"Not funny," Reyna muttered as her consciousness returned. "Not remotely funny."
Her head was bound in a cloth sack, and she was tied to a chair. As the sound of footsteps drew closer, she figured it was now or never. Once she was certain one of them was close enough, she threw her body upwards, smashing the chair. In a flash, she had her head freed and the girl subdued beneath her, knife pressed to her throat. The other girls backed off or inched their hands to their own weapons in response.
After the initial adrenaline rush, Reyna began taking stock of the situation. Camo clothes, silver jewelry, athletic shoes, hunting knives…Hunters. Of course. One of the Hunter girls who looked like she could be a pro wrestler, tried to reason with her, but Reyna was having none of it.
"You've got the wrong impression," She retorted. "You think you can attack me and take me captive? Where are my friends?"
"Unharmed," Wrestler girl assured. "We took them out of the alley to a nice courtyard about a mile from here. Too good for them if you ask me. Look, it's three to one and your hands are still tied."
"You're right," Reyna admitted sarcastically. "Get another six in here and it might be fair. I demand to speak with your lieutenant, Thalia Grace."
The girl beneath her began to laugh. "Jason told me you were good. Never said you were this good."
"You?" Reyna asked, eyeing her prisoner.
"I can explain," Thalia said. "As long as you don't slice my throat."
Reyna allowed Artemis' Lieutenant to stand, the others with her relaxing in turn as Thalia brushed herself off and stretched out her now sore body. She invited Reyna on a short walk where she explained why the Hunters had set up here after receiving Nico's message. Thalia assured her that the statue was also safe and perfectly camouflaged by their best tracker. Then she mentioned the Amazons.
"You work for the Amazons?" Reyna inquired; her interest piqued.
"With them," Thalia corrected. She proceeded to explain the general differences between their groups and their temporary alliance here. "With the two camps at each other's throats… well, someone has to deal with the monsters and our forces are spread thin."
"I thought you told Jason you knew nothing of Camp Jupiter."
"That was true then," Thalia admitted. "But those days are over. Tell me, do you know how my brother is doing?"
"When I left in Epirus, he was fine."
"Good," Thalia breathed as they approached a doorway. She motioned to the girls accompanying them. "Leave us be for a bit."
The girls nodded before disappearing like they were never there to begin with. Reyna watched them go before turning back to Thalia.
"Now, just between us," Thalia began, moving in so as to lower her voice. "How are Annabeth and Percy?"
Reyna was caught off guard by the question. Bringing up Percy had brought about a bit of anxiety in her as she wondered if Thalia knew about them. Her mind raced back to the memory of Percy desperately trying to overcome his fears for her and how utterly devastated he appeared coming out from Tartarus.
"They're okay," Reyna managed, hoping Thalia wouldn't notice. "You know what happened/"
"I do…" Thalia said, biting her lip. "Nico's message came through Camp Half-Blood and the news came with it. Gods, I can't begin to imagine what they went through."
Reyna nodded, but there was something still nagging her. "Why did this have to be private?"
"Annabeth has declined Lady Artemis on several occasions. Some of the other Hunters do not view her favorably. As for Percy… well, I don't think I need to explain the whole male thing."
"I understand," Reyna said, regaining her composure.
Thalia moved to rap on the door in Morse code. As she waited for someone to answer, she turned back to the Roman praetor. "Oh, and congrats to you and Percy. When you see him again, tell him I'm sorry for always making him shoulder the burden."
Reyna's composure instantly collapsed again. "How did you—"
"I'm a Hunter, I track things for a living. And you smell like the seaweed."
The door opened and Thalia walked away, leaving her flustered as she entered what looked like a conference room for a shipping company. At the center of the round table was a familiar face.
"Baby sister," Hylla started. "Here we are, home again. Fearing certain death again. We have to stop meeting like this."
"Well, no warm words for your sister?"
"Thank you for having me abducted," Reyna said stoically. "For shooting me with multiple tranquilizer darts, putting a bag on my head and tying me to a chair."
"Rules are rules," Hylla shrugged. "You're a praetor, you should know that. Besides, no exceptions, especially for family."
"You're talking to the praetor who left on an illegal mission to the ancient lands," Reyna retorted, crossing her arms. "I think you just enjoyed it."
"That too."
A brief silence passed over the room. "Nico's message, Hunters, Amazons…you're not here for us." Reyna deduced.
"Orion," Hylla confirmed, motioning to another girl, the Hunter Phoebe.
