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5hfanfiction · 7 years ago

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Through The Mist (Ch. 18)

Chapter XVIII: Waffles of Doom

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A/N: THIS IS EXTREMELY OVERDUE AND I APOLOGIZE. it’s been a long four months and i hate myself for taking so long.

even though school is over, i’m still overwhelmed by what i need to get done this summer since i’m becoming a senior. blame my anxiety and writer’s block for this late update.

congrats to 5H for winning #ChoiceMusicGroup, #ChoiceSummerGroup, #ChoiceSongGroup, and #ChoiceFandom – and to Camila for winning #ChoiceSongFemaleArtist, #ChoiceSummerFemaleArtist, #ChoiceFemaleHottie, and #ChoiceElectronicDanceSong on tonight’s TCAs. i love my five girls.

hope this 14.8k word chapter of camren and ot5 is enough to make up for lost time - it’s the second longest chapter i’ve posted. be sure to leave comments because i love your reactions ;) enjoy!

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Previously on TTM,

With help from the Hunters of Artemis, the girls finally arrive in Denver, Colorado—the location where Artemis’ mystery friend resides. After Camila and Dinah reveal their romantic past, the other girls react indifferently, the past relationship having no impact on the group dynamic. The girls explore Cheesman Park in hopes of encountering the goddess, only for Dinah and Lauren to partake in a friendly snowball fight and for a stranger to hit on Camila but a jealous Lauren is quick to end the interaction.

After the girls’ sexualities are revealed—with a pansexual Normani flustering a polysexual Dinah—the demigods end up in the main pavilion of the park. They meet a cloaked stranger who turned out to be Harmonia, goddess of peace and harmony, and Artemis’ mystery friend. The goddess greets them joyfully, now referring to the five girls as Fifth Harmony.

Harmonia then weakly uncovers the truth about the prophecy line, “With sea and war battling chaos’ wrath,” after much insistence from the demigods. The girls will have to confront Harmonia’s godly aunt, Eris, who is looking for demigod blood - preferably Camila’s.

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“Wait,” Dinah interrupted loudly, raising her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her brows were scrunched in concentration as she dug through her limited knowledge of Greek mythology. “Who is Eris exactly?”

What if she’s the woman from my demigod dreams? Camila realized with a start, turning to Harmonia for more information.

A pair of dull blue eyes fell upon the Polynesian and Dinah swallowed hard at the shrouded pain behind those ancient orbs. To see an immortal in pain was such an incomprehensible concept to the half-bloods.

The goddess’s lips twitched into a small bitter smile. “Why am I not surprised that they do not teach you of the minor gods, even when they can cause as much damage as the pristine Olympians? Even with the agreement from four years ago, we minor gods are still underrepresented.”

Camila recalled what her half-sister Nyssa Barrera told her about the arrangement after the Second Olympian War. After declining the offer of becoming a god to stay with Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson made a request for the gods to claim their children by the age of thirteen and to respect the minor gods by allowing the construction of several cabins for the offspring of minor gods at camp.

Unfortunately, the promise was not always upheld since many of the newer demigods still lacked important knowledge of minor gods, which sometimes led to ignorance or the underestimating of either the minor gods or their children. Ironically, that is what caused many underappreciated half-bloods to join the Titans’ side in the Second Olympian War.

After hopefully surviving the quest, Camila would strive to include more minor gods in their Greek mythology classes and to assign their offspring larger roles at camp. Her argument was that everyone, regardless of power capability or godly parentage, should feel safe and valued at camp.

Harmonia leaned against the wall of the pavilion as support, her hollow gaze settling on the various mortals passing by them without any acknowledgment. Camila supposed that the goddess was using the Mist on their easily manipulated minds to remain inconspicuous to the human world.

“If I am to tell you of Eris, I should first tell you of my lineage. It would not make sense otherwise.” She offered the demigods a weak smile. “I am the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, a product of love and war.”

Dinah and Normani’s eyes widened at the announcement of their godly parents. The two girls gaped at the tired blonde immortal, who genuinely smiled at them, adding, “I’m relieved that neither of you represent either extreme. Obtaining a proper balance can be difficult when handling love and war.”

“But all’s fair in love and war, right?” the tallest demigod questioned.

“Nothing’s fair in any retrospect, especially in this day and age,” Harmonia clarified, quirking a brow. “As mortals, and as female minorities more specifically, I expect that you’d understand more than anyone.”

The quintet shared a low chuckle at the blunt realism. Beyond their demigod lives, the mortal world wasn’t as trusting and forgiving, because even that life contained horrifying monsters, and though they lacked the jagged claws and sharp teeth, some carried undeserving privilege and wealth as their advantage, making it difficult to get rid of them.

The goddess continued. “Well, Eris is the daughter of Zeus and Hera, and the twin sister of Ares—”

“Ares has a twin sister?” Camila exclaimed, shocked by the revelation. She couldn’t even begin to imagine a female version of Ares walking around, causing havoc left and right.

Harmonia nodded gravely. “She is the goddess of chaos, conflict and strife, and discord, which makes her my aunt and my power counterpart.”

“Family’s messy business,” Camila reiterated, referencing one of her demigod dreams that occurred during the train ride.

She must be the vicious female immortal from my dreams. All of the evidence matches up; she’s blunt, brutal, and very stand-offish. I’ve been having dreams of “chaos’ wrath” this entire time.

“Indeed,” the goddess agreed. She ran a hand through her blonde hair, the strands slowly regaining their usual shine. “She goes by a few other names—such as Enyo, goddess of destructive war and blood, or Erida, goddess of hatred and bloodlust—but she prefers Eris,” she added with a shrug.

“Why is she going against the Olympians, aside from the fact that she is unmentioned when speaking of Ares?” Normani inquired, curious of what Eris did to be unfavored by the Olympian Council.

Harmonia took a deep breath, her dim eyes flickering with old memories. “In simpler words, she caused the Trojan War.”

The five girls tensed, each knowing how devastating the incident was as it ripped both the mortal world and the Olympians into two sides; the Greeks versus the Trojans. The event also led to the downfall of one of the most memorable heroes, Achilles. They had no idea that the ordeal was because of one minor goddess.

The blonde immortal continued, “Since her nature was to cause strife, even among the gods, she was the only goddess not invited to the wedding of the hero Peleus and the sea-goddess Thetis. In revenge, Eris threw a golden apple—the Apple of Discord—among the wedding guests, which had the inscription: ‘To the Fairest.’ Only three powerful goddesses dared to claim to be the fairest: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite.

“Their rivalry brought about the events leading up to the war. The quarrel led to Zeus sending the goddesses to a Trojan prince named Paris to judge the dispute. Paris foolishly awarded the apple to Aphrodite, who had promised him the fairest mortal to be his wife, which at the time was a married Queen Helen of Sparta.

“After Paris kidnapped Helen, King Menelaus of Sparta and his brother, King Agamemnon of Mycenae, declared a ten-year war on Troy because of Paris’ insult. Even the gods split up between the Greeks and the Trojans, increasing bloodshed on both sides. Many great heroes were lost due to the great conflict. The Greeks prevailed with Odysseus’ ruse of the Trojan Horse and burned down the city of Troy.

“All that death because of an apple,” Harmonia concluded sharply, crossing her arms over her chest. She had gained some of her glowing aura, though it wasn’t as warm and inviting as before.

Resentment was clear on her tight expression with her curled lip and hard gaze. It was understandable, seeing that she was the goddess of peace and concord. Violence made her recoil, frustrating her as it was unfortunately inevitable in human nature.

Everyone present knew that the war was preventable but no one came up to stop it, too caught up in their own egos to do anything.

“What happened to Eris?” Lauren finally managed to voice, fearful that the immortal would snap at them.

Harmonia grounded her jaw. “Before the Olympians could punish her, Eris fled Olympus right after the war. She claimed that the gods could not understand her hunger for chaos, and the fact that Ares received more recognition than her had always bothered her. The Trojan War was her final cry for attention and the last straw for the Olympians.

“Last I heard was that Nyx spoke out to her and persuaded her to become her ‘adoptive’ child. Eris was then ‘raised’ and influenced by Nyx, making her more ruthless than before,” the goddess supplied.

“So, Eris was mentored by the primordial goddess of the night,” Ally reiterated with wide eyes. “If she could cause the Trojan War by herself, I can’t even imagine what kind of destruction she’d be capable of now because of Nyx’s help.”

Like taking over the world once she dethrones all twelve Olympians?

Camila started to thoroughly analyze her demigod dreams in hopes of finding the missing piece of her complicated puzzle.

Harmonia hummed in agreement, propping herself off the pavilion wall. “The daughters of war and sea must conquer her wrath. You must face Eris in combat, most preferably alone and before you reach your final destination.”

“Where will we meet her?” Lauren asked, determination swirling in her vibrant green eyes. She squeezed Camila’s hand in reassurance but the fire-wielder was too deep in her own thoughts.

Baby blue orbs clashed with a spirited green and the goddess tilted her chin up. “Daughter of Poseidon,” she started slowly, her eyes flitting between the two Cubans with a knowing look, “Eris lies where the root of all evil is, biblically speaking of course.”

“The love of money or power?” Ally answered, her brows furrowing in thought until her brown eyes widened. “Las Vegas.”

Harmonia smiled warmly at the oldest demigod. “Chaos is known to grow from insatiable greed. Eris will be her strongest in Las Vegas so do not fall for any temptations or offerings. She is a goddess of war, act accordingly.”

“Uh, do you know where she would be specifically? Vegas is kinda big,” Dinah inquired sheepishly, quite aware that they have asked the kind goddess a multitude of questions.

The blonde immortal chuckled, the melodious sound easing the girls. “It will be obvious when you arrive, daughter of Ares. I cannot answer all your questions, godlings. I too must abide to certain rules—”

“I had dreams about her,” Camila blurted, her hazy brown eyes refocusing on the goddess. Her friends sent her worried looks but she simply ignored them. She had to get answers for her disoriented dreams.

