The First Daughter

Chapter Sixteen:


I just sat there and panted as I tried to gather my reality around me. I looked around the dark spare room: everything seemed normal, there was the little dresser in front of my bed. The bathroom door was next to it, then there was a little dresser next to that and Lilly's bed was next. I looked and saw Lilly was ok, sleeping like a baby. Then I looked out the window, there was a tree outside the window a tree seemed to wave at me as it blew with the howling wind.


Apparently it had started to rain while we all were asleep. I groggily turned my head to the alarm clock, “3:38.” I said to myself. I looked back at the window and the tree branch waved at me again.
I was about to “wave” it off but one second glance I saw through the trees and I saw a form. I looked closer and I saw a Hunter of Artemis aiming her bow at me!


I rolled off my bed and quickly shouted to wake Lilly up, “LILLY!!!”
Lilly bolted from her sleep and nearly fell out of bed, “WHAT?” She yelled back.
“GET DOWN!”
Lilly quickly ducked behind her bed as the Hunter's arrow broke the window glass and shot passed my head and hit the wall with a loud thud.
I rolled to my bow that was set beside the little dresser. I grabbed her quiver and slung it over my shoulder. Another arrow fire for me as I readied my bow and aimed and let it fly.
“Grab your things!” I shouted, “Quickly!”


Lilly went down to work and we both frantically grabbed our things and quickly packed. I told Lilly not to bother with changing: I knew there were others out there. So in my black tank top and miss-matched pajama pants that were marine camo designed and converse and Lilly in her Camp Half-Blood pjs we ran down the stairs yelling at Darren to wake up.


“Wha?” He said in a groggy tone.
“The Hunter's are attacking!” Lilly shouted.
“Wha? Why?”
“Get your things!” I ordered.
We then heard a thud on the roof, “What was that?” Lilly asked.
Another thud, followed by another.
“I dunno.” I replied, “But we have to get out here!”
“Let me write my Grandparents a note.” Darren replied.


“Hurry!” I quickly tied my hair into a pony tail and readied myself put on my protective gloves and arm guard and slung my backpack over my shoulders and my quiver on my right shoulder. I turned to Darren and he was having trouble writing the note, “The time that I need to write a note dyslexia takes over.”
“Just write that you're sorry for the mess and we had to leave for an emergency.”
Darren looked at me, “How do you spell emergency?”
I sighed and, “E,” I was interrupted as another arrow shot passed my head and hit the wall behind me. I quickly pulled another arrow from my quiver and fired back, “M-E-R.” I paused and walked forward to the back door and opened the screen and looked out and as the rain was pouring down, thunder rolled and lightning flashed.


The lightning lit up the whole sky, and I saw at least four people standing in the yard while there were others in the trees. As soon as they saw my face they all started to fire arrows: I quickly grabbed a staff that Darren's Grandfather made and used it the catch the arrows and quickly ran back inside and shut the door.
“G-E-N-C-Y” I finished.
“Done!”


“We have to exit through the front.” I told them and I made my way to the front door and opened it and a cluster of arrows fired and I just got the reflexes to shut the door. The arrows hit the door and I looked at the other two, “Maybe not.”
“There is the attic that has a secret way to the roof.” Darren suggested.
“Lead us to it.” I replied.
“What about that noise on the roof?” Lilly asked.
I looked down at her and replied, “We can surprise them.”
Darren led the way and we climbed into the attic and Darren pulled out a board on the far wall and revealed a ladder going up.
“Let me go up.” I suggested, “I can see in the dark.”
Darren nodded and let me pass by him and started to climb up the ladder and above me I could see a little door and I climbed for it and pushed against it and I looked and saw the rain falling against the roof lightning flashed up I saw nothing.
One handedly (don't ask how I did it I just did) I readied my bow with a arrow and pushed the door and it slammed against the roof. Rain poured down on my head as I climbed onto the roof. I turned around and I saw three pegasi on the roof: Sorely wet, and slightly impatient.
The one that seemed to be the ring leader was a pure black horse, and two others on each side of him, one was ash colored speckled with black, and tan and different shades of gray, like a Australian Sheppard. The Pegasus even had mismatched colored eyes, one blue and the other green.
The other one was purely white. The black one snorted, as if to tell me it was time to go.


“Hurry up!” I called down.
“We're coming!” Darren yelled.

“Who are you three?” I asked the pegesi.


The gray speckled one stretched neck out to the black one and it was crazy cause as they neighed and snorted and talked to each other it was like I was listening into a conversation,
“She's not a Poseidon kid so I don't think she can understand us.”
The noises they were making were making sense!
The black one turned his neck to the speckled one,
I thought I was going crazy!
“Percy told me that this one is the kid of Artemis.”
I was relieved when I heard that, “Percy sent you?” I exclaimed.
“Whoa,” the white horse tilted his head, “You can hear us?”


“Well yeah!” I replied out loud.
The speckled one turned his head and stared at me with one eye, “Oh yeah! What am I thinking of?”
“Not now Ace, let's do what Percy has asked.” The white one replied
Out came Lilly and Darren behind her, “Whoa three pegasi!” Darren exclaimed.
“I know you guys!” Lilly exclaimed.
“You do?” I replied.
“Yeah,” Thunder rolled again, “Unclaimed kids get the worst jobs.”


