best counter
Search
Report & Feedback

Chapter no 3 – Annabeth

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

โ€ŒAnnabeth wished she had an appetite,ย because the Romans knew how to eat.โ€Œ

Sets of couches and low tables were carted into the forum until it resembled a furniture showroom. Romans lounged in groups of ten or twenty, talking and laughing while wind spiritsโ€”auraeโ€”swirled overhead, bringing an endless assortment of pizzas, sandwiches, chips, cold drinks, and fresh- baked cookies. Drifting through the crowd were purple ghostsโ€”Laresโ€”in togas and legionnaire armor. Around the edges of the feast, satyrs (no,ย fauns, Annabeth thought) trotted from table to table, panhandling for food and spare change. In the nearby fields, the war elephant frolicked with Mrs. Oโ€™Leary, and children played tag around the statues of Terminus that lined the city limits.

The whole scene was so familiar yet so completely alien that it gave Annabeth vertigo.

All she wanted to do was be with Percyโ€”preferably alone. She knew she would have to wait. If their quest was going to succeed, they needed these Romans, which meant getting to know them and building some goodwill.

Reyna and a few of her officers (including the blond kid Octavian, freshly back from burning a teddy bear for the gods) sat with Annabeth and her crew. Percy joined them with his two new friends, Frank and Hazel.

As a tornado of food platters settled onto the table, Percy leaned over and

whispered, โ€œI want to show you around New Rome. Just you and me. The place is incredible.โ€

Annabeth shouldโ€™ve felt thrilled.ย Just you and meย was exactly what she wanted. Instead, resentment swelled in her throat. How could Percy talk so enthusiastically about this place? What about Camp Half-Bloodโ€”their camp, theirย home?

She tried not to stare at the new marks on Percyโ€™s forearmโ€”anย SPQRย tattoo like Jasonโ€™s. At Camp Half-Blood, demigods got bead necklaces to commemorate years of training. Here, the Romans burned a tattoo into your flesh, as if to say:ย You belong to us. Permanently.

She swallowed back some biting comments. โ€œOkay. Sure.โ€ โ€œIโ€™ve been thinking,โ€ he said nervously. โ€œI had this ideaโ€”โ€ He stopped as Reyna called a toast to friendship.

After introductions all around, the Romans and Annabethโ€™s crew began exchanging stories. Jason explained how heโ€™d arrived at Camp Half-Blood without his memory, and how heโ€™d gone on a quest with Piper and Leo to rescue the goddess Hera (or Juno, take your pickโ€”she was equally annoying in Greek or Roman) from imprisonment at the Wolf House in northern California.

โ€œImpossible!โ€ Octavian broke in. โ€œThatโ€™s our most sacred place. If the giants had imprisoned a goddess thereโ€”โ€

โ€œThey wouldโ€™ve destroyed her,โ€ Piper said. โ€œAnd blamed it on the Greeks, and started a war between the camps. Now, be quiet and let Jason finish.โ€

Octavian opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Annabeth really loved Piperโ€™s charmspeak. She noticed Reyna looking back and forth between Jason and Piper, her brow creased, as if just beginning to realize the two of them were a couple.

โ€œSo,โ€ Jason continued, โ€œthatโ€™s how we found out about the earth goddess Gaea. Sheโ€™s still half asleep, but sheโ€™s the one freeing the monsters from Tartarus and raising the giants. Porphyrion, the big leader dude we fought at the Wolf House: he said he was retreating to the ancient landsโ€”Greece itself. He plans on awakening Gaea and destroying the gods byโ€ฆwhat did he call it?ย Pulling up their roots.โ€

Percy nodded thoughtfully. โ€œGaeaโ€™s been busy over here, too. We had our

own encounter with Queen Dirt Face.โ€

Percy recounted his side of the story. He talked about waking up at the Wolf House with no memories except for one nameโ€”Annabeth.

When she heard that, Annabeth had to try hard not to cry. Percy told them how heโ€™d traveled to Alaska with Frank and Hazelโ€”how theyโ€™d defeated the giant Alcyoneus, freed the death god Thanatos, and returned with the lost golden eagle standard of the Roman camp to repel an attack by the giantsโ€™ army.

