( a new beginning )

TODAY WAS THE DAY.

That's right -- ladies, gentlemen, or however else you identify: Nia Kamaria was leaving Camp Half-Blood (at least for the school year). Now, she was going to be living with her mother, stepmother, and stepsiblings for the school year.

Diana, Julia, and the twins were all waiting for Nia on the other side of the barrier so they could all go out to eat afterward as a sort of celebration. It meant a lot to Nia that they had come, even though she knew that all four of them could only see a strawberry field.

It had been a pretty tearful goodbye for Nia. She'd said individual goodbyes to everyone in Apollo cabin, but she promised that she'd see them all next summer.

A lot of other people had come to see her off, too: Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard (who for some reason looked slightly guilty when she talked to Nia), and Drew Tanaka (who told Nia that she was going to miss her, but also to go away because she wanted to try out a new face mask), just to name a few.

As Nia finished packing everything she owned from Cabin Eight, she just sat on her bunk and thought for a moment.

She thought of Percy and Naomi, who had already gone home to Sally Jackson's apartment and her new boyfriend, Paul Blofis. (The irony of the name 'Blofis' made them all cry with tears of laughter.)

She thought of Annabeth and her decision to move to San Francisco with her family. (Though, knowing Annabeth, she was going to be just fine.)

She thought of Bianca and Zoë and their sacrifices. Nico was still out there somewhere, and Nia owed it to Bianca to find him and make sure he was safe.

There was still so much to do. 

Nia and her mother had to get used to each other again and, after years of separation and no contact, that wasn't going to be easy.

Luke was out there somewhere, despite the fact that he had literally fallen off a fucking cliff. He had changed somehow -- and that scared Nia shitless.

Kronos was growing stronger by the day and eventually, everything would come to a head. They would have to prepare for that day -- and soon.

But, with a deep breath, Nia decided to leave all of that for another day. After all, like Naomi had said, they had to relax while they still could.

Nia looked around Camp Half-Blood -- her home for the last seven years. She thought about all that she had been through, all that she had managed to do despite the odds. That was the only way she knew she'd be prepared for what was coming next.

Nia grabbed the rest of her stuff with a sense of finality and headed to the archery range. She settled in front of the first target she saw and planted her feet. She drew her bow and arrows, pulled an arrow out of her quiver, and notched it into her bow. Pulling back the arrow, Nia squinted an eye at the target and breathed. Then she let her arrow fly.

And sure enough, it hit the bullseye.

END OF BOOK ONE.

alright, guys, that is it! are you satisfied, happy, angry? give me your thoughts, please!

now, after this, bullseye is going to have some edits, then a bonus chapter or two, the author's note, and finally an announcement for the next book in the series!

hope you all enjoy!

talk soon! 

—icedcoffeemug