Forums drive me crazy. Way too slow update again. It's also way too short. Ugh, where did the summer days go?!
Anyhow, I hate the ending but when I try to change it, I can't think of anything else. I liked this chapter better than the last though.
Reyna was bucked off. Again.
"Damn that horse!" she said angrily, brushing herself off.
"Sorry," Jason muttered sheepishly, while Tempest glared at Reyna, then angrily kicked Jason in a very painful spot. "Ow!" he yelped. "Tempest! Did you really have to do that?" Reyna was laughing, the first time she had done so like that since…since the day before Jason left.
"What's wrong with Tempest now?" Reyna asked, her voice challenging, but containing a laugh.
"He says that we're lazy butts and need to move our own ass instead of having him carry us." Smiling, Reyna said,
"Well, then let's go."
The rain was pouring hard, a never pausing stream of rain. Wind swirled around the trees, threatening to grow into full out blizzards. In the far distance, a single boom of thunder sounded. While the mortal world still claimed a 'great storm', all the demigods knew that it was Typhon rising.
Reyna stopped suddenly.
"Is everything okay?" Jason asked. Reyna didn't answer. She couldn't answer. For standing in the middle of Central Park, was a beautiful lady. Her lush auburn curls swirled around in the air, somehow managing to stay in utter perfection despite the wind. Her dress was a pale peach, clinging to her skin. She stood unfazed by the wind and rain, completely dry under an umbrella. Reyna bit her lip. Venus. Just as her name entered Reyna's head, Venus turned around. Reyna hated her. Hated the perfection of her face, the sound of her voice, and most of all, what her arrival meant.
"Reyna." Venus spoke. Her melodious voice had no effect on Reyna. She had learned that from Circe long ago. "I must speak to you alone." Reyna stood up even straighter.
"No."
"Oh, dear Reyna." Her perfect red lips arched into a smile. "Why not so? Do you not want to leave him out in the rain alone? Afraid something's going to happen to him? Come, talk with me."
"You aren't my mother and you can't tell me what to do," Reyna stated, quite simply. Her eyes held a challenging spark. But Venus merely laughed.
"I may not be your mother, but I am the mother of the girl whom I believe you are quite jealous of." Reyna smiled. A dangerous smile.
"I believe you are mistaken." Her voice was icy cold, even colder than the rain drenching their skin. "Tell me, why would I be jealous of a girl with no powers other than a witchy voice? I have been to Circe's Island. I know those voices that ensnare everyone. The same voice took my sister away. The same type of person. A pretty face, with charmspeak in their voice. So why then, would I be jealous?" Venus's perfect face twisted for a second.
"You insolent girl," she said, recovering smoothly. "You will never understand love."
"I understand it more than your own daughter." Turning around, Reyna walked past Venus.
"Reyna! She's going to hate you forever!" Jason's voice was covered in shock.
"I don't care," was all Reyna said, leaving Jason to stare after her in awe.
By the time Jason and Reyna arrived at the Doors of Orpheus, they were completely soaked through with water running in their eyes, and chilled to the bone. And to make matters even worse, standing right in front of the Doors, blocking the way, was Echidna. Mother of all monsters, wife of Typhon. Great.
"A son of Jupiter and a daughter of Bellona…" Her voice was melodious, soft and light. And yet, in the depths of it, there lurked something of great evil, as deep as the pits of Tartarus. "I know what you seek to do. And oh so slim are your chances. Ever so slim…You seek to destroy my husband, like those Greeks did once."
"Don't you dare talk about them," Jason snarled, pulling out his sword. Echidna only laughed.
"Jason Grace. People call you their saving grace. People like the Greek girl, whom you think you love, and the one standing next to you, whom you once did love." Reyna clenched her teeth, holding it together. It was already a painful truth, and she didn't needed to be reminded of it. Reyna wanted to hurl herself at Echidna, and squeeze her throat. Jason looked at her for a second, pain filling his eyes. "Oh yes, daughter of Bellona," Echidna continued, looking at Reyna now, her eyes so dark, and dangerous. "Mighty queen Reyna. I know where your weaknesses lie."
"Shut up," Reyna hissed. "Before I cut your throat and send you to Tartarus." Echidna smiled. It was a beautiful and terrifying smile, all too knowing.
"Sending me to Tartarus would do nothing, although your intentions are brave, warrior queen. You're better than him, you know. Pity. He will be your downfall on this quest."
Jason lunged.
"No!" Reyna screamed. "Jason, stop, it's no use!" His sword stabbed Echidna's body, going straight into where her heart should be. A final, evil and bone-chilling laugh was heard as she disintegrated into dust, swept away by the circling wind.
"I. Don't. Care." Jason took a huge breath. "She said it again!" he exploded. "She said it again that I would be the downfall of this quest! The same thing Bellona said! Do you believe me now?"
"You don't know what she means," said Reyna quietly, turning away. "You have no idea."
"Damn you Reyna, can't you just understand?" But she did. She knew better than him. Echidna had talked to her. Bellona had spoken to her. Jason would be her downfall, not the downfall of the quest. The chances they would succeed were already so slim. Now, the chances she would make it back alive were gone. I know where your weaknesses lie. It was him. Jason. She had too many feelings for him.
"I guess it's time we entered the Underworld," she said, a while later, to Jason, after he had calmed down slightly.
"Reyna." She turned around.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry about my outburst. It was just…"
"It's fine." Jason groaned, standing up.
"No. It's not fine. Maybe you're right, and I don't know what it really means. But whatever it is, whatever Bellona and Echidna are saying, it's not good. Especially if a monster and a goddess are both saying it. And…and even if I don't fail the quest, I don't want to fail you either. I don't want to fail my best friend." Reyna closed her eyes for a slight second. Jason hadn't said anything like that since…since he came back with Piper. I don't want to fail you. I don't want to fail my best friend. He didn't love her. Not anymore. This was the closest they'd been to each other so far.
"We'll get through this. And someday, we will return." Jason nodded, reaching out to take Reyna's hand. A spark of electricity sizzled through her, and she remembered all the other times he had taken her hand. Every single spark. And she remembered the one spark that couldn't even be called a spark. It was a full strike of lightning, setting her entire body on fire, leaving her wanting more in a way she'd never known and would never admit.
"Reyna?"
"Yes?" She looked at Jason, and saw an odd expression on his face.
"Echidna didn't lie."
Reyna turned around, letting go of Jason's hand. I know. The words not uttered, the words not said. The girl you once did love.
"So," said Jason, after a minute pause. "What was your great plan that could get us into here?" The doors were shut, closed tight. Only music could open them.
"I…" Reyna swallowed. She was glad for a change of subject, but felt suddenly awkward. Reyna remembered when she was five, and Hylla was sick. She remembered when she was nine, and her father had hugged her, whispering in her ear. Yet after that, she had never done it again, never again since her father left. And now, kneeling down beside the doors, Reyna sang. She sang of lives abandoned, of magic and war, and slowly, ever so slowly, the doors creaked open. Turning around, she saw Jason standing there, his mouth hanging open and staring at her in shock. It was another painful secret, one of the few she'd kept from him. Her voice had haunted her father, been the reason he'd left. The first one to abandon Reyna in her life.
With Jason still staring at her open-mouthed, Reyna smiled the slightest of smiles, turned around, and entered the Underworld.
Yep. Go ahead and flame the ending. It's okay.
(Other than that I actually liked this chapter)
~Hazel