chapter thirty-seven

─── we have made it to the backstory chapter

          ℑ had tried to delay going to meet Reyna, but I hadn't had much chance. She had spotted me, motioned for me to follow and I'd been screwed. One look at the foul glare on her face had me gripping onto Riptide and trying to find something to hide behind.

"Sit." I sat down as the dogs did, all three of us shooting each other a worried look. "You leave after lunch and we have a lot to discuss."

She slammed her dagger down, before sinking into her seat.

"What'd I do wrong?"

"It's not you." Reyna growled, rubbing between her forehead. "Octavian's in a bad mood and when he's in a bad mood and starts questioning decisions, the whole senate follows him."

"You're a warrior. He's a talker. He becomes more powerful with an audience." I pointed out as Reyna watched me.

"Funny thing is he's not much of a talker, he just has an attitude." Reyna sighed, before composing herself. "Normally, we're all in the same mindset but everything's very stressful."

"The others think that Octavian wants to go for that First Praetor position." I muttered, as Reyna snorted, shaking her head.

"He doesn't want it." Reyna shook her head. "But it does bring us onto doomsday."

"Does it?"

"Yes."

"Okay." I agreed with her. She didn't look like she was in the mood for arguments.

"I want to talk about how you're going to prevent it." I did not sign up for that. She had the wrong person for the job. "But before I place the fate of my forces and home in your hands, we need to get a few things straight."

She placed a ring onto the table, a band of silver, etched with the same design as Reyna's tattoo.

"Do you know what this is?"

"That's the sign of your mother, Bellona." I pointed out, as Reyna nodded.

"Do you know where you saw this before? Do you not remember me, or my sister Hylla?" I shook my head.

"I'm sorry."

"It would've been four years ago." Reyna tried to prompt.

"Just before you came to Camp?" Reyna frowned, before scratching at her tattoos as if it came to her. "I'm sorry, it's still not ringing a bell."

"It was a long time ago." Reyna sighed, before beginning to fiddle with the ring. "I was just a little girl, an attendant at the spa but you spoke with my sister just before you and the one you were with destroyed our home."

Oops but that did sound like something I would do, even if I couldn't remember it.

"Still a blank." Nothing was coming to me and I promise you, I was really trying. My brain cells were whirring together like a jet engine, but nothing was coming to me. "Since your dogs aren't attacking me, I hope you'll believe me. I'm telling the truth."

"I believe you're sincere." She sighed. "Not everyone does."

"Yeah, Octavian says I'm replacing Cressida."

"Is that what the two of you were talking about this morning?" Reyna looked up, eyebrow cocked. "I did wonder. He's not the most sociable of people."

"He's your friend."

"And a very good friend of mine, but Octavian didn't like me when I first joined. He's a bit suspicious." I had noticed that, funnily enough. "He thinks your Greek, like the old legends. That you follow the older form of the gods and that you're plotting for our downfall and working with the enemy."

"Octavian said that?"

"Not in those words, but the general gist was there." Reyna shrugged. "I wouldn't take it too seriously, Octavian and Cressida grew up together for years. It hit him the hardest when she went missing and everyone said that he cursed her or killed her."

"Were they a couple?" It was just a rogue theory, because no one else in this camp seemed as worked up over her disappearance as Octavian was. Reyna tilted her head, as if wondering how much she could or should say.

"Cressida's been a praetor since she was young, Octavian's been her augur since she started. They're a well oiled team." Reyna stopped, before running her hand down her face. "Look, it's hard to say. They hated talking about it, I only knew because I was good friends with Cress and we lived together bu-"

She stopped herself as the dogs perked their head up. We both turned, finding Octavian in the doorway. He'd shed his toga and he walked in like he worked here too, putting his dagger on Cressida's desk. 

"People don't like a legacy and a full blooded demigod together, not least a daughter of Jupiter and a fourth time legacy." Octavian leant against her desk, folding his arms over his chest as he watched me. "We don't tell people because I don't want to, you'll respect that."

"Who am I going to tell?"

"I don't know. The Greeks?"

"Still not a spy." He pulled a face as if he didn't believe me but we left it. 

"Goldie was a praetor long before Reyna came into view. She and I trained up together, she's been one of the best praetors we had." He sighed, before running a hand though his hair. "You're only supposed to have four months between the loss of a first praetor and the addition of a new one. That's what the election is about. Normally, the first praetor trains up their successor."

"Why don't you do it?" I looked between them as Octavian shook his head.

"The camp hates me or is distrustful of me." Octavian looked back at Reyna. "You want her to replace Cressida?"

"Gods no. She just got here, she knows nothing about the customs and the camp won't listen to her." Reyna waved Octavian off as I hummed. I also didn't want a position of responsibility, if I could help it. "This is supposed to be a one-on-one conversation between me and Andromeda, Tav."

"I know." He shrugged and for the first time, the hint of a grin appeared and he looked younger. "Pretend I'm not here."

Reyna laughed, shaking her head, before turning back to me.

