He looked even better than he had six months ago-tanner and taller, leaner and more muscular.Īnnabeth was too stunned to move. His dark hair was swept to one side, like he’d just come from a walk on the beach. His sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. Percy smiled at her-that sarcastic, troublemaker smile that had annoyed her for years but eventually had become endearing. Then someone else appeared from the crowd, and Annabeth’s vision tunneled. The Romans murmured Jason’s name, staring at him in awe. Annabeth’s friends fanned out on either side. She saw it every time she looked in a mirror. Reyna was forcing a look of courage, while holding back a mixture of hopefulness and worry and fear that she couldn’t show in public.Īnnabeth knew that expression. She carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze.Īnnabeth recognized something else in her face, too-in the hard set of her mouth and the deliberate way she raised her chin like she was ready to accept any challenge. Even without that, Annabeth would have singled her out as the leader. In front of her, the demigods made way for a girl in full Roman armor and a purple cape. ![]() And the architecture…gods, the architecture-gilded marble columns, dazzling mosaics, monumental arches, and terraced villas. Some part of Annabeth’s mind registered how beautiful the city was-the smells from the bakeries, the gurgling fountains, the flowers blooming in the gardens. He was wearing an SPQR banner like a giant bib. O’Leary-who had been the first scouting party from Camp Half-Blood to reach Camp Jupiter. Here, it was an entire multigenerational community.Īt the far end of the crowd, Annabeth spotted Tyson the Cyclops and Percy’s hellhound, Mrs. 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. At Camp Half-Blood, most demigods were teens. Were all of them demigods? Annabeth suspected so, though she’d never seen a place like this. Annabeth saw couples with babies, toddlers clinging to their parents’ legs, even some elderly folks in a combination of Roman robes and modern clothes. No one attacked.Įntire families had gathered to see the newcomers. Some were bandaged from their recent battle with the giants, but no one was armed. Please try not to destroy my town.”Ī sea of hastily assembled demigods parted for Annabeth as she walked through the forum. You may climb down your ladder to New Rome, daughter of Athena. Terminus will make sure each side obeys the rules.” She looked at the marble statue. It floated just behind her, and now that Terminus was no longer shouting and causing explosions, she thought she could hear the presence laughing, as if it was delighted by the bad choices she was making.īut Percy was down there…he was so close. She closed her fists to keep them from shaking. “Do I look like I tolerate rule breakers?” “I assume the Romans-even those reinforcements marching toward us-will also have to honor your rules inside the Pomerian Line if you tell them to?” “All our weapons will stay aboard the ship,” Annabeth promised. Annabeth wondered if he was scratching his chin with imaginary hands. That way, the ship won’t be on Roman soil. “We’ll use a rope ladder to reach the forum. “We can keep the ship aloft,” Annabeth said. “Terminus,” Annabeth said, “there’s no rule against hovering over New Rome, is there?” ![]() Leo pulled out his controller and yanked it upward. He wore a purple cape just like Jason’s-the mark of a praetor.Īnnabeth’s heart did a gymnastics routine. He was walking toward the ship with his arms around two other kids like they were best buddies-a stout boy with a black buzz cut, and a girl wearing a Roman cavalry helmet. The crowd in the forum was over a hundred strong now. “You cannot land!”ĭown in the valley, the legion reinforcements were halfway to the city. “And this entire ship is a weapon!” Terminus said. “Weapons are not allowed on Roman soil inside the Pomerian Line.” Another small explosion made Leo drop his screwdriver.
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