The Winged Warrior

Chapter 16

IMPORTANT!

For those people who skip author's notes, if you didn't know I am holding a cover competition for this book. Make your own cover and send me your entry at nutmeg223344wattpad@outlook.com and the winner will get their cover published. Contest closes on the 1ST OCTOBER 2015. 

Nico's POV

Everyone around the camp was in a state of confused worry. No-one except Percy and Leo had really known Calypso very well, and so it was only them that grieved.

Percy was getting over the shock of such a sudden and horrible death with the help of Lexi, who was his comfort through his pain. She was always there to lend a helping hand by doing the simple things that really mattered, like making him his favourite blue pancakes to cheer him up or just to be the shoulder that he cried on. Ever since they had become a couple Percy had become completely open with her, sharing all his inner thoughts and feelings with her and her alone. I knew she would take his secrets to the grave.

Leo, however, was a mess. He hardly came out of bunker nine and when he did he looked pale and thin, with dark shadows under his eyes. I thought he looked just like Percy in the morning when Kronos had visited his dreams, back when Percy was still at camp.

Leo never talked to anybody. It was as though all the cheerful, playful fire in him had been extinguished.

At dinner on the third night after Calypso's death, I figured it was time to reveal myself at last. I had been thinking over the past few days and had decided that it was the right thing to do. No matter what Percy said, I thought the sight of a familiar face might raise the camper's hopes a little.

Once the plates had been cleared and the campers sat in contented, full-bellied silence, Percy stood up at the signal - a small nod and a nudge - from me. As he stood, all the faces turned towards us in what looked like a wave, eyes focusing and sharpening on the notorious hooded warrior that was their only hope.

"We have an announcement." said Percy loudly across the dining pavilion. "My second in command, Alpha, wishes to reveal his identity."

A murmur of interest echoed across the tables as campers put their heads together to wonder who the mysterious fighter really was. Many were wondering why on earth Alpha wanted to reveal his identity, for he was surely just another alien like Lexi, or another strange face they'd never seen. And yet, the curiosity was growing ever larger.

I stood up, and the faces flicked across from Percy to me. I couldn't help feeling a little nervous, and the glare of many eyes felt like a hundred spotlights freezing me into place.

"My name is..." I spoke softly from under the hood and grasped the sides of it, preparing to flick it down.

Wait a second, what if Percy was right? What if the campers lost faith? What if Kronos or some other villain used my identity against me?

This is for Will. I said over and over in my head as I tried again.

"My name is... Nico di Angelo."

I pulled down my hood.

There were several screams from the campers, yells of shock that were only heard when a dead person walked again. I saw several familiar faces turn white with surprise and fright. I wasn't surprised. After all, if one of my friends had died and then came back to life I'd be pretty freaked, let alone the friend turning out to be a super-strong warrior of Chaos. (Not to show off)

A familiar, brown-haired, opal-eyed someone came rushing at me from the Aphrodite table and I was enveloped in a huge hug from Piper. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she looked at me, laughing and crying at the same time.