"You didn't have to be such an asshole to Piper. You know that, right?" Thalia asked. She tensed as they stepped out onto the roof. Heights were not her thing. Ever since she was a kid, she hated to be higher than ground level. To walk onto a roof casually almost made her hyperventilate.
Reyna remained silent. She walked across the roof of the building. Thalia stayed at the doorway. After a few moments, she took a small step forward. When the world didn't fall out from under her and when the building didn't collapse, she took another step.
"So, you two slept together?" Thalia called from across the roof. Reyna stopped walking and looked at her. Then, she looked back at the dark building across from them. There were no lights on, but it was also after midnight. Thalia was too wired to sleep. Ever since Piper told them about Luke, they had been planning what to do.
They both knew they needed to move quickly. There was no telling if or when Luke would move. Reyna suggested they scout out the building to make sure Luke was actually there and see what bodyguards he had. Then, they would draw him out or break in.
"Can you focus?" Reyna muttered. Thalia moved closer to her and crouched with a few feet between her and the roof's edge. Getting closer or looking down would cause her to vomit.
"You're the one who needs to focus," Thalia retorted. Reyna looked back at her and glared. "I've been with you since Piper left. You have been super agitated and more of an asshole than normal."
"Thalia, shut the fuck up. It's none of your fucking business," Reyna snapped. She shook her head and stared at the building. Thalia tried to will herself forward and only made it a few inches.
"So, you two did sleep together," Thalia commented.
"Yes!" Reyna hissed in a shrill voice. "We slept together! Then, I learned she was a Hunter of Artemis who was just using me! Does that make you fucking happy!?"
"I'm sorry," Thalia tried to defuse as she stared. Reyna looked at her with a fierce glare. Her face was flush with embarrassment. "Reyna."
"Is that his car?" Reyna questioned as she pointed. Thalia inched forward a little more and looked at the car parked near the building. It was too damn nice to be anywhere in this city.
"It is," Thalia confirmed. Her heart started to hammer in her chest. A shiver ran through her body. Reyna grabbed her leather jacket and rubbed it like it would give her comfort. Thalia scanned the rest of the street. There were no other cars around, and all of the other buildings were darkened. It was dead silent all around them, but Thalia's heartbeat played in her ear.
"Something is wrong," Reyna said. She gasped and suddenly stiffened. Thalia turned towards her and stared as she saw an arrow sticking out of Reyna's shoulder. Blood stained a bronze-tipped head. Thalia turned around and saw someone standing across the roof, blocking the door. The man stepped forward and closed the door with a deafening groan. "Oh, fuck! Get behind me."
Thalia did as she was told, but she made the mistake of looking over the edge. Her knees went weak, and her stomach did a few flips. Thalia tore her gaze from the three-story drop and focused back on the man. Jumping off the roof was suicide, and the man blocked the only exit. He could easily destroy any escape attempt they tried.
"What do you want?" Reyna questioned as she stepped in front of Thalia. Her hand gripped her shoulder, and Thalia saw Reyna's hand shaking as she tried to remove the arrow.
"I heard that you were back in town!" the man called. As he stepped closer to them, Thalia felt her gut twist. The man in front of her was twice the height of Thalia, putting him at ten feet tall. He would have been handsome with his dark spikey hair and skin the color of wheat toast; but, his eyes ruined everything.
The man didn't seem to have eyes at all. Instead, bronze devices covered his eyes, almost like he was wearing night-vision goggles. Reyna tensed and glanced back at Thalia. Fear flashed in her eyes for a moment, which did nothing to make Thalia feel better. The man spoke, "This must be your new charge. I'm sorry that she'll end up like the last one."
"What does he mean 'the last one'?" Thalia questioned her partner. Reyna didn't answer. "Who is he?"
"Me? Oh, my name is Orion!" the man announced proudly as he spread his arms and puffed his chest. "Bane of the twins Apollo and Artemis! And, I don't see those jackasses anywhere."
