โAย SEA OF HASTILY ASSEMBLEDย demigods parted for Annabeth as she walked through the forum. Some looked tense, some nervous. Some were bandaged from their recent battle with the giants, but no one was armed. No one attacked.โ
Entire families had gathered to see the newcomers. Annabeth saw couples with babies, toddlers clinging to their parentsโ legs, even some elderly folks in a combination of Roman robes and modern clothes. Were all of them demigods? Annabeth suspected so, though sheโd never seen a place like this. At Camp Half-Blood, most demigods were teens. If they survived long enough to graduate from high school, they either stayed on as counselors or left to start lives as best they could in the mortal world. Here, it was an entire multigenerational community.
At the far end of the crowd, Annabeth spotted Tyson the Cyclops and Percyโs hellhound, Mrs. OโLearyโwho had been the first scouting party from Camp Half-Blood to reach Camp Jupiter. They looked to be in good spirits. Tyson waved and grinned. He was wearing anย SPQRย banner like a giant bib.
Some part of Annabethโs mind registered how beautiful the city wasโthe smells from the bakeries, the gurgling fountains, the flowers blooming in the gardens. And the architectureโฆgods, the architectureโgilded marble columns, dazzling mosaics, monumental arches, and terraced villas.
In front of her, the demigods made way for a girl in full Roman armor and
a purple cape. Dark hair tumbled across her shoulders. Her eyes were as black as obsidian.
Reyna.
Jason had described her well. Even without that, Annabeth would have singled her out as the leader. Medals decorated her armor. She carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze. Annabeth recognized something else in her face, tooโin the hard set of her mouth and the deliberate way she raised her chin like she was ready to accept any challenge. Reyna was forcing a look of courage, while holding back a mixture of hopefulness and worry and fear that she couldnโt show in
public.
Annabeth knew that expression. She saw it every time she looked in a mirror.
The two girls considered each other. Annabethโs friends fanned out on either side. The Romans murmured Jasonโs name, staring at him in awe.
Then someone else appeared from the crowd, and Annabethโs vision tunneled.
Percy smiled at herโthat sarcastic, troublemaker smile that had annoyed her for years but eventually had become endearing. His sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. His dark hair was swept to one side, like heโd just come from a walk on the beach. He looked even better than he had six months agoโtanner and taller, leaner and more muscular.
Annabeth was too stunned to move. She felt that if she got any closer to him, all the molecules in her body might combust. Sheโd secretly had a crush on him since they were twelve years old. Last summer, sheโd fallen for him hard. Theyโd been a happy couple for four monthsโand then heโd disappeared.
During their separation, something had happened to Annabethโs feelings. Theyโd grown painfully intenseโlike sheโd been forced to withdraw from a life-saving medication. Now she wasnโt sure which was more excruciatingโ living with that horrible absence, or being with him again.
The praetor Reyna straightened. With apparent reluctance, she turned toward Jason.
โJason Grace, my former colleagueโฆโ She spoke the wordย colleagueย like
it was a dangerous thing. โI welcome you home. And these, your friendsโโ
Annabeth didnโt mean to, but she surged forward. Percy rushed toward her at the same time. The crowd tensed. Some reached for swords that werenโt there.
Percy threw his arms around her. They kissed, and for a moment nothing else mattered. An asteroid could have hit the planet and wiped out all life, and Annabeth wouldnโt have cared.
Percy smelled of ocean air. His lips were salty.
Seaweed Brain,ย she thought giddily.
Percy pulled away and studied her face. โGods, I never thoughtโโ
Annabeth grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement. Romans cried out. Some surged forward, but Reyna shouted, โHold! Stand down!โ
Annabeth put her knee on Percyโs chest. She pushed her forearm against his throat. She didnโt care what the Romans thought. A white-hot lump of anger expanded in her chestโa tumor of worry and bitterness that sheโd been carrying around since last autumn.
