"Stay still,"Annabeth said harshly after Nico left.I edged away from the disinfectant in her hand.
"Don't-touch-me-with-that-thing."I hid my wounded palms behind my back as she poured some disinfectant on a cotton wool.
"Sit,"Annabeth said,her eyes flashing.I narrowed my eyes and sighed in resignation as I held out my palms.She gently patted my wounds and I stifled a scream as pain shot through my body.
I was caught off guard and screamed in pain without warning.Annabeth dropped the cotton on the floor out of shock,and glared at me."Now you've made the cotton dirty,"she scolded like a mother reprimanding her child.She turned to get a clean wool and I took my chance.I jumped up from the bed and escaped from the clutches of evil Mother Annabeth.
"Hey!"Annabeth said angrily as I got out of the Athena cabin.I ran along the corridor and jumped when she called,"Foínix!"
I quickly opened a random cabin door and shut the door quietly.This cabin looked lonely and sad,though it was rather pretty.The sound of waves seemed to be humming,Solitude is the price of beauty.A new white fountain was sitting at the opposite of the double bed.
"Foínix."
I yelped in fright as I saw a face at the fountain."Who are you?"I asked slowly,trying to calm my pounding heart down.The face smiled and her eyes seemed mischievous.
"I am Hera,"she answered my question."I am using the Iris' Special Message.I am here to present to you a gift."
"Hera?Iris' Special Message?Gift?"I asked,and a golden stick with a crystal cube at the tip appeared in front of me,startling me to death.I took it hesitantly and muttered,"Er,thanks,but how do you even use this stick?"
"It's no stick,"Hera answered as if she forced herself to be patient."It's made by Hephaestus,blessed by Hecate and cursed by Hades.This is a staff.You can change it into a necklace just by picturing the accessory."She paused."Time will tell,and you will know how to use it."Hera snapped her fingers,and the smallest test-tube I'd ever seen popped in the mid-air."This is from your mother."
"Mu-Mum?"I caught the test-tube and studied it.Half of it was filled with glowing soil,while the other half was occupied by a blood-red plant which roots were buried deep in the soil.The test-tube was covered with a silver cap.A green loop suddenly burst out from the middle of the cap,fightening me out of my wits.
"What is this for?And are these gifts free?"
"As I said,"Hera spoke,not bothering anymore to hide her impatience,"Time will tell you how to use it."She hesitated,thinking."No gifts come without a price."Her face disappeared from the fountain of rainbow,and it broke into half with a sickening loud crack.