𝐒 𝐓 𝐀 𝐑   𝐖 𝐀 𝐑 𝐒   !

⎯ 𝘖 𝘕 𝘌 ⎯

( 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔫𝔬𝔴 ? )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐓, 𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐘? If you asked anyone in the Fifth Cohort, they would give you that answer without hesitation. Because there was no way in Hades that it could be her fault. Those who knew her well knew that she never acted rashly or with violence, unless the situation called for it. And those who didn't know her well, but knew of her, well, they weren't much help. All they could contribute to the debate were known facts like "she's too sweet to throw a punch" or "that doesn't sound like Aurora Jake" or (and this was one of the favored responses) "sounds like the idiot had it coming."

Aurora should have seen it coming. Being gifted with prophetic dreams⎯much like most of her half-siblings⎯one would think she'd envision something like this. Something so detrimental that it would shock everyone in the camp⎯including herself. But she hadn't. She hadn't even sensed the change in attitude. Not until the moment had passed and she was left standing with her own confused thoughts. 

The morning had been just like any other. Aurora had woken up as the sun crested the hills, mind still racing from her latest dream. She'd gotten dressed, laced up her shoes, and set off for the training fields, where she'd be helping the newest recruits with their legion formations. As centurion, it was her job to make sure the legion was prepared for anything and ready to fight in complete synchronization with all trained legionnaires and veterans. 

While she'd normally spend half of her morning meeting with the other centurions and high members of the legion, discussing training programs and war games, Reyna had specifically asked for her and Gwen to work with the newest members. 

Due to her extraordinary skills in close combat (a skill set not commonly found in children of Apollo), Aurora was oftentimes trusted to teach recruits swordsmanship and how to properly wield a dagger. Normally it would be her cousin Jason aiding her in the lessons, but due to his abnormal disappearance, Gwen was the next best option. 

With the summer sun beating down upon her back, Aurora worked happily with the dozen or so campers under her supervision. Much like how children of Neptune or Jupiter were rumored to feel stronger when surrounded by water or rain, children of Apollo were much more energetic when the sun was directly on them. It seemed to give their skin a golden sheen, making them appear as if they were glowing, and it would always fill them to the brim with happiness and life. 

Solstice glimmered golden bronze in the light with each demonstrating blow, moving as though it were an extension of her arm and not just a weapon. Maybe it was because the sword was a gift from her father, or it was due to her having practiced with it since the day she'd arrived at the camp, but the girl had always been a natural with a sword. 

Three hours had passed of hard work and exercise before the Hades in a Handbasket named Octavian had approached her. The legacy of Apollo had been trying for months—ever since Jason disappeared, to be exact—to get the daughter of Apollo to vote for him as praetor. Her answer had always been a strong, yet polite, "no", but the augur couldn't seem to take that as an answer. Because every single day, he would approach her an try to persuade her once more, ending with her telling him "no" yet again.

If she were being honest, the constant conversations were beginning to annoy her. Aurora had the strong belief that Jason was still alive. And if he was still alive, that meant he was still praetor. Which meant that Octavian shouldn't even attempt to run for the 'empty' position that no one wanted him to be in. But, he had selective hearing. Which was incredibly annoying for Aurora.

"Aurora. Could I speak with you for a second. Legacy of Apollo to child of Apollo?" His voice rang through the grassy field, halting the sparring match between Aurora and one of the newer members of the Fifth Cohort, Maria.

If Aurora had been anything other than a centurion, she would have told him no and continued on with the lesson. She may have even sent him a rude gesture instead of speaking, ensuring he'd stay away from her for a while. But with her being in such a respected position and him being the augur of the camp, she had to push that urge down and instead face him with a polite smile.

Octavian may have had some form of godly blood in his veins, but he sure as Hades did not look it. His twig-like arms and stringy hair made him appear sickly, and the thought of him being related to her in some shape or form made her stomach churn unpleasantly. No matter how long the distance in their relation was, it was never enough for her to be happy.

