I woke up in the infirmary. I couldn’t remember what I had just dreamed about. Probably something stupid. I felt woozy and tired. My body felt numb. I looked around. I was in one of the rooms. Alex was there. He was staring out of the window. “Alex.” I whispered. He turned around and smiled at me.
“Reina! Gracias a Dios. Johanna y Apolo dijeron que tal vez nunca despertarás. Pensé. Pensé que te había perdido.” Alex stared at me.
“¿Dónde está Poppy la ninfa? Necesito hablar con ella.” I said. I had to give back her ring so she could keep it safe. And gods. Bec could be dead. They were so small and young, and they could be dead.
“Hermana. Encontraron a Poppy cortada y cubierta de veneno. Ella no estará de vuelta por años es lo que Apolo dijo.” Alex walked over and placed a hand next to me. Where my left arm should be. I looked down. My arm was gone. Gone. My eyes trailed down the rest of my body. My left leg was gone too.
“Reina. No te asustes. Verónica ya está diseñando prótesis para usted.” Alex said as he hugged me. Then he started crying. I just felt shocked. And so numb. Like as if I wasn’t in my body. He was crying because he took care of me for half our lives. Because I almost died. And yet I couldn’t feel anything at the moment.
“Alex, vaya actualizar a nuestros hermanos. Si ves a Johanna Ravi, envíala aquí. Quiero hablar con ella.” I said. I recalled the blurred face of Johanna in the smoke. I needed to know if Bec Nassar was alive and who better to ask than the healer who happens to be dating Bec? Well kinda dating.
“Esta bien, vendré mas tarde.” Alex sniffled.
“Para entonces quizás sea menos- uh ni siquiera puedo pensar en la palabra en cualquier idioma. Wozy! Esa es la palabra ¡Creo! Por favor vaya antes de que comience a hablar mal español. English is better for me to fuck up so ¡Adiós! Nos vemos idiota.” I said. Alex looked at me and smiled. The he kissed my forehead.
“Te quiero, pequeña mocosa.”
“Yo también te amo. Tú eres un puto feo.” I whispered as he left.
I laid in silence until the door opened again. I looked over and saw Johanna. I could see that her blonde root were almost white now. Her eyes were also a lighter and brighter blue than before.
“Johanna. Why can’t I move?” I asked, trying to not sound worried or scared.
Johanna looked at me. “It’s a temporary effect. I didn’t want you moving before I got in here. I’ll remove it soon.”
“Is Bec alive?” I asked. I had to do so. I would feel awful if I lived and Bec didn’t. Bec was two years younger than me and has been through alot. Plus Johanna was probably looking for Bec when she found me.
“Yes. They were in the Demeter Hall with Kore, Mindy and Bobbie when the Hades and Persephone Halls got blown up. You’re the only person who got hurt in the bombings,” Johanna frowned, “why were you even in the Hades Hall?”
“Poppy the nymph wanted me to give Bec something. Don’t worry about it. So I was the only one harmed? Good.” I said.
“Bec, Kore, Mindy, and Bobbie ran off. People are saying that Bobbie Flora killed Allen Raye. By people I mean Amber Kingston. But I know Bobbie didn’t.” Johanna whispered the last part.
“Johanna? Who did?” I asked, scared and worried.
She looked at me. “His father.” He whispered. I stared at him. He didn’t laugh as if he was joking or sike. She was serious. That meant Zeus killed his own child. That sent a chill down my spine. Who could kill their own child? My father could, I guess. And Kronos. And other myths but they were all the bad guys. Sure I knew that Zeus was a bad guy but not kill his own child bad.
“How-”
“Bec told me before they left.”
“You love them a lot, don’t you?” I asked. She blushed.
“For years I’ve been healing them. We formed a friendship and then a romantic relationship.” Johanna said.
“Healing?”
“Yes, healing. Bec’s powers harm them so every now and then I heal them. They make a lot of noise so I do it when no one else around. They try to stay quiet but they end up sounding like they’re moaning. So it’s hard to heal them without someone thinking we’re bonking.” Johanna smiled. Did she know about me and the twins spying?
“How long have I been out?” I asked.
“A day. It’s the summer solstice. It’s three in the morning.” Johanna said as she waved her hands over me. Little specks of light fell onto me.
“Damn. I was out for a long time. What happened to my-”
“They were burnt badly. I tried to save your limbs but I couldn’t and neither could my father. I’m sorry.” Johanna looked down at the ground. I looked at my left side. Even without my limbs I had to be strong. Zeus killed his own son and someone bombed two of the Halls. My limbs were the least of my worries.
“Johanna. Look at me,” I said. She looked up at me, “you did your best. If even the great Apollo couldn’t heal me then no one could.”
“It’s just- just- just- it’s all-” Johanna broke down. Red tears fell onto the ground. The tears looked more like blood. I stared at her in horror.
“It’s all my fault.” She whispered so quietly I could barely hear her. What did she mean? She wouldn’t- no couldn’t- be the bomber. She loved Bec. “Johanna. What did you do?” I asked.
“He found out what I had done. What I had done. I shouldn’t have done it. I shouldn’t have. She was cursed but I couldn’t live without her at that point. I didn't know any better. We were five.” Johanna seemed to be talking to herself instead of to me. She fell down to the floor.
“Johanna!” I yelled. I pulled the IV out of my arm and rolled onto the floor next to her. And then I slapped her. She stared at me.
“Zeus made me plant the bombs. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry to you, to Bec, to Kore. I’ve been praying to Hades and Persephone and asking them to spare me. I only did it because he told me he would kill them if I didn’t.” She whispered. I had a feeling the ‘them’ wasn’t Bec. “Johanna. Tell me. Please. Please. So I can help. You helped Megara, my best friend. You saved me. Let me help you.” I grabbed his hand.
