Reyna sighed tiredly as she walked towards her tent. They had just arrived at Camp Half-Blood. All Reyna wanted to do was change before she had to talk to everyone about what had happened. When they had first arrived, Hylla had cornered her and demanded to know what had happened. Annabeth was the one who pulled Hylla away.
As Reyna stepped into her tent, she dropped her armor to the ground and frowned. Her backpack was zipped up. She had left it unzipped. Reyna walked towards her backpack and knelt by it. She unzipped it and reached inside for her pills.
Her heart stopped as she couldn't find them. She had left them in the front pocket. Reyna looked up at her bed and stared. She saw a dagger laying on her bed. It was a pugio.
"The weapon that killed a tyrant," a voice behind her commented. Reyna turned and stared at her mentor. She slowly stood.
"Sula," Reyna greeted. She glanced around. Had she left her pills somewhere else? "We haven't been able to talk. How are you?"
Sula looked at her. She was standing near a corner of the tent. Half of her face was covered by shadows. Reyna stepped towards her mentor.
"I brought you a present," Sula said. She stepped out of the shadows and held out Reyna's purple cloak. It was folded up.
"How did you get that?" Reyna questioned. The last time she had it was at Camp Jupiter. Odovacer had taken it from her when Camp Jupiter had fallen. Reyna suddenly felt sick. There was no way that Sula had just walked into the camp and gotten her cloak.
"You can't be working with him," Reyna whispered. Bitterness gripped her heart. She was tired of being betrayed. First, it was her sister working with Circe. Now, her mentor was working with Ouranos.
"My family has always been on the side of justice," Sula answered. She looked at the cloak. "We have been the guardians of our countries. My family has taken down tyrants over the centuries."
"In Greece, it was Pericles. We influenced the plague that ultimately did him in. In Macedonia, it was Phillip the second. In Rome, Julius Caesar. In the United States, it was Abraham Lincoln," Sula continued. "They were all your ancestors."
"This is justice?" Reyna demanded. She glared at Sula and was practically shaking from anger. "You're suppose to be a Roman and not a traitor."
"You have no right to judge me," Sula spat. "You killed your own father."
Reyna stared. There was no way that Sula could have known. She took a step back and swallowed painfully. Reyna spoke, "You don't understand."
"Dear, I don't care why you did it. Your fate was sealed when I learned you were a Caesar," Sula whispered. "I know you can't die because Ouranos took Atropos, but my orders are just to destroy you."
Reyna glared. Sula looked at her sword and spoke, "You have also received your heritage. The sword has been passed down through the generations."
"I should have known you were a Caesar," Sula continued. She smiled bitterly. "You adapted so quickly to being a Roman. It was like you were born to lead, or you were born to ruin my camp."
"Ouranos is the one who did it," Reyna snapped.
"No," Sula said. She stepped closer. "I knew he could purify my camp. That is why I told him where the tunnel was. I also let horror into this camp. He knows everything about our numbers."
Reyna stared at her. She glared angrily. Reyna went to punch Sula. Her mentor caught her fist and kicked her hard in her injured knee.
Reyna dropped to her knees. Sula was wearing armor which made every blow more painful. Sula punched her hard in the stomach.
"Everyone is at dinner. No one is going to hear me beat you senseless," Sula taunted. She kicked Reyna hard in the chest. Reyna cried out in pain.
Sula punched her hard in the face. Reyna did her best to stand and stumble away. Sula easily crossed the distance between the two and tackled Reyna to the ground.
Sula's next punch tore open Reyna's stitches. The one after that practically knocked her unconscious. Sula grabbed Kronos' sword from Reyna's belt and knelt by her.
"Prophecy has never been kind to your family," Sula whispered. She grabbed Reyna's shirt and pulled her into a sitting position. Reyna gasped in pain.
"How could you do this?" Reyna wheezed. Her ribs felt like they had been broken once again. Reyna couldn't even defend herself as Sula punched her once again in the face.
Sula pulled Reyna to her feet and spoke, "The Greeks are so content to sit back and watch. At this moment, Ouranos knows that he has won. He stands atop his acropolis."
"He built a city?" Reyna questioned. Sula punched her hard in the ribs and dropped her. Reyna collapsed to her knees.
"Did I give you permission to speak?" Sula demanded. She grabbed Reyna's face. "Be a good little Roman and shut your mouth."
Reyna glared up at her mentor. Sula punched her in the throat. Reyna gasped and started to cough. She fell to the ground as she was kicked in the head.
Reyna laid her head on the ground. She didn't bother to try and lift her head. Sula was just going to continue beating the crap out of her.
"The assault will begin soon. It will be too late for you to stop the rising of Gaea," Sula taunted. She kicked Reyna in the ribs. Reyna cried out in pain. That was greeted with another kick
"I cannot wait to kill your sister," Sula whispered. "When Gaea takes over Atropos, the first thing I am going to do is kill Hylla. I cannot wait."