Taking in a deep breath, she pressed her thumb against the engraving on the hilt of her sword, the weapon shrinking back into her ring in a flash of golden light. She slipped the ring on her index finger, nodded to Octavian, and turned to face the dozen or so campers she had been teaching.

"I'll be back in a bit. Gwen?" She turned to the slightly older girl. "Can you take up teaching them while I'm gone?"

Gwen nodded, giving her a sympathetic look. "Of course, Rory."

"Thanks." Aurora approached the augur slowly, Gwen's voice growing fainter the further away she got. Once she reached her distant relative, she placed the forced smile back on her lips and folded her hands behind her back. "Yes?"

"I believe you already know what I want to talk to you about, yes?" The two began their walk along the Via Praetoria, making their way back towards Temple Hill, where most demigods began their mornings with prayers to their godly parents. Aurora kept her eyes fixated on the road ahead of her, not wanting to meet Octavian's power-hungry gaze.

She nodded. "I do. You wish to attempt to convince me yet again to vote you in as the new praetor. Is that right?"

Formalities. Ugh, she hated them with a passion. But, as a leader in Camp Jupiter, she had to stick with them, even when she was talking to Octavian. Especially when she was talking to Octavian. Because if she dropped the formalities, then she would be speaking to him like she was his friend. And she was not his friend.

"Yes. I have almost all of the centurions on my side, as well as a few higher members of the legion. All I need is for you and Dakota to agree to vote for me and then I will leave you alone." Oh, how sweet that sounded. For Octavian to finally leave her alone. They may be related by blood, but that was where their ties ended.

But she couldn't do it. Her cousin was out there, somewhere, still the proud leader of this camp. And until she knew he was dead, she would continue to believe he was the rightful praetor of their camp. The rightful leader of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, alongside Reyna.

With a soft sigh, which mingled with the gentle breeze that surrounded Temple Hill, Aurora met his gaze. "I'm sorry, Octavian, but mine and Dakota's answers still remain the same as they were yesterday. We can't agree to vote for you at the next election."

Octavian's eyes blazed, but his expression remained the same: diplomatic and calm. They had reached the base of Temple Hill, and from where they stood, Aurora could see her father's temple gleaming gold in the mid-afternoon light. She knew what was coming. Soon, the formalities would drop, and Octavian would enter one of his many rants about how Jason was gone and most likely never coming back. Which, in turn, would aggravate Aurora, prompting her to want to resort to violence. But she always kept her cool.

Always.

"My dear cousin—"

"We aren't cousins, Octavian."

"Aurora." The girl inwardly groaned, starting up the hill with Octavian stumbling after her. "Jason has been gone for eight months. We've sent search parties out to find him. I've been searching through the auguries day in and day out. He's gone. Not even our eagles have found him."

Aurora held her head high, keeping her eyes on her father's temple. Octavian continued to talk, but she ignored him. She had his speech memorized at this point, having heard it every day for the past six months. One would think Octavian would change his approached, seeing that it had yet to work, but the guy was the definition of insanity. 

To occupy her mind, she took the time to focus on her latest set of dreams. They had all been very similar, meaning they were connected. Which meant something big was coming her way, and she had to find time to approach Reyna about everything. What with the rising levels in monsters, it was becoming apparent that things were growing unsettled once more. 

Her father had been involved in each dream, as well as Juno and even Jupiter. Though, each time she saw them, they were flipping from familiar to unfamiliar. Her father's eyes would shift from cat-like and serious to round and joyful, his attire doing the same. Juno would be dressed in her cloak and goatskin one moment, then draped in iridescent gowns that flickered with peacock feathers. Something was happening to the gods, and she knew she had to open up to her praetor about it very soon.

Along with the gods and their altered behaviors haunting her nights, a pair of sea-green eyes would appear every now and then. They would often be accompanied with flashes of a swirling night sky, the clashing of swords, and silver mist. Stuff that would leave Aurora's mind reeling and give her a headache upon waking up. 

