A/N: Yay! I finally got bored and decided to update! It's been almost a month... Sorry about that. Teachers are just now starting to look a me and say, "This girl is smart. Put her in the gifted class!" And suddenly I have all gifted classes and ten times more homework. And all this time I thought I was dumb. Anway, this probably won't make up for a whole month of waiting, if anybody is still reading... Review? Please?
Disclaimer, before I forget: I don't own Jason Grace or anything that Rick Riordan owns. Now read!
"Are you planning to stay long?" Irma asked sweetly, as she led the trio though a pair of large, warehouse-like swinging doors.
"Until we can find the problem and solve it," Gwen replied.
Irma smiled. "I think you'll find the accommodations quite pleasing then, boy."
"Jason," Jason said, his cheeks coloring. "My name is Jason, not "boy", or apparently in your language, "piece of crap." Reyna almost smiled. No wonder Hylla thought she would like it here; she never liked the idea of change, and the Amazons were like buffer, meatier versions of Circe.
"Queen Lydia will be with you in a moment." Irma flounced out of the room, leaving Reyna, Gwen, and Jason alone.
"Queen Lydia will be with you in a moment," Jason mimicked, imitating Irma's walk.
Gwen let out a laugh – which promptly morphed into a scream. Reyna whirled to look at her. Gwen's green eyes were wide and panicked-looking. Reyna followed her line of sight, and then shouted, "Jason! Look out!"
Coming straight toward the son of Jupiter was the weirdest animal Reyna had ever seen. It was goat with eagle wings, hurtling though the air, flailing it's wings, which were alive with orange flames. That would have been strange enough - but then it had a fishtail, and a unicorn-ish horn. And its point was aimed right a Jason's heart.
Reyna wasn't sure how she knew that exactly, but the rate at which the flying-goat thing was coming at Jason – terminal velocity – was deadly. She didn't know how she knew that either.
Jason seemed rooted to his spot. Stupid boy, Reyna thought. It was almost as if he wanted to die. Luckily, Reyna knew what to do.
Without meaning to, she dived in front of Jason. He hit the concrete floor hard. She rolled out of the way – but not in time.
"OOOWWWW!" Reyna screamed. Pain shot through her leg. Red clouded the edge of her vision. To make matters worse, a deluge of golden sand flew into her eyes, blinding her.
"Reyna!" Gwen shouted. Reyna felt a hand on her shoulder, but she was fading fast. The red turned to black, and suddenly, there was nothing.
"That was my best flaming-flying-goat-eagle-fish-unicorn," a gruff, familiar voice by Reyna's ear.
"Your assistant said we could kill whatever we liked," said Gwen. "Besides, we were just minding our own business when it came flying and flaming out of nowhere!"
Reyna opened her eyes. Gwen's feet were by her head, and the floor concrete floor was hard beneath her body. Gwen's hands were on her hips and she stared defiantly up at Queen Lydia, who was at least a foot taller. They both looked like giants from Reyna's vantage point.
The queen sniffed distastefully. "Eugene never attacked unless provoked."
"I don't think he was attacking us," Gwen said. "It looked like he'd been shot out of a cannon or something. His wings weren't flapping and he looked terrified."
"And I suppose next you're going to tell me that he wanted to die." Lydia stuck her nose up and turned her back on Gwen, crossing her arms.
Gwen stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry. Then she knelt next to Reyna. "Oh, you're awake. How's the leg?"
Reyna's leg throbbed. "It didn't hurt until you said something." Jason groaned next to her. She hadn't noticed him. His feet were still in the same spot as they had been before, Reyna noted with annoyance. She had only bowled him over, not moved him. "Is Jason okay?"
The son of Jupiter stirred. "Urrggg…" he said.
Gwen stroked his hair. "He'll live."
"Look at this!" Lydia stared coldly down on Reyna. "Blood, all over my warehouse floor! This place still has to pass health inspection, you know!"
"Maybe you should have kept your flaming goat under control!" Gwen remarked hostilely, pulling off her sweatshirt, revealing a black tank top, and wrapping it around Reyna's bleeding leg. "You could at least show us a little hospitality. We are your guests."
"You have just killed my flaming-flying-goat-eagle-fish-unicorn," Queen Lydia corrected, "which was in his cage last time I checked."
"Well, maybe you should have checked the lock!"
Lydia shook her head, and pressed her palms to her face. "You don't understand," she said. "It's Jupiter's wrath."
Gwen frowned. "So you're saying that Jupiter unlocked the cage?"
