Kardia Sanctuary

Chapter 6: Animal Heart

With his sister back in his life, White felt more at ease. She lead him back out of the castle. The others met up with them. The Kardia demigods instantly calmed down when they saw White had calmed down.

''Thank the freaking gods,'' Harmony swore, hugging him.

''How'd you get him to calm down,'' Lyon asked.

''It's a big sister's job to protect her brother,'' Hazel said.

They all started screaming questions at them. Most of them were coming from Nico. Harmony and Percy were just as confused and curious. White let out a tiny sonic boom. All it did was push back their hair, like a wind burst, but it did shut them up.

''Thank you,'' he said. ''Yes, Hazel is my sister on our mother's side. We were separated when we were young, until now.''

''Is there a reason why you never told us that you had a sister,'' Angel asked, a little hurt he never told his best friends.

''It's...complicated,'' White says. ''A lot more than it needs to be.''

''Hazel, what's your excuse,'' Nico asked. ''I'm your brother too. Why not tell me?''

''I'm not going to answer,'' Hazel says. ''It's too painful, for both of us.''

White looked down. Harmony took notice of his pain. She felt so sad for him. She had no idea what he went through, but will always be there for him. They all will.

''Hazel, maybe we should tell him,'' White told her.

''Are you sure,'' she asked.

''If he really is your brother, then wouldn't he be mine, as well,'' White says.

''Alright,'' Hazel said. ''Come on, Nico.''

The animal boy and gem girl lead the Ghost King away. None of the others were very comfortable, but let them be.

''Someone opening up their feelings to Nico,'' Percy says. ''There's a sentence i'd never thought i'd say.''

''Percy,'' Jason warned.

''No offense to Nico, but it is true,'' Percy says.

The new sibling trio walked to the stables, luckily empty of demigods.

''Loralie and Hayley must be somewhere else,'' White says. ''Lucky.''

''Out with it, you two,'' Nico ordered.

''White and I weren't separated by normal means,'' Hazel started. ''He was kidnapped and tortured by them.''

Nico's eyes widened, hardly believing it.

''He was experimented on for years, treated like a monster,'' Hazel says, crying.

''If it wasn't for my father, I would have still been their prisoner,'' White said, crying. ''He saved me.''

''I am so sorry that happened to you,'' Nico apologized. ''I wouldn't have wished that on my worst enemy. Who's the god that saved you, your godly parent?''

''Pan, god of the wild and animals,'' White answered.

''That explains your incredibly powerful shapeshifting,'' Nico said.

''My father trained me for a long time,'' White says. ''The way he put it, my heart was perfect for it because of how I cared for all animals and the wild. He liked to say that I had the heart of an animal. Someone that cared for those that need it most.''

''Those animals in your room,'' Hazel remembered from earlier.

''Animal victims,'' White says. ''Some I found in traps, others in nets, and the last wounded from hunters. I took them in and helped them get back on their paws, claws, or whatever they had. They grew so attached that they just stayed.''

''I've only ever met one other person as nice as you,'' Nico said. ''Percy. But the fact that you went through all that just shows how incredible you are.''

''Oh my god,'' White swore. ''Lyon, but in a different body.''

''Huh,'' Nico ''duh''ed.

''You just remind me of Lyon,'' White laughed. ''You both put on this face of either cold or gloomy to hide your good hearts. Your way of protecting yourselves.''

''Wow,'' Hazel gasped.

''No one has ever said anything like that to me,'' Nico says. ''Something so nice. Why are you so kind.''

''Everyone deserves kindness,'' White said. ''There is no one that deserves what I went through, so I'm kind to everyone because that's all I have left. My heart's the only thing those people couldn't take from me.''

''White, you have us now,'' Hazel says, taking his shoulder. ''We are now your family. Your real family. And we won't ever leave you.''

''What did I ever do to deserve a sister like you,'' White smiled.

''You exist, that's all you need to do to have me,'' Hazel said, hugging him.

                                                                    *****Line Break*****

It had been a couple more weeks since the American's had arrived in their sanctuary. White, Hazel, and Nico spent most of that time together. White's friends had grown a little jealous, but were happy for them. Not many people gain siblings the way he did.

''Got to love this place,'' Hazel says, her and Nico with White in his room. ''I almost don't want to go back home.''

''It's not like you have to,'' White said. ''This place is my home, after all. We have things here you probably don't.''

''Like what,'' Nico asked.

''Harpy-demigods, for one,'' White laughed. ''Tamed dragons and unicorns. Not to mention the unique demigod training. And me, i'm here.''

''We'll need to talk with the others,'' Hazel said. ''They would need to know. But maybe you should visit our camps. New Rome has a lot, and Camp Half-Blood could also be good for you.''

''I'm not so sure,'' White says. ''I haven't left the sanctuary in so long. I know my father has faded away by now, not much wild left in the world, so he won't be able to protect me. I'm not sure I can do that.''

''You didn't seem too helpless around those storm spirits,'' Nico reminded. ''You ripped through them as if they were nothing.''

''Power, I have. Mental stability, still working on it,'' White says, with a slight chuckle. ''After what happened.''

''We will be there,'' Hazel told him. ''Nothing bad will happen to you.''

''Okay, i'll visit your camps,'' White said.

''Yay,'' Hazel celebrated.

''We can leave tomorrow,'' Nico says, a slight smile on his face. ''Your friends can come to.''

''Great,'' White said.

Hazel and Nico left White's room, for their guest room. White was beaming as he closed and locked his door.

''Well, well, well,'' a male voice said behind him. ''What do we have here.''

''No,'' White cried, turning around.