After having prophetic dreams for years, Aurora had grown used to deciphering their meanings. She could normally do so without a problem, but not with these ones. Their meaning was hidden deep, buried beneath images of people wearing orange tee shirts with clay bead necklaces around their necks and echoes of battles that she'd never participated in.

The dream that currently bothered her was the one she'd had last night. She'd seen King Midas, and Medea, and Phineas. She'd seen giant monsters that were half human and half dragon (well, she assumed they were half dragon). The dead seemed to be rising and it was causing layer after layer of worry to weigh down her shoulders. 

"—Are you even listening to me anymore, Aurora?" The brunette looked up, startled. She hid it well, though, coming to a stop by her father's temple. "Did you hear what I said?"

Aurora nodded stiffly. "Yes, Octavian. You were talking about the old Roman laws and how it was against Roman beliefs for there to only be one praetor in charge instead of two."

Octavian nodded in satisfaction.

"Than you should understand that I am the best choice for Praetor."

Aurora took a deep breath and faced the legacy, straining to keep a polite smile on her lips. "Look, Octavian, I know you care for the Twelfth Legion just as much as everyone else. Sometimes even more." A nod of approval from Octavian. "But my answer still stands."

Octavian huffed in frustration and threw his arms up. There go the formalities. "Come on, Aurora! Jason is gone! He's not coming back! Face the facts!"

Anger flared inside of her, but she kept it hidden. "Octavian, that's not the reason why I'm not voting for you." Cue the confused head tilt. "I'm not voting for you because I know who you are. You may care for Rome, but you care more for yourself. You are power hungry and desperate to prove yourself. And I know, without my ability to see into the future, that if you were to obtain praetorship, you would use it to go after the supposed Greek demigods, who may or may not even exist."

Octavian's nostrils flared in anger. That's how she knew she was right. The angrier he got, the more right she was. Ever since she had met Octavian, he had been preaching about the dangers of Greek demigods. The thing was that the Roman demigods didn't know if Greek demigods still existed. And if they did, where would they stay? Camp Jupiter was the only safe place for demigods in America. And probably the world.

Aurora faced her father's temple and placed a gentle hand on one of its walls. The warmth spread through her veins, filling her with a new sort of energy. She mumbled a quick prayer to her father for guidance before turning back to Octavian, who was still enraged.

"How dare you even— I have half a mind to— How dare you? I care about the legion more than I do myself! You are the one who doesn't care for the legion! You are willing to let the legion crash and burn all because you are too much of an idiot to realize that your cousin is dead!"

She'd acted before thinking, only registering the pain in her hand after she'd sent Octavian sprawling. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional pain she faced as his words settled over her mind. 

Eyes burning amber in the golden light, Aurora stared down at the stunned form of Octavian, who now lay flat on his back at the foot of her father's temple. An angry red mark marred the skin of his left cheek, his eyes watering from the force.

Aurora's heart ached painfully within her chest, feeling as if a hand had wrapped around it and began to squeeze with all its might. Her eyes stung with approaching tears and she grit her teeth to keep from flinging curses of all kinds at the legacy. Curses that would no doubt leave him in critical condition in the infirmary. 

With a voice as cold as the winter sun, Aurora met Octavian's eyes, irises still glowing with fury. "Never speak of my cousin in that way again. If you approach me about this topic again, I will do more than punch you." Finally releasing her fists, she ignored the sting of her palms from her nails. "Jason is not dead."

She turned on her heel and walked back down Temple Hill, her head held high. The amber in her eyes faded the further away she got from Octavian, and her anger began to settle down until all she was left with was an aching fist and a saddened heart. As she reached the bottom of the hill, she looked back up at her father's temple, her gaze then moving to Jupiter's. "Jason is not dead. He can't be."

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

"Why is your hand all red and bruised?"

Aurora met Hazel's golden gaze as she closed the door to Caldecott Tunnel behind her, exiting the camp. After punching Octavian, Aurora had gone straight to Reyna and filled her in on what Octavian had been up to and how she had just bruised both his ego and his face. Reyna hadn't grown angry with the girl. She'd been dealing with her own share of Octavian speeches, so she understood. Probably better than most. 