Lydia shrugged. "I don't know. It has been happening for weeks now, though. Ever since I made the decision to except Hylla."
Reyna sat up, slowly and painstakingly. "You think my sister has something to do with this?" Her hands made fists.
"Again, I cannot be sure."
Jason sat up. "I probably shouldn't pretend to be unconscious any longer," he said placidly. "I don't think my dad would do something like this. No offense, but he has bigger fish to fry."
"That would be Neptune," Gwen pointed out, "but I have to agree. What did you do to incur Jupiter's wrath, you Highness?"
"For the last time, I cannot even begin to fathom what has displeased the lord of the sky." Lydia looked tired.
"But the prophecy said, 'Jupiter's wrath is what you believe,'" Jason said. "Wouldn't that mean…"
"Reyna?" someone called. "Reyna!"
Hylla rushed up. Her dark brown eyes were wide, and her hair – Hylla's beautiful hair was gone, chopped off at the shoulders and not pulled back in its usual braid. She was wearing some kind of jousting armor.
"Are you okay?" Hylla glared at Lydia. "What are you all standing around for?" she demanded. "My sister is bleeding to death here!" Hylla gave Jason a cursory glance. "What is the boy doing here?"
"He's the son of Jupiter, deserter," Gwen snapped.
Hylla scowled deeply. "I am not a deserter."
"Gwen, she's right," Reyna said, her breath hitching when Hylla nudged her leg. "Hylla was given a choice, and she chose the Amazons. You can't blamer her for that."
"Sh, Rey," Hylla shushed. "You shouldn't be talking right now."
"I injured my leg, not my vocal chords."
Lydia uncrossed her arms. "Hylla, please take them to the infirmary."
"And the boy?" Hylla snarled at Jason.
"Hylla," Reyna whispered. "He's alright. Jason's our friend."
"He's the son of Jupiter!" Hylla snapped, helping her sister up roughly. "As if our luck could get any worse."
"I invited him," Queen Lydia said, looking at Jason, whose blue eyes searched their faces curiously while the rest of him was curled lazily up on the rock-hard cement floor like it was the worlds most comfortable featherbed. "Unless you are intentionally insulting my judgment, I suggest you take them all to infirmary and request medical attention for your sister and the boy."
Hylla bowed. "Yes, your Majesty."
The queen stalked off.
Jason jumped up. "That was exciting. I was expecting some body slamming, though."
Hylla glared at Gwen. Gwen glared right back. "Maybe you won't be disappointed," Hylla said.
"Girls." Jason smiled.
"Jason, you're okay, right?" Reyna asked, gritting her teeth as she tried to place weight on her leg. It didn't hurt that badly; if the need arose, she could walk, maybe even run. But Jason shouldn't be able to. The fall he took – dropping him on his head from five feet up would have produced the some results. He should be concussed at the least, but he looked totally fine.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he gazed at her coolly. "You kind of did save my life, and my leg isn't spurting blood."
Reyna looked down at her leg. It was covered in slick, scarlet blood that dripped past Gwen's sweatshirt.
"But you…" Reyna felt dizzy and her mouth was dry. "You fell and hit your head. I saw…"
"You did hit your head pretty hard, Jason," Gwen said, frowning. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"What can I say? I'm used to it." Jason tapped his skull and grinned. "Hard as a rock."
Hylla looked at Reyna. "How do you feel? Is that idiot bothering you?"
"No, Hylla." Reyna sighed. Tears stung her eyes, her leg hurt so much, but she held them back.
"I could –" Hylla began mutinously.
"Lay off," Gwen snapped. "Can't we all pretend to be friends for two seconds?"
"I don't think that's going to happen," Hylla snapped, "so why don't you just shut up and help my sister?"
"I am!"
"By covering her leg with that dirty sweater? By the way, you look like a hooker in that shirt!"
"That's more than you did! And you look like a MAN in that armor!"
"Body slam time?" Jason suggested, his eyes bright.
"Stop, both of you!" Reyna shouted.
Hylla stopped then, red-faced, in front of a set of large swinging doors. Jason pushed them open.
An Amazon warrior with glasses perched on her small nose looked up from a book in her lap. She set the book on a coffee table which was in between the chair she sat in and one of the only empty cots in the room, and studied them inquisitively. "Can I help you?" she asked, puzzled when she saw Jason.
"Why, yes," he said. "As you can see, Reyna here is bleeding up a storm."
