A Frozen Heart - Leo Valdez

21- Escape

~

I sprint back to the Lobby with sped I wasn't aware I possessed. My arms pump, the dirt walls blur past me, and the sound of the fighting pounds in my ears.

When I enter the Lobby, I'm instantly light headed. The scene makes me feel disoriented and  sick to my stomach. There are more dead demigods than last time

How could I have let this gone this far? My mind was fogged and overpowered by my so called mother, I should have been able to see past her lies! I should have gone with my gut, the butterfly feelings, and my heart.

A lycaon rushes past me and pounces on a roman demigod. A scream erupts through my lips and I jump back. The boy doesn't stand a chance. With no silver in his hand, he is defenseless against the beast.

Selfish, and scared for my own life, I watch in horror as the lycaon rips the innocent child apart, throwing his bloody limbs in every direction.

My face turns pale and a cry pounds in the back of my throat. I force it away. Is this what happened to Leo?

Oh gods.

Oh gods ohgodsohgods! Please no!

My fingers clench on the the loose gauze of my wrappings and I feel naked and exposed for the first time.

If Leo's dead, I don't know how I'm going to live with myself. He trusted me and I let him down. This creature- this monster, may have killed him. And I let it happen.

"Get away from her!" A familiar voice yells.

My head spins around to find Jason Grace shielding Piper McLean from a cyclops. They are both without a weapon, and Jason looks as if he is trying to summon lighting but is too weak. Both of my old friends look injured.

The cyclops laughs. "Son of Jupiter!" It roars. "I will finally have your bones! There is no way you can defeat me now, demigods."

The cyclops sword raises in the air. In  defeat and no possible way to win, Jason and Piper hold on to each other in their final moments.

No. Not today. Before the cyclops has a chance to kill my friends, I grab a sword from a fallen demigod, pray to a random god, and throw it with all my might at the one-eyed monster. He screams and erupts in a pile of dust.

Jason and Piper both have their eyes closed, obviously still preparing to be obliviated. Slowly, I approach them "Jason," I breathe.

He jumps and pushes Piper behind him. At first he is confused, but this emotion is quickly replaced by pure anger. "Get away from us," He warns.

Even though I was expecting this, it still hurt. My pulse races faster in embarrassment. "Please just hear me out," I beg. "I just saved you and-"

"You saved us?" Piper blinks.

"Yes."

"For what reason?" Jason growls. "Would you like to be the one to thrust a blade through our hearts? Or would you prefer your mom to do it?"

"No!" I say quickly, my arms waving around. "Look, it's a very long story, one which I don't have time to explain. I was wrong. I was lead to believe in Khione's lies. I want to help you. Let me help you."

Piper shakes her head and my already broken heart shatters even more. "We will never ask help from you."

"Piper..." My voice cracks.

Before she can respond the walls shake and dirt begins to fall from the ceiling. The monsters around us roar in delight and the demigods aimlessly still try to fight the battle outnumbered.