Reyna's eyes drifted open, and she blinked a few times to get her bearings. Her right arm felt like static TV. It must have been the arm she had slept on. Her sword was still resting in the crook of her arm. Reyna slowly rolled onto her back and rubbed her other arm to wake it up.

Her gaze focused on the string in her hand. Hylla's string had been passed between Bellona, Eirene, Eris, and then the peacekeepers. Why wouldn't Bellona keep hold of Hylla's string? Why would she put one of her daughters in danger? Did she even care?

A frustrated sigh left Reyna. While she felt physically rested, her body still ached with the pains from yesterday. Nightmares hadn't plagued her that night, for once. Some of the nightmares had started, but they seemed to end just as quickly. It should have made Reyna feel better. Instead, she felt more conflicted than before.

The peacekeepers wanted to destroy the Olympians. There was no getting around that, and as much as Reyna hated the gods, she had to think of the consequences. The other demigods would defend the Olympians to their dying gasp. They would do everything in their power to stop the peacekeepers.

Siding with the peacekeepers meant that Reyna would be turning her back on the demigods. While some of them had ruined her life, she would be punishing many demigods for the acts of a few, and that wasn't fair. It was something those arrogant tyrants did.

An angry sigh left Reyna, and she continued to rub her arm until she got the stinging feeling to settle. The Olympians were going to demonize her no matter what, and they were definitely going to punish her for killing her mother. Did Reyna even have a choice anymore?

The peacekeepers seemed to trust Reyna since they gave her Hylla's string. Or, was that part of the manipulation? This was Hylla's string though. Reyna could see her sister's memories. Another angry sigh left Reyna, and she buried her face in her pillow. What was she supposed to do?

Reyna just wanted one thing to be clear: she wanted to go one day without being conflicted over everything in her life. Reyna rolled out of bed and made it to her feet. She pocketed Hylla's string and looked around the room. Zara was in the bed across the room, snoring softly.

Reyna grabbed her armor and slowly put it on. She made sure to be quiet, so she wouldn't wake up Zara. After putting on her armor, Reyna put her sword on her belt and walked out of the room. She was starting to get familiar with the layout of the peacekeeper base.

Could she just leave? While she wasn't sure where she was, it would be easy to just pick a direction and run. She could also stay with the peacekeepers just long enough to learn their plans. Reyna bit her bottom lip and made her way towards the kitchen. She found two people already there.

"Hey," Charles greeted. He looked terrible. There were bags under his eyes, and his face was pale. His hands shook as he brought a cup of coffee to his lips. "Coffee?"

"I'm good," Reyna said. She slowly sat down at the table. "Are you okay?"

"Just nightmares," Charles almost whispered, looking down in thought. "I can sense when people are having their nightmares, and I can redirect their dreams. It just makes my nightmares worse."

"Did you redirect mine?" Reyna asked after a moment. Charles nodded. "Thank you."

"I figured that you needed a decent night of sleep," Charles admitted. Reyna looked down at the table. A plate of food was placed in front of her a moment later. Vasicio placed another plate in front of Charles.

"Both of you eat," Vasicio ordered. Reyna didn't argue. She just played with the food that was on the plate. Vasicio sat across from them and ate from his own plate. Reyna studied the son of Athena. He seemed to keep to himself, and they had hardly spoken.

Reyna looked back at the eggs in front of her and moved some around with her fork. Truthfully, she hadn't been eating much lately. Reyna didn't have an appetite, and it usually took her second in command hovering over her to make sure she ate. Or worse, their doctor would sit across from her and not move until she finished her food.

Reyna took a few bites and sighed. She lowered her fork and rested her head on the table. Reyna wasn't hungry, and the food didn't taste like anything. A hand gently moved to her forearm. Her eyes flickered up to look at Vasicio.

"I had a question," Vasicio announced. Reyna slowly sat up and nodded slightly. "I love to do research, and when I was younger, I was told about how Julius Caesar burned down most of the library at the behest of the gods. I also know books with knowledge like that do not just burn."

"My mother always believed that those books the gods wanted to destroy were buried underneath where the library stood, and Julius Caesar had the doors sealed by a child of Hecate. I also know the doors have supposedly never been opened, but rumor says that Caesar knew how. Did he ever pass the knowledge along to you?"

Reyna remained silent for a few moments and let her thoughts drift. Arcadia had mentioned the library of Alexandria to her, but the story didn't go exactly how Vasicio thought. Caesar had tried to burn the library down for the gods, but those that protected the library hired a clan to protect the books. When it was clear that Caesar's army wasn't going to be stopped, the clan took most of the books to an underground vault and used magic to seal it. That clan was the Wolf Clan.

Centuries passed with no one being allowed in the library. The Wolf Clan passed along the secret of the vault to their leaders, and finally, the Wolf Clan took control of most of Rome. Their leader opened the vault underneath for anyone who paid tribute to the clan to visit. When the leader died and the clan was wiped out, the vault doors closed.

One of the Sixth Legion's allies, a man named Sven, had messaged them and told them the library had been opened recently. It was by the only surviving member of the Wolf Clan, a traitorous madwoman named Seva.

