AN: This chapter isn't that long. Or as action packed as the chapters before it. But I promise the epilogue will be awesome!
Bear with me….
Thanks once again to the reviewers of the last chapter:
2509su: I do agree- angry Nico is too awesome to read without a comfortable seat and some chocolate. The book will be out soon, but I hope that my story was a good imaginative piece with a fair bit in excitement! This chapter is for you, my friend! I am looking forwards to writing the epilogue- it will be action packed… I swear to you all!
Rainbowchameleon: Thanks! I do mean epilogue! (Good pick up)
Pastamarinara: Pasta! You're back! Thanks for the compliment- I hope you will enjoy this slightly flat chapter and then the super exciting epilogue!
Guest (Oct 1): Thanks very much! I'm glad you thought so! I will indeed keep writing! I feel that you are the same guest who commented last week, so thanks once again if you are!
Soladtino: Wow! Long review! Calais is an interesting character indeed! I'm sure Zetes is boiling in Tartarus now! I promise the prologue will be super exciting- and there will be no appearance of people's kids of something…
Now, ladies and gentlemen…. Chapter 20.
oOo
Reyna thanked Morpheus that the last dream she would have on this journey didn't involve torture or anyone dying.
Quite the opposite in fact, from the looks of things.
Her eyes adjusted gradually and she could make out the lush green trees surrounding her. Cheery sunlight filtered through tender green leaves and lit the foliage a warm yellow. A cool wind brushed her skin. A spring wind carried with it the scent of peaches and mangoes.
Reyna held her bare arms out and examined them. She looked down and was surprised to see herself in casual clothes. A short sword strapped on her belt felt incredibly correct.
What was she doing here? Waiting for someone?
The answer didn't take long in coming.
"Hello."
Nico stood behind her, a slight smile on his face, hands in his pockets. Reyna took in the sight of the son of Hades looking so normal. Without armour, and only a black T-shirt and jeans, he looked like any other teenager. Only he wasn't.
No. He was so much more. Her heart fluttered strangely, and the Praetor reassured herself that it was just a dream.
She moved to speak, but then found that she couldn't. Her throat refused to make any sound and her goggled at him for a moment, only stopping from the young man regarded her with a lifted eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" he asked, voice light and carefree, "Not happy to see me?"
Reyna offered Nico her hand. The gesture made her head spin with confusion- why would she do that? The dream Reyna stepped closer and she drank in the minty smell that was Nico.
Surprisingly, the son of Hades took her hand in his without any hesitation. His hand was warm and calloused from sword work. There was nothing strange about that. But, just as she thought the dream was going to be normal, her body moved forwards.
Stop. Her mind screamed. Stop. Please stop.
She pressed her lips against his.
Even though it wasn't real, it seemed like it. She could feel the rough material of his shirt as her fingers twisted in it. The tickle of a strand of hair on her forehead. His soft, tender lips.
Her spirits lifted more than she thought was possible as he responded. The kiss was long and lingering. It wasn't something gentle and romantic that made hormonal girls everywhere scream and gossip about, but not anything violent and crazed either.
Reyna thought of it as a calm and collected affair that had been long time coming. Both recipients were playing their parts well.
That it, until they went off script. Nico hooked his arms around her waist and pressed their bodies together. His movements became intensified and Reyna pressed back to gain some ground.
Her brain felt slow and sluggish. Sounds of the forest around them died away, no longer important. In the next few minutes, there was only Nico. Only him.
Eventually they pulled away, both panting for breath. Then the son of Hades leaned in again and she thought he was going to kiss her again. But he only brushed a strand of hair behind her ears.
"You're beautiful," he said, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "You truly are, Reyna."
You're beautiful. The words floated around in her mind for a long time before she could even comprehend what he had said. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she struggled to keep them in. Were they tears of joy or sadness? Reyna had no answer.
For a few minutes they stood there, in that warm spring forest, and savoured the simple joy of being alive.
Of being together.
oOo
The next morning she couldn't help but sneak a glance at Nico to see if similar dreams had visited him yesterday. It seemed not.
The son of Hades behaved normally with a tingle of excitement and happiness to him. It seemed that at least one person was happy to sleep in a nice soft bed again.
Strike that and make it two.
As she watched from the shade of the tent, Hedge passed by, whistling a bouncy tune. He gave a wave when he saw her and Reyna returned it, infected by the happiness of her companions.
The Praetor sighed- while she had enjoyed this mini quest delivering the Athena Parthenos and didn't want it to end, the main reason was that any sense of freedom would be lost the moment they arrived.
Out here, in the wild, she was just like any other demigod, albeit more skilled with a sword- but a normal person. She had even made what could be considered friends on this trip. There was no doubt that Hedge and Nico would leave the moment they got the camp.
She found that she couldn't pin blame on them. The camp was their family after all and it was ridiculous to think that spending ten days with someone would let one take the place of friends that they'd known for years.
There was also the problem of Octavian. She felt herself burn in anger at the thought of that coward wearing the royal purple and gold cape of a Praetor, and then leading the Legion to war. He had to be stopped, but the moment she stepped in, any trace of freedom and ease would be gone. She would once again be Reyna the Praetor- someone to be respected, but not loved.
