Mostly Normal: Hearts and Spades

Chapter Ten: Niedoświadczony

Nero squirmed, he felt strong arms wrap around him and pick him up. His eyes flew open. "Who are you?" he asked, his eyes not quite focused enough to see anything.

"Shh," said a deep male voice, "You're okay. Don't move so much, I can barely hold you as it is." Nero went limp, wondering who on Olympus this person could be. He tried to turn his head but for some reason it was stiff. Wincing, Nero gingerly turned his hurting neck back to the front.

"Colin?" he asked as he attempted to remain limp for the other demigod.

"Yes?" the son of Hebe asked back, smiling as the sunlight began to beat down upon them.

"Why are you here?" Nero asked, thoroughly confused.

"Nico told me you were in the woods," said Colin with a shrug, "and I assumed you'd gotten into trouble. But when I came to find you, I saw you curled up next to a tree. The monsters all stayed away, for some unknown reason."

Nero blinked. "They stayed away?" he asked, puzzled.

Colin chuckled. "You sure ask a lot of questions, Nero. I like you. You're one of those kids of Nemesis, right?"

"Yes." Nero was still confused. "About that monster thing...why did the monsters stay away?"

"No clue, as I already said," shrugged Colin, "Okay, we're here. Apollo cabin. They'll take care of your neck."

"Is Hanna Frank here?" Nero asked nervously, "She creeps me out."

Colin set him down on what felt like one of the little beds they had in the Apollo cabin and smiled down at him. "Hanna's out collecting herbs," he said, "Apparently something about burnt-off eyebrows from the Ares cabin. Don't know what that's all about."

Nero hummed and lay his head down, hoping that it would relieve some of the tension in his neck. He looked over to the other side of the tent; his sister Maxine still lay there, though she looked as if she were only sleeping as opposed to under a curse.

"New camper!" an Ares child yelled from outside of the tent. Maxine's eyes flew open and she sat from her position on the bed, then stood and raced outside. Nero made an attempt to stand, though he ended up with having Colin help him outside.

A few Ares campers were standing in front of the cabin, handkerchiefs tied around their heads and covering their eyebrows (Nero suspected that their eyebrows had been singed off), looking suspiciously at two figures at the top of Half-Blood Hill. Colin's own intact eyebrows shot up and he shoved Nero at a surprised Ares girl, who caught him reflexively. Nero groaned inwardly. What a time to be held by none other than Lorelai!

In no time, Colin had brought the two figures down from the hill and over to where the other campers had gathered. One was a satyr, of course, and the other was a small, skinny boy. He was covered in bruises and scratches, his blond hair was ruffled, and he looked scared. Nero wondered who his godly parent was, and what his name was.

As soon as the ruffled-looking demigod made it down the hill, a bright symbol appeared above his head, Nemesis' symbol. Nero rolled his eyes and began to slowly wobble back to the infirmary.

By the time he reached his bed, Nero's neck felt like it was on fire, and he felt like he was going to be sick. He eased himself onto the cot, laying his throbbing head on the pillow with a grimace. He made a mental note not to get up again until his stiff neck was healed. Where were the Apollo kids?

Two minutes later, Will Solace came into the cabin, leading the newly claimed son of Nemesis. Close-up, he looked worse than he had at first glance--one eye was swollen shut, and he held one arm to his chest in such a way that Nero thought it must be broken.

"So," said Will, in a surprisingly gentle tone, "We haven't heard your name yet. What is it?"

"D-Damien White," the young boy stammered, his voice tight with pain, "What was that...that thing over my head?"

"Nemesis' symbol," explained Nero from his nearby bed, "you're a son of Nemesis, like me. We're brothers."

Damien jumped and stared at Nero. "You're my...brother?" he mumbled, "That's not possible. We don't look anything alike."

"He hasn't seen the orientation video, has he?" Nero asked Will dully. The son of Apollo blushed and nodded. Nero sighed.

"He did just get here, Nero," Will said in a surprisingly calm tone as he set Damien's arm.

"Nero?" Damien asked with a puzzled expression, "Like the old Emperor Nero? The Emperor who fiddled while Rome burned?"

Nero's eyebrows shot up. "Yes," he said, "What's your point?"

Damien blushed. "Nothing," he muttered, "Why are you in bed, anyway?"

"Stiff neck," Nero shrugged, wincing, "I fell asleep in the forest by accident. I don't really want to talk about it."

Nero thought he heard Damien mutter, "That's stupid," but he couldn't be sure.

When Will finished with the new son of Nemesis' arm he walked over to Nero, giving him some soothing cream for his neck.