"Thalia, you need to run. Now!" Reyna ordered. She glanced at Thalia with a deadly serious expression. "I'll hold him off as long as I can."
"Oh, don't worry," Orion chimed in as he continued his approach towards them. Reyna cursed and launched herself forward. Thalia blinked, and Reyna crossed the ten-foot distance before her eyes were fully open. Reyna threw a punch, but Orion caught it. Thalia didn't even see the man move. "Your friend isn't going anywhere."
Reyna hissed as her forearm was twisted. She tried to raise her other arm to swing, but it was still immobilized by the arrow. Orion quickly took the chance to grab that arm and bring her into a full nelson. "You make this too easy. Just like last time."
Orion's hand wrapped around Reyna's neck, and he picked her up off of the ground. A knife suddenly appeared in Orion's bronze eye, and he howled in pain, losing his grip on her restrained arm. Reyna grabbed his wrist with both hands, and Thalia saw her twist hard. The giant man grunted uncomfortably and let go of Reyna completely.
Reyna unsheathed another knife from her belt and slashed upwards. Orion dodged out of the way and tore the knife from his eye. He threw it to the ground and suddenly disappeared. Thalia heard a noise behind her and turned around. A forehead quickly met her nose with a slam.
Thalia yelled painfully and fell backward. Blood streamed from her aching noise, and she placed both hands to her face. Reyna appeared over her and slammed into Orion. The giant man barely stumbled back, and he retaliated with a fist aimed at Reyna's nose. The woman dodged under his arm and kicked him at the back of his knee.
Thalia felt tears brim in her eyes, and she tried to scoot backward. Her eyes stayed focused on the two in front of her as they fought like demons. Reyna moved faster than Thalia could follow, and Orion was only a step behind. While Reyna seemed to have an advantage in speed, Thalia could tell that Orion was stronger.
Thalia kept moving backward, but it was slow going. Her head was spinning, and she felt sick. How the fuck did a punch do that much damage? Thalia finally turned towards the door and made it to her feet. As she crossed the distance towards salvation, a blur moved past her.
Orion appeared in front of Thalia and grinned with a mouth full of white teeth. Reyna put herself in front of Thalia. Her breathing was labored, and she was sweating. Orion looked like he hadn't broken a sweat, "Are you going to show your true power, Reyna? Or, are you going to keep playing around?"
"Why are you here?" Reyna questioned breathlessly.
"Our old friend Luke told me that you were killing his associates. He asked me to handle you," Orion answered. He flipped a golden dagger, the same one Reyna had stabbed him with, in his hands. "And to bring Thalia Grace back to him."
"Do you want to tell her about the last one you were supposed to protect? How you let her die?" Orion taunted. Reyna started to shake, but Thalia wasn't sure if it was from pain or anger. "When I beat you last time, I left you there to suffer. This time, I might have a little more fun. To the victor goes the spoils, after all."
"Then, I might drop you off to Castellan. He'll treat you just like he did your sister," Orion goaded. Thalia reached out to grab Reyna's shoulder, but it was too late. The woman launched herself into Orion, slamming him into the metal door.
Reyna propelled a furious punch at his jaw, but Orion ducked underneath. Thalia heard the crunching of metal and the breaking of a hand. Orion gave Reyna no time to gripe over her pain. He drove his shoulder into her stomach and catapulted her over his head, directly into the metal door.
Thalia winced at Reyna's awkward landing: neck and spine hitting the ground first, being compressed as the rest of her body slammed into the harsh metal door. Before the rest of Reyna's body could crumble to the ground, Orion slammed his foot directly into her midsection, like he was punting a football.
A strangled cry escaped Reyna, and Orion kept his leg planted in her stomach. He smirked and grabbed her right ankle, picking her up like she was a doll. One of Reyna's hands moved to the back of her neck, and the other to her stomach.
"You're not taking me seriously," Orion mocked. He threw Reyna across the roof. Reyna hit the roof hard and rolled for a few moments. With Orion still blocking the door, Thalia ran to Reyna's side.
