The House of Hades

Chapter 17: Reyna

I used this chapter to show how much I hate Octavian

:D

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Chapter 17: Reyna

If Reyna hadn't spent four years training at Camp Jupiter, and been the daughter of Bellona, she would have been dead in two seconds.

Paralyzed with shock, numb disbelief rippling through her, Reyna just managed to dive out of the way before Octavian's  knife skewered her neck, and instead it sank into her shoulder. (A/N Remember Annabeth's dream back in Chapter 10?) She fell to her knees. It wasn't the pain in her shoulder that bothered her, she had been injured plenty of times before. But she couldn't believe what had just happened. It seemed impossible. Octavian was a power-hungry snake, but how could he actually try to kill her? Did he want a Civil War and praetorship that badly?

Reyna heard footsteps, and knew Octavian was approaching. He was going to drag her to the rest of the Romans, tell some sort of wacko story that made out she had been helping the Greeks, that he, Octavian was a hero who had defeated her, and Reyna would be executed. She had failed. Failed Camp Jupiter, failed her mother, failed Jason.

Whoa, the sane part of her said, you don't know that you'll be executed. The rest of the Romans trust you more than Octavian, and you've led them for three years now! You can tell them the real story, how Octavian attacked you, and they'll believe you instead of Octavian...wouldn't they?

As these thoughts flashed through her head, shadow fell over Reyna, and she looked up to see Octavian squinting down at her. He opened his mouth, but instead of the triumphant voice she had expected, his voice was low, and worried.

"Geez Reyna, that Dracanae really got you. Is your shoulder okay?"

Reyna's head was spinning, "A-a Dracanae?" she managed.

"I know! I had no idea they were in New York City! You're really lucky I was able to kill it before it could finish you off,"

What was Octavian talking about? There hadn't been any Dracanae, so why...?

And then it hit her. Octavian hadn't succeeded in killing Reyna, which meant that she, Reyna, would tell everyone Octavian had attacked her. So Octavian was going to pretend that a Dracanae had attacked her, and he had killed it. However much she, Reyna, repeated that the dracanae was a figment of his imagination, Octavian would just insist that she must have taken a couple hard knocks to the head.

Octavian helped Reyna up.

"So," He said conversationally, "I hope you realize that if I wasn't here, you would now be dead," It was like he had never seen her with the Iris-message.

Reyna opened her mouth to reply that she could see through Octavian's lies, and give a few suggestions as to where he could stick his knife, but then she realised that it was futile.

No one would believe her. After all, to them, the idea of Octavian, trying to kill her, their praetor and leader, was ludicrous. That slimy, backstabbing, son of a gorgon...

Reyna's furious thoughts carried her all the way up to the penthouse that the Romans had made their base, where she and Octavian were ushered in by dozens of worried Romans.

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The next few hours were a blur for Reyna. She remembered Octavian explaining his false story about how he had gone looking for Reyna, and had found her on the ground with the knife in her shoulder and a Dracanae standing over her. How he had supposedly killed the dracanae, and rescued Reyna.

Lies, she thought miserably, all lies.

All the Romans crowded around Octavian, calling him a hero, and congratulating him, but while the medics tended to her shoulder, Reyna couldn't help noticing that one of them, she was pretty sure his name was Bobby, one of the legionaires in the fifth cohort, was standing a little away from Octavian and the crowd around him, frowning slightly. Reyna didn't have time to puzzle over the strange actions of Bobby, though, because as soon as the medics finished with her shoulder, Octavian called a war council. 

"Octavian,"she said sternly, hurrying forwards, "You don't have the authority to call a war council. That is the Praetor's job," Octavian, however, just smirked and ignored her. 

Suddenly, Reyna felt someone tap her shoulder. She whirled around to find herself face to face with Bobby. 

"What do you want,?" she asked coldly, letting her annoyance and frustration show. 

"I just wanted a quick word," Bobby replied apprehensively. 

Reyna glanced over her shoulder. Octavian was giving the third-cohort centurion, Hank, a blow-by-blow account of how he had supposedly killed the Dracanae and rescued Reyna, so she figured she had some time. 

"Alright, but make it quick" she told Bobby.

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The moment the door shut behind Bobby, his nervous expression melted away. He took a deep breath. 

"Reyna, was what Octavian was telling everyone true?" If Bobby had asked Reyna permission to build a nuclear bomb, Reyna would have been less surprised. 

"First of all, " she said, "what makes you ask that? And what makes you so sure you're going to receive an answer from me?" 

"So then it's true?" Bobby asked quickly. Reyna drew her knife, and Bobby tensed, but she just started twirling it around in her hands. 

"You didn't answer my question," she said quietly. Bobby exhaled. 

"Well, first of all, it seemed weird that you would be defeated by a Dracanae. I mean, they're not really stealthy, so it couldn't have snuck up on you. Also, they're not even decent fighters, and you're really good with a sword, and the daughter of Bellona..." Reyna frowned slightly, but Bobby was on a roll. 

"Also, I don't think anyone noticed, but the knife that hit you? It was silver, and monsters don't carry silver weapons. And...well, " Bobby went slightly red, " a couple days ago, I saw Octavian carrying that exact knife. So, I mean, don't you see why things look kinda fishy to me?" 

"So what do you think happened?" Reyna had meant it sarcastically, but Bobby apparently thought she was serious.  

"I...um...I know the others would think this is ludicrous, but personally, I think it was Octavian who attacked you. I mean, you'd have to be a fool not to see how badly he wants the praetorship, not that I'm calling the others idiots, " he added quickly, " but...I've never really trusted Octavian, and I think it seems pretty likely that he would do something like that," 

Reyna stopped twirling her dagger. This guy, just one of the many legionaires, who she had never really paid much attention to, had peiced together what had happened without her saying a word. He evidently wasn't under Octavian's influence like most of the other Romans. He was smart, he thought the same way as her, and the way he talked...Reyna could just tell that if given a chance, he would prove to be a good leader. 

Before Reyna could decide what to say to Bobby, one of the entries poked his head through the door. 

"Praetor," he said nervously, "There's a group of Greeks approaching, under a flag of truce,"

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This is a bit off-topic, but I just want to know your opinion:

Lazel or Frazel?

Jiper or Jeyna?

I certainly hope I don't need to ask about Percabeth!