"I missed you too, but can you let go?" Reyna complained. She winced as her sister only tightened her bear trap of a hug. "Seriously, Hylla. I'm still a little sore."
"I was so worried," Hylla whispered in Reyna's ear. She held her close but loosened her grip. Hylla pulled away and brushed loose hair out of her younger sister's face. "Are you hurt?"
"Just sore. That's it," Reyna answered. She rested her head against her sister's chest. With the help of Arcadia, the two of them appeared at the temporary base that the Amazons set up near Camp Half-Blood. Too damn close to Camp Half-Blood if anyone asked Reyna.
Hylla finally released her death grip on Reyna. The two studied each other for a moment before Reyna leaned on the wall and looked around. Arcadia was standing off to the side with Kinzie. Should Reyna tell her sister that she killed their mother, or would it be best to just keep her mouth shut?
Hylla promised that she would have Reyna's back, but the two had been through too many scrapes with each other this past year. First, Hylla fell under the charmspeak of Circe and stole Mars' shield. Reyna was forced on a quest to find the shield and clear her own name. Hylla, still under charmspeak, attacked her, broke a few ribs, and did something much worse.
When it seemed like they were back together, Hylla kept taking the side of the Greeks. She worked with the people who exiled Reyna, and whenever Reyna became upset about it, she was treated like a child who didn't know any better. It angered Reyna to no end, and they had more than a handful of arguments about it.
Then, there was when Reyna had been flogged. She had been accused of killing two senators of Camp Jupiter, but Reyna didn't do it. She had been framed by a barbarian disguised as a Roman, and everyone sided with the barbarian. It took video proof for Hylla to believe her sister.
Reyna loved Hylla with all of her heart and soul. She would do anything for her sister, and really, Hylla was the only reason Reyna was still alive. The mission to keep Hylla alive drove Reyna forward, but that didn't mean she could just confess to her sister that she killed their mother. There was no telling how Hylla would react.
"I'm just glad you're safe," Hylla whispered sweetly. She pulled Reyna back into a gentle hug. "What happened?"
"Close the door," Reyna said after a moment. Arcadia complied with the request and stood guard. Reyna pulled out of her sister's grasp and walked towards a table. She sat on it and let her shoulders droop. "I was tricked by Seva and taken by Eris. She tortured me."
No, that wasn't right. Eris hadn't just tortured Reyna. The goddess hadn't just beat a defenseless demigod with a baseball bat until she was begging for death. Hylla spoke the words that Reyna was thinking, "She broke you. I remember you telling me that in your dream, and I'm going to tear that bitch apart."
"Reyna," Arcadia began. Reyna didn't look up. "Imperator."
"What the fuck am I supposed to do?" Reyna snapped. "How many more beatings am I supposed to take? How many more times do I have to be tortured? I've been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders for almost a year. Why can't I get a fucking break!"
Reyna exhaled a deep breath and slowly hung her head at her latest outburst. It was getting harder and harder to control her temper. Reyna rubbed her face and let out an angry curse. Hylla walked towards her and sat by her.
"I'm sorry," Hylla whispered. "I know you feel alone, and it's my fault. I've never shown you the support I should have. I'm the worst sister in the world."
"I just want a break," Reyna whispered back. "Why can't I be left out of this? I didn't ask for the rogue Amazons to attack me just to get to you. I didn't ask to clean up your mess and find the shield. Then, I was told I would be the one to defeat Ouranos, but the gods hindered me instead of helping. When I was forced to take an extreme measure and allow Kronos to use me as a vessel, I was treated like I wanted to do it."
"After defeating Ouranos, I was stabbed in the chest and had my soul severed. I should have died. I did die. Until Atropos confronted me in a dream and told me that I could become her champion. It would save me, but I didn't care if I died. I cared about you, Hylla. I learned that you were going to die," Reyna whispered.
Reyna looked at Hylla and saw tears in her sister's eyes. Reyna continued, "Atropos told me that something would happen to you. I couldn't let you die, Hylla. I love you too much."