I have questions for you.

Camila pressed her wrist to her right temple as she tried to sort out her jumbled thoughts. “Eris was in my demigod dreams, talking about the prophecy and how she wanted to kill us, but someone was with her. The man referred to her as ‘aunt.’ Do you have an idea on who he might be?”

Harmonia frowned. “That could the offspring of any of Zeus’s children. With such a broad parentage, it would be nearly impossible to figure out the identity of her mysterious partner.”

“Oh.” Camila’s spirit deflated as she hoped the immortal could at least give her a hint. This unknown man was the missing piece to the quest, she could feel it in her gut.

The goddess noted the fire-wielder’s slumped shoulders and sighed. “Do not despair, young hero. The time will come when all truths are revealed. Just remember that Eris and her partner are only disposable pawns of a larger cause.”

Camila pursed her lips.

Aren’t we all pawns?

Harmonia met her pointed stare. “There are times when a well-placed pawn is more powerful than a king,” the goddess stated in Camila’s head. “You have yet to unlock your full potential. Keep your head high, daughter of Hephaestus.”

At the stressed mention of her father, Camila caught the blonde immortal pinching the main pendant of her beautifully wrought golden necklace. Camila didn’t notice the piece of jewelry earlier and it made her uneasy observing it. The mere sight of it made her gut clench with a silent warning.

It was such an exquisite ornament that the fire-wielder briefly wondered who crafted it.

“Your father,” Harmonia stated cautiously, as if reading her mind, “presented me this necklace at my wedding. Little did I know that he cursed it, damning my descendants, or whoever wore it, with horrible misfortune. He was so furious that his wife cheated on him with the god of war that he swore revenge on her offspring, that being me.”

Camila’s throat constricted at the confession and she felt a steady anger boil in her lower stomach. Her grip on Lauren’s hand tightened to prevent her hands from exploding into flames.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized roughly, knowing that words could not undo the past.

In her eyes, Harmonia didn’t deserve to bear a curse meant for her mother’s affair. It was completely unfair. There was a certain sadness in those clear blue eyes that made Camila overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow, making her chest burn with irritation.

The goddess shook her head, dropping her slender hand from the jeweled pendant. “Do not waste your breath on something that you were not apart of. I should pray for you, knowing that you too have been cursed by him.”

The two females exchanged a mutual look, both understanding the other’s situation with the god of fire and blacksmiths.

“Can goddesses pray?” Camila asked as an afterthought.

A low chuckle escaped Harmonia, her lips curling into the faintest smile. “We shall see, godling.”

The Latina managed a smile and nodded. “Well, I guess this is it. You told us everything you could.”

Ally stepped forward with a broad smile on her face. She had her hands clasped together. “Thank you so much for all of your help, Lady Harmonia. It is highly appreciated.”

The rest of the demigods smiled gratefully at Harmonia, allowing Ally to speak for them.

The minor goddess giggled at the sudden formality. Her baby blue eyes sparkled with mirth as her innocence slowly returned, restoring her godly beauty.

“There’s no need for the pleasantries, Allyson. I expect all good things from you, Fifth Harmony. After all, the fate of the world rests on your shoulders.”

Harmonia’s hand slipped into a pocket of her black trench coat, pulling out a white business card. She placed it in Ally’s hand. “Just in case you have a little trouble in Las Vegas,” she informed, adjusting her coat. “It’s always good to have connections.”

With a thankful smile, the daughter of Apollo pocketed the card, reminding herself to inspect it later.

Harmonia grinned widely at the young half-bloods and Camila couldn’t help but crack a small grin. The goddess’s youthful aura was contagious and filled her with a comforting warmth. “Then you’re all set. Good luck to you, Fifth Harmony. Now please, avert your eyes.”

The quintet did as they were told, turning their backs to the immortal. Sometimes—depending on the immortal—whenever a god was about to teleport, they would emit a blinding light that could render a mortal blind or worse. Camila could feel the immense heat radiate from the blonde’s presence, causing a tug in her gut.

Within a few seconds, the intense heat and bright light died down, and the girls opened their eyes to find that Harmonia had vanished.

The atmosphere became gloomy once more, sapped from its previous warmth. The mortals were aware of their existence since they sent them odd looks as the half-bloods just stood there, attempting to recompose themselves from their lengthy conversation with the goddess of peace and harmony.

Camila furrowed her brows at the recollection of their assigned team name.

You know, Fifth Harmony has a nice ring to it.

Ally fished out the business card the goddess gave her and examined it.

‘CHAOS HOTEL & CASINO’ was neatly engraved into the black card in a fancy golden font, along with a unique signature. On the back was the figure of a ying-yang symbol with the word ‘balance’ scrawled below it in Ancient Greek as isorropía.

“Clever,” the shortest girl exhaled, showing the card to the rest, earning light snorts at the awful irony. “I guess that’s where we’re staying when we get to Vegas.”

“What if it’s a trap?” Normani questioned, leaning toward the blonde Polynesian.

“I doubt it since she gave it to us in case we had a little trouble in Las Vegas, which is an expensive place for unemployed, underage demigods,” Ally countered, slipping the card back into her pocket. “This might be a free pass to stay in this hotel.”

“Well, if it’s free then we’re definitely using it,” Dinah exclaimed with a certain twinkle in her eye. “I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas, even if we have to confront an evil goddess afterwards.”

“I’m just glad we know who it is now,” Lauren stated with a sigh. Her green eyes locked onto the tall blonde with concern. “We have to be careful, Dinah. If she’s anything like Ares—”

Dinah raised a hand. “Lauser, have some faith. We’ll be fine. Besides, I don’t think Dad will mind if I fight my evil aunt.”

Lauren pursed her lips at the fact that she was interrupted. “That’s not what I meant. According to my brother Percy, her violent nature will allow our emotions to get the better of us so we have to stay level-headed, no matter how much she may taunt us.” She sent the warrior a pointed look.

The blonde’s eyes flew wide. “Are you saying that I can’t control my anger?”

Normani bit back a laugh at Dinah’s offended facial expression and hooked her arm around the younger girl’s toned one. She wove their fingers together, leaning into her. “Dinah, you have to admit that you’re a little hot-headed,” she insisted softly.

Dinah glanced down at the daughter of Aphrodite and faltered at the sight of her tender dark brown eyes and warm smile, framed by soft, curled locks of hair.

Dinah’s throat bobbed nervously as she struggled to come up with a snarky remark. With a squeeze of their joined hands, Dinah relented and her shoulders slumped.

“Okay, I get it,” she mumbled, looking at Lauren. “I’ll try my best to be keep my chill.”

Camila snorted lightly, raising a brow at the interaction between Dinah and Normani. She shook her head at the faint blush splayed across the Polynesian’s face.

Gods, she’s so whipped.

Lauren offered the taller girl a grateful smile. “That would be great.”

“Yeah, whatever, Ralph.”

Before Camila could tease her best friend, Ally cleared her throat to gain their attention. The daughter of Apollo managed a small smile, her nose pink from the chilling winds. “We should probably get going. Early dinner’s on me,” she added with a grin.

The introduction of food made Camila’s stomach growl with a desperate need. She quickly pushed up the sleeve of her sweatshirt to check her wristwatch, only to discover that it was a bit past four in the afternoon.

Gods, it’s still Tuesday? It feels like forever since we were at Artemis’s base.

Dinah instantly perked up at the “dinner’s on me” part. She eyed Ally with interest. “What kind of food are we talking about? I’m not picky, just curious, since you’re paying.”

Ally’s face lit up with child-like excitement. “My favorite place in the entire world… Waffle House!”

The four other half-bloods stared at her in surprise. They never would have guessed that the oldest among them would enjoy the southern chain restaurant, but then remembered that the archer was born in Texas.

“Do you know if there’s one around here?” Normani inquired. She wasn’t in the mood to go on another goose chase just to find a place to eat.

Ally rummaged through her backpack and pulled out the map she had been working on since the train ride from Washington D.C. to Chicago. She unraveled it and pointed to a location circled by a red marker. It was relatively close to their current position.

“Oh yeah, I made sure,” she assured her friends with a wicked gleam in her eye. Obvious hunger clouded her expression. “This has been on my bucket list since my last quest so we’re definitely going there.”

Camila blinked in surprise at the girl’s crafted smile and commanding tone. No one bothered to argue with her.

Gods, it looks like she’d kill someone for some Waffle House…

Like flipping a switch, Ally carefully slipped the map into her coat pocket and beamed at them. “Now, let’s go catch a bus,” she urged, leading the group out of the white marble pavilion and to the closest exit of the park.

Normani and Dinah followed right behind the daughter of Apollo with Camila and Lauren straggling in the back.

Moving closer to the fiery brunette, Lauren ran a hand through her tousled hair. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? We’re traveling across the country to save the god of the sun. Risking our lives, of course.”

The pyrokinetic’s first thought was, We’re demigods, risking our lives is an occupational hazard.

Camila’s lips twitched into a half-smile. “Not exactly how I wanted to explore the world but I’ll take it.”

Lauren’s green eyes brightened with interest. “Where would you want to go?”

“I’m not sure exactly,” Camila admitted. “I’ve always wanted to revisit Mexico, because of my Mexican stepfather and all. I went when I was ten and I love their culture so much, even though it technically isn’t my own.” Camila cracked a small grin. “I’m only half Cuban, half god.”

A low chuckle escaped Lauren. “Being half Cuban has its perks.”

Their eyes met and they exchanged lopsided smiles as if they were the only people present in the park. Heat crawled underneath Camila’s tan skin at their closing distance and at the strength of Lauren’s gaze.

She instinctively reached out and weaved their fingers together, pulling the slightly taller Cuban closer. Lauren ducked her head, hiding the tiny yet proud smile that formed on her face at her accomplishment. Camila hoped that her tinted cheeks would be mistaken for staying out too long in the cold.

