Anti-Hero || Leo Valdez

43 - I Have Beef With Alabaster C. Torrington

"We'll leave you to talk," Jo said sheepishly, like she'd been expecting the dramatic introduction. Now that Via thought about it, it had probably been used on her. Jo and Emmie retreated to the kitchen, where Via could faintly hear Georgie complaining about not getting to talk to her and Pat.

Via turned back to the newcomer. She wasn't sure what part to ask him to elaborate on first, the fact that his name was Alabaster C. Torrington or the fact that he was supposedly going to help her kill his sister. Whoever his sister was.

Fortunately, she was saved from having to ask any awkward questions by Leo, who recovered first.

"Look," he said, "I don't know what kind of issues you have with your sister, but we're not hitmen. Or contract killers, or anything like that. We're already on a quest, so —"

"My sister is Lamia," Alabaster interrupted.

"Oh. Well, that kind of changes things."

"She's your sister?" Via asked.

"Yes. We're both children of Hecate, so... sister."

Via wasn't sure how to respond. Her first instinct was to say sorry, because it was a pretty shit deal to end up with a sister like Lamia. And if he wanted to help Via kill her, he must've already encountered her, which was even worse.

Oh, gods. If Lamia was a daughter of Hecate, then that meant Lou Ellen was also her sister.

"I know I'm the last person who should be able to say this," Pat spoke up, "But that's a bit dramatic, wouldn't you say? Why not just say it was Lamia the first time?"

Alabaster didn't reply, probably because Pat had a point and he didn't want to admit it. He turned back to Via. "Let's go somewhere more private to talk. Not you two," He added to Pat and Leo as they moved to follow him. "Just the Sun Wrath."

"Via," Via corrected. "My name is Via. Not 'the Sun Wrath.' Unless you want me to start calling you Magic Boy."

"Yeah, and whatever you want to say to her, you can say to us as well," Pat added.

"Exactly, we're on this quest, too," Leo agreed.

"Have either of you dealt with Lamia before? And I mean actually dealt with her. Shooting an arrow at her doesn't count," Alabaster told Pat.

"How'd you know about that?"

"Let's just say I do my research," Alabaster replied darkly. "I've been dealing with Lamia since the end of the Titan War when I was banished."

"Banished?" Leo repeated.

"From Camp Half-Blood. For joining the Titan Army."

"And you think we'd feel comfortable with her going with you alone?" Pat demanded.

"Pat, chill," Via said. "Nothing will happen while we're inside the Waystation."

"Are you sure? Because you kind of died here."

"Don't remind me," Via said, rolling her eyes. "Look, I'm with my quest mates. We're on this quest together."

"Then I guess I can't help you."

"I guess not," Via said flatly.

"Then this conversation is over." Alabaster immediately turned and headed towards the boys' bedroom wing.

Frustration bubbled in her chest. Why couldn't he just tell them how he knew how to kill Lamia? She was willing to pay him if she had to, or even take him on the quest with them so he could do it himself, but if he wouldn't even talk about it without getting her alone, then what was the point?