I'm in a super rush so no replies, but have this chapter my lovelies!
"We'll help you as much as we can." Phoebe promised quickly, "You may no longer be a hunter Bianca but you were once one of us." Her gaze shifted to Reyna, "The Amazon service department has repaired those metal dogs of yours. And we have some cool parting gifts! Bianca will know how to use them-" she held out her hand and Celyn quickly handed her a leather satchel, shooting Bianca a warm smile.
"Let see-" Phoebe started rummaging inside, "Hunting potions. Tranquillizer darts. Hmm, what else? Oh, yeah!" Phoebe triumphantly produced a rectangle of folded silvery cloth.
"A handkerchief?" Reyna asked.
But Bianca was gasping, letting go of Reyna's hand and stepping forward quickly, a wide smile spreading across her lips. "Thank you- Reyna it's not a handkerchief." she guestured for the other girl to back away- which she did with a confused look on her face.
And Bianca tossed the cloth on the floor. It instantly expanded into a ten-by-ten camping tent.
"It's air conditioned." Phoebe spoke up. "It will sleep four. With a buffet table and sleeping bags inside. Whatever extra gear you put in it will collapse with the tent- um, within reason. The Parthenos wouldn't fit of course but it'll help."
"They're amazing." Bianca declared, "So much more comfortable than you'd expect Reyna- it's perfect for after we make a jump."
"Bianca already knows of course- but when you're ready to close it up the command word is actaeon." as Phoebe said that the tent collapsed once more into a tiny rectangle and she picked it up, stuffing it into the satchel. And when she held out the bag Bianca took it with a grateful smile on her lips. pulling it over her shoulder.
"I don't know what to say." Reyna was almost stammering- which was ridiculously cute in Bianca's opinion. "Thank you."
"Awwww." Phoebe shrugged, "It's the least I can do for-" Fifty feet away a side door banged open. An Amazon ran straight towards Hylla. The newcomer wore a black trouser suit, her long auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail.
Reyna seemed to recognise her. "Kinzie isn't it?"
The girl gave her a distracted nod. "Praetor." She whispered something in Hylla's ear.
Hylla's expression hardened. "I see." She glanced at Reyna. "Something is wrong. We've lost contact with the outer defences. I'm afraid Orion –"
Behind them, the metal doors exploded.
Bianca reached for her sword, drawing it quickly but Phoebe was suddenly there, shoving her backwards, "No! You must go-"
"But Phoebe-"
"Go Bianca." the huntress was readying her bow-and Reyna caught Bianca's arm when she stumbled, watching Celyn and Naomi running to the smoking doorway only to be cut down by black arrows.
Bianca's eyes widened in horror at that, her chest clenching painfully tight as her eyes filled with tears.
Celyn had been her friend- she'd been kind to Bianca when she'd joined the hunt. And Naomi had been kind too, even if she hadn't forgiven her for choosing to leave the hunt.
She couldn't hear the scream that left her throat over the roaring in her ears, but she could feel Reyna hauling her backwards when she tried to charge forward. And Phoebe was screaming too, returning the enemies fire as the amazons rushed forward with shields and swords.
"Reyna!" that was Hylla's voice, "We must leave!"
"We can't just-"
"Do you want your friend to die? My guards will buy you time. Your quest must succeed!"
And Bianca shook her head frantically as she saw and arrow pierce through Phoebe's chest, she watched her friend topple forward and she was sobbing, she wasn't moving she was simply being dragged back towards the side door- even as dozens of wolves, grey ones like those that had attacked in Portulgal, surged into the warehouse. Amazons hurried to intercept them. The smoke-filled doorway was piled with bodies of the fallen: Celyn, Naomi, Phoebe. And Bianca could sense it, thick and cloying pressing down around her, all three of the dead huntresses had been alive for hundreds, if not thousands of years, all cut short in an instant.