Lauren was captivated by Camila’s warmth, squeezing her hand. The daughter of Poseidon briefly closed her eyes and imagined being curled up next to the pyrokinetic demigod on a cold, snowy day, having the brunette’s strong arms wrapped around her as she basked in the welcoming heat.

A subconscious smile curled Lauren’s soft lips at the thought of being lulled to sleep by Camila’s steady heartbeat and whispered corny jokes. She turned her bowed head toward the fire-wielder and silently counted their footsteps.

Camila kept her eyes forward but she couldn’t help the quick glances at the raven-haired girl. With every glimpse, she found something new to appreciate about the sea spawn. Her gut clenched at the thrill of observing the demigod at this proximity.

The winter setting complimented Lauren’s appearance, magnifying her ethereal beauty. Her pale skin appeared as flawless as the untouched fields of snow present in the park. Her rosy cheeks matched her full pink lips, adding color to the light tone of her face.

Her most striking feature, her emerald green eyes, would practically glow in their white surroundings, framed by long lashes. Soft waves of raven black hair cascaded down her back and the sides of her face, marking the distinction between her fair skin and the gentle snowfall around her.

In Camila’s eyes, Lauren was as stunning as a goddess and twice as captivating. And she was adorable in her oversized hoodie.

My gods, you look good today.

Russet eyes raked down the slope of Lauren’s nose to her tempting lips, halting at the sight. Camila felt her pulse quicken and she swallowed hard, shifting closer.

Look away, Mila. Look aw—

Piercing green orbs clashed against hers, making her breath catch in her throat. Lauren’s expression was undecipherable as she steadily regarded their situation, causing Camila’s body temperature to spike. Her grip on Lauren’s hand tightened unintentionally. She tried reading Lauren’s eyes but to no avail.

Their faces were so close that Camila could feel Lauren’s hot breath fanning on her face, on her eager lips. She’d never felt such a blistering heat on her body like Lauren’s soft exhales on her skin. It was like the heat of a thousand fires.

Camila swore that her mind was playing tricks on her as Lauren leaned toward her, her sea green eyes hidden by fluttering eyelids. Camila’s heart pounded in her chest, enabling her to hear her own racing pulse.

Closing her own eyes, Camila awaited to feel the older girl’s lips on her own but it never came.

“Guys, come on!”

The pyrokinetic’s eyes flashed open and she whipped her head forward, sensing Lauren’s full lips grazing the flushed skin of her cheek before she tore away from Camila as if she burned herself.

The thought made Camila’s stomach churn.

Their feet halted from walking as they reached the congested bus stop. The two girls quickly recomposed themselves, relieved that their friends were too occupied with trying to push their way through the crowd than catching them about to kiss.

Lauren didn’t meet Camila’s concerned gaze but her grip on Camila’s hand became firmer, assuring Camila that the failed kiss was not a figment of her imagination.

Camila sighed heavily, knowing that the discussion of their budding relationship would be put on a standstill until they managed to save the Sun Chariot. They couldn’t let their developing feelings jeopardize the fate of the world.

With much hassle and some curse words muttered at them, the five demigods made it to the front of the large pack of both locals and tourists, almost tumbling off the edge of the sidewalk. It reminded Camila of the bustling streets of New York, similar to rush hour. She supposed that everyone simultaneously wanted to rush home to a warm dinner.

Camila held Lauren close, unwilling to lose her in the sea of people. Dinah mirrored the action with Normani, repeatedly checking that Ally was directly in front of her. The short daughter of Apollo would either get lost or trampled in the crowd if left alone.

“The bus should be here soon,” Ally informed, shifting on either foot. She was prepared to fling herself through the bus doors if necessary.

The only thing standing between her and a delicious Waffle House meal were the mortals ready to board the bus, and she was not having it.

Dinah gripped Normani’s hand. “Well, we better bust ass and get on before we get run over then.”

“You’re a real poet, you know that, Xena.”

“Oh, I’m aware,” Dinah replied with a cheeky grin.

Normani stifled a snort and shook her head, leaning her head onto Dinah’s shoulder.

Ally was about to comment when a public bus came into view in the near distance and slowed to a stop next to the small crowd. The people went silent as they waited for the moment that the doors would slide open. The demigods itched with anticipation to board the bus.

Worriedly, Camila noted that the vehicle was quite small compared to most buses she’s ridden and wondered if it could fit all of the passengers.

Gradually, the bus driver opened the doors, letting a few riders off before the crowd of people leaped to action, immediately swarming the single available entrance. The five demigods were nearly trampled as the mortals forcefully pushed past them in an attempt to reach the front of the clustered line.

When push comes to shove.

The daughter of Apollo charged forward as if she was on the battlefield, using her small height to her advantage as she easily snaked around people without them noticing. Ally was quick to burst through the open doors and pay her fare, leaving the rest of the half-bloods to work their way to the front.

Camila guided Lauren to the front of the subsiding crowd, following Dinah and Normani. Her hand tightened around Lauren’s. “C’mon, Lo. I got you.”

Lauren squeezed her hand in gratitude, remaining close to the fiery brunette, letting the “light” guide her.

Climbing up the low bus steps, Camila paid for their fees and continued behind their two friends, who were joining Ally in the back of the bus.

The oldest demigod wore a proud smile, her eyes shining in accomplishment. There was no stopping that woman in getting what she wanted.

While reaching the rear end of the bus, Camila looked around and realized that many of the seats were occupied, becoming scarcer the farther back you went, resulting with some of the mortals standing and holding onto the available metal railings.

She glanced at the amount of seats in the back of the bus and realized that Ally could only save the three remaining seats and there was four of them. Either her or Lauren wouldn’t have a seat as they the last ones of the group to climb onto the bus.

Camila swallowed hard at the two possible solutions she came up with and went with the solution that was beneficial to both of them.

Normani paired with Dinah on the opposing side of the bus while Ally held onto the last chair on the driver’s side. The group would be separated by the small aisle in between as it was a smaller public bus.

Lauren tugged on Camila’s arm once she noticed the seating problem. “Uh, Camz, how are we going to sit? I can stand if you want—”

Camila’s brows furrowed together. “In what universe would I ever let you stand, princess?”

The raven-haired girl bit her lip. “But I don’t want you to stand.”

“Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

Camila plopped down on the seat next to Ally, who was intently studying the map. Camila slid off her backpack and placed it on the ground, motioning Lauren to do the same with her bag, both items now resting on the floor.

Looking up at Lauren, Camila offered her an assuring smile and patted her thigh. “Just sit in my lap.”

Lauren’s eyes widened in blatant surprise, a light blush blooming on her pale complexion. She thought about denying the request when she lost herself in Camila’s soft, pleading eyes.

With her lower lip between her teeth, Lauren managed a quiet “Okay,” and slowly lowered herself onto Camila’s lap.

She was immediately enveloped with a familiar warmth as Camila’s strong arms circled around her waist. Lauren’s heart leaped up her throat when Camila leaned forward, pressing the side of her face against Lauren’s covered shoulder blade, nuzzling her nose into the soft fabric of her hoodie.

“See? Not so bad, huh,” the brunette mumbled, inhaling deeply. A slow smile pulled at her lips at Lauren’s faint scent. “We can both sit now.”

Lauren nodded curtly, her pulse racing in her neck. Camila was taking over the beat of her body.

The bus driver closed the doors and the loaded bus started forward with a slight jolt, merging into the moving traffic lane. The girls were on their way to Waffle House.

Camila’s hands slithered into the front pocket of Lauren’s hoodie, content with the seating arrangement as long as she was holding her down. Camila closed her eyes, concentrating on Lauren’s breathing, ignoring the active world around her.

All she could focus on was completing the quest and saving the older girl sitting in her lap.

It suddenly dawned upon Camila how close the daughter of Poseidon actually was to her and her pulse spiked. They had never been in such close proximity.

Swallowing thickly, the brunette gradually registered how soft and full Lauren’s body felt pressed against her. Her palms grew warmer when Lauren momentarily shifted in her lap, feeling her very ample bottom drag along her thighs.

Her heated hands curled into loose fists, shoving any thoughts of Lauren’s curves into the back of her mind. Camila leaned her forehead against Lauren’s back, staring intently at the dark fabric of the girl’s hoodie, attempting to clear her mind from any suggestive ideas. Her arms only seemed to tighten around Lauren’s waist.

Lauren bit her lip at the increased pressure around her midsection, leaning into Camila’s warm embrace. She pictured herself as a tree and Camila was a human-sized koala, possessively clinging onto her.

Tentatively, the daughter of Poseidon eased her hands into the pocket of her hoodie, settling her cooler palms on Camila’s warmer fists. She felt the girl sigh heavily against her.

“Hey,” Lauren whispered, turning her head to the aisle on her right, “are you okay?”

Camila moved her head toward Lauren’s right shoulder blade, eased by the gentle hands on her hot skin.

“I’m a little tired,” she confessed, though her physical body was thrumming with energy. It was her mind that was having difficulty catching up with reality.

“Yeah, that comes with your first quest. It’s a lot to take in.”

Camila’s brows scrunched together, remembering that Lauren’s first quest occurred last year and involved the god of thieves and messengers. “Your first quest was with Normani. Who was the third demigod?”

Lauren tilted her head to the side, her fingers tracing Camila’s knuckles. Her mid-length hair almost tickled Camila’s nose.

“The third person was Zendaya Coleman, a daughter of Athena. She had been at camp for half a year before we arrived. She’s a close friend.”

With gritty memory, Camila recalled the tall daughter of Athena who was quick and witty, both with her words and her sword. Anyone would rethink challenging her to a fight once she donned her infamous smirk and calculating eyes, as if she already knew how to take you down the second you stepped up to her.

Zendaya was unlike most of her blonde-haired, gray-eyed siblings due to her dark, curly hair and brown eyes but that was where the differences ended. She was just as intelligent and sophisticated as the rest of her cabin, and an excellent battle strategist, and she was just seventeen.

