Reyna's POV

"My butt hurts," Becca noted. I couldn't help but laugh because mine did too. We'd been flying for some time now though it was still dark outside. Blackjack's breathing was starting to pick up and I could tell he was tired. The only reason we'd made it this far was because I continued to feed them some of my strength. Sam was sitting awkwardly, her rear end probably as sore as the rest of ours. Zuri didn't seem to mind. In fact she and Drachma had been leading most of the way. Though I wasn't going to say anything for Blackjack's sake, besides he was carrying two people. Speaking of which, Thalia had fallen asleep a long time ago and was still out cold as far as I knew.

"We should land. We still want them to be able to fly tomorrow," Zuri called back.

"Agreed." Our altitude began to drop causing my ears to pop. In seconds Blackjack's hooves connected with the ground and we eased into a slow trot before stopping. I wasn't exactly sure where we were but that didn't matter so much. Black jack snorted in thanks folding up his wings and bending down to munch on small tufts of grass. I slipped off his back glad to stretch my legs though I'd forgotten Thalia had been leaning on me heavily. She toppled off of Blackjack's back startling awake only to find herself dangling upside down by her belt.

"At least we know the tether works," Sam replied cockily and Thalia looked utterly confused.

With a quick swipe of my sword the cord broke and Thalia landed on the ground with an oof . There was enough extra length left that she'd be safely tethered again tomorrow. Thalia groaned getting to her feet and yawning. "Well look at that. Beautiful solid ground."

"You can appreciate it later. We have to set up camp," Becca explained detaching her packs from Twix's saddle. 

"There's not much to set up we've got one tent." Zuri joked. Becca didn't seem to care as she pulled out a small silver square before mumbling an incoherent phrase. The square expanded unfolding itself until a good sized tent rested in its place.

"Impressive," I noted, slightly amused. I wasn't expecting that which was surprising to say the least because I was hard to impress. With a sigh, I began stripping the saddle off of Blackjack which he seemed to enjoy seeing as how as soon as it was off he whinnied excitedly before bolting off with the other Pegasi to go play.

"You're good with horses. What gives? Do you have to be good at everything?" Thalia asked watching Drachma disappear into the woods.

"I used to have a Pegasus," I explained and I watched as Thalia's expression became devilish.

"Wow, you were a horse girl weren't you? You don't seem like that type of person so color me surprised. Is your Pegasus back at camp?" She asked. I glanced at the ground and I could feel a small weight seeming to creep up in my chest.

"Um...no. She uh...died," I mumbled kicking at a loose rock on the ground.

"Oh," Thalia said awkwardly. " I'm sorry I didn't know."

"Bet she was super pretty," Zuri smiled.

"Yeah. She was good. I didn't really deserve her to be honest. Her name was Scipio. Best horse anyone could ask for." I smiled fondly at the memory. I had met her when I was young. I had been put on probation for arguing with a commander during the war games. I was forced to clean out the stables. After a week of the chore we had grown close, so much so, she wouldn't let anyone else try to train her. They figured out I was the only one she listened to.

"How'd she die?" Becca asked in a polite but curious tone.

"Well, it was during the Giant War. I had gotten a message from Jason. I'd realized that what Octavian was doing was wrong and Jason said he needed my help. So I cut my ties with the Roman's which meant if I got captured I would've been killed. Thankfully Scipio and I managed to catch up to the Argo. But she was only one horse and I was only one person. When we got there she was so badly injured it was pointless to see her suffer. I...put her down."  A sad silence gripped the group.

"Must have been one bad ass horse. I would've killed to meet her," Thalia said disappointedly and plopped down on the ground. She pointed a finger at a small gathering of twigs and leaves setting it alight with a spark. Sam immediately began to feed the fire until a steady blaze took root.

"You guys can go to bed. I've got tons of energy so I'll take the first watch." Thalia reasoned but there was something in the way she spoke that made me think she just wanted to be alone. My brain thought back to our ride here. She'd started mumbling in her sleep though I couldn't make out the words due to the roar of the wind.

