reflection ● jason grace

Apparently, Daniel hates her.

When they got back, the camp was empty.

    Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but as far as Daria could tell, all the residents of New Rome had been relocated. The city looked almost ghostly. There were sentries posted on the brand new defense walls and the seven of them had to provide ID to enter.

    She bit her lip. Even the grass was dying; the atmosphere was so quiet that you could quite literally hear a pin drop. Marcus nodded hello to them, calling out, "Salve Primus Pilus."
    Daria's mouth twitched. She still technically wasn't a centurion even if there were some that insisted on naming her so. She used to like the special treatment. Now, it made her feel even more unsure.

    "Salve," she finally decided. "Are the Senators meeting today?"

    He shuffled the logs he was carrying in his arms. "10 minutes," Marcus confirmed. "And then another tonight, at 6:30."

    It was around lunch now. A couple hours before maybe. Unlike the beach house, all of her friends wore grim expressions. Michael had a hand on his dagger and Dakota stopped drinking their Kool-Aid. Marcus stalked off without another word and Daria felt strangely like a void was settling in her gut.

    "Alright!" Jason announced, turning to face them. "I suggest that Daria, Reyna, and I go to this first one. The rest of you make yourselves useful around camp. Clara, obviously, go to the Med Bay. And then come to the meeting at 6:30. I doubt you'll be missing much right now."

    "Yeah," Nathan said, oddly quiet. "We'll see you guys later. Good luck, man."

    "Battle hasn't started yet," Reyna reminded him.

    "Good as," Michael muttered, gesturing to the desolation that was their home. Then they nodded at each other, and Daria felt like the metaphorical coin toss, except she didn't know which side won.

    They made their way to the Senate House in near silence. Daria couldn't help but look at all the closed and boarded shops along the Via Praetoria. To be honest, she really didn't think the wood would fare that well against an earthborn.

    "They're acting like the entire city won't be destroyed by the end of the battle," Reyna murmured, voicing her thoughts exactly.

    "They're holding on to hope," Jason murmured. "I know the feeling." He walked ahead of them. Daria and Reyna shared a glance.

"You've got this, Grace. Right Daria?"

    "Whatever," Daria grumbled.

    Jason's lip twitched up.

    She felt strangely bare without her rings – like she always did when she walked through New Rome. She took a deep breath before they entered through the giant white doors. Jason's shoulders tensed. Reyna scuffled her feet impatiently.

    They walked in just as Leila called the Senate to order. Daniel's eyes narrowed when he spotted them. "Glad to see you back." He was talking to all of them, but his harsh gaze was trained on Daria. She forced herself not to shiver.

    "Thank god," Mitch added, looking a lot better than he had a year ago. Unlike his boyfriend, he winked at Daria. It was nice to know that someone was still in high spirits, even if Mitch had been hit hardest out of all of them.

    "I suppose you have a plan?" Leila asked in a tone that implied, or else I'll kill you.

    Daria swallowed as Jason and Reyna went to the left, with the other Senators. She bit her lip before she sat in the front row, a few chairs away from Octavian.