Demigods

When Birds Attack

Mana
********

“What do you mean ‘a demigod attacked them’?” Rachel pestered.

“How many ways can you take that? There really is only one meaning to the phrase ‘a demigod attacked them’,” I shot back. Rachel is an older woman, almost in her fifties, with fiery red hair. She’s our oracle, has been since before we were all born. Apparently she became the oracle after the second titan war was over.

“Did they give any details on this attack?”

“No, they don’t know. Or if they do, they aren’t saying. All they said is that the monsters told them they were being sent by a demigod.”

“And the monsters just, what, decided to inform them for this to try to prevent themselves from being killed?”

“Of course not. JJ can charm speak.”

Her eyes widened a bit. “Wow. We haven’t had a charm speaker since…”

“Since Piper Mclean, I know. But if she is a charm speaker, than the monsters would tell her anything she asked them to tell her. They aren’t strong enough to resist unless they are powerful.”

“I know how charm speak works, Mana.”

Sometimes talking to Rachel is like pulling teeth, only pulling teeth is quicker.

She rubbed her temples. “I’m sorry. This is just frustrating. But I shouldn’t take it out on you. By the way, Mattias wants you to see him when you’re done talking to me.”

“Well am I done?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

I walked out without a second glance back. Gods, this was annoying. I really wanted to shadow travel, maybe to Florida, just to get away for a while. But Chiron had made me promise not to do that, at least not without talking to him first. Honestly, one time I ended up stranded in Australia for two weeks. It was an accident!

 At that moment, I wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone at all, but I never seem to ever actually get mad at Mattias, and he usually can make me smile, so I went to go find him.

As expected, he was on the parkour bridges in the trees. “I hear you wanted to see me,” I yelled.

He glanced down. “About time. What, were you strangling Rachel in there?”

“No. Came close, but no.”

Grinning, he swooped down and landed in front of me. “To the forest?” he suggested. We always go there when we want to talk. They can be dangerous, but danger isn’t anything new.

“Lead the way.”

We walked past all the campers that were busy doing their scheduled activities. I’m the only one in my cabin, so I can pick my activities. Mattias probably should have been with his cabin but he’s never really been a ‘follow the rules’ type.

When we reached the trees, he got straight to the point. “You’ve been having nightmares again, haven’t you?”

Gods it’s annoying when he does that. “Why do you say that?”

“I can tell.”

“Cannot.”

“Can so.”

Glaring, I walked in front of him. Any leaves in my way, I slashed them with my bronze sword.

“What have you been dreaming about?”

“Nothing of any importance. Just forget it. Let’s see if we can kill something.”