Reyna took deep breaths and looked down at the barbarian. With a quick motion, she slit the barbarian's throat. She looked around and smiled slightly as she saw more barbarians surrounding her. They all looked terrified. Good.
Reyna stood and wiped the blood from her sword, but it didn't do much. She motioned for the nearest barbarian to come towards her. He charged.
Time slowed for Reyna. She ducked under his sword and fell to her knees. Reyna stabbed behind her, let go of her sword, and rolled away from the barbarian. She stood and blocked another sword.
Her javelin appeared in her hands, and she threw it at a barbarian. It hit his throat, and he fell to his knees. Reyna tore the javelin out of his throat and slammed her shield into the face of another.
Reyna threw her javelin at a barbarian that had turned to run away. She slammed her shield into the throat of another and grabbed her sword. Reyna tore it out of the barbarian's back and looked around at those who remained.
"Where. Is. Sula?" Reyna growled. When she didn't receive an answer, she threw her shield into the throat of another barbarian and stabbed one of the fallen ones in the chest. Reyna grabbed an axe from the ground and threw it.
She stepped aside a blow and disarmed the man stupid enough to attack her. Reyna stabbed him in the back, slit the throat of a fallen barbarian, and turned towards the last man. Atticus stared at her.
"Where?" Reyna repeated. She took the time to examine the barbarian camp. There was too many bodies to count, and the grass was soaked from blood.
"You're insane," Atticus said. He tried to scoot away. His left leg had an arrow in it. The right had been skewered by her javelin. Reyna walked towards him and pinned him with her foot.
"Where is Sula? If you don't tell me, I will make you wish that you never lived," Reyna hissed. She started to speak in the language of the Titans. To her surprise, Atticus didn't look like he was in pain.
"I have no soul," Atticus sneered. Reyna punched him in the face. She remembered the image of Hylla laying on the ground and dying. Reyna punched Atticus again.
"Where!" Reyna yelled. When Atticus didn't answer, Reyna snapped. She didn't know how many times she punched Atticus in his face. All she knew was that someone grabbed her after a minute and threw her off.
Reyna tried to stand. Enyo grabbed her and shoved her back. Reyna spoke, "Don't ever touch me again!"
"Calm down," Enyo ordered.
"C...c...calm down? I'm calm enough," Reyna hissed. She stood and punched Enyo in the face. Reyna pinned the goddess and placed her sword to her neck.
"I'm calm," Reyna repeated. She brought a shaking hand to her face. "I'm going to find Sula and kill her."
Enyo didn't answer. She was looking at Reyna. There was something in her eyes. It could have been fear. Reyna smiled and stood.
Reyna looked at Atticus who was still trying to crawl away. She kicked him onto his stomach and stabbed him in the small of his back. Reyna spoke, "We have a lot to talk about. Don't go anywhere."
The daughter of Bellona picked up her fallen helmet. She grabbed it and looked at her hands which were covered in blood. The smile on her face widened slightly. If she had her way, this was only the beginning.
Reyna put on her helmet and walked towards Enyo. The goddess stood and watched her. She spoke, "Circe wanted me to find you."
"You found me," Reyna said. She tried cleaning all of the blood off of her blade, but it was dried onto it. Enyo studied her warily. She turned her head to look at the smoke trail.
"How many camps?" Enyo questioned.
"This is the third," Reyna answered. She smiled again. "The other two really weren't camps though. What does the witch want?"
"Hylla is stabilized," Enyo began. She seemed to gauge Reyna's reaction, but the daughter of Bellona didn't move a muscle. "Her injuries are severe though."
Reyna nodded. She walked towards Atticus and knelt by him. Reyna spoke, "Where?"
"Camp Jupiter," Atticus cried. He coughed up blood and a tooth. "She won't be there for the assault on the demititan base."
"Who will be leading it?" Enyo questioned. Atticus looked up. He didn't seem like he wanted to answer, but Reyna glared hatefully at him. Atticus looked away with fear in his eyes.
"Akil is leading it," Atticus whispered.
"You must go then," Enyo said to Reyna.
"No," Reyna said. She looked at Enyo. "Sula dies tonight."
"Do you know how protected Camp Jupiter is?" Enyo demanded. "You won't be able to get to Sula. She'll capture you and torture you!"
Reyna didn't respond. She quietly gathered arrows from fallen barbarians. Enyo grabbed her angrily and spoke, "You can't throw your life away."
Reyna looked at Enyo as she pulled away. She looked around the camp and smirked. The daughter of Bellona grabbed the backpack that she had put in a corner before she assaulted the camp. After a moment, she opened it and pulled out the vial of Greek fire.
"What are you doing?" Enyo demanded. She turned towards the smoke in the distance and looked back at Reyna. The daughter of Bellona looked around the camp. Her eyes then turned towards Atticus.
"Reyna, no!" Enyo ordered. Reyna walked towards Atticus. She unsheathed her sword and stabbed it into his stomach. After a moment, Reyna dropped the vial onto his wound.
"I wonder if you can beg for Thoon to free you," Reyna said. She pulled out her lighter and flicked it on. Reyna watched the flame appear. She dropped it and snapped her fingers. Time froze.
After walking back towards Enyo, Reyna snapped her fingers. She heard a small explosion. Atticus' scream of pure agony followed.
