Nico di Angelo, Flowers of Death

Chapter 10

- Ambers P.O.V-

So far I've spent half an hour wandering through the forest.

I am totally lost.

My feet drag on the forest floor and my head was down. Why do I feel so broken? It's not like I like Nico. Because I don't.

My head shot up to the sound of a hammer on metal. In the distance I saw a faint glow. Instantly I'm drawn to towards it.

When I get close I see a cave with what seems like a door made out of the cave wall. Light leaked out between the crack and I made my way over to it. Once I got closer I could hear a voice muttering to himself.

"Stupid machine, can't work right, I'll show you," I stepped into the area where the walls parted, and light came out of. I small boy with brawn hair, pointy ears, and tan skin was banging a hammer on some kind of sheet of medal. He looked to be about the same age as Annabeth, maybe a year younger.

But what really caught my attention was the room he was standing in. The walls where covered with blue prints, a long table sat in the middle of the room, almost like a work bench. Little inventions littered the floors and shelves, along with tools.

"For Hades sake" cried the boy. He chucked something in my direction without looking at me. Then he started rubbing his temples. I let out I yelp of pain when the object hit my head.

"Holy Hera" cried the boy jumping five feet away from me. But I was more concerned with my head. Slowly I brang my finger up touching the spot I got hit in. Wincing when pain shot through my forehand. I looked at my blood covered hand.

"Oww" was all I said.

"Great going Leo, you meet a cute girl in the woods, what do you do. Ya chuck a screw driver at her head." boy mumbled to himself. "I'm really sorry by the way"

He then seemed to notice my forehead.

"Oh Styx, here let me help" he walked over reaching into a tool belt strapped around his waist. Pulling out some band aids he walks right up to me. I flinch as he reaches to touch my head.

After wiping the blood off my head and applying a band aid, he carefully lead me over to a chair. Which I was really grateful for. Then he walked over to the table. Grabbed something that looked like a brownie and handed it to me. I gave him a questioning look.

"It's ambrosia, food of the gods. It will heal your head. But if you have to much then you'll probably burn to ashes" and with that cheery note he walked back over to his table and started fiddling with different gadgets.

Hesitantly I took a bite of the brownie, only it didn't taste like a brownie. It tasted just like the cookies I would bake with my best friend, Duncan ( before he passed away).

When ever I was feeling sad or alone he would drag me over to his house and we would bake cookies. While flinging batter and throwing flour at each other till we would roll on the floor laughing. The memory made me smile. Then I thought about what happened to Duncan and I stopped.

"How's your head feeling" asked the boy who's name, I think, is Leo.

"Fine" the pain in my head was subsiding now and the bleeding had stopped.

"Good. Now would you like to explain what your doing out of your cabin so late at night." I blushed and looked to the floor biting my lip.

"Nothing" I mutter.

"Mmhum wow you've convinced me, you are free to go without further punishment" Leo remarked sarcasm thick in his voice.

"Well what are you doing out of your cabin" I ask bitterly. A devilish grin crossed his face.