Reyna's face was contorted in pain. Thalia spoke quickly, "Let's go!"
"I can't," Reyna wheezed as her arm shot to the arrow in her shoulder. Thalia understood and reached out, only for Orion to suddenly grab Thalia by the back of her neck and pull her to her feet. Orion grinned, and Thalia heard a painful snap. She tensed, expecting to feel pain. Instead, Reyna yelled out.
Thalia's eyes moved to the ground. She watched as Orion lifted his foot from Reyna's hand before stomping down again. Reyna yelled again and tried to twist away. Orion kept his foot planted on her hand, twisting his heel. Then, he forced Reyna's hand to skid on the ground, leaving skin and blood behind.
"People have been talking, Reyna. I heard that you wanted to take this mission on yourself. Against dear old Nico's wishes," Orion taunted. Reyna hissed and feebly hit his foot. "He didn't want you to take this mission. Told you not to help this dumb wench."
"You went your own way, and now, he won't even help. Am I right?" Orion smiled coldly. "He told you she was a waste of life who would fail. You still planted that tip, making it look like she was coming to you for help."
"Why would you go against your boss like that? Do you know what's gonna happen to you, even if you win?" Orion questioned in a mocking tone. "I know it's not just you getting payback, so what the hell makes this bitch so special? Tell me, or I break her neck."
"Because I am going to fucking avenge my sister," Reyna snapped. Pain laced her tone, but the anger in her eyes scared Thalia.
"You're his right hand. His most trusted lapdog. Yet here you are, betraying him. Not very loyal of you, Fury." Orion commented sardonically. Reyna spat up at him.
"Shut up!" Thalia yelled. She kicked at Orion, but it didn't seem to do anything. Orion brutally twisted his heel. Reyna cried out in tense pain again. "Leave her alone!"
"Piss off, brat," Orion hissed to Thalia. Then, he threw her across the roof. A yell escaped Thalia as she hit the ground and skidded a few feet. "Now lay there like a good bitch."
A groan escaped Thalia as she heard the sound of fighting, but she even couldn't lift her head. Pained breaths escaped her, and she placed a hand to the back of her head. It hadn't been busted open, but she had whacked it pretty hard. Thalia rolled onto her side and felt useless. She couldn't do anything against Orion.
An angry breath left Thalia. She took another minute to sit up and looked at the two warriors. Orion's lips moved, but Thalia couldn't make out what he was saying. Reyna tensed and slammed into the giant man. It looked like Reyna was tackling Orion to the ground, but it all changed once they made it there.
Orion slipped one of his arms around Reyna's neck and squeezed tightly. He kept her neck trapped between his forearm and chest. His muscles tensed at the effort of cutting off Reyna's oxygen. His free arm trapped her uninjured one.
Reyna was not moving her other arm, the one that had the arrow still in it, and Thalia realized it was because she couldn't. Reyna tried to pull away, but Orion only laughed. Her legs kicked out at nothing as she tried to struggle, but after a few seconds, her legs stopped moving. Orion seemed to relax his bulging muscles, and Thalia heard Reyna desperately gasp as she was allowed just enough room to breathe.
"Thalia Grace, did Reyna ever tell you what they did to her sister?" Orion called out to her. The brute eased his hold on Reyna, giving her enough room to breathe and even try to get away from him. Reyna hadn't even made it to her knees when Orion tightened his grip and yanked her back towards him, driving a knee directly into her kidney. A strangled cry of pain escaped Reyna. Orion allowed her to attempt to pull away again before slamming his knee back into her again. The woman collapsed against him.
"Stop!" Thalia cried. She could only watch in horror. If she tried to run, Orion wouldn't let her. Thalia couldn't just sit there. As she told herself this, she just sat there, watching helplessly. "Please just stop! I'll do whatever you want!"
Orion laughed louder. It took Reyna a moment to attempt to stand once again, and Orion pulled her back down, driving his knee into her stomach. Thalia heard the woman retch. Orion growled in disgust but didn't let go. Thalia could see vomit trickling to the ground, and she felt sick to her stomach.
