Thank you everyone for the support. I hope everyone enjoys the last chapter.
"I didn't think I would find you here," Thalia began. She stared down at the tombstone in front of her. Reyna was sitting by it and studying the inscription. Thalia shifted on her crutches and hobbled towards Reyna. The last few weeks had been difficult, both mentally and physically, and Thalia just wanted it to be over with. "How are you feeling?"
Reyna shrugged and looked down at her lap. Her jaw was still wired shut. Thalia placed a gentle hand to Reyna's shoulder. The two hadn't actually talked since they were both released from the hospital. They had sent a few texts back and forth, but neither of them seemed to be willing to talk about their relationship.
Thalia wasn't sure how to feel. Grief filled her heart and made it hard to think. She hadn't slept well at all for the last few weeks, until she downed enough sleeping pills to nearly stop her heart. Thalia and Jason had moved in with Annabeth and Minerva, but that really only made things worse. It was just a reminder of everything that had happened.
Thalia's father and step mother was dead. The only person that she had was Jason. Her mentor was dead. The Olympians that she saw as family were dead. It was such a waste, and it made Thalia sick to her stomach.
That damned bastard Hades got his wish. All of the Titans had been killed. The heroes were no more. Minerva and Venus had officially retired, with Vulcan having stated his retirement long ago. The remaining Olympians had forbidden them from stopping anymore criminals. All powers were not to be used. The safety of Olympian Plains would now fall up on the police.
A nudge knocked Thalia out of her thoughts. She looked to her side, and Reyna motioned to her phone. Thalia grabbed her own phone and looked at the text from Reyna. It had been the only way for them to communicate.
I never got to say goodbye to Nico.
"I'm sorry," Thalia said. She knew that Reyna and Nico had been great friends. Thalia did her best to rub Reyna's shoulder. Reyna looked down at the bandage that was wrapped tightly around her arm. "Do you want to get dinner tonight? Maybe talk about everything?"
Thalia still wasn't sure how to feel. She wanted to get back together with Reyna, but there was also times when she wanted to scream and yell at Reyna. After all, Reyna admitted to letting Hades out of his cell. If Hades had never left his cell, Thalia's family would still be 's phone buzzed again.
Hylla and I have plans tonight.
"Can I stop by for a hour or two then?" Thalia asked. Reyna didn't answer. "Are you going to keep avoiding me like you have been?"
I've spent most of my time at the hospital.
"Laying around and doing nothing," Thalia muttered. Reyna looked up at her and glared. Thalia sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry. That came out wrong."
Reyna slowly made it to her feet. She stared down at the grave for a long moment and then looked down at her hand. Thalia did as well. There was a small, black iron ring in Reyna's hand. Thalia realized it had belonged to Nico.
"Did Bianca give you that?" Thalia asked. Reyna nodded. "Nico's death really hit you hard, didn't it?"
Reyna looked at her and then looked down at her phone. Her finger tapped against the keyboard, but it felt like an eternity before she sent her text.
Nico was like a little brother to me. I haven't had time to properly grieve him. It makes me sick to my stomach that I helped the people who murdered him.
Thalia remained silent. Reyna studied her, and the two made eye contact. Thalia finally looked away and spoke, "Can we talk now then?"
Reyna shrugged and started to walk, but she moved slowly. Thalia adjusted her grip on her crutches and followed behind. Thalia spoke, "I know I said a lot of things about you when I was mad. But, I really want to make things up with you."
I'm sorry, Thalia.
Thalia wanted to tell Reyna that she didn't have to apologize, but that wasn't the truth. Thalia did want an apology and answers. She wanted to know why Reyna had really released Hades from his cell. How badly did the Titans brainwash her? Why had she done those things? Did she regret what she did?
"I'm sorry too," Thalia said. She looked at Reyna, but for some reason, Reyna wouldn't meet her eyes. "Hey, I know I've been distant these last few weeks and haven't visited you."
Reyna stopped walking and looked down at the ground. Then, she shifted her phone in her hand. Upon looking up, it seemed like she was about to start crying.
Before you were discharged, do you remember the voicemail that you sent me?
"Voicemail?" Thalia questioned. Reyna looked down at her phone and clicked on it. Thalia winced as her voice played over the phone.
"Reyna is the one who released Hades from his cell," Thalia said over the voicemail. Pain shot
through Thalia's heart. She remembered exactly what she had said, but she really didn't mean any of it. Pain medication had made her tongue loose, and she had been bothered by lawyers asking her about her father's estate. She was just upset and trying to get anger out. "How can I not blame her?"
There was a muffled voice in the background. It belonged to Annabeth, and she was trying to tell Thalia not to blame Reyna. All Thalia could do was listen in horror as the message continued, "I keep going back and forth, but I just can't get over it. The others were going to let Hades rot, but Reyna decided to free him. None of this would have happened if she hadn't made such an idiotic mistake."
"My father is dead because of her. Your mother almost died because of her. The adults we have known for our entire lives that were like family are dead because of her," the voicemail continued. Thalia wanted to grab the phone and close it, because she knew what came next. "Sometimes, I wish Reyna really had died."
Reyna ended the voicemail and looked Thalia in the eyes. Her fist clenched tightly, like she was going to take a swing. Thalia spoke, "Reyna. I am so sorry. I didn't mean any of those things."
Reyna raised her chin and met Thalia's eyes. The message was clear, and all Thalia could do was look down. She spoke, "Fine. You're right. I did mean it, but I'm sorry that I did. Every time I look at you, I think about how you caused for my father to die. Your actions almost got everyone killed."