“Josephine died when we were five. I brought her back with my powers. But she was always cursed. Her powers, they make people sick. Her powers have made me sick before. And they especially made her sick. We both had pneumonia. She died in a hospital bed right next to mine. When I saw she was dead. I grabbed her hand and something happen. Light filled the room. She was alive and both of us weren’t sick. My hair turned blonde and my eyes were blue.” Johanna whispered. His blood red tears stained her scrubs.
“Oh gods…” I was horrified. Johanna had only been a child and she brought someone back to life.
“She keeps on dying. Everyday it happens. She died while I was helping you. I almost was too late to save her. She was almost gone forever. But before that, Zeus found out and told me he was going to kill my mortal siblings, Bela and Calvin, if I didn’t do what he told me to do. If I didn’t plant the bombs along with locking Ophiotaurus in a room on the Hades Hall. The bombs destroyed the monster. Gods, but you got hurt. I'm so sorry. Bela is eight and Calvin is two. My mortal dad and step mum love them so much. I love them a lot too.” Johanna sniffled. I squeezed her hand. “It’ll be okay.” I whispered even though nothing would be okay. Everything felt numb. The world felt like it was burning down.
I tried to send Johanna some happy memories. But I couldn’t link any of my memories to her. I couldn’t help her.
“My body has been changing because of me bringing Josie back to life. Blood tears. Lighter hair. Pale eyes. My father says I’m turning into a soul. No color. No life. No body. But he can’t take away my powers or stop me.He’s tried before.” Johanna said.
I looked at him. He wasn’t crying anymore. “It’s okay. But maybe you should st-”
“No!” Johanna snarled. Tears were once again forming in her eyes.
“You and Josephine are both going to die if you don’t stop! Then little Calvin and Bela will lose two sisters!” I snapped at her. He started crying again. “I know- I know. I just-” she sobbed.
“Think about it. I know it would be a hard choice. But it’s one you’re gonna have to make. I know we don’t really know each other but we’re demigods. And demigods gotta stick together and I won’t tell anyone about the bombing. Or the Josephine thing,” I said.
“Okay. Let’s get you back on the bed and then get you some food.” Johanna said.
Johanna put me under a magic induced sleep after she got me some food. Just some mangú, sancocho, and asopao. Maybe two servings of each because honestly even if I had been tubed feed while I was out, I was very hungry after a day of not eating.
So I woke up again in the infirmary room with Alex in there. Except this time he was asleep and my other siblings were in there too. Lucy was curled up in my infirmary bed next to me. I smiled.
I was glad they were all here and I was glad they all didn’t come while Johanna was freaking out. Especially when she told me she had planted the bombs. I might have forgiven her for the bombings and almost killing me but my siblings probably wouldn’t, not even Nina who was one of Johanna’s best friends.
I don’t think anyone would really. I mean sure a few people but if word got out that Johanna bombed her own datemate’s Hall and nearly killed another demigod then I could be the only one who would forgive her for doing it.
“Lucy. Hey, watch up sweetie.” I whispered to the tiny girl next to me. She opened one of her sleepy eyes. “Too early.” Lucy mumbled. I laughed. My siblings all started to wake up and glared at me before smiling.
“I know that terrible high pitched laugh anywhere! Reina is up!” Em said.
“And I know that annoying bitchy voice anywhere. I should go back to bed.” I said.
“You two better not start fighting. It’s too early.” Quinn snarled.
“No please do fight. No one has fought while you were out.” Nina smiled.
Alex W, who was sitting on a cot against the wall with their fellow triplets, hit them both on the head. “Shut up, both of you. Reina is awake. It’s celebration time. I say we go downstairs and get ice cream. Lucy, Jamie, and Jo agree with me. Yeah? Reina?”
“I lost a leg and an arm and all you can think about- just kidding, you guys can go get ice cream. Bring me some chocolate.” I said.
“Ice cream!” Lucy jumped off my bed and cheered. My other siblings started to get up. Liz rolled past me and patted my right hand. “I’ll make sure Alex W and Lucy don’t eat your ice cream. Mary Lou and Alex B want to talk to you.” She whispered. I blinked, why did they want to talk to me? Did Alex listen in to me and Johanna? Did they know? Did they know Johanna had set off the bombs? Did they know what Johanna has been doing?
I smiled as my siblings left, even though I was very unsure of what Alex and Mary Lou wanted to talk about.
Soon it was just me and them left.
“So what up guys?” I forced a smile.
Mary Lou made eye contact with me and then started crying. She rushed over and hugged me.
“We are going to help you walk again. Okay? And dear gods I am so sorry this happened to you. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. Especially not any of my siblings.” Mary Lou said. I looked at her. What did she mean by that? Johanna was the bomber.
“Mary Lou made the bombs. Zeus had asked her to do so for a special project of his. She was happy to do so because Mary Lou was excited to have her work praised. While we were helping clean up, Mary Lou found pieces of metal with her craftsman's mark.” Alex said.
Mary Lou hugged me tightly. “I am so sorry. I don't know how those bombs got planted and set off. They weren't even finish. I am so glad they weren't because they were magic bombs and if they had been finished-” Mary Lou stopped. But I could guess what she meant. I would have definitely died if the bombs had been completed.
“It's okay. Trust me, it's not your fault.” I patted her head.
It was Zeus's fault. And I swore that I would make him pay. I would make him regret this. He would regret trying to kill Bec and Kore. For forcing Johanna to plant the bombs he tricked Mary Lou into making.
He was going to fucking pay.
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