The First Daughter

We eventually found an empty booth and sat together on a padded bench. Darren sat closest to the window while I sat next to him, and Lilly curled up to me and quickly fell asleep. I relaxed against Darren ready for sleep to overtake me. I felt Darren's breathing on his shoulder, it was so rhythmic and so soothing. I looked up at Darren and I had noticed that he wasn't himself anymore.

I didn't know him that well, but I could see that he wasn't smiling the way he used to when I met him. Before I realized it I was staring up at Darren, and he noticed that I was staring at him; he looked down at me, “What?”
I looked away, blushed, and grinned to hide my embaressment, “N-nothing.” I replied. There was a pause, my smiled melted away and then looked back up at Darren, “You seem different since the games: Is there anything wrong?”

It was Darren's turn to look away, he sighed deeply as if something was building up inside of him and he was releasing the pressure. For a moment he said nothing, then, “I'm just upset, about the game. I heard all of the Heroes of Olympus, including Clarisse and Thalia.”
I didn't add a comment and just let him talk.
“I- I was there when Annabeth and Clarisse were taken. I-I was helpless to help them.”
“Who took them?” I asked.
“Hazel, another of The Seven: I'm fairly certain she was the one.”
“I think that's what Leo said, and he was taken too.”
“Leo Valdez?”
I shrugged, “I guess.”
“He's apart of the Seven as well.”
“Ok who are the seven?”

Darren sighed and shifted uncomfortably, “They are considered to be the Heroes of the Century, and the most powerful demigods, and the favorites of the gods.”
“How so?” I asked.
Darren sighed again, “Ever since Gaea, they, have gotten all the dangerous quests. While the rest of us just deliver the strawberries.” Darren's voice was full of anger and resentment

From the son that resents

The voice of Rachel echoed in my mind.
Darren... He. Resented the gods or perhaps the heroes themselves or maybe he hated himself.
“Why?” I asked.
Darren grunted, “Cause the gods play their favorites ok? They say they don't but they do it anyway. And Hermes, Apollo, and the minor god cabins have been left out in the cold. While the others get blessing after blessing, and quest after quest. Not even letting us prove ourselves heroes.”
I sighed and tried to calm Darren down, “Well Darren you have a chance to prove yourself now.” I snuggled up closer to him.

I closed my eyes and curled up closer to Darren. I felt a blanket come across my shoulders and fall over Lilly. I opened my eyes and looked up Darren and he looked down and smiled at me. He turned and I fell against his chest and Lilly rested against my stomach. Darren wrapped his arms attentively around me and Lilly. His chest rose slowly as we both slowly fell asleep.

***

Even though I was still asleep, I awoke suddenly to a stone hard ground, I panted and straight ahead of me there were nine people gagged and tied. They struggled at their bonds, I recognized a lot of them. Starting from my left was, Thalia, Piper, the there was a blonde with a scar on his lip, Leo, a another girl with armor that was torn apart and had a long brown disheveled hair her eyes betrayed pure fury, then there was Annabeth and beside her was the guy that called her wise girl, Annabeth curled up against the guy and the guy gave her some support, next was Clairsse and she fought at her bonds as hard as she could, then there was an Asian looking guy just sitting there, he looked like his heart had just been ripped out of his chest.

I stirred and sat up and walked up to them and tried to touch Annabeth's shoulder: my hand only phased through as if I was a ghost. Annabeth shivered and looked straight through me. She looked around as if to find something, but I heard footsteps behind.
I turned around and backed away as two hooded figures came in. One was shorter than the other, but both were scary to say the least.

The two stood in front of their prizes and synced together they raised their arms and pulled back their hoods. The shorter one was the girl that took Leo and Thalia, yeah, Leo had called her Hazel: Her curly cinnamon hair fell around her shoulders and her stare was like death. The other was pale in very sense of the word. He, yes, he was scrawny and seemed like he had been in a struggle for a long time, he seemed to have not had eaten in a while and was bruised a little.

With a wave of his hand everyone's gags fell from their mouths.
“WHAT THE-” Clairsse yelled, “NICO DI ANGELO WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!”
Nico didn't reply but just stared.
“Nico, what's wrong what do you want with us?” The guy beside Annabeth asked.
Nico did answer.
“What's come over you two?” Annabeth asked.

“Your friends are gone.” The voice replied from Hazel, “And they will never come back.” She continued.
“WHO ARE YOU!” The Asian looking dude demanded.
Hazel turned her head and both Nico's and Hazel's eyes flashed blood red, Hazel smiled and something began to twist inside me. I choked and fell to the ground and wreathed in pain.
“We are not alone.” Nico said in a dark voice.
Hazel turned to him, “Where?”
Nico looked around the room with his red eyes and then they landed straight on me, “There.” I felt my insides twist and jumble together. I screamed as I felt my lungs being twisted like a wet rag.
“LEAVE!” Hazel shouted.

I felt my spine snap inside me and my pupils shrunk, and I stopped breathing and...

***

I woke up screaming and Darren fell off the seat which cause me to fall and Lilly behind me. We all groaned from our fall and rose slowly from the floor. “What was that?!” Darren asked.
I didn't reply as I put my hand to my forehead.
Lilly looked at me and asked, “You had a bad dream didn't you?”
I looked at her and Darren explained, “Demigods like us usually never have good dreams especially when things are going down to Tarterus.”
For a moment we just all stared at each other, until Darren asked me to share the dream.
I took in a deep breath and began sharing the dream.

After I made sure to explain the dream in full detail Darren confirmed the identities of Nico and Hazel, “Yup that's them alright. Last time I knew of their whereabouts Nico was somewhere in Seattle and Hazel along with her boyfriend Frank: The Asian in your dream, and Jason: the guy with the scar on his lip, were on a quest of some sorts. They came by the camp for officially setting off.”

“I remember that!” Lilly offered, “Hazel was nice enough and tried to see if Hades or Pluto was my godly parent but it didn't turn out.”
I was confused, “I thought you were a Daughter of Hermes.”
Lilly shook her head, “I'm an unclaimed,” She paused and added, “It's not bad I'm not even thirteen so yeah. I mean I try to find out who is my godly parent, but-”
Darren jumped in, “Do you at least know if your godly parent is your mom or dad?”
Lilly shook her head again, “I lived in an orphanage before camp. I don't even know who my mortal parent is.” She stared at the floor, “I try my hand at different things, but nothing works: The other day when you came I was trying to see if Apollo was my Dad and I misfired and almost hit you and Darren.”
“That was you?” Darren asked.
Lilly kept her eyes glued to the floor, “Yes.” She whispered, “And I thought that coming on this quest would get my godly parent's attention and claim me.”

We said nothing as we sat there together. We all were on this quest for very different reasons.

Darren: To be recognized as a hero

Me: I wanted my mother back and it would be nice if the Hunters didn't hate me.

Lilly: To find her godly parent.