Reyna's POV

Getting back to camp was a long and laborious game of chess so to speak. We'd settle down to rest and hear the howl of the approaching enemy and have to run a good distance farther than planned. Or we'd settle down and rest a good while and be unaware that we were much farther ahead than planned. Nevertheless Lycoan always found a way to catch back up.

We'd had a few close encounters but I noticed a change in our fighting. Everyone fought like they were possessed by the devil, wild and angry. It was nearly terrifying to look at. We managed to push them back but I had a feeling they were only trying to slow us down. Here we were battered and bruised with blistered feet and numb legs finally on the outskirts of the city but they refused to kill us.

"Come on not much farther," I encouraged. Maya had grown tired of carrying Louise so I now had the small red head clinging to my back.

There were grumbles of protest but in the end no matter how exhausted any of us were we made our way towards camp. The relief of finally seeing the border was enough to make a few of them smile but others looked grim and sad. I knew why, it was hard to avoid the strong sturdy pine tree that guarded the border. We all knew where it had come from and now it served as a reminder to those who looked as though the wanted to curl up in a ball and forget the world.

Next to the tree though was the Parthenos that radiated power in its purest form, passing it on the way into camp caused my strength to surge for the slightest moment before it came crashing down again.

Everything was as it should have been. Campers milling about, satyrs and nymphs smiling and happy. There were only a few differences. Sila's tall figure stood out on the volley ball court as a few campers tried to beat him and little Fawn was running around with a few Hermes kids who had water balloons in their hands. It would have been a happy scene to know they were fitting in nicely upon returning with Grover from the outside world but I didn't know them like Thalia did.

No one appeared eager to actually go down the hill or to encounter their friends. We were perfectly content with staying up here. Except that couldn't be allowed. Setting Louise down I left the group and made a straight shot towards the Big House. I ignored anyone who approached or attempted to talk to me.

Taking the steps in one stride I knocked lightly on the door. Sure enough the familiar and warm face of Chiron greeted me with his typical fatherly smile.

"Welcome back." He said opening the door wider. "I'm assuming the mission was a success? Are the others settling in?"

"It was," I said, moving inside to lean on the table. There was a moment of silence and I knew immediately he suspected what happened.

"What happened?" His tone was cautious but gentle. I didn't want to explain because I knew if I did I wouldn't be able to keep from crying in my exhausted state but he needed to know.

"We found everyone," I said, still not turning to look at him. "For the most part."

I launched into a lengthy explanation about our quests, the new gods we'd run into, their desire for revenge and plans to take us out, how the remaining Hunters and Amazons wouldn't be coming home.

"I'm so sorry," Chiron spoke hardly above a whisper. "I'm assuming your sister and Thalia didn't take it well?"

My grip tightened on the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. "Thalia was one of them Chiron."

I glanced up to see his face pale drastically. He looked sick, as sick as I felt. His eyes were cast to the floor, his eyebrows pulled together and somehow he seemed a thousand years older.

"H-how? How did it happen?" He asked quietly.

"How else would she go other then saving everyone in a dramatic sacrifice for the greater good?" My tone was bitter and I knew it shouldn't have been, especially not when talking of her heroic death. I couldn't help it though, how many times did she need to die like that?

"Sounds exactly like her." Chiron said the faintest bit of humor in his voice. "Was she...scared?"

I couldn't help but be surprised by this question. It was one I didn't expect to be asked. I tried to think back to what happened even if it was blurry. "No. No she was...proud I think. Proud in the fact that she was going to choose how it ended. Going out as a hero."

Chiron nodded seeming a bit relieved with that answer. "She always had a knack for being the hero all the time."

"I know," I nodded. Chiron seemed surprised. "She doesn't like the Gods that much. The only one she cares for are Artemis and maybe Athena. It's part of why Sila's siblings wanted her as a weapon. She's the easiest to sway."

"It was always a weakness of hers," Chiron sighed and shook his head. "Nearly got her to switch sides in the second Titan war."

"She mentioned it," I sighed.

"But her moral compass is much stronger than her personal desires," Chiron smiled thinly.

