this is one of my favorite parts... =) hope you like it too.
Chapter 6-My butt gets kicked, an d not for the first time
Smack! Came the sound of a sword butt being slammed against my shoulder armor.
“Ouch!” I protested as yet again, I was pushed down into the dirt with a sword point in my back.
“You really suck with a sword ya know.” Qadir, one of the many sons of Ares laughed.
“Yeah, yeah… “ I grumbled.
I’d been in the room for two weeks now. Pretty much everyone just assumed I was some descendant of a daughter of Hermes, and I didn’t mind. I still beat most of them in archery, so they had no ground to insult me.
Except when it came to swords.
I was absolutely horrible, which Qadir always took advantage of.
His name was Arabic, and meant strong, something he was extremely proud of.
Most of the demigod groups-they were categorized by their Olympian parent- had accepted I was here to stay, and took a liking to me. Ares, Hades, Apollo, Hephaestus and of course Hermes, treated me as if I had always been there. The rest of the half-bloods pretty much steered clear, and didn’t bother me.
Shotka and Sam explained to me that there was sort of a pecking order in the Room. (the Room is what the rest of the demigods called the place they were living, and I learned to adopt it into my speak also) After I had proved myself to the other groups in some way they might acknowledge me more, or they might not.
Usually Hades was one of those cabins, but because I had stayed with Sam for the first few days, she had figured I was good enough to practice archery with, and the rest of the group followed.
The Ares people just like beating up on newer recruits, and since I was one of those, they had chosen to beat on me pretty regularly, until I creamed Qadir, there sort of leader in a target match. Now he and I get along pretty well.
And I moved out Sam’s tent, into the tent of Amy, another daughter of Hermes.
I was jolted out of my revere when Qadir stuck his hand out to help me up.
“Thanks” I grumbled
“Again?” He smiled gleefully.
“Uh… Sure. Wait, can I switch to my bow and we do distance fighting?”
His head shook back and forth vigorously. “Now way. Not after last time.”
I ended up accidentally sending him to the infirmary after one of my arrows hit a chink in his armor. My aim had been better than I had thought.
Sighing I stood at the ready, the sword drooping in my tired fingers.
He straightened and pushed my arm up. “You could never hope to beat me with a stance like that.”
“I could never beat you anyway.” I snarled half-heartedly.
His smile grew wider as he got back into position.
“Hey, take it a little bit-” I was cut off as his sword slammed against mine.
His posse laughed and leaned over the fence, sure this was going to be quick.
I wearily dodged his next blow, and then before he could strike again and leave yet another bruise, I threw myself on the ground and shouted “I surrender!”
His friends burst out in a chorus of laughter and Qatir shouted “WE HAVE VICTORY!”
I stood up and brushed my self off saying “Oh shut up. Its not an uncommon occurrence.”
He rushed over to me and ruffled my hair nearly pushing me over in the process.
“Once I turn 16 you better knock that off.” I growled.
“I’ll still be older, and that gives me the right.” he said.
“Only by like… a year. Or less.”
“Still gonna be a year or less after you turn 16.”
“Shut up will you?”
We walked together to the dining hall, looking for Shotka. He had a tendency to disappear for random amounts of time to do god knows, I mean, Zeus knows what. The other demigods used an unusual collection of substitute swear words, and they suited me well, when I remembered to use them.
Sure enough, my fellow Hermes member appeared a few feet in front of me.
“Shotka!” I yelled racing forward. He, being the first person I laid eyes on, had a certain connection with me, and we were pretty close. The trickster was teaching me the "Hermes" way, but unfortunately, I had yet to catch on.
“Where have you been?” I exclaimed.
“No where.” He smiled impishly, the look I had come to know well.
Sure enough he held up a huge paper sack.
I laughed. “What’s in the bag…”
“Oh, just a little something for me… and something for you”
Yes! He always brought me back something good from where ever he went. Candy, and pop and stuff wasn’t stocked here as I found out soon enough. Something about wanting to keep us on the right track with our training.
Saliva rose in my mouth. Mm… Maybe gummy worms. I hadn’t had gummy worms in… two days. That’s how long Shotka had been gone… only two days? It seemed like forever…
Time went more slowly here. I don’t know if it was because I was getting up earlier, and going to bed later or if it was just the effect of the sun and moon, which by the way were a gift from Apollo and Artemis. The weather was usually predictable, because it went by the mood of the Zeus group. I had to admit, even though this was fake, they had really good special effects.
