Reyna felt wrong. She was not suppose to be at this camp. That was fact. Drew seemed to agree, and she wouldn't keep her mouth shut about it. Reyna ignored her as she looked at the four story mansion in front of her.
Drew's eyes kept shooting above Reyna's head. She was waiting for a sign, but Reyna knew it wouldn't happened. The claiming would be public, or it wouldn't happen at all.
There was also what the woman on the bus had said. She claimed that she could smell the war in Reyna's blood. That meant she was a child of a war god or goddess. That left the question of who.
As she looked at her arm, Reyna had a bad feeling. She knew what those letter meant. Drew bumped into her and walked towards the front door.
"I don't have all day," Drew complained. She looked at Reyna and glared. "You better not be a child of Aphrodite. We don't need another waste of space in our cabin."
"I'm sure you waste enough space by yourself," Reyna said. She showed no emotion as Drew opened her mouth then closed it angrily. Reyna looked up at the blue building. It had a wrap around porch.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by hooves. Reyna looked around in surprise and watched a centaur walk towards her. From the waist up, he was normal with a beard and brown hair. His lower half was a white horse.
"Chiron, this is Reyna," Drew said. Chiron smiled until he saw Reyna's arm. The color drained from his face.
"Drew, leave us," Chiron ordered. Drew nodded and hurried away. She glared at Reyna as she left. Chiron looked at her. "Come in."
Reyna looked up at the building. She wanted to turn and run away. Reyna swallowed down those emotions and followed Chiron towards a chair. It opened up, and Chiron used his back legs to step into it.
Reyna blinked, and Chiron was in a wheelchair. A blanket covered his legs. He moved towards the door and spoke, "We have lemonade."
"Do you have hot chocolate?" Reyna questioned. The words slipped out, but she didn't regret it. Something told her hot chocolate would calm her nerves. Chiron looked at her and nodded. He led her inside.
Grapevines were the only thing Reyna saw. Her attention turned to the fireplace and the couches in front of it. There was a Pac-Man machine in the corner. Masks of all kind lined the wall.
There was a stuffed leopard's head on the wall. It blinked, and Reyna felt her heart almost leave her chest. The leopard snarled at her and glared. Its eyes were trying to burn lasers into Reyna.
"Seymour," Chiron began. "Reyna is a friend. You don't growl at friends."
Reyna watched the leopard eye her like he didn't believe Chiron. He licked his lips. Chiron grabbed a package of Snausages and threw it at Seymour.
"Seymour and everything else here is a parting gift from our director: Mr. D. You may know his as Dionysus," Chiron explained. He seemed to gauge Reyna's reaction.
"Bacchus," Reyna said automatically. She immediately bit her tongue. Chiron nodded as if she had confirmed something for him. Reyna swung her backpack off of her shoulder as casually as she could. Chiron motioned for her to sit.
"What can you tell me about yourself?" Chiron asked. Reyna sat down and didn't respond. She glanced around deciding it was safe. Finally, Reyna told him everything that had happened that morning.
As she spoke, Chiron made hot chocolate. He handed her a cup when she finished. Reyna took a small sip. It reminded her of home, but she didn't know where that was.
"And, do you know what your shirt and tattoo means?" Chiron questioned when she finished her story. He had listened patiently, but his eyes grew older and older as she talked.
"SPQR symbolizes the Roman republic," Reyna answered. She found herself assaulted by facts from the ancient empire. "That doesn't explain why I have it though."
"Do you know who I am?" Chiron asked.
"The centaur from the stories," Reyna responded. "We're all children of the gods. Their power moves from civilization to civilization. I don't know how I know that, but I do."
"Then, you know that you have been claimed?" Chiron questioned. There was something odd about how he spoke.
"I'm guessing that is what the tattoo is for," Reyna responded. She froze realizing she had spoken in another language. "Latin?"
"Most demigods know a little bit. It doesn't run through their blood like Ancient Greek does. You must have practice to speak it," Chiron explained.
