"How are you doing?" Annabeth asked as she looked at Percy. Concern flooded her tone, even when he grinned at her. "Seriously, don't act tough. Those peacekeepers flogged you."
Horrible thoughts ran through Annabeth's mind, and she tried to shut them out. Percy pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. She gently hugged him back, scared to touch his back and cause him anymore pain.
"I'm getting better. I promise," Percy said. He kissed her. "Almost back to one hundred percent."
Annabeth nodded. When her and Percy had been ambushed, she was handed over to Seva. Percy was flogged and left as a message. The symbol of the Sixth Legion had been carved into his back. Clarisse was the one who stated it was the peacekeepers trying to divide them more and not the Sixth Legion.
Annabeth knew it was the doing of the peacekeepers, and it had been genius. Annabeth would have been killed and out of the picture. Everyone would have seen what happened to Percy, and if something had been done to Annabeth's body, the Sixth Legion would have been blamed. It was no secret that Reyna hated her.
"You need to stop worrying," Percy lectured.
"You really do," Piper agreed. She was sitting next to Jason. The four of them were sitting in Poseidon's cabin, just trying to relax. Annabeth just couldn't relax. Not with this dilemma running through her head.
"Promise me you guys won't tell anyone this," Annabeth began. Her friends nodded. "I've been trying to talk to Reyna, but it's like she's avoiding me. Then, Artemis came to me and told me that she needed to show me something. She took me to the lobby of Mount Olympus."
"Bellona's body was found in the elevator, and they think Reyna did it," Annabeth said softly. Percy frowned and looked down. Piper averted her eyes, and Jason had a troubled look on his face. "The laptop that has the footage was destroyed. Leo is trying to rebuild it."
"Has he made any progress?" Thalia asked as she stepped into the cabin with a box of pizza. Annabeth gave her friend a look for listening in on them. "Hey, I was worried I would walk in on the two of you making out."
"You're just jealous you can't date anyone," Percy teased.
"I chose not to, Kelp Head," Thalia countered as she sat down. She grabbed a slice of pizza and passed the box around. "So, what are they going to do when Reyna is found guilty?"
"We don't know that she killed her mother," Jason began.
"Jason, she attacked me and tried to kill you in that stupid hospital," Piper reminded. She shook her head and looked away. "Reyna would definitely kill her mother. I know she did."
"I have to have faith in Reyna. I know her," Jason insisted. Thalia shook her head but remained silent as anger came to her face.
"You knew her, Jason. These wars have changed her. The schizophrenia, having her soul ripped in half, and everything else that has happened to her has changed the person that we knew into a monster," Piper explained. "I hate it, but Reyna isn't our friend anymore."
"It's not her fault," Jason argued. "Reyna has done what she's needed to."
"So, she needed to try and kill you?" Thalia demanded. "What about my Hunters?"
"Can't you get over them?" Jason suddenly asked. He turned on his sister. "I know they were your Hunters, but they were working with Circe!"
"Worked with Circe. They weren't working with her anymore!" Thalia yelled as she stood. They heard a small knock on the door. Leo peeked his head in.
"Is this a bad time?" Leo slowly asked. Percy motioned for him to walk in. Leo stepped inside holding onto a laptop. "Bad news and good news. The bad news is that I couldn't save the laptop; it was too busted. Good news is that I was able to save the hard drive and all the important bits. Replaced them and put them in this bad boy."
"Can I see it?" Annabeth questioned. Leo nodded and handed her the laptop. Annabeth opened it, and everyone crowded around her as the laptop slowly turned on. It took an even longer time for everything to load. Annabeth stared at the folders that littered the home screen. Every folder was labeled with a year and month.
Annabeth slowly navigated to the folder of that month. When she clicked on it, she saw a few videos appear. An educated guess told her that the last video would have what she wanted. Annabeth clicked on it, and as it loaded, she carefully fast forwarded.
The seconds that passed were agonizing. Annabeth found her hands shaking, and she was worried she would fast forward too much and miss something. The only thing the video showed was a woman that sat at the front desk, sitting bored and playing on her phone. Thalia sighed in annoyance and lowered her head.
"I can't do this," Thalia muttered. She stood and walked towards the door. "Let me know when you find proof."
Thalia left the room, and Annabeth continued to fast forward. She froze as she saw two people enter the lobby. Reyna moved her hand to her sword, but the person that stood next to her, someone in the armor of the Sixth Legion, grabbed her arm.
