How the fuck did they keep ending up in situations like this? Thalia kept asking herself that as she turned her head to the side. Reyna was sitting in the chair next to her. Both had their hands cuffed to the arms of the chair, and both had their feet chained. The interrogation room was quiet, which didn't help her sense of dread. They had been here for hours, long enough to fall asleep, sober up, and wonder what the fuck was going on.
Thalia still wasn't over the fact that she had been making out with Reyna. Hell, they were about to have sex. Thalia didn't regret it. She just couldn't figure out how she could hate Reyna one moment and want to sleep with her the next. Then again, probably just the alcohol.
"Can you do anything?" Thalia whispered. Reyna looked at her and slowly shook her head. A bright light was shining down directly into Reyna. She tried to squirm out of it but had no luck. Thalia laid her head back. "Fuck."
As if things couldn't get any worse, the door opened. Thalia turned her head and watched Octavian being escorted in by two police officers. Octavian wore a suit, and there was a grin on his face.
"Thank you. I shouldn't take too long with my clients," Octavian said. The two police officers sneered like they were in on the joke. "Can one of you hold the angry one still?"
Octavian walked towards the table and set his briefcase down. He started to open it as a police officer walked towards Reyna. He grabbed her shoulders roughly, and when Reyna tried to squirm away, the second slammed a baton into her stomach.
Reyna gasped and doubled over in pain. The second officer pinned her arm, and Octavian grabbed a needle. Thalia stared at the pure gold liquid inside. Octavian pressed the needle into Reyna's arm and pressed down on the plunger.
"That will be all. Thank you," Octavian said. The two officers left the room, and once the door closed, Octavian put the needle down. "I still don't know how the fuck you survived."
"Fuck you," Reyna hissed. She wheezed for breath and hunched over in her seat. "Fucking coward."
"Fucking coward," Octavian mocked. He chuckled and sat on the table. His gaze focused on Thalia. "I told Luke all about the two of you. He said that imperial gold will keep Reyna occupied, and he told me all kinds of things I could do to you."
"But, I have questions first," Octavian said. Thalia glared at him. This was a far cry from the man who had almost pissed himself in Bryce's office. Now, Octavian was calm, cool, and collected. And in control.
"Who was that group that attacked Bryce's men?" Octavian asked. He opened the briefcase again and pulled out two items. A knife and the gun that Thalia had been given. Octavian raised the knife as Thalia didn't respond. "Who?"
"I don't know," Thalia hissed. She looked to her side for help, but Reyna wasn't moving. Her head was lulled forward, and there was pain on her face. "What did you do to her?"
"Answer my question first," Octavian sneered.
"I don't know," Thalia said quickly. "They worked with Reyna. I was just dragged along."
It was technically only a half lie. Thalia had been dragged along, and while she may know that the Hunters of Artemis attacked Bryce, did she really know them? Thalia continued, "I've just been doing what Reyna has told me."
Octavian studied her and didn't look convinced. He finally sneered, "Luke doesn't know what Reyna is. Just that she is some sort of monster. And imperial gold kills monsters."
Thalia turned her head in surprise. Reyna's face was still contorted in pain, but it didn't look like she was dying. Octavian laughed, "In her veins, it works like a poison. But, she deserves to suffer more."
"You deserve to rot in Tartarus," Reyna hissed as she pried her eyes open and glared at Octavian. All Thalia could do was stare. Reyna's eyes looked like coals were starting to burn in them. Her body started to shake. Thalia knew she wasn't imagining it because Octavian's eyes widened, and he backed away from the table.
"What the fuck are you?" Octavian questioned. Reyna smirked and hung her head again. Thalia saw her companion's lips quivering from pain. "It doesn't matter. Orion will be here to deal with you soon."
Thalia tensed as the mention of Orion's name. He was the one that she knew the least about, other than him being a deadly killer. Reyna slowly spoke, "He couldn't finish me off before, or did he not tell you that?"
"He knew you were alive?" Octavian questioned as a frown came to his face. As Reyna smirked, Octavian glared. He held the knife to Thalia's throat.
"We fought before. Don't know if he recognized me or not," Reyna hissed as her eyes opened again. The coals seemed to be burning brighter. "Thalia is useless to you. I'm the one you want."
"Thalia makes a good toy," Octavian countered as he lowered the knife. He placed it on the opposite end of the table and picked up the gun. "Tell me about this."
"It's a gun," Thalia obliged. Octavian shoved the gun into her face. "You wanted to know about it."
"No. I fucking saw how Bryce died. You didn't have the gun, this gun, aimed properly. The bullet shouldn't have hit him, but it did. Explain that."
"Maybe, it's magic," Thalia sneered as she met Octavian's eyes. He didn't scare her like the others did. Maybe it was because he already showed he was a coward. Or, maybe she had been so close to death too many damn times already that she was numb to it.
"Let's find out," Octavian said. He placed the gun to Thalia's forehead. "Have anything else you want to say?"
Before Thalia could respond, Octavian pulled the trigger. Thalia tensed, but nothing happened. She heard the trigger click, but the gun didn't fire. No bullet came out the chamber and into her skull. Octavian pulled the trigger a few more times with an audible click, but nothing happened.
Octavian pulled the gun away and examined it. He tried to open the chamber but had no luck. Octavian smacked the gun against the table angrily, "What the fuck kind of useless shit is this?"
"A prop gun?" Thalia asked as a chuckle left her. The gun really was magic. It only fired if she pulled the trigger, and Reyna controlled where the bullet went. Thalia really was in a world of craziness. Or maybe she had been thrown into a psychiatric hospital.
