1304 words

I did not have pleasant dreams when I was unconscious. Dad and Zoë lying almost dead on the ground wove in and out of my dreams. The worst part by far was when I found myself on a charred and scarred battlefield looking at Aidan on one side and a woman I didn't recognize on the other side. They were separated by a line of flames that crackled and burned hotter than me.

A cold voice that chilled my bones said, "Choose."

I yelled that I didn't want to choose, but the cold voice just laughed, and I fell through darkness and woke with a start.

"You good?"

Dad was leaning across the aisle of a train toward me, looking concerned. He was back in his 35-year-old form today.

"I'm fine," I mumbled.

Dad raised his eyebrows. "You were thrashing around in your sleep and screaming bloody murder. You almost stabbed me with your daggers."

"Okay, fine," I said.

I described my dreams to him.

He frowned. "What did the woman look like?"

I described her. "Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know," Dad said.

I could tell he was lying. I could hear his thoughts. I still didn't know why I could.

This isn't good. If she's dreaming of her, then things are getting worse.

"Don't touch my manly feet!"

I jumped and looked around. Aidan was sitting up 2 seats down from me and sleep-talking. I stifled a giggle.

Aidan continued to sleep-talk. "I'm sorry, Mr. President! I didn't mean to blow up the capital. I did mean to throw your baby off a building!"

Zoë was sitting next to Dad and staring as Aidan as though he was a nutcase, which he is.

"What do you mean I'm going to be arrested?!" Aidan slept-talked. "Since when is it illegal to throw a baby off a building?"

"Yo!" I yelled. "Wake up, baby brother!"

He woke up and yelled, "Put 'em, officer! Fight me, boy!"

He looked around, realized he was awake, and blushed redder than Mr. D's nose.

"You're 6 minutes older than me!" Aidan shouted.

A man wearing a suit and reading a book with a wizard riding a broomstick on the front sitting a few seats down from Zoë glared at Aidan.

Dad said quietly, "Aidan, quiet down. You're making a scene."

Aidan rounded on Dad. "Who asked you?"

I was shocked. Aidan was never rude to Dad. Ever.

"Aidan," Dad said gently. "Are you okay?"

"It's none of your business!" Aidan snapped.

Raiden was sitting next to Dad, dozing. She looked up when Aidan said this.

Aidan! Pher barked. Stop! He's only trying to help!

All the wolves were sitting at the feet of their human, and they all looked up at Aidan's outburst.

Aidan suddenly jumped up, and his face turned red. He seemed to come out of a trance.

"Did I really say all that?" He mumbled, looking ashamed.

"Yes," I said.

"I'm sorry," Aidan mumbled, looking at the floor

"It's okay," Dad said. "Everyone makes mistakes."

Aidan still looked uncomfortable, but he was distracted by a hissing noise. I looked around to see a beautiful woman. Except she wasn't a woman. No woman had flaming hair, white skin, fangs, one prosthetic Celestial Bronze, and one donkey leg.  And certainly not glowing red eyes.

"Empousa!" Dad yelled, leaping to his and drawing his sword.

"Drop your sssssword," the empousa said.

"Charmspeak doesn't work on me," Dad yelled, proceeding to decapitate all 3 empousa. They turned into yellow dust.

"That was easy," Raiden said.

"Indeed," Zoë said. "Too easy. No battle comes that easy for a group of 3 demigods and 2 Hunters. Especially when 2 of those demigods are the most powerful to have ever existed."

Aidan frowned. "What do you mean? How are we the most powerful to ever existed?"

"Nothing," Dad said quickly. "Forget it."

I raised my eyebrows. "Dad, what aren't you telling us?"

"You'll know someday, kid," He said. "But now is not the time."

"Know what?" Aidan and I asked together.

"Again," Dad said. "Nothing."

"Okay," I said skeptically.

Just then, I felt prickling on my neck like someone was watching me. I turned around and saw the man reading the book with the kid on the broomstick on it staring at me. I looked at him more closely. He had curly black hair, golden eyes, and was wearing a black suit with matching fancy black shoes. There was something familiar about the golden eyes. I realized where they were familiar from: Dad's eyes. The man had Dad's eyes, when they were golden that is.

"Who are you?" I asked the man.

"I think the better question is who are you," He said.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't start quoting the Lion King. Answer the question. Who are you?"

The man glanced at Dad. "I'm sure your father knows."

Dad turned and smiled. "Hello, Lord Apollo."

Zoë whipped around at the mention of Apollo.

Apollo flashed a smile brighter than the sun at her. "Hello, pretty girl."

Zoë glared at him. I could tell she did not like being called "pretty girl," judging from the fact that the arrow she shot at him narrowly missed his left ear.

Apollo raised his eyebrows and winked at Zoë. "No need for violence, beautiful."

A silver arrow with came whizzing out of nowhere, almost hit Raiden, and then hit Apollo in the right shin.

He sighed. "In a bad mood today, sis?"

Another silver arrow whizzed past Zoë and hit Apollo in the left shin.

Apollo sighed again and removed the arrows from his shins, wincing slightly. "Alright alright, I'll stop. Sorry, sis."

"You're Apollo?!" Aidan said incredulously.

"The one and only," Apollo replied.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm here to help," Apollo said.

"Why isn't Mo-, I mean Artemis helping us," Aidan asked.

"She is," Dad said. "I believe that's why Apollo is here, is that right?"

"Well yes," Apollo said.

"Why can't she show up herself?" I asked.

Apollo gave me an why-are-you-being-stupid look.

"We gods," Apollo said. "Have better things to do than to help you-"

"In other words," Dad said loudly, drowning out Apollo's voice. "Artemis can't. According to the Ancient Laws, when a demigod goes on a quest, their parent can't directly interfere and help them. Plus, Zeus doesn't like it."

I rolled my eyes. "Who cares what he thinks?! Mom should be helping us!"

"But she can't," Zoë said. "Not directly. That is why she can't show up herself. That's why Apollo is here instead of her. I'd imagine she sent him."

"She did," Apollo said. "I have some information to give you mortals. But first, I left my lyre in Indiana, so go get it."

"We're literally already on quest," I said indignantly. "And you want us to go on a side quest?! We only have 4 days left before the Summer Solstice, we're only in Indiana, and we don't even know where to go!"

"Ah," Apollo said. "But if you go get my lyre, I'll help you. And let you live. Maybe."

"I'm going to stick this arrow up your-" I began, but Dad interrupted.

"We'll do it," He said, giving me a shut-up-but-that-was-still-a-good-threat-and-I'm-proud-of-you look.

Apollo stood up and rubbed his hands together. "Excellent! Now, I left in the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. So, the quickest way there is to jump off the roof! So, go then."

He snapped his fingers and then we were on the roof of the moving train.

"Woah!" Raiden yelled.

"Good luck!" Apollo yelled.

He then disappeared.

"Well," I said. "What are we waiting for?"

Then, together, we jumped off the train.