~ Chapter Twenty-Two:
NERO
I was packing a rucksack when there was a knock at my door.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure."
Zarah walked in, carrying a hiking backpack over her shoulder. She was wearing a black hoodie over scarlet chinos and a pair of leather brown lace-up boots. Her ash-blonde curls were piled up in a chignon, with a couple of curly tendrils framing her slender cheeks. Her big blue eyes stared at me.
"I'm coming," she said, "and you can't stop me."
"She's my twin sister," I said as I zipped up my bag. "Not yours."
Zarah scowled. "Best mate, remember?"
"Three weeks, remember?"
"Why are you being like this?" she snapped. She climbed up the ladder and sat down on my bunk besides me. "I thought... I don't know, we could..."
"What?" I could barely contain my anger. "Get it on? You led me on, Zarah, and you know it."
"No, Nero!" Zarah leaped forward and grabbed my arms. Her warm fingers felt soft and comforting. "Please, it wasn't like that."
"I was vulnerable. What did you want?"
Zarah hung her head. "Leo sent me. Said you had a weakness for pretty girls."
I blushed red despite myself.
"He wanted you on side," Zarah said quickly. "You were on a rampage, constantly wired."
"I've got ADHD," I argued.
Zarah raised her hands. "I know, I know, I'm sorry."
She placed her hands on my face and leaned towards me. She smelt like vanilla and cherries, her lips almost touching mine.
"I like you, Nero," she whispered. Her eyes were closed, revealing red eyeshadow and long black eyelashes. "I do. You... intrigue me."
I shivered. I wasn't used to intimate contact with people of the opposite gender. All girls at school completely ignored me most of the time, unless they wanted extra help with homework.
"Come on, Nero." Her breath was tickling. "Your turn."
"For what?" I asked gently.
She smiled. "Confession time. On your feelings."
I chuckled lowly. "What feelings?"
She opened her eyes. They were more blue than I'd thought, like sapphires, with small flecks of... what, was that red? Wow.
"Do you have any for me?" she asked incredulously, beginning to pull away.
I wound my arms around her, surprised at my sudden burst of confidence. "Hey," I said, pulling her face close to mine again. "I might just like you too."
She closed her eyes again and, lightly, pressed her lips on mine. Our kiss was sweet and slow. Zarah cupped her palms around my cheeks and mine were on her waist. We leant against the wall, Zarah's back to the door.
So neither of us saw Adam come in, until we heard his groan.
"Guys," he whined, "what the hell?"
Zarah turned round, grinning. "Jealous, babe?"
Adam picked his baseball cap up off the desk. "Came back for this," he said. "Nothing else, Za."
"You ready to go?" I asked him, dodging round Zarah and jumping to the floor.
"Yeah. Lucas gave me Kheo Khamen's address in Connecticut and the location where she was last spotted."
"Right." Zarah landed at my side. "When do we leave?"
Adam frowned. "Hold up. You're not coming, Zarah."
"I'm an excellent tracker." Zarah wrapped an arm round my shoulders. "Plus, I know Connecticut fairly well. My aunt lives there. We could question her, see if she knows a Kheo Khamen - she'll be unlikely to know the middle name."
"Could be helpful," I said nervously.
"Look, Nero," Adam said, "I know you're pleased with your new girlfriend -"
"Adam," I scoffed.
"- and well done to you, but come on. She'll hold us back."
Zarah undid her backpack and took out three small earpieces. "Lucas made these for us," she explained. "They're wired to his laptop. He and Joey will stay back and keep track of us across the country, monitor our communications and provide directions or updates in case we miss any."
Adam held out his hand. Zarah snatched them away.
"You want them, then I come too. You'll need me."
"And why would we need you?" Adam laughed.
"Fine." Zarah crossed her arms. "First of all - two guys? No. Every great successful adventure needs a woman to make it great and successful. You guys'll end up lost in Tennessee with Miley Cyrus-lookalikes and banjo-strumming gap-toothed hillbillies.
"Second of all, well-known and the most resulting quests go in trios. Every camper knows how Percy, Annabeth and Grover Underwood - who, by the way, I've asked to join us - were-"
"Excuse me?" Adam was furious. "Not only do you hijack our quest, you get Grover - the clumsiest satyr in the world - to accompany us? Get lost, Venjovi!"
Zarah shrugged. "Three's a good number. Four world even better. Battle of the Labyrinth? Let's not forget that originated with a quest involving two demigods, a satyr and a Cyclops!
"We'll be unstoppable, Adam, and you know it. Three Bornes, teamed with a satyr to lead the way."
"No satyr," Adam said firmly.
Zarah growled in frustration. "Third reason - I have a power."
"Well done, Einstein."
"You have your weather patterns, great. Useful. But - no offence, honey - Nero's powers aren't useful enough. He has the brain ability, and the mind for planning, but his power consists of mind-reading and past-hunting."
Adam turned crimson with anger and embarrassment.
"In a fight, Nero could use a sword and a sword only. One jolt of electricity from an opponent is more of a danger to Nero than the enemy. Or it could easily be flipped out of his grip by a more experienced fighter. There're too many risks to play around with.
"Whereas I have a physical power. I can electrocute anyone within a fifty-foot radius. It's not easy to see, either. If you know what you're looking for then yeah, you can see a current rippling through the air. But most people who see it don't even have a clue. Their eyes are on the wrong place at the wrong time."
Zarah had us both stumped. Even Adam couldn't argue. He gritted his teeth.
"Fine," he said. "But no satyr."
Zarah looked like she wanted to argue but I stopped her. "Zarah, this is the best you can get right now."
She looked murderous but relented after a moment's deliberation. She handed out the earpierces.
"No satyr," she affirmed.
***
Shame. I like Grover.
SOOOO a bit of Narah romance (Zero sounds negative) there... but they can't really last, can they? Zarah's working for Chadwick and Verenspik. But has she been brainwashed like Kheo and Esme, or has she betrayed Camp Half-Blood willingly like Drake?
Only THE NEXT BOOK will tell!
I hope you're all pleased with me by the way... EIGHT CHAPTERS since Wednesday and most of them much longer than usual with some real plot twists! It's now Friday. You lot better be proud!
No chapters tomorrow, I don't think. I have four hours of work in the morning
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and because it was my brother's 18th birthday today, we're going out for a birthday meal in the afternoon
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and in the evening I'm having an Elmo onesie marathon of Walking Dead Series Three
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So yeah. Easy life :D
Comment and vote ♥ ♥
~ Lauren xx