CHAPTER SEVEN
( PROMISE )

        DAVINA HAD NEVER packed for a quest before. Missions, yeah, but never a quest. It didn't take her long to do it, though. She didn't have anything sentimental to take with her, so she only packed extra clothes, deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, money, and some ambrosia Cassie gave her when she went to say goodbye. She French braided her hair back into two pigtails and went to sleep, hoping to get some rest before she left for a quest that could potentially lead to her death.

She would've been better off staying awake.

She was back in the same dark place from her dream the previous night. Annabeth struggled against whatever she was holding up. Davina squinted. It looked like boulders. Annabeth looked exhausted. Any second now, her strength would run out and the boulders would crush her.

"How is our mortal guest?" a voice boomed, making the ground vibrate and Davina jump in surprise.

Luke came out from the shadows and rushed over to Annabeth. He checked her and then looked up at the invisible man. "She's fading. We must hurry."

The voice chuckled and thrust something forward. Not something, someone. Davina gasped when she saw Artemis come into the light. The goddess was bound in chains with a ripped dress and cuts oozing ichor all over her body "You heard the boy. Decide!"

Davina saw Artemis's eyes flash dangerously but soften to concern when she saw Annabeth. "How dare you torture a maiden like this!"

"She will die soon," Luke responded. "You can save her."

"Free my hands," Artemis ordered.

Luke got out his sword. With one strike, he broke the handcuffs on Artemis's wrists.

The goddess ran towards Annabeth and lifted the weight off of the demigod's shoulders. Annabeth collapsed to the ground, her exhaustion getting the best of her.

Annabeth, Davina would've screamed as she tried to run to her, forgetting that she couldn't.

The voice laughed. "You are as predictable as you were easy to beat, Artemis."

"You surprised me," Artemis got out. "It will not happen again."

"Indeed it will not," the voice agreed. "Now you are out of the way for good. I knew you could not resist helping a young maiden. That is, after all, your specialty, my dear."

Artemis groaned. "You know nothing of mercy, you swine."

"On that, we can agree. Luke, you may kill the girl."

Davina's breath hitched, or that's what it felt like at least.

"No!" Artemis shouted.

Luke hesitated as he looked at Annabeth, showing a glimpse of the older brother Davina used to know. "She. . . she may be useful, sir. . . further bait."

"You truly believe that?'

"Yes, General. They will come for her. I'm sure."

The voice thought for a moment. "Then the drakaina can guard her here. Assuming she does not die from her injuries, you may keep her alive until winter solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless. The lives of all mortals will be meaningless."

Luke picked up Annabeth's limp body and carried her away.

"You will never find the monster you seek," Artemis hissed. "Your plan will fail."

"How little you know, my young goddess," the voice said. "Even now, your darling attendants begin their quest to find you. They shall play directly into my hands. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long journey to make. We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is. . . challenging."

The man barked out laughter, shaking the ground.

Davina woke up in a sweat like she'd done the night before. She looked around the Hermes cabin, barely catching the door opening. She furrowed her eyebrows and quickly slid her shoes and her coat on before hurrying after Nico.

She quickly realized that he was following Bianca and Zoë. The Hunters led them to the dining pavilion, where Nico hid behind a column.

"Nico!" Davina called out quietly, joining his side.

The boy jumped and turned to her. "Davina? I didn't hear you."

"Hermes kids are really good at sneaking around," Davina explained. "Our dad is the god of thieves. What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "Did I wake you up?"

Davina thought back to her dream. She shook her head. "No, you didn't."

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She turned around, hand immediately hovering over her bracelet. She didn't see anything but kept her hand on her bracelet as she turned back to Zoë and Bianca.

"A foolish prank," Zoë growled. "Those Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it."

Yeah, Davina thought that sounded like her brothers.

Bianca gasped. "That's terrible!"

"She will live," Zoë reassured her. "But she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. There is no way she can go. It's up to me. . . and thee."

"But the prophecy," Bianca countered. "If Phoebe can't go, we only have five. We have to pick another."

"There is no time," Zoë shook her head. "We must leave at first light. That's immediately. Besides, the prophecy said we would lose one."

"In the land without rain," Bianca pointed out. "But that can't be here."

