Burning Passion: A Leo Valdez Love Story

Chapter 19

"Man, you just wasted an awesome entrance."

{NAIA}

As we headed to the volcano, Leo and I were starting to get nervous. We'd been walking for like three hours (although it felt like four times as much), and so far, no attacks. It wasn't likely in the Labyrinth. Plus, I had a distinct feeling I was being watched... You know, that prickly feeling in the back of your neck?

We kept on walking, though. I had one of the purple daggers from my necklace in my hand. This damn quest was making me paranoid.

I never wanted to be paranoid...

There was tension between Leo and I (I wasn't sure he noticed it, though), and it was distracting me. I wish Lou was still here. Even though they'd broken up, she would always make things less awkward. I missed her. I hope she was happy in the Underworld. It was a naïve wish, but still. Hopefully the dead she was consorting with were nice to her. Maybe, she'd find her brother. I hoped she would.

I think that I still thought she was just away for a short bit of time; that we'd see her soon. We'd see her eventually. We would meet up back at camp, or maybe even sooner.

And then every so often it would really, truly hit me that she was dead, and I never would see her again, at least, until I die, maybe.

My best friend was gone, and she'd left me with an socially awkward, teenage demigod mechanic (albeit an adorable one).

Thanks a lot, Louise.

⋆⋆⋆

We walked down the grassy thing that could pass as a path. There were trees lining the thing (probably with monsters that would jump out at us any time), tall, healthy, thick green pines. I could smell their sharp, minty scent from here. I'd always liked pine trees. The other ones didn't smell very good. Just boring, like... wood. Regular, boring, scentless wood.

There was a cold, sharp wind blowing through the air. I shivered, and reached into my backpack for a sweater. Leo was already wearing a sweatshirt, which was dark blue and soft looking.

The sky was blue-grey and cloudy. It really felt like fall...

I realized it was October now. Wow, tempus fugit. We'd been taken ages on this quest. I wondered, with alarm, how much time the camp had left.

"Leo," I said. "We really have to hurry." There was also that small matter with Dionysus (or dad, but I'd never met him) keeping Hekate under control. I wondered, how long would that last? A week at most, at my estimate. He didn't know how dangerous she was, or what she was doing, what she wanted; of course he'd probably suspect something, but what?

My life was bloody impossible.

"On the quest as a whole, or just to the volcano?" Leo questioned.

"Both. Well, the quest really," I amended.

He nodded, a grim expression on his face. "So how do we "speed up", exactly?"

I shrugged. "Walk faster. Stop worrying about monsters. Rent a Pegasus. I don't know! Like I always say, you're the one who's supposed to know these things. Not me. Why is it that I always seem to be the more mature one? You're a year older than me, and you were part of a damn prophecy-"

"Cool down, Naia," Leo said. He put a hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

"Sorry. I overreact a lot, don't I?"

He nodded, and grinned very slightly. "At least you admit to your faults."

"My few faults," I told him.