SAFE . . . reyna ramirez-arellano

24 - girlbosses

FOR A MINUTE, Jason and Thalia faced each other, stunned. Then Thalia rushed forward and hugged him.

"My gods! She told me you were dead!" She gripped Jason's face and seemed to be examining everything about it. "Thank Artemis, it is you. That little scar on your lip — you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!"

Leo laughed. "Seriously?"

Hedge nodded like he approved of Jason's taste. "Staplers — excellent source of iron."

"W-wait," Jason stammered. "Who told you I was dead? What happened?"

At the cave entrance, one of the white wolves barked. Thalia looked back at the wolf and nodded, but she kept her hands on Jason's face, like she was afraid he might vanish. "My wolf is telling me I don't have much time, and she's right. But we have to talk. Let's sit."

Briar did better than that, naturally. She's Briar Lovelace. She collapsed. She would've cracked her head on the cave floor if Hedge hadn't caught her.

Thalia rushed over. "What's wrong with her? Ah — never mind. I see. Hypothermia. Ankle." She frowned at the satyr. "Don't you know nature healing?"

Hedge scoffed. "Why do you think she looks this good? Can't you smell the Gatorade?"

Thalia glared at Leo.

"You and the satyr," she ordered, "take this girl to my friend at the entrance. Phoebe's an excellent healer."

"It's cold out there!" Hedge said. "I'll freeze my horns off."

Leo nodded. "Come on, Hedge. These two need time to talk."

"Humph. Fine," the satyr muttered. "Didn't even get to brain anybody."

Hedge carried Briar toward the entrance.

"Wait," she said, reaching a hand out. "My knife."

Thalia raised an eyebrow at her. "That was you who threw the knife?"

"I'm talented," Briar pursed her lips. "Can I have it?"

Leo handed her the knife, and she put it in her pocket. Then she cheerfully let Hedge carry her outside.

"Hi," Briar said to the girl outside — Phoebe, right? "Could you, ah, heal me of hypothermia? I'm very cold."

Phoebe sized her up before nodding.

Briar had basically blacked out during that entire endeavor, but she remembered the tent going from a stick of gum to a full-sized tent, Phoebe leaning over her and healing her, and changing into a new outfit that looked hella good on her. She still had Reyna's jacket on, but she looked like a Hunter.

Now, she was kicking back and talking to Phoebe while drinking hot chocolate.

"I don't know what happened, really," Briar took out her knife, which was now bronze. "It was silver when I threw it, and even then I kind of just winged it."

"Well, you're definitely good at it," Phoebe sent her a smile that Briar probably figured was rare. "I think you'd be a good Hunter."

"Really?" Briar leaned forward. "Tell me more."

Before Phoebe could tell her the art of being a Hunter, Jason, Leo, and Thalia came in, naturally.

"Oh, no way," Leo said. "We've been sitting in a cave and you get the luxury tent? Somebody give me hypothermia. I want hot chocolate and a parka!"

Phoebe sniffed. "Boys," she said, like it was the worst insult she could think of.

"It's all right, Phoebe," Thalia said. "They'll need extra coats. And I think we can spare some chocolate."