Reyna had promised to talk to Octavian and decided to put Aurora on guard duty in front of Caldecott Tunnel. The daughter of Apollo had taken the orders gratefully, needing a moment away from everyone to finally relax and calm down. That, and she wanted to make sure Hazel and Frank were okay.

With a soft smile, the girl took her post between the two teens. "I punched Octavian in the face."

Hazel's eyes bulged in surprise while Frank choked on his water, his face turning red as he coughed. "What?!"

Aurora sighed. "I don't know what came over me. He started ranting about how Jason was dead, and the next thing I know, I'm winding up and punching him in the face." She looked down at her fist and sighed, moving her sore fingers slowly. "Either he is lighter than he looks, or I can punch harder than I thought. Because it sent him to the ground."

Frank swallowed another gulp of water and cleared his throat. "Serves him right. He shouldn't have said that about your cousin."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I should have punched him." Aurora looked out at the city of San Francisco.

There was a highway cutting through the Berkeley Hills that stretched in front of them, cars and trucks speeding down the fast-lane without a care in the world. A road led up to the Caldecott Tunnel, though it was barely used since the Mist hid it from mortals. Beyond the highway was the Bay Area, and beyond that was Mount Tam, its stormy skies sending a shiver of dread down her spine.

Hazel shrugged. "At least he'll leave you and Dakota alone now. Look on the bright side, Rory."

Frank chuckled lightly. "Ha, the bright side. Ironic that your saying that to a daughter of Apollo."

The trio broke into small fits of laughter, the stress from Aurora's recent confrontation rolling off of her shoulders and leaving them light. She could always count on Hazel and Frank to brighten her day. Both literally and figuratively.

Aurora shook her head with a smile as she ceased her laughter. "Frank, you're such a— Oh, my gods!"

Aurora's eyes widened as they landed on three figures racing towards the tunnel entrance. She immediately recognized two of the figures as gorgons, their snake hair and talons being a dead giveaway. Her eyes then zoned in on the third⎯a teenage boy with windswept black hair and striking green eyes carrying an . . . old woman? 

Now Aurora had seen plenty of odd things during her time at Camp Jupiter, and even before then. However, she had never once seen a teenage boy carrying the battered body of an old woman while being chased by the gorgons of old. That was just . . . well, that was just crazy.

"What the hell? Is he carrying an old lady?"

"Frank! Now is not the time!" Frank jumped and nodded, notching an arrow and pulling back on the string. "Wait for my call!"

The figures were getting closer. The boy seemed to be struggling with the old lady in his arms, allowing the gorgons to catch up to him easily. Aurora held her hand up and watched them with calculating eyes, waiting for the right moment. She trusted that Frank could time the shot correctly given his expertise with a bow, but the younger recruits wanted her to give the order. So, as the boy grew closer, Aurora waited.

The boy's eyes locked with the pointed tip of the arrow, growing wide as saucers.

"Wait!"

"Now!" Frank released his hold on the string, the arrow soaring over the boy's head and embedding itself in one of the gorgons' foreheads.

The boy reached the trio and took a deep breath as they all watched the gorgon tumble down the hill and into the fast-lane. A truck barreled into her, sending her flying a hundred yards before she finally stood, climbed over a taxi, and ripped the arrow from her head. The trio stared at her in amazement.

"Thanks." The boy's voice snapped them out of their surprise. "Good shot."

Frank shook his head. "That should have killed her."

"Welcome to my world."

Aurora didn't have time to think on his words. There were currently two gorgons⎯both of which were meant to be dead⎯coming for her and the entire camp. She could allow herself to panic when she and her friends were safe inside the camp's magical barrier. 

"Frank." Aurora met the teen's wide eyes. Both he and Hazel went stiff at her change in tone. "I need you to get those two inside and across the river. Those are gorgons and something tells me they won't be going down so easily."

