Reyna read the line on the paperwork in front of her for a third time, and when it didn't register, she shoved the paper aside in anger. Ever since Hylla's birthday party, everything had spiraled out of control. All of her friends were mad at her, even Nico. Hylla and Kinzie had both sent her a message chewing her out.
Reyna knew she screwed up with the situation with Piper. She regretted what she said, but at the same time, was she really wrong? Reyna didn't really remember if she was the one who flirted with Piper or not, but Piper should have not agreed to sleep with Reyna. How could Reyna even be blamed for that?
An irritated sigh left Reyna. She hit the desk and then rested her face on it. Piper told Jason, and Reyna had no clue what happened from there. She didn't know if they broke up or not, and Nico wouldn't tell her. He just said that they had a very long talk.
Piper also told Annabeth as well, since Annabeth kept glaring at Reyna during the last ambassador meeting. This entire situation was something Reyna didn't want to be involved in. The amount of drama and stress that came from it was more than she wanted to handle.
Someone knocked on the door. Reyna slowly sat up and debated who it could be. She took a deep breath and spoke, "Come in."
The door opened, and Arria stepped into the room. Reyna instantly looked away. For the last week, she had been trying to find any opportunity that she could to talk to Arria about what had happened, but wherever she turned, Nerva was right there. The lead Inquisitor had been an absolute thorn in her side, and Reyna was about to reach her breaking point.
"Praetor," Arria said. She glanced behind her and closed the door. There was files tucked underneath one of her arms. She placed the files on Reyna's desk and sat in the chair across from Reyna. "We need to talk about what happened at Hylla's party."
"It was a mistake," Reyna began. Arria held up a hand, and Reyna studied her for a long moment. Arria's face was an emotionless mask. "I was drunk and not thinking straight."
"Reyna, I don't care who you sleep with," Arria said. Reyna slowly looked away. "We are not dating right now, so you can be with whoever you want to be with. I heard what you said to Piper though."
"Are you going to lecture me too?" Reyna interrupted. She crossed her arms angrily. "I don't need another lecture about what I said."
"I'm sure the others told you that what you said to Piper was unfair and a horrible thing to say. But, I don't think they understand why you said it," Arria said. Reyna slowly looked at her. "I know you, Reyna. You're under a lot of stress right now, between what is happening with Nerva, the ultimatum that I know the bastard gave you, and the fallout from your argument with Nico, this is probably the most stressed you've ever been."
"Nothing is happening with Nerva," Reyna said quickly. Arria studied her for a long moment. Reyna sighed and looked away. "Did Nico tell you?"
"He did," Arria said. "Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me about Nerva?"
"I can't have you choosing between your sister and me," Reyna answered. A smirk came to Arria's face, but she looked away. "That wouldn't be fair of me."
"Reyna, do you really think I would choose my sister over you?" Arria asked. Reyna didn't answer. "My relationship with my sister is not like your relationship with Hylla. I didn't even know I had a sister until I was given a sign by my father. Nerva didn't care to even look for me. Bellona saved my life. My loyalty is to her above all others."
Reyna closed her eyes. She also assumed that Arria and Nerva were close, considering they were sisters. It just seemed unfair to pit the two against each other. Reyna spoke, "I can solve my own problem with Nerva."
"You can't," Arria stated. Reyna opened her eyes and glared. "Put your pride aside for one moment, Reyna. I don't care if you don't think you need help. Nerva has your trapped, but we are going to help you."
"We?" Reyna asked. Arria shook her head and didn't answer. "You and Nico?"
"I know how stressed you are," Arria said, completely ignoring the question. Reyna glared once again. How was Arria just going to brush aside the question like that? "I also know that you handle stress in one of two ways: sparring or sex. I know sparring isn't helping at all."
"So, you had a drinking contest with Hylla and got almost if not blackout drunk," Arria continued. She looked Reyna in the eyes. "Being drunk doesn't excuse what you did, but I do know it affects your judgment. If you were sober, you wouldn't have had sex with Piper, but you did. Then, she admits that she has feelings for you, and you shove it aside."
"I don't think you understand how bad that hurts," Arria said. Her tone had shifted towards anger. "Well, I think you do actually. Didn't you pour your heart out to Jason, only to have him disappear?"
"That is different," Reyna said. She stood. "Just get out of my office."