Phoebe explained that Orion had not been tracking the Athena Parthenos but had instead been tracking Reyna herself. She explained his obsession with the Hunters and Amazons, or any strong women for that matter. Orion had not always been the bloodthirsty giant and had once served as part of the Hunt. The only male to ever do so.
Over the centuries, he had been nearly impossible to track. Even some of the best Hunters to ever serve could not manage to draw him out of hiding. Countless dead were left in his wake. Sabotages, murder and much more heinous crimes were among his list of innumerable sins.
"Why," Reyna wondered. "How did he come to this?"
"He fell in love," Phoebe explained. "With lady Artemis."
"Which is why you're here," Hylla added.
"I'm bait," Reyna figured.
Hylla looked down solemnly as she took a deep breath at the accusation. "Yes. Orion seems to have a fixation with you. If I had to guess, it would probably be because of your…fling…with Percy Jackson."
"My gods!" Reyna exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "Does everyone know?"
"The Jackson boy?" Hylla countered. "Really? Him? Of all people…You could do better."
"I don't want to hear it!" Reyna yelled, her face red. "I just want to know how you intend to handle this situation and if you can help us transport the statue."
Hylla cleared her throat. "We cannot help you with the statue. Amazons are honorary daughters of Ares. Mixing that with a statue of Athen would be unwise. As for Orion…"
Another door slammed open as another Amazon ran breathlessly towards Hylla. "Praetor," She acknowledged before whispering in her superior's ear. The Amazon leader's face turned dead serious. Phoebe, sensing danger, quickly pressed a small package into Reyna's hand, giving her a quick rundown of the instructions to use it.
"You need to go now," Hylla began. "I'm afraid Orion—"
Reyna's ears were ringing. She could barely hear the orders Hylla was giving as she reached for her sword. Her stomach sank when she remembered it was confiscated. The Amazons began to surge forward as wolves flooded the compounds. Hylla grabbed her sister's wrist and dragged her away, locking the door behind her.
"What are you doing?" Reyna screamed. "They'll die!"
"Don't be stupid!" Hylla's face was strained with loss. "Do you have any idea how many traps were set up for Orion? He outfoxed us and turned the ambush. You need to leave with your friends and complete your quest. Here."
She led them to the locker room where Reyna's supplies were kept. Quickly, she restocked with her knife, sword and pack back with her as Hylla pressed forward towards a nearby stairwell. The two climbed up and out into the old villa that they grew up in. The mental shock froze Reyna in place momentarily, losing precious time.
"No," Reyna whispered.
"We don't have time, come on!" Hylla yelled. "I own the building. I'm tired of running from the past, so I'm reclaiming it."
"Have you seen them?" Reyna asked, eyes darting from side to side.
"Some of them, but not the one you speak of," Hylla admitted, trying to rush the conversation. "He's gone for good. You know that."
"I don't know! Why would you come back? There is nothing you can learn from ghosts!"
Reyna's thoughts briefly flashed to Aphrodite in Charleston. Maybe there was good cause to ignore goddesses as well. With her outburst, she had snapped back into the dire situation and the sisters burst out into the street. Right into Orion.
"Both daughters of Bellona," Orion spoke, eyeing the two up and down. "My lucky day."
"Reyna, you have to go," Hylla said cautiously, eyes focused intently on every twitch of Orion's body. "I will hold him here. Finish your quest."
Orion laughed. "Hylla Twice-Kill. How I would love to have you, but alas, Amazons are blessed by Ares. The others though…hmm, yes I enjoyed ripping them to shreds."
"You have enough Amazon blood on your hands," Reyna declared, drawing her blade. "How about a Roman?"
"Reyna Ramirez-Arellano."
His tone of voice sent shivers down Reyna's spine. He had laughed off Hylla, perhaps because Ares' blessing was strong enough to deter him. But the way he spoke to them, it was like her older sister was a side show to the main event. Orion had yet to decide exactly what to do with his appetizer because he was focused on Reyna, his main dish. The way he leered at her was a look Reyna knew all too well. From her time with the pirates to Octavian at Camp Jupiter. Orion wanted her.
"Surrender to me and I will assure you a happy life," Orion offered. "You have no place to return to, Jason Grace scorned you, and the Jackson boy… well, he is broken beyond repair, undeserving of you. He cannot fill the emptiness in your heart, but I can show you what a real man can offer."
Reyna could feel the bile and anger build up inside as she wanted to vomit all over his face. Hylla looked furious at the audacity of the giant to insinuate such things about himself, and her sister right in front of her.
"You mean as your obedient servant?" Reyna asked.
"Yes!" Orion exclaimed "So glad you understand. I will provide you with the love and care that the son of Poseidon never could!"
