Miss Quinn

98 ~ The Delegates Arrive

Emma glanced behind her several times as she neared the corner. No one was there, but she could feel eyes on her. Perhaps it was just nerves. Emma's secret still remained a secret, but there was no telling who could find out by accident.

Emma was heading towards the Room of Requirement, as she'd learned it was called. She hadn't trained since July, and knew she needed to. She also needed to talk to Will.

As Emma turned the corner, she came face-to-face with the person she least wanted to see.

"Watch it, Quinn," Malfoy snarled.

"Shut the Hell up, Malfoy," Emma said, glaring. Before he could respond, she pushed past him, determined to get away.

In case the Slytherin had decided to follow her, Emma turned a few times and headed in the wrong direction. She doubled back, keeping an eye out for any movement. Once she reached the correct corridor, Emma paced back and forth in front of the wall, thinking hard. I need a place to train. The door slowly appeared. Emma glanced around once more before opening the door and slipping inside, making sure to close it firmly behind her.

The Arena looked exactly as it did at Camp. The dummies had been fixed, just as they always did once Emma left the room. The targets were fresh, without the holes where Emma had pierced them with arrows. Emma smiled at the sight.

With a press of the stone on her ring, Emma's bow shimmered into existence, and the weight of her quiver pressed on her shoulder. With one sweeping motion, Emma had loaded her bow, aimed, and released the arrow. It pierced the chest of the dummy across the room.

After a half hour of training, Emma was drenched in sweat. She brushed back the hairs sticking to her forehead, and tightened her ponytail. Emma's heart was still beating fast against her chest. Her biceps hurt, but it was a good pain. She stretched and rubbed her sore muscles. It felt good to train again.

Emma exited the room, and waited until the door vanished before thinking of her Iris-Messaging room. Another door appeared, and Emma glanced around before slipping inside. The room was just as it had been before, except for the replenished supply of golden drachmas filling the bottom of the pool. She fished one out and said, "Oh, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering." Emma tossed the drachma through the rainbow and it disappeared. "Will Solace, Camp Half-Blood."

Will's image flickered into existence. His eyes grew wide when he noticed her. "Emma!" It looked as if he were about to hug her, but then realized it was only an Iris-Message. Catching his mistake, he lowered his arms, flushing pink. "I haven't seen you since..."

Emma knew that neither of them wanted to mention Carly's funeral. "Yeah, it's been a while."

"Everything alright?" Will asked. Emma realized he was in the middle of lunch, and their siblings -- minus those who returned to school in the fall -- sat around him.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you...." Emma said. "Alone."

Will nodded in understanding. "I'll Message you back in thirty seconds." Will waved his hand through the shimmering image before him, cutting off their connection.

Thirty seconds later, Will's face appeared before her once more, but the background had changed. He was now in the Apollo cabin. "So, what is it?"

Emma took a deep breath. "Look, I'd rather be telling you in person, but, given the circumstances..."

"Go on," said Wil; anxiously.

"I'm a witch," Emma said before she could change her mind. She braced herself for Will's reaction, but it was more concerned than astonished or fearful.