The Titans Curse: Apollo's Daughter

Washington D.C

Skyler's POV

"Can I go now? I would like to get a few hours of sleep." I said, leaning against one of the pillars of the infirmary.

Will stuffed a few more ambrosia squares into a bag for me along with a few other mortal medical supplies. "Are you sure you want to do this--"

"Will. I'll be fine." I said, taking the bag from him. "I'll be back before you know it. Go home. Spend Christmas with your mom and I'll be back before New Years." I said before leaving the camp infirmary.

I walked in silence on my way back towards cabin 7.

While I was walking past the dining pavilion I saw a figure, a boy hunkered down behind a column, like he was hiding from someone.

It was Nico, but it wasn't even dawn yet. Nowhere near time for breakfast. What was he doing up there?

I hesitated. The last thing I wanted was more time for Nico to tell me about his Mythomagic game. But something was wrong. I could tell by the way he was crouching.

I slowly walked up the steps behind Nico. He didn't see me at all. He was behind a column, peeking around the corner, all his attention focused on the dining area. I was five feet away from him, and I was about to say What are you doing? real loud, when it occurred to me that he was pulling a Grover: he was spying on the Hunters.

There were voices, two girls talking at one of the dining tables. At this ungodly hour of the morning? Well, unless you're the goddess of dawn, I guess.

I crept up to Nico and peered around him. I couldn't see the girls very well in the dark, but I knew their voices: Zoe and Bianca.

It sounded like they were arguing."It cannot be cured," Zoe was saying. "Not quickly, at any rate."

"But how did it happen?" Bianca asked.

"A foolish prank," Zoe growled. "Those Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it."

"That's terrible!"

"She will live," Zoe said. "But she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. There is no way she can go. It's up to me... and thee."

"But the prophecy," Bianca said. "If Phoebe can't go, we only have four. We'll have to pick another."

"There is no time," Zoe said. "We must leave at first light. That's immediate. Besides, the prophecy said we would lose one."

"In the land without rain," Bianca said, "but that can't be here."

"It might be," Zoe said, though she didn't sound convinced. "The camp has magic borders. Nothing, not even weather, is allowed in without permission. It could be a land without rain."

"But—"

"Bianca, hear me." Zoe's voice was strained. "I... I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our fifth companion. And... I don't want to risk another Hunter." 

Bianca was silent. "You should tell Thalia the rest of your dream."

"No. It would not help."

"But if your suspicions are correct, about the General--"

"I have thy word not to talk about that," Zoe said. She sounded really anguished. "We will find out soon enough. Now come. Dawn is breaking."

Nico scooted out of their way and straight back into me. I quickly clapped my hand over his mouth and pulled him into the shadow behind the pillar. As the girls sprinted down the steps, Zoe stopped. Her eyes narrowing into the shadows. Her hand crept toward her bow, but then Bianca said, "The lights of the Big House are on. Hurry!"And Zoe followed her out of the pavilion.