Chapter 40

Reyna pushed back against Marsyas's attack, countering with one of her own, forcing the faun further and further back. A clattering behind her caught her attention, but she couldn't turn, not with the faun still attacking, she knew that Damien was behind her, and her heart told her to turn, to make sure he was okay, but her mind knew that it would put her and possibly Damien in jeopardy, so she continued to fight.

She kicked out at Marsyas and it sent him flying backwards, tumbling down hard onto the icy floor, now was her moment to turn, check on Damien, she spun, sword ready

Her eyes landed on Damien in a choke hold, his skin now turning purple as Thamyris prevented him from getting air, sword to his throat, his golden brown eyes watching her, blood trickling down his face, with four large claw marks running across his features, Thamyris's blade pointing into the skin of his neck another blood trail falling from there

"Damien" she breathed

"At first this was fun" stated Thamyris "But now I have grown bored of you Praetor"

His grip tightened before hauling Damien to his feet, he then launched the demigod across the cavern with extreme force, Reyna watched in terror as Damien slammed into the icy wall, his body crumbling to the floor like a ragdoll, icy shards falling around him as he laid there motionless.

She leapt forward attacking Thamyris, a new fire in her chest as she swung her golden blade at him with anger

"I see the feelings go both ways" Thamyris called between the clashing of swords "This is going to be fun ripping him from your world"

He launched forwards and attempted to get around her defensive position and almost caught her leg, she blocked at the last second

"Or vice versa, imagine the pain that boy will go through if I were to cut you head from your shoulders young Praetor" he laughed maniacally "Or would you prefer his for you legion?"

Reyna caught movement from the corner of her eye and she glanced towards where Damien had fallen, she saw Markos pulling icy shards off of him, she pulled her eyes away, focusing back on Thamyris's attacks, she easily got the upper hand back again, Thamyris was an artist not a fighter.

Reyna's sword hit hard, she pushed down her anger and focused on her technique, she could beat him as long as she kept her head on straight, she used her moment to spin mid-air, slicing down hard, the force shattering Thamyris's blade, she landed perfectly on her feet and pointed the end of her blade at Thamyris's throat, he raised his hands in surrender but there was a smile creeping over his face

Flute music reached Reyna's ears, a soft melody, but this wasn't just music, it was a spell, faun magic… Marsyas

Reyna turned to see the faun, pan flute in hand as icy blue tendrils sped towards her, twisting through the air, Reyna raised her sword even though she knew it was useless, she had no defence against this form of attack

Somewhere she could hear her name being called, it echoing around the icy fortress, she closed her eyes making a silent pray to her mother to protect her friends.

She accepted her fate.

Pain surged through her side and she felt herself falling, her body collapsing onto the ground hard, but the pain was over and she could still feel the ground beneath her, confusion flooded her, surely she should feel nothing

"DAMIEN!" Hazel screamed

At the sound of his name Reyna opened her eyes, she was sprawled out on the floor, looking up she saw Damien, looking down at her, reaching out for her, hand outstretched, pain etched on his damaged face, teeth clenching

There was a crackling sound and Reyna watched in horror as Damien's lower half was being encased in blue ice that was making its way slowly up his body, freezing him instantly, his feet were already frozen in place, his golden eyes filled with pain, his body seizing up

"Damien?" she breathed, leaping to her feet, reaching for him, taking his hand in her own, his usually warm skin now icy to the touch "Oh gods, what did you do?" her voice crack as she looked at him

"S-sorry Reyna" his voice strained in pain "But I thought this one through" he attempted a smile as ice made its way up his over his chest, he choked as the air was pulled from his lungs

She watched as tears escaped from his lashes,

"You shouldn't have" she blinked back her own tears

Damien coughed out a laugh "Stup- stupid emotions… right-t…" he gasped as the ice closed around his throat

"Damien…" Reyna squeezed his fingers, she needed to tell him, but she couldn't find the words "Damien I… I"

"I know" was the last thing he said before the ice covered his features, freezing him in place, his features contorted in pain

She didn't tell him, she had waited too long to tell him, now he was gone, taken from her

Reyna watched as the ice proceeded to make it's way along his outstretched arm and towards her hand

"Reyna let go" Annabeth appeared at her side, placing a hand on her arm "Reyna you got to let go or the magic will continue onto your body"

But it was like Reyna couldn't hear her, she just stared into Damien's now frozen eyes, the ice getting closer and closer towards her fingers

"REYNA!" Annabeth tugged her backwards, forcing the Praetor to release her grip on Damien

"NO!" she screamed as the last part of him froze over, she pushed the blonde away and scrambled back up to him, hands going to his face, the freezing temperature of the ice giving her hands freezer burn, but she didn't care as she looked into the once golden eyes

"Damien" she whispered, running a thumb along his cheek

A cackling sounded behind her, she tore her gaze away from Damien to see Thamyris on his knees, Markos's twin blades pressed against his throat, a smile on his face

"Shut up" growled Markos as he pressed the blade closer to Thamyris's throat

But still he laughed "True love strikes again, it's a painful feeling isn't it, to lose ones love" he nodded towards Damien "Well at least you have a nice statue to take back to your senate, a memento of our time together"

Something burned within Reyna's stomach, something she had never felt before as she glared at Thamyris and Marsyas knelt next to each other with weapons at their throats.

"You and I learnt the hard way, we are the same" Thamyris sneered

"Undo this" ordered Reyna, glaring down at the faun ignoring Thamyris's words

Marsyas snorted "This kind of magic can't be undone girl, nor would I if I could roman scum" he spat towards her "The more of you dead the better"

Thamyris laughed again, the cold sound echoed around the cavern

"He's gone forever Praetor!"

Reyna dropped her hands from Damien's face, she turned to the two knelt beings, something inside of her snapping, she drew her blade, going straight for the faun, he was the one who did this, she raised her blade

"Reyna" Annabeth caught her arm, stopping her from destroying them

The Praetor looked down at the blonde who shook her head, sorrow in her grey eyes

"Don't become like them" she whispered "It's not what Damien would have wanted"

Reyna dropped her head, she took a deep breath and sheathed her blade, she turned back to Thamyris and Marsyas

"Lady Moneta will decide you fate" she said before turning away from them and making her way back to Damien's frozen form, her heart feeling as cold as Damien

She took a deep breath before moving off to a corridor, taking a knee and praying to the titaness, letting her know their location and that they had the kidnappers under their guard, she prayed for the titaness to come to them swiftly and reclaim her daughter.