orenda [leo valdez]

vi. Pathetic Flying Squirrels

Leo and Kira had each gotten to take a hot shower, and Kira managed to find some of Zethes' sister's clothes.

She walked back into the entry hall refreshed, her hair washed and in new clothes, a white hoodie and some light-washed jeans.

She came back out before Leo, so it was just her and Cal. She wanted to talk to him, to try to influence him to be nicer. She believed she could make Cal want to fight the dirt woman with the four of them.

"Smell nice," Cal grunted.

"Thank you, Cal," Kira said with a bright smile. "How is life here?"

"Not good," Cal said. "Want hockey, not this,"

Kira understood his want for a simpler life, but she couldn't say she agreed. She found that she liked being a demigod, and all the challenges and excitement that came with it. She thought it gave life more meaning. That she meant more.

"Then why do you want to destroy everything? Not everyone is bad, Calais," Cal grunted, but he smiled when she said his name.

"That good name," He told her.

"You prefer Calais?" She asked, and he confirmed with an enthusiastic nod.

She smiled. "Well, Calais, I think you should be able to think for yourself sometimes, don't you think?"

Cal frowned, like he didn't understand. "Don't let them push you around," Kira said sweetly.

Leo walked from the corner of the banister, looking sheepish but cleaned up. He looked nice.

"How long have you been there, Valdez?" She asked, sitting back down on the stairs.

"Long enough, Willows," He said back, sitting next to her. "Any sane child of Ares would never do what you just did. You freaked out once, which was really only because you were defending me, which I happened to find very cute-"

Leo paused, and it took Kira a second to process his rant before a dark blush overtook her olive skin.

"Sorry, I meant-you know, haha, like-"

As he was trying to explain himself, Jason, Piper, and ice girl burst through the doors.

They walked down the stairs, slow and dramatic.

"You have fooled my father, girl. But you have not fooled me. We are not done. And you, Jason Grace, I will see you as a statue in the throne room soon enough."

"Boreas is right," Jason said. "You're a spoiled kid. See you around, ice princess."

Clearly, a lot had happened in the throne room. But first, they needed to get out of here.

"Be careful," Zethes warned. "She never forgets an insult."

Cal grunted in agreement. "Bad sister."

"She's the goddess of snow," Jason said. "What's she going to do, throw snowballs at us?" Kira cracked a smile.

"What happened up there? You made her mad? Is she mad at me too? Guys, that was my prom date!" Leo exclaimed.

Kira's jaw tightened.

"We'll explain later," Piper promised.

"Yeah," he agreed, "we'll explain later."

"Be careful, pretty girl," Zethes said. "The winds between here and Chicago are bad-tempered. Many other evil things are stirring. I am sorry you will not be staying. You would make a lovely ice statue, in which I could check my reflection."