All's Fair In Love And War

Attacked

I sat still as Juniper pulled my hair away from my neck and wrapped it on top of my head.

"It's going to be hot as Hades in that room, with all those bodies moving. Aphrodite invited some of the gods, along with some of the old contestants. Bianca and Thalia might be there as well."

"Fantastic." I muttered, glaring at the gold party dress I had been forced to wear at Venus' special request.

"You'll be fine, don't worry." 

"Yeah I'll be fine, because I'm going to sit in a corner."

Juniper sighed and finished my hair. "Alright, put on your shoes."

I pulled the flats onto my feet and stood straight, again scowling at the gold material covering my body.

"Good luck. Things might get hectic."

"That's reassuring." 

Juniper laughed and shooed me out. "Try to have some fun."

"No promises." I replied on my way out the door.

To my surprise, Percy was waiting at the end of the hall.

"What are you doing down here?" I asked him. 

"I've been asked to make sure that the remaining contestants can find the 'party room' easily."

"So you're the escort?"

"Aphrodite made it sound like I'm more of a walking map, but I guess that works too." He offered me his arm.

I laughed and let him show me the way to the room where the party was.

"I'm not allowed to go in, but here you go."

"Why aren't you allowed in?"

He shrugged. "The host at a restaurant doesn't get to go in, does he?"

"This isn't hosting. This is leading a bunch of people to a place where they'll probably be able to get drunk."

"It's still my job."

I scowled. "That's dumb. If you want, I can ask them to let you in."

"No, that's fine." Percy said quickly. "I'll just stay here." 

He hurriedly left me standing there, confused.

"Okay then..." I muttered, turning and opening the doors.

The room was pretty empty, except for a few gods and teenagers.

I assumed Annabeth would be fashionably late, since she wasn't there yet.

Charlie and Silena were sitting at one of the little tables off to the side, and I headed over there to say hello. I'd rather liked the two of them, so I figured it wouldn't be awful talking to them.

"Hi Reyna!" Silena chirped. "How have you been?"

"I'm okay. How are the two of you?"

"Fantastic!" Silena grinned at her while Beckendorf just nodded.

"Silena!" Piper had arrived and rushed over to hug her half sister.

"Hi Pipes!" The other daughter of Aphrodite exclaimed as the two embraced.

Jason nodded to me and Beckendorf respectively, having wandered over after Piper.

"Do you know who else is coming that isn't a contestant?" Silena asked Piper.

The Native American girl shrugged. "Mom wouldn't say a thing. You don't know, do you?"

"Nope."

A few more people came in, gods and goddesses that exuded auras of danger and power and demigods who looked excited for the night to come.

"Jason!" A large man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes boomed, joining us suddenly and clapping the boy on the back so hard he stumbled forward a pace. "How is my son?"

As I looked up at the god who was obviously Jupiter, the flash of fear I'd been unsure I'd seen in Percy's eyes when I said I could ask to let him in made sense. This was the god who wanted any chance he could get to kill him.

"Who are these people?" Jupiter asked Jason.

"Well you know Piper, my girlfriend. This is her half sister, Silena, and Silena's boyfriend Charles. He's a son of Hephaestus."

"And this young lady?" The look the King of the Gods gave me was rather unsettling.

"This is Reyna, she's a daughter of Bellona."

"Hello, sir." I nodded to him while trying to conceal the fact that I already didn't think much of him.

"Ah yes, Reyna! You seem like quite the wildcard in this contest."

"I'm not sure if that is a compliment or not, sir." I said slowly.

"A compliment, surely. You are wild, and it isn't a bad thing."

"Excuse me." I said, using Lou and Gwen's entrance to leave Jupiter's creepy stare.

"Hey, Reyna, how's it going?"

"Well, Jupiter has been hitting on me in a not so subtle way. I showed up, I talked to someone, I'm leaving."

"Aw come on, stay for a little while!" Gwen pouted.

"Nope." I shook my head. "Sorry guys, but I will not be stared at all night. I refuse to be a possible prize for some over-drunk immortal."

"Alright, go ahead." Lou nodded. "We'll tell you what crazy stuff happens."

"Thanks." I rolled my eyes and left, passing Annabeth as she primped herself for whatever obnoxious entrance she had in mind. She shot me a snooty look mixed with a hateful glare.

If it's a slut Jupiter wants, he'll be finding one soon.

About halfway back to my room, I became aware of the sound of scuffling feet behind me.

"Annabeth, what do you want?" 

When I recieved no answer, I turned around, preparing to tell her off for stalking me again.

Behind me stood four skeletal warriors with glowing gold eyes.

Immediately, I was running. I had no weapons on me, my best option would be to find something that I could use to defend myself.

Turning a corner, I realized I had run down a hall with a dead end.

By this time, the skeletons had turned the corner already, blocking my way out.

"Gods protect me!" I prayed frantically as I ran for the door at the end of the hall. Maybe I could hide there and keep them out.

Something crashed into the back of my head, sending me tumbling forward.

When I came to from a second long black out, the skeletons were slowly advancing on me. The light above my head was out, casting the hallway into shadows.

A cracking sound filled my ears and suddenly the skeletons fell out of my view.

My vision was extremely blurry from the hit to my head, but before my world went black I saw Nico standing at the end of the hallway, his arms outstretched like he was performing some ritual.

"Reyna!"

[A/N Spartoi! Who sent them do you think?]