Seva had called for Reyna and one of Reyna's centurions, Aquitaine, to meet with her and help end the war between the Sixth Legion and the clans surrounding them. It was all a trap. Seva had ordered the clans to attack the Sixth Legion and force them out of their home. She then helped Eris capture Reyna, and Aquitaine was revealed to have been a member of the Wolf Clan and Seva's sister. That didn't stop Seva from ordering Aquitaine to be nearly killed.

Reyna didn't know what happened to her centurion. She didn't know what was happening with the Sixth Legion or with her second in command, and Reyna was worried about them. So far, they had shown her loyalty, but was that only because she was their imperator? Did she hold their loyalty, or did they only care about maintaining the empire that the Sixth Legion represented?

"Reyna," a voice snapped Reyna back to reality. "Do you know anything about the library?"

"Not really," Reyna lied. "My second in command does."

"I thought so," Vasicio replied, some sadness seeping into his tone. He rubbed his chin. "I always wondered what secrets were in that library. What books were held there? Not just the ones about secrets, maps, or old recipes. What about the oldest of tales? The stories that were passed down by mouth must have been written down once before."

"Assuming you can read the language," Charles commented.

"I would find a way," Vasicio promised. Reyna heard the chair next to her move, and Zara sat by her. Vasicio handed Zara a plate of food, and she began eating quietly. The rest of the peacekeepers slowly filed into the room. The only one missing was Burza.

There wasn't much conversation in the room as everyone ate. Reyna stared down at her food and had a bite or two, but it felt like she was going to spit the food back up. She gave up halfway through and pushed her plate to the side. Then, she rested her head back on the table.

Whether Reyna fell back asleep or not, she wasn't sure. She felt someone shake her shoulder, and her eyes snapped open. Reyna slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes as Zara stood over her.

"Would you like anything to drink? We have coffee and soda." Zara politely asked.

"Just water," Reyna said after a moment. A water bottle was handed to her, and she opened it. Reyna took a gulp and just stared down at the table. Vasicio stood and made his way towards the counter and sat on it. Theo sat next to him, with Camila moving to his other side.

"With Burza incapacitated for the next week or two, I'll be taking charge of the plan," Vasicio proclaimed. "Now that we're all rested and fed, we should plan out exactly what we're going to do. Neith, do you have it?"

"I do," Neith answered. She carefully pulled a vial out of her pocket and put it on the table. For the entire time, her gaze didn't leave Reyna. It wasn't missed by the other peacekeepers. Theo picked up the vial and studied it.

"Make no mistake about it. Camp Half-Blood will fight us to their dying breath, and we can't afford that kind of delay," Theo stated. He glanced at Vasicio. "That is why we are going to spread this on their barrier. It will keep any demigod from entering or leaving the camp. Theoretically."

"Satyrs and Chiron may still be able to move through the barrier, but the only thing we care about is demigods," Vasicio explained. "In a perfect world, we trap Camp Half-Blood, Camp Jupiter, and the Hunters of Artemis inside. Then, no one can stop us from taking Olympus."

"What about the demititans?" Camila questioned.

"We won't know until we test it, but I doubt it. We need to make contact with the demititans and figure out exactly where they stand," Vasicio answered. "We just need them out of the picture."

"Why not work with them?" Zara questioned. "We know that the demigods have treated them terribly. We just have to figure out if it is enough to make them not work with us."

"The demititans are probably too scared to piss off the demigods," Dominic suggested.

"It would be one less army against us," Vasicio pointed out. "We need someone to be a diplomat. Don't disrespect them and don't upset them."

"Reyna, you worked with the demititans," Theo stated. Reyna glanced at him. "What do you think?"

"I don't know what they would do," Reyna answered after a few moments. She knew one demititan, Sarah, well enough, but the three other leaders were new to their position. She had no clue where she stood, and it wasn't like she exactly wanted to share that information with the peacekeepers. Reyna didn't know where she stood with them.

Reyna didn't know what she was going to do, and it only stressed her out more. It wasn't like she could go back to the Olympians and just admit that she killed her mother. At the same time, she wasn't sure if she just wanted to turn her back on them and help the peacekeepers. Reyna bit back a growl as she was left feeling confused and irritated.

For now, Reyna was just going to listen to their plan and try to figure something out. It was her only option, considering the alternatives.

"We need troops, and I think that the barbarians in Rome are the best way to go about it." Vasicio declared.

Reyna's attention snapped towards Vasicio. Was he serious? Those bastards attacked Reyna and her legion and killed a lot of good soldiers. Why bother using more mindless barbarians as an army when they aren't even disciplined? Reyna didn't know why she was not surprised by these things anymore.

"I understand that they attacked the Sixth Legion, but they listen to the orders of their master: Seva. We think that we can take leadership from her, but it won't be pretty. Some of the clans may turn on us as well." Vasicio laid out the details of his plan. His eyes focused on Reyna.

Reyna didn't say a word. She looked back at the table and thought it over. Beleza cleared her throat and spoke, "I think our biggest problem is the death of Bellona. The prime suspect will be Reyna, and the Olympians aren't going to kindly ask her what happened."