"Stop. Reyna doesn't deserve this! I'll go back to Luke. Just leave her alone," Thalia begged. She felt sick to her stomach as she watched. Each blow to Reyna felt like a blow to Thalia's heart, and she didn't know why. But, this had to stop. "Please!"
"Shut your whore mouth!" Orion barked as he turned to face Thalia. He tightened his grip on the headlock he had Reyna in. Reyna's leg started to spasm as she choked on her vomit.
Thalia stared in horror as fear gripped her chest. This was different from the Bear Twins and Bryce. Reyna had at least managed to fight back then and had gotten them out of both situations. Thalia knew it wasn't going to be the same way this time.
"I want to hurt this bitch," Orion snarled. "She's been a pain in my ass for years now. I had her once before and didn't finish the job. This time will be different. Now quit fucking around, Reyna, or it only gets worse from here."
Orion relaxed his grasp, but Thalia heard Reyna choking on her vomit. She coughed miserably, and Thalia could see the small pool of vomit and blood swelling beneath the two. Orion spoke, "Now, you never answered my question. Did you tell the junkie about what they did to your sister?"
Reyna didn't answer, and Orion rolled his mechanical eye, "You could have made this easy."
Orion let go of Reyna's arm and slammed his fist directly into the back of Reyna's ribs. Thalia heard a painful crack, and Orion did it again. Then, he rained down clubbing blows directly into Reyna's rib cage. Yells of agony escaped the trapped woman.
Thalia looked away and buried her face in her hands. She heard Reyna's shrieks of agony turn into soft whimpers. Her hands shook as she listened, and she knew that she couldn't sit around. Thalia just couldn't be a bystander anymore. Reyna had saved her enough. It was time for Thalia to return the favor.
"Asshole!" Thalia yelled at the top of her lungs. She grabbed the gun from her waistband and heard the crack of thunder. Rain started to fall, but she stayed focused on Orion. She aimed the gun at him. Orion looked up, and a cold grin came to his face.
"That won't work on me. Not without some help. Did they not tell you about giants?" Orion taunted. He brought his fist back down again, and Reyna whimpered miserably as her entire body was visibly wracked by the next blow. "But, go ahead and try without a god here. Reyna's first charge tried it, and well, you can guess how that turned out."
"Leave. Her. Alone!" Thalia ordered. Her hands shook from rage. Orion watched her and widened his grin.
"Octavian brought her to us. It was so cute: little Reyna, a sophomore in highschool, thought she had a boyfriend. Then, he invited her to prom. When she slipped out of her house to be with him, he brought her right to us. It was his initiation for the gang."
"See, Hylla wanted to protect her precious little sister from the life she lived. One of crimes and violence. She kept a close eye on Reyna, but the little girl decided to sneak out for her date," Orion continued. He released his grip on Reyna's neck, but she didn't move, still laying slack against him. Thalia didn't know if Reyna was unconscious or already dead.
"Oh, it doesn't work like that," Orion promised, as if he knew what Thalia was thinking. "When she's like this, her demigod blood keeps her from dying, but not like the ones she replaced. No, those three were easy. When I get her to show her true colors, though; that's when I'm gonna end her."
The fuck did Orion mean by Reyna's true colors? And what the hell did he mean earlier? He called Reyna the right hand of Nico, but he also called her a Fury. Did he mean she was Nico's wrath, his anger? Or something else?.
"You're getting me off-topic," Orion continued. He shoved Reyna off of him and slowly stood. Thalia stared at the blood and vomit that trickled from Reyna's mouth. "Octavian took her back to his base, and they sent Hylla a warning of what would happen if she didn't come. And she did. Of course, she did."
Thalia glared at the man, struggling to keep her temper in check. She believed Orion when he spoke about the bullet, and she couldn't afford to waste a single one. What did he mean by help? Where could she find that? There had to be another solution. She just needed to think, and for Reyna's sake, she needed to think of something fast.
