I'm looking for a place,

I'm searching for a face,

Is anybody here I know.

Cause nothing's going right,

And everything's a mess,

And no one like's to be alone.

Isn't anyone trying to find me?

Won't somebody come take me home?

It's a damn cold night,

Trying to figure out this life,

Won't you take me by the hand?

Take me somewhere new?

I don't know who you are,

But I'm, I'm with you

- I'm With You, Avril Lavigne

We weren't late for the bus. Barely. The doors were closing when we ran up, but a few good bangs on the door, and the driver let us on. Reluctantly.

"Next time I'll leave you out!" he grumbled.

"The chances of that happening are-" Reyna started, but I cut her off, pushing her towards the back. "She means to say thank you sir."

We found seats all the way at the back and settled in for what would be a really long bus ride.

"How are you feeling?" she asked me.

"Good, Rey. You can stop looking at me so worriedly. I'm a demigod not a china plate. I don't break so easily."

She nodded distractedly, then frowned. "What did you call me?"

"Reyna. That's your name isn't it?"

"No you said Rey."

"Did I?"

"That's the second time you've called me that."

"The second time?"

"Yea, you called me that right before you grabbed me in mid-air."

"I hadn't noticed. Well shorter is more efficient I guess."

"Yea, I guess." She was still frowning, but now she also looked thoughtful.

"Do you want me to stop calling you that?"

She didn't respond for a while. Finally, "No. It's fine. It's just – no one's ever called me that before. But I'll get used to it."

She gave me a small smile, and I reached over to squeeze her arm, but when I touched her, she winced. I pulled back quickly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

She grimaced and stretched out her arm. Her forearm was red and covered in angry blisters.

"You got burnt! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I didn't realize!"

"How did you not realize you got burnt?"

"Mmm-hmm-mmm?" She shrugged. "It must have happened when the lightning bolt struck and with all the excitement and adrenaline after, I must not have felt anything."

"How do you not feel all this pain?" I pulled my backpack onto my lap. It was my turn to administer first-aid. She watched me pour some ambrosia onto a bandage, take her hand, and stretch her arm out towards me. She winced when I pressed the bandage to her skin, but otherwise didn't say anything.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Do you have to?"

I chuckled. "You're good at deflecting."

"It's a life-skill."

"Well I'm going to ask anyway." I looked up to see her roll her eyes.

"Of course you will."

"Why did you volunteer for this quest?"

"For Christ's sake Jason. I already answered that question."

"You gave us a reason. You didn't give me the reason."

"Perhaps that reason is my own business."

I stopped dabbing at her skin with the bandage, took out a clean one, poured some ambrosia onto her skin, and began to wrap the bandage around her arm. "We're on this quest together. Look I trusted you to come up with a plan to fight the automaton. Doesn't mean I actually trust you. You haven't given me any reason to. If you can't even tell me why you're on this quest, why should I trust you? Then we might as well go home because if we can't trust each other, this gig won't work." I tried to keep my voice even and soft, but I couldn't help some frustration from spilling out in the end. I could feel her clamming up beside me. The muscles in her arm I was bandaging were tensing up. "Don't," I warned. And for a minute she ignored me, clenching her fists tightly.

Then she exhaled loudly and said, "I came on this quest because I do need to prove something."

She pulled back her arm and fell silent, but I kept staring at her, knowing that she'd get the message to keep going. She looked at me and sighed in exasperation. "You don't give up do you?"

I just shook my head.

"I do need to prove something. Just not to the camp. I know they'll come to trust me, all I have to do is work hard. But I need to prove something to myself." She raised her hands and looked at them, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "You're right, I'm good at this demigod thing. I'm good at surviving. I know what I can do with these hands and it terrifies me. I just – I need to know that these hands can do some good. That my capabilities don't have to be all bad. Do you understand?" She looked at me in earnest.

I didn't know what it was like to be afraid of your own powers. I'd learnt about mine in camp and learnt to put them to good use. But whatever Reyna's powers were, they scared her. I got it. "Yea," I nodded. "But you did good today. You saved Professor Sipher and all those kids at the university by drawing the automaton away. And your plan was good, if only a bit last minute," I said trying to reassure her. She gave me another small smile.

