Chapter 1: O'Leary's Tavern and Inn

Reyna

The Irish countryside was beautiful indeed, miles and miles of green grass stretched off in all directions and the setting of the radiant sun painted colors of purple, gold, and orange across the wide expanse of sky. While her surroundings were gorgeous, Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano didn't have the time or energy to notice anything around her. To put it simply, the daughter of Bellona was having an awful day. First, her favorite purple cloak was ripped by a rogue Drakon, then Nico had passed out from exhaustion due to Shadow Traveling, and to top it all off, she couldn't find a damn inn anywhere. She was on the brink of giving up and sending an Iris message to the Argo II for help, when Nico whimpered her name in his barely conscious state.

"Reyna"

Hearing her name on the Ghost King's lips gave her a resurgence of courage. She didn't want to admit it to anyone, God knows how much Percy and Leo would tease her if they found out, but Reyna found herself harboring a small crush on the son of Hades himself. She didn't know how it came on or why she had it, but one day it was just there. Seeing him enter a room with his dark hair messy from tossing and turning all night and his voice raspy from sleep made Reyna's insides turn to mush. Now, knowing that if she didn't find shelter soon, Nico would just become weaker and weaker, and Reyna couldn't handle seeing such a powerful demigod in such a helpless state. And so she trudged on, for him.

After what seemed like hours, Reyna spotted what looked to be a small brick building on the horizon. A smile worked its way onto her mouth as the potential promise of warm food and a comfortable bed lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. Finally, both she and Nico could have one night of safety. As she got closer to the building, she could see that it was indeed small, made of old red bricks that looked like they had been haphazardly arranged. Ivy made its way up the walls of the building, slithering around windows like exotic snakes. Some of the windows were broken and the door had the appearance of a piece of cheap plywood, but considering the circumstances, it looked like a palace to Reyna. A cobblestone path lined with daisies and other wildflowers wound its way up to the front of the inn, where a small sign proudly advertised the word "O'Leary's Tavern and Inn" in hand painted, green lettering. Reyna gripped Nico's arms more tightly around her shoulder, began to follow the path to the front door.

The door opened in front of the pair, and a woman in her 40's stepped out and scurried toward them. The woman had brown hair, flecked with streaks of grey, and warm green eyes that reminded Reyna of the summers she would spend with her father in the evergreen forests of Oregon. She wore a simple yellow t-shirt and a pair of old, faded jeans, and Reyna could see the faint glimpse of a tattoo peeking under the sleeve of her t-shirt.

"M'gods! What happened t'ya children?" The woman cried, finally reaching them and throwing her arm around Nico's other shoulder.

"It's a long story, I don't think it matters much anyways", Reyna said.

The woman dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "It's alright, sweetie, you don't hav'ta tell me anythin'. The important thing is gettin' this boy some medicine and a good night's rest. S'alright if ya keep to yourself.

The woman had a faint accent Reyna couldn't place. It sounded like a mixture of a Southern drawn and a faint, lilting, Northern English accent. A strange combination, but when had anything ever been normal in Reyna's life?

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the pair of demigods and the woman reached the front of the small inn. The woman reached out her hand and turned the faded, yellow doorknob and Reyna and Nico stumbled forward. The lobby of the inn was not very large, in fact, it was quite small, but it had a certain charm to it. Warmth radiated from the fire blazing in the old, brick fireplace, and the room was furnished with plush, purple armchairs. A Persian rug lay in the middle of the room, its design a labyrinth of curling flowers and vines. The faint smell of garlic wafted in from what Reyna presumed was the kitchen, and she breathed in, wanting to savor the warmth and comfort of the inn as long as possible.

A cough from behind her startled Reyna out of her thoughts, and she turned around to see the woman standing in the doorframe, a smile on her face. The strange woman closed the door behind her and stepped forward. "It's been so long since we've had a pair of demigods around these parts, but I just have to say that you two are the first I've seen that literally have no idea how perfectly you're matched. Ooooh, I am going to have so much fun."

Reyna's eyes narrowed. The woman's accent was completely gone, and how in the world did she know that she and Nico were demigods? Reyna gently set Nico down onto one of the comfortable looking armchairs and turned to stare at the woman, hands on her hips.

"One. How do you know Nico and I are demigods? Two. Your accent. It's gone. Explain, now."

The woman chuckled. "My, my, you're a feisty one, aren't you? I always love the feisty ones. Well, the accent is a front I use when I leave the inn. I like to use the accent so no one questions me for any reason. I'm not very good with accents anyway, I meant it to be Irish but it's not quite there yet. Ah, well, practice makes perfect, right?"

Reyna blinked up at the woman.

The woman winked at Reyna and said, "Oh! Right, I completely forgot to answer the other question. Silly me! My name is Philotes, goddess of affection, and I just can't wait to take care of you both!"