Camila thought that Zendaya would make an excellent head counselor of the Athena cabin once Annabeth Chase stepped down since she and second-in-command Malcolm Pace were always running between college and camp during given breaks.

“And the three of you retrieved Hermes’s caduceus,” the fire wielder finished with a proud smile. “Was it difficult?”

Lauren shrugged. “It’s not as complicated as this one, that’s for sure. It only took us a few days and a trip to West Virginia. Zendaya almost got into a fight with some locals for their blatant close-mindedness, and Mani barely fixed it with her Charmspeak.”

Chuckling, Camila unraveled her fists, allowing Lauren’s fingers to stroke her palm inattentively. She smiled against Lauren’s shoulder. “Well, at least you got out of it alive. Did you meet Hermes?”

The cool fingertips on Camila’s warm palm paused before resuming to outline the creases of Camila’s hand.

“Yeah, we did,” Lauren answered in a lower tone. “At first, I thought he would be intimidating but he’s a rather collected and reasonable god. He appeared to be an ordinary middle-aged man, with salt-and-pepper hair and everything.”

Camila blinked, taken aback by the god’s average sounding description. “How did he react to you guys returning his caduceus?”

Lauren’s eyes were downcast on their hands. She wondered how such warm, gentle hands could produce a wild inferno. “He thanked us and even offered us free shipping for the Hermes Express for a month, which we of course agreed to.”

She paused, gnawing on her bottom lip. “He did give Mani and I a weird look though, as if he knew we would embark on another quest. There was a hint of sympathy in his smile, as if he was actually worried for our safety.”

Weaving their fingers together, Camila squeezed her hand reassuringly as their linked hands rested on Lauren’s thighs. “Even gods aren’t completely certain of the future, Lo. We’ll just have to survive to prove them wrong.”

The older girl sighed. “We’ll be fine,” she affirmed softly. “Dinah is a great sparring partner so fighting Eris won’t be as challenging. I know she’ll have my back.”

At the thought of the future confrontation, Camila went silent, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Lauren noticed the unusual reaction and squeezed Camila’s hands, quietly coaxing her to speak.

“I just - I don’t want to stand on the sidelines while you take on a vengeful war goddess,” the pyrokinetic confessed, a lump forming in her throat. “I know you’re capable of taking her down on your own, but I just feel like I’m abandoning you if I let you two go on alone when there’s five of us.”

Lauren shifted in Camila’s lap so her back was to the window, her front facing the narrow bus aisle. Her right arm hooked around Camila’s shoulders, clutching the furthest one away from her. Leaning into Camila’s side, Lauren was perpendicular to Camila, her legs dangling over the walkway.

The raven-haired girl looked down at the younger girl, her green eyes immediately catching Camila’s dark ones. Her stare lingered on the opposing cheek that she knew donned three thin vertical scratches, cutting off at Camila’s prominent jawline. Her fingers itched to caress the marks.

“You can’t always put yourself in harm’s way,” Lauren murmured, her free hand dropping to Camila’s toned abdomen, carefully applying pressure to the wrapped injury. She could feel the girl slightly recoil at the touch, as if reliving the incident.

Lauren’s chest tightened at a vivid flashback of Camila bleeding out in her arms.

“Dinah and I can handle this,” Lauren reiterated, urging Camila to meet her gaze.

Conflicted pools of brown reluctantly met spirited green and Camila gave in with a curt nod, tightening her hold around Lauren’s waist. She should have faith that the girls could succeed.

Lauren’s eyes flitted to Camila’s midsection. “Does it bother you?” she questioned, referring to her bandaged wound.

She kindly rubbed over the area where the Manticore’s tail had pierced Camila’s back. Even with her black sweater and dark gray long-sleeved shirt on, Lauren could still feel how toned Camila’s abdominal muscles were. She nearly bit her lip at how the muscles jumped at her touch, tensing beneath her fingertips.

“Not really. With all of the Hunters’ medical help, I feel a lot better.”

The ends of Camila’s mouth twisted into a smirk as her dark eyes fell to Lauren’s hand on her stomach. “Uh, princess, you know that I only injured my back. The pincer didn’t go all the way through.”

Her gut tightened at the lulling pattern of Lauren’s curious digits on her clothed abdomen. A blazing fire flickered to life within Camila, its heat spreading throughout her body.

Lauren’s bright green eyes widened at the realization, her cheeks adopting a subtle rosy hue. Her gaze snapped over to Camila’s and lost herself in the amused brown orbs.

Before the older girl could even speak, Ally abruptly shot up from her seat, her hand straying near the already pulled stop request cord.

The bus slowed to a stop near a familiar black-and-yellow food establishment and opened its doors.

The shortest half-blood gave Camila and Lauren an incredulous look as they were a pesky obstacle between her and her waffles. “Girls, come on! This is our stop.”

Normani and Dinah were already halfway out the door, along with a few other passengers.

Lauren hopped off Camila’s lap and collected their bags from the floor, offering Camila hers with a shy smile. The fire-wielder slowly rose to her feet and accepted her backpack. She grinned at Lauren before nudging her forward, keeping her within arm’s reach.

Ally exhaled, “Thank the gods,” and joined them off the bus.

Stepping out into the outside world caused a shiver to run down Camila’s spine. For one, it exposed them to the colder weather, and two, being stuck in the bus gave the demigods a short opportunity to escape the responsibility of completing a dire quest.

Camila missed the slow pace.

“Alright ya’ll,” Ally started, her expression laced with excitement, “let’s go to Waffle House!”

The oldest half-blood led the group to the small twenty-four hour restaurant with a slight skip to her step. She was practically vibrating with glee.

Dinah and Normani were discussing possible orders while Camila and Lauren walked in silence, their fingers threaded together.

White, frosty air escaped Camila mouth, her eyes crinkling with delight. She adjusted the backwards snapback on her head, running her thumb over the back of Lauren’s hand.

The two girls exchanged smiles, their eyes never straying off each other’s. Camila felt her heart drumming loudly in her chest.

Nearing the establishment, Camila rushed to maintain the door open. “After you, princess.”

“Thanks, Camz.” Lauren offered her a warm smile before entering, Camila following in suit.

The smell of sizzling bacon and maple syrup clouded the friendly atmosphere. Camila’s stomach growled and she smiled sheepishly at those who heard it. Lauren squeezed her hand with a grin.

Ally dramatically held her chest, a grateful smile planted on her face. Her wide brown eyes shone with wonder, easily recognizing the signature design of Waffle House; the main countertop and the lone chairs accompanying the bustling kitchen, and the red booths placed within the perimeter of the small restaurant.

It all screamed “home” to the daughter of Apollo, filling her with nostalgia. It reminded her of a life where she wasn’t a demigod, where she didn’t lose her parents.

Swallowing hard at the sudden influx of memories, Ally led the four other girls to a larger booth near the counter and frowned at the inadequate space. It wouldn’t be able to hold five people comfortably.

With a twinkle in her eye, Ally snatched a nearby lone chair and placed it at the head of their table, allowing Camila and Lauren to take one side of the booth while Dinah and Normani occupied the other side. Ally slung her bag over her chair and sat down, smiling at her friends.

Camila and Dinah shot each other lazy grins from the inner seats of the booth while Lauren and Normani exchanged knowing looks from the outer seats, warning each other to keep an eye on the mischievous best friends. Ally occupied the remaining side of the table to keep them all in line.

After the other four girls situated themselves, a short, blonde-haired waitress strolled over and handed them the basic lunch-and-dinner menus. She looked to be in her mid to late thirties.

Camila glanced down and nearly drooled at the images of Waffle House delicacies, her stomach overcoming her mind. Her eyes roamed over the pictures on the menu, hoping that she would be able to narrow down her options.

With her notepad out, the waitress eyed the unusual seating arrangement but offered a courteous smile nonetheless. “Can I start ya’ll off with some drinks?”

Ally bobbed her head eagerly and read the simple messages displayed through the other girls’ eyes. “We’ll take five Cokes, please.”

The blonde employee hummed in reply, jotting that down. “I’ll be back with your drinks.” She headed to the kitchen.

Dinah scooted forward in her seat, looking at the menu as if she was interpreting an old fashioned route map. Her brows furrowed together. “Um, I can’t read this.”

It suddenly dawned upon all of the half-bloods that they were all dyslexic to some degree. The table broke out into laughter, earning a few pointed looks from other customers.

“I mean,” Lauren squinted at the bolded words, “some of it is manageable, even though it hurts my head.”

Camila lifted her menu to the light for a better inspection. “Does that say ‘anus burger’? Or is it ‘booger’?”

Dinah cackled loudly. “Why would it be ‘anus booger’?” She pointed at what appeared to be the Kids’ Menu section due the cartoonish smiley-face with two thumb-up. “Walz, you should get something from there.”

“Haha, real funny.” Camila stuck her tongue out at the Polynesian.

“Mila,” Normani scolded, her eyes flitting from the Cuban to the list of possible options. “Put your menu down. People are watching.”

Camila frowned but obliged, glaring at the small font of the meals and their descriptions.

Ally giggled at the interactions. “Don’t worry, ya’ll. I have the menu memorized.”

Four sets of eyes landed on her in surprise.

The oldest demigod shrugged. “I used to go here a lot,” was her simple explanation.

After Ally leaned forward and described the restaurant’s most popular dishes, most of the girls had an idea on what they were going to eat. Camila still stared at her menu in confusion.

The blonde waitress returned with their cold drinks and prepared to record their order. “So, what will you all be having?”

“Can I get the bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwich on Texas toast with a side of hashbrowns?” Ally asked with a dazzling smile, eager to dig into her food. “Thanks so much.”

Their waitress nodded her head and waited for the rest of the girls to order. Normani requested a grilled chicken sandwich while both Lauren and Dinah ordered a variation of a cheeseburger, bacon and double angus, respectively. For each given order, a side of regular hashbrowns was added.

