Lila

I slowly open my eyes. Gods, even my eyelids feel weak. Once I get used to the lighting, I notice that I’m lying on a white bed, similar to a hospital bed. There are about nine or so other beds around me, and the whole place is in some kind of tent. I look down at myself, and try to lift my arm with difficulty. I am able to pick it up and rest it on the small table next to my bed. There’s a tall glass with a straw filled with some kind of transparent liquid, and a small brownie on a plate. At least, I think it’s a brownie. I use both my arms to prop myself up so I’m in an almost sitting position. I can feel some of my strength coming back, but just barely.

“You might want to take a sip. It’ll make you feel better.” Nico. My head whips to the direction where his voice came from. He’s sitting in a chair, arms crossed, head down.

“Where… What…” I stutter.

“Oh please, please don’t tell me you have more amnesia. But seriously, drink.” I keep looking at him, until he looks up and motions with his hands. “Drink.” This time it’s not a suggestion. I pick up the glass and take a big sip through the straw. The moment the liquid is in my mouth, my eyes widen, and I feel a rush through my body. I drink and drink until the glass is drained, and I feel adrenaline flow through my veins. Nico stands up and walks over to my bedside. He sits down on the bed to the right of me. “So?” He prompts.

“What?” I ask, my voice much stronger.

“What did it taste like? The nectar.”

“Nectar?" I look at the glass in my hands. "It didn’t have a taste. I guess like sugary water, but nothing interesting.”

“Woah. I guess it has to do with your amnesia.”

“Wait, why? Is it supposed to taste like something?”

“Nectar has the ability to taste exactly like the drinker’s favorite comfort food, adding to it’s healing powers.” Nico explains.

“Oh.” I look down at the empty glass, dejected, and feeling less energetic. Suddenly, Nico’s head pops up, something grabbing his attention. I look to the left, and see a man in a wheelchair coming my way, accompanied by a boy with a full grown beard.

“Hello.” The man’s voice is very kind, and I instantly like him. He extends his hand, and I take it. “I’m glad to see you are feeling much better. I see the nectar must have helped. It’s a good thing Nico got you here when he did. How are you feeling, my dear?”

“Better, definitely. Who are you?”

“Silly of me not to introduce myself. My name is Chiron, and this young man is Grover.”

“Chiron. Like the centaur. So I’m guessing you don’t really need that wheelchair, do you?” Chiron starts to laugh heartily. He starts to stand up.

“Sir, are you sure-” Grover starts, but Chiron already took off the magic blanket that was on his lap. In a flash, the wheelchair is gone and instead Chiron is standing, tall and proud, with a horse’s body.

“I see that you are familiar with Greek Mythology. You also don’t seem to be surprised at the fact that I just transformed into a centaur right in front of you.”

“It takes a lot to startle her.” Nico comments. I give him a look for speaking for me, but Chiron laughs.

“I bet it does. So what else do you know, my dear?”

“Well, it’s a wild guess but Grover over there is a satyr, and he doesn’t actually have a limp.” Grover slowly takes off his shoes, and his pants are replaced with shaggy goat legs. “I must be at Camp Half-blood, in the infirmary. Could you… Do you know what happened to me?”

“We believe that you somehow came into contact with centaur blood, which is used as a poison. You hadn’t felt the worst of it yet by the time you came here, thank the gods.” I scratch my head, some of the pain coming back.

“I don’t remember anything like that happening, but then again, I don’t remember much. Anything, really.” I look down at my hands. Chiron reaches out and brushes the top of my head.

“Yes, I heard that you suffer from amnesia. When you are feeling better, you should pay a visit to the Hypnos cabin and see if they can help.”

“The Greek god of dreams? I don’t know…”

“You seem to have a great knowledge for the gods and myths for someone who lost their memories.” Chiron strokes his beard.

“Yeah, I don’t know. Sometimes there are things I just happen to know, without remembering how I know them. For example, I know that the director of this camp is Dionysus, god of wine. This was his punishment or something.” I make eye contact with Chiron, then Grover. Grover starts to blink, then shakes his head like he’s seeing things. “What’s wrong, Grover?”

“Nothing, nothing. Sorry. It’s just, your eyes! They’re just like-”

“Percy’s? I heard.” Grover gasps, and even Chiron’s eyes widen. “Yeah, Nico told me. Is Percy here? I think I’d like to meet him, he seems to make quite the impression.” I look over my shoulder to look at Nico, but he seems to have slipped out of the tent during the conversation. I didn’t even notice.

“Yes, yes. I think that would be appropriate. Grover, go fetch Percy. Tell him we have someone who’d like to meet him.” Grover backs away, shocked, then turns and runs out of the tent. “So, what is your name, my dear?”

“Well, I don’t completely remember. It’s either Lila, or Liliana. Nico calls me Lila.”

“Then that is what I shall call you, so you don’t get confused. So, Lila, are you comfortable? How much has our friend Nico told you?”

“Just enough. I was able to figure out some of it myself, actually, but Nico really helped. I know that one of my parents is a god, and it must be my dad. My mother died giving birth to me…” Chiron searches my face, like he’s trying to read my mind or find some long lost memory of mine.

“Well, it’s good that you-” Chiron is cut off by the clip-clop sound of Grover’s hooves loudly entering the tent.

“Found him!” Grover exclaims, breathlessly. I wonder why he was in such a rush to find Percy…

“Ah, here we are.” Chiron takes Percy by the shoulder and pulls him to his side. “Percy, this is Lila. Lila, Percy.”

“Hi!” I say, extending my hand. This Percy kid has made an impression on the people here, I assume. He looks to be about seventeen or eighteen, with black hair and sea-green eyes. Very attractive, but probably out of my league. When he doesn’t take my hand, I look up at him and into his eyes, making eye contact for the first time. I smile, and Percy just stares. He takes a step back as if he thought I was going to hit him.

“Hi Lila.” He takes my hand, shakes it, and settles down onto the bed next to mine. Taking a breath, he continues, “Percy Jackson. So, you wanted to meet me?”

“Yeah. But I don’t get the fuss. What’s up with you guys?”

“Something is happening. Something happened. It was probably for the good, but something is going on, and we can’t figure out why. Or how. Or-” Grover rambles on until Percy cuts him off.

“Let’s just say there are technicalities. So, do you know who your godly parent is?”

“I know it’s my father. I have an idea about who, but I… I think that’s what’s stressing you guys out.”

“What do you mean? I’m totally calm!” Grover says, biting his nails.

“Lila, who do you think your dad is? This is very important.” Chiron’s voice is steely, and his face looks very serious.

“Fine. Poseidon. I’m pretty sure my-” I’m cut off by a huge bear hug coming from Percy. I hug him back, unsure why he hugged me in the first place. He holds on to me, and I kind of melt into the hug. When he pulls away, I could be imagining things but I swear he was tearing up a little bit. “Percy, what…?”

“I-if your dad is Poseidon, that makes you my half-sister.” Percy blurts out, eyes tearing up even more. Next thing I know, I’m crying right along with him, and we hug again, reunited.