"She's very much like Percy."

"And he's very much like her," Chiron chuckled. "Which is why they have a love hate relationship. Soaking and shocking each other one moment laughing and being weird the next."

Another moment of silence paused as the two of us thought the same thing. That wouldn't be happening again. No more playful banter between cousins and that's when a horrible realization hit me. I would have to tell them that Thalia wasn't coming home.

"What am I going to do?" My voice was shaky and Chiron gave me a pitied look. "Jason already hates me. How am I going to tell him I got his sister killed? Or Annabeth?"

"Relax, they'll understand," Chiron assured. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have let him hug me, but I needed it.

"And if they don't? What then? It'll be like square one Chiron. Rome and Greece hating each other." A tear slipped down my cheek. He wiped it away quickly and I felt like I hadn't in a long time. I recalled moments when my father was gentle and caring for once when I was a kid. It felt very similar to my state of being now. For a moment I didn't see Chiron as just a camp leader. In a sense he was a father to his campers. The only one who guided them. Looking at him he appeared to have a similar realization that I died. I wasn't just a self sufficient leader, I was a kid.

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk sense into them," Chiron promised. "But it would be best if we called a meeting. Tell them what you told me."

"Okay." I took a shaky breath and did my best to compose myself.

"No need for that," Chiron chastised.

"What?" I asked a little confused. He gave me a sad smile.

"Leaders are allowed to be vulnerable. Don't put walls up. I've seen the damage it can do." Chiron warned, walking towards the door. He ducked outside and trotted away leaving me alone for a brief moment.

Sitting down in the chair at the head of the table I leaned back and waited impatiently. I wanted to get this over with. We still had to prepare for war.

Sure enough not less than two minutes later familiar faces crowded inside the Big House. There was Percy holding Annabeth's hand, the two to them smiling. Frank and Hazel who'd apparently returned to camp and stayed a while were discussing whether or not dogs and cats were both loveable. Then came Piper who was in the middle of telling Jason that she'd totally kicked his ass and he just didn't want to admit it.

And so one by one they sat at the table and it grew insufferably crowded. None of them seemed to notice that what they were here for was nothing light and pleasant. They each took their places and I watched as Jason looked around expectantly and I couldn't help but know who he was looking for.

A long and awkward pause surrounded the room as I struggled to form my thoughts. I had no idea what to say or do for that matter but as it turns out I didn't need to say anything.

"Where's my sis?" Jason asked hopefully. The others murmured in agreement. They wanted to know as well.

"About that." My throat was scratchy and I must have looked like shit because Frank and Hazel exchanged worried glances. I noticed Nico standing in the back sharing a look with me. He knew. "She's going to be gone for a while."

"Oh," Jason frowned. "How long? What happened?"

"A very long time Jason," My voice grew quieter. "She's uh...she's not coming back."

I wanted to look away but I couldn't. It took a moment for the realization to settle on their faces and it was enough to make my throat grow tight. Jason's smile faltered for a second before it disappeared altogether. He went pale and quiet, his eyes glazing over.

Hazel covered her mouth in surprise and Frank stared at the table as if it would tell him I was joking. Percy swallowed hard, stood up from his chair and walked outside a vein popping out in his neck. Annabeth put her face in her hands and cried, her shoulders shaking.

Piper was the only one who looked at me. Her expression was one of sorrow both for herself and for me but I had no idea as to why.

"And the other hunters?" Nico asked. "The amazons?"

I shook my head scared to open my mouth for the fact that I'd lose it.

"Is it true?" Frank asked looking at Nico. He nodded solemnly.

"I felt it," Nico explained, and that was all Jason needed to hear to snap. The room was charged with a thick static. His glare settled on me and it was unsettling to see the same eyes I'd come to know so full of anger and pain.

"You promised," He glared, his voice low and dangerous.

"I know." Was all I said. Piper placed a warning hand on his shoulder. Nico shifted nervously, prepared to intervene if need be.

"You're a liar," Jason fumed, standing up so quickly his chair fell over with a loud clatter. Annabeth had quietly stood and walked outside along with Frank and Hazel.

