The Price of a Life.

Chapter Five.

Lillian's POV

Lillian woke up at around seven o'clock. Natasha was fast asleep, snoring slightly. Sofia was tossing and turning as she slept. Lillian reminded herself to check on her when she eventually woke up.

She sat up and looked over to her right. Landon's bed was empty, blanket a mess, and his bag opened on the mattress. She hopped down from the top bunk and looked over to the balcony.

Sure enough, Landon was sitting there, legs between the railing and dangling over the balcony's edge. She sighed and shook her head, heading into the kitchen space.

She made two cups of tea and grabbed two of the sandwiches she'd bought yesterday. She walked over to the balcony and gently tapped it with her foot. Landon turned his head, and she gestured to the door and her full hands.

Landon reached over and opened it, cold wind hitting Lillian like a slap on the face. She heard it shut behind her as she placed down the cups of tea and sandwiches. Landon had the pack Sofia had bought before sitting on their lap with a lighter that looked completely empty.

Landon asked as she sat down beside him, cups and sandwiches between them,
"That for me?" Lillian nodded, and he smiled. He held one cup by the handle with his right hand.

He had a cigarette between the middle and pointer fingers on his left hand. The sky was dark, sun unseen on the horizon. It was cold, and Lillian's fingers were slowly going red. It was quiet, only a few people awake and down on the street.

Landon's cigarette blew out, and he scowled when he realised. He placed down their tea and tried to use the empty lighter. It sparked and fizzled out, and he shook it in annoyance.

Lillian spoke, voice even and steady.
"I got it." He held it out to her, and she clicked her fingers, a small flame dancing on her fingertip. She relit the cigarette, and Landon thanked her, taking a drag.

The wind blew the smoke towards Lillian, and she waved it away. It smelt vile, and she grimaced as it dispersed. Landon watched her and said,
"Sorry. Didn't mean for that to happen." Lillian shrugged and responded,
"Eat your sandwich. I got the one you like."

Landon nodded, taking another drag as he checked the packaging. Steam rose from their cups of tea, still hot as they sat between the two of them. Landon shrugged slightly and opened the wrapping, resting the cigarette between his lips.

He was paler than usual, white as a sheet on normal day, probably the cold. He took a bite out of the cheese sandwich and began to eat. Lillian opened hers and ate slowly, compared to Landon, who finished his in a matter of second.

The sun was beginning to poke up from the city view, and Landon said,
"This reminds me of the first time I got drunk. Do you remember?" Lillian paused and nodded as it came back to her.

Landon had just turned fifteen and had been invited to a Hermes' cabin party for the first time. He'd drank enough alcohol to give him liver failure, all in the span of two hours. He had been hung up on a guy at the time and hadn't ever been drunk before.

He had kissed a girl, cried, and ended up standing outside of the Hepheastus cabin, crying that he'd betrayed the guy and his title as gay. He actually came out as bisexual a few weeks later.

Lillian had been woken up to him, banging on the door to the cabin as one of her siblings told her to deal with him. She had helped him to his cabin as he blabbered about failing their sexuality.

She had helped him to bed, helped when he threw up, and fell asleep on a spare bunk bed. She'd fallen asleep happy and to the sound of Landon humming to a song she hadn't recognised.

There had been multiple times after that where Landon had gotten ridiculously drunk and made a mistake or did something memorable. He had vomited in front of Chiron, made a cup of tea by boiling coffee, danced on a table with an equally drunk Natasha, broke the table, and fell, spraining their ankle and breaking Natasha's arm.

Lillian warmed her hand by making a small, dancing flame on her right hand's palm. It was bright, illuminating the dark balcony and Landon's hunched over figure beside her.

It was quiet as steam rose from their teas, smoke from his mouth and her flame, and the sounds of the city waking up. Lillian smiled, feet dangling over the edge of the balcony between the railing.

Landon finished his cigarette and stubbed it out on the balcony floor. He flicked it away and got up, stretching. He grabbed his sandwich wrapper and cup, downing the rest of his drink before eating the sandwich in less than six bites.

"You coming in? The others are starting to wake up." Lillian shook her head.
"Not yet. I'll be in in a bit." Landon nodded, heading back into the main room.

Lillian stayed out there for half an hour, watching the streetlights turn off, watching people begin roaming the streets, watching as people started up their cars and drove away.

She eventually stood up when the cold was biting her skin, and her flame's disappeared with every passing breeze.

She walked into the hotel room and spotted Natasha in the kitchen. She was eating a ham sandwich and stood in Hello Kitty pyjamas. Lillian opened the bag on the table and grabbed a sandwich, placing it on the table for Sofia.

Sofia could be heard banging on the shower room door and telling Landon to hurry up. Landon walked out in new clothes. He was in a pair of sweatpants and a shirt that looked two sizes too big for him.

She noted the scars on his forearm and grabbed a bottle of water.

After everyone had washed up and were all packing their stuff away, a knock sounded on the balcony door. The curtains had been drawn as Landon had complained about the light.

Everyone froze, and Lillian grabbed her bag to her chest. She watched Landon pull a dagger out of his pocket and hold it tight. Natasha had put on a pair of Celestial Bronze knuckles, ready to break someone's jaw.

Sofia was holding the mini sword Cassian had given her. Lillian was intrigued. She wanted to know how it worked. She composed herself and readied herself to burn someone or something.

The tapping got more and more consistent and hurried. Lillian gestured for everyone to grab their bags and creep towards the door. A crack sounded through the air, and she panicked.

A burst of flame flew at the balcony door, setting the curtains alight. She saw two empousas glaring at them. The lock melted, and Landon was already running. Sofia started towards the door, flinging it open as the empousa wrenched the balcony door open and charged at them.

Lillian, Sofia, Natasha, and Landon were running down the corridor, holding onto their bags and weapons for dear life. Landon spun around and threw the dagger he was holding at one of the empousas.

It hit the monster in the chest, and it hissed before dissolving. The other dodged a punch from Natasha and swung at her. Natasha ducked under it, kicking out at the monster's legs, and Lillina blinded it with a burst of flame.

The flame burnt the monster's skin as Sofia drove the sword she was now somehow holding into the monster's back.

Landon heaved a heavy sigh as he went to retrieve his fallen dagger. He wiped it off on his trousers and looked at the others.
"You all okay?" Lillian nodded and spoke up,
"We need to go. If they know where we are, it won't be long before we're targeted again."

Natasha agreed, tucking her knuckles away in her pocket. Sofia nodded before speaking, determined and confident.
"We need to head towards a nearby casino." Lillian felt confused and asked,
"What? Why?"

Sofia put her now mini sword away and exclaimed,
"I'll explain on the way. We've got to get going. Now." Lillian sighed and followed Sofia towards the stairs, Natasha and Landon trailing behind them.