Journey of an Einherji - The Sword of Summer

Hi, I'm Dead. Nice to Meet You

I thought I was looking at Magnus's sister.

Their resemblance was incredible.

The same stormy grey eyes. Hers held determination, as if she had chosen a target to destroy (hopefully not me). Her blonde hair was just like Magnus's, but hers was wavy, while his hair was too Nirvana-style to be that wavy. Even their noses were similiar. She looked a bit like a typical surfer from California, except she had a orange North Face ski jacket, black jeans and lace-up boots.

There was a big difference between her and Magnus. Something important. She was very pretty.

 She stared at Magnus, then at the coffin. Slowly her expression changed from shock to cold calculation.

"I knew it," - she said - "I knew you weren't dead."

She tackled Magnus in a hug. The ten different, half formed lies in my head vanished.

"Yeah..." - Magnus said with a ragged voice - "um... It's really good to see you."

She wrinkled her nose at the corpse, then she looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"Who are you?" - she asked sharply - "What are you doing with my cousin?"

She was looking at me, up and down, her eyes scanned me. I felt like she was trying to find a weak point. She probably found a lot.

"Eh... Hi," - I said - "I'm Bruno. Nice to meet you. I'm guessing you're Magnus's sister."

Her eyes narrowed further. Magnus looked at me confused.

"No, she's not my sister. She's my cousin."

"Oh, sorry. My mistake." 

I didn't felt to bad now. I mean, about thinking she was pretty. No, wait... I'm dead. Never gonna happen. Like she would look at me that way, anyway.

"It happens... well, happened all the time." - Magnus turned to her cousin who looked like she wanted to kill me - "Annabeth. It's okay. He's a friend."

It felt nice that Magnus called me a friend. Annabeth looked at him, her gaze softened.

"Fine. I just..." - she sent a glance at the corpse - "Are you going to make me ask?" I thought you were dead, you butt."

"Hard to explain." - Magnus smiled.

"That's an understatement." - I muttered.

I was feeling like an intruder in a very private conversation. Annabeth looked back and forth between Magnus and the corpse.

"I guessed that much." - she said - "The body is fake? You're trying to convince everyone you died?"

"Uh... not exactly. It's best people think I'm dead, though. Because..." Magnus sent a glance of help in my direction.

Yep. Tricky part of the reunion. I was thinking how to help him, when I glanced at the chapel doorway.

"Sorry." - I said. Annabeth narrowed her eyes at me again - "Did you pass an el- a guy on the way in? Our friend was supposed to be keeping watch."

"No. Nobody was out there." - she furrowed - "The front door was unlocked."

My eyes widened. I looked at Magnus, who had the same look.

"Bruno, we should check-"

"Whoa." - Annabeth put a hand on his chest -  "Not until I get some answers.

"We don't have time." - I said - "We need to check on-"

"You stay here too." - Magnus's cousin sent me a death glare - "You're involved in this. And I want answers."