The last time Bianca had felt death on such a scale had been during the Battle of Manhattan, when she'd arrived and during the fight, before she and Nico had rushed for Olympus and sensed that final agonising death.
She saw the Amazon- Kinzie charging forward, long knives flashing as she leaped over the bodies and ran into the smoke.
"Bianca-" Reyna's voice was terrified. "Come on!" and Bianca forced her legs to start moving. Because leaving was clearly breaking the other girls heart, but she was running to protect Bianca- and the daughter of Hades owed her to her to at least not be dead weight.
"What-" Bianca's voice shook "Calypso- Zoe?" there was a slightly high keening note to her voice- and Reyna's eyes widened as if she was realising something. But there wasn't time to waste.
"We should go back! There must be something we can-"
"Don't be stupid sister! Orion outfoxed us! He's turned the ambush into a massacre. All we can do now is hold him back while you escape. You must get that statue to the Greeks and defeat Gaia!"
She led them up a flight of stairs. They navigated a maze of corridors, then rounded a corner into a locker room. They found themselves face to face with a large grey wolf, but before the beast could even snarl Hylla punched it between the eyes. The wolf crumpled.
Hylla barely slowed, rushing towards a circular metal stairwell- and Reyna squeezed Bianca's hand tightly as they followed after the Amazon.
The top dead-ended at the ceiling. Hylla turned and gave Reyna a stern look. "I won't have time to explain this, all right? Stay strong. Stay close."
And Bianca couldn't help but wonder what exactly they were being led into- especially when they climbed through the trapdoor into a large room- with opaque skylights that glowed on the twenty-foot ceilings. The stark white walls were devoid of decoration. The furniture was oak, steel and white leather – impersonal and masculine. Both sides of the room were overhung with terraces.
They were stood inside of a massive fireplace- and to Bianca it didn't seem that bad- though, she could sense something, spirits perhaps, lurking away, hiding.
And Reyna's expression was one of horror. "Hylla-"
"I told you we don't have time."
"But-"
"I own the building now. I put the deed in my name."
"You did what?"
"I was tired of running from the past, Reyna. I decided to reclaim it."
And Reyna was staring at Hylla as if she'd somehow grown a second head. Whatever this place was it had to have a dark history to earn a look like that from the tough praetor.
"Sister we're wasting time. Are you coming or not?"
Reyna didn't answer- her gaze was on the balconies. "Have you seen them?" and could Reyna be talking about the ghosts?
"Some of them."
"Papa?"
"Of course not," Hylla snapped. "You know he's gone for good."
"I don't know anything of the sort. How could you come back? Why?"
"To understand!" Hylla shouted. "Don't you want to know how it happened to him?"
"No! You can't learn anything from ghosts, Hylla. You of all people should realize –"
"I'm leaving,' Hylla said. 'Your friend is a few blocks away. Are you coming with me, or should I tell him you died because you got lost in the past?"
"I'm not the one who took possession of this place!"
Hylla turned on her heel and marched out of the front door.
Bianca swallowed hard, "Reyna-" her voice was hesitant. She could sense the ghosts- watching them. They didn't feel friendly. "Reyna where-"
"My home." Reyna's voice was stiff, "It is where my father died." she focused on Bianca. "You- you and the Huntress- Zoe?"
"I-" Bianca blushed, "I don't know what-"
"Do you love her?" and Bianca couldn't help but flinch at that question, a look of pure panic crossing her face. And Reyna closed her eyes before she straightened. "I see. We need to leave-"
"Reyna-"
"It is fine-" and Reyna was whirling running for the exit, and Bianca rushed after her, her heart aching as she burst into sunlight a second later.
The street was pleasant enough- with crumbling pastel houses, blue cobblestones, dozens of cats sleeping under cars or in the shade of banana trees.
