CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:
UP IN SMOKE

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

HIGH ABOVE NEW ROME, a dark-haired girl stood on the precipice of a cliff-face, staring at the valley that laid ahead. In that valley, rows upon rows of villas gleamed in the sunshine, dotted with statues of Roman Gods and Goddesses in togas and laurel wreaths, their cold eyes sharp like the deities themselves as they observed the bustle of Roman life. With two others at her back speaking in a soft whisper, Annais Min remained quiet, tentatively listening to the conversation all the while committing her surroundings to memory.

What would be the quickest way to get back to the Argo II?

Would Reyna be a problem?

And if it came to it, was Annais prepared to slaughter an entire community of innocents just to save herself? Was she worth the trouble?

What would Jason think of her then?

“Are you listening, Annais?” Reyna asked suddenly, eagle eyes staring daggers into the girl’s back. 

Slowly, Annais turned, swallowing back the thoughts of blood staining those winding cobblestone streets. With the way Reyna stared at her, Annais had to wonder if she could read her mind. “Sorry. What did you say?”

Reyna merely pursed her lips before replying, “I was telling Annabeth about our architects. How many demigods stay on to live here after their time in the legion. They go to our university. They settle down to raise families. Percy seemed interested in this fact.” At that last bit, Annabeth’s face soured. “Jason too.” Then Annais, prompting Reyna to let out a wry laugh. “You’re both warriors, alright. You’ve got fire in your eyes.”

“Sorry,” Annabeth muttered in shame, though Annais refused to apologise. There was nothing wrong with a little fire.

For once, Reyna seemed to agree with her. “Don’t be. I’m the daughter of Bellona.”

Bellona. That name sounded familiar to her. 

Annais searched through her memories to the day Jason taught her of the lesser known Roman Gods and Goddesses. They were out in the strawberry fields, sitting beneath the shade of an oak tree as the sun shone down through the twisting branches. For weeks on end, Leo had worked them silly trying to get the Argo II finished on time. Annais didn’t feel like she was doing much — he always re-did whatever task she was given — but she showed up anyways until the boy eventually got too frustrated with everyone and gave anybody who wasn’t a child of Hephaestus the day off. 

Of course, Annabeth had tried to swoop in for a training session, which had led to Annais and Jason sneaking away. The boy had reached for her hand as they traipsed the hillside up to the tree, tracing the lines of her palm as he (once again) ran through the list of Gods for Annais to analyse. Bellona had stood out to her for one reason.

“She’s the Roman Goddess of war,” she had said, both then and now. “Right?”

Reyna nodded much like Jason had, then turned to admire the view Annais had been staring at mere moments before. With the Greek demigods watching her curiously, she whistled sharply, then stood in silence while large metal dogs raced down the gravel pathway behind them. One was silver and the other gold, both with glistening eyes the colour of blood. They stopped at Reyna’s side with utmost obedience, waiting for her next command.

“These are my pets,” she explained as Annabeth and Annais stood shell-shocked. “Their names are Aurum and Argentum. You don’t mind if they walk with us?”

The two girls merely shared a look before shrugging. What choice did they have? New Rome was Reyna’s city. She could do what she wanted. 

So they continued on their way, slowly advancing down the cliffside to where the town’s heart beat the most. All around them, people stopped and stared, but no one so much as glared in their direction with Reyna’s attack dogs parting the crowd. At last, they reached an outdoor restaurant that overlooked a park. The man behind the register immediately recognised Reyna and was quick to get to work on her order. Reyna accepted the cup with a smile, then turned to observe Annais and Annabeth.

“Would you like some?” she asked. “They make wonderful hot chocolate here. Not really a Roman drink—”

“But chocolate is universal,” Annabeth grinned, then nodded at the waiter.

“What about you, Annais?”

Annais shook her head. “No thanks.”

There was no way she was drinking anything that Reyna suggested. She didn’t think her stomach could hold it down anyways. With every breath she took, it twisted and lurched uncomfortably.

Again, Annais had the sense that Reyna knew what she was thinking, for the Roman girl sighed in obvious disappointment.

“No one’s going to harm you here, Annais. Look.” She gestured to Annabeth, who was carefully sipping from a warm cup of her own. “No poison. Just hot chocolate.”

Annais shook her head again, swallowing back a scathing retort. “I’m good.”

And so they walked on, a tense silence stretching between them for a while. Subconsciously, Annais continued to observe her surroundings. If something went wrong, the park could be a good escape-route. Most of the buildings around them were packed close to each other, so if she and Annabeth had any chance of getting away quickly, it was through the park.

