The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

four

BLESSINGS

The next minute the shadows melted into a new scene. They were on a cliff in the woods of Connecticut.

At least, it looked like Connecticut from the few times she had been there: lots of trees, low stone walls, big houses.

Down one side of the cliff, a highway cut through a ravine. Down the other side was someone's backyard.

The property was huge more wilderness than lawn. The house was a two-story white Colonial.

Despite the fact that it was right on the other side of the hill from a highway, it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere.

Ariana could see a light glowing m the kitchen window. A rusty old swing set stood under an apple tree.

She couldn't imagine living in a house like this, with an actual yard and everything. If this was Luke's home, she wondered why he'd ever wanted to leave.

Mrs. O'Leary staggered. She let out a huge toothy yawn that would've scared a T. rex, then turned in a circle and flopped down so hard the ground shook.

Nico appeared right next to Ariana, as if the shadows had darkened and created him. He stumbled, but Ariana caught his arm.

"I'm okay." he managed, rubbing his eyes.

Ariana glared are him. "You said you would be fine!"

"How did you do that?" Asked Percy.

Ariana looked at him. "Do I not speak to you about my abilities or something?"

Percy shook his head. Ariana, with hands on her hips, gave him a pointed look knowing she definitely had.

"Practice. A few times running into walls. A few accidental trips to China."

"Huh. Makes sense."

Mrs. O'Leary started snoring. If it hadn't been for the roar of traffic behind them, Ariana was sure she would've woken up the whole neighborhood.

"Are you going to take a nap too?" Percy asked Nico.

He shook his head. "The first time I shadow traveled, I passed out for a week. Now it just makes me a little drowsy, but I can't do it more than once or twice a night. Mrs. O'Leary won't be going anywhere for a while."

"A WEEK?" Ariana exclaimed. "What the fuck. I only passed out for a bit."

Nico shrugged at her.

"So we've got some quality time in Connecticut." Percy gazed at the white Colonial house. "What now?"

"We ring the doorbell." Nico said.

If Ariana were Luke's mom, she would not have opened her door at night for three strange kids. But she wasn't anything like Luke's mom.

Ariana knew that even before they reached the front door. The sidewalk was lined with those little stuffed beanbag animals you see in gift shops.

There were miniature lions, pigs, dragons, hydras, even a teeny Minotaur in a little Minotaur diaper.

Judging from their sad shape, the beanbag creatures had been sitting out here a long time since the snow melted last spring at least.

One of the hydras had a tree sapling sprouting between its necks. The front porch was infested with wind chimes. Shiny bits of glass and metal clinked in the breeze.

Brass ribbons tinkled like water. The front door was painted turquoise. The name CASTELLAN was written in English, and below in Greek: Alountis poupiov.