Burning Passion: A Leo Valdez Love Story

Chapter 33

"Why would we come to Italy to see Spanish steps. That's like going to China for Mexican food, isn't it?"

{LEO}

I was in shock, to put it simply.

Jason was really my longest-lasting friend (because Piper was different, in a way), and now he was just... gone.

I understand how Naia'd felt about Lou now. Perfectly. I felt so empty, so alone, like my life had no purpose anymore.

But it did. This war wasn't over yet.

We (Naia, Nico, Connor, Piper, Esmeralda, and I) were sitting in a van driven by Argus. We'd left Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, and Frank to watch the camp, in case of an attack. According to Naia, Hekate had spies inside it, and she'd now when it was at its weakest, and all that. And they were probably our best fighters.

I wondered who the spies were. Basically, we couldn't trust anyone.

I glanced at Naia, who was lookin out the car window pensively. She'd seemed distracted and subdued since yesterday, when Jason had... died, and I was worried about her. I think she knew something else, and wasn't telling me.

Nico and Connor were quiet too, as was Esmeralda, which seemed to be a rarity for her, but she was asleep; and of course Piper was. Her eyes seemed perpetually red and swollen, and she wore no makeup, older and more rumpled clothes than usual, and didn't even bother to braid her hair back with feathers.

As for me, I was trying to stay strong for her sake. This was much worse a loss for her than me. The love of her life was dead, and I had lots of friends. We all have to stick together, I thought. And now I'm babbling a bunch wannabe inspirational things. Jeez, I sound like a parent.

"Naia," I said finally, "what's wrong?"

We were sitting in our own row, behind the Piper and Connor and Nico, and Esmeralda was still asleep, and I spoke quietly in case Naia didn't want them to hear us.

"Nothing..." she said. "Nothing."

"Naia. Don't keep things from me, okay? I can't help you if you do that."

She sighed, still not looking at me. "I just... Rachel Dare told me something yesterday, and it's kind of wearing me down."

"What?"

There was a pregnant pause. Then, finally,

"I'm going to die." She turned to me.

"What? When?" I demanded.

"I'm too powerful. I'm a double legacy and a direct daughter of a god, Leo. Someone like me... we burn, brightly, but for a short time. I'm fated to die on the seventeenth day of my seventeenth year. That's less than a year from now."

"You're kidding," I said. I knew she wasn't, but I didn't want to accept it. I couldn't. I'd lost everyone. But I couldn't lose Naia.

"I'm not. Why would I joke about something like this?"

"Oh, gods..." I shook my head. Then I pulled her to me in a (metaphorically) bone-crushing hug.

"I didn't want to tell you," she said. "It's too much. Right after Jason."

"It's better for me to know," I told her. "Gods, Naia... I can't believe it."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I know. But I wish there was something I could do. I don't want to leave you, Leo."

I looked her in the eye. "We're going to figure out a way to save you, Naia. I'm not letting you die."