A Game of Promises

Chapter 26: Hole in my Heart

Reyna's POV

I move silently between trees, almost like a shadow. Smoke is flowing from a clearing. Someone must. It know how obvious it is, even in the evening.

I finally find the demigod. It's a girl with reddish hair warming her hands over a fire. I smile and unsheath my dagger.

Before the girl can even turn around, j stab her in the back. She falls face first into the fire, already dead. I stomp out the flames until all that's left is a pile of ashes. I collect all of her supplies, a little bit of food, water, and a knife.

I head back to my tree and climb it.
The sky is growing dark. I get situated in my tree, the leaves pulled apart so I will be able to see who died today.

The seal of Olympus appears, then fades away. The first image is of a girl with blonde/brown hair. "Ari Sanchez, daughter of Apollo."

The next is of a boy with black hair. "Mitchell Keely, son of Demter."

Finally it's the girl I just killed. "Sarah Clarkston, daughter of Demeter."

The sky fades back to black. I lay my head back, but sleep doesn't come. I keep thinking about how many tributes are left. Seventeen demigods are left in this battle. Only one may win.

Finally sleep claims me. I drift into a black and dreamless night.

When I wake up, the sun is below the horizon. I silently gather my supplies and shimmy down the tree.

I walk around for a bit with no destination in mind. I hear voices in the distance and I head towards them.

"I'm fine, Will. See, no wound."

"You get back on you mat and sleep. You need rest," another voice argues with the first.

"I just need to see someone, okay?"

"Right, your sister. Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

A boy with black hair and pale skin passes me. My heart skips a beat watching him pass. He seems...familiar.

A girl with a braid runs into him, literally.

"Sorry, wasn't watching where I was going. You're Nico, right? I'm Bianca."

"I know," he mutters.

"What?"

"I said nice to meet you."

His voice cracks on the word "meet".

"Did you want to see your sister? I can bring you to her if you want."

"I'm fine."

Nico walks away. At first I think that there are tears in his eyes, but I shake it off as a reflection from the sun.

Before I can leave, a roar cuts through the forest. I freeze. So does Bianca.

A giant animal emerges from the shadows. It looks like a mixture of a dog and a dragon. Leathery skin, pointed nose and large fangs.

I grip my sword in my hand. I stand up. Bianca doesn't even care, she just yells for help.

I charge. I stab it in the back, but it's skin seems to be too strong for my blade. A silver arrow zips by my face and shatters against the animal's tough skin.

The monster backhands me and I fall on the bush I was hiding in. I lay there, dazed. A scream brings me out of my daze.

The monster has Bianca pinned to the ground, it's mouth right above her head. Nico and another boy with blonde hair comes from around the bend. Nico lets loose a scream that shatters my heart.

He runs to Bianca, who's struggling against the monster. The monster digs it's claws into her chest. Bianca screams in pain.

An arrow come from the trees. Another one follow it. Two figures come from the tree. One is a girl and the other is a boy. Both are holding bows.

They keep shooting at the monster. The girl finally hits the thing in its eye and the monster stumbles away. Nico opens the ground somehow and the monster falls through the earth.

Nico runs to Bianca's side. He takes her hand in his.

"Bianca."

"Nico? How are you..."

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here this time, you aren't alone."

"Nico, you're grown up even more. But your shadow is so heavy. What happened?" Bianca asks

"Nothing important, Bianca. I'm here."

"Nico, tell me. Please."

"I just did something that was stupid. A lot of things, actually."

Bianca let's out a gasp. "It's true, then. My visions were true. When Gaea had me, I had a vision of you standing next to the River Phlegathon. That's in Tartarus. You weren't there, were you?"

"Yes. I was, but I survived. I'm okay, Bianca. Don't worry about me."

"I love you, Nico. I never blamed you for my death. Not once. I died with one thought in my mind. And that was that I love you. That's what I'm thinking now, Nico. I love you now and I'll love you forever. Not even Gaea could make me forget that."

Nico grips her hand tighter, tears falling down his face, dripping onto Bianca's cheek.

"Bianca. I love you too. I missed you, I was all alone, with no one. Please, don't leave me again."

"You're not alone anymore, Nico. You have Will. You have a new sister, one that needs you. And I'll always be with you, Nico. I love you. Don't think that this is your fault. It's no ones. It was," Bianca takes a ragged breath. "It was my own fault. Don't blame yourself. Promise me, Nico. Promise me that you won't blame yourself."

"I won't, Bianca. Don't leave me."

"I'll never leave you. I'll always be with you. In the wind, in the stars, in the trees. I love you, Nico."

She lowers her head and closes her eyes for the last time. Her hand goes limp in Nico's hand.

"Bianca. Bianca, no," Nico collapses on her dead body, sobbing.

"No, you can't leave me again. I swore that I would save you this time, that I would die so that you would live. You can't leave, you can't. Come back!" Nico yells at her.

"Come back," Nico voice falls into a whisper.

He kisses her cheek and places her hands over her stomach. Nico picks a few flowers and places them in her hands. He arranges her hair around her face.

Zoë comes over and grips Nico's hand.

"She died honorably. She was a hero, nothing can change that."

Nico nods. Everyone leaves except for him. I silently back away and I run back to my tree, tears in my eyes.

There's one less tribute in the arena. But there's one more hole in my heart.

A/N
I know, I know. You hate me, you want to brutally murder me, yada yada. But it was beautiful if I say so myself. Poor Nico. So much pain. I'm going to leave before I die...