Frank stiffened in shock. "Gorgons?" He looked at the door, then back to the monsters. "Will the door hold them?"

Aurora had the feeling that the answer was "no," but she never got the chance to answer. Instead, it was the old lady. "No, no it won't. Onward, Percy Jackson! Through the tunnel, over the river!"

Her breath hitched. Percy Jackson? 

Familiarity tickled the back of her mind, it's anxious fingers attempting to slip through the cracks in her memory. She was sure his name was familiar to her. The way it sounded . . . she'd heard it before but she couldn't place where. 

A wall of silver shot up in her mind, forcing the creeping memories away and nearly causing Aurora to stumble backwards. Blinking rapidly, she shook her head to ease the budding headache and met Hazel's worried eyes, ignoring how the old woman was staring at her with an intensity that unsettled her. 

"Percy Jackson?" The boy nodded slowly, as if he himself was surprised at the name. Hazel pinched the bridge of her nose, glanced at the approaching monsters, then turned her attention to Aurora. Frank followed. "What do we do?"

The gorgons were growing closer, their pace much faster than Aurora had anticipated. She watched them cover the distance at an alarming speed, causing her anxiety to spike. But she shoved it down, allowing her years of training to take control. 

Aurora faced Percy, the teen jumping at the stern expression she wore. "Okay, you're obviously a demigod, otherwise those two wouldn't be chasing after you. And due to their adamancy on reaching you, you must be pretty strong." She didn't acknowledge the old woman, already having an idea of who she was. Instead, she turned to Frank. "I need you to get them both inside, understand? No turning back. Just get them both across the river and into camp, preferably to Reyna. Hazel and I will hold them off for as long as we can."

She trusted the young girl to fight well beside her. And while she would've chosen Frank, the poor kid was a fan of long-range weaponry that wouldn't do well against the approaching monsters. So she entrusted him with getting the two newcomers safely into camp.

Frank eyed the two warily. "Rory, don't be crazy! You and Hazel could get seriously hurt!"

"Are you saying Hazel and I lack the ability to fight off two monsters?" Aurora asked playfully, perking a brow.

Frank's cheeks bloomed red as he fumbled with his words, trying to come up with an answer. "Wh⎯ no, no, no⎯ Rory, you know I wasn't⎯ Hazel⎯"

"I'm kidding, Frank." Aurora nodded toward the entrance to the tunnel. "Go!"

Frank cursed in Latin before he turned and opened the door to the tunnel, forcing Percy forward. The door shut behind them, leaving Hazel and Aurora alone outside of the tunnel. Hazel unsheathed her spatha, her mouth set in a firm line and her golden eyes glinting confidently. Aurora released Solstice from its ring form, the sword taking its rightful place in her waiting hand. 

The two demigods waited with baited breath as the gorgons got closer, their minds racing with legionnaire strategies that would work with only two fighters. 

"Plan?"

Aurora shrugged. "Slash and dash?"

"Works for me." The gorgons had reached the entrance, allowing Aurora to see just how truly ugly they were. Giant tusks stuck out from their mouths, wings spreading along their backs and talons as long as her forearm reaching out to shred into her flesh. They were as close to biblically accurate demons as one could get. 

With one shared glance, Aurora and Hazel jumped into battle.

As stated before, Aurora was one of the best swordsmen to ever attend Camp Jupiter. Her cousin had held the top spot for a long time, but she often gave him a run for his money. However, when the monsters that Aurora was fighting couldn't die, her godly abilities with a sword were less impressive. No matter how many expert maneuvers she made, the beasts just wouldn't burst into yellow dust. 

One of the gorgons made a grab for Hazel, but the girl ducked under it, allowing her to miss the claws. However, in the process, she ended up with a 50% OFF sticker attached to her cheek. The young demigod was quick to retaliate with a strike to the monster's side, sending the gorgon stumbling back a few paces. 

