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Leo was really sad to leave the hot Amazons behind. Sure, they wanted to make him a slave, but they were still hot. He was also really not into this jog.
They were jogging in the snow. Like, did no one understand that snow and jogging didn't go together? Although, jogging with Hylla brought another really important question to Leo's mind.
"Are you the same as the company?" Leo called. He saw Hylla glance back at him. It was nice that she didn't look annoyed.
"We are," Hylla called. She started jogging on a path on the side of the mountain. Leo was kind of upset that Hedge was easily making his way through the snow. Hedge glanced back at him.
"Come on Valdez! This is nothing compared to the school! Should we start singing a song for inspiration?" Hedge wondered.
"I'll throw you off this mountain if you do," Hylla warned. Leo forced himself to pick up speed, so he fell in step with Reyna and Piper.
"How are you two doing?" Leo questioned. Reyna shrugged and pretended like she was focusing on the path. Leo frowned. He wanted to try and make Reyna feel happier, but that was way out of his comfort zone.
"I'm trying to stay focused on the task," Reyna finally answered. Leo looked at her in surprise. Honestly, he didn't expect Reyna to respond, but it was nice that she did.
"We'll get everything figured out," Leo promised. "You'll get your memory back, and we'll all ride off happily into the sunset."
Leo wasn't pay attention to where he was going, so he slammed right into Hylla. The Amazon caught her balance and shot him a look. Leo gulped and tried to smile. Hylla pointed up.
Upon looking up, Leo lost his breath, and that wasn't because of the thin air. A floating island of glowing, purple stone rested above them. It was probably the size of a football stadium. The sides of it had caves all over which caused a pipe organ sound to come from it.
A narrow bridge of ice connected the island to the peak they stood on. Someone really hated Leo if they wanted him to go on that. As they got closer, it got worse.
The bridge was not made of ice. It also moved with the wind, and that probably meant they were going to fall off and die. He was screwed.
"Is this the only way?" Piper questioned. She sounded ready to not go on the bridge. Leo concurred.
"Unless one of you can fly," Hylla answered as she crossed her arms. She glanced at them rather patiently for someone who said she was in a hurry.
"How does no one notice that?" Leo wondered trying to stall for time. He needed to work up the courage to actually go across the ice bridge.
"The mist hides it from mortal's view," Hylla answered. "We need to go across in two groups, so the bridge doesn't collapse."
"Let's get moving then," Hedge said. He tapped the bridge with his club and stepped onto it. Hedge turned and grabbed Piper. "Ready?"
"No," Piper quickly replied, but there was nothing that she could do as she was dragged up the bridge. Thankfully, the bridge didn't seem like it was going to give out on them.
"Be careful where you step," Hylla ordered. She seemed to be listening to the wind. "They haven't found anything yet, so I'll escort you up there."
Leo did not listen to the advice of watching where he stepped. He was busy thinking about the design of the bridge. If Leo had the choice, this bridge would be supported by columns. That's when his mind started thinking, and his feet stopped working.
"What are you doing?" Hylla demanded. She was behind Leo, and Reyna was in the front. They were in the middle of the bridge. Hedge and Piper had made it across already.
"Why have a bridge if they are wind spirits?" Leo wondered. "They can fly, right?"
"Does it matter?" Reyna demanded as she looked back. She seemed impatient to be going.
"The bridge is the anchor to the mortal world. It connects the two different worlds," Hylla responded. At those words, Leo's mind started racing. He had come to a realization.
That's also when Leo realized that his excitement was causing his body temperature to heat up. Smoke rose from his shoes. He was melting the bridge.
"We need to get going," Reyna snapped. She turned towards them.
"You're a bridge. That is what Hera called you," Leo said quickly. "What would you be connecting though? It would have to be something that doesn't get along. It would be like how the air palace and the mortal world does not get along."
"I'm just spit balling here," Leo continued. "But, Athena hates you, and her daughter is missing. You are bridging two places, and I think you are part of an exchange. Annabeth is the other part."
"So, Juno made this exchange because she got captured," Reyna slowly said. "And, she's at the place where my new life began."
"The Wolf House," Hylla muttered. "I know where that is. If that's where Hera is, we can find her."