When Percy had finished, Jason whistled appreciatively. โ€œNo wonder they made you praetor.โ€

Octavian snorted. โ€œWhich means we now haveย threeย praetors! The rules clearly state we can only have two!โ€

โ€œOn the bright side,โ€ Percy said, โ€œboth Jasonย andย I outrank you, Octavian.

So we canย bothย tell you to shut up.โ€

Octavian turned as purple as a Roman T-shirt. Jason gave Percy a fist bump.

Even Reyna managed a smile, though her eyes were stormy.

โ€œWeโ€™ll have to figure out the extra praetor problem later,โ€ she said. โ€œRight now we have more serious issues to deal with.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ll step aside for Jason,โ€ Percy said easily. โ€œItโ€™s no biggie.โ€

โ€œNoย biggie?โ€ Octavian choked. โ€œThe praetorship of Rome isย no biggie?โ€ Percy ignored him and turned to Jason. โ€œYouโ€™re Thalia Graceโ€™s brother,

huh? Wow. You guys look nothing alike.โ€

โ€œYeah, I noticed,โ€ Jason said. โ€œAnyway, thanks for helping my camp while I was gone. You did an awesome job.โ€

โ€œBack at you,โ€ Percy said.

Annabeth kicked his shin. She hated to interrupt a budding bromance, but Reyna was right: they had serious things to discuss. โ€œWe should talk about the Great Prophecy. It sounds like the Romans are aware of it too?โ€

Reyna nodded. โ€œWe call it the Prophecy of Seven. Octavian, you have it committed to memory?โ€

โ€œOf course,โ€ he said. โ€œBut, Reynaโ€”โ€ โ€œRecite it, please. In English, not Latin.โ€

Octavian sighed.ย โ€œSeven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire

the world must fallโ€”โ€

โ€œAn oath to keep with a final breath,โ€ย Annabeth continued.ย โ€œAnd foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.โ€

Everyone stared at herโ€”except for Leo, who had constructed a pinwheel out of aluminum foil taco wrappers and was sticking it into passing wind spirits.

Annabeth wasnโ€™t sure why she had blurted out the lines of the prophecy.

Sheโ€™d just felt compelled.

The big kid, Frank, sat forward, staring at her in fascination, as if sheโ€™d grown a third eye. โ€œIs it true youโ€™re a child of Minโ€”I mean, Athena?โ€

โ€œYes,โ€ she said, suddenly feeling defensive. โ€œWhy is that such a surprise?โ€ Octavian scoffed. โ€œIf youโ€™re truly a child of theย wisdomย goddessโ€”โ€ โ€œEnough,โ€ Reyna snapped. โ€œAnnabeth is what she says. Sheโ€™s here in

peace. Besidesโ€ฆโ€ She gave Annabeth a look of grudging respect. โ€œPercy has spoken highly of you.โ€

The undertones in Reynaโ€™s voice took Annabeth a moment to decipher.

Percy looked down, suddenly interested in his cheeseburger.

Annabethโ€™s face felt hot. Oh, godsโ€ฆReyna had tried to make a move on Percy. That explained the tinge of bitterness, maybe even envy, in her words. Percy had turned her down for Annabeth.

At that moment, Annabeth forgave her ridiculous boyfriend for everything heโ€™d ever done wrong. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but she commanded herself to stay cool.

โ€œUh, thanks,โ€ she told Reyna. โ€œAt any rate, some of the prophecy is becoming clear. Foes bearing arms to the Doors of Deathโ€ฆthat means Romans and Greeks. We have to combine forces to find those doors.โ€

Hazel, the girl with the cavalry helmet and the long curly hair, picked up something next to her plate. It looked like a large ruby; but before Annabeth could be sure, Hazel slipped it into the pocket of her denim shirt.

