We Are The Archangels

Chapter XV - Nero

<>------<>Nero <>------<>

 ‘Anytime now, Fabian,’ I muttered, shivering.

My brother was late, no surprise there. I’d sent him on an recon mission but he hadn’t come back. If he wasn’t here soon, I’d miss my chance to sneak out.

Fabian, I thought, hoping he was listening. Hurry up.

His voice came back to me almost instantly, sharp and annoyed, You try sneaking around a demigod camp without looking suspicious.

I decided not to mention that I already had, several times. I shut off the connection as my head started pounding and my vision swam. I leant heavily against the nearest tree and raised a hand to my temple, wincing when I felt my skin cold as ice.

Stupid sickness. It was a darn inconvenience. Not to mention it made the demigods extremely suspicious of the Sorrows, and was cutting down potential fighters against our mystery villainess, and had taken out the gods.

Oh, and me, I suppose.

Yeah, we were in a ripe old position to be obliterated. Not exactly confidence inspiring.

I squinted up at the sun just peeking lazily over the treetops. The dazzling light struck deep through my eyes and burned into the back of my head, doing nothing to ease the headache, but everything to increase it. I held back an agonizing groan, biting the inside of my cheek instead. A metallic taste coated my tongue.

A rustle of leaves to my right caused me to jump a mile and a half. I gripped the hilt of sword and drew it, gritting my teeth at the sudden weight that strained my weak muscles. My grip tightened around my weapon as I waited, turning my white knuckles even whiter with tension.

As soon as the intruder stepped through the foliage and became visible as my brother, my grasp faltered and I dropped my sword point first into the ground where is stuck straight up.

Fabian raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the sword, ‘Expecting someone else?’

I sighed emotionlessly, ‘Midnight or Arrow, maybe.’

‘Nah, they’re on their way already.’

Fabian shrugged off a backpack and placed it down gently in the grass. I welcomed the break from standing and dropped to a crouch beside him as he began pulling out items.

‘I managed to snag some basic rations,’ he muttered, motioning to a pile of foods I didn’t recognize and that must’ve been developed in the last couple thousand years. ‘Some water, of course. Ambrosia and nectar, some other bits and pieces.’ He dug in further, ‘I found a bed roll in the camp shop. I hope that didn’t belong to anyone.’

‘Thank you, Fabian,’ I said.

He jerked his head up sharply, mirror images eyes shining with worry. My hood was down, and his mask was off. He flashed me a fleeting smile that was meant to be supportive, but betrayed more concern than reassurance. He was trying to be strong for my sake, but I could tell he didn’t approve of my going any more than Midnight, Arrow, Aeras and Destiny did.

‘What are brothers for?’ he asked with the ghost of a laugh. Then it faded completely, ‘Nero-’

‘Please don’t give me a lecture about how I shouldn’t go or to be careful,’ I ground my teeth as I pulled the backpack carefully of my shoulders.

Fabian didn’t smile, ‘You have to be careful. You’re twice as vulnerable as the others. And if they don’t kill you themselves when you get down there, you’ll still have to be on alert for other nasty surprises.’