A/N: I'm going to start this out with the biggest apology this fandom has seen since Riordan threw our babies down into Tartarus. I've been busy up the wazoo for months now – first school and finals, and then, in summer, work, which was 3 jobs and a volunteer teaching position at my library – so writing this has been pretty much impossible for a while. Luckily, I forced myself to take a chunk of time and make this chapter happen. My goal is to be extremely focused on this piece until it's finished, so we'll see if I meet it.

Also, disclaimer: I haven't taken French for 3 years now, so I apologize if it's a little rusty!

I apologize again for the long wait, and thus, chapter 10. I hope you enjoy!

Reyna froze in her spot and tried not to turn to look at Piper.

"Me?" asked Piper. "Why would she threaten me? The memories were fake."

"Piper, stop," mumbled Reyna. "She's goading us."
Piper turned to Reyna. "She's goading us with memories that don't exist." She began to stumble over her words. "I mean, I don't really matter that much to you, do I? I mean not enough to be a threat against."

Reyna didn't respond.

"Um…"

Khione grinned, an icy cold glare beneath the smile that froze Reyna on the spot. "Stay out of trouble," she said, quietly enough that Reyna was not comforted, "and I won't be forced to turn that pretty face into a pretty corpse."

Reyna cleared her throat and nodded. "No trouble," she said. "We just want to talk to King Boreas."

Khione grinned again, looking more and more like a loose icicle hanging from the gutter threatening to impale you. "Oh, but this alarming tension is just too wonderful to let go."

Leo stepped forward with a little bit of swagger in his step. "Well then," he said, shrugging his shoulders, "want to make it a different kind of tension?"

Khione gave him a disgusted look and backed away. "If this fire demon stays, the beautiful one and the leader will come with me."
For a few moments, Reyna debated the sense in leaving Leo alone with Cal and Zethes, and with a look from Piper ultimately decided that it made more sense to risk it. If it came to it, Leo had his dragon, and that would help him. She hoped.

Piper grabbed Reyna's hand again and pulled her along after Khione, who had apparently started walking without giving any sign of her doing so to the two girls.

Khione turned around and shot her a glare. "Warmth is not accepted here," she said coldly, and Reyna's hand felt as if it was being burned apart from Piper's.

They walked along with Khione until they made it to a massive set of oak doors, beautifully carved with every continent and present. A map of the world, with a bearded face at each corner.

Good luck meeting my father, little princess, said Khione in Reyna's mind. I hope he unleashed upon you anger that was meant for another.

"Stop talking to me!" said Reyna out loud. Piper looked at her, bewildered.

"I didn't say anything!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry, did I –"

"Not you," said Reyna, "her."

"She didn't say anything either." Piper looked between the two of them. "Oh, my god, she's in your head?!"
Reyna simply glared at Khione's white hair, and she swore she could hear light laughter coming from the woman in front of her.

"Okay who are you?!" asked Piper, pushing Reyna behind her. "We ought to know that before we meet your daddy, right?"

"Well, I'm going to be there too," said Khione. "I must translate."

Reyna tensed. There was no way she could trust this ice queen. "Khione," she said firmly. "If you tell any lies –"

"You know my name," said Khione, surprised. "And I assume you know I am the daughter of Boreas and the goddess of Snow? Well then. Perhaps your memory is returning quicker than intended, young hero."

Piper's jaw dropped as she turned to Reyna. "You know her name?" she asked, sounding betrayed.

"I didn't know I knew her name," said Reyna, feeling horribly confused. "I didn't – that wasn't." She had no idea where her mind was going, what her next thought would be. Her memory deceived her and gave her floating gems of knowledge, and she never knew which she should expect at any given time. "It's this memory thing."

Piper smiled at her, a comforting, understanding smile, just enough so Reyna knew she didn't have to apologize.

Khione, on the other hand, rolled her eyes emphatically. "Ugh, mortals," she grumbled, pushing open the doors. "Enjoy your visit, demigods," Khione said, tone cold as ice.

They walked through the doors and immediately were doused with a wet kind of cold all over. Shivers like spiders ran up and down Reyna's spine and she wished she had a heavier coat on her. The room was covered in snow, causing Piper to slip once. Reyna caught her by the elbow before she hit the ground, but Khione snapped at them to move faster. Reyna took this as a sign to push past Khione and make her own way toward the front of the room, but she was blocked by two sudden javelins crossing inches from her nose.