"Slumber party time." Becca smiled and immediately the three hunters dove into the tent to jockey for the best sleeping spot. I slipped inside the tent not far behind them. It was bigger inside than expected. There was a small bed to one side and a sleeping bag stretched out on the other. Becca and Sam were busy pushing the two sleeping areas together. Zuri plopped down onto the mattress as soon as Becca and Sam were done moving them.

"Don't stand there come on!" Becca waved me over from where I'd been awkwardly standing by the door.

"Sorry, I'm not used to this," I explained.

"You've never had a sleepover?" Zuri asked appalled.

"No, actually." I felt my cheeks heat up a little at this. I knew it was a typical girl thing to do but to be honest I'd never had one and I'd never been invited.

"Didn't the Legion let you have a normal child hood?' Sam asked sympathetically.

"Not really," I laughed, catching sight of Becca's kind smile.

"Well, you're about to experience one so get ready." She said waving Zuri off the mattress and offering the best spot to me because I was the 'honored guest.'  I took my spot and watched as they conversed in quiet whispers.

"Please tell me you aren't going to paint my nails," I warned. I had always hated that. My entire childhood had involved comments like 'you should wear a dress Reyna.' 'Why don't you do anything with your nails?' 'You always have your hair in a braid.' 'Why don't you let us do your make up?' 'You're such a tomboy.' To which I would usually reply with 'No thanks I don't really feel comfortable wearing a dress and make up,' or ' It's easier if I keep my hair in a braid it makes training easier, and what's wrong with being a tomboy?'

"No. When you're part of the hunt you don't participate in those activities. It's stupid to be honest. We like to bond not give each other make overs." Zuri explained. Becca's eyes twinkled mischievously and Sam looked like she could hardly contain her excitement.

"First step to every slumber party is you have to tell everyone the most embarrassing moment of your life. No backing out no matter how bad it is," Becca explained.

"Me first!" Zuri said excitedly. " One day back at Camp I was jogging the trail around the perimeter. It runs by the beach and connects to the dock. Well, it'd rained the day before so everything was wet and slippery so as I turned onto the dock I slipped and fell into the lake. But I never hit the water. It turns out I fell in someone's canoe and may or may not have interrupted their date."

Sam snickered lightly at this and I got the idea that this was her first 'slumber party' as well. She seemed to be new to the Hunt. Becca rolled her eyes and took her place in the center of the room.

"So one morning we were supposed to be leaving to head towards the alps. I must have been pretty out of it because I stepped outside and I was like 'wow it's really cold out.' Thalia looked at me with a dead pan expression and just asked 'where the hell are your pants?' "

"Are you serious? How do you forget to put pants on?" I laughed. Becca smiled joining in on the laughter. Sam was doubled over in two and trying desperately to recollect herself.

"Okay...okay. My turn." She was still struggling to collect herself but after a moment began her own story. "When I was younger my Dad had left the back gate open and I had been playing outside in the sprinklers. I was buck naked and I managed to get out of the gate. I ran down the street completely naked with my underwear on my head and my Dad had to chase me."

Sam smiled warmly and I could tell despite it being embarrassing it was a memory of when times were simpler. I sighed knowing it was my turn. I couldn't honestly think of a time in my life that had been particularly embarrassing. Well, except for one but it wasn't even that bad.

"The most embarrassing thing I can think of is when you all kidnapped me." I joked. Zuri laughed and Becca rolled her eyes. Sam looked a little perplexed at this. " I mean it wasn't so much the fact that I was kidnapped. It was more the fact that I beat up my sort of ex-boyfriend's sister."

"You were supposed to be unconscious!" Thalia called from outside the tent causing all of us to fall into a fit of laughter. Becca wiped her eyes. She'd been laughing so hard she had started crying.

"Okay, step two of slumber party protocol. Is that there isn't one. That was just to break the ice. Now we see where the evening takes us." Zuri explained rolling onto her back and sighing contentedly.

"You know I've been wondering, how exactly you were claimed." Becca wondered aloud glancing at me from where she sat.