"I love you too," Hylla whispered through a choked sob. She pulled Reyna into a tighter hug, and her shoulders shook as she released her pent up emotions. Reyna felt tears well in her own eyes, but she didn't let them fall. She just stared blankly at the opposite wall. Reyna should have felt grief, but all she felt was anger.
Anger at the gods. Anger at everyone who betrayed her. Anger at her own damn sister. A bitter laugh escaped Reyna, and she pulled away from Hylla. She stood and walked towards the middle of the room.
It felt like a lifetime ago that Reyna found herself face to face with the giant Orion. He told her something that she brushed off at the time. Something that she thought was just the rantings of a crazed creature driven by vengeance. But, was he any different than her now?
But too much love is poison. Especially when it is not returned.
Reyna understood now. She understood that the giant was not taunting her; but warning her. Reyna loved Camp Jupiter. She loved her fellow Romans there. She loved her friends at Camp Half-Blood. Reyna loved her family. But, none of it was returned.
The love for everything in her life was not returned, and it became a poison in her. Poison that ate away at her heart and polluted her defenses. Ever present and constant; just like the knives pressed into her back. Reyna turned back to look at Hylla and spoke, "You can hate me if you want, but you have to know I love you with all my heart. I would do anything for you. But,"
Reyna lost her voice for a moment. Then, she looked down and took a deep breath, "I killed Bellona."
"You can hate me if you want. You can scream and yell and-"
"Fuck Bellona," Hylla interrupted. Reyna slowly looked up at her sister. Hylla stood up, walking towards her. "Mother didn't give a shit about us. She fucked both of our lives by taking our strings, and she only did that because that was her sick way of making up for not being a mother."
"Reyna, I have your back for the rest of time," Hylla promised. "I don't care if I die today or in fifty years. I am tired of not being the sister that you deserve. I love you so much, and I have your back forever."
Hylla pulled Reyna into another tight embrace, and Reyna shakenly returned it. Bitter tears left her, and she cried her heart out. Reyna couldn't hold it in anymore. The anger inside of her was poison. It had been eating away at her for so long, and she needed to find a way to let it out.
Reyna didn't know how, but this had to be a start. She buried her face in Hylla's chest and felt her shoulders shaking from grief. Hylla didn't say a word. She just held Reyna close and rubbed her back.
Reyna knew she had been holding her emotions in for too long. She knew the pent-up anger had exploded many times, but she just kept holding it in. Her entire life was spent being a rock for other people. She was the one they looked up to. She was the one who had to be emotionless because everyone looked to her for strength, and if she faltered, they would as well.
And, she did try opening up. She spent a night telling Annabeth what had happened to her and about her life. In turn, Annabeth used that knowledge to get her exiled. How the hell was Reyna expected to open up to anyone else? There were so many reasons that she kept it inside.
Reyna slowly pulled away from her sister, and Hylla wiped the tears from her eyes. Reyna sniffled and slowly looked back at Arcadia. The goddess watched her but didn't present any emotion whatsoever. Kinzie stood nearby and watched Reyna with a somber look.
Reyna sniffled a few times and wiped her nose and then her eyes. She spoke, "I'm sorry, Hylla. It's not your fault."
"It is," Hylla interrupted. "The rogue Amazons were coming after me, and they used you to try and get to me. That's on me. I did steal the shield, and I was only under Circe's charmspeak because I made the mistake of trying to work with her. I made a deal with the devil, and those always backfire. I didn't support you, Reyna. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Hylla, this is in the past," Reyna began. She grabbed Hylla's face and made her sister look at her. "I forgive you."
"I don't think you do," Hylla whispered. "I think that you want to, but you can't just yet."
Reyna swallowed painfully and looked down. But, she forced herself to nod. Hylla was right. Reyna did want to forgive her sister. She wanted to stop feeling this anger every time she looked at Hylla, but how could she? It wasn't just the fact that the only family she truly had didn't believe her when it mattered most. It was all the things that Hylla did while she was under charmspeak, and in her clouded mind, she thought she was doing the right thing.
