Chapter Sixteen - Recovery

I thanked Zoë for the spare shirt, pulling it on quickly, only to rip it off even quicker as the cotton fabric rapidly started smoldering against my skin. It seemed that my body heat, which was already naturally higher than usual, had somehow spiked even higher after my earlier burn.

"This is a problem," Zoë muttered, examining the smoking shirt.

"No kidding," I mumbled, sitting down.

"Then, thou must count thyself lucky that I may have a solution," Zoë said, rummaging deeper into her backpack. After a few moments of digging and discarding various objects, she finally pulled out what looked like a rectangular scrap of orange-yellow dyed wool.

"Are you going to make me sew a new outfit?" I asked, concerned. I had only attempted sewing once, and while I hadn't stabbed my fingers too badly, I was keenly aware that I wouldn't be winning any awards for it either.

"No, Penelope," Zoë said, grinning. "This is a chiton. Come, I will show thee how it is worn."

I stood still as she wrapped the garment around me, pinning it in place at the shoulders with well practiced ease. When she was done, I saw that it reached barely a few inches over my knees which certainly allowed for easier mobility - at the cost of modesty. I didn't have a whole lot of inches to begin with, after all!

'It's no worse than shorts,' I told myself, certain if I repeated those words in my head enough times that even I would believe them. "I'm going to end up flashing everyone in this thing," I said, trying unsuccessfully to stretch the fabric lower.

"The fabric is enchanted," Zoë assured me. "Everything that needs to be covered shall remain so. You need not concern thyself."

Not that I didn't trust Zoë, but just to be sure, I decided to check it out with my Aura Sight. Sure enough, the fabric stood out as a field of shimmering silver against my rolling orange and purple inner flames. Alright then. I had magical clothing now. Sure, why not?

"Gather 'round, girls," Zoë called out. The girls that had previously been lounging around or splashing in the creek quickly gathered in a semi-circle around the Lieutenant of the Hunt. "It would seem we have discovered the cause of the disturbances in the area. The bad news, however, is that she managed to elude capture."

"How's that possible?" Celyn asked.

"She is, or perhaps was, a member of Lycaon's pack," Zoë said. The hunters all recoiled or made noises of disgust at the name. Come to think of it, I remembered her mentioning it before as well.

"Um... Who's Lycaon?" I asked.

"He's a werewolf," Hunter spoke up.

"He's the werewolf," Phoebe corrected. "His name is where the word for the curse that turns people into werewolves comes from. Lycanthropy. I thought he was dead, though!"

"Perhaps no longer," Zoë said, grimly. "As a monster, t'would be a simple matter of time before he came back from the pit. The stronger the monster, the easier time they have in that regard."

"So what," Celyn asked; "we've got a pack of New England werewolves?"

"Nay," Zoë answered. "I have cause to believe the woman was working alone. It is unlikely the pack, depraved as they might be, would allow necromancy of the sort she used to make those creatures you fought."

"So it's vampires in New England, gotcha."

"I shall pray to Lady Artemis for further instruction," Zoë continued. "She may wish to take part in this hunt considering what we now know of the target. In the meantime, I want those of you who are uninjured and able to set a perimeter around this clearing. Let not even an insect cross the line. Those that know first aid and those that were injured in the initial skirmish are to remain in the clearing. Nectar and Ambrosia for those that can consume it, magical healing otherwise."

"What about me?" I asked.

"Thou shalt remain in the clearing as well," Zoë said, holding up a hand to stop me from interrupting. "Thou hath proved to be singularly effective against these enemies, that is true. However, thy skills at stealth art no match for those of us who have trained decades longer than thou hath been alive. Therefore, it would be prudent to keep thee fresh until thou art needed again. If thou must stay busy, perhaps try learning first aid with the injured girls."

I nodded, feeling strangely relieved that I wouldn't be out with the patrol group, and went to help Celyn administer the Nectar and Ambrosia. I once again found myself thinking about Doctor Phoebe, and idly wondered if she was an actual goddess in disguise or just some knockout supermodel doctor who knew about demigods and was probably also a rocket scientist or something else equally awesome. I noticed Celyn had stopped moving, and looked up to see her soaking a cloth with some nectar before wrapping it around the girl's injury. What was her name again? Was it Tina? No, that wasn't it.

"I thought that was for drinking," I said, shaking the confusion away and gesturing to the bottle of nectar in her hands.

"It can be," she replied. "But, sometimes it's best to apply it directly to the injury. Of course, too much of it can cause you to burn up..." she trailed off, and I felt slightly uncomfortable at the strange look she gave me, "...but if you let it soak into the bandages, and then wrap the wound, it covers a larger area with a smaller amount of liquid making it safe. Otherwise you'd have to dilute the stuff to the point where it might be better to just drink one of Coach Hedge's sports drinks."

I was curious, but judging by her shudder of revulsion, I could guess they probably weren't that great.

"At least you know they're 'All Natural'," the girl whose name I definitely knew I knew chimed in. Trudy, maybe?