โ€œMy brother, Nico, went looking for the doors,โ€ she said. โ€œWait,โ€ Annabeth said. โ€œNico di Angelo? Heโ€™s your brother?โ€

Hazel nodded as if this were obvious. A dozen more questions crowded into Annabethโ€™s head, but it was already spinning like Leoโ€™s pinwheel. She decided to let the matter go. โ€œOkay. You were saying?โ€

โ€œHe disappeared.โ€ Hazel moistened her lips. โ€œIโ€™m afraidโ€ฆIโ€™m not sure, but I think somethingโ€™s happened to him.โ€

โ€œWeโ€™ll look for him,โ€ Percy promised. โ€œWe have to find the Doors of Death anyway. Thanatos told us weโ€™d find both answers in Romeโ€”like, theย originalย Rome. Thatโ€™s on the way to Greece, right?โ€

โ€œThanatos told you this?โ€ Annabeth tried to wrap her mind aroundย that

idea. โ€œThe death god?โ€

Sheโ€™d met many gods. Sheโ€™d even been to the Underworld; but Percyโ€™s story about freeing the incarnation of death itself really creeped her out.

Percy took a bite of his burger. โ€œNow that Death is free, monsters will disintegrate and return to Tartarus again like they used to. But as long as the Doors of Death are open, theyโ€™ll just keep coming back.โ€

Piper twisted the feather in her hair. โ€œLike water leaking through a dam,โ€ she suggested.

โ€œYeah.โ€ Percy smiled. โ€œWeโ€™ve got a dam hole.โ€ โ€œWhat?โ€ Piper asked.

โ€œNothing,โ€ he said. โ€œInside joke. The point is weโ€™ll have to find the doors and close them before we can head to Greece. Itโ€™s the only way weโ€™ll stand a chance of defeating the giants and making sure theyย stayย defeated.โ€

Reyna plucked an apple from a passing fruit tray. She turned it in her fingers, studying the dark red surface. โ€œYou propose an expedition to Greece in your warship. You do realize that the ancient landsโ€”and the Mare Nostrum

โ€”are dangerous?โ€

โ€œMary who?โ€ Leo asked.

โ€œMare Nostrum,โ€ Jason explained. โ€œOur Sea.ย Itโ€™s what the Ancient Romans called the Mediterranean.โ€

Reyna nodded. โ€œThe territory that was once the Roman Empire is not only the birthplace of the gods. Itโ€™s also the ancestral home of the monsters, Titans and giantsโ€ฆand worse things. As dangerous as travel is for demigods here in America,ย thereย it would be ten times worse.โ€

โ€œYou said Alaska would be bad,โ€ Percy reminded her. โ€œWe survived that.โ€

Reyna shook her head. Her fingernails cut little crescents into the apple as she turned it. โ€œPercy, traveling in the Mediterranean is a different level of danger altogether. Itโ€™s been off limits to Roman demigods for centuries. No

hero in his right mind would go there.โ€

โ€œThen weโ€™re good!โ€ Leo grinned over the top of his pinwheel. โ€œBecause weโ€™re all crazy, right? Besides, theย Argo IIย is a top-of-the-line warship. Sheโ€™ll get us through.โ€

โ€œWeโ€™ll have to hurry,โ€ Jason added. โ€œI donโ€™t know exactly what the giants are planning, but Gaea is growing more conscious all the time. Sheโ€™s invading dreams, appearing in weird places, summoning more and more powerful monsters. We have to stop the giants before they can wake her up fully.โ€

Annabeth shuddered. Sheโ€™d had her own share of nightmares lately.

โ€œSeven half-bloods must answer the call,โ€ย she said. โ€œIt needs to be a mix from both our camps. Jason, Piper, Leo, and me. Thatโ€™s four.โ€

โ€œAnd me,โ€ Percy said. โ€œAlong with Hazel and Frank. Thatโ€™s seven.โ€ โ€œWhat?โ€ Octavian shot to his feet. โ€œWeโ€™re just supposed toย acceptย that?

Without a vote in the senate? Without a proper debate? Withoutโ€”โ€

โ€œPercy!โ€ Tyson the Cyclops bounded toward them with Mrs. Oโ€™Leary at his heels. On the hellhoundโ€™s back sat the skinniest harpy Annabeth had ever seenโ€”a sickly-looking girl with stringy red hair, a sackcloth dress, and red- feathered wings.

Annabeth didnโ€™t know where the harpy had come from, but her heart warmed to see Tyson in his tattered flannel and denim with the backwardย SPQRย banner across his chest. Sheโ€™d had some pretty bad experiences with Cyclopes, but Tyson was a sweetheart. He was also Percyโ€™s half brother (long story), which made him almost like family.

Tyson stopped by their couch and wrung his meaty hands. His big brown eye was full of concern. โ€œElla is scared,โ€ he said.

โ€œN-n-no more boats,โ€ the harpy muttered to herself, picking furiously at her feathers. โ€œTitanic,ย Lusitania,ย Paxโ€ฆboats are not for harpies.โ€

Leo squinted. He looked at Hazel, who was seated next to him. โ€œDid that chicken girl just compareย myย ship to theย Titanic?โ€

โ€œSheโ€™s not a chicken.โ€ Hazel averted her eyes, as if Leo made her nervous. โ€œEllaโ€™s a harpy. Sheโ€™s just a littleโ€ฆhigh-strung.โ€

โ€œElla is pretty,โ€ Tyson said. โ€œAnd scared. We need to take her away, but she will not go on the ship.โ€

โ€œNo ships,โ€ Ella repeated. She looked straight at Annabeth. โ€œBad luck.

There she is. Wisdomโ€™s daughter walks aloneโ€”โ€

โ€œElla!โ€ Frank stood suddenly. โ€œMaybe itโ€™s not the best timeโ€”โ€

โ€œThe Mark of Athena burns through Rome,โ€ย Ella continued, cupping her hands over her ears and raising her voice.ย โ€œTwins snuff out the angelโ€™s breath, Who holds the key to endless death. Giantsโ€™ bane stands gold and pale, Won through pain from a woven jail.โ€

The effect was like someone dropping a flash grenade on the table. Everyone stared at the harpy. No one spoke. Annabethโ€™s heart was pounding.ย The Mark of Athenaโ€ฆShe resisted the urge to check her pocket, but she could feel the silver coin growing warmerโ€”the cursed gift from her mother.ย Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me.

Around them, the sounds of the feast continued, but muted and distant, as if their little cluster of couches had slipped into a quieter dimension.

Percy was the first to recover. He stood and took Tysonโ€™s arm.

โ€œI know!โ€ he said with feigned enthusiasm. โ€œHow about you take Ella to get some fresh air? You and Mrs. Oโ€™Learyโ€”โ€

โ€œHold on.โ€ Octavian gripped one of his teddy bears, strangling it with shaking hands. His eyes fixed on Ella. โ€œWhat was that she said? It sounded likeโ€”โ€

โ€œElla reads a lot,โ€ Frank blurted out. โ€œWe found her at a library.โ€ โ€œYes!โ€ Hazel said. โ€œProbably just something she read in a book.โ€ โ€œBooks,โ€ Ella muttered helpfully. โ€œElla likes books.โ€

Now that sheโ€™d said her piece, the harpy seemed more relaxed. She sat cross-legged on Mrs. Oโ€™Learyโ€™s back, preening her wings.

Annabeth gave Percy a curious glance. Obviously, he and Frank and Hazel were hiding something. Just as obviously, Ella had recited a prophecyโ€”a prophecy that concernedย her.

Percyโ€™s expression said,ย Help.

โ€œThat was a prophecy,โ€ Octavian insisted. โ€œIt sounded like a prophecy.โ€ No one answered.

Annabeth wasnโ€™t exactly sure what was going on, but she understood that Percy was on the verge of big trouble.

She forced a laugh. โ€œReally, Octavian? Maybe harpies are different here, on the Roman side. Ours have just enough intelligence to clean cabins and

cook lunches. Do yours usually foretell the future? Do you consult them for your auguries?โ€

Her words had the intended effect. The Roman officers laughed nervously. Some sized up Ella, then looked at Octavian and snorted. The idea of a chicken lady issuing prophecies was apparently just as ridiculous to Romans as it was to Greeks.

โ€œI, uhโ€ฆโ€ Octavian dropped his teddy bear. โ€œNo, butโ€”โ€

โ€œSheโ€™s just spouting lines from some book,โ€ Annabeth said, โ€œlike Hazel suggested. Besides, we already have aย realย prophecy to worry about.โ€

She turned to Tyson. โ€œPercyโ€™s right. Why donโ€™t you take Ella and Mrs.