"Hylla rushed in all alone. That bull-headed cunt. She was all bravado until she made it to us. Froze in place when she saw the cold steel pressed to her sister's head," Orion carried on. His cruel grin widened even further, and he grabbed Reyna by her jacket, pulling her up to her feet.
Reyna instantly collapsed against him as her legs folded underneath her. Orion laughed and pressed her face against his crotch. Thalia felt white hot rage in her chest. Who the fuck did Orion think he was?
"Luke told her it was simple. Give herself up, or they would kill her sister. Can you guess what Hylla did?" Orion jeered. He reached his hand underneath Reyna's chin and forced her to look up. Even with the distance between them, Thalia could see the dull rage in Reyna's eyes. "Handed herself right over. I was told it was pathetic."
"Do you remember that?" Orion asked Reyna. He pulled her back up and wrapped an arm around her chest to keep her standing. Orion kissed Reyna roughly, and Thalia felt her rage double. Reyna was nearly out cold on her feet. She couldn't defend herself, and Orion was taking full advantage of it.
"Do you remember Luke bending your sister over the table and fucking her till she bled?" Orion cackled. He gripped Reyna's jaw tightly and forced her to lock eyes with him. "How about him passing her around like the cheap whore she was? Or all four of us having her at the same time? Since Octavian forced you to watch, I know it was seared into your brain."
"What they did to her is nothing compared to what I'm gonna do to you," Orion promised. He looked at Thalia. "No one can say Luke isn't fair, though. He left this bitch out of the fun last time. Just shot her in the chest and left her to die, but she wouldn't just bleed out like a good girl. I never bothered telling Luke she was alive. Didn't figure it was worth the trouble."
Orion suddenly shrieked in pain and stumbled backward. He had a golden knife buried in his stomach. Reyna slammed her shoulder into Orion, knocking him to the ground. Thalia stared at the knife and quickly put her gun back in her waistband. She ran for the other golden knife left behind in their scuffle. Her feet nearly slipped on the slick roof. The rain fell much harder and quicker now.
Thalia wrapped her hands around the dagger and turned. She watched Reyna raise her fist and throw a punch. Orion caught her arm and pulled her to the ground. Thalia ran towards them and watched as Orion isolated one of Reyna's arms from the rest of her body, trapping it in between his legs.
Reyna tried to pull away, but a fist slamming into her ribs caused her to collapse back to the ground, letting out a strangled gasp of pain. Orion paid no attention to Thalia as he wrapped two hands around Reyna's arm, forcing it to an uncomfortable angle.
Orion jerked his body suddenly and violently. Reyna screamed in pain and completely collapsed in Orion's hold. He maintained his grip on her arm, bending her elbow, and as Thalia made it to their side, she saw that Orion had not only broken Reyna's arm but was pulling her shoulder backward at an angle it wasn't supposed to go, tearing her shoulder out of socket.
"Leave her alone!" Thalia yelled as she stabbed down. Orion caught her wrist before she could get the blade close. Thalia's eyes widened and she whimpered as her wrist was slowly crushed.
"You pathetic whore," Orion snapped. Thalia felt tears in her eyes from the pain. Orion suddenly yelped and released his grip on Thalia's wrist. She dropped the knife and fell away from him. "You fucking bitch!"
Orion wrenched Reyna's shoulder back with both of his hands, but he yelled in pain as he did so. He suddenly shoved Reyna away and cradled his bloody stomach. The golden dagger had carved into his stomach, and he was forced to keep his hands to his wound to keep anymore of his guts from spilling out.
Reyna's body was shaking as she rolled onto her back. Her eyes were glowing, and Thalia stared for a moment. Reyna's eyes were no longer black. They were red, like the flames of hell, and they were glowing like a hearth. Almost like they had been back at the police station, but they were much more intense now. The once golden dagger was now covered in blood as it slipped from her shaking hands.
Thalia scooped up the dagger and turned towards Orion. She stabbed downwards, but he moved impossibly fast to catch her wrist again. Orion kept his other hand pressed to his stomach and snarled at her, "I'll kill you."
