I'm not replying to reviews today. I'm sorry but I don't have the mental headspace. The only reason I'm updating is because I'd feel bad just not updating without giving a reason. I've had some really really upsetting news today and while I'm not giving up the story I likely won't be updating every day- I'll update whenever I feel capable and I may update one story but not the other if that's all I feel up to. I don't know right now. I'll really appreciate everyones patience with me and please do keep reviewing. I'm going to need reasons to smile. Because one of the family dogs has been diagnosed with a tumor and while I don't know any details yet I've been told that there's nothing they can do for him so you can imagine I'm not in a good place right now.
Sorry and I do love you guys.
Reyna was incredibly grateful to Pegasus. Really she was, which was part of why she felt incredibly awkward about yelling orders about him. And the fact that he was the Pegasus. The Lord of Flying Horses, well, that didn't help either.
But she didn't want to die and that meant yelling. "Turn back!" to him.
And the reason she did that was very simple. Because as they approached Camp Half-Blood in the predawn hours of 1 August, she spotted six Roman onagers. Even in the dark, their Imperial gold plating glinted. Their massive throwing arms bent back like ship masts listing in a storm. Crews of artillerists scurried around the machines, loading the slings, checking the torsion of the ropes.
"What are those?" that came from Bianca- who was flying about twenty feet to her left on the dark pegasus that Bianca had introduce as Blackjack, Percy's loyal friend.
"Siege weapons." Reyna told her quickly, "If we get any closer they can shoot us out of the sky."
"From this high up?" Calypso's voice was worried, which Reyna didn't blame her for. The girl had been worrying a lot, she wanted to get back to Coach Hedges pregnant wife. She seemed to feel incredibly guilty for leaving her at all.
"Those are onagers!" Coach Hedge spoke up, "Those things can kick higher than Bruce Lee!"
"Lord Pegasus," Reyna said, resting her hand on the stallion's neck, "we need a safe place to land."
Pegasus seemed to understand. He wheeled to the left. The other flying horses followed – Blackjack, Guido, Porkpie and six others who were towing the Athena Parthenos beneath them on cables.
As they skirted the western edge of the camp, Reyna took in the scene. The legion lined the base of the eastern hills, ready for a dawn attack. The onagers were arrayed behind them in a loose semicircle at three-hundred-yard intervals. Judging from the size of the weapons, Reyna calculated that Octavian had enough firepower to destroy every living thing in the valley.
But that was only part of the threat. Encamped along the legion's flanks were hundreds of auxilia forces. Reyna couldn't see well in the dark, but she spotted at least one tribe of wild centaurs and an army of cynocephali, the dog-headed men who'd made an uneasy truce with the legion centuries ago. The Romans were badly outnumbered, surrounded by a sea of unreliable allies.
"There." Calypso pointed towards Long Island Sound, where the lights of a large yacht gleamed a quarter of a mile offshore. "We could land on the deck of that ship. The Greeks control the sea."
Reyna hesitated very slightly- she wasn't completely sure that the Greeks would accept her under the circumstances, but she didn't have much choice and Pegasus seemed to like the idea.
He banked towards the dark waters of the Sound.
The ship was a white pleasure craft a hundred feet long, with sleek lines and dark tinted portals. Painted on the bow in red letters was the name MI AMOR. On the forward deck was a helipad big enough for the Athena Parthenos.
Reyna saw no crew. She guessed the ship was a regular mortal vessel anchored for the night, but if she was wrong and the ship was a trap... but she didn't have a choice, which Bianca pointed out.
"Reyna. It's our best shot."
And if it was anyone else she'd have probably hesitated longer. But Reyna trusted Bianca, she trusted her judgement.
So she nodded reluctantly. "Let's do it then."
Pegasus landed on the forward deck with Porkpie Guido and Blackjack. The six other horses gently set the Athena Parthenos on the helipad and then settled around it. With their cables and harnesses, they looked like carousel animals.
