Chapter 1
Reyna always thought that the stoic and heroic Jason Grace was weird.
When she first arrived at Camp Jupiter, she was 13. The boy was already a legionnaire at that age and soon after she arrived, was promoted to Praetor.
She heard rumours that he was raised from the age of 2 by the wolf Goddess, Lupa, and that when he first came at age 9, only spoke in wolf speak and small bits of Latin. Although he was an incredibly skilled fighter, with his enchanted coin that could turn into a sword or a spear and with his bare hands.
He would sometimes train the newbies, they always came from his training sore and bleeding, but it worked. They became better fighters, fixed weak spots, all that jazz.
But even when Reyna became Praetor, she still didn't understand him, he was harsh and rude and demanding. Though girls all over camp fawned over him.
Eventually one day, he just disappeared. No notes, not even a trace he had ever been in the camp, aside from his still messy bunk. When he returned, it was alongside Lupa and some younger demigods. Almost immediately he passed out. Lupa told the campers that he had been at the Wolf House, taking his anger out or something like that. Reyna didn't pretend to understand him.
They worked alongside eachother, sure, but did either know anything about the other? No. Reyna was told Praetors should have a strong connection, to make fighting and such easier. Though Jason had always seemed like a lone wolf. Nevertheless, she was going to try, she would befriend Jason Grace.
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"So.." Reyna began as they looked over a map of the camp. Jason tilted his head in her direction, not looking at her but conveying that he was listening. "Uh, oh Gods, I don't know how to phrase this." She buried her face in her hands, when she looked back at Jason, he was stood straight, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
"What?" His voice was a bit deeper than she had expected but, she continued, "Ah- nothing like.. that. I mean, its just.." She sighed heavily and began fidgeting with her ponytail, she preferred braids but her sister, Hylla, or Circe would always do them for her, truth be told, she didn't know how. "People have told me Praetors should maintain a friendly relationship and I feel as though we do not fit the requirement. So I am asking you to tell me about yourself."
Jason rolled his eyes and turned back to the map, they had small markers layed out across it, a different colour for each cohort. He inspected the placements before looking back at Reyna, an expectant look on her face. He sighed, "My name is Jason, my mother gave me to Juno when I was 2, Juno left me at the Wolf House with Lupa, Lupa took me here, what more is there to know?" Reyna knew most of the information already, except for the Juno part. "Well, uh, do you know anything about your Mother?" Jason frowned, "Beryl Grace-" "The movie star?" Jason narrowed his eyes at her. "Uh, sorry, my sister was a fan of hers." Jason sighed and looked down. "She became an alcoholic, died in a car crash 'cause she was drunk-driving." Reynas eyes widened, "I'm sorry.." Jason shrugged, "Never knew her myself so doesn't really matter to me." Reyna tried to remember what Hylla had told her about Beryl Grace, until it dawned on her.
"Didn't she have 2 kids?" Jason's shoulders tightened a bit, he sighed and relaxed a bit. "Thalia. My older sister." Reyna thought for a moment. "How do you know, you said you were 2 when you were taken?" Jason sighed, "I don't see why it's your business but Lupa told me, eventually I met her and we used to meet every few months, she hasn't for a long time though. She's a demigod so I can only assume the worst."
Reyna looked back at the map, the area was outdated, there were less barracks and the area for the war games was smaller. Even New Rome looked a bit outdated, sure it hadn't changed much, but still. "I'm sorry, I can only hope that she's okay." Jason just shrugged, "Thanks I guess."
Reyna looked at the map, "Where should we put the fourth cohort?" Jason just pointed at a low spot between the hills, an easier place for monsters to enter through.
"What about you? You're hardly going to make me talk and leave yourself out, you said a sister? What's she like?" She hadn't expected him to ask, besides, it wasn't like he cared, probably just entertaining her. "Uh, well, her name is Hylla, haven't seen her in a while, we lost track of eachother after leaving Circe's island." Jason looked at her, "Circe? Don't you mean Kirke?" (it's what google said) She stiffened, "Ah yes, Kirke, it's just when I was there she used Circe." She laughed nervously. "Why'd you leave?" Reyna vividly remembered the pirates, they terrorised the place, even killing a few nymphs.
"Well, Cir- Kirke, she instead of turning men into pigs, turned them into guinea pigs. One time, two demigods passed through, a boy and a girl. Kirke turned the boy into a guinea pig and the girl rescued him, and they set free the other men who were turned, pirates. They.. killed some people, me, Hylla, and a few others got on a boat and sailed away, then the storm came and I got separated from her, eventually I found the Wolf House and now I'm here." She blushed slightly, "Sorry, I go on and on sometimes." When she looked at Jason his eyebrows were furrowed, he sighed and straightened himself, "I think we've done enough planing. I'll do a check over the camp, do what you want." And with that he left.