"I tried Jason. I did." I wanted him to believe me, to let me explain what had happened.

"Did you?" He asked as an electric charge rolled through the table. With a yelp I pulled my hands off the table feeling it sting my skin.

"Jason stop," Piper warned. He faltered for a moment at her charm speak but it wasn't going to work.

"It was her own choice. We were in a bad situation. I tried to tell her to leave but she didn't. I tried to stop h-" He held up a hand silencing me.

"Don't give me bull shit Reyna." His voice was rough and I'd only seen him like this once in my life.

"I'm not!" I felt cornered and small. "If anything you should be proud."

"Proud?!" Jason nearly yelled. Nico made a low deep sound in his throat almost like a growl of warning. "She's dead. There is nothing to be proud of."

"She faced an entire army by herself!" How dare he insult her like that? Like her sacrifice wasn't one of a hero.

"So what?" Jason scoffed, a cold expression on his face.

"She's better than us Jason. Better than me." It was true. I'd never done anything remotely heroic compared to that and the fact that she'd done it so willingly was astounding. If it came down to it yes I'd have died for the cause but not without it being a last resort.

"You're right about that." He sneered. My blood boiled at his ignorance.

"She's better than you," I growled. "I would know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jason took a step towards me with balled fists and Nico stepped between the two of us.

I wanted to tell him that he was absolutely nothing like her. That he wasn't the one who sat and listened to me. That he wasn't the one who got to know me as more than a colleague or leader. That he wasn't the one who'd guided her through her past because she clung to it and the grief it gave her. That he wasn't the person who saw her cry or heard her sing or heard her doubts and fears. She'd never shown him those things because while she trusted him she wasn't willing to let him in.

"That's what I thought," Jason nodded, a sick satisfaction in his eyes. I'd unknowingly gone silent. "I lost my sister and you know what you lost? You lost no one."

My eyes held a burning anger in them as hot furious tears ran down my cheek. Part of me knew that my hands shook in fists and that as Jason said those words my tears turned into a river. I closed my eyes wanting it all to just go away but that wasn't the world we lived in. Things like this didn't go away.

Nico and Piper let Jason go as they shared a look of concern and sadness. Sitting down yet again, for once I unashamedly cried because what I had feared would happen did. Nico bless his heart wasn't very good at comforting people but he lingered for a moment. As Chiron had before he wiped my tears away before I pushed his hands aside. He took it as a sign to leave. He was right.

The only other person who stayed was Piper. "He's just upset. Don't listen to him."

"I'm pretty sure he made himself very clear." I sniffled having finally gotten control of myself. There was a brief pause before she sat next to me and gave me a serious look.

"Can I ask you something?" She questioned. "I want an honest answer."

"Yeah go ahead." At this point I didn't really care anymore.

Piper nodded before thinking for a moment. "Thalia was more than a friend wasn't she?"

I don't know why but I almost expected the question. I wasn't sure how to answer but then I thought that the answer didn't really matter anymore did it? "Yes."

"Did you...love her?" Piper asked carefully almost like she was afraid to ask such a question.

"I don't know." My reply almost sounded like a whimper and in all honesty I didn't. Piper's look softened to one that was almost amused but sympathetic and kind.

"I think you do," She said, taking my hand. "You're just scared."

"Why shouldn't I be?" I asked. It wasn't like it mattered now but everything I cared about always came crashing down. It disappeared before my very eyes and I was starting to get the idea that trying to find hope was useless. "It doesn't matter anyways. There are bigger problems."

"What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"There's going to be a war," I muttered. Piper shifted nervously. "Us versus an army who knows how big and Gods."

"Gods?" She asked, suddenly seeming very small where she sat.

"Four of them. Two of which I would like to personally torment."

"We need to talk again. All of us but after everyone calms down," Piper decided, I nodded in agreement. "In the meantime. Lay low and don't worry about anyone else."

With that she left and I didn't move. I had no idea how long I sat there but it didn't matter. What was the point in moving? What was the point in anything anymore?