Prologue

I stepped out of my warm cabin to greet the evening sky, the wind blew gently against my face. I shut my cabin door behind me, but there was no need to. No one could find it unless they knew about it. I live alone in these woods, with no friends to visit me except Thalia and the other hunters. My mother and father don’t live here either. My mother doesn't want anything to do with me and I’ve never met my father. My mother never told me why I was alone, forced to be raised by my own thoughts and imagination. So, out here I fend for myself. No one protects me, but me. I'm not complaining though, I love it out here, where I can do what I want, when I want. To feel the wind in my face; being free is the best feeling in the world. Sometimes, I even run as fast as I can with no destination, just to see where I'd end up. But, I always end up here, at my cabin, alone. I shoved the depressing thoughts from my mind and went on with my morning.

Usually, I go out every day just to enjoy the animals around me, but today seemed--- different. It felt like something was actively hunting me. I could sense something staring at me from a mile away, watching my every move, thinking it was paranoia I shrugged it off. After a few minutes, the followed feeling lingered in the air. A million eyes were now staring at me all at once. I slowly pulled a sleek silver arrow out of my quiver and brought it back in my metallic bow; drawing it back to my cheek. Slowly stepping around the oak trees, I saw a quick shadow; a faint flash that almost looked like a wolf. I have to very careful around them because you never know how lethal and dangerous they could be. I crept around the corner and there it sat, down on the ground hidden in the shadows of the trees. I almost let my arrow go when I noticed something peculiar. This wolf wasn't a wolf at all, but a boy with his back to me.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my woods?" I demanded. Once he started to turn around, he began to stare at me. Disregarding my question, he looked deep into my eyes, trying to figure out my whole life story. His ripped leather aviator jacket hung off his skeleton body as did his skull and crossbones t-shirt. His pale skin gave off a blue tint as he turned. But---his eyes, eyes are one thing I never forget. His were dark and swallowed me whole until I was lost in a deep, dark, cold abyss. The temperature dropped in a matter of minutes with just a single glance. They made me incapable of thinking straight. With all the concentration I could, I ordered "Are you lost?" On the verge of almost yelling, he started to slowly stand up, which got me even more infuriated. "Don't move! I'll shoot!" I shouted out to him. I made it very clear that if he took another step he would soon have an arrow going through his heart and out the other end. In my woods, everyone is treated as an equal---as long as they’re girls. Since all the hunters are maidens I’ve never met a guy before. But they’ve told me that boys are immature children that hide from a fight. Like the hunters, my mother didn’t enjoy the presence of boys either. She always made it very clear when she was around that her position with boys and men were negative, but she would never tell me why. He still stared at me with those dark eyes that lead me lost into oblivion. It began to be hard to focus, I said "What is your name?" "Nico, Nico Di Angelo." He replied calmly. That name hit me like a ton of bricks, Nico Di Angelo, I've heard that name before. Dumfounded I turned around and nearly escaped into the woods before I beckoned him to follow. Just as he caught up to me, I pulled a piece of cloth out of my pockets and barely tied it around his eyes before he asked in absolute confusion and shock "What are you doing? Are you trying to blindfold me?" "Hold still for crying out loud and be quiet your attracting the animals" I retorted back. As I finished tying his blindfold he began to grumble. Grabbing his arm, I had barely dragged his butt a mile before he said "Umm, where---". "Shhhhhh!" I quietly whispered to him. It was about midnight and many of the animals don't deal with wake up calls very well. My shushing only seemed to frustrate and anger him even more. "Listen, I don't know who you are or where you are taking me. But, I deserve an explanation." I rushed to cover his mouth, "Nico! You MUST be silent. I'll explain everything later." Obviously, he doesn't hear "No" a lot. So he slapped my hand off and snapped back with his voice lowered "No! You're going to tell me now. Where are you taking me?" "I have something that may be of interest to you." I said in hopes of shutting him up. For another 4 miles to my cabin, not a word was spoken.

Once we were both in my cabin, I took the blindfold off him. "Sit down you look exhausted." I offered gesturing to my brown wool bed on the left. "I am perfectly fine." Refusing my generous offer he stood against the wall close to the door. "You're not a good liar, Nico. You're in pain. Please sit down." As I started rummaging through my drawer next to my bed, he once again denied the offer saying, "If I am not here for a reason, then I'm going to leave." I caught him just as he walking through the door to leave, "Aren't you looking for Thalia Grace?" My question finally sparked his interest.

"How did you know that?" he said curiously turning around for evidence.

"Because she told me to give you this." I held out one of Thalia's studded rings in the palm of my hand. "She told me to give you this and tell you she's fine and to stop looking for her." He rushed over and picked up the ring gently in his hands. It seemed the only question on his mind after all this was,

"How do you know Thalia?"

"It doesn't matter how I know her, but know that she's okay and to stop looking for her. There is a reason she left alone. She doesn't want to be found. She'll come back." Turning around I realized that every word that came out of my mouth seemed to only befuddle and shock him even more. "Who are you anyways?" Turning around to face him I said proudly, "Skylar, daughter of Artemis."