The butt of the gun slammed into Thalia's face, shattering her nose. Thalia cried out and tried to bring both hands to her face. She had no luck as her arms were still trapped. Octavian grabbed her hair and forced her to look up.
"I'm going to deliver you back to Luke," Octavian sneered, and Thalia lost any bravado that she had. Her eyes widened, and Octavian laughed at her.
Octavian let go of her and sat back on the table. Thalia's eyes shot to the side. Reyna slowly looked at her. The woman's eyes still looked like it had been burning coals in them, but the flame was weaker. Reyna looked exhausted from whatever poison Octavian had given her.
Thalia looked back at Octavian. The lawyer stared down at the gun and seemed to be examining it. One of his hands rested on the chamber. The other rested on his chin.
"This has Ancient Greek on it," Octavian noted to himself. He stared down the barrel and opened his mouth to continue. The gun fired.
Thalia stared in shock and horror as the bullet slammed into Octavian's skull, throwing his head backward. The gun fell from his hands and hit the table. Octavian fell off the table. Dead.
"Reyna, how the fuck did you do that?!" Thalia demanded as she looked at her companion. Reyna stared at the body in shock. Her eyes were wide. "Reyna?"
"Killing Ethan Nakamura in broad daylight. With witnesses and cameras."
Thalia turned in her seat trying to find the voice that spoke. The room seemed much darker all of a sudden. The shadows seemed to dance on the walls.
"Fighting the Bear Twins and losing. Only to be saved by them."
Thalia jumped as the light shining down on Reyna exploded, sending shards of the lightbulb flying by both of them.
"Working with them to kill Bryce Lawrence in his base. With his men all around and allowing your face to be seen. Now, Orion hunts you."
Thalia turned to look at her companion. Reyna no longer looked shocked. She looked scared.
"And then being arrested by Octavian's little pigs? Forcing me to save you."
The voice sounded like it was all around the room. Thalia looked around trying to find the owner.
"All because you disobeyed my orders not to get involved in the affairs of Thalia Grace."
Out of the darkness, a hand appeared to grab onto the gun. Thalia looked up in terror as the gun was pulled back into the shadows.
"You had simple orders, but you disobeyed them. I told you to leave this alone. The death of Jason Grace was unfortunate, but it was not our concern. Instead, you disobeyed me. You whispered in the ear of a mortal to have them tell Thalia Grace about the crossroads. You met her there and made an offer you had no right to make."
"Did you forget who was in charge?"
The lights in the room went out completely, and Thalia almost screamed. The handcuffs around her wrists and ankles snapped open. A hand grabbed her shoulder, and whispers started in her ear. The world started to spin, and she felt like she was taking an ice bath.
As soon as the sensation began, it was gone. Thalia's eyes snapped open, and she found herself back in Reyna's apartment. Her knees went weak, and she crumpled to a kneeling position.
"What the fuck?" Thalia groaned. She slowly looked up and saw two perfectly polished, black dress shoes enter her vision. A further look up showed black slacks, and a black Italian suit jacket to finish off the look. As her eyes made contact with the man standing above her, she almost whimpered.
The man couldn't have been older than twenty. His shaggy black hair almost hung over his cold, dark eyes that made her think she was looking into the abyss. The man looked down at her and said, "Watch your language, Thalia Grace."
"Who the fuck?" Thalia slowly asked. The man glared down at her. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Nico. I'm sorry," Reyna began. She took a step forward, but the man held a hand up. Reyna flinched.
"Do you know what I spent my morning doing?" Nico asked. His voice was quiet enough that Thalia almost strained to hear him. His tone was as icy as his gaze. Reyna didn't answer, looking scared to death. "I had to deal with reports that I am losing control of my associates."
"That one of my said associates has been getting into a lot of trouble lately. Causing issues and making themselves known," Nico continued. "That I don't have as strong a grip on this place as I present. That it would be safer and easier to work with Luke Castellan."
"I'm sor-"
Nico held up his hand again, "Do you understand what you have done?"
"She's just trying to help me," Thalia snapped as she stood. Reyna looked at her and shook her head quickly. Thalia focused on Nico. "Reyna has been helping me kill those five assholes, and if you're her boss, you should be grateful. I know Luke did something to you as well, and you hate him. But you're too much of a fucking coward to get over your shit to work with the Hunters of Artemis."
"Shut up," Reyna hissed as she grabbed Thalia's arm. Thalia looked at her. "Shut. Up."
"Thalia Grace, look at me," Nico ordered. Thalia looked at him and opened her mouth. Her mouth shut instantly, and she stared.
Nico's eyes were a void that drew her in, and clear as day, she saw the decapitated body of Jason. His body was covered in bruises, burns, and cuts. She heard people talking in the background and pictures being taken of the body. It was like she was there, discovering the desecrated body of her younger brother.
Thalia blinked and found herself back in Reyna's apartment. She stumbled back and fell onto the bed. Her legs shook, and she felt sick to her stomach. Reyna turned towards Thalia.
"Reyna," Nico began. Reyna slowly looked at Nico. "You have created this mess, and you will clean it up, quickly. Orion and Luke will be killed. But, you will not muck up my operations anymore. No more working in the light. We stick to the shadows for a reason."
"Or else," Nico finished. He stepped back towards the shadows, and darkness seemed to consume him. Thalia stared at where the man, the monster, had been. The memory of Jason's body ran through her head again, and a strangled cry escaped her.
Thalia couldn't get that image out of her head. She buried her face in her hands and started to cry. Two shaking hands wrapped around her and pulled her close. Thalia buried her face in Reyna's chest and cried until she had no tears left to give.