SAFE . . . reyna ramirez-arellano

47 - awkward conversation

IN HER DREAMS, Briar saw a lot of unicorns and rainbows. She didn't know if she was going insane, or if the dream was just telling her how gay she was.

But she also heard a voice cut into her dreams. Come find me, Briar. Let me tell you the truth.

Briar had no clue who that was, but before she could dwell on it, she woke up to see that she was in her beautifully done cabin, and there was someone holding her hand. Reyna was looking around Briar's room with a fond smile. Briar loved that smile, but she'd love it more if it was directed to her.

"Hey," Briar croaked. Wow, her voice sounded horrible.

Reyna dropped Briar's hand. "You're awake!"

"Don't sound so surprised, you'll never get rid of me." Briar reached up to touch her throbbing head, frowning at the bandages that were on it. "What . . . what happened? I remember the explosions, and—"

"You remember who I am?"

Briar stared at Reyna in confusion. "Last I checked, you're my soulmate, Reyna. Unless something had changed since I was out?"

"Nothing's changed," Reyna said coolly, though Briar could see the relief in her eyes. "Except for the fact that you're here."

She helped Briar sit up and gave her some nectar to sip while she brought her up to speed. Reyna was just explaining Leo's plan to fix the ship when Briar heard horse hooves clomping across the deck over their heads.

Moments later, Leo, Jason, and Hazel stumbled to a stop in the doorway, carrying a large sheet of hammered bronze between them.

"Oh. My. God." Briar stared at Leo. "What happened to you? Did my head injury mess up my vision that much?"

His hair was greased back. He had welding goggles on his forehead, a lipstick mark on his cheek, tattoos all over his arms, and a T-shirt that read HOT STUFF, BAD BOY, and TEAM LEO.

"Ha ha. Long story," he said. "Others back?"

"Not yet," Reyna said.

Leo cursed, though he shot finger guns at Briar. "Glad you're better, Sleeping Beauty. Even if I hate all of your insults. I'll be in the engine room. Jas?"

Jason nodded, and they ran off with the sheet of bronze, leaving Hazel in the doorway.

Briar raised an eyebrow at her. It fucking hurt. "Team Leo?"

"We met Narcissus," Hazel said, which didn't really explain much. "Also Nemesis, the revenge goddess."

Briar sighed, making a grabby hand at Reyna for her hand. Reyna grabbed her grabby hand. "I miss all the fun."

On the deck above, something went THUMP, as if a heavy creature had landed. Annabeth and Percy came running down the hall. Percy was toting a steaming five-gallon plastic bucket that smelled horrible. Annabeth had a patch of black sticky stuff in her hair. Percy's shirt was covered in it.

"Roofing tar?" Reyna guessed.

Frank stumbled up behind them, which made the hallway pretty jam-packed with demigods. Frank had a big smear of the black sludge down his face.

"Ran into some tar monsters," Annabeth said. "Hey, Briar, glad you're awake. Hazel, where's Leo and Jason?"

She pointed down. "Engine room."

Suddenly the entire ship listed to port. The demigods stumbled. Percy almost spilled his bucket of tar.

"Uh, what was that?" he demanded.

"Oh . . ." Hazel looked embarrassed. "We may have angered the nymphs who live in this lake. Like . . . all of them."

"Great." Percy handed the bucket of tar to Frank and Annabeth. "You guys help Leo. I'll hold off the water spirits as long as I can."