aces: leo valdez¹

016

in which; the demigods take
to bragging and climbing
Giants. Again.

AFTER ALL SHE'D BEEN THROUGH, HANA didn't think she could ever feel more afraid- but as usual, she was wrong. She'd fought many battles, faced down many enemies- but this? Yeah- this was bad.

Thalia's frozen statue was lying at the pool's edge- her face contorted in shock. Monsters surrounded them. Hana's shoulder was killing her (apparently the ambrosia wasn't fond of dive rolling from helicopters and had decided to wear off). She approximated that they had about five minutes until the king of giants decided it was dinner time and ate them all.

Hana had faced down titans, an army of demigods and enough monsters to flood the streets of Manhattan- but back then she had significantly more back up. She'd had comrades to fight with, now all she had was a team of three others who had barely made it here in one piece and an imprisoned goddess. But there was something about this battle, the way it loomed over her, the giant rock spires threatening to collapse- imprisoning them in the clutches of Gaia, that made her think they all weren't going to come out on top.

The enemy, Khione smiled, her dark eyes glittering, as a dagger of ice grew in her hand. Her presence made goosebumps of cold rise on Hana's arms and the chilling precision of her beauty excited some instinctual fear of pretty girls and the perfected smiles they offered.

"What've you done?" Jason demanded.

"Oh, so many things," the snow goddess purred.

"Your sister's not dead, if that's what you mean. She and her Hunters will make fine toys for our wolves. I thought we'd defrost them one at a time and hunt them down for amusement. Let them be the prey for once." The wolves snarled appreciatively.

"Yes, my dears." Khione kept her eyes on Jason. "Your sister almost killed their king, you know. Lycaon's off in a cave somewhere, no doubt licking his wounds, but his minions have joined us to take revenge for their master. And soon Porphyrion will arise, and we shall rule the world."

"Traitor!" Hera shouted. "You meddlesome, D-list goddess! You aren't worthy to pour my wine, much less rule the world."

Khione sighed. "Tiresome as ever, Queen Hera. I've been wanting to shut you up for millennia."

With a wave of her hand, Khione had created an ice prison, encasing Hera and sealing in the spaces between earthen tendrils.

"That's better," the snow goddess said. "Now, demigods, about your death-"

"You're the one who tricked Hera into coming here," Jason said. "You gave Zeus the idea of closing Olympus."

The wolves snarled, and the storm spirits whinnied, ready to attack, but Khione held up her hand. "Patience, my loves. If he wants to talk, what matters? The sun is setting, and time is on our side. Of course, Jason Grace. Like snow, my voice is quiet and gentle, and very cold. It's easy for me to whisper to the other gods, especially when I am only confirming their own deepest fears. I also whispered in Aeolus's ear that he should issue an order to kill demigods. It is a small service for Gaia, but I'm sure I will be well rewarded when her sons, the giants, come to power."

"Why not just kill us in Quebec," Hana hissed. "Why let us live?"

Khione wrinkled her nose. "Messy business, killing you in my father's house, especially when he insists on meeting all visitors. I did try, you remember. It would've been lovely if he'd agreed to turn you to ice. But once he'd given you guarantee of safe passage, I couldn't openly disobey him. My father is an old fool. He lives in fear of Zeus and Aeolus, but he's still powerful. Soon enough, when my new masters have awakened, I will depose Boreas and take the throne of the North Wind, but not just yet. Besides, my father did have a point. Your quest was suicidal. I fully expected you to fail."