Sure, Reyna could just send her dogs after them and they’d be chew toys in seconds, but Annais would worry about that when it came to it.

“In our camp,” Reyna's voice shattered the quiet. “Athena is Minerva. Are you familiar with how her Roman form is different?”

Annais tried to think back again but there was a lot happening in her brain. Escape plans, prophecies, death. The difference between Athena and Minerva was lost amongst the chaos. 

“I take it Minerva isn’t… uh, quite as respected here?” Annabeth sighed.

“No, we respect Minerva,” Reyna said. “She’s the Goddess of crafts and wisdom. But she isn’t really a Goddess of war. Not for Romans." She paused then, debating how to continue. "She’s also a maiden Goddess, like Diana… the one you call Artemis. You won’t find any children of Minerva here. The idea that Minerva would have children — frankly, it’s a little shocking to us.”

“Oh.”

The embarrassment on Annabeth’s face made Annais' brows knit together. Sure, she and Annabeth weren’t exactly close before — and even after the events of the past six months, they held each other at arm’s length — but that didn’t mean she liked seeing the girl uncomfortable. Personally, Annais felt like the Romans needed to let go of their misogynistic ideals involving the ‘maiden Goddesses.’ But what did she know?

“I understand that you Greeks don’t see things the same way,” Reyna added. “But Romans take vows of maidenhood very seriously. The Vestal Virgins, for instance. If they broke their vows and fell in love with anyone, they would be buried alive. So the idea that a maiden Goddess would have children—"

“Don’t you think that’s a little… barbaric and outdated?” Annais interrupted. Annabeth’s face had gone pale, her knuckles bone-white as they clutched her hot chocolate to her chest. She said nothing as Annais spoke her mind. “I mean, you can’t control who you love, right?”

Reyna’s eyes darkened knowingly, but if she caught the slight tremor in Annais’ voice, she didn’t say anything.

You can’t control who you love.

“I’m not saying I disagree with you, Annais,” she said at last. “Just that if we had children of Minerva here, they wouldn’t be like Annabeth. They might be craftsmen, artists, maybe advisers. But not warriors. Not leaders of dangerous quests.”

Annabeth opened her mouth to object but was just as quick to hesitate, sheepishly avoiding Annais’ incredulous gaze. Reyna hummed knowingly, but didn’t push.

“There’s more,” she said instead, having decided to move on. “The harpy, Ella…” Both girls visibly tensed. “It was a prophecy she said. We know that, don’t we?”

Annais didn’t want to agree but Reyna said it with such confidence that she knew there was no way Annais could convince her she was wrong. 

Annabeth seemed to think the same thing. “It sounded like a prophecy,” she admitted. “But I’ve never met Ella before today, and I’ve never heard those lines… exactly…”

“I have,” Reyna said, her eagle-eyed gaze returning yet again. Annais frowned, not quite sure what she was trying to imply. “At least some of them…”

A sudden warning bark echoed through the air. Annais flinched at the sharp sound, nearly jumping sky high when the silver dog brushed past her legs to growl at a group of nearby children spilling out into the park. Reyna took that as a sign for them to move on, leading them up another isolated hillside. They didn’t speak much, just idle chatter as Reyna pointed out more landmarks that Annais nodded along to and stored away for safe-keeping. 

Then, in the middle of Reyna explaining the importance of some statues, Annabeth interrupted her.

“We’ve met before,” she said. It wasn’t a question. “You were younger, I think.”

A smile broke out across Reyna’s face. It wasn’t a happy one, but not quite sad either. “Very good. Percy didn’t remember me. Of course, you spoke mostly with my older sister, Hylla, who is now Queen of the Amazons. She left just this morning, before you arrived. At any rate, when we last met, I was a mere handmaiden in the house of Circe.”

“Circe…” Annais, of course, knew the quest they were referring to but not the specifics of it. That was a quest for Ezra to dissect.

“You…” Annabeth said breathlessly. “And Hylla is Queen of the Amazons? How did you two—?”

“Long story,” Reyna grimaced. “But I remember you well. You were brave. I’d never seen anyone refuse Circe’s hospitality, much less outwit her. It’s no wonder Percy cares for you.”

Her voice was soft, pained by fruitless hope. Annais had to look away from her. Instead, she stared out at their new view — this time, a terrace overlooking the dark green valley from a different angle.

