𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 | ʟᴇᴏ ᴠᴀʟᴅᴇᴢ ¹

𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

LAVINIA DIDN'T RELAX UNTIL THE GLOW OF Quebec City faded behind them.

"I'm sorry," Leo told her, "about earlier."

Him wanting to kiss her should have made her whole entire life. But all she could think about was the trouble ahead. Evil things were stirring, horrible, awful things. She knew that firsthand. The closer they got to the solstice, the less time they had to save Hera.

"Don't be."

"Why?" he asked.

"I just don't want to make anything more awkward than it already is." She didn't turn to look, but she imagined him frowning.

"Hey," he said, "can we not tell Piper and Jason about it?"

That was definitely the easy part, she thought.

There was no way Piper and Jason would have let either of them live it down. It had something to do with the way they were raised, surely. She assumed Piper was some sort of gossiper, and gossipers didn't mix with Lavinia.

She kept waiting for Leo to keep talking, but he clearly didn't want to talk about anything with her. Until now, Lavinia had been able to dismiss the feeling that Leo had a crush on her. Obviously he did. Of course, he was always showing it.

But now, what if she was feeling something towards him? What it she threw all of her morals away for some guy? She couldn't stand that idea any more than she could stand losing.

Leo passed everyone some sandwiches from his pack. He'd been quiet ever since what happened in the lobby. "I still can't believe Khione," he said. "She looked so nice."

"Trust me, man," Jason said. "Snow may be pretty, but up close it's cold and nasty."

Lavinia smiled, but Leo didn't look pleased. He hadn't said much about why the Boreads had singled him out for smelling like fire. Lavinia got the feeling he was hiding something. Whatever it was, his mood seemed to be affecting Festus, who grumbled and steamed as he tried to keep himself warm in the cold Canadian air. Happy the Dragon was not so happy.

They ate their sandwiches as they flew. Lavinia had no idea how Leo had stocked up on supplies, but he'd even remembered to bring veggie rations for Piper.

Nobody talked. Whatever they might find in Chicago, they all knew Boreas had only let them go because he figured they were already on a suicide mission.

The moon rose and stars turned overhead. Lavinia's eyes started to feel heavy. The encounter with the Boreads had scared her more than she wanted to admit. Now that she had a full stomach, her adrenaline was fading.

Suck it up, cupcake! Luke would've yelled at her. Don't be a wimp!

Lavinia had been thinking about Luke ever since Leo started asking so many questions about him. Luke was an enigma wrapped in a familiar face. She once saw him as a brother, a mentor, someone who could guide her through the tumultuous world of being a demigod.

His dark hair, always a little tousled, gave him a boyish charm that belied the intensity in his stormy blue eyes. Those eyes could be warm and inviting, making Lavinia feel seen and understood, but they could also turn cold and calculating, especially as his plans unfolded.

In their early days at Camp Half-Blood, Luke was the epitome of what Lavinia aspired to be: confident, capable, and respected. His skill with a sword was unparalleled, and he moved with a grace that came from years of training. Lavinia remembered sparring sessions where he'd patiently correct her stance, his voice firm yet encouraging. He made her believe that she could be the best, that she had the potential to surpass even the greatest heroes.