Olivia opens her eyes.
"No no no no no. Maisie, this has nothing to do with you. I'll tell dad that I'll be back in a few days, ok?"
"We're coming." Olivia insists as she packs her headphones away. Chantelle curses in Ancient Greek.
"No, you're not." Chantelle orders
"Yes, we are, you're not going off in your own with some strangers" Maisie scowls.
"They're mortal, right?" Thalia asks.
"Uh, last time I checked we were." Olivia said.
"We'll explain later. Chantelle, they won't be hurt by magic and monsters won't try to kill them. But if we give one of Katy's millions of weapons, then they can defend themselves. I think that if they come, they'll be helpful."
"Fine. Get your bags, we're getting off in a minute. If you die, by the way, I'm throwing you under the bus." Chantelle sighs.
Maisie and Olivia giggle as they stand up. We all walk over to the doors on Nico's side. He nods and joins us as the speakers beep.
"Darlington," I introduce before the woman on the speaker says,
"You're not going anywhere, puny little half bloods." Followed by a short laugh before the speaker beeps again.
"Oh, shizzy miguire." Chantelle says, biting her bottom lip.
The train stops before we reach the station but I can see it. The other passengers look around, confused. My breaths are short and shallow so I try to take deep, long breaths to calm myself. I pull my sword out from my belt and hand the twins a celestial bronze knife each. I take out my shield and Thalia flicks her wrist and her silver bracelet opens to reveal her shield that makes me take a step back. She grins at my reaction. Skeletal hands claw their way through the windows and scatter themselves across the carriage floor. "What are you?" A middle aged man shrieks as he climbs onto a table top. There are mortals trying to smash their way through the windows but the glass won't even crack and the windows are too small.
Chantelle has tied her hair into a side braid and grabs a perfume bottle, almost full, with a pink liquid. I give her a look. "Love potion, makes any one or any thing fall in love with me. It's a lot harder to kill someone who you loves you." She says before she spritzes herself with it and laughs at my face. "Trust me." She smiles before spraying me too.
"Roses," I notice. "Do you want a knife?" I offer.
"I'm good thanks." She says, before the doors on the other side of the carriage burst open.
I turn to see what it is but I see her reflection in the glass and I nearly snap my neck when I turn back to Chantelle.
"No one look." I hiss.