orenda [leo valdez]

lxxvi. Never Rely on Apollo for a Plan

❝you found parts of me i didn't know existed
and in you, i found love it no longer believed was real.❞

△△△

Kira woke up from her dreamless sleep in better shape then when she fell asleep.

Her ribs didn't ache quite as much, and she could stand without much pain. The scrapes and the bruising had went down significantly, just a few marks left on her skin. Some she knew would scar, even with the help of nectar and ambrosia, but she didn't mind. As long as her face didn't even up like Lit's, she thought scars were cool, and showed stories in her skin.

Leo had to wake her up at 5:00 am to get a car for Apollo's quest. Since she was not being able to sleep alone, everyone else snoring, feeling guilty for stealing food from the fridge, she trudged down beside Leo to show the car.

He told Apollo and Meg, once they came down (they were one minute late.) that we should return it within twenty-four hours, assuming they lived that long, and try not to get pulled over by the police.

The battle began what seemed like moments after Apollo sped away.

Leo had told her to come with him, to help him activate the bulldozers, but Kira only shook her head.

"Leo, I've got to fight."

Leo sighed, as if he already knew this would happen. "Kira, only you know your limits. Do. Not. Die. If you are wounded any more, find me immediately, you hear?"

"That goes two ways, Valdez," Kira said, raising an eyebrow. "If you die again, I'll kill you."

Leo just nodded, there was no time for anything else. They kissed briefly.

"I love you!" He yelled, running for his bulldozers.

She felt herself grow stronger as she digested the ambrosia. She steamed a bit, but she just knew not to take anymore.

Emmie and Jo rounded her and the others up. Kira found herself beside Calypso and Thalia. As they shouted orders, Kira looked to her friend Calypso.

"Stay alive," She ordered. Calypso gave her a curt nod, her eyes focused. For once, they didn't argue.

"You too, Willows."

Kira was grouped with the Hunters of Artemis, which she didn't complain about. She looked up to them, and their skills were admirable.

Thats when they heard the first bomb. They scattered, but it hadn't hit the building. As the Hunters and Kira ran outside for first line defense, they saw a totaled car with a giant boulder sticking out ontop like a cherry.

She probably shouldn't have been on defense. She knew Leo wasn't going to be happy, but it was too later to back down. She grabbed her sword in her not dominant hand, as hero the was occupied in a stupid blue cast.