Daughter of Wine

Leo

"Who is Aunt Rosa?" Hazel asks.

I don't want to talk about her. Nemesis's words are still buzzing in my ears. My toolbelt seems heavier since I've put the cookie in there, which is impossible. 

"Long story." I reply. "She abandoned me after my mom died, gave me to foster care."

"I'm sorry." 

I look over at Calli. She knows all about Aunt Rosa. I told her a lot of things about myself while we were working on the ship. But if she's listening, she doesn't show it. She's pale, walking with her arms crossed tightly across her chest, as if she's somehow cold in the warm summer air. 

"Yeah, well..." I'm anxious to change the subject. "What about you? What Nemesis said about your brother?"

Hazel blinks like she's gotten salt in her eyes. "Nico... he found me in the Underworld. He brought me back to the mortal world and convinced the Romans at Camp Jupiter to accept me. I owe him for my second chance at life. If Nemesis is right, and Nico is in danger... I have to help him."

"Sure," I say, though the idea makes me uneasy. I doubt the revenge goddess ever gives advice out of the goodness of her heart. "And what Nemesis said about your brother having six days to live, and Rome getting destroyed... any idea what she meant?"

"None." Hazel admits. "But I'm afraid..."

Whatever she's thinking, she decides not to share it. Calli shivers in the warm air. 

"You okay?" I ask her. 

She glances up at me, and for a brief moment, her gaze is filled with terror. Then, she returns to her normal, happy self. "I'm peachy Valdez." She punches me in the arm lightly. "Are you okay?"

Hazel climbs one of the largest boulders to get a better view, while Calli walks to the edge of the small hill we're on. I try to follow Hazel up the boulder, but I lose my balance. Hazel catches my hand. She pulls me up and we find ourselves atop the rock, holding hands, face-to-face. 

Hazel's eyes glitter like gold. 

Gold is easy, she'd said. It doesn't seem that way to me. Not when I look at her. I wonder who Sammy was. I have a nagging suspicion I should know, but I just can't place the name. Whoever he was, he's lucky if Hazel cares for him. 

"Um, thanks." I let go of her hand, but we're still standing so close, I can feel the warmth of her breath. I immediately think of Calli, and how much I like her. I'm not used to being around so many pretty girls. And Hazel has been giving me so much attention. But she's Frank's girlfriend, and even if she wasn't, I get the feeling that she and I wouldn't be compatible. Not the way Calli and I are. 

"When you were talking to Nemesis," Hazel says uneasily, "your hands... I saw flames." 

"Yeah." I say. "It's a Hephaestus power. Usually I can keep it under control." 

"Oh," She puts one hand protectively on her denim shirt, like she's about to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I get the feeling she wants to back away from me, but the boulder is too small. 

Great, I think to myself. Another person who thinks I'm a scary freak. 

I gaze across the island. The opposite shore is only a few hundred yards away. Between here and there are dunes and clumps of boulders, but nothing that looks like a reflecting pool. Calli looks up at us and frowns, but says nothing. 

"We should keep going." I say, loud enough for Calli to hear. "I wonder what Nemesis said about finishing before dark."

Calli glances up at the sun, which is just touching the horizon. "And who is this cursed boy she mentioned?"