𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒛𝒆 - pjo x hp [₂]

xxxix. apollo and his jellybean

𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏.

Artemis assured them multiple times that dawn was coming, but it didn't look like it. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless.

Raya almost wouldn't have believed Artemis if her body didn't automatically tense up in warning. It was almost time for Apollo's absolutely wretched music playing as he drove by.

The Hunters had broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. Raya stood near Kayse, Percy, Grover and Thalia—the group of them huddling together to stay close to the heating charm. Artemis stared into the East like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. Based on Nico's expression, Raya knew she was telling him about leaving Camp and joining the Hunters.

Raya wasn't sure how she felt about that. On one hand, she understood. On the other, it just made Nico remind her even more of Regulus. 

Raya nudged Percy a little, "What'd Artemis talk to you about?" She needed to stop thinking of Regulus as a little kid, when she didn't even know Regulus as a little kid. Kayse cast a quick snow-repellant charm to keep the small group dry.

Percy began explaining how Thorn had something about 'The Great Stirring', and something else about a dangerous monster. Raya was tempted to press him for more details, but it was quite clear that he didn't understand anything else Thorn was rambling about.

He continued explaining about how Artemis was going to go hunt the monster, and the Hunters would be in Camp during that time. 

Grover turned pale at that. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

Raya nodded in agreement. She didn't have anything against the Hunters per se, especially since her aunt was the leader of them. But she remembered her first summer at Camp clearly. It was the last time the Hunters had been at Camp.

"How'd they even show up here?" Kayse wondered aloud. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good—"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Raya rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the fond little smile on her face.

Thalia rolled her eyes in a more disgusted manner. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so... into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah." 

Raya was about to say something, when a faint ringing began in her ears. She'd only been already awake while the sun was rising a handful of times in her life, but she recognized the ringing. Her body tensed in anticipation as the ringing grew steadily louder as the sky began to lighten.

Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" Percy asked.

"For my brother. Yes."

Raya was tempted to cast a silencing charm, but she knew it'd never work. She had experience with that already. 

"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said to Percy. Raya wondered if she was so tense she missed what Percy had said, or if Artemis had just read his mind. Both were equally likely.