Reyna dismounted. As she had two days ago, when she first met Pegasus, she knelt before the horse.
"Thank you, great one."
Pegasus spread his wings and inclined his head.
Even now, after flying halfway up the East Coast together, Reyna could scarcely believe the immortal horse had allowed her to ride.
Reyna had always pictured him as solid white with dove-like wings, but Pegasus's coat was rich brown, mottled with red and gold around the muzzle – which Hedge claimed were the marks where the stallion had emerged from the blood and ichor of his beheaded mother, Medusa. Pegasus's wings were the colours of an eagle's – gold, white, brown and rust – which made him look much more handsome and regal than plain white. He was the colour of all horses, representing all his offspring.
Lord Pegasus nickered.
Hedge trotted over to translate. "Pegasus says he should leave before the shooting starts. His life force connects all pegasi, see, so if he gets injured all winged horses feel his pain. That's why he doesn't get out much. He's immortal, but his offspring aren't. He doesn't want them to suffer on his account. He's asked the other horses to stay with us, to help us complete our mission."
"I understand." Reyna nodded, "Thank you."
Pegasus whinnied.
Hedge's eyes widened. He choked back a sob, then fished a handkerchief out of his backpack and dabbed his eyes.
"Coach? What did Pegasus say?" Bianca's voice was soft, worried- and that was something Reyna had noticed over the last two days- something in Bianca had changed slightly. She wasn't quite so guarded all the time- there was more of a softness to her now. Like the burden of a lifetime had been lifted- which- made Reyna feel warm. Knowing that she had helped cause that change.
"He – he says he didn't come to us in person because of my message." Hedge turned to Reyna. "He did it because of you. He experiences the feelings of all winged horses. He followed your friendship with Scipio. Pegasus says he's never been more touched by a demigod's compassion for a winged horse. He gives you the title Horse Friend. This is a great honour."
Reyna's eyes stung and she felt Bianca grabbing her hand, squeezing tightly. She bowed her head. "Thank you, lord."
Pegasus pawed the deck. The other winged horses whinnied in salute. Then their sire launched himself upward and spiralled into the night.
Hedge stared at the clouds in amazement. "Pegasus hasn't shown himself in hundreds of years." He patted Reyna on the back. "You did good, Roman."
Reyna didn't feel like she deserved credit for putting Scipio through so much suffering, but she forced down her feelings of guilt. And she had to admit Bianca's hand in her own helped with that. "Bia. We should check the ship. If there's anyone aboard."
"Way a head of you." Bianca shoot Reyna a wry smile, "I might not be full strength but I'm not about to fade away anymore when I use my powers. I can sense two mortals asleep in the main cabin. Nobody else is on the ship. Hopefully they'll stay asleep until after sunrise."
"I can see to that." Calypso offered, "I believe I have a deep sleep potion somewhere here. I usually use it to help demigods sleep without dreams but just a drop on the mortals lips should be enough to ensure they stay asleep for as long as we'd need them to."
"That sounds perfect." Reyna gave Calypso a small, grateful smile "Thank you."
"And after that perhaps we can go ashore." Calypso's gaze shifted towards the shore- "I wish to get to Mellie and I'm sure Gleeson does to."
"Yes." Gleeson nodded, rubbing his hands together eagerly, "My wife is waiting. I want to meet my baby."
And Rachel scanned the horizon herself.
She could see a Greek trireme patrolling just offshore but it didn't seem to have noticed their arrival. No alarms sounded, no signs of movement along the beach.
But she did catch a glimpse of silver wake in the moonlight, half a mile to the west. A black motorboat was speeding towards them with no running lights. Reyna hoped it was a mortal vessel. Then it got closer, and Reyna's hand tightened on the hilt of her sword. Glinting on the boat's prow was a laurel wreath design with the letters SPQR.
And Reyna didn't hesitate. "Go now you two. Can you swim that far?."
