Of Greeks And Romans (Leo Valdez x Reader)

XXVII

You

My feet hit the ground in seconds. It was only a millisecond, but now the whole conversation with Reyna and Percy seemed to fade to the distance.

Someone heard us, which could only mean nothing good.

My mind was focused on a single thing now, following whoever it was who was running from me. That in itself was a red flag. Why would they run if they weren't guilty of something.

They darted down between the barracks and stables. I only paused momentarily, trying to see which way they went. Their dark figure paused momentarily, almost taunting me. For a moment, I wanted to just let them run, abandon the chase right there.

Clearly, my curiosity got the better of me, and I was running after them in the next second. I turned a corner to the armory, and the dark shape seemed to be coming at me faster than I could stop.

I collided right into whatever it was, my head seeming to burst into little pieces and my ears ringing. My vision went dark for a moment as I tried to move.

Horror struck me as I realized I couldn't see or move. It was a snap of a finger before my senses came back to me and I looked up in a daze.

I could feel the dirt under my fingers, and the bright sky above me. A moment ago, I was running, and now I was...

I squinted against the brightness of the sun. What was I doing again?

A figure appears above me, and I paused in recognition. "Ka-"

A sharp pain blossomed from my stomach, stars twinkling in my vision. I gasped, only realizing then that she had kicked me. My body seemed to reflexively curl up as I gasped for air.

"This is where you shut up," she said, with venom in her words.

I rolled over, the feel of dirt against my cheek seeming to bring me back to reality.

"Who are you?" I managed to say, letting the words slip from my mouth.

This time she really brought back her foot, hitting me right in the stomach. I doubled over, bike rosong through my throat. I really would have thrown up if it weren't for the fact I hadn't eaten much that morning.

"I guess you could say I'm like you. Just not."

Her dark brown hair fell half over her face, obscuring it in shadows as I looked up at her. Realization dawned on me.

"You were the one visiting Gaea's shrine." It wasn't a question. I clearly knew. Why else would she be here if not as a consequence of me joining the other side.

"I'm surprised it took you this long to figure out," she said, contempt in her voice. "After all, I wasn't even supposed to be here."

I tried getting up, but her foot came down on my shoulder, hard. I grunted in pain as she forced me back to the ground.

Still, those words seemed to click somewhere in my mind. "You're a summoned?"

She let out a huff of air. "I read the books too, you know. I've just been here longer than you have. You have no idea what the gods are willing to do to people like me. Going home isn't an option if the people who bring you here have no reason to send you back."

She had a murderous look in her eye. "You can't even be accepted as ordinary demigods if you don't even have the same power. I'm no better than a mortal."

I jerked my shoulder. "Get off me, Katherine. I could scream right here, and you'll probably get executed for conspiring with the enemy."

"You scream, and you'll regret it."