Once the Waffle House employee jotted the four orders down, her dark blue eyes fell upon Camila expectantly. “And what about you? What would you like?”

Dark russet orbs snapped up to the questioning waitress and smiled sheepishly once she felt the pointed stares of her friends. “I, uh, I’m not sure what to get,” she replied, looking back down at the provided menu, her eyes darting from image to image.

After several seconds of no response, Ally cleared her throat. “Mila, what do you refuse to eat?”

Camila unconsciously shot a quick downwards glance toward the daughter of Poseidon sitting beside her.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” she answered absentmindedly, her mind preoccupied with her food choices.

A sudden silence fell over the table. Dinah, who caught the brief interaction, cackled at the unexpected crude comment. Lauren’s eyes gleamed strangely, deep in thought as she drew in her bottom lip between her teeth. Normani rolled her eyes at Dinah’s loud reaction, a small smile inching onto her face.

Ally forced her lips into an apologetic smile, directing it at the waitress who had an eyebrow raised in mild amusement.

Camila’s eyes lit up, oblivious to what had just occurred at the table. She was too focused on selecting the best meal for herself. “I’ll take the bacon angus cheeseburger with jalapeño peppers and a side of peppered hashbrowns. Sorry it took so long.”

“It’s no problem,” their waitress reassured politely, collecting their menus. “I’ll be back soon with your orders.” The blonde woman left for the kitchen once again.

Dinah scooted up in her seat, her signature grin plastered over her face. “I see you still like spicy food.”

“Correction, I love spicy food. You should know that by now.”

“Oh, I know.” The Polynesian’s grin broadened. “It’s just kinda ironic, with your powers and all. You’re literally a spicy firecracker.”

The pyrokinetic snorted. “You bet I am.”

Dinah’s brow quirked. “Or do you prefer Fireball?”

Camila’s nose wrinkled distastefully at the old nickname. “Okay, no. Only your half-sister can call me that.”

“And why’s that?”

A smirk loomed over Camila’s face. “Because unlike you, Clarisse can actually kick my ass if I protested.”

Dinah’s jaw dropped in shock, her nostrils flaring. “You little piece of—”

“Okay,” Ally interrupted with a forced smile. “That’s enough, you two. There are mortal children present. Behave.”

The two best friends frowned and slumped in their seats, afraid to intentionally anger the daughter of Apollo.

Dinah kept glancing at Ally, who sipped at her drink. “Hey, Smallz, do you, like, have anything against Clarisse?”

Ally froze so Dinah continued, “Because whenever she’s with you, you two always argue. I’m just curious.”

Four pairs of eyes landed on the oldest demigod. It was clear that Ally and Clarisse la Rue had some kind of bad blood but they wanted to hear about it from Ally herself.

A deep sigh escaped Ally and she slowly met their expectant faces. She fiddled with her thumbs over the smooth surface of the table.

“It’s nothing, really, but we never talked it out so things just seem tense. We shared a satyr, Coach Hedge, but he always preferred me because of my late parents and it took away from the attention Clarisse got and it upset her. I don’t blame her either. We both lacked love and attention from our parents so we both made up for it in Coach Hedge.

“When he started to spend more time with me, it made her feel like he was abandoning her. I tried to talk to her about it but Clarisse was too stubborn and prideful. We never really resolved anything, and with her constant jabs toward my height or fighting ability, I didn’t bother reaching out to her.”

Ally held her face in her hands. “Gods, that sounds really childish out loud.”

Normani shook her head and laid her hand atop of Ally’s. “It’s not dumb, Ally. It’s understandable that you would fight over the only parental figure you both had. Just try to talk to her after the quest, okay?”

Dinah hummed in agreement, wanting her older half-sister and close friend to reconcile. “I don’t blame her for the short jokes though.”

“Dinah!” Normani scolded, smacking her arm. “You’re not making this any better.”

“What? Clarisse isn’t wrong,” Dinah argued, extending her hand out toward an unimpressed Ally. “Any shorter and she’d probably fade out of existence!”

Camila bursted out laughing, nearly choking on her soda. Lauren joined her with her head thrown back in laughter. Normani couldn’t help but snort and glared lightly at the smug Polynesian.

Before Ally could fling her tiny body over the table to confront Dinah, the blonde waitress returned with their meals, silencing the hungry half-bloods. The five girls nearly salivated as the Waffle House employee set the respective plates in front of the person who ordered it.

“Enjoy your meal, girls. Holler if you need anything else,” the waitress announced, walking away.

As soon as the blonde employee was a good five feet away, the half-bloods dug into their food, filling their eager mouths.

Ally clasped her hands together at the sight of her meal, unable to keep the excited smile from spreading across her face. She murmured a quick prayer to the gods and bit into one of the halves of her favorite sandwich. Ally closed her eyes in bliss, reliving old, joyful memories.

Dinah arched a brow at her. To test her theory of whether or not the girl was momentarily incapacitated because of food, she randomly asked, “Hey Smallz, why do we say we’re head over heels when we’re happy or in love? Isn’t that the way we normally are?”

“Mhm, Waffle House,” Ally answered without hesitation, nodding her head at no one in particular.

Dinah snorted loudly. “And she’s gone,” she claimed, amazed that no one else noticed. She then returned her attention to her cheeseburger.

Camila hummed appreciatively at the dull twinge of the jalapeños, the heat collecting in her mouth. She reached into her toolbelt and pulled out a bottle of Tabasco hot sauce, allowing a few red droplets to fall onto her already peppered sandwich. Her mouth watered at the fiery display.

“You’re going to turn into an actual dragon with all that spice,” Lauren commented with a soft smile.

Grinning, Camila brought up the cheeseburger to her mouth, inhaling the dangerously sweet aroma of the peppers. “That’s the plan, princess.”

“Hey Mila,” Normani called out, swallowing a bite of her food. “Can I get some hot sauce?”

Nodding, Camila passed the small bottle and Normani whispered her gratitude, adding more flavor to her grilled chicken sandwich and hashbrowns. Dinah used it next, returning the Tabasco bottle to Camila directly after. She returned it to her toolbelt, biting into her spicy burger.

“Ally,” Lauren started, taking a bite of her hashbrowns. “Thank you so much for taking us out to eat. It was your idea and we really appreciate it.”

The other three half-bloods voiced their agreements, directing thankful smiles toward the beaming daughter of Apollo.

Ally waved them off, halfway done with her sandwich. “Girls, it’s no problem. As the designated ‘mother’ of the group, I couldn’t just let my children starve,” she teased.

Camila grinned warmly at the shorter blonde. “Well, it’s a good thing you have a lot of money because we have big appet—”

A shiver ran down her spine, the small hairs on the nape of neck her rising in alarm. Camila swallowed thickly, her hand immediately traveling to the toolbelt pocket where her sword hid. She kept her face calm as she looked around the small establishment, scouring for whatever set off her honed survival instincts.

Her friends noticed the abrupt shift in the atmosphere and visibly tensed.

Camila’s dark eyes surveyed each occupied table until stopping at three women wearing identical jackets in different shades of green. The trio sat a few tables away from their own table and Camila’s jaw clenched when she found one of their keen gazes intent on her.

Her chest tightened with fear once the pair of eyes burned a menacing yellow.

On the verge of warning her friends of the impending attack, a flaming javelin suddenly slammed through the middle of the table. The small flames instantly grew in height, illuminating the shocked faces of the five demigods.

The people around them began screaming in horror, rushing to the exits while the group remained seated, knowing that a fight was inevitable and that it had to be quick. The authorities would soon be on their way and they couldn’t risk any more media exposure.

I wonder what the mortals were seeing. Did they see a poorly made Molotov cocktail instead of a flaming wooden staff?

Camila sprung to her feet and easily diminished the growing fire with a curling fist before it could set off the fire alarm. The embedded spear was still as intimidating. “We have to leave. Now.”

“Oh, no, half-bloodsss,” a raspy voice hissed. “We’ve only jussst begun.”

Lauren, Dinah, and Normani joined Camila on their feet, slipping out of the booth and faced the direction in which the hoarse voice came from.

Ally’s small body went rigid as she glared at her ruined, unfinished plate. Her sharp gaze snapped over to the approaching monsters. “Ya’ll are gonna regret messing with my Waffle House dinner,” she threatened lowly, rising from her seat.

The three matching women stood before them in their undisguised forms. From the waist up, the women appeared normal, except for the scaly green skin, piercing yellow eyes, and forked tongues. Below their waists were twin serpent trunks instead of legs. Each snake woman carried a pointed spear, their intentions clear.

The one Scythian dracaena holding a shield smiled cruelly, most likely the leader of the trio. “Oh, don’t worry. We’ll make up your lossst mealsss with a quick death.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that Waffle House actually served waffles of doom,” Dinah quipped in an attempt to lighten the mood, only earning a stern look from Normani.

Camila gritted her teeth and brought out her magical torch lighter, activating it with the press of a button. The lighter elongated into a double-etched Celestial bronze sword that was perfectly weighted in her hand.

Her fingers tightened around the grip of her sword as she sized up her opponents, her eyes smoldering. A blazing heat coursed through her veins, her gut clenching with a familiar tug.

The lead dracaena grinned darkly at Camila. “Ah, your fire burnsss bright, young one. However, it will inevitably consssume you.”

Lauren glared at the snake woman, her sword raised toward the trio of monsters. She took a step closer to Camila. “Too bad you won’t live long enough to see anything happen,” she sneered, her jaw setting.

Dinah eased herself into a low stance, her magical spear in hand. Normani scowled at the monsters, holding her bronze dagger in front of herself. Ally stood tall with tightly wound fists, her face harboring a menacing expression.

Three sets of bright yellow eyes seared through the five half-bloods, making their breaths catch. That split second of hesitation was all the dracaenae needed to launch themselves toward the girls.

