Phantom: Part 1

                                                                    Phantom: Part 1

         She couldn’t believe it. After what was now five years, she’d been discharged from the legion. Unfit to serve, they’d said, a tragedy they’d said. Nobody needed to tell her twice that she was unfit; one hand doesn’t really suit military life.

         Reyna was strong, she was a daughter of Bellona, but this was too much, even for her. Her left hand was just, gone. Pelorus had chopped it off, trying to torture her, make her tell them where here friends had plans. He was killed before he could do more, Percy and his father had shown up by that point, but the damage was done. As the bane of Mars, he was the god’s opposite. He did not go into battle if it could be avoided, but he loved to torture the helpless, like the coward he was.

         She stared at the stump of her wrist, at least her tattoo was still there, though now it seemed to mock her, call her a joke, a sham, unworthy.

         She could still feel where her fingers should be, still felt as though she was whole, and when she closed her eyes she could almost believe it had all been a nightmare, but then she opened them again, found herself in this new apartment in the city rather than her Praetor’s house, saw her missing extremity, felt them fill with unshed tears.

         It was during this very ritual, that a knock came on her door.

         With her remaining hand Reyna dried her eyes before opening the door.

         “Hey Rey,” It was Leo Valdez, “Just want to, you know check up on you, see how you’re liking the new place.”

         Leo had put a lot of modifications and improvements into the apartment, making it easier to live with just one hand. He’d been a huge help, everyone had tried to help, but he’d been the best man for the job when it came time to help her try to live normally again, or as close as possible to normal.

         “It’s amazing,” Reyna said, “You didn’t have to do anything, but your modifications are really working, helping me adjust to…” Reyna didn’t finish, but she could see Leo understood.

         “You know,” Leo said, “That offer still stands. Everyone would love to have you at camp anytime you feel like you need to get away.”

         Reyna had been thinking about that, and she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t tempted. She didn’t belong here anymore, she couldn’t serve, she knew she’d left the camp in good hands with Frank and hopefully whoever got elected to lead with him would do well. But still, for five years this had been her home, she knew that going to camp half-blood wouldn’t be permanent if she didn’t want it to be, and that she already had some friends there, but still, it would be a bug change at least for a few weeks.

         “I’ve been thinking, I hadn’t decided yet.” She didn’t feel like explaining it all to Leo just then, and again he seemed to understand.

         “Well, he said, keep thinking, and let me, I mean, uh, let us know if you want to come.” Leo started to get up but Reyna grabbed his hand.

         “Really, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.” She said.

         Leo smiled, “You know me,” He said, “Good ole repair boy.” He used Piper’s old name for him, his usual sarcasm creeping into his facade of seriousness.

         Reyna almost laughed for the first time in… Gods only knew how long it had been since she’d had a good laugh, but she knew she hadn’t even come close since the war, which she’d somehow managed to limp the legion through with a freshly severed hand sapping her strength and the thought of how it had been taken playing on her mind. She’d made a lot of mistakes in that time, it seemed they’d only survived by dumb luck and relying on their new Greek allies. That period of time was probably a big factor in the senate’s decision to have her discharged with full honors.

         As Leo left, Reyna grew tired and began to nod off in her chair. Argentum jumped into her lap before she dozed off entirely, and she was reminded how she’d even lost Arum to the war.

         And in that moment, just after Leo had left her alone, Reyna, mighty daughter of Bellona, former Praetor of New Rome and woman with an armored heart, cried like a little girl.