"The circumstances might be different, but the feelings are not," Arria stated. She didn't move an inch. "Piper was at her most vulnerable, and you just threw her feelings to the side because you did not want to face the consequences."
"You sound just like Kinzie," Reyna snapped. She walked towards the door. "Get out."
A hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder. When Reyna blinked, she was pinned to her desk and staring up at Arria. Reyna tried to push Arria away, and when it didn't work, Arria spoke, "You manipulated Piper, whether you want to believe it or not. I don't know if you knew that Piper had feelings for you or not, and I don't really care."
"I did not manipulate Piper," Reyna snapped. She glared up at Arria and tried to shove her away once again, but Arria had her pinned to the desk, just like she used to when they would make out. "Piper was a willing participant. I would never do that to her."
"I'm sure she thought about it, but she wouldn't act on it, especially since you were drunk. Piper said that your hands were all over her, and you were completely flirting with her. When you swore on the River Styx that you actually wanted to sleep with her, Piper finally agreed," Arria said. Reyna just glared. It was the same story with everyone that she talked to, and she was sick of it.
"Do you understand how vulnerable Piper must have felt?" Arria asked. Reyna didn't respond and just tried to shove Arria away, but she wasn't having any luck. "Piper was willing to sacrifice her relationship with Jason, her reputation at Camp Half-Blood, and her own sense of worth to sleep with you. Instead of respecting her, you acted like a child."
"Why am I the only one getting blamed?" Reyna snapped. "Piper should be in just as much fault as I am."
"Piper is at fault, for sleeping with you. She is not at fault for you acting like a child," Arria said. She rested her forehead against Reyna's. "Piper laid her heart out to you, Reyna. You told her it was a mistake. What if I did that to you? When you asked me if I really wanted to date you, what if I had told you that the only reason I slept with you was because your mother wanted me to keep you happy."
"It would have made me feel terrible," Reyna finally whispered. She looked away. Reyna knew she hurt Piper. She still remembered that look in Piper's eyes. It was the same look that Reyna had when Jason came to the camp with Piper.
"Piper even thinks you slept with her as revenge for what Jason did," Arria said. She pulled herself away from Reyna and sat back in the chair. Reyna just stared at the ground. "Did you?"
"No," Reyna answered. She slowly looked back at Arria. "I would never do that."
"Why did you sleep with Piper then?" Arria asked.
"Because it's Piper," Reyna answered. She slowly stood and walked back towards her chair. Reyna sat in it and closed her eyes. "Ever since Piper saved me from the Incubus' spell, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I would never act on this feelings because she was dating Jason. I guess that when I got drunk, I decided to be an idiot."
Reyna buried her face in her hands. Why didn't she stay and talk to Piper? Why did she say those things? Reyna regretted the words, but she didn't want to admit fault. She didn't know why though? Was everyone right? Was Reyna afraid to face the consequences of her actions?
"I really don't know why I slept with Piper. I guess I just wanted to act on my desires, and when I realized what I did, I blamed the alcohol," Reyna said. She shook her head. "I thought that I had ruined my chances of getting back with you."
"Reyna, I really don't care that you slept with Piper. Like I said, we aren't dating right now. You didn't cheat on anyone," Arria said. "I know why you broke up with me, and once it is solved, I had no problem getting back together with you. Until I saw how you treated Piper."
"Arria," Reyna began. She stared into Arria's eyes, and tears filled her own. "Please."
"I've seen him do that to more people than I want to remember," Arria said. Reyna looked away.
"I am nothing like your former master," Reyna said. She looked at Arria. "Don't compare me to him."
"There are days when you remind me of him," Arria admitted. "That man is an evil piece of shit, but he is loyal to his friends. He will do anything to protect those that he cares about. And, I've seen him treat woman just like you treated Piper. He found it fun."
"I am not like him," Reyna snapped. "If I remind you so much of him, why would you even date me?"
"Because of everything else about you," Arria said. "It's hard to get under your shell, but when I did, I found someone who showed compassion to everyone that she knew, even if she was hurting inside. You helped me more than you know, Reyna. I finally found someone that actually cared about me and didn't just want to use me. I do love you, Reyna."
"Then what do I have to do for you to take me back?" Reyna asked. "I'm going to apologize to Piper. I know that I screwed up badly with her, and I treated her terribly. What else is it going to take?"