I was starting to really like those smiles.

She pulled up her feet and stared out the window. There was a frown on her face and I knew I was losing her to her anger. So I said, "Look at that guy sitting two rows in front and across from us." She looked.

"What about him?"

"Tell me his story."

She looked at me sceptically.

"Well go on. You basically told me I was bad at it, so why don't you demonstrate hot-shot?" She raised her eyebrows and then smirked at me.

And so we passed a few hours making up stories for people on the bus with us, until we were both so exhausted, we fell asleep.

Next thing I knew, I was waking up to the driver yelling, "Potty Break!"

"Finally, I've needed to pee since we passed Sacramento."

Reyna rubbed her eyes sleepily. "You go, I'll wait here."

She was already drifting back to sleep. "Okay."

After I used the bathroom, I thought we could use some pick-me-up beverages, so I bought two large hot chocolates for us.

When I got back on the bus, I shook her awake.

She glared at me. "Why? You're evil!"

"I'll make it up to you. Here," I said handing her her drink.

She took a sip and made a face. "This is disgusting. It's so sweet!" She held her cup back out to me.

"What? You're crazy! Of course you'd hate something so sweet. Miss Bitter Buds."

"No matter what stupid name you call me, I'm not drinking it."

"Drink, you'll feel better! After ambrosia, this is the best thing for pain."

"I like coffee. Give me a nice cup of Cuban joe, and I won't feel a thing."

"You drink coffee? Look at you, so mature!"

She rolled her eyes at me, but continued to sip her hot chocolate. She finished it in no time, and was back to sleep in even less. I didn't realize that I was smiling at her, until she said, "Quit smiling like that Grace. Someone might think you were a stalker."

"I thought you were asleep."

"Even worse for you to be smiling like that." I grinned, leant my head back against the seat, and fell asleep.

Twenty two hours later, we finally made it to Seattle. When Reyna stood, she wobbled and had to sit back down. "My legs are cramped."

"Yea mine too. But we gotta go."

She nodded, pushed herself up, and pulled herself down the aisle, clutching the back of the seats. When we finally stepped outside, the day was warm, but cloudy. I looked around. Again, I felt we'd gotten here too easy.

"You know this is too easy, right?" she said.

I nodded.

"They're probably waiting for us to figure out where it is, then once we find it, they'll try to take it from us," she reasoned.

"Then shouldn't we stop looking for it?" I asked.

She shook her head. "If we stop looking for it, they'll take it upon themselves to find it. We can't let them do that. We need to find it and then deal with the consequences."

She was right. "Okay. Well, where do we go now?" Reyna started walking southwards. "You said this whole quest thing depends on trust. Well then, just trust me and follow me," she said.

Fair enough. I took off behind her. Finally, we reached a small plaza and walked up to an office whose door showed the amazon logo. "Um, Reyna. You think is going to help us find an ancient slab that's been moved to the black market?"

"Just trust me," she said. "It'll be fine." I wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure. Her hand was shaking as it grabbed the door handle and she took a deep breath before opening it. She walked over to the girl standing in the middle of the entry-hall. "I've come to speak with Hylla."

The girl didn't even look at me, just looked Reyna up and down. "What business do you have with Hylla?"

"I need her help. Please, just tell her Reyna needs her help." The girl arched her eyebrows, but then went down the stairs in the middle of the hall. I stepped up beside Reyna. "Who's Hylla?" I whispered. "You think she'll help us."

"We'll have to wait and see. And it's probably best if you let me do all the talking, okay?"

I frowned at her, but before I could say anything, the girl Reyna had spoken to returned, this time accompanied by another girl. She looked like…

"Woah, she looks like an older version of you," I whispered. "Did you know you had a doppelganger?"

Reyna said nothing, but stepped forwards. "Hylla," she greeted, her voice tense, her back straight. Something was wrong.

But the doppelganger smiled, opened her arms wide, and said, "Ah little sister. You've finally come to your senses."

LITTLE SISTER?!

"Reyna, you have a sister?" I asked, incredulously. The girl's eyes snapped up to mine, flashing dangerously. Definitely sisters- they had the same angry fire. But Reyna's fire depressed her, whereas this girl relished in it.

