t r e y a

I didn't know the exact reason why my gut was telling me to go back to that plane and fly back home but maybe it was because I've been destined to come here in so long, my body's got sick and tired of waiting and now doesn't want any training.

"I'm too old to come to camp, aren't I?" I ask Kimberly who was focused on the road with an iced coffee on her other hand.

She giggled, not taking her eyes off of the road and nodded "You're way overdue actually, they'll be surprised I'm taking in a sixteen year old child"

"Yeah, I've gotten enough lectures about that back home" I mumbled, staring into space.

Kimberly laughed, almost snorting out her iced coffee through her nose as she slapped the steering wheel with her free hand.

"Kaya never fails to let me down! I bet she was the one who got you to come here, am I right? am i right?" Kimberly nudged my side with her shoulder making me wince in pain.

Maybe they were right. Maybe I was getting weaker.

"Yeah" I drawled out "Would she have done it though?" I ask, my mind running back to when Kaya threatened to harm Gavin if I didn't go to camp.

"Done what?" Kimberly asked, slurping on the drink.

My shoulder slump down as I stare at the window. "Harm Gavin? She said if I didn't comply to my mother's orders, 'harm will come to him' or so she says" I roll my eyes, remembering how the thought of it frightened me.

Kimberly chuckled, "I don't really know" She says softly before her face turns dark.

"I'm not the who should say this because we have the same creator, you know? It's kind of disrespectful but I'll say it anyways, Hecate- The Dark Lady, is a bit of a mystery. She's unpredictable. When you meet her, she's like a blank slate. Trust me"

"Is she scary? Mom, I mean" My voice takes a pitch higher.

Kimberly nods a little, "Kind of but I'm sure she's sort of a generic mother. She cares for her children, acts strict with them and something like that"

"Will I see her at camp?"

Kimberly stops the car and I noticed we were in the woods. It was still three in the afternoon yet the area was so secluded with trees and whatnot, it made it seem like the sun was already setting.

It gave me chills. Kimberly turned the engine off and looked at me.

"You'll see her someday, just...not at camp"

She smiled and got off the front seat. I followed suite but as I see her unloading my luggage I start to panic and stutter.

"U-um, did I ask or say anything offensive? Are you gonna kill me and dump my body in the woods?" I ask worriedly. Over the time I found out I was a demigod, I took my part in studying the other half of me as well.

Well, I only read a few tales and it proved the fact that this other world was scary as hell.

Kimberly suddenly laughed, "I think you watch too much movies"

"H-huh? I actually probably read too many myths"

She smiles and unloads my last bag from her trunk and shuts the trunk.

"Don't worry, you'll be safe here" She reassures, patting my back and handing me my tote bag. I take it from her but my hands start to shake.

"Safe?!" I echoed "Kim, we're in the middle of nowhere!" I take my surroundings again, making sure I wasn't just missing a pretty place but there was nothing.

Kimberly raised an eyebrow, pulling her car door open and pushing the empty coffee cup back inside before taking out a lollipop and popping it inside her mouth.

"I didn't say we were there yet, chill out Treya"

I sigh and take some of my bags, the one I can only carry and Kimberly helps me with the rest as she starts walking towards the woods with no apparent trail.

"Let her go now, or meet your ends!" Someone screamed from behind me and I jumped in surprise and in fear. I scurried behind Kimberly, shutting my eyes tight because I wasn't ready at all.

"Dude, I think it's 'meet your end'" I hear another voice mock the other and I snap my eyes open.

Two guys who looked alike were standing right in front of Kimberly's car, both holding a spear. I half expected Kimberly to snarl and pounce on them but instead she clicked her tongue and turned away from them.

"Let's go Treya" She beckoned me to follow her and I did. I trust Kimberly more than two freaks in the middle of nowhere.

"Ah! They're getting away! Hurry— hey! Hazel! Frank! We need some backup! Some empousa is kidnapping a fellow demigod girl who seems to be too old to enter camp but— hey! I'm serious don't just run away you guys!" I turn back but Kimberly plants her hand on my shoulder.

"Stay away from kids like them Treya. I know you know better" Kimberly whispered, I nodded frantically as I let her pull me along.

"Travis! What are you doing out here? And what do you mean an empousa? What would an empousa—" The girly voice gasps and stops talking.

My head turns back to them, and I was right. The girly voice was so familiar it brought me back to the time I was in the plane.

Her name was Hazel.

"Y-you— you're a demigod" She gasps softly, before her eyes lands on Kimberly who had an annoyed look plastered on her face. She probably didn't like getting interrupted.

"That's why you could see through the mist— Hazel, she's— hey, why is there an empousa accompanying you?" The other boy, Frank, from the plane earlier also had his mouth agape.

"They were with you?" Kimberly nudged my side, and I nodded.

"From the plane, they were the couple who had a bow and arrow" I whisper to her and she nods before stepping up and walking in front of me.

"I'm her guardian. If you dumbos still don't know, she's Hecate's daughter who's gonna enrol at Camp Half Blood. I can't be her guardian there, so you— curly head— take care of her will you?" Kimberly asked, with a pissed off tone slinging around her voice.

Hazel, the one with curly hair nodded and jogged up to us.

"Hecate's children has never had any companions on the way here before" Hazel remarks, taking a couple of bags from Kimberly's hands

Kimberly looks back at me and smiles a little, "She's kind of important to The Dark Lady"

"Anyway, kid, I'll see you off here. I'm no demigod so I can't enter your camp" She hands me a calling card and winks at me.

Kimberly Hale

tattoo artist

xxx-xxx-xxxx

7th street, X apartment, NY

"You'll know where to find me in case you ever need anything"

As she starts walking back to her car, I yell at her.

"Thanks Kim!" She stops and waves back at me before getting inside her car. I watch her speed off and the three other boys get ahead of us until I no longer see their silhouettes.

Hazel taps my shoulder and I look at her before she gives me a warm smile.

"Let's get to camp, shall we?"