The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

four

THE HOTTEST CAR GOING

Artemis assured them that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled her.

It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless.

Ariana wondered if the teachers had even noticed the Di Angelos and Dr Thorn were missing yet. She didn't want to be around when they did.

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. Ariana stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something.

Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. Ariana could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt.

Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around her and Percy, anxious to hear what had happened during their audience with the goddess.

When Percy told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" Percy wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them and tried getting Ariana too as well." Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good -"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so ... into nature." Grover swooned.

"You're nuts." said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries,". Grover said dreamily.

"Yeah."

Finally the sky began to lighten.

Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" Percy asked.

"For my brother. Yes."

"It's not exactly as you think." Artemis said.

Ariana looked between the goddess and Percy and wondered what Percy was thinking.

"Oh, okay." Percy started to relax. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a -"

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.

"Don't look." Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

Ariana averted her eyes, and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until her winter coat felt like it was melting off her.

Then suddenly the light died.

Ariana looked. And she couldn't believe it. It was her car. Well, the car she wanted, anyway. A red convertible Maserati Spyder.

It was so awesome it glowed.

Then she realized it was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted round the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why she was now standing on green grass and her shoes were wet.

The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and, reminded Ariana a lot like the Apollo Campers.

"Wow." Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

"He is." Ariana mumbled.

"He's the sun god." Percy said.

"That's not what I meant."