Before Camila could move a muscle, a sharp knife whizzed passed her ear, embedding itself into the chest of one of the dracaena. The snake woman screeched in pain, clawing at the prodding weapon until she disintegrated into a pile of yellow ash.

Camila craned her neck to gawk at a smug Ally, who was armed with another dagger.

It briefly reminded Camila of the time where Dinah doubted Ally’s fighting skills at camp and was nearly shot down with an arrow by an unimpressed Ally. Their ball of sunshine was not as innocent as she appeared to be.

“There’s more where that came from,” the daughter of Apollo taunted, stepping into the frontline.

“You will pay for that, half-blood,” the lead dracaena hissed.

Ally only chuckled and advanced toward the pair of monsters. “Never mess with a girl and her food,” she countered with a light glower.

The dracaenae snarled at her and the two remaining monsters surged forward for an offensive attack, their bodies slithering from side to side due to their legs being twin serpent tails.

Camila was about to step in to assist the older girl but halted when Ally met the snake women head on with a surprising speed, aiming for the weaker one. Her bronze dagger gleamed wickedly as Ally swung at the defenseless dracaena’s midsection, barely dodging the jabbing of the other one’s spearhead.

The monster let out a loud wail before vaporizing. Ally’s face shone with indifference as she turned her back to face the seething leader.

Two down, one more to go.

The rest of the demigods were rooted to the ground, astounded by Ally’s impressive fighting skills. Camila and Dinah’s mouths were agape as Ally casually wiped her knife on her jeans, barely glancing at the monster.

With a deep growl, the last dracaena thrusted the edge of her spear towards Ally’s shoulder but Ally quickly step-sided. Her eyes narrowed in an attempt to find a small juncture for her knife. It proved to be challenging as this dracaena held a shield, unlike the previous two.

Ally’s dark eyes flickered to the lone knife on the ground and hastily crouched to retrieve it, narrowly missing the wide arc of the monster’s spear. With two knives, Ally sprung to her feet, slashing at the dracaena’s exposed snake tails on her way up.

The monster cried out at the brief laceration, momentarily shifting her shield to the right, leaving more of her left side exposed. Ally instantly seized the opportunity and drove her dagger into the scaly flesh of the monster. Her nose was overwhelmed by scent of rotting carcasses and thick, iron-rich blood but she pressed forward, burying the blade deeper.

Furious yellow eyes pierced Ally’s dark brown as the dracaena dropped her shield. A wordless discussion passed through them before the monster disintegrated into nothing.

Ally wrinkled her nose at the lingering smell of sulfur. “Gods, I hate that.”

She shuffled back and her shoulders slumped, all of the tension draining from her body. “And that’s they get for messing with my Waffle House,” she exhaled quite loudly, eyeing the dust that littered the tile floor.

Camila’s eyes were wide, her jaw slack. She would definitely think twice about crossing Ally from now on.

“I didn’t know you could fight like that!” Dinah exclaimed, tearing through the silence.

Ally’s lips twitched into a small smirk as she turned to face the shocked Polynesian. “I may not have a bow but I still have the lethal precision of my arrows,” she stated simply, sheathing her daggers. “Now, get your things and let’s go.”

The other demigods snapped to life at her urgent tone and quickly gathered their belongings, concealing their bronze weapons. Ally, being generous as always, left a ten dollar tip on their table and led the girls out of the small Waffle House restaurant.

Camila slung the strap of her back over her shoulder and reached for Lauren’s hand, who immediately clinged onto it. Together, they exited the establishment and followed the rest of the group.

Suddenly, the distant cry of a familiar siren urged the girls quicken their stride to the point where they were currently running down the streets of Denver, Colorado. Camila made sure that Lauren was in front of her, refusing to leave her behind.

Ally pointed to a small complex with a large lot in the nearing distance. “Over there!” she called out, her short legs struggling to maintain the faster pace.

After several more agonizing seconds of running and Dinah barely avoiding a speeding taxi, the five girls navigated their way through the full parking lot and slowed to a stop, attempting to catch their breath. White puffs of frosty air escaped their mouths, fading into nothing.

Camila leaned her shoulders back, gathering Lauren’s hand in her own unconsciously. She peered up at the name of the low building and raised a brow. She could only make out the words “CAR” and “RENT” but it was enough to figure out their plan.

“Well, if we’re taking another car, I’ll let you and Mani do the honors.”

Ally shot her a small grin. “Of course. Come on, Manibear. We got some persuading to do.”

Normani squeezed Dinah’s hand and flashed her a reassuring smile. “Any preferences?” she asked Camila, knowing that she would be the main driver.

“Something like our old ride? Some legroom would be nice.”

“Got it.” Normani smiled at the rest of the girls. “One SUV coming right up.”

She followed Ally into the small car rental place while the other three demigods waited outside, attempting to appear inconspicuous.

Dinah released a long sigh and leaned against the wall of the rental building. She closed her eyes and curled her hands into fists. “I didn’t get to finish my hashbrowns…”

Camila chuckled at her dejected tone. “We can get some more food when we hit the road,” she promised. “I’ll even get you some Sour Patch and spicy Cheetos.”

A tiny smile spread across Dinah’s features and her eyes fluttered open, only to beam at the brunette. “That’d be great.” She then closed her eyes again and relaxed against the wall, humming a familiar tune.

Adjusting her snapback, Camila turned her head slightly to stare fondly at Lauren. She squeezed her hand. “And I’ll make sure to get you some donuts,” she murmured, her smile softening as Lauren’s face instantly lit up.

Their eyes met and they could only smile at each other, neither girl’s gaze faltering. Lauren leaned into the younger girl, her green eyes shining. “I look forward to it.”

Camila rubbed the back of Lauren’s hand with her thumb, lazily tracing patterns into the soft skin. Her mind wandered briefly and she found herself outlining the shape of the sun and its extended rays. One end of her mouth twitched into a knowing smile.

Suddenly, Normani and Ally slipped out of the building with laid-back grins. The taller girl dangled a pair of keys between her fingertips.

“Piece of cake,” Normani commented, tossing them to Camila. She was quick to rejoin Dinah’s side, a small smile curling the blonde’s lips as a result.

The Latina inspected the keys and nodded, tightening her hold on Lauren’s hand. “Great, let’s go.”

Ally led the group to the farthest end of the parking lot full of rental cars. She stopped at a ruby red Ford Expedition, its large size and vibrant color attracting Camila.

“Ta-da! Lots of legroom,” Ally stated, donning a pleased smile. “It has eight seats and a trunk.”

She sounds like an eager car salesman.

Camila arched a brow and unlocked the SUV with the key remote, receiving two beeps in response. Her body suddenly buzzed with excitement to be around more mechanical vehicles.

The quintet stepped closer, heading toward the back of the car.

The pyrokinetic eyed the bold color of the car and shrugged. “It’s not my favorite color but it’ll do,” she admitted out loud, opening the trunk of the SUV to pack their belongings.

“What’s your favorite color then?” Ally questioned, shrugging off her bag to set it down in the compartment space.

Camila paused, her eyes flitting over to Lauren, who made her way to the front passenger seat. “Green.”

She closed the trunk and offered Ally a half-smile. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

The daughter of Apollo nodded and joined Dinah and Normani in the back of the SUV.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Camila rolled her shoulders back in preparation for the long drive and entered the large vehicle. She closed the door and inserted the keys into the ignition, the engine rumbling to life.

A small smile formed on her face at the machine humming under her command. Her mind cleared, her senses sharpening. At that moment, she had everything under her control.

Camila glanced at the three girls in the back and then at Lauren, who provided a supportive smile. She couldn’t help but mirror it, taking off her black snapback and setting it on the medium between the two front seats. She ran a hand through her hair, untangling it with her fingers.

“Seat belts on?” she asked in confirmation, clicking on her own. It would be a shame for a demigod to die because of a simple car accident and not at a monster’s hand.

The girls voiced their okays and Camila eased her foot off the brake, the SUV beginning to move forward. With her foot on the gas, Camila began to drive away from the lot, her hands tight around the steering wheel.

The vehicle’s wheels glided easily over the smooth concrete of the road, reducing Camila’s anxiety of a sudden monster attack. The ambush at Waffle House left her a bit paranoid as it was out in the open, obviously increasing the danger to the bystanding mortals.

It was hard enough to defend yourself and assist your friends when you could, but to worry over the safety of random mortals at the expense of your own life was a bit difficult.

Relief flowed into Camila’s veins as they drove farther away from the park and the restaurant. Her muscles relaxed and she leaned back into the seat, a single hand maneuvering the steering wheel.

“So, where to?” she inquired, glancing at the rearview mirror to find Ally examining her map.

“You’ll have to go on the highway to go west on Interstate 70 until the nearest major city of Richfield, Utah,” Ally informed her, squinting at the map. “Then we can switch and I can drive the rest of the way.”

Camila whistled. “You better get some sleep then, Ally. You’re not taking the next shift sleep deprived.”

The daughter of Apollo nodded in agreement and huddled back into her coat with the broad hood obscuring her head. She curled up against the locked door of the SUV in an attempt to get some rest.

“Walz, turn on the radio and crank up the heater,” Dinah instructed tiredly, scooting closer to Normani. “Not all of us are walking furnaces.”

With a snort, Camila reached over to turn up the radio and set the heater at an adequate setting. She checked the clock, taking note of the time. It was a little past five in the afternoon.

From the rearview mirror, Camila caught Dinah and Normani pressed together with Normani’s head leaning on Dinah’s shoulder. Their hands were joined together, lying between them. Both girls appeared to be sleeping, their faces devoid of any emotion.

The sight brought a smile to the Cuban’s face.

Camila looked over at Lauren, her expression softening. “You should get some sleep, Lo.”

The green-eyed girl frowned at the suggestion. “I feel like I’m either sleeping or fighting monsters on this quest.”

“Isn’t that what a quest is?” Camila questioned, donning a teasing smile.