"Easily." Calypso nodded, "Gleeson?"
"For Mellie? I could swim a thousand miles for her."
"Then go." Reyna met Bianca's gaze, saw the other girls slight nod.
The other two might not have noticed the approaching vessel yet but Bianca had. And she agreed with Reyna. It would be better for those two to get back to Camp sooner rather than later.
"But- shouldn't we all be going together?" Calypso's brows furrowed.
"We can handle it." Bianca gave her a reassuring smile. "Go." before they realised what was going on, "Tell your camp of our arrival."
And Reyna and Bianca watched as the two dove into the water, and as they did Bianca muttered. "Do you think that the boat will try to stop them."
"Not likely." Reyna took a deep breath, "Not when they can see us." after all, the two girls were a much more appealing target. Reyna especially.
"You know I didn't think the Romans had a navy."
"We didn't." Reyna gave Bianca a sidelong glance, "Apparently Octavian has been busier than I realized."
"If he's on the boat I want to punch him for sending that creep after you."
"That's sweet." Reyna's lips twitched slightly as she gave Bianca a tiny little smile, and she got a small smile in return even as the wind swept the other girls hair across her face.
It had been pulled back into a braid but the wind had loosened it during their long flight.
"So. What do we do Reyna? Do we have to get ready for a fight?"
And Reyna swung her gaze back to the boat. There were three people in it. The two in black wore helmets, but Reyna recognized the driver's wedge-shaped face and stocky shoulders: Michael Kahale.
"We'll try to parlay," Reyna decided. "That's one of Octavian's right-hand men, but he's a good legionnaire. I may be able to reason with him."
"Either way I'll be here." and Reyna believed that wholeheartedly by now. Bianca was going to stay by her side no matter what. It was comforting.
And soon enough the black boat was slowing and pulling alongside them. "Reyna!" Michael called up to them. "I've got orders to arrest you and confiscate that statue. I'm coming aboard with two other centurions. I'd prefer to do it without bloodshed."
And Reyna had to squeeze Bianca's hand when she saw that flash of anger in the other girls eyes. As sweet as Bianca's protectiveness of her was, it probably wasn't a good idea to let her start hurling insults at Michael for daring to hint at hurting her.
"Come aboard Michael." and Reyna was surprised at how steady her voice was. She felt terrified but- it was easier, having Bianca there by her side. At least if she went down she wouldn't be going down alone. But still- "If I'm wrong and I can't reason with him... be ready Bianca. Michael Kahale won't be easy to fight."
"I've fought tough enemies before." Bianca reassured her. "Whatever happens we can handle it."
Michael wasn't dressed for combat. He wore only his purple camp shirt, jeans and running shoes. He carried no visible weapon, but that didn't make Reyna feel any better. His arms were as thick as bridge cables, his expression as welcoming as a brick wall. The dove tattoo on his forearm looked more like a bird of prey.
His eyes glittered darkly as he took in the scene – the Athena Parthenos harnessed to its team of pegasi, Reyna herself, stood with her hand gripping Bianca's tightly, with Bianca clutching her Stygian Iron sword with a glint in her eyes that Reyna had to admit would have probably made her stomach flutter at any other time.
Michael's backup centurions were Leila from the Fourth Cohort and Dakota from the Fifth. Strange choices … Leila, daughter of Ceres, wasn't known for her aggressiveness. She was usually quite levelheaded. And Dakota … Reyna couldn't believe the son of Bacchus, the most good-natured of officers, would side with Octavian.
"Reyna Ramírez-Arellano," Michael said, like he was reading a scroll, "Former praetor –"
"I am praetor," Reyna corrected. "Unless I have been removed by a vote of the full senate. Is that the case?"
Michael sighed heavily. His heart didn't seem to be in his task. "I have orders to arrest you and hold you for trial."
"If you think that you're taking Reyna anywhere against her will." Bianca spoke up, a proud tilt to her chin, "Then you are sorely mistaken."
