Percy Jackson's Twin Sister

The cows attack

We shuffle through the crowds with our heads down while walking. The cow things were likening the pavement and pushing through mortals.

"They're plant eaters,"Frank says, "that's good."

"Unless they supplement there diets with demigods, Hazel says, "Let's hope not."

We keep walking. Nico's head shoots up.

"There," Nico says.

We'd turned onto a smaller street, leaving the canal behind. In the middle of the cobblestone courtyard, a dozen shaggy cow creatures were sniffing around the mossy base of an old stone well.

"Lot of cows in one place," I say looking around.

"Yah but look," Nico says pointing, "past that archway."

I look across the plaza and see a stone archway leading into a narrow street. Just past the arch was a building painted black.

"La Casa Nera?" Frank guesses.

Hazel looks around, "I don't like this plaza. It feels... cold."

Nico nods, "you right Hazel. This neighborhood is filled with lemures."

"Like the things from Madagascar?" Frank asks.

"Angry ghosts," Nico says, "they go back to ancient Roman times. My mom told me... well she told me about the ghost of Venice."

Nico doesn't talk about his mom much. Especially after Bianca. He stands awkwardly trying to let that comment slide past.

"Nico, your mom was Italian?" Frank guesses, "She was from Venice?"

Nico looks at me. I widen my eyes waiting for him to tell Frank. I assume hazel probably already knew this story.

Nico nodded reluctantly, "She met hades here, back in the 1930s. As World War Two got closer, she fled to the U.S. with me and my sister. Not hazel but..." he looks at me again. I nod my head in Franks direction. I didn't know Bianca very well. I had gotten kidnapped trying to rescue him and Bianca and she had died trying to save me, "Bianca," he mumbles, "my other sister. I don't remember much about Italy, but I still can speak the language."

I place my hand on his shoulder. Talking isn't his strength. Especially to people he not super comfortable with.

Frank looked like he didn't know how to respond, "Must've been hard on your mom, but I guess we'll do anything for someone we love."

Nico stared at ground bitterly, "Yah, I guess we will."

I think about when he tried to bring Bianca back. All he was willing to do for her.

"So the lemures..." Frank says, "How do we avoid them."

"Already on it," Nico says, "I'm sending out the message that they should stay away. If not though, it'll get messy."

I purse my lips, "let's get going."

Halfway across the plaza things go wrong, but not with ghosts.

We were walking trying to give the cow monsters some distance, when Hazel stumbles on a piece of cobblestone. Frank catches her but six or seven of the beast look our direction. The creatures make deep throbbing sounds in their throats like angry foghorns.

Franks puts himself between us and the cows, "guys, I'm thinking we should back out of here slowly."

Hazel apologizes for her trip while Nico comforts her telling her it not her fault. I'm looking around for anything that could help with these cows but can't find anything.

I look down and see spiky plant tendrils we're pushing up from the cracks in the cobblestone. Nico steps back but the plants try and follow.

"These roots seem to like demigods," Frank says.

"And these cows like the roots," Hazel says.

I pull tidal wave out of my pocket.

The entire herd was looking in our direction, making foghorn noises and stamping their hoofs.

"Don't make eye contact," Frank says, "I'll distract them. You three back up slowly towards that house."

The creatures tense and take a step towards frank.

"Never mind," Frank says, "Run!"