Aurora's monster wasn't much different from her sister. She relied on brute force to take Aurora down, swiping with her talons and attempting to gouge Aurora's stomach with her tusks. The daughter of Apollo didn't falter despite her aching injuries. She sent a swift blow to the monster's forehead, knocking her back into her unbalanced sister, which evidently sent them tumbling down the hill once more.

Out of breath and in a bit of pain, Aurora turned to Hazel. "Time to use those powers of yours."

Hazel yanked open the door to the tunnel in response. The dark tunnel stood waiting as they filed inside and slammed the door shut on the wailing gorgons. Damp rock infiltrated Aurora's senses, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness around her. Despite traveling through the tunnel quite often for guard duty, Aurora still struggled with finding her way from one end of the darkness to the other. A downfall of children of Apollo⎯they were exponentially useless in darkness. 

Dust fell from the ceiling as the gorgons began slamming on the door, the metal groaning with each hit. She could feel her heart jumping within her chest each time the hinges protested, coughing as she breathed in the dust and debris. If she was already scraped up from one battle with these damn things, how would she fare in another?

The door flew open with a vicious growl from the gorgons, their hellish eyes immediately going to the demigods. It didn't take a child of Venus to know that the two monsters were beyond pissed. And pissed monsters were usually much more difficult to fight.

Hazel released a shout, her voice shaking the rocks that made up the ceiling. The daughter of Apollo barely had time to form a shield of light above their heads when stalactites began falling from the ceiling, nearly bringing the rest of the structure down with them.  

The two didn't wait to see if the rocks had done their job, opting to take the painful squawks of the gorgons as assurance enough. With the shield still high above their heads, the girls raced through the darkness, not once looking back. It only took a minute for them to spot a square of light ahead, Aurora immediately grinning in triumph. She dropped the shield of light and ran faster, the two bursting from the other door and nearly taking out both Percy, the old lady, and Frank.

Aurora stumbled briefly to regain her footing, her hand shooting out to keep Percy from toppling over the slight hill leading down to the river that separated them from the gates of camp. Apparently Frank had decided to stop and allow Percy to take in the scenery, something that Aurora found both endearing and stupid. The five of them were being chased by ancient monsters that couldn't die. They were safer not stopping at all until camp's boarders. 

"We slowed them down," Hazel said, "but they'll be here any second."

Aurora cursed quietly. "We have to get across the river."

The old lady gripped tighter to Percy's neck. "Oh, yes, please. I can't get my dress wet."

She could tell Percy was growing annoyed with the lady, but he just readjusted his grip on her and faced the trio of demigods. Frank and Hazel looked at Aurora, which led to Percy staring at her as well.

She pulled her hair back and studied the tunnel before looking to the river. "Let's go. And be careful. Crossing the Little Tiber's waters is not for the weak."

The group made their way towards the river that was running between them and the gates to Camp Jupiter. Percy was stumbling along the way and Aurora and Hazel had to keep him from falling over. Aurora had almost offered to take the old lady off of his hands, but she knew she'd be interfering with something godly. So she just continued to keep him on his feet instead, ignoring the constant studying gaze of Juno.

They came to a stop as they approached the riverbank, eyes watching the fast pace of the river. It wasn't too deep or too wide. The other end of the river was just a stone's throw away. The gates to Camp Jupiter were incredibly welcoming at the moment, and all Aurora wanted to do was walk through them.

However, the loud screeching of the gorgons made Aurora freeze. Her eyes flickered to the tunnel, expression falling. Fuck. 

Frank looked back at the Caldecott Tunnel, his expression hardening. He faced the girls and Percy, his grip tightening on his bow.

"Go, Hazel, Rory." He turned around and faced the monsters. "Escort Percy so the sentries don't shoot him. It's my turn to hold off the baddies."

Hazel nodded and began to wade into the river, leaving Aurora behind with Percy. The daughter of Apollo looked at Frank with a weird expression, fighting back the urge to joke about his choice of words due to the situation being serious. Gods, she really wanted to let him know that calling the monsters baddies was not as cool as he thought it was.