"It might be," Zoë argued, but she didn't sound so sure of herself. "The camp has magic borders. Nothing, not even weather, is allowed in without permission. It could be a land without rain."

"But–"

"Bianca, hear me," Zoë interrupted. "I. . . I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our fifth companion. And. . . I don't want to risk another Hunter."

Bianca was quiet as she took in Zoë's words. "You should tell Thalia the rest of your dream."

"No," Zoë protested. "It would not help."

"But if your suspicions are correct, about the General–"

"I have thy word not to talk about it," Zoë cut her off. "We will find out soon enough. Now come. Dawn is breaking."

Nico and Davina quickly moved out of their sight as the two of them ran down the steps. Suddenly, Zoë froze, looking in the same area Davina had. The Hunter's hand inched toward her bow.

"The lights of the Big House are on!" Bianca got Zoë's attention.

Davina looked down at the younger boy, noticing the look in his eyes. "Wait," a voice joined them before she could say anything to him.

Davina and Nico spun around to see Percy, Annabeth's invisibility cap in his hand. Nico almost slipped on the ice in surprise. He gripped onto Davina's arm to balance himself. "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here the whole time," Percy revealed. "Invisible."

Nico's eyes widened, stars practically shining in them as he silently repeated the word invisible. "Cool."

"How did you know Zoë and your sister were here?" Percy asked.

Nico's face flushed. "I heard them walking outside the Hermes cabin. I don't. . . I don't sleep too well at camp. So I heard footsteps and them whispering. And so I kind of followed."

Percy's eyes flickered to Davina. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be resting for your quest?"

There was a bitterness to his tone that made Davina's blood boil. "Same," she answered, motioning to Nico as she held eye contact with Percy.

Percy let out a breath and refocused his attention on the young boy. "I know what you're thinking. You want to follow them on the quest."

"How did you know that?'

"Because if it were my sister, I'd probably be thinking the same thing. But you can't."

Nico sighed. "Because I'm too young?"

"Because they won't let you," Percy told him. "They'll catch you and send you back here. And. . . yeah, because you're too young."

"Nico," Davina rested her hand on his shoulder. He was so innocent. She wanted to keep it that way. She wanted him to continue playing his Mythomagic game. She wanted him to continue being a kid. "There's so many more monsters scarier than the one at Westover Hall. More dangerous, too. Some of the people going will die."

Nico's shoulders slumped. "I guess you guys are right." He looked up from the ground to Percy. "You can go for me."

Percy blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"You can turn invisible," Nico explained. "You can go!"

"The Hunters don't like boys," Percy reminded him. "If they find out–"

"Don't let them find out! Follow them invisibly. Keep an eye on my sister! You have to! Please?"

Davina frowned as the boy begged Percy to go.

"Nico–" Percy tried.

"You're planning to go anyway, aren't you?" Nico crossed his arms.

"Yeah," Percy nodded. Davina's head snapped towards him. "I have to find Annabeth. I have to help."

"I won't tell on you," Nico assured. "But you have to promise to keep my sister safe."

"That's a big thing to promise, Nico," Percy stammered. "Besides, she's got Davina, Zoë, Grover, and Thalia—"

"Promise," he insisted.

"I'll do my best," Percy promised. "I promise that."

That wasn't good enough for Nico. He turned his head to Davina. "Please."

"I promise," Davina gave in, squeezing his shoulder. "I'll keep Bianca safe, Nico. I swear."

"Davina–" Percy started, ready to tell her what she already knew.

"Thank you," Nico smiled at Davina.

"You have to promise me something, Nico," Davina moved so she was in front of the boy. She hadn't known him for very long but she hoped she didn't let him down. He nodded at her. "Keep Connor and Travis out of too much trouble while I'm gone. Tell them that Davina said she'll kick their as – butts if she finds out they've given more Hunters t-shirts with centaur blood in them."

"I promise," Nico grinned.

"And tell Chiron that–" Percy added.

"I'll make something up," Nico assured. "I'm good at that. Go on!"

Davina waved to Nico as she ran back to the Hermes cabin. She grabbed her bag and gave Connor and Travis, who were both half-asleep, goodbyes before sprinting to the top of Half-Blood Hill where Zoë, Thalia, Bianca, and Grover were waiting.

𝒎𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒍 !!
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