𝕱𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 - a Leo Valdez slowburn

Chapter eleven

Chapter eleven.

[Ice bucket challenge gone wrong ]

"This world is a crappy place,

but I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy

that they'd have to live their life

constantly trying to escape it."

After Hera finished her squabble with Thalia, Jason tried to diffuse the tension. He gently touched Thalia's shoulder, as if he was afraid she would lash out at him next. "Hey," he intervened. "Thalia - Sis - I know. But this isn't the time. You should help your Hunters." Thalia clenched her jaw, a vein threatening to burst. "Fine. For you, Jason," she said. She sent a glare at Hera's direction. "But if you ask me, she isn't worth it." She nodded at Leah. "You coming with me?" she asked. Leah opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She desperately wanted to now what was wrong with her, but Hera had made it clear with her short answer that she didn't think Leah was ready. 

Leah nodded, and gave a weak smile to the other demigods. She gave Jason's forehead a quick kiss, as a temporary goodbye. "I'll be back," she said. Then Thalia stormed out of the pool area, Leah trailing behind her.

"So you going to tell me if Phoebe got me my chicken nuggets?" Leah asked, a cheeky smile on her lips as she looked ahead. Thalia couldn't hide the ugly snort that echoed throughout the house. "You should ask her yourself, Lee. She shouldn't be too far away from here." Thalia sent a wink to Leah, and Leah wondered to herself: how did I ever stumble upon this person? 

Before they could get out though, the temperature dropped. Thalia froze next to Leah, a look of surprise on her face. Leah's eyes widened in fear and she jumped up the walls, rising the plants to keep her aloft. A figure came into her vision as she hid, a figure she knew. Khione. Of course she was on their side, she had never been the nicest.  

"Oú es-tu, Leah? I have a little greeting gift from Porphyrion." Her cold voice echoed throughout the corridors, slightly softer each time until it disappeared completely. Leah had switched her gun from hand to hand this entire time, but it was still loaded, and it should have been able to harm the goddess. But she hesitated too long.

Lycaon's wolves, Earthborn and venti rushed forward, scouring the place for the daughter of Demeter. Leah held her breath, having climbed up to an obscure corner that had somehow survived the fire. Once she thought they had gone, she released a shaky breath. Fortunately, they truly had gone, or otherwise she would've been a goner. 

She spied on the monsters and the goddess from her hiding space, trying to form a plan. If she was correct, the other Hunters would be frozen too, so no back-up, at all... She could at least take out the wolves herself. She nodded to herself, confident that she could do it. She then realized that shit, where was her silver magazine? Rummaging through her bag wouldn't  do much good as far as surprise goes, but as Leah really wanted to help she swiftly got up, and ran out. 

Luckily she was silent, or she would have most definitely been killed or frozen, Leah didn't know which was worse at the moment. She saw Khione speaking to her 'team', which consisted of three demigods who were all worn out. 

The goddess seemed to have an endless string of words coming out of her mouth. "-I'm afraid time is one tool you do not have," Khione said, her black hair billowing out behind her. Leah's jaw dropped: she was beautiful. Her features were those of a doll; a button nose, big eyes, plump lips. Leah wasn't sure if she wanted to be her, or be with her. She shook her head: 'no dating the enemy', she thought to herself. Besides, she'd caused Leah enough pain until now.