invisible string | f. zhang

ii. breaking a heel & declaring war

Finally, one of the medics looks up at Reyna and shakes his head.

"There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but this . . . " Reyna trails off.

Maribelle glances around at her comrades, a pit forming in her stomach at who possibly was in charge of this. Thoughts swirl in her mind of Gabe and herself.

Gwen gasps.

Everyone takes a big step back. Gwen opens her eyes, and the color comes back to her face.

"Wh-what is it?" She blinks, "What's everyone staring at?"

Someone behind Maribelle whispers, "There's no way. She was dead. She has to be dead."

Gwen tries to sit up, but couldn't, "There was a river, and a man asking . . . for a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open. So I just . . . I just left. I don't understand. What's happened?"

Maribelle could only stare in horror.

"Gwen," Frank kneels next to her, "Don't try to get up. Just close your eyes for a second, okay?"

"Why? What —"

"Just trust me."

Gwen does.

Maribelle winces and looks away as Frank grabs the shaft of the pilum

"Percy, Hazel — help me," She hears him say, but she can't bear to look.

Maribelle felt dizzy, she could only imagine how Gwen felt.

"Don't! You might — "

"What? Make it worse?"

"Hold her steady. One, two, three!"

When Maribelle thinks it's safe to look, she turns back around.

"It's closing on its own, I don't know how, but — " Hazel begins.

"I feel fine," Gwen protests, "What's everyone worried about?"

With Frank and Percy's help, she got to her feet.

"Gwen," Hazel says gently, "There's no easy way to say this. You were dead. Somehow you came back."

"I — what?" She stumbles against Frank, "How — how?"

"Good question." Reyna turns to Nico, "Is this some power of Pluto?"

Nico shakes his head, "Pluto never lets people return from the dead."

Maribelle doesn't miss the look Nico gives Hazel. She briefly wonders what that was about. She can't think too hard about it, because a thunderous voice rolls across the field: Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning.

Maribelle quickly drew her sword as the other campers also drew weapons. Hannibal trumpets nervously. Scipio rears, almost throwing Reyna.

"I know that voice," Percy says.

In the midst of the legion, a column of fire blasts into the air. Heat seared and Maribelle quickly stumbled backwards, it could practically melt her makeup off.