Reyna needed time. She needed time to just be by herself without the world falling apart around her. Instead, she stood at a crossroads: the Olympians or the peacekeepers. Both had their pros and cons, and Reyna would need time to sit down and think. The biggest thing that came to mind was that she didn't even know if the peacekeepers could win. They wanted to dethrone the gods, and how many before them have tried and failed? What happened if Reyna worked with them?
What happened if Reyna worked against the peacekeepers? Not only would she be saving the gods who had caused so much grief, but she would also fight against twelve people who were dedicated to a just cause. It wouldn't be a simple matter to just kill them. They would fight to a very bitter end. Reyna was the same way.
What if Reyna just didn't take a side? What if she decided to just sit back and let the world sort itself out? Reyna could keep her sister out of danger and just focus on helping the Sixth Legion. They had the issue of Seva to deal with after all. They would need a new base as well. Their training one wouldn't do.
Reyna hugged her sister again and relaxed slightly. Hylla hugged her back. After a few moments, Reyna pulled away. She looked at Arcadia, "Do we have anywhere else we could use as a base?"
"No," Arcadia replied. "I can look into different buildings and see what would work. I would have to manipulate the Mist and find a way to take ownership. Or, we can just camp in the wilderness. It might not be a smart move if the barbarians are still hunting us."
"What if we just buy the building outright?" Reyna suggested. Arcadia raised an eyebrow. "When I became a champion for Atropos, she gave me a credit card. It doesn't have a limit, and I've barely used it. I don't know who pays for it, but I think the least I deserve is a new base for my legion. Then, we'll figure out how to handle Seva."
"What about the assassins?" Arcadia questioned.
"I'm tempted to just let them fight it out with the gods," Reyna admitted. "They can't be mad at me for not taking a side."
"They can," Kinzie corrected. Reyna slowly looked at her sister-in-law. A small frown came to her face. She hadn't even thought about the fact that Kinzie and Hylla had gotten married after the war with Ouranos. "Whichever side that comes out on top may not be happy that you didn't help."
"I get blamed once again," Reyna muttered bitterly. "It's never going to end, is it?"
Reyna shook her head and sat on a table. She stared at the ground as the room fell into silence. Hylla looked like she was trying to think of something comforting to say. Kinzie had the same look on her face. It seemed like Arcadia was just lost in thought.
Reyna hung her head and stared down at the sword on her belt. It marked her as a champion of Fate, and if anything, it had been her one constant in life. After her old sword exploded while she was destroying a Hydra, she had been gifted this sword. She thought it was a late birthday gift from her mother, but it was just Atropos' way of laying a claim on her.
The sword had been the most consistent thing about the few months. It was one of the only things that had not let her down. The gods seemed to be scared of the sword, and that was because it was made using pieces of one of Atropos' shears. The gods didn't want this in her hands, and Eris took it from her when she was captured.
The peacekeepers gave it back to Reyna without hesitation. They didn't care that it was supposedly dangerous. The peacekeepers took it from Eris and gave it right back to Reyna. A sigh left the imperator as she hung her head again.
"Is there anywhere I can lie down?" Reyna asked. It wasn't so much that she was tired as she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts.
"We have a few spare rooms. Come on," Hylla said gently. She grabbed Reyna's arm and led her out of the room. The two walked in silence down the hall, and they stepped into a small room that had a bed in one corner and a small table in the other. "Here."
Reyna looked at her sister and was given a pill bottle. She slowly ran her thumb over it, medicine for her schizophrenia. Yet another thing weighing on her mind. Forgetting her medicine for a day wasn't the worst thing ever, but for multiple days, it could be dangerous. That was probably why she saw Kronos.
"I'll get you food and something to drink," Hylla offered. She kissed Reyna's forehead. Reyna hugged her sister for a moment before pulling away and collapsing onto the bed. "I love you."
"I love you too," Reyna said just loud enough for her sister to hear. She watched the door close, and Reyna slowly rolled onto her back. A sigh left her as she brought both hands to her face. Her emotions were still all over the place, and she still felt angry. What was new?
Reyna lowered her hands and stared at the ceiling. A scraping sound to her right caused her to turn her head, and she scrambled to a sitting position. Reyna grabbed her sword and stared at the man at the corner of the room. The man sat at the small table, playing chess with himself.
