The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 6--I Meet My Childish Guardian

A/N—here's the newest chapter! Hope you enjoy!

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The first thing I heard when I woke up was hushed voices.

You're finally up, sleepyhead, End grumbled, but there was a hint of concern in her voice.

"Please tell me soldiers didn't break into our house and I got beat up," I groaned. My mouth felt as though there was sand coating every inch of it. 

There were no remnants of any physical pain, as though I'd just woken up from a bad dream. But I could still hear the crack of bone and the squelch of blood as the soldier stabbed me . . .

I jumped as a warm, hand intertwined with mine. Daphne's worried face came into view. Her forehead was so creased that I wondered if she'd smiled even once while I'd been conked out.

"Why did you let them hurt you?" she asked. "I was so worried . . ."

"I didn't want you to get hurt!" 

"I'm a primordial! I can't get hurt!" Daphne quietened as she realized she slipped up.

I grinned up at her. "Primordial, eh? That'll make my search easier."

My bedroom door opened, and Gilbert popped into view. "I doubt it. We're speaking of the densest lad in town, aren't we? The boy who tried to protect an immortal."

I opened my mouth to argue, but I realized that he wasn't wrong. "Give me a break," I finally said. "I'm injured."

"Was injured," a deep male voice corrected.

Gold eyes was everything I saw before I leaped to my feet. My knees squeaked in discomfort at moving after so much time in bed, but that didn't stop me from uncapping Riptide.

But the air turned as thick as marshmallows as time slowed, making my stab look slower than an old turtle.

The figure calmly plucked Riptide from my grasp before starting time again. I charged past the figure and stumbled over my feet. I was forced to roll to absorb the impact with the ground.

"Look closer, son of Poseidon," the figure said in the same deep voice—which, on further inspection, didn't sound like Kronos'.

Instead of curly black hair and cruelty-filled golden eyes, he had wavy brown hair and eyes full of warmth, like honey or a summer day.

"Lord Chronos," I said, bowing and realizing my mistake.

"I get too much of that," Lord Chronos dismissed. "Show me the same level of respect as you show the gods . . . actually, just treat me like a normal human," he quickly added when he saw the smirk on my face.

"Alright," I consented. "Then, if you don't mind: why the heck are you here?" I turned to Daphne. "I thought we agreed on keeping me away from the action."

The primordial ignored me. "What are you doing up?" she scolded. She pushed me back on the bed, then wiped away her tears. "I was so worried about you . . . you didn't get up for a week."

"A week? But I feel fine! I feel . . . better than fine." And I really did. All I wanted to do was tear of my blankets and get a good stretch—but I looked at Daphne warily.

Chronos raised his hand. "I'll have to take the credit for that. When Ga—"

"My name is Daphne," she interrupted, glaring at him.

"Right." Chronos cleared his throat. "When Daphne called me here last week, you were nearly out of our world. I reversed time on your body to heal you—so you are officially an hour younger!"