"If you touch her," Reyna warned. She cried out as she was kicked again. Reyna gritted her teeth. "I will fucking kill you."
Sula laughed. Her next kick caused Reyna to spit blood out. Reyna closed her eyes tightly and tried to block everything out. She barely had the strength to stay conscious.
"What are you going to do to stop me?" Sula whispered. "I read the journal and recognized Metis' handwriting. She wants you to take a dip in the River Styx. Is that how you expect to stop Ouranos?"
Reyna didn't answer. Her silence was met by another kick. Reyna rolled on her back and gasped for breath. She finally spoke, "Stop."
"You can try to beg for mercy," Sula said. She unsheathed Kronos' sword. "One little touch would cause horrible pain. I fear to even hold this blade. It will be in better hands soon."
Reyna laid her head back. Part of her wanted to tell Sula just to put the blade down. She would be forgiven. It would all be fine. Reyna knew that couldn't happen.
"I'm going to kill you," Reyna promised. Sula stomped down on her sternum. Reyna cried out in pain. It took her a few moments to speak "Death is the only fitting punishment Sula. You know that,"
"Are you going to put me on trial?" Sula questioned. "If I must be a martyr for Rome, I will."
"You're a traitor and nothing more," Reyna said. Sula kicked her hard in the temple. The blow practically knocked her out. Reyna forced herself to keep her eyes open.
"Atropos will be gone soon," Sula taunted. "The world as you know it is ending. Rome is going to take its rightful place back on top of the world."
"You're insane," Reyna wheezed. Every breath caused pain to tear through body. "Camp Jupiter was the best hope for that. What did Ouranos promise you?"
"My own army," Sula answered. There was a dreamy look in her eyes. "I can have my prestige back. My life will go back to what it was."
"You're the one who ruined your life," Reyna said. She closed her eyes tightly. "You gave into your demons and let them control you."
"The same thing is happening to you," Sula warned. "You attacked your friend in the middle of the day. You just came back from the failed assassination of Grace. Reyna, you are pathetic."
Reyna clenched her fist. She barely bit back a cry as Sula kicked her in the ribs once again. Reyna turned on her side and slowly opened her eyes. Sula was studying her.
"Get up," Sula ordered. Reyna glared but slowly got to her hands and knees. She barely managed to get to her feet. Sula studied her.
"Give me the real reason why you did this," Reyna ordered. She wanted to grab the sword from Sula, but that wasn't going to happen. Reyna could barely stay standing. She placed a hand to her ribs.
"I want my prestige back," Sula said.
"You're the pathetic one," Reyna said. She spat blood out. "Sula, I am going to give you one warning. Do not go back to Ouranos. If I ever see you again, I will not hesitate to kill you."
"I have advice for you," Sula whispered. She grabbed Reyna by her shirt. "Give yourself over to Ouranos. He will allow me to deal with the Greeks. I'll only enslave them."
"No," Reyna hissed.
"Is submission not preferable to extinction?" Sula questioned. She had a crazed look in her eyes.
"You want my answer?" Reyna questioned. She looked at the ground. Reyna was tired of everything. She was tired of being in the war, being beaten, and being betrayed. The daughter of Bellona looked up at Sula.
"Ouranos is going to destroy this world. You claim that you want to recapture Rome's glory. You just want to reclaim your own. You are not a true Roman," Rena spat.
"I am," Sula snapped.
"Dignitas. Pietas. Gravitas," Reyna said. The words were the first thing everyone learned when they went to Lupa. Sula glared at her and went to speak.
"You have lost your dignity and prestige. You have turned your back on the Olympians and your country! You no longer care that your decisions have long reaching effects!" Reyna snapped.
Sula glared at her. Reyna glared back. The two of them stood their in a tense silence. Sula finally spoke, "The Greeks will fall. I will lead the assault myself."
"You will die then," Reyna warned. "Stay away from my sister. If you lay a hand on her, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. Do you understand?"
Sula looked away. She looked back and punched Reyna in the ribs. Reyna almost fell to her knees. Sula punched her hard in the face.
Reyna fell to the ground. She laid her head on the ground. Sula looked at Kronos' sword and smiled. She grabbed Reyna's sword from her belt and examined the red blade.
"Goodbye Reyna," Sula said. She threw the red blade aside and started to walk out. "Thank you for the blade. I will make sure Jason Grace makes good use of it."
Reyna watched her go. She didn't have the strength to do anything other than lay there. Reyna placed a hand to her ribs. Her gaze swept across the tent. The notebook Metis had given them was gone.
Reyna smirked. Even though she had lost Kronos' blade, Sula had swallowed the bait. She would give Ouranos the notebook, and he would think it was their plans. Ouranos had no clue how much danger he was really going to be in.