After the End of the World: A Reyna Story

Chapter 7: I Join a Quest and Put My Crush's Life in Danger

Andy whistled.

"So. Another doomsday. Just after the last one. Nice." he rocked back and forth on his feet.

Adonis nodded grimly.

"A few monsters have been freed from Tartarus. And a primordial."

Hazel sucked in a breath. I remembered Annabeth telling me about her journey wth Percy through Tartarus and everything she saw. If any monster was freed, that was bad, but if any primordial was freed, that was a million times worse.

"Woah, woah, woah, what primordial, exactly?" Andy waved his hands in the air.

Phoebe's face turned dark, and her eyes were no longer joyous. Adonis looked wary to even say the creature's name.

"Eris".

It felt like all of the blood in my body had frozen.

"Discordia." I said.

"Yes," Adonis nodded. "That's her Roman name."

Hazel looked like she was going to be sick. Only Andy looked confused.

"What?"

"Eris. Goddess of strife, discord, and human bloodshed, to name a few of her titles." Phoebe voice cracked. "She pretty much started the Trojan War after she was the only one not invited to Peleus and Thetis's wedding."

"Hey, isn't that the start of Sleeping Beauty?" Andy's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean, Andy?" I rubbed my forehead.

"I mean, you know, Maleficent is the only one to not get invited to Princess Aurora's christening and she gets really ticked off."

"Mortal tales constantly borrow from each other. I'm sure that's where it could have started from." Phoebe explained.

For a moment, we all stood in uneasy silence.

"I'll go." I spoke up.

Adonis looked at me with uncertainty.

"Are you sure? It will be dangerous."

I nodded.

"That last thing I need is more danger, but I feel that I must go."

"Very well," Adonis sighed. "Any other takers?"

"Me!" Andy's arm shot into the air. His green eyes shone with excitement. But it felt like a pit was opening in my stomach. I couldn't let Andy get hurt.

"Andy no," I warned. "You're still new. Let someone more experienced go."

All of a sudden, Phoebe collapsed. Both Adonis and Andy rushed to catch her.

Adonis was about to prop her against one of the hedges, when her eyes flew open. They were a bright, neon green. Her mouth opened and green mist flowed out, glowing in the dark night. It smelled like the one time I went to the reptile house on a camp field trip to the zoo, only mustier and more ancient. Adonis dropped her, but she sat up by her own accord.

"I am Phoebe. Goddess and carrier of prophecy." her voice was like what a snake would sound like if it could speak. It was harsh and raspy and altogether made me want to sprint down the mountain.

But I stayed and the blood rushed from my cheeks and my heart dropped to my stomach. I should have remembered this. That's why Phoebe's name sounded familiar. Good one, Reyna.

"I have a prophecy for those brave enough to hear it."

I expected the goddess to continue talking, but she paused, even though the mist continued to flow from her open maw.

Slowly, I stepped forward. I was trembling in my dress.

"I'm brave enough, Oracle, if you are brave enough to speak it."

A shudder ran through Phoebe's body and I bit back a scream.

"A company of four shall travel east.
Only together shall they slay the beast.
A half-blood new and a half-blood old
With mortal and a god are foretold.
But be wary still and keep your cunning
For Death itself is in this running."

The light extinguished from Phoebe's eyes she slumped forward. The green mist evaporated immediately.

My head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton and my mouth felt dry. Hazel didn't look any better. Andy appeared to be shaken, but his face held an expression I couldn't read.

"I can go on the quest." Andy murmured.

"What?" I snapped.

"I can go on the quest." Andy said a little louder.

I was about to correct him when I faltered. He was right. Phoebe herself had decreed that a half-blood old and new would go.

"I still don't like it." I mumbled.

"Who's the mortal?" Adonis asked.

My mind was racing and my heart was pounding because my thoughts immediately and inexplicably jumped to Theo.

"Um, I think I might know." I breathed.

"So who is it?"

"My friend, Theo." If it was possible, my voice sounded an octave higher.

"Your friend, huh?" I had only just met Adonis, but his voice was full of something like acid. Something like jealousy.

"Yep that's him. Theo. My new mortal friend." I put a lot of emphasis on the word friend so that if they ever met, hopefully Adonis wouldn't blast Theo to pieces.

Adonis nodded, but his eyes were cold. I decided then and there that while beauty and desire could be breathtaking and amazing, they could also be enough to drive someone insane.

"Alright, well, it looks like we have ourselves a quest." Adonis broke though Hazel and I and walked down the path.

"Wait!" I called. "When are we going to meet? And where?"

Adonis turned for a split second.

"Outside of that bakery on Noriega Street. At noon. Bring all of the supplies you need. Oh, and if you want a ride, I'd suggest bringing that, too."

And with that, the god walked down the path beaten by the leucrocota that had attacked a crowd of gods less than an hour ago.

Yep. A typical Friday night for a demigod.