The teen shook that thought from her head and made to follow Hazel, only to notice that Percy hadn't taken a step toward the river. In fact, he was eyeing the water hesitantly, as though afraid of it.

"The Little Tiber," the old woman said sympathetically. "It flows with the power of the original Tiber, river of the empire. This is your last chance to back out, child." What did she mean by that? Back out of what? "The Mark of Achilles is a Greek blessing. You can't retain it if you cross into Roman territory. The Tiber will wash it away."

Aurora didn't have time for cryptic messages from random old ladies, and neither did Percy. The gorgons had just breached the entrance of the tunnel, Frank letting his arrows fly despite knowing that the monsters wouldn't die. 

She stepped into the water, teeth gritting at the chill temperatures, and quickly followed the path that Hazel had carved through the tides. The daughter of Pluto had already reached the other side, her dark skin glinting in the sunlight as she pulled herself out of the river.

"Percy, come on!" Aurora waved the boy towards her as the watchtowers blew their horns. The sentries shouted and swiveled their crossbows towards the gorgons.

Percy met Aurora's eyes and he surged into the river, keeping the old lady above the water. It seemed that as soon as he touched the waters of the river, he grew stronger. He walked through the river alongside Aurora, the two stepping out on the other side within seconds. Percy set the old woman down and faced the direction that the gorgons were, Aurora doing the same. The gates of the camp opened to reveal dozens of armed campers, each one looking up at the monsters with wide eyes.

Hazel turned around with a relieved expression, but then her eyes widened in horror. "Frank!"

Frank had been halfway across the river when the gorgons suddenly grabbed ahold of his arms and lifted him into the air. He yelped in pain as their talons dug into his arms, forcing him to drop his bow. Aurora moved to get her sword, but she knew deep down that neither her nor the sentries would get to him in time.

And apparently Percy knew this as well, because as soon as the sentries were about to charge into the water, he raised his hands. Aurora watched in shock as the water from the Little Tiber surged, forming two whirlpools on either side of where Frank was. Giant watery hands erupted from the river, mirroring Percy's every move. They grabbed ahold of the gorgons, which made them drop Frank, and held them tightly.

Ignoring her shock, Aurora thrust her arms outward, her gut tugging as she pulled on her powers. Warmth flooded her veins as light shot from her fingers, forming a pillow to cushion Frank's fall. The teen slid from the light, landing on his own feet with a stunned expression. She chuckled as he patted himself down, as if making sure he was still alive, then nodded as he sent her a look of gratitude.

All attention moved back to Percy, who sent the gorgons right into the river, the force causing them to explode into golden monster dust. The kids behind him shrieked in surprise and backed away out of fear, but Aurora stood her ground. She studied him as he stepped out of the water, skin and clothes steaming like he'd just taken a bath in acid.

Controls water. Is watched by Juno. Familiar name. Who is this kid?

Frank stumbled through the Tiber, frightened yet okay. Hazel helped him ashore, the two staring at Percy like the rest of the camp was doing. Percy looked around, taking notice of the stares, and his expression tightened. Aurora noted the nerves dancing in his eyes and allowed herself to smile softly, hoping it would ease his anxiety. It seemed to work, his shoulders relaxing and the storm in his eyes dying down.

Aurora opened her mouth, prepared to question him, but the old lady spoke up before she could.

"Well, that was a lovely trip," she said. "Thank you, Percy Jackson, for bringing me to Camp Jupiter."

Reyna choked, Aurora now noticing the Praetor's presence. "Percy . . . Jackson?"

It sounded as if she recognized him. Or his name, at least. Much like Aurora had. Percy turned his attention to her. It looked like he was trying to figure out if he knew her or not. Reyna stared at him intently with a fire burning behind her eyes.

"Oh, yes! You'll have so much fun together!" Aurora furrowed her brows at the old lady's words.

