~ { Shadow and Beauty } ~

The Big House

{Kiara}

The whole time they walked, Drew ignored Kiara. But the girl wasn't complaining about it. That way, she could focus on her own problems rather than have a stupid and shallow girl insult her, or even acknowledge her existence.

   She thought back to when the lightning had struck the chariot. She had had an overwhelming feeling that it had been her fault. She had felt as if she wasn't supposed to be up high in the air, as if it was forbidden for her.

   And when she had first stepped foot on camp soil, there had been a strong sense of wrongness, as if she wasn't supposed to be there, as if she was doing something wrong. She felt as if she didn't belong here, at Camp Half-Blood.

   That's exactly the case, daughter of Pluto, said a voice in her head. It sounded earthy and old, like a hundred year-old woman was talking to her in her head.

   Startled, she stopped in her tracks. The pain behind her eyes had returned. Pluto. Who the hell was Pluto? Wasn't that a dwarf planet or something? How could she be the daughter of a planet? The pain behind her eyes had gotten worse.

   She pushed everything away to the back of her head—the voice, the thoughts, Pluto... she pushed them all away.

   "Here we are!" Drew said cheerfully. "The Big House, camp headquarters."

   Kiara looked up and immediately, the feeling of wrongness returned. And by the way Jason's body tensed, Kiara guessed he felt the same way. The building was a four-story manor painted baby blue with white trim. The wrap-around porch had lounge chairs, a card table, and an empty wheelchair. Wind chimes shaped like nymphs turned into trees as they spun. Kiara could imagine old people coming here for summer vacation, sitting on the porch and sipping prune juice while they watched the sunset.

   Yet, the windows seemed to glare down at her like angry eyes. The wide-open doorway looked ready to swallow her. On the highest gable, a bronze eagle weathervane spun in the wind and pointed straight in her direction, as if telling her to turn around. Every molecule in Kiara's body told her she was on enemy ground.

   Jason voiced Kiara's thoughts: "I am not supposed to be here," he said.

   Drew circled her arm through his. "Oh, please. You're perfect here, sweetie. Believe me, I've seen a lot of heroes."

   Kiara could sense Jason's discomfort. He slipped his arm away as gently as he could. "Look, I appreciate—"

   "Is it that girl?" Drew pouted. "Oh, please, tell me you are not dating the Dumpster Queen."

   Kiara immediately knew she was talking about Piper and anger flared inside her. She didn't know why she felt so possessive over Piper, but she did.

   She pushed Drew away from Jason and stood in front of her, glaring. "Look here, you piece of shit," she said, pointing a finger at Drew. "You don't get to talk about my friends like that, you hear me? If I hear you talking to them like that, I swear I will—"

   Before she could continue her threat, Jason pulled her back and faced her, holding her from her biceps. "Calm down," he muttered. "I know you feel like you don't belong here either, but calm down, okay?"

   Kiara tore her arms from Jason's grip, and, after sending another glare at a shocked Drew, she walked past them and entered the blue building, ignoring the feeling in her gut that told her to turn away.

   Just as she was entering through the doorway, she bumped into someone. She looked up and backed away so fast, she almost tripped on her feet. In front of her was a centaur: a snow white stallion from the waist down, and a , a man with curly brown hair and a well-trimmed beard from the waist up. He wore a T-shirt that said World's Best Centaur, and had a quiver and bow strapped to his back.