The only real issue was the fact that there was a giant stood a facing them. And he didn't look like most of the giants. he looked human. Like a tall, muscular, handsome human. His skin was the colour of wheat toast. His dark hair was undercut, swept into spikes on top. With his black leather breeches and jerkin, his hunting knife and his bow and quiver, he might have been Robin Hood's evil, better-looking brother.
Only his eyes ruined the image. At first glance, he appeared to be wearing military night-vision goggles, but Bianca had seen Leo's work often enough to know that wasn't what they were. They were the work of Hephaestus – bronze mechanical eyes embedded in the giant's sockets. Focusing rings spun and clicked as he regarded them. Targeting lasers flashed red to green, taking in all sorts of information.
At his side he held a black composite bow almost as fancy as his eyes. Multiple strings ran through a series of pulleys that looked like miniature steam-train wheels. The grip was polished bronze, studded with dials and buttons.
He had no arrow nocked. He made no threatening moves. He smiled so dazzlingly it was hard to remember he was an enemy – someone who'd killed at least half a dozen Hunters and Amazons to get here.
"Well now." he was smiling at them, "Both daughters of Bellona together- and the daughter of Hades too. Excellent.
Hylla drew her knives. "Reyna, go. I will deal with this monster."
Orion chuckled. "Hylla Twice-Kill, you have courage. So did your lieutenants. They are dead."
Hylla took a step forward.
Reyna grabbed her arm. "Orion!" she said. "You have enough Amazon blood on your hands. Perhaps it's time you try a Roman."
"No-" Bianca's voice caught, "Reyna-"
The giant's eyes clicked and dilated. Red laser dots floated across Reyna's breastplate. "Ah, the young praetor. I admit, I've been curious. Before I slay you, perhaps you'll enlighten me. Why would a child of Rome go to such lengths to help the Greeks? You have forfeited your rank, abandoned your legion, made yourself an outlaw – and for what? Jason Grace scorned you. Percy Jackson refused you. Haven't you been … what's the word … dumped enough?"
And- Bianca blinked- huh. So Reyna had liked Percy too? That- Bianca wasn't sure what to think of that. But Reyna's back was straightening as she met the Giant's gaze. "I don't define myself by the boys or the girls who may or may not like me."
"Brave words. But you are no different from the Amazons, or the Hunters, or Artemis herself. You speak of strength and independence. As soon as you face a man of true prowess, your confidence crumbles. You feel threatened by my dominance and how it attracts you. So you run, or you surrender, or you die."
"Don't talk to her like that." Bianca stepped forward, ignoring Reyna's shocked look as she gripped the hilt of her sword tighter. "Or I'll slice you into so many pieces that no one will ever find them all."
"Bianca-" Reyna blinked, looking startled- and Hylla had an eyebrow raised slightly.
"I agree with her." Hylla spoke up, "You know Bianca Di Angelo, you're tougher than you look-"
"Hylla! Bianca! Stop it-" Reyna was almost twitching and her gaze shifted to the giant. "Orion, you claim to be strong yet you couldn't keep the vows of the hunt. You died rejected and now you're running errands for your mother. So tell me again how exactly are you threatening?"
Orion's jaw muscles clenched. His smile became thinner and colder, Bianca felt a rush of pride at that.
"A good try." he admitted, "You're hoping to unbalance me. You think, perhaps if you keep me talking, reinforcements will save you. Alas, Praetor, there are no reinforcements. I burned your sister's underground lair with her own Greek fire. No one survived."
Hylla roared and attacked. Orion hit her with the butt of his bow. She flew backwards into the street. Orion pulled an arrow from his quiver.
"Stop!" Reyna yelled, and she looked like her heart was breaking at the sight of Hylla on the ground like that.
And Bianca's mind was racing.
They had to distract the giant somehow. If they could just reach Hedge- reach the statue- if he hadn't already found it that was- Bianca closed her eyes. Forcing down her fear. Her grief.
She didn't want to leave-not without knowing that Zoe and Calypso were okay. But they had no real choice.