"I thought those were statues," she mumbled, looking to the beings as she took a step back

"Oh, don't whine," snapped Khione. "My father hasn't commanded them to kill you yet."

"Yet," said Reyna. "Great. That encourages me."

With an eyeroll toward Reyna and a wave of her hand toward the crossed javelins, Khione mad the ice men part to allow the three of them to pass by. A man sat on an ice throne. Reyna thought he looked regal and intimidating, though not as frightening as his daughter, who seemed to have it out for her. Grey eyebrows and a grey beard, coated with icicles, made the man on the throne look angry and bad tempered.

"Bonjour," said the man on the throne, "Je m'appelle Boreas. Je suis le Roi. Vous vous appelez…?"

Khione went to translate, but Piper, to everyone's surprise, began to speak.

"Je m'appelle Piper McLean, Votre Majesté," Piper said with a curtsey, "Elle s'appelle Reyna, la fille de…Bellona."

Reyna's jaw dropped.

The king, however, grinned and clapped his hands. "La belle mademoiselle peut parler Français! C'est magnifique!"

"You speak French?" asked Reyna, once she recovered from the surprise.

Piper shook her head. "Not a bit. Why?"

"You just held a conversation in French."

Piper blinked. "I did?"

Reyna nodded, and the king, with a laugh said something to Piper.

"Oui, Votre Majesté," she replied with a smile.

The king clapped his hands with a hearty laugh, and shooed his daughter off with a sweep of his hand. This, clearly, did not please Khione, who tried to fight back for her control over the situation. "The king says –"

"He said that, since I'm a daughter of Aphrodite," interrupted Piper, "I can naturally speak French."

"Why French?" Reyna asked.

"That whole language-of-love thing is apparently true. I had no clue. His Majesty says that Khione isn't needed to translate anymore"

Khione folded her arms across her chest and glared so hard at a statue on the other side of the room that it shattered, but a split second later she was bowing to her father and taking a step out of the situation, as if nothing had happened.

As the king looked at Reyna as if she were a potentially harmful or valuable asset, she bowed to him. "Out of curiosity, Your Majesty, I was wondering why you spoke French if you are a Greek god."

Piper and Khione shot her a look that Reyna interpreted to mean is that really what is important right now, you idiot?! "Oh, and I'm Reyna. Reyna – I haven't figured out my last name yet, actually. But thank you for speaking with us before you decide whether or not to kill us."

The you're an idiot looks only got more intense after Reyna's ramble.

Piper, however, turned to the king, who seemed merely amused by Reyna and was already speaking. "He says that he speaks the language of his host country, thus, French in Quebec. Apparently all gods do this, like how the gods down in the U.S. all speak English." She paused and allowed the king to speak. "And it seems that his domain was always to the north, because he was never welcomed by the other gods. These days he's a fan of Quebec, so here he is."

The king began again, and Piper went pale. "H-he also s-says," she stumbled over her words, so unlike her that Reyna began to worry immediately. "The king –"

"Allow me," said Khione, stepping so closely to Reyna that she could feel Khione's chill wrap around her like an icy claw. "My father seems to have orders to kill all of you. Did I forget to mention that to you?"

Reyna's eyes widened as she stared up at the king, who was looking as if he had just told them he would be offering them a job at his snow cone business. "Why do you have to kill us?" Reyna asked.

"Because," said the king, startling Reyna with his ability to speak English, "my lord Aeolus has commanded me to."

Boreas stood and began walking down from the throne, allowing wide wings to tighten against his back. Khione bowed, and Piper and Reyna followed immediately.

"I shall speak in your language," Boreas announced, his voice in English more thundering than in the softness of the French, "because Piper McLean has honored me by speaking mine. I have always had an, as you say, soft spot, for the children of Aphrodite. Reyna, however, I have no such love for. Though Aeolus might think twice before asking me to –" He paused briefly. "Ah," he said quietly. "I think I have begun to understand something."

"Understand what?" asked Reyna. Piper elbowed her in the ribs. "Sir."

"Aeolus wants those demigods who destroyed Typhon and set loose the many winds he contained to pay for this offense. They have asked him for countless favors, and then this insult? He does not want to respond to any demigod kindly."