I squirmed uncomfortably. This was a bit of a touchy subject. Becca hastily added that I didn't have to tell her if I didn't want to but the thing was I was done with keeping things a secret. "I wasn't actually claimed."

Zuri's jaw dropped and Sam's brow furrowed in confusion. I sighed laying down and tucking my arms behind my head. "I showed up to camp. I knew that I was different, that I was a demigod, but it didn't happen like it did for everyone else. No one knew what to do with me. I wasn't claimed by doing some heroic act. There was no big flashy sign. There was nothing."

"But how? Every demigod gets claimed. It's a law now. Percy made the Gods swear," Sam said earnestly. I shook my head.

"Law or not it never happened for me. The only reason I knew who my parent was, was because of this ring and when I got my first legion tattoo." I slipped one of my rings off my finger and held it up to the light. It glinted sharply and I felt a lump form in my throat. Not being claimed was one of my biggest insecurities.

"It's okay." Sam reassured me. "When I first made it to camp I stayed in the Aphrodite cabin. They immediately knew I was different. I was ostracized from the group. They didn't talk to me. They tried to force me to change my style and I told them no. That I liked who I was. This was before Piper came back from school."

"What pegged you as different?" I asked. Sam sighed and a look of conflict came over her face.

"It's cool Sam you can tell us," Becca talked softly.

" I...I um." She paused glancing around the group and studying our faces. She smiled lightly her cheeks taking on a light blush. "I'm what you would call an Ace. Romance and things like that don't really interest me. Like at all. You can imagine how weird that is to all of my other siblings."

Zuri smiled holding her fist out for a knuckle bump. Sam smiled bashfully before returning the favor. Becca patted Sam on the shoulder. "You know what we say. We're all a bunch of social outcasts. We're our own little messed up family. There's nothing wrong with you, embrace it because if anything it means you won't be breaking your vow and in the end it makes you stronger than other people."

"You know what I've never understood why people in your cabin can be so against you. I always thought that everyone just got along but the more I hear about it the more I'm starting it thing that's not true. For instance, Percy told me  about a Nemesis kid who hates getting revenge. Apparently the kid likes to talk things out but his cabin shunned him for going against the norm. At least in New Rome that doesn't tend to happen," I stated.

"I hate to say it but you're right about the whole 'cabins don't really get along' thing. You wouldn't think so but it is. And it's sad. But it's not always like that. My cabin is really close. We have a saying 'those who steal together stick together.' The only time that ever failed was with Luke. Otherwise us Hermes kids are as close as you can get," Becca said, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I think it depends though. Hermes is the God of travelers he takes everyone in.  But Aphrodite has a tendency to shun people. She turns her back on some of her own kids too. On the other hand Poseidon is pretty cool and so is Percy . The ocean is a place everyone can go for fun. Then you take Ares as an example. His cabin can be fighting like crazy one second and thick as thieves the next. Which makes sense because war tears people apart but it also brings them closer together. Now, I'm not bashing the Aphordite cabin. They're good people and they're brave when they have to be. But some of them get caught up in the stereotype," Zuri reasoned.

"I liked Piper, Lacy, and Mitchell," Sam shrugged. "They're always kind when I get the off chance of meeting them but when Piper's not  around Drew can be a real jerk. I know part of it could be from her own insecurities but she never lets people even remotely understand her."

" If there's anything I know it's that sometimes you'll never understand someone and it's better to accept that and move on," Zuri sighed.

And as tough of an answer as it was, she was right. I remembered trying to analyze everyone and understand them back in my early days at New Rome. I couldn't understand why the older kids would be so rude to me but I got over it and now here I was praetor of New Rome.

"Welp, I don't know about you guys but I'm pretty tired," Becca yawned and slumped over on the sleeping bag closing her eyes. Sam laughed lightly before joining Becca. Zuri was the last to go to sleep but I found that I couldn't. Instead I was left to grapple with the fact that I was slowly growing attached to these girls. They'd always seemed like a myth. Untouchable in a way but they were just like every other kid. They had problems and insecurities just like everyone else. In fact, I was starting to understand the appeal of the hunt. It made sense why girls gravitated towards it.

