𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒛𝒆 - pjo x hp [₂]

xliii. the lotus hotel

𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒. Being a child of Apollo meant they were more like prophecies, rather than regular demigod dreams. They never made sense, and they always came true in one way or another.

In her dream, she had no idea where she was. Some sort of warzone, with spells flying and people dying. There was a detached quality to the dream, like she was playing a game rather than actually fighting. But the adrenaline in whatever body she was inhabiting was quite high. It brought along that sensation often.

Raya knew that firsthand.

She watched as the body she inhabited in the dream flung curses and jinxes towards the enemy. They fought primarily with their wand, but she could sense some nonverbal magic at play as well.

Raya's eyes widened mid-fight as she realized where she was. At the gates outside Hogwarts, fighting some people she didn't quite recognize. Their features were blurry, but she had a feeling they were Death Eaters. They fought in the same manner as them.

Fighting alongside her were faces she couldn't make out, but still some of them felt familiar to her.

Blood stained the walls of the courtyard, and bodies littered the premises. She could feel a desperate need rising in the body she was inhabiting. A need to protect someone or something. Even if it meant giving up their own life.

Raya sat up with a start, looking around wildly before her gaze settled on Kayse. He rested a gentle hand on her own, interlacing their fingers and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

"Hey, it was just a nightmare," he promised her softly. "You're okay now."

Just hearing his voice put her at ease, and she could feel her breathing come a little easier. It wasn't just a dream. But whatever it was wasn't going to help her right now. She had to think about Camp, not Hogwarts.

"I'm fine," she said quietly when she was sure her voice wouldn't shake. "Just a nightmare. But I'm okay. Did we stop?"

Kayse nodded. "Yeah, tracks ended just about now. I think we're in New Mexico."

Raya furrowed her brows, "And what state is that in?"

Kayse laughed to himself. "New Mexico is the state. Just west of Texas."

Raya nodded to herself as she began to get out of the luxurious La Ferrari she and Kayse had slept in. "Hey, I'm a Canadian girlie. I don't need to know anything about American geography besides where Buffalo is," she shrugged. "And that's only because I like watching the Bills games, and the Sabres tickets are cheaper than Leafs tickets."

"You and your sports," Kayse muttered fondly to himself as he followed her out of the car. "Always the athlete."

Raya swatted him playfully, rolling her eyes as the rest of the group got out of their cars and out of the train. They'd arrived on the outskirts of a little ski town nestled in the mountains. The sign said: WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO. The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets.

It reminded Raya of her home back in Toronto, when the snow plows would shovel through the streets and sidewalks, pushing the dirty snow aside. Right now, her mom was probably dealing with that, back in Toronto. Raya wished she could call her or something, but she knew to wait until the quest was over. Marybeth often got worried over small things. And she'd been falling sick a lot more since Alphanso died. Raya didn't want to risk it.

Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny. Even with her winter coat from Aritzia and knitted gloves, Raya could feel the cold in the air. By the time they reached Main Street, almost a kilometer from the tracks, Raya had caved in and casted a heating charm over everyone.