𝐎𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒༄ • Jᴀsᴏɴ Gʀᴀᴄᴇ

Chapter 30

"JASON!" Freya yelled. She had never been so panicked in her life.

He'd been unconscious for two minutes now. His body was steaming, in her arms, his eyes rolled back in his head. She couldn't tell if he was even breathing.

"It's no use, child. " Hera stood over them in her simple black robes and shawl. 

Freya hadn't seen the goddess go nuclear. Thankfully she'd closed her eyes, but she could see the aftereffects. Every vestige of winter was gone from the valley. No signs of battle, either. The monsters had been vaporized. The ruins had been restored to what they were before—still ruins, but with no evidence that they'd been overrun by a horde of wolves, storm spirits, and six-armed ogres. Even the Hunters had been revived. Most waited at a respectful distance in the meadow, but Thalia knelt by Freya's side, her hand on Jason's forehead.

Thalia glared up at the goddess. "This is your fault. Do something!"

"Do not address me that way, girl. I am the queen—"

"Fix him!" Freya begged. 

Hera's eyes flickered with power. "I did warn him. I would never intentionally hurt the boy. He was to be my champion. I told them to close their eyes before I revealed my true form. "

"Um ..." Leo frowned. "True form is bad, right? So why did you do it?"

"I unleashed my power to help you, fool!" Hera cried. "I became pure energy so I could disintegrate the monsters, restore this place, and even save these miserable Hunters from the ice. "

"But mortals can't look upon you in that form!" Thalia shouted. "You've killed him!"

Leo shook his head in dismay. "That's what our prophecy meant. Death unleash, through Hera's rage. Come on, lady. You're a goddess. Do some voodoo magic on him! Bring him back." 

Freya cradled Jason's head in her lap. Her heart beat in her chest so hard, she thought it would pop right out. She couldn't, wouldn't, believe that after all they'd been through Jason was gone. There had to be another way. 

"You made him this way," Freya grit out. "You get him back." 

Piper gasped. "He's breathing!" 

"Impossible," Hera said. "I wish it were true, child, but no mortal has ever—"

"Jason," Piper called, putting every bit of her willpower into his name.  "Listen to me. You can do this. Come back. You're going to be fine." 

Freya looked intensely at his face. It was impassive. Unchanged. 

"Jason," Piper said again, and Freya had never heard it sound so forceful. It felt like it had purpose. Like it was being used for the right reason. "Wake up. "

He gasped, and his eyes flew open. For a moment they were full of light—glowing pure gold. Then the light faded and his eyes were normal again. "What—what happened?"

"Impossible!" Hera said.

"Very possible," Freya laughed, happiness filling her whole. She hugged him close to her, needing to feel that he was there. When she pulled back, she said, "Hi," 

Jason blinked. He looked so confused she had to laugh again. "Hello," 

Thalia gripped her brother's hand. "How do you feel?"

"Hot," he muttered. "Mouth is dry. And I saw something... really terrible." 

"That was Hera," Grumbled Freya. 

"Her Majesty, the Loose Cannon." Thalia added. 

"That's it," said the goddess. "I will turn you both into aardvarks, so help me—"