the_blood_of_olympus_-_rick_riordan

of her pack and covered him up.
Reyna no longer felt self-conscious about wanting to protect him. For better or worse, they shared
a connection now. Each time they shadow-travelled, his exhaustion and torment washed over her and
she understood him a little better.
Nico was devastatingly alone. He’d lost his big sister Bianca. He’d pushed away all other
demigods who’d tried to get close to him. His experiences at Camp Half-Blood, in the Labyrinth and
in Tartarus had left him scarred, afraid to trust anyone.
Reyna doubted she could change his feelings, but she wanted Nico to have support. All heroes
deserved that. It was the whole point of the Twelfth Legion. You joined forces to fight for a higher
cause. You weren’t alone. You made friends and earned respect. Even when you mustered out, you
had a place in the community. No demigod should have to suffer alone the way Nico did.
Tonight was 25 July. Seven more days until 1 August. In theory, that was plenty of time to reach
Long Island. Once they completed their mission, if they completed their mission, Reyna would make
sure Nico was recognized for his bravery.
She slipped off her backpack. She tried to place it under Nico’s head as a makeshift pillow, but her
fingers passed right through him as if he were a shadow. She recoiled her hand.
Cold with dread, she tried again. This time, she was able to lift his neck and slide the pillow
under. His skin felt cool, but otherwise normal.
Had she been hallucinating?
Nico had expended so much energy travelling through shadows … perhaps he was starting to fade
permanently. If he kept pushing himself to the limit for seven more days …
The sound of a blender startled her out of her thoughts.
‘You want a smoothie?’ asked the coach. ‘This one is pineapple, mango, orange and banana, buried
under a mound of shaved coconut. I call it the Hercules!’
‘I – I’m all right, thanks.’ She glanced up at the balconies ringing the atrium. It still didn’t seem
right to her that the restaurant was empty. A private party. HTK. ‘Coach, I think I’ll scout the second
floor. I don’t like –’
A wisp of movement caught her eye. The balcony on the right – a dark shape. Above that, at the
edge of the roof, several more silhouettes appeared against the orange clouds.
Reyna drew her sword, but it was too late.
A flash of silver, a faint whoosh, and the point of a needle buried itself in her neck. Her vision
blurred. Her limbs turned to spaghetti. She collapsed next to Nico.
As her eyes dimmed, she saw her dogs running towards her, but they froze in mid-bark and toppled
over.
At the bar, the coach yelled, ‘Hey!’
Another whoosh. The coach collapsed with a silver dart in his neck.
Reyna tried to say, Nico, wake up. Her voice wouldn’t work. Her body had been deactivated as
completely as her metal dogs had.
Dark figures lined the rooftop. Half a dozen leaped into the courtyard, silent and graceful.
One leaned over Reyna. She could only make out a hazy smudge of grey.