Twins of the Hunt - Book 2: Torn Apart ✔️

Chapter 7: Raiden Goes Back To Her Old Life, For Like, 5 Minutes

1001 words

"Is this a normal cruise ship?" I whispered, once we reached the ship. "It seems...off."

The ship was huge, with a white hull at least 10 stories tall with another 12 levels of balconies above that. The name was written in black: Princess Andromeda.

"Oh, great," I whispered, seeing the name. "Like we need reminding of her."

There was a huge masthead attached to the bow. It was a screaming woman sculpted from marble wearing a chiton, chained to the ship.

I used a geyser to shoot Raiden and Agro up into the air and onto the ship. Zade flew up, and I came up last.

"I don't like this," I whispered to Raiden, once on board. Then, my nostrils caught a familiar scent. "Dam it! He's on board!"

Raiden sighed and pointed to a door. "This way. Follow me."

"Have you been on here before?" I asked.

"A few times," she said wearily. "You know..."

I nodded. Raiden was talking about the time when she had worked for Kronos.

I opened the door and peered inside. "All clear."

We crept silently along the hallway. It was pretty, with a purple carpet beneath us, and huge windows showing the moonlit ocean. Then, we went up a staircase with a copper banister and blue carpeting.

"In here," Raiden whispered, opening a chestnut door with an iron handle right off the staircase.

Inside was a king size bed with clean linen sheets and fluffy pillows. There was also a 70-inch TV mounted on the wall, a walk-in closet, and a bathroom.

"What is this place?" I asked, closing the door and looking around the room in awe.

"My old bedroom," Raiden said grimly. "Make yourself at home."

I dumped my backpack onto the bed. "You should rest. I'll take first watch."

"Nah," Raiden said. "We'll be fine. No one is gonna bother us. We can both rest."

"Okay," I said, climbing into the bed. "If you say so."

Agro jumped up onto the bed next to me, while Zade pulled one of the pillows off the bed with his beak used it as a nest.

I yawned. "Good night."

"Good night," Raiden said, climbing into the other side of the bed.

I fell asleep almost at once. In my dreams (Dam you, Morpheus), I stood in a room, with giant windows overlooking the moonlit ocean in the back, two plush couches, a Persian rug covering the floor, a mahogany dining table in one corner, and a canopied bed in the other.  On the table, a silver platter topped with lots of food stood.

Something felt off about the room, like a Kronos himself was there. Then, I realized he was. In the back, on a velvet dais, lay a ten-foot golden sarcophagus with scenes of Ancient Greek heroes dying grim death and cities in flames.

A 16-year-old was pacing before it. Even though his hair was longer now and his face much more lined, I recognized him. It was my brother.

"And you're sure she doesn't know?" Aidan was saying to another teenager with short-cropped sandy blonde hair.

"I'm sure," the blonde teenager snapped.

He had blue eyes, a twinkle in his eye similar to Hermes, and an athletic build.

"You promise she won't be hurt?" Aidan said anxiously.

"Aidan," the blonde teenager growled. "I've told you a thousand times; your sister won't be hurt when we take over!"

"But, Luke-"

"Enough!"  Luke snapped at Aidan. "Go prepare the crew."

Aidan nodded and left the room.

I woke up after this. The room was flooded with sunlight, and Raiden was already up, eating a piece of jellied toast.

"Oh, good," she said, tossing me a piece of toast. "You're awake. We need to find the others."

I ate the piece of toast and grabbed the food I packed for Agro and Zade; dead mice for Zade and dead deer for Agro.

I handed the food to them, and they ate with gusto.

"Do you have a plan?" I asked.

"Yes," Raiden said. "We're gonna go check the surveillance footage, and find them on there."

"Ok," I said. "At least I've lived a full life."

She laughed. "Relax, we're not gonna die."

"I wouldn't bet on that," I muttered.

We finished our food, packed up the supplies, and crept back out into the hallway.

"This way," Raiden whispered, motioning down the hallway.

We crept along the hallway before we heard voices.

"Behind here," I hissed, and I pulled Raiden behind an open door.

I peered out just slightly before I saw him. Aidan was walking past with an empousa, talking fast.

Rage filled my heart at the sight of him.

"Ainsley," Raiden said, peering around the door too. "Don't. Do. Anything."

"Fine," I growled. "Let's follow them."

Silently, we went back into the hallway and followed Aidan and the empousa. I could hear more of their conversation, now.

"The prophecccy is not known to the girl," the empousa was hissing. "You are sssure?"

"Yes," Aidan said. "The gods have forbidden Chiron from telling her. And more than likely, my father hasn't told her, either."

He said 'my father' like he was talking about something he hated. I grew even more angrier.

"Ainsley," Raiden warned. "Don't."

We continued to follow them until we arrived in a hallway where at the end stood Tyson, Annabeth, and Percy and a pair of white marble doors. Raiden and I hid behind the corner, listening.

Aidan looked stunned to see them for a moment before he drew his sword and pointed it at them. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the invaders. Come inside, and let's settle this in a civilized manner."

This was the final straw for me.

I leapt out from where we were hiding, rage coursing through me.

"AIDAN!" I bellowed.

Aidan jumped, turned around, then his face broke into a smile. "Sis!"

Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I wanted it to end on a cliffhanger...