"I have come to seek your help, sister," Reyna said timidly.

"And you've brought us a gift. What a lovely specimen. He will certainly look well in those orange jumpsuits. Who is he? Is he powerful? Did you capture a powerful demigod boy, Reyna?" she purred, circling me. Hylla was beautiful, and her voice was soft and rich, like a cat's. "Our queen will be most pleased."

Reyna turned around and growled (actually growled) at her sister. "I did not come here to join the Amazons, Hylla. I made my choice and you made yours. This boy is my friend. We're on a quest and we've come to ask for your help."

Hylla sighed. "Until you see the error of your ways little sister, I can't help you."

"Hylla!" she shouted after her sister's retreating back. "If we don't find what we're looking for the Titans will. And they'll use it to destroy Olympus and then to destroy us. Is that what you want?"

Her sister was already walking back down the stairs. She called from over her shoulder, "What have the gods ever done for us Avila? You hold onto some false hope that our mother is watching over us."

"She is!" Reyna stamped her foot. "She is!"

Hylla turned and marched straight towards her sister. "Is she? Where was she when we had to leave our home? Where was she when we were captured by those god-forsaken pirates? Where was she when those bastards put their hands on me, on you? Where was she when-!" she snarled down at her.

Reyna was stepping back, her jaw clenched tightly. "I'm sorry Hylla. I would take those things back if I could, but I can't."

"No you can't take anything back." I was surprised at the venom in her voice. Reyna looked like her sister had just whipped her. What's happening?!

"Look, Hylla," I said, stepping towards her. Before I realized what was happening, she'd flipped me onto my back, and pressed her knee to my throat.

"Males speak only when spoken to, and then, with a Mistress at either end," she snarled.

"Hylla, enough!" Reyna pulled her sister back. They were both so strong. "This boy has done nothing to you. You can't go around hating men just because of the actions of a few."

"All men are the same, Avila. Why haven't you learnt that yet?" she said, shaking Reyna by her shoulders.

"I can't believe that. I can't."

"Then you are weak."

Reyna stepped away from her sister. "Maybe I am. But I will do what I believe to be right. And right now, I need to find this slab. Will you help me or not?"

Hylla looked at me, sitting on the floor, then back at her sister. The she sighed, and suddenly her cool, indifferent façade fell away, revealing an exhausted teenager, who looked even more like her sister now. "My chamber is this way." Turning to the other girl that had fetched her, she said, "If our queen should ask for me, you know where to find me." She led them down the stairs, and into a dark, stone hallway, lit by torches. She opened a door on the right and stood back to let us in. I had expected it to be dark, but instead daylight filtered into the room, making the clean white linens bright, and bringing warmth into the coldness. "Make yourselves comfortable." I decided to just stay standing by the door, but Reyna settled on the edge of the bed. She watched her sister fumbling around the room, filling glasses with water and handing them to us. As Reyna stretched out her arm for her glass, Hylla noticed the bandage. She put the glass down on the night-table and knelt in front of her sister.

"You're hurt," she said, unwrapping the bandage. "You must learn to take better care of yourself Avila," she admonished, when the burn had been revealed.

"It's nothing, really." That would become Reyna's favourite lie.

Hylla thumbed over the burn, whispered a few words, and in disbelief, I watched the burns fade away. "You're a healer," I stammered.

She stood up and looked at me. "I learnt a few things from one of the greatest sorceresses of all time. I had a baby sister to look after, of course I picked up healing magic."

I looked at Reyna, who was staring at her arm where the burn had been. Her face was clear, no emotion at all.

"Now tell me, what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into Avila?"

Reyna told her everything that happened so far. She did a pretty good job, comprehensive and precise.

"You believe this slab will help you protect your camp."

"Yes."

"It will keep you safe?"

"Hylla-"

"Answer the question Avila."

"Yes."

"Then I'll help you." I got Hylla. She may be an Amazon, and she may have chosen a different life than her sister, but Reyna was still her priority. Hylla loved her little sister. She stood up and opened her laptop.

"Isn't that dangerous?" I asked.

She gave me a sly smile. Her smiles were different from Reyna's. Hers were always there, telling you she knew something you didn't – teasing and mysterious. Reyna rarely smiled, but when she did they were sincere and warm.