"Quirinus," Reyna slowly greeted. She hadn't seen much of the god. The first time was when she found him in Rome during a set of tasks just to get water to save her sister's life after she was poisoned. Then, there was when they fought Metis. Quirinus' son, a barbarian turned ally, had his Huns give their life to help Reyna and the demigods in their war.
Of all the gods, Quirinus had never gone against her. He never tried to make her life miserable or hurt her. In fact, Reyna promised him a temple, and since she was exiled, she was not able to fulfill that promise.
"Imperator Ramirez-Arellano," Quirinus greeted. He hummed softly as he advanced one of his knights. The old Roman god of war wore a full set of Roman armor, even if it was dented and rusted with age. When they first met, his white hair had been all over the place. Now, it was hanging down his back in a ponytail, and his copper eyes glinted with interest at his game. "I can sense a change in the world. Mars has noticed it too."
"Probably only minutes before someone found Bellona's body in an elevator," Quirinus continued. Reyna's eyes flickered up, and she found it hard to swallow. Her hand tightened on her sword. Quirinus castled his king piece. "I told you that your bloodline has always been involved in pivotal moments of Rome. I also told you that you would bring an end to Camp Jupiter."
"Camp Jupiter still stands," Reyna muttered. She stared at the ground.
"For how long?" Quirinus retorted. Reyna didn't answer. "Do you know why I decided to work with you so quickly?"
"I never stopped to think about it," Reyna admitted. She forced herself to look up. "Didn't have time to."
"Did you ever wonder why the gods were so desperate to have me on their side? Did it bother you that they could have found me themselves only to have you do it instead? With the life of your sister hanging over your head?" Quirinus wondered. "I overheard the entire conversation after all. I was sitting near the three of you, but they never pointed me out. Do you think they didn't know, or did they not care?"
"What is the only thing that kept you alive throughout all of this?" Quirinus asked. When Reyna didn't answer, he remained silent as well. Reyna finally sighed and looked down.
"My sister," Reyna answered.
"If she had died then, do you think you would have taken Atropos' offer to be a champion?" Quirinus asked.
"No. I wouldn't have had anything to live for," Reyna answered. Her hand almost moved to the string in her pocket. If Hylla was the only thing keeping Reyna going, what would have happened if she died? Would Reyna have snapped completely? Would she had even been able to destroy Ouranos?
"Funny how it all works out," Quirinus said softly. He moved his bishop back two spaces to cover his knight. "Chess is just like life. Every piece on the board has a purpose. Some are more powerful than others, but they must all work together in harmony. Some pieces are limited in how they can move and what they can do. Other pieces have great power, yet they are so vulnerable. And any piece can take another out or put it into check."
"I see demigods as pawns, to be used how the gods please. Minor gods and Titans can fall into the role of bishops or knights. As for the Olympians and Zeus himself, what is more fitting than that of the king piece? So strong. Yet, any piece can put it into check. Any piece can capture but not take it out, and the game will end."
"But when I look at this board, I don't see, Reyna. I don't see where you or the other two champions fit in. You can't be pawns. You have too much power, yet not enough to be a rook, knight, or even a mighty queen. No. I don't think you are even a piece on this chessboard. This is what you are," Quirinus finished, and he flipped the board with a flash of movement.
Reyna watched the board flip over and fall to the ground. Pieces spilled everywhere. Quirinus continued, "You don't follow the rules. Neither do your newfound demigod friends. You have the power to shake up this world and change it. Will you?"
"I don't know," Reyna slowly answered. She looked up. "You can tell the Olympians I didn't do anything."
Quirinus smirked, "You still think I am working with the Olympians? The only reason they wanted me on their side was to be assured another minor god wouldn't join Ouranos against them. The only reason that I agreed to work with you was because I have seen plenty of war throughout my time. I knew you were on the winning side."
Quirinus stood and waved his hands. The chess pieces disappeared, as did the chessboard. He walked towards the door. Reyna spoke, "Wait. What side are you on now?"
"The winning side of course," Quirinus answered with a wide smile. He turned to look back at her. "That's why I'm excited to see what you choose."