DIVINE » l. valdez

xxx

"Uh, it's disconnected," he remembered. "Festus is shut down. Gimme a minute to get the system back online."

"We don't have a minute! Fires—we need vials of Greek fire. Jason, call the winds. Warm, southerly winds."

"Wait, what?" Jason stared at her in confusion. "Piper, what's wrong?"

"It's her!" Piper snatched up her dagger. "She's back! We have to—"

Before she could finish, the Argo II listed forward. The temperature dropped so fast, the sailed cracked with ice. The rain drenching Hina's hair turned to sheets of ice weighing down her head. The bronze shields lining the rails popped like soda cans.

Jason drew his sword but he was too slow. A wave of ice washed over him, leaving him frozen in place. Under a thick layer of ice, his eyes were open in shock.

"Leo! Flames! Now!" Piper yelled.

Leo's right hand blazed, but the wind swirled around him and doused the fire. Leo clutched his Archimedes sphere as a funnel cloud of sleet lifted him off his feet.

"Hey!" he yelled. "Hey! Let me go!"

Hina reached towards him as a cold voice said, "Oh, yes, Leo Valdez. I will let you go permanently."

Leo shot skyward like he'd been launched from a catapult. He disappeared into the clouds. 

A scream ripped through Hina's throat as she raised her hands defensively, but there was nothing to attack. She glanced to the stairwell desperately hoping to see the rest of the crew rushing in to help, but a block of ice covered the entrance. Hina had a gut feeling the entire lower deck was frozen solid.

Hina fumbled for her sword.

No weapon was prepared for what emerged from the icy mist. 

Standing amidships was a girl in a flowing dress of white silk, her mane of black hair pinned back with a circlet of diamonds. Her eyes were the color of coffee, but without the warmth.

Behind her stood her brothers—two young men with purple-feathered wings, stark white hair, and jagged swords of Celestial bronze.

"So good to see you again, mes chères," said Khione, the goddess of snow. "It's time we had a very cold reunion."

Hina had hoped they'd seen the last of Khione in Texas. She'd always hated the cold.

From beside her, Piper's cornucopia shot out a dozen blueberry muffins. The fresh baked goods were steaming but they had no effect on their attackers.

Khione leaned to the side, dodging the breakfast food with ease. Behind her, Cal and Zethes, her brothers, each grabbed a muffin and began eating.

"Muffins," Cal said, he was dressed exactly the same as he was in Quebec and Hina briefly wondered if he had even changed clothes since then. He wore his baggy hockey jersey and sweatpants, paired with two black eyes and a gape toothed smile. "Muffins are good."

"Ah, merci," Zethes grinned, his wings spread out behind him. He was as revolting as Hina remembered- his greasy mullet slicked back, and his eighties roller rink outfit sparkling. Despite holding the Argo II hostage, Zethes wiggled his eye brows at Hina. "A chance to rethink my proposition, no?"

Hina was done listening to the Boreads, Leo still hadn't returned from the sky and a fall from that height would kill him if the change in air pressure didn't first. Jason was still frozen in place. 

"You were wrong about him," she snarled, charging at Zethes. Hina had barely made it a foot forward when Khione intervened.

The goddess sent a wind of ice towards Hina and the world went cold.

What felt like seconds after, Hina was standing on the deck of the Argo II, her sword still raised. She gasped for air, collapsing to her knees. 

Hina felt sick to her stomach. Everything had rushed back to her and Hina jumped to her feet running to the helm of the ship.