Learning to Trust (A Leo Valdez Love Story)

Chapter 16

KYRA'S POV

     Kyra let out a shaky breath as she helped lower Piper's dad to the ground, her arms shaking as she did so, not used to holding up such a heavy weight. She sighed, looking over the man. He was pale and bleeding profusely from a gash in his forehead. There was only so much she would be able to do to help him. He needed to get medical attention, and fast. 

     She knelt down to his level and spoke softly to him, "Are you feeling okay, does anything hurt?" it might have been a stupid question but Piper and Leo had been so focused on fighting the Earthborn, nobody had checked up on the supposed movie star. He mumbled something incoherently, making Kyra frown, realizing he was either really traumatized or he had a head injury, neither were good options.  She tore off the other sleeve of her dress to make another bandage for the man, trying to stop the blood from rushing out of his head. Ignoring the thoughts of people judging her because of the scars on her arms. She held the fabric to his cut with shaky hands. She did not like being this close to a stranger, a man no less, but she knew Piper's dad needed at least some medical care. She did the best she could with the knowledge and skills given to her by Apollo. She was too weak to attempt to use any healing powers she was gifted with, and she had never tried to use them on anyone other than herself before, she figured it was better not to risk further injuring the movie star. 

     She looked up nervously at Piper and Leo, who were both watching Jason fight the giant, causing her to shift her gaze in time to see Jason get knocked off his feet as his weapon shattered. She winced, letting out a small gasp as the hero did not get back up on his feet. 

"Come on!" Leo said, realizing that Jason needed help. She nodded her head, making sure Mr. McClean was lying safely against a rock before standing up on shaky legs. "Try to keep your eyes open, please," she said softly, worried about the man's possible head injury. He leaned back with a sigh but didn't close his eyes, making Kyra run off to Jason's aid with Piper and Leo. 

---

"Head's up!" Leo shouted as the trio ran over to Jason who had been lying on the ground, it slowly enveloping him the longer he laid there. 

A large black metal wedge slammed into Enceladus with a massive thunk! The giant toppled over and slid into the pit.

"Jason, get up!" Piper called, as she and Kyra ran to him. "Don't die on me," she ordered. "You are not dying on me," she ordered as Kyra quickly assessed him for injuries. 

"Yes, ma'am," he responded looking up at her in awe. 

"Are you okay?" Kyra asked worriedly, receiving an unconvincing head nod in return. 

Leo was standing over a piece of construction equipment behind them—a long cannon-like thing with a single massive piston, the edge broken clean off. Then Jason looked down in the crater and saw where the other end of the hydraulic ax had gone. Enceladus was struggling to rise, an ax blade the size of a washing machine stuck in his breastplate.

Amazingly, the giant managed to pull the ax blade free. He yelled in pain and the mountain trembled. Golden ichor soaked the front of his armor, but Enceladus stood. Shakily, Jason reached down and picked up his spear. 

"Good try." The giant winced. "But I cannot be beaten."

As they watched, the giant's armor mended itself, and the ichor stopped flowing. Even the cuts on his dragon-scale legs, which Jason had worked so hard to make, were now just pale scars. Kyra felt her heartbeat quicken as she watched the giant stand up, almost as good as new. 

Leo ran up to them, saw the giant, and cursed. "What is it with this guy? Die, already! "

"My fate is preordained," Enceladus said. "Giants cannot be killed by gods or heroes."