"Yeah, and so is mud but I'm not gonna drink that," Celyn retorted as she finished by setting maybe-Tanya's leg with a splint. "Anyway, that's you done. Just rest up and you'll be good as new in a bit."

"Thanks," definitely-Trinity said.

"No worries, Tiffany." Damn. "Just hang out here and you should be good to move soon enough. Come on, Skipper."

With a nod to the other girl, I catch up with Celyn as she heads toward a girl with leaves in her green hair. As we get closer I realize her hair is actually vines. With a quick glimpse at her sickly chartreuse aura, I confirm that she's a nymph.

"You know, that's kinda rude," she says, addressing me with a smirk that quickly turns into a grimace.

"Sorry," I say, blinking my vision back to normal. That's when I notice her exposed lightly tanned skin is now burned black and blistered. I swallowed thickly. Had I done that?

As if in response to my thoughts, the nymph shakes her head. "Burning branch got the better of me in the cleanup. Got too close."

"Ivy, you really should leave the fire detail to our less flammable sisters," Celyn clicked her tongue.

"It was starting to spread, and I was right there," the now-named Ivy said. I really did need to learn all the girls' names, this was embarrassing. "Besides, don't you know ivy is fire resistant?"

"But clearly not fire proof," Celyn points out. "Now, sit still and give me a moment." Taking a slow, deep breath, Celyn closed her eyes as if deep in thought before extending her hands palm outward facing Ivy and said in a slow, clear voice; "ΒΕΛΤΙΩΝΟΜΑΙ."

My eyes widen as, with a single spoken word, the blistering burns that had spread across the nymph's skin faded to a soft pink color - now looking as if she had spent a little too much time in the sun instead of having been caught under a burning branch as she had been.

"What was that?" I ask.

"A general purpose healing incantation," Celyn responds, taking a drink of water from her travel flask. "If her injury wasn't as fresh, or if the damage had been worse, my words wouldn't have been enough on their own. Unfortunately, nymphs and others without divine heritage can't consume nectar or ambrosia. Just a drop for them would have the same result as if a demigod were to overdose on it."

"That's incredible."

"It is," She says. "The Mist is a powerful force. Most know it only as the veil that separates the Divine from the Mortal world, hiding the things that normal humans can't comprehend. It is that, but it's also the source of all demigod powers." I nodded, having known that much from Elena's notes. "Even then, it's also just as much a power on its own as any other demigod power. The most powerful users of the Mist are the children of the goddess of the crossroads, though any child of the gods can learn some control."

"But how does it work?" I ask. I had been curious about using magic - or mystiokinesis - for some time now. Actually seeing it in action had my mind reeling with the potentially unlimited possibilities. "Can you teach me?"

"No," the hunter replied simply, then laughed when my expression showed disappointment. "It's not something that can be taught easily. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and what works for me might not work for you. Sorry, Skipper. You'll just have to figure this one out for yourself."

"Still, as impressive as it is, magic can only accomplish so much." A jolt runs through me causing me to straighten as I hear Lady Artemis speak from behind me. She and Zoë had approached without making a sound. "Do not overly rely on a given power to see you through all conflicts. A quick blade or precise arrow will often times be just as effective, while also limiting potential collateral damage in the process."

"Y-yes, milady," I stammered. My face was probably beet red, but thankfully nobody said anything.

"Finish up here, then come join us for a strategy meeting once thou art done," the Lieutenant says, and I nod again. The goddess says nothing, but holds my gaze for a moment that seems to stretch into eternity before I break eye contact. Nodding to herself, she walks away with Zoë right behind her.

Celyn takes a quick drink of water from the flask at her side, then repeats her previous healing spell on the Nymph whose name I had completely forgotten.

"I'm sorry," I said, an edge of frustration creeping into my voice as I addressed the now unburned Nymph. "What is your name?"

Of all the reactions to that question, I did not expect both Celyn and the other girl to break into a fit of giggles. Seeing my confusion, the Nymph in question took a moment to compose herself.

"Sorry, sorry. No, it's okay. Nobody knows my name. Or, I suppose it's more accurate to say nobody remembers it. People just call me whatever, and I've gotten good at answering."

"What do you mean nobody remembers?"

"It's a long story, and there's not enough time. But, maybe a demonstration will show you what I mean?" With a shake of her head, , she opens her mouth to continue; "Α̵͆̚Γ̴̈́́Ν̵̒͝Ω̵̋͒Σ̵̑͂Τ̶̦̆Ο̵͋̕Σ̸͐̌" My ears pop and start ringing. "See what I mean?" She finishes, giving me a wry grin.

"Right," I say, trying to clear my head. That was definitely something, and it raised more questions than it answered. Still, I knew I couldn't dwell on it right now. "I guess I'll just call you... Trinity?" It was the first name that popped into my head.

"Sounds good, Skipper!" Trinity grins wider.

"Come on," Celyn prods me in the side. "We shouldn't keep the goddess waiting."

"Right!" I yelp.