obsidian black ● jason grace

i'll

 Reyna was just in the middle of baring her soul to Nico di Angelo when Bryce Lawerence appeared.

She had been telling him about her father, the mania she had killed, meaning she wasn't in her best presence of mind (an understatement really). Still, she knew what his appearance meant.

"Octavian," she hissed. She and Nico were already on their feet, weapons drawn. From inside the tent, she could hear Coach Hedge singing to himself. Reyna hoped he didn't decide to come out.

Bryce cocked his head. "Yes and no. You know, Octavian's a great speaker, he didn't tell us to follow you. He also didn't tell us not to."

"You are a probatio," she reminded him. "In being here, alone, you are no longer part of the legion." She drew her sword and bared her teeth. "Which means I will have no qualms about killing you."

"Reyna, wait," Nico warned. "There's something...the spirits below us are restless. I don't think he's alone."

"You would be right, son of Pluto." Bryce didn't even bother to draw a weapon. The stones rumbled like they were coming to the boil. Out of the grave site, skeletal warriors erupted – spartoi in the tattered remains of British redcoat uniforms.

"Damned souls," Nico muttered. "Reyna, go. I can take them."

"Yeah, that's going to happen," she muttered. Then she noticed lines on his arms; her blood seemed to curdle. "You got promoted."

"My centurion seems to be...out of action," Bryce grinned horribly. "That friend of yours from the second put up a good fight, though. Shame, he doesn't have much longer, I'd wager."

Nathan. Reyna's mouth turned dry. She was so shocked that she didn't even fight as the soldiers approached her. Aurum and Argentum took down the first few, but they were quickly wrestled to the ground, skeletal hands clamped over their muzzles. The redcoats grabbed Reyna's arms. For undead creatures, they were surprisingly quick.

"Nico, get out of here!" Reyna managed. "Get to the statue and leave."

"Yes, off you go!" Bryce agreed. "Of course, you realize that your next shadow-jump will be your

last. You know you don't have the strength to survive another. But, by all means, take the Athena

Parthenos.'"

Nico still held his Stygian sword, but his hands were dark and transparent like smoky glass. Even in the direct sunlight, he was dissolving. Coach Hedge had come out to see what all the noise was about, then froze.

"Stop this!" he yelled. Like Reyna, he seemed determined to get all of them out. Alive.

"Oh, I'm not doing a thing," Bryce said. "But I am curious to see what will happen. If you take the statue, you'll disappear with it forever, right into oblivion. If you don't take it ... well, I have orders

to bring Reyna in alive to stand trial for treason. I have no orders to bring you in alive, Nico."

"Daria will kill you," Nico warned. "Once she gets word, you and Octavian are goners."

Fear flickered on Bryce's face momentarily, then it vanished. "Daria Jackson may be strong, but she cannot fight the entire legion. Especially not after that traitorous stunt she-"

Reyna snarled at him. "Keep her name out of your mouth."

"Jason Grace, then," Nico snapped. "Percy Jackson. Make no mistake, you're not getting out of this war alive."

"Perhaps," Bryce spat back at him. "But it doesn't matter," he drew the point of his pilum across Reyna's face, leaving a thin trail of blood.