Enyo stared at Reyna. She looked horrified. The daughter of Bellona looked back at Enyo and spoke, "Do you think there will be anything left for Clarisse to kill?"
"You need to get back and visit Hylla," Enyo began. Reyna glared angrily. Enyo took a step back.
"Don't tell me what to do," Reyna said. She whistled, and Scipio landed in front of her. Pain exploded in her head, and Reyna fell to her knees. She grabbed her head.
A hand grabbed her arm. Before Reyna could react, she found herself in another place. A curse left her mouth. Reyna spoke, "Why?"
Enyo didn't respond. She just pulled Reyna up. The natural thing for Reyna to do was punch the goddess in the face. She tackled her and raised a fist. More pain flashed through her skull.
Reyna fell on her side and snarled in agony. Kronos spoke, "Stop. Your revenge cannot come yet."
"I'm going to kill Sula," Reyna spat. "Don't try to stop me."
"Think about this," Kronos snarled. "You know that the only one who can kill Akil is you. When the assault happens, you must be there."
Reyna opened her eyes and crawled to the table. She looked around seeing red. They were in the same room as when they made the plan. That meant Kronos' blade was on the table.
Reyna barely managed to pull herself up. She felt horrid pain in her head but ignored it. Reyna barely managed to grab the blade. The pain intensified, and it felt like her head was about to explode.
"I have to save her," Reyna snarled. She tried to raise the sword, but her grip loosened as the pain became agonizing. Reyna fell to the ground and gripped her head. Kronos didn't stop the pain.
"Do you see what happens when you disobey me," Kronos demanded. Reyna knew she was being punished. This was her mind though. She was in control.
A spike of pain in her skull shattered the illusion. Kronos laughed at her pain. He spoke, "I give you your anger. You must learn to control it or turn it on my enemies. Understood?"
"Yes," Reyna muttered. The pain disappeared. She laid her head back and stared at the ceiling. Black dots danced in her vision.
Reyna managed to sit up after a moment. She slowly managed to stand. Reyna glanced at the blade and looked at the ground. Her mind ran through the last few hours.
"Hylla will be avenged," Kronos promised. Reyna glanced around for Enyo, but she guessed the goddess went back for Atticus.
"What do you get out of this?" Reyna questioned. "Why help?"
"We've been over this," Kronos said annoyed. "I get revenge on Metis for what she did. It's not only from using me. She also gave me the potion that caused me to vomit up my kids."
Reyna sighed and walked out of the room. She stopped by the makeshift infirmary and peeked inside. Hylla was sleeping on a bed and looked pained. A bandage was covering her neck and chest. Reyna knew how to save her sister, but she couldn't do it with Kronos in her head.
The daughter of Bellona looked down at the ground. She caught sight of her father's dog tags. Her mother had told her not to end up like him. It seemed like she becoming worse.
Reyna turned and walked back towards the room that Enyo had been in. Enyo had looked completely terrified of her. The goddess of war even seemed disgusted by her actions.
All Reyna wanted was her place back at Camp Jupiter. That would never happen. She was an enemy of Olympus because she was working for Kronos. She had attacked people she once called friends.
"Stop dwelling," Kronos ordered. "You and I both know you are beyond redemption. Your own sister hates you for what you said. Your friends, the Romans, the Greeks, and the Hunters will never trust you again. Olympus will never trust you. Atropos' protection is the only reason you haven't been punished."
Reyna nodded silently. She remembered the fight between Kronos and Ouranos. Kronos won and then attacked her friends. He had wanted to torture Reyna for information because he thought she knew something. He told Perses to destroy Hylla.
"When will the attack happen?" Reyna asked as she stood. She leaned on the table and stared at her reflection in the blade. Blood caked her face, and her armor was covered in it. All of the blood was from the barbarians.
"Soon," Kronos answered.
"Is Scipio fast enough?" Reyna questioned. She focused on the circle of gold in her eyes.
"Yes," Kronos replied. "Even if you are late, the army should be able to hold out till you get there."
"Good," Reyna said as she made up her mind. Her right hand shot out to grab the sword. Terrible pain exploded in her head. Reyna grabbed Kronos' blade and lifted it.
"You wanted to kill Hylla," Reyna hissed. She turned the blade, so the point was facing her. She slowly grabbed the sword with her left hand.
"Don't," Kronos snarled. The pain became even worse. Reyna almost dropped the sword, but she focused on a picture of her sister's face. Reyna took a deep breath and stabbed herself in the chest.
For a second, there was nothing but silence. Then, pain exploded in her chest. Reyna screamed in agony and closed her eyes as she saw a bright light. She opened her eyes a moment later.
With shaking hands, Reyna grabbed the sword handle. She tried to pull it out, but the pain was too much. It forced her to her knees. Reyna looked at the ground and saw her reflection in the squeaky clean tile. There was no more gold in her eyes.
Reyna looked at the ground. Kronos was gone. He was finally out of her head. Reyna was in full control of her actions, but half of her soul was in Tartarus.
She would have to find redemption for what she had done. It wasn't likely that anyone would help her though. They probably wouldn't even forgive her. Reyna sighed as she realized the task she had ahead.
Reyna looked up as the door opened. Circe stared down at her. Reyna closed her eyes, and she allowed herself to pass out.