“Heyo Kid!” The voice of the speckled horse replied.
I looked at the Pegesi and shouted, “We have to go!”
I walked up to the black one and mounted, while Darren hopped on the speckled one and Lilly jumped on the white one.
“Ok Pegasus,” I addressed the black one, “Let's go!”


“Hey there up there!” A voice from below shouted.
“Oh snap.” Lilly exclaimed.
The black Pegasus launched himself and sailed into the sky as arrows fired passed us. I threw myself against him body with such force I hardly knew that was my strength, and gripped his mane with a slight muscle cramp in my shoulder and we flew into the clouds.
“My name is Blackjack kid.”


I huddled close to Blackjack's body as if trying to meld our bodies together as the arrows wizzed passed us.
Lightning flashed, rain pelted hard, thunder rolled, my body was soaked to the core. I held on to dear life as we climbed into the sky. Water spilled down my face, I wanted to cry, I don't know why, but I did anyway.

Blackjack leveled out and we were out of danger from the Hunters. Blackjack turned his head to me and saw I was crying and then told me to reach out and feel the clouds. His wings flapped and then he assured me it was ok. I opened an eye and saw thunder clouds and rain, don't forget rain. The I closed my eyes again and held on tighter to Blackjack's mane.
I laughed nervously, “uhhhh nope.”
I heard Blackjack laugh, “You afraid of heights?”
“Correction: I do not have a fear of heights: I have a fear of falling.” I replied.
Blackjack chuckled, “Just reach out.”
I didn't comply, I didn't like falling when the Drakon dropped me and I still don't like it now. (If anything the fear of falling great heights has intensified).
Blackjack just sighed, “Demigods: Can't live with them, can't leave them at Hades' doorstep.” I curled my fingers tighter on Blackjack's mane.
“Reach out!” Blackjack yelled at me


I blindly shoved my hand out against the wind and the rain. Then something firm and soft came against my hand and rubbed up against it. I opened my eyes and saw a horse nudging against my hand. “Whoa. It's a storm spirit!”


Blackjack snorted, “What did you think it was kid?”
I shielded my eyes from the rain as it still came pouring down and tried to sting my eyes. It seemed it was a smaller Storm Spirit, maybe a older foal or something. The spirit whinnied at me gleefully and spirited away into the clouds. (No pun intended)
I kept my head down keep the rain and Lilly and her white horse came up, “HANNAH!” Lilly shouted, “Your shoulder!”


I looked on my right shoulder and lo and behold a arrow was imbedded in my right shoulder. I reached for it but Darren reach out to me and yelled, “No don't take it out yet!”
I stopped and started to feel the arrow in my shoulder, “How do I hardly feel that?” I asked.
“The rain must be keeping it “iced” I guess.” Darren replied, “We have to land ASAP, so we can take care of that arrow.”
I groaned and held my arm in place, “Anyone else hurt?” I groaned.
Thunder rolled again and both Lilly and Darren said they were ok.
“They must have been after you.” Darren replied.
“Makes sense.” I groaned again as the pain in my shoulder got more obvious. I reached again and Darren yelled at me again, “DON'T TOUCH IT! YOU'LL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE!” Lightning pulsated. I removed my hand and gripped Blackjack's mane again and did my best not to move my shoulder.


***


By the time that we did eventually land I had almost passed out. I slowly and gingerly slid off of Blackjack's back and landed in the mud. Yes we had passed the storm, bad news: We were in the middle of the plains in Kansas: or at least I thought so. By the time we passed the border in Texas I lost track as I was phasing in and out of my surroundings.
“First things first, “Darren announced, “Let's take a look at your arm,” He said pointing to me, “and then we need to make a shelter. It's cold.”
I shivered, yeah there was no mistaking that fact.


IT WAS STINKING COLD!!


I could hardly shiver as my shoulder was slightly worse, pain wise, I couldn't see the wound. Plus I didn't WANT to see, at all. I made a seat for myself as Lilly tried making a fire, Darren came over to me and slowly removed Mom's quiver trying not to nick the arrow in my shoulder. He then easily slid off my backpack and itself had a couple of arrows embedded into it. Darren then proceeded to check my shoulder. His hands were strong and his movements firm but gentle, it was like he really was a doctor.


The Pegesi nested themselves together close to where Lilly was starting to light the fire with her flint and knife.
“After we get that arrow out, Ambrosia should do the trick. But nuthin' that a giant band aid won't do the trick.”
I started to freak, “Is it THAT bad?”
Darren laughed, “Nah.”


And like the big meanie he is Darren suddenly pulled out the arrow. I screamed in pain gripping my arm as Darren took a cloth or something and applied pressure to the wound.
Lilly had successfully started her fire and giggled so did the pegesi. I groaned as if Darren had suddenly pulled a loose tooth out of my mouth.
“Lilly, toss me that bag of Ambrosia.” Darren ordered.


Lilly grabbed a gallon sized zip lock baggie full of ambrosia squares and tossed it to Darren.
Darren caught it with one handed ease and handed it to me, “Eat one.”
I gingerly (hoping not to hurt my shoulder again) opened the bag and took one Ambrosia.
I relaxed as I tasted raw cookie dough in my mouth, “Gosh, this stuff never ceases to amaze.”

Notes

Whew next chapter done!
How do you guys like it?
Any theories going on?
Wanna hear what you think is going to happen!