Her eyes roved the group, landing behind them on the trail of Reyna-blood. "That is unfortunate," she said ruefully, rising. "This place has to pass health inspection, you know. Bring her in, please."
The room was bigger than Reyna had expected. It stretched as far as she could see, though that wasn't say much; her vision was clouding, and her head was pounding. There were at least fifty cots, but only about ten of them were unoccupied. Gwen and Hylla helped Reyna to the nearest vacancy.
The Amazon was buzzing around the room, gathering supplies from various cabinets. "My name is Cara," she said. "Welcome to my humble home."
"You live here?" Jason asked, flopping down in the chair beside Reyna's bed and placing his dirty sneakers right by her face. She tried to push them away, but her arm felt rubbery.
Hylla did the honors for her. "Out of the chair, boy."
Jason looked at her. "Are you going to make me stand in the corner, too?"
"No arguing around that patient," Cara insisted. "And to answer your question, yes, I do live here."
"Don't you ever get sick?" Jason questioned, ignoring Hylla glaring daggers at him.
"No." Cara beamed. "Daughter of Apollo, god of medicine, just like my sister here." She pointed at Gwen.
Gwen looked confused. "I don't think…"
"I can see that family resemblance," Cara persisted. "Your eyes are just like Dad's."
"You haven't been claimed yet, Gwen," Jason pointed out.
"Don't remind me."
It seemed strange to Reyna that Gwen wasn't claimed. She hadn't mentioned it before. She wondered why – it wasn't anything to be ashamed of; there were plenty of kids who weren't claimed, though they were all younger than Gwen.
"Can we just skip to the part where you bandage my sister's leg?" Hylla asked, tapping her foot.
"I think Gwen can do that," Cara said.
Gwen looked confused. "No way am I letting her get near Reyna again!" Hylla said.
Reyna heard Jason snap his fingers from the chair. "Gwen," he said, jumping up. Reyna saw him run over to a cabinet and pull out a pair of scissors.
Jason's back was turned, but she heard a snip and wince. Blood was oozing from Jason's finger when he turned around.
"Here," he said, holding the digit out to Gwen. "Touch it!"
"I am not touching your blood!"
Cara, looking serene, handed Jason a tissue, which he cleaned the blood with. Closing her eyes and turning her face, Gwen prodded the cut.
Everyone gasped. Cara looked triumphant. "Do you believe me now?"
Reyna pulled herself up to see what was going on, but Cara pushed her back down and continued working on her leg. Jason was staring at his finger in amazement. As he turned it, Reyna could see no trace of the incision but a pink mark.
"I – I had no idea," Gwen whispered.
"How could you not?" Hylla demanded.
"I don't make a habit of touching other people's wounds," Gwen said, rolling her eyes. "Cara, do you think I could… try it on Reyna's leg?"
"Be my guest!" Cara said.
Gwen stepped hesitantly over to Reyna's cot. Her fingers were cold on Reyna's flesh, so cold that she shivered.
Reyna scanned everyone's faces, to avoid looking at her wound. Everyone, even Cara was transfixed.
"Oh, my gods," Hylla breathed.
"I think it's finished," Gwen said. She lifted her blood-covered hand. "Can you stand, Reyna?"
Reyna looked at her leg and was astonished. It looked as though the flesh had somehow knitted itself together with invisible thread. What Gwen had done wasn't at all like the normal healing process.
She rolled off the bed and tested her balance. The skin felt tight, like it might split at any given moment. She sat down on the edge of the bed, dizzy.
"It feels weird," she admitted. "And my head still hurts."
Gwen laid a hand on one of Reyna's eyebrows. The pain in her head dissipated.
"That's what I did to Jason," she remembered. "I was touching his hair. That must have healed his concussion!"
"Your power is very rare," Cara said, her eyes alight. "It only occurs in powerful children of Apollo."
"That doesn't explain why her powers waited until just now to kick in," Jason said.
"Powers like these tend to reveal themselves in situations of peril," replied Cara.
"I've been in perilous situations before –"
"I can vouch for that," Jason agreed.
"– So why couldn't I heal anyone then?"
"One of life's many mysteries." Cara shrugged. "Now, Queen Lydia would kill to have someone like you, sweetheart; these men could be up and at it again in seconds! So what do you say? Join up?"
A cliffie. Sorry :) I'll try to update soon! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters. I encourage you to continue doing so. If you're waiting impatiently, you can browse my other stories, Flattery (which I really need to update), and The Other Side. Review them, too:)
Love you guise!
-seastar