Before Arria could answer, the door opened. Nerva stepped into the room, and Reyna's heart almost dropped to her stomach. Nerva studied Reyna for a moment. Then her gaze turned on Arria, and she spoke, "I didn't expect to see that two of you together again."
"Just turning in paperwork for the praetor," Arria said. She stood from the chair and turned to leave. Nerva grabbed her arm.
"You have to sit in the chair for that?" Nerva asked. Arria slowly looked at her. Nerva studied her with emotionless eyes.
"When the praetor is taking a message from Lupa and the goddess asks you to wait, you do exactly as she says," Arria answered. Nerva finally let go of Arria's arm. Arria left the room without another word. Nerva closed the door as she left.
Reyna glared at the ground and tried to blink away her tears, but she was starting to become so angry that tears were coming back. This entire situation was in fact Nerva's fault. If she didn't interfere, Reyna and Arria would still be dating. Reyna stood from her desk.
"I don't know what game you're playing, praetor. I suggest you stop playing it," Nerva said. Reyna clenched her fist. She was beyond done with Nerva's threat. Reyna glanced down at her fist. How much trouble would she get in if she just broke Nerva's jaw then and there. "Got it?"
"I'm done with you threatening me," Reyna said. She got right in Nerva's face. "I don't think you have any proof about what happened to my father. You're just bullshitting me."
"Ghosts don't lie," Nerva said. Reyna stared and slowly took a step backwards. The lead inquisitor just smiled at her. "I was just investigating another demigod that had passed through Puerto Rico. He was a terrible man who did even more terrible things to innocent children. The mask of Veritas shows us many thing, and sometimes, we use the mask to speak to the Keres: the female spirits who flock to a violent death, or a violent murder. One of them told me what you did."
Reyna felt sick to her stomach, and her knees went weak. She took a step back and leaned on her desk. Reyna spoke, "Nerva, what did I do to you? Why are you doing this?'
"I am so tired of you acting like you don't know what you did," Nerva snapped. Reyna glared, and she saw someone appear at the door. Her gaze moved towards Frank.
"A Senate meeting has been called," Frank said. Another person, Prisca, followed behind him. Nerva scowled. "Lead Inquisitor, we ask for your presence as well."
"Of course," Nerva said. She looked back at Reyna, and there was accusations in her eyes. Reyna just stared ahead. She was still reeling from the fact that there was an eyewitness to her crime. Nerva walked out of the office, and Frank followed her.
Reyna slowly pushed herself off of her desk. She needed to get to the Senate meeting and just get through it. From there, she would find Arria and try to figure out exactly how to handle Nerva. Why didn't she go to Arria from the start? As Reyna went to walk of the office, a hand gently grabbed her arm.
"Praetor," Prisca said softly. Reyna slowly looked at Prisca. "You have to trust me."
"Trust you?" Reyna asked. Prisca looked behind her, and her hand slowly rubbed her necklace. Reyna's eyes glanced down at the necklace, and she focused on the symbol of the wolf head. It was the same symbol that Lupa gave to her most trusted ambassadors, and Reyna recalled having only ever seen two people with it.
"Do you remember what Venus told you?" Prisca asked. She glanced around and slowly started to walk away. It took a moment for Reyna to follow. All Reyna needed was to take five minutes and think through everything. "At the restaurant."
"Restaurant?" Reyna asked. It took her a few moments to remember when Venus had interrupted her lunch with Nico. The goddess wanted them to find her sword, and before they had left, Venus grabbed her arm. "Trust the wolf."
"Deny everything," Prisca whispered so softly that Reyna barely heard her. Prisca looked back at her. "I know it is true but just deny everything. It doesn't matter who asks you the questions. Just deny it."
Reyna slowly nodded, and Prisca picked up her pace, leaving Reyna behind. Reyna stopped walking and took a deep, shaky breath. A bad feeling settled in her gut. She tried to calm down, but panic started to build in her chest.
It seemed like Venus wanted Reyna to trust Prisca, but Reyna didn't know anything about the ambassador. Prisca always seemed to know what mask to put on to fit in with a crowd. She was also the second in command to Nerva. Was Prisca trying to help Reyna, or was she setting Reyna up for a major fall?
