A Pawn For Time (Daughter of the Olympians #1)

(13) Wait What?

*

Dream

I was in a dark place, again. A large pit of nothingness stood in front of me. I felt like I was leaning forward, daring to fall in. I tried to move my feet, but they were stuck in place. Laughter erupted from the pit.

"Puny child. If only you weren't one of them. I truly would have enjoyed killing you!" The pit said to me. The voice sounded ancient and gravelly, like someone who smoked a lot and then swallowed a cup of glass.

I don't know how, but I felt the voice at strike my legs.

I tried to speak. No sound came out. My legs were searing with pain. I felt like I just ran a 10K.

Suddenly, I felt two figures submerge behind me. Each one put a hand on my shoulders.

Who are you? What do you want from me? I thought.

The voice chuckled again. "You will know in time, my child. Join me, and I will spare your life."

I didn't know what he was talking about. My head spun and I felt the figures behind me push me. I fell in the pit, and the voice laughed.

******

I woke up and looked around. Great, I'm in another place I don't recognize. My head pounded and my legs still burned. What the heck?

I slowly got up from where I was laying. I appeared to be in some sort of alleyway. I knew that I was in a big city, because the noise of cars honking and people shouting tipped me off.

I walked out the alley and gasped. I wasn't in Washington anymore. More importantly, I was definitely not in the same year I left in.

I ran out the ally and to the nearest newspaper dispenser. People gave me pointed looks because of my smell, but I ignored them. I peered into the dispenser and my head spun more at what I saw.

The place, New York City. The year, 1990.

I was knocked out for 3 years. 3 years! How is that even possible?

I was confused, and sluggish as Pluto, but I kept going. It felt as if a force was guiding me where to go.

I thought of the quest. All of my friends in the fifth. Helena. Christina. Felix. My heart sunk to the ground when I thought of Michael. I never got a chance to tell him how I felt. Heck, I never even got a chance to register what I felt about him.

I wondered what happened to them. I hoped that they were okay. I hoped that the quest went great. One of the prophecy lines made sense to me.

Losing one as they go. Me. I was the one who they lost. I wanted to cry. I sucked it up and put on a brave face.

All I could do was have hope. It was definitely a last resort for me. After all, you know what they say. Hope breeds eternal misery. (A/N Spencer Hastings anyone?)

I reached the doors of the Empire State Building. I heard a tiny voice in my head saying to go in.

I obeyed, and walked into the building. I wasn't sure what to do, so I walked to the front desk.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the desk person said to me kindly. I was shocked. Usually desk people tend to ignore you for the first 10 seconds you stand there.

"Um, yes. I was walking the streets and decided to come inside. A friend of mine told me to stop by." I told him slyly. I didn't want to tell that a voice in my head told me to come inside.

"Alright, can I have your name please? Your real full name." He asked.

"Katerina Claire François."

The desk person looked at me. He had a sense of disbelief and shock written on his face. He seem a little nervous too, like he wasn't expecting this.

He cleared his throat. "Go into that elevator with the brass doors," he said quietly." Make sure no one is in there with you. Push button 600."

"Thanks, I guess." I replied. As far as I knew, the Empire State Building had only around 100 floors, but I decided not to point that out.

"Oh, by the way, don't tell anyone what I told you." He said.

I nodded and walked to the elevator. I pressed the arrow up and the elevator dinged.

The doors opened and I stepped inside. I pushed button 600 like the desk person said and watched the doors close.

I listened to the elevator music. It was some sort of opera/soul/r&b song. I wished I had some ear plugs. I felt like my ears were bleeding.

I sat down on the carpet. My legs were still shaky from the dream. I still don't know how that is possible. I closed my eyes and gathered my thoughts.

I most definitely don't know what happened to everyone else on the quest. I have no clue how I got to New York, nor do I know how I missed 3 years of my life.

I looked down at my now tattered and faded Camp Jupiter shirt. My jeans were ripped, and I could see scars on my skin through the holes. What happened to me?

More important question: Where am I going? Why was the desk hop so nervous when I said my name? I had a feeling that the people I was going to meet on the 600th floor don't know I'm coming.

Why did I have to tell him my name? Was he some sort of stalker guy? Was someone looking for me?

The elevator dinged again and the doors opened. I got up and brushed off my pants. I walked out the elevator and gaped at what I saw.

A beautiful city with market booths and a sort of mountain top took over my vision. On the mountain top, there was a marble palace gleaming in the light. Around the palace and market place were little villas. People danced and laughed all around. It felt like paradise.

I followed the sidewalk and decided to go to the palace. Normally, I wouldn't do that. I would have been like Psyche!and I would run away. I blame the voice in my head for this one.

I reached the palace steps, which I might add, were huge, and walked up. I walked into the building and looked around.

I heard people arguing, so I tried to follow where the voices were coming from. I reached a throne room, and all of the thrones were occupied. People were fighting back and forth so they didn't notice me. These people were also 10 feet tall, but that was no biggie.

I was confused as ever and yelled, "Wait, what?!" Everyone in the room stopped fighting and looked at me.

"Katerina?" The head one asked.

"Yes?" I replied.