โIf youย everย leave me again,โ she said, her eyes stinging, โI swear to all the godsโโ
Percy had the nerve to laugh. Suddenly the lump of heated emotions melted inside Annabeth.
โConsider me warned,โ Percy said. โI missed you, too.โ
Annabeth rose and helped him to his feet. She wanted to kiss him againย so
badly, but she managed to restrain herself.
Jason cleared his throat. โSo, yeah.โฆItโs good to be back.โ
He introduced Reyna to Piper, who looked a little miffed that she hadnโt gotten to say the lines sheโd been practicing, then to Leo, who grinned and flashed a peace sign.
โAnd this is Annabeth,โ Jason said. โUh, normally she doesnโt judo-flip people.โ
Reynaโs eyes sparkled. โYou sure youโre not a Roman, Annabeth? Or an Amazon?โ
Annabeth didnโt know if that was a compliment, but she held out her hand. โI only attack my boyfriend like that,โ she promised. โPleased to meet you.โ
Reyna clasped her hand firmly. โIt seems we have a lot to discuss.
Centurions!โ
A few of the Roman campers hustled forwardโapparently the senior officers. Two kids appeared at Percyโs side, the same ones Annabeth had seen him chumming around with earlier. The burly Asian guy with the buzz cut was about fifteen. He was cute in a sort of oversized-cuddly-panda-bear way. The girl was younger, maybe thirteen, with amber eyes and chocolate skin and long curly hair. Her cavalry helmet was tucked under her arm.
Annabeth could tell from their body language that they felt close to Percy. They stood next to him protectively, like theyโd already shared many adventures. She fought down a twinge of jealousy. Was it possible Percy and this girlโฆno. The chemistry between the three of them wasnโt like that. Annabeth had spent her whole life learning to read people. It was a survival skill. If she had to guess, sheโd say the big Asian guy was the girlโs boyfriend, though she suspected they hadnโt been together long.
There was one thing she didnโt understand: what was the girl staring at? She kept frowning in Piper and Leoโs direction, like she recognized one of them and the memory was painful.
Meanwhile, Reyna was giving orders to her officers. โโฆtell the legion to stand down. Dakota, alert the spirits in the kitchen. Tell them to prepare a welcome feast. And, Octavianโโ
โYouโre letting these intruders into theย camp?โ A tall guy with stringy blond hair elbowed his way forward. โReyna, the security risksโโ
โWeโre not taking them to the camp, Octavian.โ Reyna flashed him a stern look. โWeโll eat here, in the forum.โ
โOh,ย muchย better,โ Octavian grumbled. He seemed to be the only one who didnโt defer to Reyna as his superior, despite the fact that he was scrawny and pale and for some reason had three teddy bears hanging from his belt. โYou want us to relax in the shadow of their warship.โ
โThese are our guests.โ Reyna clipped off every word. โWe will welcome them, and we will talk to them. As augur, you should burn an offering to thank the gods for bringing Jason back to us safely.โ
โGood idea,โ Percy put in. โGo burn your bears, Octavian.โ
Reyna looked like she was trying not to smile. โYou have my orders. Go.โ
The officers dispersed. Octavian shot Percy a look of absolute loathing.
Then he gave Annabeth a suspicious once-over and stalked away.
Percy slipped his hand into Annabethโs. โDonโt worry about Octavian,โ he said. โMost of the Romans are good peopleโlike Frank and Hazel here, and Reyna. Weโll be fine.โ
Annabeth felt as if someone had draped a cold washcloth across her neck. She heard that whispering laughter again, as if the presence had followed her from the ship.
She looked up at theย Argo II. Its massive bronze hull glittered in the sunlight. Part of her wanted to kidnap Percy right now, climb on board, and get out of here while they still could.
She couldnโt shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. And there was no way she would ever risk losing Percy again.
โWeโll be fine,โ she repeated, trying to believe it.
โExcellent,โ Reyna said. She turned to Jason, and Annabeth thought there was a hungry sort of gleam in her eyes. โLetโs talk, and we can have a proper reunion.โ