“This is my favourite spot,” Reyna admitted as she wandered over to Annais’ side. “The Garden of Bacchus.”

“Bacchus,” she repeated. “That's Dionysus, right?”

Reyna smiled. “You’re catching on quickly.”

It was kind of obvious, come to think of it. Grapevines intertwined above their heads to make up a leafy canopy. Bees buzzed through honeysuckle and jasmine, filling the air with a sickly sweet scent, like blood drying on rose thorns. To their right stood a statue that held similarities to Dionysus. It spat water out of its mouth and into a fountain. Annais would’ve laughed had Reyna not been watching her so closely.

“I want to hear it from you,” she said suddenly, drawing their eyes away from the statue. “Both of you.”

Annabeth frowned. “Hear what from us?”

“The truth. Convince me that I’m not making a mistake by trusting you. Tell me about yourself. Tell me about Camp Half-Blood. Your friend, Piper, has sorcery in her words. I spent enough time with Circe to know charmspeak when I hear it. I can’t trust what she says.” For a second, she hesitated, like speaking the next lines into existence would detonate a bomb. “And Jason… well, he has changed. He seems distant, no longer quite Roman.”

There was so much hurt in her voice. Like Reyna had swallowed broken glass and was spitting up the pieces with each word. Annais’ hands clenched into fists at her side, then let go all at once. Reyna longed for Jason — her Jason — so much that it was almost palpable in the air. She was in love with him, in a way that Annais wasn’t quite sure she could ever give. The kind of love that existed even when one's memories were taken. Jason didn’t know Reyna anymore, but Reyna would always remember every detail there was to know about Jason Grace.

How could Annais ever live up to that for him?

At some point, Annabeth began telling Reyna about her life and her experiences. Annais heard Ezra’s name come up a couple times, spoken with a different kind of love — a sweet, tooth-rotting kind, one that didn’t hurt to speak aloud. Annais wanted to let go of it, to pretend Reyna had never said anything, but the words kept repeating in her head. Again and again and again, until silence was falling and Reyna was pointed out at a cluster of temples in the distance, leaving Annais feeling jilted.

“The small red building,” she said, waiting until the girls caught sight of it. “There on the Northern side? That’s the temple of my mother, Bellona. Unlike your mother, Annabeth, Bellona has no Greek equivalent. She is fully, truly Roman. She’s the Goddess of protecting the homeland. When the Romans go to war, we first visit the Temple of Bellona. Inside is a symbolic patch of ground that represents enemy soil. We throw a spear into that ground, indicating that we are now at war. You see, Romans have always believed that offence is the best defence. In ancient times, whenever our ancestors were threatened by their neighbors, they would invade to protect themselves.”

“They conquered everyone around them,” Annabeth said knowingly. “Carthage, the Gauls—”

“And the Greeks.” Reyna’s words hung heavy in the air, like an axe at an execution. “My point, girls, is that it isn’t Rome’s nature to cooperate with other powers. Every time Greek and Roman demigods have met, we’ve fought.” Her gaze turned to Annais then, caught in a web of wariness and anger. “This whole time, you’ve been observing my city for weak spots. I know you have. I saw it the moment you sat down in the Forum. Conflicts between our two sides have started some of the most horrible wars in human history, especially civil wars—”

“But it doesn’t have to be that way,” Annabeth insisted with a sharp nudge against Annais' side. Reyna went quiet, yearning to hear more. “We’ve got to work together or Gaea is going to destroy us both.”

“I agree,” she nodded. “But is cooperation truly possible? What if Juno’s plan is flawed? Even Goddesses can make mistakes.”

“I don’t trust the Goddess,” Annabeth agreed, scowling at just the thought. “But I do trust my friends. This isn’t a trick, Reyna. We can work together.”

“I believe you mean it. But if you go to the ancient lands, especially Rome itself, there is something you should know about your mother.”

Annabeth’s shoulders bunched to her ears. But even as her confidence began to waver, she held her head high. “My mother?”

“When I lived on Circe’s Island,” said Reyna. “We had many visitors. Once, perhaps a year before you and Percy arrived, a young man washed ashore. He was half-mad from thirst and heat. He’d been drifting at sea for days. His words didn’t make much sense but he said he was a son of Athena.”

“What happened to this demigod?” 

“Circe turned him into a guinea pig, of course," she shrugged, the corner of her mouth curling at the memory. "He made quite a crazy little rodent. But before that, he kept raving about his failed quest. He claimed that he’d gone to Rome, following the Mark of Athena.”

