You'll Learn to Love Me (Leo Valdez x OC)

Chapter 65: Finally Made It

It wasn't long before they reached their final destination. Laylana didn't know where to stand on the ship now. She usually was at the wheel with Leo, but now she couldn't look at him without feeling angry, sad or guilty. So, she rested along the back, or the front of the boat, looking out for any sign of danger. 

The Greek landscape below was just as inhospitable. The hills were strewn with boulders and stunted cedars, all shimmering in the hazy air. The sun beat down heavily on Laylana's skin. She let it, her body missing the warmth that her ex used to bring to her. Sweat trickled down her face, her body shining with it and her shirt soaking.

"Hot and steamy!" Leo grinned at the helm. His grin looked forced, and his eyes showed his tiredness. "Makes me homesick for Houston! What do you say, Hazel? All we need now are some giant mosquitoes, and it'll feel just like the Gulf Coast!"

"Thanks a lot, Leo," Hazel grumbled. "We'll probably get attacked by Ancient Greek mosquito monsters now."

Laylana overlooked the edge of the ship. She tried to focus on anything other than her situation, her head needing to be straight for today. She spent the early morning training her powers again before falling back asleep for a few more hours, curled up with Hazel. She was thankful the girls on the ship had been there for her, though she didn't want to rely on them forever. 

"There!" Nico's voice shook her out of her thoughts. As he usually was, Nico was perched atop the foremast. He pointed towards a glittering green river snaking through the hills a kilometre away. "Maneuver us that way. We're close to the temple. Very close."

Laylana could feel the sense of dread upon her. As if to prove his point, black lightning ripped through the sky. Her skin prickled as goosebumps appeared on her arms. 

Laylana took at as her queue, rushing down the steps towards Jason and Piper. "Everyone, arm yourself. Leo, get us close, but don't land – no more contact with the ground than necessary. Piper, Hazel, get the mooring ropes."

"On it!" Piper said.

"Frank," Laylana called, "get below and find Gleeson."

"Yep!" Frank clambered to the stairs and disappeared below deck. 

It wasn't long before they overlooked The House of Hades. Laylana stood close to Nico as the two of them tensed. It was clear they could both feel the same thing. Death. A lot of death. Laylana wasn't even a child of Hades and she could feel it. The House of Hades was simply a cluster of ruins now. Black tendrils curled from either side of the ruins, leading into the sky.

"Hey, guys!" Piper called towards Frank, Hazel and Leo. "Better get over here. You need to see this."

Black lightning ripped through the air, rocking the ship and sending a cold shockwave across the landscape.

"The Necromanteion," Nico said. "The House of Hades."

"We fucking made it." Laylana let out a small laugh that sounded like she was going into hysterics. She grinned madly, a weight being lifted off her shoulders. They had found the place, now to just fight through it. 

Piper hugged her arms. "I feel vulnerable floating up here like this. Couldn't we set down in the river?"

"I wouldn't," Laylana pointed out. "That's the River Acheron below us."

Jason squinted in the sunlight. "I thought the Acheron was in the Underworld."

"It is," Hazel said. "But its headwaters are in the mortal world. That river below us? Eventually it flows underground, straight into the realm of Pluto – er, Hades. Landing a demigod ship on those waters –"