"You're still awake?" A familiar voice spoke softly from the opening of the tent. Thalia had poked her head through the opening and I saw her eyes shift a weary expression painting her features as she studied her friends. "You're getting attached to them aren't you?"

"It's hard not to," I admitted.

"Yeah." Thalia shifted her gaze and gave me a funny look. " I heard you talking...about not being claimed and all. It got me thinking."

"Really? You mean you're actually using your brain?" I teased. Thalia smiled tensely.

"Very funny. But you may not like what I have to say," Thalia warned, slipping into the tent and sitting next to me. "But it's just an idea. I may be wrong."

"I'm not liking where this is going. But I'll hear you out," I sighed.

"A long time ago my friend Grover found the God Pan. Pan was weak and hardly kept a sustainable image. I learned that Gods can fade if people stop worshipping them or if they're forgotten." Thalia paused judging my reaction but I already knew what she was implying.

"You think my Mother faded?" I scoffed.

"Hear me out," Thalia protested.

"No. She's a war goddess. War is everywhere she wouldn't fade," I argued, my blood boiling. That could never happen. Could it?

"Reyna. You and Hylla are the only children of Bellona anyone knows about," Thalia reasoned. She paused as I shook my head not wanting to listen to anything else she had to say . It was stupid and completely implausible. "Not to mention the fact that almost nobody knows who Bellona is. She's not in many myths and she doesn't even have a Greek form."

"So what?" I asked. It didn't matter if she had on or not. There were plenty of Gods that weren't Greek and Roman.

"Reyna, everyone knows Athena and Ares. They're the war Gods. With them around and as popular as they are; your Mom wouldn't be needed. It could explain why you weren't claimed. Why she doesn't help you and why Athena helped you instead when you almost died. Any parent-even my dad- sometimes takes pity on their kid when their life is in danger," Thalia insisted. I could see the reluctance in her face to tell me her theory but if she didn't want to, why bring it up in the first place?

"She couldn't fade...that's not-" But it made sense and every logical part of my brain was screaming at me that Thalia was right. "Why are you even telling me this?"

"Because I don't want you to spend your life beating yourself up over it and hoping for something that's never going to happen. Part of why I'm telling you this is because of the Titan War. Back before it was a law for every demigod to be claimed it was why kids switched to Luke's side," Thalia explained. "It's a source of power they can have over you. I almost joined Luke because of the problems I have with my Dad."

I glanced at the ground. She was right. It was better that I identified it now instead of later when it could be too late. " It's  just...I wanted to meet her. At least once you know? Even if she turned out to be a dead beat like your father,"

"You want the sense of approval. To be recognized even if it's brief. Believe me I get it," Thalia sighed. "Besides, maybe you aren't missing out. I got turned into a tree which was supposed to be some sort of blessing from my father. Maybe Bellona really likes rose bushes or something and BAM! You got turned into one."

"You love ruining tender moments don't you?" I sighed, glad she was trying to lighten the mood despite the way my lungs struggled to maintain a steady breathing cycle.

"I do don't I?" She smiled, lightly placing a hand on my shoulder. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"Me? Yeah. I'm always okay," I promised. I'd learned a long time ago not to dwell on things like this. Getting upset over something you couldn't change was a waste of emotional energy. Only this time I wasn't sure I'd be able to compartmentalize like normal. Who wants to be told their Mom doesn't even exist anymore?

" You're bad at lying Ramirez," Thalia smirked but her eyes held a soft sort of sympathy. I got the feeling most people wouldn't understand my screwed up life but she did because she never really had a Mother either.

"I'll take this watch," I stated, eager to move past our conversation. Thalia nodded and curled up in a ball on the floor. I slipped out of the tent into the early morning light. It was then that realized I needed to find Hylla now more than ever. If Thalia was right, then Hylla was the last part of family I still had and I was going to do everything in my power to get her back. Which meant I needed to get to Paris sooner rather than later. There was no way I was going to let Lycaon get in my way and whatever idiots decided to screw with me during our journey would regret crossing my path. My family was in jeopardy and if I had to I would raise hell to get Hylla back.