Annais’ brows pinched in confusion. Ella had said those same words but she was yet to figure out what they meant. Annabeth knew, though. It was written as clear as day in the shadowed lines of her face. She nearly collapsed under the weight of the revelation.

“Yes,” Reyna said, sensing her discomfort and running with it. “He kept muttering about wisdom’s child, the Mark of Athena, and the giants’ bane standing pale and gold. The same lines Ella was just reciting. But you say that you’ve never heard them before today?”

Annabeth hesitated. “Not… not in the way Ella said them…” 

“But you have heard them,” Annais scoffed. “Why haven’t you said anything?”

Annabeth couldn’t look her in the eye. Instead, she rounded on Reyna and asked, “Did this demigod… did he explain his quest?”

Reyna shook her head, making Annabeth’s expression crumble with disappointment. “At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about. Much later, when I became Praetor of Camp Jupiter, I began to suspect.”

“Suspect what?”

“I am not sure I should say.”

It took Annais a second to realise Reyna was frowning at her. Annabeth followed her gaze and sighed. “It’s okay. I trust her not to say anything.”

Great, Annais grimaced. Another secret to keep.

“There is an old legend that the Praetors of Camp Jupiter have passed down through the centuries. If it’s true, it may explain why our two groups of demigods have never been able to work together. It may be the cause of our animosity. Until this old score is finally settled, so the legend goes, Romans and Greeks will never be at peace. And the legend centers on Athena—”

All of a sudden, a sound like a siren wailing pierced through the empty air. Bright orange fire burned through the sky as it touched down in the Forum, creating a ship-sized crater in the intricate architecture. Annais’ stomach dropped to her toes. Immediately, she slipped off her ring, backing away from Reyna and closer to Annabeth.

New Rome was under attack.

“Giants?” Annabeth exclaimed, not yet catching on. The Romans must've done something. “I thought their army was defeated.”

Reyna was visibly trembling with rage when she rounded on them. “It isn’t the giants. You’ve betrayed our trust.”

Annais scowled at the insinuation. It couldn't be. “Are you kidding me, Reyna? How do we know it isn’t you turning on us?”

Before Reyna could retort, a second plume of fire launched from the deck of the Argo II. It sailed through the roof of the Senate House, lighting up the stained glass before the pieces shattered and rained down on screaming Romans.

“No, no, no,” Annabeth repeated under her breath, latching onto a gaping Annais' wrist as her knees buckled. “Reyna, this isn’t possible. We’d never do this!”

Annais’ feet urged her down the hillside, but before she had the chance to bring out her sword, Reyna’s dogs appeared through the foliage with their razor teeth bared at Annais’ ankles. She hissed but stepped back, waiting for Reyna’s next move. At first, she simply glared at them.

“You’re telling the truth,” she said at last. “Perhaps you were not aware of this treachery, but someone must pay.”

“You’re right,” Annais nodded in agreement, watching Reyna’s face change as shining bronze glinted in her hand, the sharp blade pointed right at the throat of one of Reyna’s snarling protectors. “But it won’t be us.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

AS THE ONLY PERSON with a weapon in New Rome, you would think that Annais Min would have the upper hand against her enemies. However, despite her obvious advantage, she found herself swarmed by the furious Romans. She’d long since lost Annabeth and Reyna in the crowd, leaving her vulnerable to their rage as they threw plates, furniture, whatever they could get their hands on that would weaken her. None of her friends were anywhere in sight. If it wasn’t for the Argo II still looming above her head, Annais would’ve believed that they'd left her behind.

Then, at long last, she found someone.

“Percy!” she cried out, swinging her sword in a wide arc around her body. The Romans in front of her scattered, but those behind her continued their rampage. A plate shattered against her shoulder, prompting her to stumble as she attempted to push through to where Percy, Hazel and Frank could be seen ankle-deep in the middle of a fountain. “Percy!”

Finally, he heard her. He shot a blast of water at the Romans racing back in her direction, sending them sprawling across the pavement and allowing Annais to throw herself into the waves beside him. Her jeans and tank were soaked through, but she didn’t notice as she stood up and aimed her sword in preparation.

“Where did you get that?” she heard Percy shout over the roar beneath them. 

“Where do you think?” she retorted, to which his eyes narrowed.

“You can’t use it, Annais,” he ordered, but it was a little late for that. “You’re only going to make things worse.”

“Well, how else are we meant to get out?”

