*

5 years earlier

"FLORENCE! YOU READY?!"

Javier called out to his 13 year old daughter, frantically looking at his watch and then the window.
"Yeah, give me a sec! Just putting my shoes on!"
A small girl with brown curly hair, hazel eyes and the sweetest smile you've ever seen came bounding down the stairs.

"Ready! Where are we going again?" The young girl asked inquisitively. "Remember when I told you one day all of the things I taught you would come in handy?" Florence gave her father an incredulous look, but nodded anyways. "Well, honey, today is that day!" Javier put a gentle hand on his daughter's shoulder and gave her a real but nervous smile, his eyes fighting back tears to be strong for his daughter.

Florence became concerned, her stomach turning in a familiar anxious knot. She had never seen her father like this, usually he was composed and even serious, but never shaking to the point where she could feel his shaking contagiously catch to her. "What's going on?" She whispered, her voice shaking, Javier shushed her and kissed her forehead "Everything will be okay, Lori...We are just waiting on someone."

As if this mystery person was summoned, a small but rapid knock came at the door. Javier opened it and a short girl, but still an inch or two taller than Florence, stood nervously, bouncing on her...hooves?

Florence eyes widened as she saw what was supposed to be human legs but were in fact goat ones. "Dad..." Florence whisper yelled, her eyes still glued onto the other girls legs "Shit..." Javier cursed under his breath "Briar, please tell me we have enough time to get there and not die?" "DIE?!" Florence yelped, Briar and Javier were quick to shush her before Javi piped up "I'm sorry, not die, that wasn't the right word, everything's okay" however he didn't sound convinced.

Briar, as Florence learned, seemed familiar to her, as she managed to look anywhere else but the girls legs she decided to scan Briars face and realised she recognised her. "Wait, I know you! You're the girl from the park...and the library...and the mall- wait are you stalking me?" "No! Well...yes, but I have good reasons for it! I'm your protector! A satyr!" Florence blinked "A what?" "A satyr..Javi have you told her anything?" Javier groaned, running a hand through his hair "I thought I would have more time! Can we discuss this in the car please!?"

Briar took Florence's hand, leading her to the car while Javier locked up, rain poured and wind howled at them as if they knew the fight to come. Florence felt nothing but confusion and fear. She scrambled into the backseat along with Briar, while Javier scrambled into the front fumbling with his keys.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?!" Javier started the car "Remember when I would tell you stories of Greek gods...and how I took you out into the woods almost every day and we built the tree house, and how I taught you about plants and their uses and what they do...I did that for a reason. Also...how plants seem more lively when you touch them, and that you can make things grow faster than they normally would. That's not just a coincidence." Florence just stared at the back of her father's head, her hands shaking from the cold and from panic. Javi turned onto the main road and continued. "Flora, honey, the stories about Greek gods are real. I know that sounds silly, trust me I know. Remember how I told you about Demi gods, half bloods, that was always your favourite." Javier smiled fondly, missing the daughter that was mere inches from him "Your mother was one of the Greek goddesses." He glanced back, searching for anything on his daughter's face before looking back at the road.

Florence didn't know what to say. What could she say? Her mother had left them when Florence was 1 years old, or that's what she had been told. Florence looked at Briar who gazed at the younger girl with sympathy and gentleness. Javier continued "Remember when you told me you couldn't focus and how reading is difficult for you?" It was clear the father was struggling so Briar chipped in "It's because you were born to read Ancient Greek and you can't focus because you were born for battle. It's sounds scary I know but camp will help you."

"Camp?" Javier nodded "Yeah, a camp for kids just like you, Demi gods, kids with a godly parent, they'll help you there." "Are you coming too?" That broke Javier, he looked in the mirror at his only child and his heart broke, her meek little voice, she looked so young and so confused and he wasn't equipped to deal with it. "No honey...I'm not allowed, I'm sorry", Florence couldn't process it, all she could do was cry. Briar offered the girl her hand and the 13 year old took it and squeezed it tightly. "You're leaving me?" Javier let a few tear slip. "If I had the choice I'd stay with you. I'd stay with you and protect you forever. I love you so much, Lori."

Briar sweetly caressed the back of the girls hand, "I'll protect you for him, that's my job, and I know it won't be the same but it's for your safety. There are monsters out there that don't want you to get to camp, they want to harm you." Florence nodded, trying to make some sense of this confusing and upsetting situation.

The rain grew louder, smacking against the windows as if they were trying to break through. Florence sniffled, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. "Will I be able to visit you?" Javi nodded "Of course! Yes of course, it won't be forever, I promise I'll call and send letters, everything" he said, his voice shaking.
"Javier, we are almost there, we should wrap this up" Javi cursed under his breath again. "This is going to feel so strange, and you'll probably feel disheartened but don't be, Florence you are the kindest, most wonderful people I know. You are my daughter and I need you to be strong now, remember everything I taught you, remember I love you and make friends, try to have fun." Florence nodded "I will..I'll try" she whispered "I know you will sweetheart."

Briar felt her heart break for the duo. She looked out the window and could feel the presence of something evil. "Javier we may want to speed up a bit" "What why?" Briar could see something emerging from the trees beside them. A Minotaur. Florence turned around and gasped. "What is that?!" She said, turning to Briar in fear "A Minotaur...Javier we're almost there, keep going and don't stop!" "You don't have to ask me twice!"

Javier floored it. They lost the Minotaur briefly but know it wouldn't stay that way for long. The three got out of the car and ran into the open field. "Okay baby, this is as far as I can go, you've gotta go with Briar now okay, I'll write as soon as possible...go...." He kissed her head and smiled at her sweetly, giving all of the courage he had left to her. She nodded. She wasn't going to let her father down.

Briar took her hand. Florence gave her father one last look before she was dragged off to camp and her father ran to the car and drove off. His only thoughts being the safety of his child.

Briar would be claimed by her mother Demeter a year later while defending a camper from a harpy with a thorned plant that she conjured from the ground. She also got a job in the infirmary because of her knowledge of plant remedies and knowledge of how to treat wounds, all thanks to her father.
Javier wrote to her every time he could and she wrote back. She was never once mad at him.

While at camp, over the next five years, Florence met a boy. Luke Castellan. They weren't too sure of each other at first but when the Castellan boy stormed into the infirmary, after a confrontation with another camper who made comments about his father, Florence comforted his and helped him calm down, they soon were attached at the hip. A romance bloomed pretty quickly.

AUTHORS NOTE

I'm sorry if this seems a bit rushed I just wanted to get Florence's backstory in this!!
Luke and Florence are gonna be so tragic omg.
I love this book and I hope you do too
<3