"You said I had another with me when I destroyed your home." Reyna nodded. "Was he tall, blond with a scar across his cheek?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I have memories of one person, and that's it, my mom. She's the only one I can truly remember." My throat almost closed as I thought about her. "But, I had a demigod dream. There was someone there, telling me to stay in one place and that he'd come and find me. He said he knew I had amnesia and that I couldn't remember him."

Both Octavian and Reyna straightened up.

"I don't know, I can't tell you anything from that, but I can say that if he knew that, then you'd have to think that he knew it from experience. It's not everyday someone gets kidnapped and has amnesia." I pointed out, before sighing. "Look, it might be nothing but-"

"If they knew you'd have amnesia and this is the first time they talked to you, they might have spoken to someone with experience, who knew that already." Octavian began to rattle off, eyes wide. "They might have spoken to Goldie."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." But Reyna's face is equally as excited and hopeful as Octavian's. They might have been the leaders of Camp Jupiter, but in reality, these were two kids who wanted their friend back. "Look, back to the original point. I-We need Andromeda's help, to secure the camp."

"And I can promise to try but you've got a lot of good people who know this camp better than I do. If we succeed on this quest, Hazel and Frank will be heroes. They've been here longer-"

"No one will follow a child of Pluto, there's something going on there and Frank has a good heart, but he's hopelessly naïve and inexperienced. They need more years before they even should try for centurion positions." Reyna explained.

"They're powerful kids." I pointed out. "I'm an amnesiac."

"Andromeda, when you entered the camp, people thought you were a god." Reyna said as I pulled a face. Were said people blind or delusional? Maybe both. "You're a seasoned veteran. I saw you fight before and you were good then. You're better now."

"Thanks."

"Not a compliment."

"Okay." I sighed, as Reyna continued.

"A daughter of Neptune is a rare and powerful thing and we have a lot to do. We have to find the Doors of Death, work out who the true enemy is, expand the power of Rome and crush anyone in our way." Reyna pointed out, before looking back at Octavian as I pulled a face. I hated responsibility, I knew that much.

"Look, I'm not Cressida's replacement. Octavian's got too little scars for me to date him and I'd assume I'm not blonde enough for his taste." Octavian choked from behind me, as I shrugged. "I've got a boyfriend, I think, who seems to know me a lot better than I know myself and I'm pretty sure I hate responsibility. I'll help fight because I love fighting and I'm good at it, but Reyna, if I get my memories back, I want to go home and be free to do so, wherever home is."

"It's not a requirement to date Octavian." Reyna laughed, amusement clear in her eyes as she looked at the Augur behind me. "But, I understand the reasoning. Octavian and I can hold out for a while further."

"Things are bad though." Octavian spoke up. "Worse than you realise."

"How bad?" Reyna shares a glance with Octavian, before he sighs and speaks up.

"The senate doesn't know the truth. We've kept the auguries, the visions, secret or we'd have mass panic. I saw a great army marching south, more than we can possibly defeat, led by a giant."

"Alcyoneus?" I questioned.

"I don't think so." Octavian shook his head. "He's invulnerable in Alaska, why would he come south? It's one of his brothers."

"Lupa and her wolves are trying to slow them down, but this force is too strong even for them." Reyna finished up her comrades words. "The enemy will be here soon, by the Feast of Fortuna at the latest."

That worried me, a lot. I'd seen Lupa fight, she was strong but if the enemy was too much for even her, then we were screwed. Reyna seemed to read my expression.

"It's bad, but not hopeless." She calmed me slightly. "If you succeed in bringing back our eagle, if you release Death so we can actually kill our enemies, then we stand a chance." 

"There's another possibility." Octavian pointed out.

"My sister, Hylla. Show her this ring, as a token from me and she may help you." Reyna passed me the ring, and I pulled my necklace off, attaching it to the leather band. "She's gone silent over the past week, and I haven't heard from her."

"You want me to check up on her?" I guessed as Reyna nodded.

"Partially, yes. I can't imagine she's been overcome. She has a powerful force and her territory is well defended but she could offer you powerful help."

"And there's a chance she could send help here if you tell her what's going on." I looked between the two teenagers, nodding. 

"I'll find her." I grinned, before standing up with a stretch. "Look, you said I've got battle experience, and I think you're right. I'll find her, we'll complete this quest, come back and we'll deal with this, alltogether."

"You're surprisingly upbeat." Reyna pointed out, as I looked between them.

"What have I got to lose by being upbeat?" I looked between them, before patting them both of the shoulder. "For two teenagers, you two are surprisingly depressed. Things will work out and if you don't have faith in the gods, have some faith in me. I made it to twenty-one for a reason."

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Hiya,

So, we're back with another chapter. Got to love Tav, Reyna and Andi. Tav's being a little more forthcoming, Andi hates responsibility and Reyna's got her hands full with the pair. Love that for them. I'm actually on holiday atm, so thank god for prewritten chapters, but I should be back properly from next week.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx