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Chapter no 2 – Annabeth

The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3)

โ€ŒAย 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€Œ

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 sheโ€™d 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 Percyโ€™s hellhound, Mrs. Oโ€™Learyโ€”who 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 Annabethโ€™s mind registered how beautiful the city wasโ€”the smells from the bakeries, the gurgling fountains, the flowers blooming in the gardens. And the architectureโ€ฆgods, the architectureโ€”gilded 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, tooโ€”in 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 couldnโ€™t show in

public.

Annabeth knew that expression. She saw it every time she looked in a mirror.

The two girls considered each other. Annabethโ€™s friends fanned out on either side. The Romans murmured Jasonโ€™s name, staring at him in awe.

Then someone else appeared from the crowd, and Annabethโ€™s vision tunneled.

Percy smiled at herโ€”that 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 heโ€™d just come from a walk on the beach. He looked even better than he had six months agoโ€”tanner 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. Sheโ€™d secretly had a crush on him since they were twelve years old. Last summer, sheโ€™d fallen for him hard. Theyโ€™d been a happy couple for four monthsโ€”and then heโ€™d disappeared.

During their separation, something had happened to Annabethโ€™s feelings. Theyโ€™d grown painfully intenseโ€”like sheโ€™d been forced to withdraw from a life-saving medication. Now she wasnโ€™t 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.

โ€œJason Grace, my former colleagueโ€ฆโ€ She spoke the wordย colleagueย like

it was a dangerous thing. โ€œI welcome you home. And these, your friendsโ€”โ€

Annabeth didnโ€™t mean to, but she surged forward. Percy rushed toward her at the same time. The crowd tensed. Some reached for swords that werenโ€™t 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 wouldnโ€™t have cared.

Percy smelled of ocean air. His lips were salty.

Seaweed Brain,ย she thought giddily.

Percy pulled away and studied her face. โ€œGods, I never thoughtโ€”โ€

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, โ€œHold! Stand down!โ€

Annabeth put her knee on Percyโ€™s chest. She pushed her forearm against his throat. She didnโ€™t care what the Romans thought. A white-hot lump of anger expanded in her chestโ€”a tumor of worry and bitterness that sheโ€™d been carrying around since last autumn.

โ€œIf youย everย leave me again,โ€ she said, her eyes stinging, โ€œI swear to all the godsโ€”โ€

Percy had the nerve to laugh. Suddenly the lump of heated emotions melted inside Annabeth.

โ€œConsider me warned,โ€ Percy said. โ€œI 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. โ€œSo, yeah.โ€ฆItโ€™s good to be back.โ€

He introduced Reyna to Piper, who looked a little miffed that she hadnโ€™t gotten to say the lines sheโ€™d been practicing, then to Leo, who grinned and flashed a peace sign.

โ€œAnd this is Annabeth,โ€ Jason said. โ€œUh, normally she doesnโ€™t judo-flip people.โ€

Reynaโ€™s eyes sparkled. โ€œYou sure youโ€™re not a Roman, Annabeth? Or an Amazon?โ€

Annabeth didnโ€™t know if that was a compliment, but she held out her hand. โ€œI only attack my boyfriend like that,โ€ she promised. โ€œPleased to meet you.โ€

Reyna clasped her hand firmly. โ€œIt seems we have a lot to discuss.

Centurions!โ€

A few of the Roman campers hustled forwardโ€”apparently the senior officers. Two kids appeared at Percyโ€™s 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 theyโ€™d already shared many adventures. She fought down a twinge of jealousy. Was it possible Percy and this girlโ€ฆno. The chemistry between the three of them wasnโ€™t like that. Annabeth had spent her whole life learning to read people. It was a survival skill. If she had to guess, sheโ€™d say the big Asian guy was the girlโ€™s boyfriend, though she suspected they hadnโ€™t been together long.

There was one thing she didnโ€™t understand: what was the girl staring at? She kept frowning in Piper and Leoโ€™s direction, like she recognized one of them and the memory was painful.

Meanwhile, Reyna was giving orders to her officers. โ€œโ€ฆtell the legion to stand down. Dakota, alert the spirits in the kitchen. Tell them to prepare a welcome feast. And, Octavianโ€”โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re letting these intruders into theย camp?โ€ A tall guy with stringy blond hair elbowed his way forward. โ€œReyna, the security risksโ€”โ€

โ€œWeโ€™re not taking them to the camp, Octavian.โ€ Reyna flashed him a stern look. โ€œWeโ€™ll eat here, in the forum.โ€

โ€œOh,ย muchย better,โ€ Octavian grumbled. He seemed to be the only one who didnโ€™t 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. โ€œYou want us to relax in the shadow of their warship.โ€

โ€œThese are our guests.โ€ Reyna clipped off every word. โ€œWe 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€

โ€œGood idea,โ€ Percy put in. โ€œGo burn your bears, Octavian.โ€

Reyna looked like she was trying not to smile. โ€œYou 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 Annabethโ€™s. โ€œDonโ€™t worry about Octavian,โ€ he said. โ€œMost of the Romans are good peopleโ€”like Frank and Hazel here, and Reyna. Weโ€™ll 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 couldnโ€™t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. And there was no way she would ever risk losing Percy again.

โ€œWeโ€™ll be fine,โ€ she repeated, trying to believe it.

โ€œExcellent,โ€ Reyna said. She turned to Jason, and Annabeth thought there was a hungry sort of gleam in her eyes. โ€œLetโ€™s talk, and we can have a proper reunion.โ€

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