𝕱𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 - a Leo Valdez slowburn

Chapter ten

Chapter ten.

[The siblings reunite]

"It doesn't matter 

what happens in a story,

what matters is

who's telling it"

Leah surprisingly had a good nap, together with Jason who also passed out immediately. Both Piper and Leo stayed awake in their seats, to drive the helicopter. Leah had a dreamless sleep, she wasn't plagued with memories or messages or nightmares. It was nice. She hadn't gotten sleep like that in a while. 

Leah woke up, falling off her seat as she hadn't strapped herself to the chair. Stupid decision, really. She looked up from the ground, rubbing her side. "What happened..?" she asked no one in particular. Sleet hit the windows, and for a moment Leah swore she could see a face outside the window. The wind and engine were loud, too loud, encasing Leah in her own little world. 

"An ice storm?" Piper shouted. "Is it supposed to be this cold in Sonoma?" No one seemed to have an answer, although Leah was pretty sure it shouldn't be this cold anywhere in the south. Jason had also woken up and crawled forward, grabbing Piper and Leo's seats for support. 

Leah got up from the floor and tried to gain footing, bending her knees slightly. "We've got to be getting close," Jason said. Leah was tempted to bite back with a snarky reply, but she kept her mouth shut. It seemed as if Leo couldn't really control the helicopter anymore, the machine's movements jerkish and sluggish as they lost altitude. A thick fog covered the ground, the tree tops sticking out below them. Looming in front of them was the ridge of a hill. "There!" Jason pointed at said ridge.   A small valley opened up to them, the remnants of the Wolf House in the center. Leo aimed the helicopter straight for them. All around the demigods battle pursued.

Leah still, somehow, some way, had both her guns in their holsters, and her moon water. The most surprising thing though was that most of her knives that were stored in her sleeves hadn't disappeared. She had taken the ones from her bandaged arm out of her sleeve, but otherwise the set was complete. That was good, she might need them.

She got ready to face the cold, preparing herself for whatever could happen. Leo set down the helicopter in an icy field about fifty yards from the house and killed the engine. Leah exited the helicopter quickly, taking her guns out of their holsters. The other three quickly joined her in the cold, as a massive BOOM shook the ground, knocking Leo off his feet and splattering ice all around them.

"Pray to Britomartis that this'll go well," Leah said under her breath and loaded her guns. She helped Leo up. "You all right?" Jason asked. "Yeah," Leo shivered, "guess we owe that ranger lady a new helicopter." Poor pilot, Leah thought. She shook her head, her teeth chattering. Piper pointed south. "Fighting's over there." "No," Leah said, "the fighting's all around us. Also, I'm pretty sure Thalia is coming our way." 

And indeed, from the fog and the sleet, a girl's voice called. "Leah!" Thalia appeared, her parka caked with snow and bits of dried blood. Her bow was in her hand, and her quiver was almost empty. Leah quickly ran over to her and handed her the throwing knives. "Here, you'll need them more than me." 

Thalia grinned, although her eyes were dark. "Thanks, Lee." One of the Earthborn suddenly burst out from behind Thalia, a raised club in each hand. Leah brought up her gun and shot it, as Thalia did a whole flip and hit it between the eyes. They both hit the target and the ogre melted to the ground.