Fading Angel | Nico di Angelo

Chapter 2: Quest

I followed Chiron soundlessly across the grass towards the big house. His horse hooves let out sharp clip clops when we reached the pavement. It was the only sound I could hear above the buzzing in my ears. I wondered what I had done this time -- I'd been late for breakfast once or twice. Unless it was some sort of crime to be un-Aphrodite-like, then I honestly couldn't think of what I had done wrong. But if that was the case, then I'd be in huge trouble. Come to think of it, all the Athena kids were alike to each other, so were all the Ares kids... And so on. So maybe I did have fault.

Well, sue me for not being vain and conceited and shallow, I thought bitterly. Out of all the gods and goddesses -- Aphrodite had to be my godly parent?

I'd been in the Big House once since my arrival at camp. It was when I had been lead to watch the orientation video and then introduced to the camp director, Mr. D--Dionysus. He had called me Melissa Devon. But today was different, especially when I saw the three people waiting inside.

My first feeling was relief. Obviously, I wasn't the only one called in.

Piper McLean, my half sister, stood on the left. She looked somewhat worried, but like normal, pretty without trying, fashionable--without having to spend forever in the washroom. And she was one of the few of the Aphrodite cabin who wasn't worried or embarrassed in having me in their cabin. Half my cabinmates thought that I was an embarrassment to our mother. Piper gave me a small smile.

The boy standing next to her had slightly long, curly, golden hair and bright blue eyes. He had a good natured look to him, like the kind of person who was easy to befriend, and nice to hang out with. His blue eyes sparkled with life and he flashed me an easy grin. Apollo kid. His name started with a J, I recalled. The Apollo kids were normally nice, until you beat them in archery. Then they wanted to kill you.

I did a double take when I saw the guy standing on the right. Nico di Angelo. Ever since the giant war (which I had fortunately missed, I had no idea about Camp Half Blood at the time), he'd been a so-called hero, next to the Praetor from Camp Jupiter and Coach Hedge the satyr. Not quite as famous as the seven of the prophecy, but pretty close behind. He had transported the Athena Parenthos from halfway across the world. He'd been through Tartarus. He stopped the war between Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter. Half my cabin thought he was cute, the other half was scared of him. Gods, what a bunch of losers. Boys were boys, not something to talk about every spare moment they had.

He scanned me up and down, as if analyzing me. Not like how the guys in my school had done, the kind of look they have when they're looking at your body. This was a simple scan, like calculating the person. But nevertheless, as a natural reflex, I folded my arms over my chest. It was silly to do such, since I was wearing a sports bra as usual to hide what other guys would be looking at, but I was so used to trying to cover myself by now that it was my automatic reaction. Feeling stupid at my seemingly uncalled-for defensiveness, I dropped my arms to my side again.

Chiron touched my shoulder briefly before trotting towards his desk. He folded his hands on his table and looked at all three of us with grave eyes.

"Last night Rachel had a vision," he said. "You four have been seen in it."

Low murmurings were heard behind me, from both Piper and the Apollo kid. I stood frozen for a moment. Why would someone have a vision with me in it? I was no one special...but then again, I was still learning how all the demigod stuff worked.

The door behind us swung open and a girl stepped inside. Rachel Elizabeth Dare. I knew she was the oracle at camp, although I had never met her before. She had frizzy, bright red hair and lively green eyes, and freckles were splattered all across her cheeks and nose. Her eyes landed on me when she ran in breathlessly, cheeks flushed from running.