After their escape from the temple of Hades, she had been made aware that Frank was now her co-praetor. She could deal with that. But it was going to be hard getting that pesky descendent of Apollo to back down.
She watched as Nico unbandage his arm, and then strolled over.
"Morning."
The son of Hades looked up, "Hey." He flexed his arm with a frown and then retracted it. "Guess what?"
"What?"
The young man ran a finger over the pale scar that was the only reminder of their quest, "I got another scar to add to my collection. Yay."
She slapped him upside the head playfully, ruining his moment of nostalgia. "Where's Hedge?"
"I'm here, cupcakes!"
A heavy hand smacked her on the back. Hedge still looked especially cheerful. He had a grin that was so wide Reyna wondered how it could fit on his face. "Do you two want breakfast?"
Nico and she shared a look of suspicion. "What's there to eat?"
"Fish!"
The son of Hades stood. "I'm good. The sooner we get to camp, the faster we can get real food."
Hedge looked furious, "What are ya trying to say?"
She rose too, "I second Nico. Let's go pack up. Be on your guard and we'll meet back here in 20 minutes."
oOo
At the planned time, they stood in a circle again and Reyna felt a sense of familiarity.
Nico lifted an eyebrow, "Everyone good?"
Hedge straightened his shirt again and ran a hand through his one patch of hair. He nodded and took the hand that Nico offered. Reyna did the same, wondering whether the demigod protector was trying to impress someone.
The son of Hades closed his eyes and murmured under his breath. The shadows swirled around them excitedly, whispering like a gaggle of children that had just met their favourite singer.
Reyna tightened her hold and in her mind's eye, she saw Nico's wince.
A wave of coldness washed over her as they descended into the shadow world.
oOo
Reyna had no idea where they were. The huge statue tipped over and crashed into the trunk of a tall tree. The poor vegetation almost bent under the weight of gold and ivory.
Nico had already gotten up and was trying to get his bearings. They were on the tip of a hill. Some distance below, she could see a valley. It looked deserted.
Hedge stood beside her and took a deep breath. "Can you see them, Reyna?"
She started. There was nothing to see, was there?
The Praetor squinted at the curve of the valley and a sudden glint of metal caught her eye. Could it be? The sounds of shouting and metal striking together carried on the wind.
The valley changed. With used to be boulders morphed into various houses and the bare dirt became green with fresh grass. With she had thought were twigs moved like people.
The Coach sighed in pleasure, "You see it. That's Camp-Half Blood."
Now that she'd been told, Reyna wondered how she could have not seen it. The valley was no longer a concave, but a flat piece of land, linked to the glistening expanse of sea. People bustled around, some wielding swords and bows.
It wasn't as she'd expected. The Greek camp lacked the order and grand form of Camp Jupiter, but there was a strong sense of wellbeing and togetherness that she could feel. There were no formal legion quarters from the looks of things.
A huge rectangular ring of cabins and a second wing behind them dominated the scene. Some taller buildings lay to the side.
Even from here, she could feel the air buzzing with power. A different kind, but strangely similar.
Just as she was being accustomed to the peaceful view, the trees above them rustled.
A group of silver clad girls dropped from out of nowhere. Their bows were pointed point blank at them. Reyna drew her sword. Hedge leapt in front of her.
"Just what do you think-"
A girl, who was probably the leader stepped forwards and drove her fist into the satyr's temple, effectively knocking him out.
It would be ironic to die right in front of the camp they had come so far to save.
The tough looking girl growled a threat at her, "Who-"
She stopped mid-sentence. Her mouth opened in in surprise and her gaze landed on something behind Reyna. Her bow dropped a fraction. "Nico?"
The son of Hades stepped forwards, mouth stretched into a wide smile. "Here to welcome me home?"
The girl signal for the others to lower their bows.
"We had no news from you, or Percy or anyone else for a long time. Now you come back with some random girl and a huge statue? What is the meaning of this?"
Nico waved a hand nonchalantly and turned side on, so that the two girls were on different sides of him. "Reyna, this is my cousin. Lieutenant of Artemis and the daughter of Zeus... Thalia Grace."
"Grace? Jason's sister?"
Thalia's eyes narrowed, "Who are you?"
Reyna rose to her full height. "I am the Praetor of New Rome, leader of Camp Jupiter."
The bows went up again, several pointed directly at her. Thalia looked savage, "The Roman army that's due to arrive in less than 2 days?"
Nico stepped between them. "Thalia." His voice was quiet, but there was a threatening quality to it. A warning.
"We've crossed the ocean from the Ancient lands to make peace. The statue behind us is the Athena Parthenos."
A few gasps were heard. Thalia looked uncertain, but a reassuring glance from Nico seemed to do the trick. She lowered her bow again and the other girls followed suit.
Thalia stepped up the son of Hades and they clasped their hands together. Thalia's face broke into a grateful smile and suddenly she looked like a normal girl. Her posture no longer spoke of danger, but of weariness. Reyna saw her fingers tighten their hold, as if savouring the solidness of her friend.
Her voice shook slightly with barely concealed emotion, "Welcome home, cousin."
oOo
Only an Epilogue to go!