Not even a second later, the sky lit up with another volley of fire. Instinctively, the four demigods ducked closer to the water. Annais hissed as a heavy chunk of rock skimmed past her face by inches. When she finally got a look above them, her jaw slackened. The Romans had found catapults and were shooting them right at the burning Argo II. 

“Mel,” she moaned in horror, then with a scream of fury brought her sword down on a dark-haired man who tried to throw himself into the fountain beside them.

“No!” Percy shouted, latching onto her wrist before she could make contact. Instead, he sent the man cascading above the crowd on a violent wave. “Annais, you can’t! Please!”

Annais’ heart was hammering hard in her chest. She could barely think over the erratic sound as it pounded blood in her ears. She felt suffocated; another second  trapped in that tiny fountain with her back pressed against Percy’s and she’d explode like the Argo II. She needed to get out, to find Jason and the others, but Percy could barely hold the Romans back for longer than a minute.

Then, suddenly, “Percy! Annais!”

It was Annabeth. Somehow, against the odds, she’d found them in the chaos, pushing her way towards them and narrowly dodging a platter of sandwiches.

Percy greeted her with a frantic shout, “Annabeth. What’s—”

“I don’t know,” she yelled back, now tucked in between him and Annais.

“We need to get out of here,” Annais said, wincing when Annabeth’s shoulder pressed against the bloody cut on her arm. 

“Oh, you’re not going anywhere!” a furious voice cried above their heads.

Annais immediately recognised it and groaned. Bear Boy. Octavian, blonde hair ruffled and caked in blood, was swinging on the rope ladder that descended from the ship’s deck. Leo and Melanie were nowhere in sight, leaving Annais with the sinking feeling that the blood clinging to Octavian wasn’t his. His next words only worsened her fears.

“The Greeks have fired on us,” he fueled the crowd. “Your boy, Leo, has trained his weapons on Rome!”

“You’re lying,” Annabeth shook her head. “Leo would never—”

“I was just there!” he shrieked in an offended tone. “I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Well, you need to get your eyes checked, Bear Boy,” Annais scowled. “Leo would rather die himself than let Rome fire back on his precious ship—”

Before she could finish what she was saying, a deafening boom sounded overhead. A moment later, one of the nearby buildings went up in a thick plume of black smoke. The Romans scattered with resounding shrieks.

“You see?” Octavian roared, spit flying. “Romans, kill the invaders!”

Annais whirled around to face Percy. “Now can I attack?”

His glare said enough. Instead of responding to her, he turned towards Hazel and Frank, who were gripping onto each other for dear life. “Hazel, Frank, you’ve got to make a choice. Are you coming?”

With a determined gleam in her eye, Hazel replied, “Of course we are. But you’ll never make it to the ship unless we buy you some time.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Annais frowned in obvious skepticism.

Hazel merely grinned at her before whistling. A blur of colour shot across the Forum and materialised into a horse that reminded her of Jason’s own friend, Tempest. Hazel was quick to climb onto his back, unsheathing a sword that was strapped to the animal's side.

“Send me an Iris-message when you’re safely away and we’ll rendezvous,” she yelled down to Percy, who merely gave a distracted nod. “Arion, ride!”

Annais watched her fly over the crowd. “So she gets a sword and I don’t?”

Annabeth’s hand reached for her arm, squeezing tight. “Annais,” she said, her voice trembling with nerves. Annais’ frown shifted to one of unease. “Annais, look.”

For a moment, nothing seemed wrong — apart from the swarm of Romans listening to Octavian’s shouts of death and destruction. Reyna was nowhere to be seen, leaving their already suspicious enemies to the encouragement of a blithering idiot. However, just as she went to turn back to Annabeth, a familiar flash of blonde caught Annais' eye and she froze. Percy blasted the crowd with water again, allowing her to get a better look at the unmistakable figure of an unconscious Jason Grace crumpled to the ground beneath Piper and Ezra.

“No!” she screamed, instinctively lurching forwards.

But Percy was quick to latch onto the back of her shirt, tugging her towards him despite her protests.

“Annais,” he huffed in frustration, beseechingly meeting Annabeth’s eyes. But Annabeth didn’t help him. She knew Annais wouldn’t stop until she got to Jason, even if she had to claw Percy to the bone to get there. “Hey! Listen to me! What are you going to do to help him, huh? You’re outnumbered!”

“We’ve got to do something,” she insisted, hands visibly shaking as they started shoving against his chest. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, out of her control. How serious was Jason’s injuries? There was blood on his head. What if...