Oโ€™Leary and shadow-travel somewhere for a while. Is Ella okay with that?โ€ โ€œโ€˜Large dogs are good,โ€™โ€ Ella said. โ€œOld Yeller, 1957, screenplay by Fred

Gipson and William Tunberg.โ€

Annabeth wasnโ€™t sure how to take that answer, but Percy smiled like the problem was solved.

โ€œGreat!โ€ Percy said. โ€œWeโ€™ll Iris-message you guys when weโ€™re done and catch up with you later.โ€

The Romans looked at Reyna, waiting for her ruling. Annabeth held her breath.

Reyna had an excellent poker face. She studied Ella, but Annabeth couldnโ€™t guess what she was thinking.

โ€œFine,โ€ the praetor said at last. โ€œGo.โ€

โ€œYay!โ€ Tyson went around the couches and gave everyone a big hugโ€” even Octavian, who didnโ€™t look happy about it. Then he climbed on Mrs. Oโ€™Learyโ€™s back with Ella, and the hellhound bounded out of the forum. They dove straight into a shadow on the Senate House wall and disappeared.

โ€œWell.โ€ Reyna set down her uneaten apple. โ€œOctavian is right about one thing. We must gain the senateโ€™s approval before we let any of our legionnaires go on a questโ€”especially one as dangerous as youโ€™re suggesting.โ€

โ€œThis whole thing smells of treachery,โ€ Octavian grumbled. โ€œThat trireme is not a ship of peace!โ€

โ€œCome aboard, man,โ€ Leo offered. โ€œIโ€™ll give you a tour. You can steer the boat, and if youโ€™re really good Iโ€™ll give you a little paper captainโ€™s hat to

wear.โ€

Octavianโ€™s nostrils flared. โ€œHow dare youโ€”โ€

โ€œItโ€™s a good idea,โ€ Reyna said. โ€œOctavian, go with him. See the ship. Weโ€™ll convene a senate meeting in one hour.โ€

โ€œButโ€ฆโ€ Octavian stopped. Apparently he could tell from Reynaโ€™s expression that further arguing would not be good for his health. โ€œFine.โ€

Leo got up. He turned to Annabeth, and his smile changed. It happened so quickly, Annabeth thought sheโ€™d imagined it; but just for a moment someone else seemed to be standing in Leoโ€™s place, smiling coldly with a cruel light in his eyes. Then Annabeth blinked, and Leo was just regular old Leo again, with his usual impish grin.

โ€œBack soon,โ€ he promised. โ€œThis is gonna be epic.โ€

A horrible chill settled over her. As Leo and Octavian headed for the rope ladder, she thought about calling them backโ€”but how could she explain that? Tell everyone she was going crazy, seeing things and feeling cold?

The wind spirits began clearing the plates.

โ€œUh, Reyna,โ€ Jason said, โ€œif you donโ€™t mind, Iโ€™d like to show Piper around before the senate meeting. Sheโ€™s never seen New Rome.โ€

Reynaโ€™s expression hardened.

Annabeth wondered how Jason could be so dense. Was it possible he really didnโ€™t understand how much Reyna liked him? It was obvious enough to Annabeth. Asking to show his new girlfriend around Reynaโ€™s city was rubbing salt in a wound.

โ€œOf course,โ€ Reyna said coldly.

Percy took Annabethโ€™s hand. โ€œYeah, me, too. Iโ€™d like to show Annabeth

โ€”โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ Reyna snapped.

Percy knit his eyebrows. โ€œSorry?โ€

โ€œIโ€™d like a few words with Annabeth,โ€ Reyna said. โ€œAlone. If you donโ€™t mind, my fellow praetor.โ€

Her tone made it clear she wasnโ€™t really asking permission.

The chill spread down Annabethโ€™s back. She wondered what Reyna was up to. Maybe the praetor didnโ€™t like the idea ofย twoย guys who had rejected her giving their girlfriends tours of her city. Or maybe there was something she

wanted to say in private. Either way, Annabeth was reluctant to be alone and unarmed with the Roman leader.

โ€œCome, daughter of Athena.โ€ Reyna rose from her couch. โ€œWalk with me.โ€

You'll Also Like