Collision Course

Chapter Twenty five

I ducked behind a magic spell I quickly created, and waited for impact.

I fel like I was kneeling there, my wand outstretched, my free arm covering my head, and my knees in the dirt, for ages. After a while, when no impact came, I saw everyone staring, at me, and at the magic my wand was making. And then I saw three familiar faces staring at me in shock, awe or/and wonder. Uh oh.

*******

After dusting off my knees, and being escorted bak into the Big House, I was lead to sit on the couch, and might I say, not very gentley.

"Ouch," I murmured under my breath, and then, "Sheesh."

A momment later, all the other demigods had filed out- except three. And now, I was starting to believe that that number should be two, plus other. And it was the two plus other, that I didn't want to see. Nor did I excepect to see them.

"Hello, Foudre, Tempête, and apparently goat boy."

The boy that I used to hang out with was, I guess, part goat. Probably a satyr, ya know, one of the half goat half man things from Greek mythology?

Goat boy huffed at me. "Nice to see you too Tira. But it would be nicer if you decided to actually, ya know, learn my name!"

I laughed. "I've tried, but never seemed to remember it. Care to enlighten me?"

He shook his head. "Chiron wants to talk to you first, you know, because of you acting like a spy."

I scrunched my brow. "A spy?!"

"Yeah," Foudre said. "Talking to unknown, unidentified creatures outside the border of camp."

I laughed. "That was Max, Fang, Gasman, Angel, Nudge, Iggy, and Ella... although I'm not quite sure where they got wings."

He just stared at me. "Tira," this time it was Tempête talking, "You do know that no one here completely knows or trusts you, and you just went ahead and talked to strangers only you know. That is very dangerous for a new demigod."

I shrugged. "I'm crazy? and goat boy kind of knows me. We were friends earlier in life, when I was like three and allowed to have friends. Oh, and one other thing- when were you going to tell me you guys were demigods too?"

Foudre narrowed his eyes. I don't think he likes me.

Chiron walked through the door. Thank goodness. I thought I'd be stuck here with these people.

"Hello Tira," Chiron said.

"Hello," I replied back.

"Tira," he said, getting straight to the point. "Why is it you left my company and went to the dark forest?"

"Lewis said that was where I was supposed to sleep until I got claim."

Chiron narrowed his eyes. I've never seen him do that, but at the same time I haven't been around here long.

"Collin, go fetch Lewis."

I nodded. His name is Collin! Goat boy is Collin! Goat boy is Collin!!! Hehehe I know his name!

Goat boy went galloping out to fetch Lewis. Too bad I never found out which house Lewis is in.

"Chiron?" I asked. "Why is talking to the eight people who just ditched my lonely friend in New York against the rules?"

He looked at me. "Tira?"

"Yes?"

"Who might this 'lonely friend' in New York be? And why was these eight people at her house?"

I laughed. "Ch-Chiron, it's a he. And t-they were at his house because he likes the girl, and she needed a house for a few nights. He didn't find out about the group thing until later..." I was still laughing, picturing Cole as a girl. "You... thought, he was a g-girl."

Tempête and Collin were pink, laughing, yet I'm not completely sure why. It's not like they were picturing Cole as a girl- they haven't met him before. Maybe it was something to do with Chiron?

But, unlike his laughing buddies, Foudre stood there, tall and dark. His face bore no emotion, and he was positioned like a black hole in space, sucking in all the happiness and everything else, and crushing it to size zero, never to be seen or heard from again. He was creepy.

I scooted away from the three of them onto the other end of the couch, and was relieved when it was Collin and Tempête who took a seat, and left Foudre standing. Mwahahhaha. I don't feel even the tiniest bit of remorse.

"So," Collin said, "We just woke the entire camp up, and almost ran through eight unidentified people who were friendly, and one non-spy, that wa- is a friendly demigod?"

Chiron nodded.

"Wait," Foudre said, speaking up. "We almost ran them through."

Collin nodded. "Your mind little slow there bro?"

Foudre ignored him. "Almost."

Tempête's eyes widened. 'Almost,' he mouthed.

I raised my eyebrows. "And?"

"We had the entire camp running, full speed towards you, right? But, we never actually ended up running through you." He said. "How is that possible?"

Chiron looked at me funny, almost worried.

"It was a sp-" I never got to finish my sentence because Chiron, of all people, had a hand over my mouth. Chiron! What was he doing?!

My eyes widened in surprise. Woah. I never expected that.

"We do not speak of them here, Tira. I hope to never have to do that again to my students, but never, ever speak of those people on Camp's grounds."

I nodded, numbly.

"Promise on the River Styx, Tira, that you will never talk about them on the grounds of Camp Half-Blood, ever again."

I stared. I guess the 'River Styx' was a solemn oath, but.. really? Was it that worth it? It didn't seem like that big of a deal to me.

I shrugged. My body was still numb, in shock, but I played it off. "I, Tira, swear on the River Styx, never to talk about them on Camp Half-Blood grounds again."

Collins and Tempête had matching shocked expressions on, from Chiron's actions. Both had jaws scraping the grounds, and eyes popping out of their heads like balloons.

But Foudre just stood there, emotionless. Stupid statue.