Lauren shrugged. “I just want to keep you company,” she admitted, her eyes running over the brunette’s side profile.

Ignoring how her heart hammered faster in her chest, Camila shook her head. “I’ll be fine. The last thing I want is to keep you up and deprive you of your precious beauty sleep.”

Lauren still appeared skeptical. “Are you sure? You’ll practically be by yourself for the next few hours—”

“Princess,” Camila interjected, reaching over to clasp Lauren’s soft hand. “Get some rest. If I need anyone to talk to, you’ll be the first person I wake up.”

The daughter of Poseidon finally relented and nodded, shuffling in her seat to get more comfortable. “Alright, but if you feel tired, pull over and ask Ally to take your place. I’d rather not die while taking a nap on the way to Las Vegas. Not really the most heroic way to go.”

Camila feigned hurt, reeling her hand back. “You have such little faith in me, Lauren. You seem to forget that I’ve always gone the longest with less sleep and I’m totally fine.”

Just a little fucked up inside.

Pushing the seat belt to the side, Lauren scoffed. “You also seem to forget that you’ve gotten injured the most.”

“I see no correlation between those two facts.” Camila bit her lip worriedly. “Are you sure you’ve been getting enough sleep?”

Lauren rolled her eyes, a small smile threatening to spread across her face. “Okay, smartass, I’m going to sleep now.”

“Thank gods. It’s been my goal since the beginning of this conversation.”

The raven-haired girl narrowed her eyes at a smug Camila before she curled up in her seat. “I’m only doing this because I’m tired and not because you told me to,” she mumbled, burrowing into her oversized hoodie.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess.” Camila spared a quick glance toward the older girl, her chest tightening at the adorable sight. “Sweet dreams, Lo.”

“Safe driving, Camz.”

A hush went over the SUV after their short partings. Camila settled into the comfortable silence, lowering the volume of the radio to an acceptable level. Her body slumped into her seat, any previous anxiety dissipating.

Staring ahead, Camila blinked at the mostly vacant highway, save for a couple of cars. She assumed that the roads were clearer than usual due to the unpredictable weather as it would typically be congested due to rush hour.

She sighed and increased her acceleration, careful to stay within a reasonable amount above the actual speed limit. What Ally didn’t know, wouldn’t kill her, Camila guessed, raising a brow at the speedometer.

The brunette bobbed her head unconsciously to the random pop song playing on the radio, her free hand tapping lightly on left side of the steering wheel. All she had as company were her thoughts and the light, airy snores of her friends.

Camila leaned her head back into the headrest, hoping that the ride would be unproblematic and somewhat simple to accomplish.

Almost two hours into the drive, her ADHD suddenly acted up, making her left leg jittery with continuous bounces. Her mind was growing tired after staying in the same position for a long time without something to keep her entertained, such as food or a changing environment, like in her former long distance shift.

Maybe she didn’t think this through, not that she’d admit that out loud, especially in front of Lauren. Gods knows she wouldn’t hear the end of it.

Biting her lip, Camila dug into her toolbelt for a snack and her hand curled around something cylindrical and cool to the touch. Her eyes widened in surprise, yanking the item out of a pocket.

She gaped at the fresh can of Red Bull in her hand, weighing it in her palm.

What else is stored in this toolbelt? …Note to self, conduct further research.

Camila eyed it warily before cracking the can open and taking a cautious sip of the energy drink. The tart, amber liquid slid down her throat, the sharp taste awakening her slow brain. She immediately drank the entire can, her brows knitting together at the intense flavor.

She blinked, noting that her mind was more responsive due to the sugary beverage. Camila smiled at the improvement and reached for another can. As long as something was busying her hyperactive mind, she was down.

One more can turned into two, which then became four.

Her body buzzed with a newfound energy, her eyes wide on the lane in front of her. A lazy smile stretched her face as she took in her unaltered surroundings.

Finishing another can, Camila glanced at the time and nearly choked. It was past eleven o’clock. She had been driving for six hours straight and she hadn’t even noticed.

“Camila?” a groggy voice called out from the back of the SUV.

The Cuban stole a peek at the rearview mirror, catching Ally tiredly rubbing her eyes.

“What’s up, sunshine?” Camila scrunched up her face at how loud her voice sounded.

“Take the next exit. Didn’t you see the red gas gauge? We’re almost out of gas.”

Camila’s eyes snapped to the LOW FUEL symbol glowing yellow. With a sheepish smile, she obliged, slowly decelerating, and took the nearest exit that had a list of possible gas stations. “I, uh, didn’t notice.”

She was embarrassed to acknowledge the fact that she probably would have kept driving until the vehicle gave up on her. She glared at the empty Red Bull can in her grasp.

Ally paused, staring blankly at Camila until her gaze lowered to the pile of empty cans stacked on the front center console of the SUV. Her bleary eyes widened in shock.

“Mila, how many cans did you drink?” she exclaimed, the high pitch of her tone wakening the rest of the half-bloods.

Dinah and Normani bashed their heads together as they were so close in proximity. The girls slouched over, groaning in pain. Somehow, the pair managed to send drowsy glares at the oblivious daughter of Apollo.

Lauren jerked, shooting upright until she clutched her head. Her eyes were clenched in discomfort at the sudden movement. “Camz drank what?” she rasped, starting to peer at a bashful Camila.

“What the hell, Walz? You drank like half a dozen Red Bulls.”

“Yeah, how have you not spontaneously combusted yet?”

Camila’s face felt hot. “I didn’t mean to! It just…happened? And I’m totally fine, okay? It’s not like I downed them all in ten minutes. I’ve been driving for like six hours.”

She could feel Lauren’s curious gaze burning holes into the side of her face but she ignored her in hopes of reaching their destination safely.

The brunette squinted at the dimly lit road signs and navigated to the closest gas station using her thermal vision. The SUV rolled into a mostly vacant Exxon gas station and shop, only a single pickup truck present. She parked the large vehicle next to the farthest fuel dispenser, cutting off the engine as she pocketed the keys.

“Where are we?” Dinah asked, stretching out her limbs.

“Uh, somewhere near Richfield, Utah? We passed the state border two hours ago,” Camila informed, lightly scratching her scarred cheek.

Tugging at the sleeves of her black sweatshirt, Camila reached for the door handle. “Alright, we’re taking a short break while I get gas, so buy some food and use the bathroom. We’re not stopping until we reach Vegas.”

The other four chorused their agreements, physically preparing themselves to leave the warm confines of the car. It wasn’t as cold as the east coast but it wasn’t nearly as warm as the inside of the SUV.

Camila gathered the empty Red Bull cans in her arms and pushed passed the car door. She mentally took note of which fuel pump they were at so she could pay for the required gasoline.

“Need some help?”

Her gaze snapped over to Lauren, her green eyes bright with mirth. The beginnings of a smirk ghosted over her pink lips.

“Nah, I’m good.”

Camila hobbled over to the recycling bin near the entrance of the small convenience shop and dumped all of the aluminum cans into it. She dusted off her hands on her jeans, fixing her sweatshirt.

She opened the door for the rest of the group before walking in. Dinah and Normani were quick to launch themselves into the building, heading to bathroom.

The gas shop was a standard convenience store, full of snacks and other basic necessities. There were two employees currently manning the front. Camila noted that it was oddly similar to a 7-Eleven but thought nothing of it.

There were two middle-aged men grabbing drinks from one of the freezers. They wore thick cargo pants and dark coats, one of them donning a black trapper hat. The men appeared harmless, most likely stopping by for some drinks from a late shift at work.

Camila’s eyes wandered the shop, wetting her lips at the grand display of junk food. It was one of the perks of traveling long distances.

Lauren easily slipped her hand into hers and pulled her forward, leading Camila to the chips. The two girls picked out a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos and two bags of spicy Cheetos. At the last second, Camila snuck in a box of Skittles and a bag of Sour Patch, grinning widely at Lauren’s eyeroll.

On the way to the cash register, Camila stopped, suddenly remember something. She handed the items over to Lauren, flashing her a reassuring smile when she was met with a confused stare. “Get in line for me. I need to go get something.”

“Okay, but hurry back. There’s practically no line.”

Camila nodded and dashed off, subtly approaching the small aisle with pastries. There was a transparent case that contained a few baked goods and Camila hastily filled a small plastic bag with two glazed donuts, smiling proudly at herself.

She’s going to love this.

With the donuts in hand, Camila returned to the cash register, watching the cashier scan their items. She placed the bag on the counter and reached for Lauren’s hand, smiling when the older girl accepted it.

Lauren stilled, eyeing the bag of donuts. She whipped her head toward Camila, beaming at her. A shy smile formed on her face, her eyes shining brightly. “Thanks,” she murmured in a quiet, appreciate tone.

The softly spoken word caused Camila’s chest to constrict, butterflies erupting in her stomach. She willed herself to not bring the taller girl in for a crushing hug.

Instead, Camila waved her off, oblivious to the affectionate look. “It’s no problem, princess. Anything for you.”

She returned her attention to the abnormally tall employee, ordering a tank’s worth of gasoline. Her brows furrowed, realizing that the man’s image was shimmering.

The heavily built man grunted, punching buttons into the cash register to activate their fuel dispenser. He packed their items into two plastic bags, letting them rest on the counter as he calculated the total.

He glanced up the pair, his intense icy blue eyes startling Camila. “That’ll be—”

His nostrils instantly flared, his pupils dilating at the sight of the two girls, as if he was finally getting a good look at them.

The other three demigods were nearing the counter with their own snacks but faltered at the growing tension surrounding them.

Something tugged at Camila’s gut, her grip on Lauren’s hand tightening with a silent warning, who reciprocated the squeeze.

A wide grin washed over the man’s hard features, revealing yellow pointed teeth. “So it is true,” he marveled. “Half-bloods”—a violent shudder shot down Camila’s spine at the booming tone—“It’s been so long since half-bloods have stumbled into our store.”

Camila narrowed her eyes in concentration, finally seeing through the Mist.