No. Annais refused to think of it. She couldn’t lose him. She wouldn’t. Percy would just have to accept it.

“I’m going whether you like it or not,” she hissed, causing him to sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

He turned to Frank. “Hey, it’s up to you now. Can you help him?”

Frank looked terrified out of his mind but was quick to agree anyway. “Okay, sure. Just get up the ropes. Now.”

With a stubborn glint replacing his hopeful stare, Percy’s hand latched onto Annais’ arm, holding on tight as he shoved her towards the rope ladder that Octavian was still swinging on. As the blonde boy attempted to kick her, she huffed and grabbed his ankle hard, twisting his leg until he howled and instinctively released the ladder, dropping to the ground at her feet. He didn’t have the chance to look up at her before a clenched fist pounded into his nose, sending a spray of blood splattering onto Annais’ face before he disappeared into the crowd.

“That felt good,” she beamed at a bemused Percy and Annabeth.

“Go. Now,” Percy grunted.

As much as she wanted to, Annais didn’t fight. Right behind them, a life-sized dragon had replaced Frank Zhang, sending the first deliberate plume of smoke and fire through the scattering Romans as he headed for Jason, Piper and Ezra.

“Oh, Gods,” Annabeth breathed out. “Is that…”

“Frank,” Percy nodded. “He has a few special talents.”

Annais’ grin widened. “Oh, Ezra’s going to hate this.”

They could already hear the girl’s furious screeching as Frank flew towards them with their three friends clutched between his claws. Quickly, Annais and Annabeth followed Percy up the ladder. But what met them at the top could only be described as pure carnage. The rigging was burning. There were holes in the shape of catapults along the decking. Above them, the sail was ripped down the middle and a few embers ate through the mud-streaked white cloth.

Leo was going to be crushed when he saw this.

He was standing at the ballista, blankly staring down at New Rome as he pressed a few buttons. At his feet, Melanie lay unconscious with blood trickling down her temple. Annais’ heart — which was previously beating a mile a minute — seemed to stop altogether when she took in the scene. There was no black shadow around Melanie Min but Annais couldn’t be sure she wasn’t about to witness the death of another sister. A cry lodged in her throat as she and Annabeth sprinted towards them.

“Destroy them!” they heard Leo chanting like some kind of robot. “Destroy them!”

This made Percy follow the girls, tackling him to the ground. Annais saw Leo’s head smack against the corner of the ballista, effectively knocking him out. Now that he couldn’t continue firing on New Rome or turn his weapons on them instead, Annais ducked down to Mel’s side and pressed two fingers against her neck. 

“No, no, no,” she whimpered as she struggled to find a pulse. Her vision was blurring, hands shaking with violent tremors. “Annabeth— Annabeth, please—”

She couldn’t get the words out but the blonde girl could see the fear that had taken hold. She dropped down beside her, carefully nudging Annais’ hands away and replacing them with hers. A sigh of relief slipped past her lips. “Annais. Annais, hey, it’s okay. She’s alright.”

There were no words to describe the rush of relief that swelled in Annais’ chest like a balloon. She let out a bone-deep sob, gently pushing Mel’s hair back from her face, teary eyes assessing her wound. It was deep but not unfixable. Piper could look over it when she got on board.

Speaking of Piper… Frank the Dragon soared over their heads again, planting the three remaining demigods on board. Immediately, Ezra burst into a furious tangent that was quickly silenced by Piper’s worried shout of Mel’s name. The blood drained from Ezra’s face. In a blink, she and Piper had joined Annabeth and Annais, but the latter’s sights were set on Jason, who was also sprawled on the ground.

This time, when she checked for his pulse, it was easy to find. Her shoulders slumped, head briefly lowering to rest against his chest. He’d be okay. As far as she knew, everyone else was alright too. The ship was beginning to move under Annabeth’s command, slowly but surely leaving the Romans behind. Annais could feel Jason breathing underneath her and she heard Piper assuring Ezra that Melanie would be fine after a couple of stitches.

Fine. Everything was as it should've been.

And yet, Annais couldn't shake the anxiety that coiled in her stomach, threatening to burst and overflow at the edges.

Hesitantly, a hand clamped down on Annais’ shoulder. It was Percy. He offered her a tense smile before following her gaze back to Jason's body. “How about we take him to the infirmary? You can wait with him until he wakes up.”

Annais' nod was slow and subdued.

“Okay,” she said, accepting the hand he offered to help her up.