And then, she began to glow. She changed form, growing until she was the familiar seven-foot-tall goddess that had been in her dreams as of late. She was clothed in a blue with a goat-skin cloak over her shoulders. Her face was stern and stately, yet it held a regal feature that reminded her of her cousin. In her hand was a staff topped with a lotus flower.

Everyone was stunned. The first to kneel was Reyna, who was quickly followed by the others. Michael knelt so fast that he nearly impaled himself with his own sword. Aurora got down as well, meeting the goddess's eyes, which had moved to hers.

"Juno."

Percy was the last one left standing, and it looked as though he wasn't planning on kneeling anytime soon. "Juno, huh?" he asked, eyeing her carefully. "If I passed your test, can I have my memory and my life back?"

The goddess smiled. "In time, Percy Jackson, if you succeed here at camp. You've done well today, which is a good start. Perhaps there's hope for you yet." She turned to the Roman campers. "Romans, I present to you the son of Neptune. For months he has been slumbering, but now he's awake. His fate is in your hands. The Feast of Fortuna comes quickly, and Death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me!"

With that, Juno shimmered and disappeared. Aurora's thoughts were spinning. Son of Neptune? Battle? Death unleashed? None of this sounded good. Well, minus the son of Neptune part. She looked from Percy to Frank and Hazel, who were just as confused as she was. In Frank's hands were two clay potion bottles with stoppers in them. Gorgon blood.

Frank met her eyes and gave her a look that said: I'll tell you later.

With a nod, Aurora stood, watching as Reyna approached Percy with a stone cold look upon her face. She studied Percy with her dark eyes for a moment before speaking. "So, a son of Neptune, who comes to us with the blessing of Juno."

"Look," Percy started. "My memory's a little fuzzy, Um, it's gone, actually. Do I know you?"

Reyna hesitated. "I am Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion. And . . . no, I don't know you."

Aurora immediately knew that she was lying. Reyna had a tell. Her eyes would twinkle differently when she lied. They would fill with a sort of hesitation that only those who know her well would be able to spot. Percy seemed to know this as well, but he made the smart decision of not telling her. That wouldn't have ended well for anyone.

"Aurora." The daughter of Apollo met Reyna's gaze. "Bring him inside. I want to question him at the principia. Then we'll send him to Octavian. We must consult the auguries before we decide what to do with him."

Percy furrowed his brows. "What do you mean 'decide what to do with me'?"

Reyna's hand tightened on her dagger. Aurora held her breath. She knew how much Reyna hated being questioned. "Before we accept anyone into camp, we must interrogate them and read the auguries. Juno said your fate is in our hands. We have to know whether the goddess has brought us a new recruit . . ." She studied Percy intensely. She probably doubted him. "Or, if she's brought us an enemy to kill."

The soldiers began to murmur among themselves. Reyna stopped it with a look, the girl spinning on her heel and marching back into the camp. The soldiers followed, leaving Hazel, Frank, Percy, and Aurora alone outside the gates of the camp. Aurora turned to Percy and gave him a small smile, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, Percy." She eyed his clothing for a moment. "Let's go get you cleaned up before you meet up with Reyna. Maybe then she won't kill you."

"Wait, what?"

Aurora just slung her arm around his shoulders and directed him towards the gates, Hazel and Frank following.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

𝐀 𝐔 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑 𝐒   𝐍 𝐎 𝐓 𝐄   !

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

This is the first official chapter of the book! 5,000+ words. That's a lot. But, this was an introduction to Aurora Jake. There's a long ass explanation behind why her last name is Jake and not Grace. And how she didn't know about having a step father. But that will be in a completely different chapter.

How do you like Aurora? Fair warning, she is not exactly like most Roman demigods. She is nice and sweet and prefers to use words before violence, but when it comes to her friends and family, she will fight until she dies without even questioning why she's doing it. So, when Octavian kept pestering her about Jason being dead, she snapped and punched him. But she felt bad about it afterwards. Because that's who she is.

But she is also one hell of a badass, which you will see during the quest and during the War Games. Trust me.

Please comment and vote.

Love you all!

~ a.h.