"You're dying first," Thalia snarled back. She put all her strength into trying to force the dagger down, but Orion just chuckled. Thalia felt her rage reach a high it never had before, and she tore the dagger away. Then, she raised it and screamed in anger.
Thalia heard a crack of thunder, and she felt white-hot pain in her hand as if the dagger was burning red. Thalia paid no attention as she brought the dagger down as fast as she could and with all of her might. Orion's eyes widened, and he caught the dagger in his hand, but a scream escaped the man as lightning tore through his body.
Thalia would have thought she was going crazy if she didn't see the lightning arc from the sky, into the dagger, and into Orion's hand. His body seemed to spasm and grow weaker. Thalia stabbed the dagger into Orion's forehead, and she screamed her heart out again, letting anger fuel her. She saw Orion's body spasm as lightning used the knife as a conduit and tore into him.
A gasp left Thalia as she pulled away. She grabbed the other knife that she had dropped and stabbed it into Orion's throat. Thalia didn't know if the man was dead or not, and she didn't care. She felt this new strength in her limbs as she dragged Orion towards the edge of the roof.
"I already killed three of your goddamn friends!" Thalia screamed. "Luke is going to know I'm coming for him next! You'll be the fucking warning!"
Thalia grabbed the dagger from Orion's throat and tore it down his torso to his stomach, spewing his blood and spilling his guts. She let go of him and watched him collapse to his knees, somehow still clinging to life. Thalia didn't care. She walked towards the fallen gun and picked it up.
Thalia walked back towards Orion and pressed it against his head. She felt a second presence near her, and it felt like another hand wrapped around hers. Thalia pulled the trigger, and she watched the bullet tear into Orion's skull, whipping it backward.
Orion fell back over the roof's edge. Thalia waited for a breathless moment as he fell. A startled cat's meow and a car alarm told her he had finally crash-landed. The second presence disappeared.
Thalia crumbled to her knees and tried to catch herself with her hands. Instead, she collapsed to the ground as exhaustion took over. Her hand slowly grabbed the gun, and she slipped it into her belt. Thalia looked at Reyna, and her heart broke.
Reyna's uninjured hand was grasping at her chest. Her other arm was a mangled mess. Reyna turned her head slightly, and Thalia saw the woman's eyes were still glowing. Blood and vomit still trickled from Reyna's lips.
"Reyna, it's okay," Thalia whispered. She labored to her hands and knees. Thalia collapsed back to the ground and cursed angrily. Her body was too exhausted to pull her forward. Thalia slowly sat up and scooted towards Reyna.
"I'm here," Thalia whispered. She gently cradled Reyna's head. There were tears of pain in Reyna's eyes. "Orion is dead. I killed him."
Thalia didn't know how she was going to get Reyna to safety. Reyna couldn't stand on her own, and if she wasn't whatever freak of nature that she was, she would be dead by now. It took a few moments for Reyna to look at her. An attempt to speak was met with her coughing out blood and vomit.
"This is going to hurt. I'm sorry," Thalia whispered. Watching Reyna be destroyed by Orion made her sick to her stomach. There was this pang of conviction in her chest. It didn't matter if she had to carry Reyna all the way back to her apartment. That was what she would do.
Thalia felt the temperature drop, and a chill ran down her spine. Thalia turned and watched the shadows near her twist and contort. A silver figure appeared in the shadows. Thalia quickly stood in front of Reyna protectively.
"Do not fret, Thalia Grace," the figure, a woman, greeted. "I'm only here to help."
"Who are you?" Thalia questioned. Just standing on her feet was exhausting. After her display with the lightning, which she had no fucking clue how she managed that, she couldn't do much else.
"I am the lieutenant of the goddess Artemis and her hunters," the woman explained. She stepped out of the shadows and met Thalia's eyes. "I see you've met my brother's lieutenant. Come. My name is Bianca di Angelo, and I can help you."