𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔 - pjo x hp

xlviii. auntie artemis

"I guess this is the part where I ask you what it does," she looked up at him.

"Oh, right!" he grinned. "It's a shield. Look, Raya—" 

She became serious, considering Apollo never called her by her real name.

"—there's a lot coming that you don't understand." He laughed bitterly, "I don't even understand it. I'm the God of Prophecies, and I don't understand what's coming. But I know it's got to do with you."

"With me?" Raya flinched.

That one sentence seemed to destroy everything she was hoping for. She didn't want Gryffindor because she didn't want to be the main character. She didn't want to be involved in anything important, except perhaps as someone who's presence doesn't even matter. She didn't want whatever's coming to have to do with her.

"Well, part of it's related to you," her dad consoled her. "You may not be credited with the saves, but you'll be the one behind them. The shield, as long as you wear it, will protect you from anything. No one will be able to hurt you. It's one of the most powerful gifts I've ever given my kids. But I know you'll need it."

Raya slipped the silver band on, studying its simplicity, "What if someone else wears it? You said it'll protect me from anything. But if my friend's dying or something, can I slip it on them? Will it save them?"

Apollo smiled lightly, "If you put it on someone else before they get the injury, it'll heal them. Not as fast as it would work for you, but it'll slowly heal them. So, if they get stabbed while wearing it, you'd need to get them stitched up. But the shield in the bracelet will prevent them from dying. And if you leave it on, they'll get healed from the stitches a little quicker."

"And if they're already hurt?" Raya asked. "If they're already hurt when I slip it on them, will the band save them?"

Apollo winced, "It depends how far they're gone. If Death has them in his grasp, the band won't do anything. Otherwise, it should still work the same way."

Raya turned the bracelet on her wrist. "So—"

The sound returned, the T.V. static. It was so loud, Raya couldn't even hear her own thoughts. Apollo waved his hand multiple times, barely silencing it.

"That's my cue!" he yelled over the static.

Raya began to notice the edge of her dreams blurring. Her dad seemed to be gripping on something, trying his hardest not to fade.

"Remember, if you see a kid with jet black hair and sea green eyes, protect him!" he yelled to her. "He's the key to it all!"

Wind was whipping Raya's hair around, and the sound of static was so loud, she could only hear her dad because he was speaking in her mind.

The last thing Raya remembered before waking up was her dad gripping the edge of his chair, talking to her in her head: "Also, Auntie Artemis said she likes this new boy better than—"

Raya jogged down the training grounds, still way in front of Cedric — who was already huffing and puffing. Kayse, who was playing with Raya's golden Snitch as they did their laps, was cheering them on.

After the twenty fifth lap, Raya took some pity on Cedric, calling for a stop.

All Cedric knew was that the third task was going to have a giant hedge maze the Champions would have to make their way through. It was going to be filled with obstacles and deathly traps.

He'd enlisted Raya's help to train. Since she'd been training for a life full of fighting almost every day since she was six and Cedric had never even run up a hill, she needed to go much slower than she was used to.