"You're right," Vasicio agreed. He looked over at Reyna. "It would be wise for you to retreat to the Sixth Legion and see where their loyalties lie."

"Yeah," Reyna muttered. She wasn't sure why the peacekeepers just assumed that she was with them, or were they extending her trust? Reyna didn't know, and it was starting to frustrate her more. Reyna bit the inside of her cheek, almost drawing blood.

"It will make contacting the demititans easier," Zara commented. Reyna glanced at the closest person to a worried mother in the group. She could still feel another pair of eyes staring her down like a predator. She slowly turned to lock eyes with Neith. If there was anyone who didn't look happy, it was her.

"Reyna can't just walk right on out of here," Dominic debated. "The gods know that Eris was torturing her. What are they going to think if Reyna doesn't have any injuries?"

"She is still healing from her wounds," Pia rebutted. "And, I know you are not suggesting we add to her list of injuries."

"No one ever said it was physical torture," Zara added. "It would be easy for her to say that it is mental torture."

"Drop her off somewhere and have her say she fought to escape," Camila suggested.

"You can stop talking like I'm not here," Reyna snapped. She felt her frustration boiling over and wrestled to contain herself. Reyna glared at the peacekeepers. "I can figure out what I'm going to say or do. I'm not a child."

The room fell silent, and Reyna swallowed painfully. She continued, "Drop me off somewhere with my supplies, and I can find my way back to the Sixth Legion."

"How can we get in contact with you?" Vasicio questioned. "Iris messages may be too dangerous."

"I'll find you," Reyna said after a few moments. She stood. "I need fresh air. I'm going to leave, and I'll message you when I'm ready. If I'm ready."

Reyna tensed as she expected the peacekeepers to protest and keep her from leaving. Instead, they all watched her. Camila finally sighed and stood to escort Reyna out.

"Guess I'll be shadow traveling you. We'll leave in five," Camila informed.

Reyna nodded and turned. She walked out of the room and tried to maintain control. Before she could make it too far, someone walked next to her. Reyna turned to look at Theo. He looked at her and smiled slightly.

"I know it's overwhelming," Theo empathized. "They expect you to be right with them and turn your back on the only life you've ever known. I don't blame you if you can't do that. Let me take you to the rest of your equipment."

The two of them walked down the hall and into a room that looked like an armory. Theo walked towards a table where some of Reyna's supplies sat. She slowly grabbed the brass knuckles that Athena had given her so long ago. It was a shield that could not be destroyed and was a replacement for her indestructible praetor's cape that was taken from her when she was exiled.

Reyna grabbed the rod that had been given to her by an old god of war named Quirinus. It could turn into a javelin and always came back to her. Reyna slowly grabbed the knife on the table. It was a normal knife one would use for battle, but she could rub the handle to call for Arcadia.

It only took a moment for Reyna to fix her armor and strap all of her weapons to herself. Theo stayed silent the entire time and seemed to be lost in thought. When Reyna turned towards the door, Theo spoke, "I understand how you feel. I never thought I could turn my back on Camp Half-Blood and the only family that I knew. But, I saw the truth."

"The gods fear us demigods. They fear us because of our powers," Theo explained. "The gods didn't want you to live because they knew how much power you would gain. Becoming a praetor was only the beginning. You started as some young kid in Puerto Rico, and you committed patricide, right? To defend your sister."

"That alone would have broken a lot of people, but you didn't let that happen. You and your sister fled to Circe's island and lived there until the pirates ruined it. And the pirates, well, I won't remind you," Theo said. "That would have broken most people, but you didn't let it break you. Instead, you found your way to the wolf house, survived the training, made it to Camp Jupiter, and climbed your way to the top. You helped deliver the statue to bring peace to the Greeks and Romans."

"Then, you survived the attack from the Amazons. From there, you only grew. You became a champion of Rhea, then an old war god, and even a champion of a Fate. And, you weren't done yet. From there, you became the imperator: the protector of Rome. It's not just some fancy title. Rome and its legacy ride on your shoulders," Theo continued.

"The gods feared you because they knew you would gain all of that power, but it was not because they thought you would be corrupted and turn on them for power. You've shown time and time again that you will give everything you have to defend the land and people that you believe in."

"The fear wasn't that you would become disloyal to the gods and turn on them for power. No, they feared you would gain power and see the world for what it truly was. You would see how the world truly works and how corrupted the gods are. The Olympians knew you would see the injustice that the gods cause and do everything in your power to stop it."

Theo finished and let out a small breath. He didn't say anything after that and visibly relaxed. Reyna looked at the ground and didn't say a word. She just walked out of the room and remained silent. Camila appeared at her side and gave her a look.

"I'm ready to go," Reyna said softly. She didn't want to know where she wanted to end up. Reyna didn't know what she was going to do, but she did have one goal in mind: regroup with Arcadia and The Sixth Legion. They had been in trouble when she left them, and she would make damn sure they were safe. From there, Reyna would take the rest one step at a time.