You didn’t want to be caught outside when Zeus and Poseidon sections were fighting. I found that out real fast.
Shotka pulled me towards my tent. “Hey Qatir, its okay if I steal her away for a while right?”
All of my guy friends here were protective of me, especially after I told them about Boris and my two best friends.
Qatir nodded and winked. “I’ll see you later Iris”
Shotka yanked me inside and we collapsed onto my air mattress.
“So. What ya got for me?”
He pulled out a small tub of sour neon gummy worms and I squealed. “Yes!”
Next came out a six pack of mini mountain dews, a bag of York patties, three packages of skittles and a roll of sweet tarts.
“Share these, okay?”
I shoved him gently. “You know I always do!” I said as I slipped the sweet tarts sneakily into my pocket. Sweet tarts were my favorite.
We quickly hit the loot under a blanket when there came a knock on the door. Both of us were praying to Hermes that it wasn’t Hestia.
Luckily for us, it was Alex, one of the sons of Zeus.
“What do you want?” Shotka asked warily. Alex was the leader type person of the Zeus group. Which in turn made sure he never came over to this section of the Room.
“Uh… Is there and Iris Carter in here?”
I nodded.
“You’re supposed to come with me.” He looked uncomfortable, like he was nervous about speaking to me.
“Oh. Okay. Well, Shotka, I believe you can take care of things here.” I stared at him meaningfully.
“Yep. Yep, of course Iris” He said hurriedly
I stepped out into the sun light that was partially covered by clouds. Odd. I wondered what was troubling the Zeus group now.
I was tempted to ask Alex, but he seemed deep in thought, so I didn’t dare. We walked up to the wood lodge that Hestia lived in, a well as watching over the infirmary located inside as well.
Suddenly I grew fearful. “Is someone hurt or something?”
Alex shook his head. “Nope.”
“Then what’s going on?”
“You’ll see.”
Ugh. I hate it when people try to be all mysterious. I’m not saying that Alex didn’t completely succeed and draw me in to whatever was going on, but it was still annoying.
He led me around a couple of random hallways that I didn’t even bother to keep track of until we got to Hestia’s office.
I opened the door and stuck my head in tentatively. ”Hello?”
Hestia stood and motioned me to a chair opposite her desk, like I was in trouble. I had the thought that maybe one of the other Hermes had ratted me out, but then I realized that none of them would do that; one. because I share with them, and two, because they’re in my group. We don’t betray each other like that.
Alex left, shutting the door behind him. The heavy wooden slab made an ominous sound as it shut.
Immediately I said, “What ever happened, I didn’t do it, and I can vouch no one in my group did either.”
Hestia laughed. “Nothing happened Iris. It’s just that I was going to ask when you were prepared to go back to school, and I wanted to do it in private because of… well past events.”
I nodded slowly. “I should probably tell my parents what’s up.”
“What do you mean?” Hestia looked alarmed.
“They are probably getting worried about the fact that I haven’t called, or emailed even. The only contact they’ve had from me for two weeks has been a typed letter from the supposed education association thing.” I smacked myself on the forehead. “I’m so grounded.”
Hestia sighed. “And then you wouldn’t be allowed back on weekends.”
“Nope.”
“Well, we need you to at least come then. Because if you don’t, even with the glamour we give you, Boreas could find you.”
I paled. ”Boris-”
“Boreas”
“Whatever. He’s still out there?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Oh.” I mumbled.
“If you would like, we could arrange for you not to go back.”
“Like…how?”
“Faking your death is always an option”
“What?! No! It’s just… no.” I said appalled.
“That was just an option.”
“Can I think about it? Going back I mean?”
“Of course.” She smiled encouragingly.
I stood up but before I left, I turned back to her.
“Uh…”
“Yes?” Came her curt reply.
“What’s glamour?”
Her laugh echoed around the small room once again. “I keep forgetting your new. Glamour is a substance that you use to cover up looks, actions, or events to make them look like normal mortal things.”
“Ok. Thanks. Just wanted to clear that up.”
Shotka seems like a likable fella and Iris a actual human, nice reactions! Her reaction about Boris (Boreas lol) was very real, since, well, she thinks her best friends died (i think she does?) Okay, i like the whole 'mysterious Shotka...gummy worms, the whole shebang. this wasn't a very good comment, but oh well. glad you could use the link 