"But, I want to work past my anger. I want to be friends again, and maybe even more," Thalia said. Reyna studied her for a few moments and then looked down at her phone. She typed into her phone, but her finger hovered over the send button for a long time. Thalia felt her phone buzz and looked at it.
Dating me won't bring them back. It won't make everything like it use to be. You'll still feel hollow and empty inside. You'll still hate me.
"I don't hate you," Thalia began. Reyna gave her a look. "I don't! I just can't handle all of my emotions right now. I'm sorry, Reyna. Please just be friends with me again. I don't mean what I said."
Reyna looked at her phone for a long moment. Her shoulders sagged, and she typed into her phone. Then, she turned and walked away without another word. Thalia glanced at her phone.
You'll have my answer tonight.
Thalia resisted the urge to throw her phone to the ground and then beat it with her crutch. Instead, she stared down at Nico's grave. The two hadn't exactly been close, but Nico didn't deserve to die. He didn't deserve to be caught up in the war of the Olympians and Titans. Was that why Hades killed their parents? To avenge his son?
It was such a waste. There was a pile of bodies and not a damn thing to show for it. Thalia's father was dead, and as much as she hated Juno, she never wanted to see her step mother die. Her mentor, Diana, was dead. The only people left were those who would not understand.
Venus had already been twisting the story. She claimed that Hades had attacked City Hall, and there had been a bloodbath. Prominent members of society, like Jupiter, had been there and caught in the crossfire. Olympians, like Zeus, had given their lives to stop the madness. The only thing Venus could do was hide the real identities of the dead and hopefully give them peace that way.
Vulcan dove back into his machinery and hadn't left his workshop since. Minerva was the one who was with each of the kids, but she insisted that they all get therapy. Considering the last person that gave them all therapy tried to kill them, Thalia was a little hesitant. And, she didn't need therapy. She needed to talk with Reyna.
As for her friends, none of them were doing okay. Bianca had been wracked with guilt the entire time and had hardly eaten anything or slept. Losing her brother and then killing her father in the same week was beyond traumatizing. Hazel wasn't doing much better.
Jason had spent most of his time with Piper. He kept breaking down if anything even remotely reminded them of their father, and Thalia was the same way. This was the first time in all those weeks that she could think of her father without tears filling her eyes. Frank and Leo had been spending a lot of time with Hazel.
Thalia shook her head and looked at the ground. Letus and Hecate were the only two survivors, but Hecate had disappeared. Letus was sitting in prison and awaiting his trial. Apparently, he refused to speak to anyone. Hecate had disappeared, but she also had her knee destroyed. Thalia almost felt a sense of deja vu over this too, but she knew that it wouldn't turn out like last time. If Hecate even thought about breaking out Letus, they would know.
Thalia sighed and looked up at the sky. She didn't know how things were going to work out with Reyna, and Thalia's emotions were all over the place. She was upset one moment and depressed the next. Would it even be a wise idea to get back together at this point? They both needed time.
All Thalia had to do was wait for later that night and stop by Reyna's house. They would talk everything out and make up. Reyna just needed time to clear her head, and Thalia just needed some pain medication and an excuse for why she said what she said. Thalia had to calm down. Everything would work out.
A pained groan escaped Thalia as she opened the car door. Annabeth gave her a look, but Thalia just waved her hand. She slowly got out of the car and gripped her crutches. Her gaze focused on the house in front of her. Hylla's car wasn't outside, and neither was Kinzie's. Hopefully, Reyna was home.
Thalia slowly made her way towards the front door and knocked on it. There was no answer, and she didn't hear the running of Reyna's dogs. Thalia knocked on the door again and waited. When she still didn't get a response, she pressed the door bell. Thalia waited a minute before grabbing the door knob and opening the door.
"Reyna?" Thalia called. She stepped into the house and frowned. Her heart dropped to her stomach. The house was completely barren. It was like no one lived there. Thalia slowly walked through the house and checked out each room. There was nothing left in the house.
Thalia looked down at her phone and scrolled to Reyna's name. She clicked on it and called. Thalia placed the phone to he ear, and after a few moments, a woman's voice spoke, "I'm sorry. The number you are trying to reach is unavailable."
Thalia lowered her phone and stared at the wall in front of her. They had just left. Reyna had just left Olympian Plains and did not say a word to Thalia. Was this what she meant earlier? Was this the kind of answer that Thalia was suppose to get? What kind of sick joke was this?
An angry breath left Thalia, and she fought back her tears. She turned to leave, but the sunlight glinted off of something. Thalia turned her head and looked at the item that rested on the kitchen counter. She slowly walked towards it and stared down at the face plate.
The face plate belonged to Reyna. There was a bullet hole near the top of it, right where Reyna had been shot all those months ago. Thalia grabbed the face plate and ran a finger over it. Then, she collapsed against a wall and slowly slid down it. Tears came to her eyes, and she didn't hold them back.
Thalia knew what kind of message this was. Praetor was dead. The Reyna that she knew was dead. Their relationship would never continue, and it was all Thalia's fault. Thalia let the face plate drop to the ground. Then, she buried her face in her hands and cried miserably.
Her father was gone. Her step mother was gone. Her mentor was gone. Her powers were gone. Thalia's entire world had been destroyed, and the one person, the only person, that Thalia thought would be there for her had left her, all because of a stupid voicemail. Thalia didn't care what happened now or in the future. There was nothing to live for, and nothing would ever be the same again.
You didn't think I would leave you like this, did you? There will be a sequel coming out. I hope everyone has enjoyed this story, and I hope to see you for the next one.