"My source tells me that there'll be an auction tonight. The slab will be there!"

Reyna and I exchanged happy looks. "Where?"

"In Los Angeles. Some playboy billionaire is hosting a gala dinner and an auction. You'll find the slab there. But you must hurry, the sale is going down tonight. And if you say the Titans are after it, they may already know it's there!"

Reyna's face fell. (I'm sure mine did too). "How are we supposed to get to LA by tonight?"

Hylla gave her sister one of her sly smiles. "I have a surprise for you little sister. Come."

She led us back to the staircases, this time heading up, and came out in a stable. There were regular horses, unicorns, and…

"Pegasii!" Reyna shouted.

"Come." Hylla led us over to a stall where a pegasus stood silently, watching us come towards him. "I had hoped to surprise you for your birthday, but I suppose your need is dire, right now."

Reyna's eyes were shining. She loves animals, I thought. Huh. Somehow that seemed fitting.

"He's mine?" she whispered.

Hylla opened the gate, and Reyna stepped inside. "Hello," she said. She stretched out her hand, and the Pegasus snorted. It pawed at the ground, but then stepped forward, pressing it's nuzzle into her hand. Reyna's smile was dazzling. It radiated pure joy. "He's perfect," she whispered.

"What will you name him?" I asked

She thought about that for a while. "Scipio. For the great general Scipio Africanus. But we can call him Skippy, because he looks like peanut butter."

Hylla and I both laughed and she turned to smile at us.

"Now you must go, little sister." She walked to the other end of the stable and pressed a button. A door opened and cool air rushed in. "Go!"

Reyna led Skippy out to the door. She beckoned to me. "Get on!"

I mounted Skippy and waited for her to follow. She played with his mane for a few seconds, then turned towards her sister. I think Hylla was even more surprised than me: she threw her arms around her sister's waist, and buried her face in her stomach. "Te amo, hermana," I heard her murmur. Hylla bent down and kissed the top of her sister's head. "You'll always be my little sister, Avila. Now go, and be happy."

She nodded, stepped away from sister, and mounted in front of me. "Yah!" she shouted, and Skippy took off at a gallop. With three strides, he unfurled his wings and we were climbing into the air.

We flew in silence for a while, enjoying the freedom of the air and flying. This was the best part about being the son of Jupiter - having this to yourself. But I was also glad Reyna was here with me.

"So Avila…"

"Don't call me that," she snapped. "That name doesn't belong to you. It belongs to another person and another life." She was back to her broody, closed off self, but I couldn't help smiling. I head learnt something about Reyna down there: she may have had too much anger in her, but she also had a deep and fierce love inside her too. She had so much to give.

I didn't say anything for a while, but then something started bugging me.

"What?" she shouted.

"What what?"

"What's bothering you? Your hands are clenched around me. You're tense. If you're worried about the quest, don't! We'll be fine!"

I was starting to think that "we'll be fine" was going to be our thing. "It's not the quest. It's Hylla!"

"I'm sorry my sister was so intense. I think being an Amazon suits her."

"No, it's not that."

"Then?"

"It's just – You're lucky to still have her."

I felt her stiffen. "Yea real lucky," I caught her mutter.

"Look I don't know what happened in your past that was so horrible…" She stiffened again. "But I'm not asking for that. All I'm saying that you're so incredibly lucky to have your sister."

She was silent for a while. "You have siblings." She said it like she knew.

"A sister."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her since I was two."

She didn't say anything. She just pulled my left arm out in front of her and traced the stripes of my tattoo. "So many," she whispered. "Too many." Her voice was sad. I pulled my arm away, wrapping it back around her waist. I didn't like the way she made me feel when she touched me – like a bubble was growing inside me, hungry for more, for that comfort, for that familiarity. When she touched you, she said so much more. I also didn't like how sad she felt for me. She had enough sadness without mine.

"What's your sister's name?" she asked.

"Thalia."

"Is she like us?"

"I don't know. I was too young."

Again, she didn't respond. She just leant forward and whispered something into Skippy's ear. He sped up and Reyna didn't straighten up. There was something determined in the way she held her shoulders.