Chapter 22

The trio braved their way through the tropical storm, all soaked to their skin and feeling pretty miserable, but still they followed the raven haired praetor as she led them down streets and along roads, she seemed to have regained more of her strength, which Damien was thankful for.

They must have been walking for almost an hour in the downpour when they reached a set of rusty metallic gates with a sign that was in Spanish, Damien didn't need to read Spanish to know that it was a no entry sign, the sign with a skull on it was enough.

"We're here" Reyna called over the howling winds, she looked up at the high locked gates, the chain was thick and she soon realised it was made from celestial bronze

"This is definitely the place" she confirmed "We can't break the lock though" wiping the rainwater from her eyes

Damien too stood back and inspected the gate, his eyes squinting past the rain, his mind making the necessary calculations, he then returned and placed his back against the wrought iron gate and faced the two girls, who were both watching him curiously

"Who's first?" he asked as he interlocked his fingers in front of his body making a foothold for the girls

"You serious?" asked Reyna looking from Damien to the gate

"You got a better idea?" called Hazel over the distant thunder, she walked over to Damien and placed her foot into his hands

"One… Two… Three" on three Damien pushed up as Hazel jumped and she soared into the air, her hands latching onto the top of the metal gate, Damien watched her just in case she slipped, but the daughter of Pluto swung over the top and dropped down to the other side with a small thud. She nodded to the others and waited patiently, Damien turned back to Reyna who looked a little nervous

"You good?" he asked

"Of course" but her eyes said differently, she moved towards him and took up the same position as Hazel had, placing her hands on his shoulders, feeling the muscle under his soaked top, she took a deep breath

"Big jump" Damien smiled at her

"Wait" she said meeting his gaze "How are you gonna get up?"

Damien's smile grew "Do you not know me at all?" his eyes bright and alert

Reyna rolled her eyes "Yer right, you run up buildings" she exhaled with a slight smile,

He gave her a wink and counted to three, lifting her high. He turned to make sure she had safely made it, but when he looked up he caught sight of her in those tight skinny jeans, he couldn't help but smile then immediately he saw Hazel shaking her head, knowing exactly what Damien was smiling at, Damien shrugged playfully at her and scolded himself but still continued to grin, he was only a man after all.

Reyna dropped down next to Hazel and looked to Damien "You got this?" she asked eyeing up the soaked metal gate.

"Of course" he said but he concentrated all the same, now was not the time for showing off, if he slipped it could be dangerous, he'd faced worst

He took a couple of steps back and took a breath, his mind working out the height and handholds he could grab, he began his run up being careful not to slip on the slushy mud, placing one foot on the iron bar he propelled himself upwards and grasped the upper bars tightly, they were rusted and horrible to touch.

He found a placement for his other foot and used his arms to pull himself up higher, he reached and grabbed the top of the gate and with another push of his legs he vaulted over the top and dropped down, right into a puddle and spraying the two girls with dirty water… they were not impressed by that at all, but neither said anything instead they turned and faced the dense trees before them, Hazel making a show of wiping water streaks from her face

Damien mouthed the word sorry and followed their gaze to the treeline, not being able to see much beyond that

"Don't suppose either of you two brought a flashlight?"

As he said it both girls produced small lights and switched them on illuminating the dark

"Just me then" Damien nodded feeling a little foolish, Reyna pulled a third from her small bag and handed it to the son of Letus, she attempted to hide her smile

"Thanks" Damien said sheepishly, he read the side, 'Roman candle 2017'

"A roman needs to be prepared for anything" she said matter of factly

Damien smiled sweetly back at her and followed the two girls into the trees, Damien thanked the gods that Reyna had a spare flashlight because it was so dark in this jungle and even with a flashlight he found himself still almost walking into trees and stumbling over large roots.

They continued their way carefully through the trees for what seemed like hours, it didn't help that it was so humid out here, not the baking heat of California but dense air, like it was smothering you, it was hard to take deep breaths with air like this

"How do we know we are going the right way?" Damien asked wiping sweat from his brow "All looks the same to me"

Reyna paused for a moment taking a drink of water and offering it to Hazel, she looked down at her feet "We follow the flowers" she said simply

Damien followed her gaze noticing for the first time that there was a trail of purple flowers along the jungle floor, they looked a little out of place in the dark jungle floor, just surrounded by hues of brown and green

"Hyacinthus, that's the flower Apollo made the hero Hyacinth into when he died" Hazel explained as they continued their journey

"Wait?" Damien paused for a moment, his mind registering her words "He's dead? Who the hell are we going to see?"

"Hyacinth" Reyna replied

"But he's dead?" his brows knitted together

Damien was getting confused so Reyna took pity on him continued explaining

"When he died Apollo did not let Pluto or… Letus" she hesitated on his father's name, but his expression didn't change "They didn't let them take him to the Underworld, instead he lived through people loving his plants and praising him as if he were a god, according to research he doesn't really have a bodily form more of just a presence, though no roman has ever met him, he is more of a Greek being"

"Right" Damien said drawing out the word "I'm gonna pretend I get that and just follow your lead"

He saw the small smile cross her face as she looked back at him "Nothing new there then" she teased

"Oh Miss Ramirez-Arellano you flatter me" he teased back giving her his signature smile

She was so enthralled with that smile she wasn't looking where she was going or the fact that there was a cliff edge in front of her

"Reyna!" Hazel called seeing the fatal error her friend had made

But Reyna didn't turn in time and she lost her footing, she felt her body begin to tumble, she dropped the flashlight and reached out looking for something to grab onto, she heard Damien call her name. Felt a strong grip wrap around her arm, but still she continued to fall, she could see a large mass falling with her, something wrapped around her waist and holding her close. Then her body impacted on top of the mass and she heard a low groan

"Damien?" she said but they had both lost their flashlights and it was pitch black in the ditch