Finding Purpose

Chapter VI

-Ayme-

I was standing speechless in front of Ann. Care to explain where you are going? No, I really didn't want to explain, especially not to her. Next to me Eve was starting to fume with his hands, clearly showing he was getting anxious about this whole quest already.
'Well?' Ann demanded.
I blew out a breath. 'We're going on a quest,' I answered.
'What for?' she asked.
'It's none of your business.'
Ann sighed and shook her head. 'As much as I would let you slip away, I can't. You're still my niece, and I don't think my brother would approve you going on a quest with a friend.'
I swallowed. 'My dad does approve actually. He's the one that sent me.'
Ann's eyebrows rose up. 'Really? And you just expect me to believe you?'
I crossed my arms. 'You're the expert on keeping the lies and truths apart. Why don't you tell me?'
Ann pursed her lips a moment before speaking. 'You're telling the truth. But why would Percy send you on a quest? From what I've heard it's one of the most dangerous things for a demigod to do?'
I shook my head. 'First of all, I'm not a demigod. My parents are. Second, I need to do this. I don't have a choice.'
'Everyone has a choice.'
'Not me,' I whispered.
'Why not?' Ann asked confused.
I looked at Eve, who nodded encouragingly. 'My dad is sick. The only way to save him is to find a cure of which I don't even if it truly exists.'
'The only way?' Ann said. 'Are you saying that Percy might be.. dying?'
I swallowed and looked away. 'Not might be, is. My father is dying. I need to go and find a way to save him.'
It was silent for a while. 'Let me come with you,' Ann suddenly said.
I certainly didn't expect that, I thought. 'Why?' I asked her.
She laughed a humourless laugh. 'Are you joking? My brother is dying. I want to actually have the chance of getting to know him before I lose him again. Besides, Camp is nothing for me. I feel like I'm waiting my time doing nothing. I can help you find a cure, and perhaps find a purpose along the way.'
I smiled as I remembered our talk about finding a new purpose.
'I guess you can come, judging by the look on Ayme's face,' Eve said.
He was right, as he had always been.
I nodded. 'Pack your stuff. We're leaving in a moment,' I told Ann.
She nodded and took only a minute before returning to where we were waiting.
'Is that all?' I asked as I motioned to the small bag in her hands.
Ann smiled bitterly. 'I don't have much. I don't need it either.'
I nodded and exchanged a look with Eve. He hoisted his bag up his back to emphasize he was ready, and with nothing more than the sound of the wind and the soft glance of the stars shining at the sky we left camp.

---

I fell down exhausted in one of the chairs while we were waiting for our plane to board. If I had known getting tickets at an airport was that hard, I would have gone by train.
Eve sat down next to me. 'Good Gods, that woman just went on and on and on..' I blew out a breath.
'Yeah. How hard can it possible be to give a bunch of teenager a flying ticket to the middle of nowhere.’
Eve grinned at me. 'You don't think it's a bit suspicious if three teenagers come up to you and ask for a flying ticket to the Northern Rocky Mountains?'
I laughed. 'Okay, it's a bit suspicious. But whoever thought of living in the Rocky Mountains must be really nuts.'
Eve nudged me with his elbow. 'Don't be mean. You haven't even met this people yet and you're already starting to judge them.'
I blushed and ducked my head in. 'Sorry, bad habit. I haven't learned to stop judging people just yet.'
Eve ruffled my hair and I slapped his hand away 'Then start trying already, because it's not just coming to you in a second. You need to start working on it to achieve what you want to do.'
I laughed at him, knowing he was completely right, but it would probably never work. 'I'll try, okay?'
Eve smiled at that.
Ann came back from the information desk holding three tickets triumphantly in her hand. 'It worked. Hallelujah. Now come on,' she said, as she grabbed her bag from the chair next to mine. 'We have twenty minutes to get on board.'
Eve and I stood up, following Ann to the right gate.