Storm Chaser || Jason Grace x OC

3. I make a deal with a sadist

I walked outside with confidence before I was trampled by a unicorn.

Luckily Dakota was close behind me and was able to help me up before too many people witnessed my act of stupidity. 

"Are you alright?" He asked as I examined my newly forming bruises.

He seemed to have been knocked out of whatever sloppy state his fruit punch regularly put him in and instead looked at me with genuine concern and partial horror.

Great. 

"I'm fine" I lied brushing the dirt off my legs. 

I wasn't sure if getting run over by a random unicorn was a bad omen or not but something told me it wasn't a good one.

"A word of advice? Watch where you're going and how you speak to the leaders around here" Dakota offered as he began leading the way to the Augur. 

I rolled my eyes and went to keep walking when he stopped and pulled me to the side.

"I'm being serious here. I don't get the sense you understand the stakes here. Your fate is about to be decided by Octavian and even if he decides you should live you don't want to make any enemies that might decide otherwise" He warned. His hands were steady and tight with their grip on my shoulders. His stare was intense on mine and I understood that there wasn't a hint of humor in his tone. 

I didn't say anything I just nodded and tried to keep my face stoic to hide the absolute terror I felt inside. We walked in silence the rest of the way.

There was a trail of stuffing leading into the temple. I was tempted to ask Dakota what that was about but decided against it in light of the seriousness of our previous conversation. Ignoring the stuffing I was shocked at the grandiose nature of the temple. It stood at the top of a hill looking over New Rome, with an open-air concept and seemingly 60-foot columns, I was at a loss for words.

In the center of the temple at the altar stood a fairly tall boy with blonde hair and pale skin raising a golden knife above his head before slamming it down quickly. I flinched out of anticipation of what I could only assume were the bloody horrors to follow but was instead met with a ripping sound. 

"Octavian, Reyna asked me to bring the girl to you" Dakota called out from the entrance and the boy stood up straight and turned around.

His eyes were blue, similar to Jason's, but unlike Jason's, they weren't striking, rather more subdued. 

"Very well" He sighed tossing a mutilated teddy bear to the ground. 

It wasn't until then that I noticed the pile of stuffed animals surrounding the altar and the trail of stuffing started to make sense. 

Octavian stood in front of me studying me with a similar intensity that Reyna had only 10 minutes ago. There was something different in his gaze though that I couldn't quite understand. His face seemed impossible to read. 

What is it with these Romans and their uncanny ability to hide their feelings? 

"She came alone?" He asked not looking away from me. 

"With the Pandai, but yes" Dakota shared and Octavian began walking in a circle around me. 

"No godly claim? No endorsements?" 

Dakota nodded.

I started to feel the hairs on my neck stand up as he walked behind me. His whole presence was unsettling. I had never noticed my fight or flight being triggered before but as he continued to circle me I felt the need to run.