She gaped at his incredible height. The monster was nearly three feet taller than her and had large muscles, bulging underneath his uniform shirt. Various tattoos curled around his toned, hairy arms. His blue eyes were wild and piercing, complimenting his shaggy black hair.

The other employee grinned wickedly at them, baring his yellow teeth. Unlike the other man, his hair was lighter, similar to a dirty blond, and his eyes were a dark brown. He began approaching his partner, pinning the demigods with their hungry gazes.

“Oh gods,” Ally muttered behind them. “Laistrygonian giants. I’ve never heard of any going this far south.”

The name of the monsters clicked in Camila’s head and she gulped hard when she remembered that the giants were cannibals who enjoyed feasting on demigods and humans alike.

“There was too much competition over the scarce number of mortals available in the north so we decided to head south. Our food supply doubled within a month,” the lead giant confessed with a dark smile. “Survival of the fittest, godling.”

Before Camila could react, Dinah shoved her junk food into Normani’s arms and unveiled her spear. “Unfortunately, we’re not on the menu,” she countered, inching closer to the monsters.

The blond giant sneered at the daughter of Ares. “We’ll see about that, half-blood.” He leaped over the wide counter and lunged at Dinah, the height difference boggling Camila as Dinah was the tallest out of the five.

The Polynesian grounded her jaw as she was thrown against a wall of chips, several bags falling to the tile floor. Luckily, the small bags cushioned her fall and she easily jumped to her feet, charging at the monster.

Due to the sudden commotion, the two mortal men dashed out of the convenience store, running for their lives with an armful of stolen drinks.

Smart move.

The remaining giant became fixated on Camila until Ally chucked a liter-sized water bottle at him, effectively snatching his undivided attention.

“Go,” Ally commanded the others, her dark eyes glued to the dark-haired monster.

Camila hurriedly collected their bags, dragging Lauren and Normani to the exit. Normani shoved their own junk food into the two bags, grabbing a hold of one with Lauren taking the other.

The fire-wielder pulled the car keys from her pocket and forced them into Lauren’s hand. “Go fill up the tank and start the car. I’ll take watch.”

The two older girls nodded, knowing that the other three could handle the two giants. The duo fled from the shop to complete their assigned objective.

Turning around, Camila spotted Dinah stabbing the blond giant with her spear, using its long range to her advantage. The monster disintegrated into a column of fire, the abrupt fire causing Camila’s gut to clench.

Dinah’s chest heaved as she staggered forward, adjusting her grip on the customized spear. “Gods, that bitch was strong,” she exhaled, cupping her side. She capped her weapon and shoved the lipstick tube into her pocket.

Her wild eyes flitted over to Ally, who was so tiny compared to the eight foot giant.

The daughter of Apollo was sprawled on the ground, her knife far from reach. The main counter and neighboring floor was a mess, with candy and magazines scattered everywhere.

The giant prowled closer to Ally, raising a heavy iron club above his head. “Here’s to a late night snack,” he grinned maliciously.

“This is the second time someone’s interrupted my meal today,” the oldest demigod growled, her dark eyes smoldering. “So there’s no way in Hades that I’m becoming one without having one.”

Ally scowled at the monster, swiftly avoiding the incoming club with a well-timed roll. She crawled on top of the counter to even out the height difference and grabbed the nearest heavy item, which somehow happened to be a bible.

Wait.

Gripping the holy book tightly, Ally impatiently waited for the giant to face her with his cold, frustrated eyes. He stalked closer, starting to lift his club once again.

“You need Jesus!” Ally exclaimed, bashing his face with the heavy book repeatedly.

Oh my gods.

Dinah and Camila gawked at the sight of the small demigod beating the cannibal with a bible, making him stumble backward in pain.

Unhooking her second knife from her hip, Ally pounced on the giant, sinking her bronze blade into his burly chest. The two collapsed on the cold tile floor.

The dark-haired monster roared in anguish, pushing the girl off as he gripped the handle of the dagger, yanking the blade out. Seconds later, he exploded into fire, smoke clouding the air. The bronze dagger clattered onto the ground.

Ally steadily rose to her feet and kicked at the pile of ash, sheathing both of her knives. Running a hand through her mussed hair, she turned to her shocked friends.

Dinah openly gaped at her, the term, “Allysin” slipping from her mouth.

Camila snorted at the new, fitting nickname.

A sly smirk twisted Ally’s lips, her dark eyes flashing. “Who said I was angel?”

Silence.

Simultaneously, the three demigods bursted out laughing before attempting to recompose themselves. The trio observed the mess around them due to the fight and shrugged helplessly. There were casualties to public monster fights and damaging their immediate setting would always be one.

Camila strolled over to the candy aisle and grabbed a Nutella & GO! snack from the shelf, acknowledging that Lauren only tolerated chocolate in a Nutella form. She also took a bar of Hershey’s special dark chocolate for herself.

“We should go before someone else comes,” Ally advised while snatching a packet of Oreos for herself.

Dinah nodded in agreement, now holding two cans of Arizona green tea. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Exchanging knowing looks, the three demigods exited the destroyed convenience store. They walked over to their now refueled SUV, both Lauren and Normani leaning patiently against it.

Lauren arched a brow at the stolen goods as the trio neared them. “I’m guessing that the giants are taken care of?”

Dinah grinned. “You bet, Lauser.” She handed one of the green tea cans to Normani, who smiled at the simple offering.

Normani circled her index finger over the top of the Arizona can, her brows furrowed in thought. “How did we not notice the monsters as soon as we stepped into the store?”

Ally sighed heavily. “As you travel farther west, the monster attacks become more frequent and the Mist grows denser. It’s all because of the lingering power of the Titan base. The west is dangerous for demigods.”

“Speaking of which,” Camila interrupted, glancing at her wristwatch. It was a little past midnight. “It’s time to go and it’s Ally’s turn to drive. I want to get some rest before we arrive in Las Vegas.”

The daughter of Apollo nodded and slipped into the driver’s seat, the keys already in the ignition. The front passenger’s seat held all the stolen snacks and two Red Bull cans, courtesy of Camila.

Dinah and Normani took up the second row of seats while Camila and Lauren occupied the very back of the SUV.

Ally adjusted the volume of the radio and the heater. She checked her map one final time before placing her hands on the steering wheel.

The vehicle rolled forward, departing from the abandoned gas station, on its way back to the interstate highway.

Camila passed the pack of Nutella sticks to Lauren, along with the two glazed donuts. “I believe these belong to you.”

Lauren smiled softly at her, her green eyes twinkling. “Thank you, Camz,” she murmured, kissing her cheek in appreciation, her lips lingering for a second too long.

Heat pooled in Camila’s face as she bashfully bowed her head, too exhausted to continue the light flirting. Lauren grinned at her reaction, happily biting into her donut.

Camila finished one medium-sized bag of spicy Cheetos and half the box of Skittles when her limbs became heavy. Her eyelids felt weighted with every tired blink.

She stifled a yawn, shifting in her seat to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Her brows scrunched together in frustration when she couldn’t relax, her neck aching in annoyance.

“Hey,” Lauren whispered, lightly tapping her arm. “Why don’t you lie down on my lap?”

Camila’s eyes flew open in surprise, her heart pounding faster in her chest. “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.”

The pyrokinetic contemplated the suggestion for a few moments until she lowered her head onto Lauren’s lap, curling up horizontally into the seats. She bit her lip at the soft cushioning of Lauren’s thighs, the pain in her neck no longer bothering her as much. Her eyelids drooped halfway at the achieved comfort.

Camila glanced up shyly at the daughter of Poseidon, only to receive a warm, grateful smile in return.

“Go to sleep, Camz. I’ll make sure nothing happens while you’re out. You can trust me.”

Camila exhaled and snaked her free arm around Lauren’s waist, holding her close. “I do trust you,” she admitted, her voice muffled by Lauren’s hoodie.

You always have my back.

Lauren’s face softened at the confession, beginning to gently weave her fingers through Camila’s hair. She tucked some strands back, her fingertips grazing the girl’s defined jawline. “I trust you too.”

And I’ll always have yours.

The younger girl released a content sigh, the stiff muscles in her body loosening. Her eyes fluttered shut at the soothing strokes of Lauren’s fingertips on her scalp. A pleased sound escaped her as she nuzzled her nose into the soft fabric of Lauren’s hoodie, taking in the girl’s calming scent. Her arm tightened around Lauren’s waist possessively, unwilling to let her go.

“Good night, Camz,” Lauren murmured with an affectionate expression.

Barely holding on to her consciousness, one corner of Camila’s mouth quirked up into a small smile. “Buenas noches, princesa.”

Camila then embraced the darkness of sleep, no longer fearing the uncertainty of the endless oblivion or the haunting demigod dreams as long as Lauren’s gentle hands delved into her long locks of hair.

Lauren was her light in the dark and she would fight like hell to keep that light burning.

–––

A/N: and that’s that, lmao. i hope ya’ll enjoyed those camren and ot5 moments. i think the chapter turned out pretty enough.

okay, so what do ya’ll think of fifth harmony’s new song and music video “angel”? your thoughts on camila’s songs “omg” and “havana”? personally, i liked and enjoyed all three, and felt attacked during the mv for “angel”.

don’t forget to buy 5h’s self-titled album and to support camila’s music! i’ll be doing both as soon as i get some money, lol. i love my five girls.

fun fact: this entire fic is now 146,868 words! it’s incredible that i’ve written so much for this pairing and girl group.

so, i don’t know when the next update will happen, seeing that it’s august and school’s about to start for me, meaning more work and college apps so i’ll try to update ASAP - hopefully twice before the year ends, since these chapters are really long and detailed. if anything else happens, i will alert you guys. hang in there. until then!

tumblr/wattpad: hellyeahfeels

#UPDATE #series #AU #slash #camren #action adventure #humour #scifi supernatural fantasy #submission #Through The Mist

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