Chapter 37

"They're in there, but they are not alone" Markos whispered "We need a plan, they will have weapons where as we have not"

Damien nodded, he waited for the more experienced guy to come up with the plan, but he soon realised that Markos was waiting for him, both men staring at each other as if they held the answers

"Why are you looking at me?" Damien asked quietly

Markos shrugged "Figured you'd have an idea"

"Why me? Why not you?" he responded "You have more experience than I do"

Markos exhaled rubbing the back of his neck "Annabeth always comes up with the plans, she's the brains, I'm just the... Brute force" he admitted

"Right" Damien nodded again, his mind blank "Well, there are four of them and they have the girls"

"Maybe we can rush them" Markos suggested "Take them down before they can really react"

Damien thought for a moment, a prediction running through his mind, he could see the two of them rushing in and while Markos might survive, he was probably going to be skewered as soon as they saw him, save to say he wasn't thrilled with that idea.

"Maybe a distraction would be better, try and separate them from the girls" he countered proposed

Markos thought for a moment before nodding "What distraction did you have in mind?"

A dangerous look crossed Damien's golden eyes "Just promise me you'll get them out"

"Huh"

But it was too late, Damien had already leapt out in front of the entrance, shown himself for the whole room to see, the sirens screeched in alarm as they saw the prisoner out of his cell. He momentarily locked eyes with Reyna, shock on her face as she watched Damien appear, the guards heading to apprehend him

"Oh crap" he feigned shock before bolting down the opposite corridor at high speeds, the sirens in hot pursuit, too busy focusing on Damien that they totally bypassed Markos hidden by the entrance, he waited until they were gone before entering the room.

Shock filled all of the girl's faces

"Can't believe that worked" he muttered as he moved towards Annabeth

"Markos" Annabeth couldn't help but smile at seeing her love standing before her "You're okay"

He rounded the table to release her first, pulling her up into an embrace and a quick kiss before moving to release the other two

Reyna stood instantly and turned on the big guy "What the hell is Damien doing?" she demanded as she retrieved her weapons from where they had been left by the sirens

Markos shrugged, obviously stunned by her outburst "I don't know, it was his plan" he defended himself "He said 'distraction' and bolted"

Reyna turned anger and concern clear on her features "Of course he did" she sighed, shaking her head "We have to go after him" she stalked out of their icy suite and down the corridor that Damien and the sirens had disappeared down, the others followed her, all sharing the same look, Damien was going to be in trouble if he survived long enough.

She was furious with him, Damien still did not think like a Roman, he allowed his emotions to govern his actions and he was constantly diving head long into danger without thinking things through. And now he was possibly recaptured by the sirens… or worse, she didn't want to think like that, she knew that he was fast, but was he fast enough to out run the angered sirens. She hoped so.

The four of them followed the corridor, they could hear people running around but none could make out if it was Damien or not, she took the charging footsteps as a good sign, if they had caught him then they wouldn't be running around.

They turned a corner and ran straight into a couple of sirens, they turned and screeched at the four demigods, readying their weapons, the pair advanced on the group, they were humming as they stalked towards them. Markos and Reyna stood closest and they backed away from the sharp blade points on the end of their spears, they had the advantage of extended reach, Reyna trying to work a way around the sirens, but she knew that these were skilled fighters, but so was she.

Her thought was interrupted when something fell from the ceiling and crashed onto the two sirens, they all crumpled to the ground, one sprung up instantly, whirling around to face them, a goofy grin plastered on his face, his golden eyes aglow

"Hey" Damien exhaled, sweat dripping from his forehead

Reyna's eyes were glued on him, she didn't even see the sirens beginning to move, not until Markos lunged forward and grabbed Damien and the weapons, Reyna's instincts took over as her brain focused on the enemies, she pushed Damien so that he was behind her and Markos with the girls. She may have pushed him a little too hard as he stumbled into Hazel but she was angry with him right now, so she decided to take it out on the sirens, she stepped forward and swiped a large ark at the monsters, both disintegrating into dust.

"Whoa" breathed Damien

There was a beat of silence before Reyna's anger got the better of her,

"And as for you" she spun to face Damien, fire in her eyes, the blade pointing at him "What the hell were you thinking, going unarmed against sirens, has Koalemos been messing with your head" she raged, she took a step forward

Damien started to back away, taken aback by Reyna's tone "I… I didn't-

"No you didn't think, you never think about the consequences of you actions" she lowered her sword before jabbing her finger into his chest "Never think of the repercussions, what other people would go through if you got yourself killed" Reyna cut herself off, she had said too much in the heat of the moment.

She dropped her gaze, exhaling her anger, after a moment she looked up at the others, avoiding Damien's gaze

"We need to keep moving" she stated, turning on her heels and stalking down the corridor "They will know we are free now"

"Reyna" Annabeth hurried after her, grabbing her arm, but the Praetor pulled away and continued round the corner

Damien stood there stunned, he closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, yet again he had hurt Reyna. A hand came down on his shoulder, he looked up to see Markos

"Come on" he said, a slight pity look in his eyes

Damien nodded and they made their way after the three girls, feeling like a jerk, he had only wanted to get them out of here, he had gone with the only option he had.