reflection ● jason grace

Daria decides, perhaps she hates him

 Daria was only distantly aware of her friends gathering around her.

Stupidly, she didn't make eye-contact with the 17 year-old in front of her. "Where are they, Atticus?" She said lowly. "Where have you kept them?"

"Come on, Dars." She could feel him grinning. The nickname washed over her like the River Lethe – desperately, she wished she could forget the term. "Don't you want to say 'hello' first?"

Fury bubbled up in her stomach. She did something even more stupid. She charged.

Her swords weren't even drawn. Her mind wasn't thinking of anything except for how much the person speaking to her had hurt her friends, her best friend. But ultimately, it was in vain. Atticus vanished and reappeared further down.

She could feel Jason in the cave just a few feet away, Daniel alongside him. All they had to do was get past Atticus; Daria exchanged a glance with her friends. They could all attack at once, but Daria didn't doubt that Atticus had something else up his sleeve.

"Oh my. What would Daniel say about your rashness?" Atticus mocked in his low voice. "'Keep yourself calm. Mind over matter.' A shame his lessons didn't work – hearing Jason scream was getting pretty annoying."

"You're a traitor," Nathan spat in anger, shoulders tense. "A coward."

"We're here!" Daniel's voice rang through the cave. Daria nearly flinched in surprise; her eyes flew to where the voice had come from. "We're safe!"

Daria didn't know why he added that last part, but Atticus frowned. She finally looked at his face, which was even more hauntingly god-like in person. Daria prided herself on being able to read people, but whatever was hiding in Atticus's heart was too dark for even her.

"What are you doing here, Atticus?" She didn't make any move to draw her weapon. Even now, she was sure Atticus wouldn't harm her. There was something...something that made her sure. "Obviously you want something. What's your price?"

Atticus's lip twitched up. "Your friends aren't for sale."

"Daria," Michael said to her right. "Let's beat this clown to pieces."

The traitor looked at the son of Venus like he was insignificant. "You can try. You will not stop Krios from rising, demigod."

"Leave my friends alone," Daria said firmly, the one thought that came across clearly.

Atticus raised his eyebrow. "Of course. All you have to do is join me."

"Or kill you," Daria warned him.

Atticus took a step closer; Daria held her ground. "You wouldn't do that."

She joined him, meeting him in the middle – and effort to get closer to where her friends were being held. "Wouldn't I?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dakota and Clara creep along the wall, trying not to be seen. She had to distract Atticus so that they could get to Jason and Daniel. They stood less than a foot apart now. Daria could feel his breathing on her neck. All her senses screamed at her to get out.

Atticus shook his head, but his gaze remained on her. Unreadable. "We're not at Camp Jupiter, Daria. This isn't a game."

Daria could hear what he meant: stop playing with me. She wasn't quite sure how much of what she was doing was acting, and she wasn't naive enough to believe that none of it was. But Dakota and Clara needed time. "I never said it was, Atticus."

She could feel Nathan and Michael ready to fight behind her, but there was a part of her that hoped they wouldn't have to. The other two were clearing the tunnel. "Honestly, did you ever think I would join you? After I've told you 'no' time and time again?"