Rhyan's ribs hurt. She'd been dosed up on ambrosia, nectar and Birch's healing magic.
On the plus side she hadn't had to do any walking since the incident with the cyclops. Birch said she'd slow them down, Crash agreed and they didn't have time to wait, not that they had been given a time limit. Instead Crash had picked her up then dropped her, insisting that she put on a jumper because she was 'colder than a frost giant.'
As of current Rhyan was curled up in the corner of the carriage, clutching her sides wearing a hugely oversized hoodie. Crash, who was now hoodie-less, was sitting next to Birch. The three demi-gods decided to catch up on some much needed sleep, but Rhyan just couldn't. Her ribs hurt too much.
Crash looked peaceful, at ease even. Not at all like the angry, traumatised half blood Rhyan knew. On the other hand, Birch looked tence and kept muttering in his sleep. Something about 'obeying' and 'crooked ones'.
Rhyan started to drift off into the comfort of the hoodie, when she was plagued with nightmares.
She was back in a hospital in England, sitting in a chair beside a pale, woman. She had round cheeks, brown hair and the same gunmetal blue eyes. Rhyan's mum. They had nothing in common except those eyes.
The doctors had said the sickness was unlike anything they had ever seen -Burning her up from the inside. The doctors said it had taken over her mind so not to worry about her rambling.
They wouldn't explain anything to Rhyan. She was too young, 6, so Rhyan's sister, Abby, had taken care of her instead.
The memories moved once again back to the mysterious man who'd made her mum coffee. He moved in next door, and introduced himself with a coffee. Every morning and afternoon the same time with a coffee....
Rhyan didn't understand it.
It grew darker and darker, until a scream interrupted her nightmare.
She woke up to see Birch staring straight at her not helping Crash as he thrashed and shouted in his sleep.
Rhyan went to touch him. Birch grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
"Pretend to be asleep and not notice man. He'll wake up in a few...."
Rhyan shut her eyes and curled up. Less than a minute later Crash was awake.
"Nightmare?" Birch asked. Crash didn't reply. Rhyan could only assume he nodded as Birch replied with a quiet "thought so."
Rhyan took this moment to let out a yawn and pretend to wake up.
"Did you hear anything?" Crash asked. Rhyan raised a brow. She could tell the truth or take Birch's advice. Rhyan opted for her own option - When in doubt use sarcasm.
"Like what? An elephant? Music? You're gonna have to be a little more specific. Even then I doubt it. I was asleep you know." Birch nodded and mouthed a small, silent 'thank you', as Crash sighed in relief.
Rhyan went to stretch to make it seem like she really had just woken up but had pulled a little too hard, immediately she went back to her fetal position. Her ribs still hurt.
Birch pulled out a flask of a clear liquid that looked very much like water but tasted way better. Nectar.
It was only then that it clicked. Rhyan understood her dream...
"Are you alright?" Crash asked.
"Its poison, isn't it?"
"What? No its nectar."
"But is it poisonus?"
"To mortals?" Birch sighed. "Yeah. Demi-gods? Only in exeptionaly large quantities. Gods? Not in the slightest."
"What does it do to mortals?"
"I don't know."
This time Crash answered, "You said it burns them up." Crash turned to Birch before answering Rhyan in his sleepy state. "Real grousum to watch apparently. Anymore than a few drops and they'll be able to see through the mist. Going crazy as the doctors say. Then they'll burn up and poof. Dead. Why?"
"No reason." Rhyan looked like she was going to be sick.
"Can it be mixed with anything?"
"Yeah, the best things to hide it in when someone doesn't want to drink it.... what was it Birch?"
"Tea or Coffee."
Rhyan's mum had been poisoned... with the food and drink of the gods.
"Don't worry Theft, you'll be fine. Just take a sip."
•~*~•~*~•~*~•~*~•
The rest of the journey was quiet. Very quiet leaving each of the trio to their own thoughts. Rhyan was analysing Birch. She dicided that after the nectar facts she definitely didn't trust him. Especially as he knew how to hide it, yet denied any knowledge of it. It made her wonder what or who exactly he'd used these techniques on.
"So where is this tree of Tumult exactly?"
"The underworld."
"Where is the underworld?"
"Los Angeles."
"Where in Los Angeles?"
"..."
The boys looked at her. They hadn't thought that far ahead.
"There are ways to find out. I have friends on the other side." Birch muttered.
Gee, you have friends? Rhyan thought to herself. Then she thought more... the other side... could he mean? No. Rhyan shook her head of the thought.
"Ugh you okay?" Rhyan nodded realising she had actually shaken her head.
"Yeah... ugh I thought there was a fly."
Slowly the train stopped at the station. The trio filed out quickly and quietly making sure not to draw attention to themselves.
Birch had insisted on going to a park, so that's where they headed.
The park was glamorous, as expected from Los Angeles. A large plane of litter-free grass with a water feature in the middle. Trees grew in clusters around the edges.
Birch walked up to the tree and sat down.
"What is he doing?" Rhyan whispered to Crash.
"Getting help?"
"From where? A squirrel?"
"Yes." Rhyan looked at him. Was he trying to joke around? She looked over at Birch. Apparently not, Crash was being serious.
Birch was sitting under a tree, a squirel on top of his head. He appeared to be talking to it... and it talking back.
The two demigods walked wearily over to the satyr making sure not to scare his squirrel friend.
"Yes.... Umm hmm.... I understand that but do you know where it is?..... DOA Recording Studios? Are you sure, man?..... No. I'm not doubting you, I'm just asking.... Okay, thank you for your time Cydney."
Birch sighed as the squirrel hopped away and back into it's tree. "The younger generation... So rude."
"Birch we are also the younger generation..." Rhyan reminded him.
"Thirty-eight is not the younger generation."
"Well I'm not thirty-eight. I'm twelve, and I don't think that squirrel or Crash is thirty-eight either."
"I'm fourteen, also the younger generation. But Birch isn't, he's thirty-eight."
Rhyan looked shocked. Birch didn't look 38.... didn't act it either. Then Crash explained how saytrs didn't age in the same way mortals did.
"Soooo... the batty squirrel said something about the recording studios?" Crash asked then let out a yelp.
Rhyan looked back to see Crash being pelted with tiny acorns and leaves by none other than Cydney.
"I'm sorry Okay! You're not batty. You're very.... Squirrely." The pelting stopped.
Rhyan laughed and heard Crash mutter, "Stupid creature."
Apparently, the squirrel heard it to as seconds later a large nut hit Crash on the head.
"Takes one to know one..."
Crash glared at her and Rhyan gulped. If looks could kill she would have had a first class meeting with Thantos himself.
A/N~ this was a bit of a strange chapter but oh well. Also what did you think of Cydney the talking squirrel.
Don't forget to vote and comment on what you think.
One last thing very late Happy new year!