The video didn't have any audio, but Reyna moved her gaze back to the woman at the desk. The woman put her phone down and stared at them. The woman stood and walked towards them, seemingly talking to Reyna.
The legionnaire rubbed their arm as they spoke up. Reyna glanced at her companion. The woman finally turned and walked back towards the desk sitting down. She adjusted her black jacket and seemed to keep an eye on Reyna.
As the legionnaire held their hand out, the woman gave her the key to the elevator. The woman grabbed the shoulder of the member of the Sixth Legion, and the hand was promptly shoved off. A smile came to the woman's face as she turned away and looked at Reyna.
Annabeth focused on Reyna, who just stood there as her companion walked towards the elevator. Reyna finally walked towards them. The elevator door closed behind her, and Annabeth paused the video.
"That doesn't mean anything," Jason began.
"It doesn't," Percy agreed. Annabeth nodded and started to fast forward again. Leo leaned on her as he stared at the laptop, and she barely resisted the urge to shove him. Annabeth watched as the woman packed up her things and then stood in front of the elevator, waiting.
When the elevator doors finally opened, Annabeth just stared. Reyna's legion compatriot was covered in golden ichor and some blood. The front of Reyna's armor had a line of golden ichor splashed across it. Her lower half was covered in the same golden liquid. In the elevator sat the decapitated body of Bellona.
The legionnaire held tightly onto a golden sword: Kronos' sword. Annabeth's breath caught in her throat. The member of the Sixth Legion spoke to the woman. Then she led Reyna towards the counter.
Another person, a man, stepped into the building. The woman, the man, and the legionnaire started to talk with each other. Annabeth paid no attention to them. She just studied Reyna. The imperator was staring at the wall, looking shocked. Was it from killing her mother? Watching her mother be killed?
As the three continued to talk, Reyna suddenly spoke up. Everyone turned to look at her. Reyna slowly opened the laptop. Her hands were shaking, and her hands seemed to be covered in some of the godly blood. Was it from committing the deed or being a witness?
Reyna looked through the laptop. Then, she stood, pulling the laptop up with her. Reyna flung it at the wall. She sat back in the chair and stared at the ground. The member of the Sixth Legion said something to the man, and he left the building.
This compatriot of Reyna's wasn't tall enough to be Arcadia, and Annabeth kept catching glances of blue eyes. Was this a peacekeeper posing as a member of the Sixth Legion? The woman followed behind the man, leaving Reyna and the possible peacekeeper alone.
The member of the Sixth Legion grabbed Reyna's shoulder and spoke to her. Reyna buried her face in her hands. The faceplated warrior talked to her. They finally offered a hand, and Reyna took it. The two left together.
"This doesn't mean anything," Jason began.
"Reyna and someone else entered an elevator. They left it with a body inside and covered in golden ichor. Even if Reyna didn't kill her mother, she was a witness to it," Annabeth stated. "Why wouldn't she stop it?"
"I think Reyna did it," Piper claimed. Jason tried to protest, but Piper held up her hand. "Just think about it. The other person was covered in ichor. From head to toe. That doesn't happen from a decapitation. It's like they were knocked into the puddle on the floor.
"I'm no scientist, but that blood splatter on Reyna's chest looked like it could have come her slashing someone across the neck. Or you know, taking someone's head off," Leo agreed.
"The Olympians are going to blame Reyna either way," Percy commented.
"We can't show Thalia. Please," Jason pleaded. "I know Reyna would never do this. Not if she was in the right state of mind."
"Jason, she hasn't been in the right state of mind since we returned the shield. The Reyna that was your best friend is gone," Piper stated, trying to hammer her point into him again. Annabeth looked away from her friends and studied the laptop. She could just hide the laptop and pretend that they couldn't save the footage, or she could tell the truth.
Did Annabeth believe that Reyna killed her mother? That she could?
Annabeth closed the laptop and stood. She looked at her friends as she gripped the laptop, "I'm going to tell Thalia."
"Annabeth," Jason protested.
"Reyna has been slipping, but not since we found the shield. Ever since she was attacked by the rogue Amazons. First, it started with anger that she kept building inside her. Along with all the other stuff, she is just a powder keg. We've seen what happens when her anger explodes, and I think her anger caused her to kill her mother," Annabeth deduced.
"This is going to get her killed," Jason said. Annabeth looked down and closed her eyes. "Annabeth."
"I know," Annabeth whispered. She looked up at Jason and squared her shoulders. "I know, but I have to. If Reyna is willing to kill her mother, who else will she kill?"