Piper and Reyna exchanged a look. "Your Majesty," said Piper, "I have only discovered my heritage this year, and Reyna has no memory of what she did before a few days ago."

"That matters not to Aeolus," said Boreas simply. "I will show you what I mean." With a wave of his hand, a sheet of ice brushed across the air as a television screen, and on it began to play a scene of fierce battle between a giant wrapped in storm clouds and tiny figures being buffeted around. Eventually, the tiny figures – Reyna assumed they were the gods – were victorious, and drowned the giant in the water.

"Ages ago," said Boreas, returning to the spoken tale, "during Typhon's first defeat, Aeolus was responsible for tracking down all of the wild winds released by Typhon's death. It was not an easy job, and the other gods did not even apologize for the inconvenience, did not even help. When Typhon was defeated again –"

"Another horde of venti were unleashed," offered Reyna, "which angered Aeolus again."

Boreas simply nodded.

"But the gods had no choice but to defeat Typhon, Your Majesty," said Piper. "He would have destroyed Olympus, destroyed the world – why punish demigods for what the gods had to do?"

"You cannot take out your anger on your superiors," said Boreas, "and the next best thing is their children. Aeolus knows that to hurt the demigods is to hurt the gods, if it may not seem that way to you children. I am to crush your mortal faces."

There was a painful silence.

"That sounds a bit excessive," said Reyna, treading carefully. "But there's no reason to crush our faces, am I right? You should listen to us first, because we have an extremely important quest –"

"Right, of course. See, there is something brewing in this world, something involving the daughter of Bellona walking with the children of the Greeks. I have been instructed to listen to your stories. After that I will make my decision on whether or not you will make it out of here."

Reyna exhaled, letting go of a breath she hadn't even known she was holding. "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said.

"No need to thank me," said Boreas, "there are many ways you could change my mind about allowing you to survive, though your deaths might have nothing to do with me, if things go as they seem. Even so, sometimes our little demigod friends become valuable décor for our home." He gestured around, and suddenly Reyna had a less than pleasant feeling that she understood who the statues were.

"Demigods," she said, "you have frozen living demigods!"

"Living, ah, that is the question," said Boreas, his smile kind but sick if the reason for the smile was known. Reyna flashed back to Khione shattering that statue, which she now knew to be a person. She shuddered. "They move on my orders, and my orders only. They are frozen, and that is all we will know. Well," he chuckled. "Unless they melt. But then we have a larger problem if that occurs."

"And," added Khione from beside Reyna, "perhaps I will be allowed to do what I wish with the left behind demigods, right, my king?"

"Now, slow down, daughter," said Boreas. "We have not yet heard their story! Perhaps they will impress me." He looked down at Reyna, ice-grey eyes boring into her. "What do you say, Reyna? Impress me."
"I –" And her voice faltered. She knew in the back of her mind that, somewhere, she could find memories of powerful, impressing things she had done, reasons why she should continue the quest, but those memories were stolen from her. "I was sent here by Hera," said Reyna firmly, or as firmly as she could. "Th-that's why I'm here."

"A child of Bellona sent by Hera?" scoffed Boreas. "Do tell, Reyna. I believe there is some funny business going on."
Reyna shot a look toward Piper. Without her memories, the words she would say would only set them farther back in their goals.

"Your Majesty," said Piper, her voice thick and sweet as honey, "my friend is without memories, and therefore cannot give you an accurate account of our quest." And then she was off, liquid smooth words gliding off of her tongue as if she were made to speak, born to form words into melody. Reyna stared at her in awe. Though she had lived the experiences, felt the horror and the cold and the heat of fear of falling and of running, it sounded like a heroic tales of wonder and adventure as Piper told it. Leo was painted as the clever and witty mechanic, Piper the reluctant speaker of love, and Reyna as the fearless leader taking the group from worry to rally in moments. Reyna wanted to be this leader Piper made her sound like, and then suddenly realized she had been staring at Piper for much longer than strictly necessary.

"And, that, Your Majesty," concluded Piper, "is why we ask for your guidance and assistance. These storm spirits attacked us and they were working for someone, a mistress we assume is the same behind some of the attacks we have seen. If we find those wind spirits, we believe we might be able to find Hera."