Leo opened his mouth, but the bridge underneath him dissolved. He would have fallen to his death if Reyna didn't grab his jacket and pull him towards her. The two ran up the bridge.
When Leo looked back, he saw Hylla standing at the opposite end of the thirty foot chasm. A glance to his left showed the sadness on Reyna's face. She didn't want to leave her sister behind.
"Find Piper's father!" Hylla yelled. "The Amazons and I will hold the Wolf House. You know where it is Reyna. I'll be there this time. I promise!"
With this those words, Hylla ran back the way they had came. Leo started to run up the rest of the bridge. A glance back showed Reyna wasn't following, and the bridge was quickly melting. Leo grabbed Reyna and dragged her up the bridge.
Reyna followed him after a moment. She pushed him forward trying to probe him to move faster. Leo finally made it to the floating island and collapsed to his knees. Reyna stopped next to him and gasped desperately for breath.
"What happened?" Piper questioned. Leo looked behind him. The bridge was gone which meant their only exit was gone. "Leo, you're smoking."
"I got a little excited," Leo began. He looked at Reyna. She was staring out at the chasm. "I'm sorry."
Reyna shook her head in clear anger. She spoke, "We have less than a day to find Piper's dad and rescue Juno. Let's get moving."
Reyna did not wait for a response. She moved ahead of them and even ahead of Hedge. Her hand clenched the golden backpack. Leo had completely forgotten about it.
Leo fell in step with Piper and told her what had happened. While Piper listened silently, she seemed anxious. The thought of saving her dad had to be overwhelming.
As they walked, Leo kept patting himself down. He didn't want to catch fire and burn a hole through the snow and possibly the island. If he couldn't control himself, Leo was pretty sure that he would get punched in the face.
The four of them walked in silence. Hedge would jog up the steps, act like he was going to say something to Reyna, and then get shut down by a glare. He would then jog back down the stairs and repeat the cycle.
The walk finally ended as Leo saw large, bronze walls surrounding a fortress. A gate that was twenty feet high opened for them, and they followed the road of purple stone. A smirk came to Leo's face.
"Too bad it's not the yellow brick road," Leo commented. Piper rolled her eyes. They both stared at the main citadel which looked like one of the monuments in Washington D.C.
"No cable?" Leo questioned as he looked at the cluster of satellite dishes and radio towers on the roof. The rotunda was cut into four areas for what he assumed were the four seasons.
One looked like a winter wonderland with snow. The second looked like a park in autumn. The third looked like a farm. Leo frowned as he saw the last one looked like a desert.
"Anyone mind if I visit the pasture?" Hedge questioned as he licked his lips. When no one responded, he rushed towards the farm. Leo looked at his friends.
Reyna silently walked towards the entrance. Leo frowned. Was she that mad about him destroying the bridge? He didn't mean to, and Reyna had to understand that.
As Leo opened his mouth to apologize, a woman suddenly floated up to them. Luckily, it didn't really surprise Leo that she was floating. It did surprise him that she was so pretty.
The woman had slightly pointed ears almost like an elf. She had dark hair and brown eyes. It was hard to pinpoint her age. The weirdest thing was that she was see through, and she was still able to hold a white tablet computer in her hands.
"Yes, I see we have a scheduled visit. Oh, no. This isn't a good. Are you Reyna?" the woman asked.
Reyna's only response was a nod. The woman swallowed painfully and spoke, "I am Mellie and will be your guide. In case you do not know, I am an aura also know as a wind nymph."
"I see you have a meeting planned with Aeolus. I heard the stories about your mother destroying this palace. Please do not repeat the incident," Millie continued as she led them away.
"Who destroyed this palace?" Piper questioned. Millie looked back at them and smiled sadly.
"I don't know," Millie replied. "I started twelve hours ago, and I've been one of his longest running assistants. There is just a warning label next to your friends name."
"Why can't someone just tell me who my mother is?" Reyna muttered bitterly. Leo glanced at his friend and looked away. If he apologized now, he would probably get thrown off of the palace.
"Let's just keep going," Reyna grumbled. When Piper tried to grab her arm, Reyna promptly ignored her and walked faster. Piper glanced back at Leo.
Leo gave her an apologetic look and followed after Reyna. He really hoped that they would find the answers that they needed. Besides, they needed to have good luck sometime, right?