"Maybe, I practiced," Reyna countered. She quickly tried to think, but her thoughts were tumbling on top of each other. Panic started to grow. Reyna shut it down and focused on calming herself.
"The worst is yet to come," Chiron decided after a minute of silence. "I was hoping we would have peace after Kronos."
"It's because I'm here," Reyna assumed. She lowered her cup. "I'm not suppose to be here. Where am I from?"
"I swore on the River Styx to not say a word," Chiron responded. "Someone must have broken the oath. Who though?"
Time froze around Reyna. Chiron's mouth was open as he went to continue. Seymour was in mid yawn. Reyna watched the fire in the fireplace stop. She looked around and saw a figure in the corner.
Reyna stood and grabbed her sword from her backpack. The person snapped their fingers, and the sword flew from Reyna's hands into theirs. They stepped into the light.
The man in front of her wore a military uniform. He was holding an M16 in his right hands His head was shaved. Reyna stared at him.
"I think you would have more respect for the person who saved you after that incident with your father," the man said. Reyna watching him. What was he talking about? "The others wanted you dead. I argued that we should throw you to the wolves."
"Mars," Reyna said after a moment. She swallowed nervously and quickly dropped to a knee.
"Your knowledge is intact," Mars commented. "How much do you remember?"
"I just know who you are and things about the Rome," Reyna replied truthfully. "And, that knowledge is already gone."
Mars nodded like he expected it. He spoke, "You have four days to find the imprisoned goddess. I can't say her name because it's not that easy. You'll have to figure it out yourself. Now, stand."
Reyna did. Mars tossed her sword to her. Reyna caught it silently. She waited for the god's next words.
"If you want your memory back, you're going to do this," Mars continued. "It took her a month to work up enough magic to bring you here. That drained her more than she expected, so I had to deliver this message to you."
"Where is this goddess?" Reyna asked.
"Don't know," Mars replied. He looked at her backpack. "I see that your mother packed you a little care package. It was hard enough convincing her to give her blessing for this. We almost had to go with the boy."
"Boy," Reyna repeated She frowned and tried to think. Nothing came to mind. "Why me then?"
Mars shrugged. He stared to turn away. Reyna looked away and closed her eyes. She opened them when Chiron grabbed her shoulder.
"Why do you have a sword out?" Chiron questioned. He eyed the blade wearily. Chiron acted like it was a nuclear bomb.
"Mars. He told me that a goddess was missing," Reyna said. Chiron closed his eyes and whispered something that sounded like a prayer. "Chiron, what is going on?"
Before Chiron could answer, the door opened. Reyna turned her head and stared. Percy stepped in carrying Piper who looked unconscious. A redhead followed them.
"What happened?" Reyna demanded. Protectiveness surged through her chest. She gripped the sword in her hand. The redhead swallowed nervously and stepped forward.
"We were in Hera's cabin, and I might have killed her," the girl answered. Reyna went to take a step forward, but Chiron grabbed her shoulder.
"Calm," Chiron ordered. He tightened the grip on Reyna's shoulder. "Percy, lay her on the couch and get the med kit. Rachel, what happened?"
Reyna watched closely as Percy laid Piper down. He hurried away. Reyna didn't take her eyes off of Piper.
"I went to Hera's cabin, and those two came in while I was there. Percy told me that I spoke in a different voice, and he told me that my voice sounded like an old woman."
"They said to free her," Percy added as he stepped into the room. Chiron looked at Reyna who reluctantly put her sword back in the backpack.
"Tell them," Chiron ordered Reyna. He grabbed the med kit from Percy and went to Piper's side.
After a moment, Reyna explained what Mars had said. She stared at Rachel as she spoke. A warning was in her eyes that Rachel seemed to understand. When Reyna finished, she looked around.
"Ares isn't to be trusted," Percy said almost immediately.
"What would he gain by lying?" Reyna questioned. She focused her eyes on him.
"A war," Percy muttered darkly. Reyna felt anger that she couldn't describe. She stepped forward.
"Mars does not love to just engage in wars. He watches over warriors and those who fight to defend their homeland," Reyna said. "He understands the art of war."