The king, who had been looking at Piper with the same kind of enraptured gaze as Reyna had expected was on her face, began to stroke his icy beard. "I know the spirits of which you speak," said the king. "I know the place they are kept and of their prisoner."

Reyna's spirits lifted. "You know where Coach Hedge is?" she asked.

Boreas waved his hand again. "For now yes, but the person who controls these winds…Well, this is not an opponent you should want to face. You would be better off here, as a statue."

"We have no choice," said Reyna. "Hera is in trouble, and she is depending on us to save her before the three days are up, which is when she'll be – well, we aren't sure what will happen yet, but we know it will be horrible." She paused, and forced herself to look up into those bitterly cold eyes. "A giant will rise."

"Yes," said Boreas sharply. He stole a quick glance to Khione, and then immediately his gaze was back on Reyna. "Horrible things are waking – many of them. My children keep secrets from me. The great god Zeus believed the end of Kronos and the Titans was the last of the Great Stirring, but he was wrong. The final chapter has yet to begin. The storm spirits are the least of it – when monsters no longer stay in Tartarus, and souls are no longer forced to stay in their holes with Hades, well then," he shifted so his arms were folded across his chest," Olympus has great reason to fear."

"Does that mean you'll help us?" Reyna asked.

"I said nothing like that."

Piper took over again, her voice sweet honey again. "Please, your majesty," she began. "If you're the one who tells us how to find the wind spirits, you will look good in front of Aeolus when we return them. We could rescue Gleeson Hedge. Everyone will win."

The only one in the room not affected by Piper's voice was Khione, who seemed to be physically forcing herself to hate the words coming from Piper's mouth. "She has the charmspeak of Aphrodite, father!" exclaimed Khione. "She dares to use it on a god?!"

Reyna held tightly to the clip that was still in her hand, prepared to use it if Piper's words did not work.

"I know what you have in your hand, young Reyna," he said. "Your mother's blood runs through your veins, and she is far different from your companion here. I was wondering if you would be triggered by my Greek name first. But…" He stared at Reyna for a few moments. "It seems, instead that you require a push to remember."

That was when he changed instantly – purple lined robes, taller, thinner, a different man. The swords he held were all far different from those at Camp Half Blood, but one looked familiar: like Reyna's sword.

"Aquilon," said Reyna, though the name seemed to have come from nowhere she knew.

"Hera plays a dangerous game with you, Reyna, daughter of Bellona," laughed Aquilon. "And I would love to be a part of it, only to allow myself a seat in the final parade where we learn the outcome."

"Excuse me," said Piper, her normal voice back, "what exactly is going on?"

"He's in his Roman form," said Reyna, feeling bewildered. "But I don't understand how I know that."

Aquilon chuckled again. "Oh, young demigod," he said, "there is so much you don't understand, so much I don't think you'll ever know. I will let you go, but that does not mean you will survive. Hera's plan will likely fail, and you will end yourselves soon enough. Aeolus will have nothing to worry about then, and all you demigods will be dead."

"That doesn't sound particularly good for us," said Piper.

"Of course not," said Boreas, "but this gives me a chance to prove my loyalty, to be in the spotlight. All those other gods, going off and blowing around in tropical paradise, while I sit here in this frozen city constantly."

"I've heard it's not always cold," offered Piper. Her reward was an incredulous stare from Boreas.

"I will let the three of you children go. Take yourselves to Chicago –"

"You're helping them?!" exclaimed Khione. "How can you –"

"Quiet, Khione," thundered Boreas. He turned back to Piper and Reyna. "If you are able to capture the winds from their captor, you may be able to safely go to Aeolus' court. If you do succeed, you must inform him that I was the one who sent you."

Reyna nodded. "Of course. And Chicago – that's where we will find the lady holding the winds? She's the one who has trapped Hera?"

Boreas chuckled. "Two different questions you have there, daughter of Zeus. The woman with the winds is simply a servant likely to destroy you."

"And then we will find who has trapped Hera?" asked Piper.

"You will find the thing trapping Hera," he said darkly, "but you will wish you had stayed here."

Reyna turned to Khione, who was now virtually invisible in an angry, clouded blizzard. "You cannot be letting them go!"

"Quiet, Khione!" Boreas exclaimed again. Khione's eyes sparked and glared, but she stepped back from her father.

"Off you go, demigods," said Boreas. "And try your best not to die."