My feet have a mind of their own when I leap off of the tree. I know I should just go back to the cabin and go to sleep, but something about him being out here at this hour intrigues me, I have to find out what he's doing.
He isn't very cautious as he saunters through the trees, stepping on leaves and humming a tune. I'm several feet behind him when he reaches the border, the end of the line. I crouch behind a tall shrub and poke my nose out to see what he's doing. "I know you're there," he says just loudly enough for me to hear it. "I don't who you are, but I know you're here."
I clamp a hand over my mouth and ease my breathing.
"You can trust me," Leo tells me, even though he can't see me. "Just trust me."
Without thinking, I rise to my feet and step out into plain view. In the light of the moon I can see Leo's beautiful brown eyes sparkling and his curly brunette locks being picked up by the wind. For a minute we don't say anything, we do nothing but stare at each other, our eyes locked together, even though we're several feet apart.
"Why are you here?" I speak first, my voice cracking.
Leo shrugs. "I should be asking you the same question, Faye."
"You know how the Aphrodite cabin is," I tell him, biting my lip. "Sometimes it's too much." Too much for me to say.
"You never did strike me as a pageant girl," his voice softens slightly and a small grin appears on his face.
"Thank the Gods," I mutter. "You never answered my question."
A mysterious glint appears in his eyes. "Follow me." Leo steps forward and grabs my hand before rushing eastward and pulling me with him. His hand is warm to the touch, almost to the point of burning hot while mine is icy and cold. "Close your eyes," he orders.
I obey and let my eyelids fall and let Leo drag me deeper into the trees. "Where are we-"
Leo cuts me off with a 'shh'. "Okay," he says," now you can open your eyes."
I tentatively open my eyes, and I nearly gasp as I see what's in front of me. "Oh my Gods," I mutter. "What is this?" In front of me is what appears to be a dragon, a golden, beautiful one hanging in pieces on a wall. They're all assorted perfectly, like all the dragon needs is assembly.
A smile makes its way to Leo's face. "This is Festus," he tells me. "I have the head all set, but I need to get the body going."
"So this is why you're here?" I ask, not tearing my eyes away from the shining metal creature.
He nods. "I need to fix him up and get him ready to go."
"Why did you take me here?" I ask suddenly, taking him off guard.
"I think I can trust you," he admits, crossing his arms on his chest. "But you know you can't tell anyone, right?"
"Of course," I answer, smiling warmly. "Of course," I lie through my teeth. I wish he could trust me. But I have to make it through these games. Although I don't like what I have to do, I'm going to win the games.
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A/N: REALLY REALLY SHORT CHAPPIE. Longer one on Christmas day for two votes? I think yes.
If you want an update with a longer chapter tomorrow, I'll need 2+ votes (:
Thanks guys and happy holidays!
-Em