"Athena understands the art of war," Percy countered. "Ares is just a bully."
"Minerva knows nothing of the art of war," Reyna snapped. She quickly tried to conceal her anger. "She is a coward."
Percy stepped forward. There was an angry look in his eyes. Reyna silently dared him to try anything. Rachel stepped in between them and spoke, "Stop!"
Reyna glared at Percy, but she forced herself to turn towards Piper. She knelt next to her and watched Chiron work. There was a tense silence in the air.
"Why do you use the Roman names?" Percy asked after a moment. It seemed to be his way of still being angry but also extending an olive branch.
"Instinct," Reyna replied. "If you went to Juno's cabin, and Rachel acted like that, I assume that is who we have to rescue."
"It makes sense," Rachel said. "If she appeared to us, why didn't she appear to you as well? Why Ares?"
"It drained her more than expected," Reyna muttered. "What could capture a goddess though?"
"Well, it happened all the times in the stories," Percy began. "Atlas did it a few years ago."
"This is worse," Chiron whispered. Percy opened his mouth, but Chiron held up a hand. "I have swore an oath to not say a word. I cannot break that oath."
"If Hera is gone, it's bad," Rachel added. "Isn't she the peacekeeper of Olympus? They must have known about her disappearance. That's why they closed it off. Now, Hera has called on you."
Reyna didn't respond. She stood and stared at the ground. Her mind was racing. Reyna spoke, "She took my memories as well."
"Why you?" Percy questioned. Reyna looked down at her tattoo and ran a hand over it. Her mother was a goddess. Reyna closed her eyes again.
"I don't know," Reyna muttered. She noticed how quiet Chiron had been. Reyna sighed tiredly and opened her eyes. When she tried to walk away, Percy grabbed her.
"I have an idea," Percy began. "It might be a way to get your memory back."
"I don't care," Reyna responded. She turned towards him and swallowed painfully. "Please, I just want to be alone."
Percy seemed to understand. He let go of her. Reyna grabbed her backpack and hurried out of the Big House. She took deep breaths and tried to control her emotions. It would not be good to lose it like she had with Percy.
Reyna walked without any care. A million thoughts ran through her head. She forced them aside and walked towards the stables. There was only two Pegasi. One of them, Scipio, was watching a boy try to mount the other Pegasus.
"Clovis, you have to be awake," Butch chided. Reyna stopped to watch them. A boy with a cowlick was struggling to stay awake. He looked like a large baby that just wanted to find his blanket and curl up.
"I'm watching my dad kill people for sleeping on the job," Clovis muttered. He finally managed to pull himself onto the Pegasus. Butch sighed in annoyance.
"Then, shouldn't he kill you?" Butch questioned.
"No. That's his Roman form," Clovis explained. He yawned widely. "We talked about this. The attitudes of the gods change as they move. Rome had crueler gods that had to be there for the empire to survive."
"They were nicer in Greece. I know. You always talk about that. Let's get flying," Butch said. "Then, you can go to bed."
"Bed?" Clovis questioned. He stared to slide off of the Pegasus. Butch cursed and tried to grab him before he fell off.
Reyna sighed as she watched them. She felt Scipio nudge her arm. Reyna turned towards the Pegasus and spoke, "At least you like me."
Scipio nudged her face. Reyna slowly placed a hand to the Pegasus' mane. A small smile came to her face. It soon turned into a frown as she saw the mark below Scipio's mane. Reyna gently placed a hand to it.
"The same as my tattoo," Reyna whispered. She ran a hand over the crossed sword and torch. Reyna hated not knowing about herself. It wasn't fair. "Stop complaining."
Reyna slung her backpack off of her shoulder and looked inside. There was her sword, a small vial of the powder she had used on her shoulder, a dagger, and a book: The Art of War.
Reyna gritted her teeth. She knew her mother was a goddess of war. The problem was that she didn't know the identity of her mother. After a moment, Reyna sat against Scipio and closed her eyes tightly.