Finding the Sun

Chapter 20

"Hello? Chiron?" Aster called as she stepped through the doorway into the Big House. "Anybody home?"

Aaron looked around, not sure what he was really expecting. It looked about what he would expect from a house that primarily entertains children and teenagers. Homey, slightly cluttered, it was nice. The only thing Aaron thought was out of place was the ping-pong table sitting in what looked like to be an office, that was reminiscent of the round table at work, with the way the chairs were arranged around it. He was examining everything closely, ever the profiler, but couldn't find anything that would suggest that he was in the middle of a camp for magical beings.

But then he turned to face the place Aster had just walked past, and came face to face with what appeared to be a taxidermied leopard's head. Which was moving. Aaron nearly jerked back violently, and only his years in field work allowed him to control the reaction. Instead, he took a measured step back, looking to where his daughter had just disappeared upstairs.

"Don't move," she called over her shoulder, "I'm going to see if anyone is upstairs."

She didn't wait to see if he heard her, but she supposed he was the only one that was feeling uncomfortable. She practically grew up in this place, it would be odd if she felt unsafe. Aaron, on the other hand, thought that maybe he had jumped the gun on this decision.

He moved away from the leopard, secretly wondering how it felt about all the leopard print decor.

Moving to the large window at the front of the house, he observed what was going on outside. He had a good view of the camp, and from what he could see, it was a beautiful place. He could see the Greek influences in some of the buildings, one of which he assumed was the dining pavilion, but the camp still had a mix with more modern, typical summer camp looking buildings. What had Aaron squinting his eyes, however, was what looked to be the training grounds. Aster had told him what demigods did at camp, but somehow seeing it with his own eyes was different.

The grounds were relatively empty, as Aster told him they would be, but he could see a few demigods around. They were probably no older than 14, and the youngest probably around 9, Aaron couldn't be sure with how far he was. But he could tell that they were wielding swords.

Aaron and Jack would frequently have fake lightsaber battles, it was one of Jack's favourite things to do with his father. Aaron would watch as his son swung the fake sword back and forth clumsily, Aaron himself wielding it with only slightly more finesse, before he would succumb to a fake wound.

But those kids that he was watching, they were not clumsily fake fighting. The swords might have been dull practice blades, but the demigods strikes were fast and precise. Deadly.

Is this what Aster had been doing since she was, what, 8? Preparing to fight for her life? And when she wasn't doing that, she probably was actually fighting for her life. The thought made Aaron feel almost sick.

"What are you doing here?"

The voice made Aaron turn around quickly. It had come from a blonde teen, probably around 16, who was leaning against the now open door frame that had been closed when they had arrived. Looking past the teen, Aaron could make out what looked to be an infirmary of some sort.

Aaron held up his hands in what he hoped to be a non-threatening way. "My name is Aaron, I'm here with-"

"I know who you are Mr. Hotchner. Or Agent, sorry. I was at the airport to say bye to Aster. That's why I asked what you're doing here. Is she okay?"

Aaron paused, thinking about it he did remember two tall blonde teens saying bye to his daughter at the airport. One of them had shorter hair, cropped closer to his head. This one had longer, shaggier hair, so he must have been the one hanging around Nico Di Angelo.