Umbra

Chapter 55

Her body ached continuously.

"Emilia."

Jason poked her gently the next morning, once Hylla had gone to fix her a plate for breakfast. Emilia was staring at the mirror after brushing her teeth, so zoned out she didn't realize she had company until she felt Jason's touch.

"Hey, good morning," he said softly. "Pollux and Piper were with me when we Iris-messaged your aunt, let her and your siblings know what happened. Your dad and stepmom are still in Mexico but they'll be coming back soon."

"How did Xochitl react?" whispered Emilia, lip trembling. "When you told her about Leo?"

"I didn't tell her," said Jason quietly. "I didn't... I couldn't... I didn't want to speak of it. I said he was busy fixing stuff up in Camp. Piper used a bit of charmspeak to make her believe it... she knew something wasn't right. I'll be with you whenever you're ready to say anything... if you'd like."

Emilia leaned onto the sink, trying to steady herself. "Thank you, Jason. I..." She turned away, breathing heavily and trying not to cry. "I'm so sorry. I failed all of you. I failed Leo."

"Don't say that," he insisted. "You trusted him. That's why he picked you to know about it and not us. You loved him so, so much, he never doubted that you'd let him have his choice no matter what it made you feel. It's why so many of us feel comfortable around you."

Her mouth twitched. "A far cry from the girl who first arrived here, making everyone steer clear."

"You're not that girl anymore. You haven't been for awhile. You became our friend. Our sister. I know how much it meant to Leo that you cared for him, that you became his family. My family, too, and Piper's. I still... can't remember a lot from before Hera took my memories. I'm not sure I'll ever get that back. But you've taught me what it means to be a brother. So... in the coming months, now that I'll get to see Thalia more, it's your example I'll follow. I'm glad I didn't lose you, too. When I saw you on the ground at the Acropolis..." His eyes sparkled with tears. "I don't know what I would've done if both of you were gone. There's still hope, because he had the physician's cure. But with only one dose..."

She reached out, burying her head in his chest and sobbing. He closed the door of the bathroom, allowing himself to cry, too.

She gathered the strength to exit the cabin if only to say goodbye to Frank, Hazel, and Reyna. Hylla had asked Krista to lead the Amazons back to Seattle, intending to remain with Emilia even through her eventual return to San Diego to see her family again.

In the distance, the Romans were picking up their gear and toting it across the hill. On the other side, a fleet of black SUVs waited to transport the legion cross-country back to California. She guessed that would be an interesting road trip.

"Ella the harpy is going with them, you know," said Jason to her and Nico, who'd come to watch where they stood. "She and Tyson. Even Rachel Elizabeth Dare. They're going to work together to try to reconstruct the Sibylline Books."

"That should be interesting," said Nico.

"Could take years," said Jason. "But with the voice of Delphi extinguished until Apollo regains favor with Zeus..."

"Rachel still can't see the future?"

Jason shook his head. "With any luck, Artemis will get him out of trouble with Zeus and the power of prophecy will work again. But for now those Sibylline Books might be our only way to get guidance for quests."

"Personally," said Nico, "I could do without prophecies or quests for a while."

"Yep," muttered Emilia. She patted Nico's shoulder. "Listen... I'm super proud of you. You did an amazing job with the Athena Parthenos. I admire you a lot."