"Like a dog," Hylla scoffed.
Orion turned angrily towards her. "I did not give you permission to speak. You will wait until I am done with my concubine to be."
"Concubine," Reyna choked.
"Or what?" Hylla challenged, eyes narrowing.
The giant shook his head as he readied his bow. Faster than the eye could see, he'd knocked and launched an arrow squarely at Hylla's heart. The Amazon was sent tumbling backwards before Reyna could react. That was all she needed. Standing outside her old house where her sister had nearly been killed once before sent Reyna into a blind rage as she charged Orion.
"Good!" He yelled. "It's always more fun when they fight back first."
Charging in, Reyna ducked and dove trying to close the distance from the archer and using his height against him as she repeatedly tried to score low cuts. Several times, she came dangerously close to having her head removed by a stray swipe of Orion's ebony bow. Still, thinking her sister had died, she pressed the attack, futile as it may be. Her blade was doing minimal damage to the giant, and she had no god to help her kill him for good.
Her luck finally ran out when Orion managed to grab ahold of her throat and lift her into the air. Trying desperately to kick at him, claw at his hand or bite did nothing as the giant gave her a bemused look. Reyna glared in response, murder in her eyes.
"Not bad," Orion praised. "I hope you'll keep this energy up for the wedding night."
Before she could think of anything else, Orion had suddenly let her go as an entire Chevy crashed into him, sending him flying backwards. Reyna looked back in disbelief as she tried to catch her breath. Hylla stood proud, her hand bloodied, Orion's arrow snapped in half at her feet.
"You sick freak," She declared. "You will not have my sister and you will not have me. I will take your life as recompense for the lives of the Amazons you killed today. I am Hylla Twice-Kill. Queen of the Amazons. San Juan will be your grave."
Orion threw the car off of himself as he dusted off. He prepared another arrow and the two braced themselves for impact before a satyr screaming bloody murder fell from out of nowhere, cracking a baseball bat over the giant's head.
"DIE!" Hedge screamed as he proceeded to use his shattered bat to give Orion the biggest splinter ever.
Nico slipped out from the darkness, slashing across the giant's eyes, temporarily blinding him. In one swift motion, he cut the handle of the compound bow and the tension on the string snapped it like a whip into Orion's face. Hunters had also appeared in droves, likely all they had left to muster, and filled their enemy with arrows until he was a silver pincushion.
"Reyna!" Nico called out, rushing to her. "Are you okay?"
Reyna rubbed her still sore throat. "Yeah, peachy. Kind of like—"
"Not a word about the shirt," Nico cut her off.
"Great, now let's get going!" Coach Hedge demanded. "We have the statue nearby let's go!"
"But—" Reyna tried to protest.
"Listen to your sister," Thalia assured her, appearing from behind. "Go, we'll hold Orion here."
The son of Hades didn't need to eb told twice. Though he hated human contact, he grabbed Reyna's hand and broke into a full sprint. Shades and remnants appeared in droves as they ran. Murderer. Traitor. Empty. Unworthy. The ghost chanted. Nico tried to ignore them, but he couldn't ignore the effect they were having on Reyna. Her pace was slowing and eventually, she crumpled, yanking Nico back. Hedge and Nico both cursed. The statue was only a few yards away. Just a little further.
"Reyna, what are you doing? C'mon," Nico pleaded, trying to stand her up.
"No, I'm not like that," Reyna pleaded to the spirits. "I wouldn't do that to him. He wouldn't do that to me."
"Kid, get her over here!" Hedge yelled, already gripping the statue.
Nico cursed again, then let his anger and frustration go. Those emotions would get him nowhere this time. He still hated what he was about to do, but it was better than dying in sunny Puerto Rico. He kneeled in front of the girl who was now on the verge of tears and gripped her hands tightly.
"Reyna," Nico said. "Reyna, I need you to look at me."
She shook her head. "Look at me Reyna," Nico said more forcefully.
Reluctantly, she met his gaze. Her glassy eyes reflected his tired black irises back at him. He saw his own genuine concern and confidence for the Roman girl. He wasn't sure where that bravado was coming from, but he needed every ounce off it right now to stave off the extreme anxiety rising in his chest.
"Don't give those things the power," Nico commanded. "Whatever they are, it's the past. It's part of you, but it does not define you. I'm here for you. Coach is here for you. But we need you now. Whatever you need after this, you've got it, okay?"
Reyna nodded and began to stand. They both made a break for the Athena Parthenos as Greek fire exploded behind them and Orion's screams bellowed through the region. The moment they touched the statue, the world melted into darkness and the void swallowed them up.