𝐒 𝐓 𝐀 𝐑   𝐖 𝐀 𝐑 𝐒   !

⎯ 𝘛 𝘞 𝘌 𝘕 𝘛 𝘠 ⎯

( 𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔶 𝔩𝔦𝔨𝔢 𝔞 𝔯𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫 ! )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀'𝐒 𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐍.

Campers, Amazons, and Lares crowded the mess hall for a lavish dinner. Even the fauns were invited, since they'd helped out by bandaging the wounded after the battle. Wind nymphs zipped around the room, delivering orders of pizza, burgers, salads, steaks, Chinese food, and burritos, all flying at terminal velocity.

Despite the exhausting battle, everyone was in good spirits. Casualties had been light, and the few campers who'd previously died and come back to life, like Gwen, hadn't been taken to the Underworld. Maybe Thanatos had turned a blind eye, Or maybe Pluto had given those folks a pass, like he had for Hazel. Whatever the case, nobody complained.

Colorful Amazon and Roman banners hung side-by-side from the rafters. The restored golden eagle stood proudly behind the Praetor's table, and the walls were decorated with cornucopias—magical horns of plenty that spilled out recycling waterfalls of fruit, chocolate, and fresh-baked cookies.

The cohorts mingled freely with the Amazons, jumping from couch to couch as they pleased, and for once the soldiers of the Fifth were welcome everywhere. Aurora changed seats so many times, she lost track of her dinner, which she was fine with. Never in her time at Camp Jupiter had she felt so welcomed by everyone else, except for when she was first announced as a centurion.

There was a lot of flirting and arm-wrestling—which seemed to be the same thing for the Amazons. At one point, Aurora was pretty sure that one of the Amazons—ironically Lulu, the one she had momentarily blinded—was hitting on her. The girl wouldn't stop asking Aurora to arm wrestle, and when she finally did, Lulu held her hand tighter than she had held anyone else's hand during the night. And when it was over, it had taken a lot of tugging for Aurora to finally get her hand free. Lulu had laughed it off by saying she had a strong grip, but Aurora could feel the Amazon's eyes on her for the rest of the feast.

Creepy, right? Aurora had nothing against it. In fact, she'd had a crush on a girl once, but those days were over. Now that she found Percy, being hit on by other people felt wrong and weird. She wondered if that was what it was meant to feel like when she found the one for her. Was she supposed to feel this way about other people who were hitting on her that weren't Percy? She'd have to visit Venus's temple later and ask the goddess of love herself.

Once everyone had eaten and the plates stopped flying, Reyna made a short speech. She formally welcomed the Amazons, thanking them for their help. Then she hugged her sister and everybody applauded.

Reyna raised her hands for quiet. "My sister and I haven't always seen eye to eye—"

Hylla laughed. "That's an understatement."

"She joined the Amazons," Reyna continued. "I joined Camp Jupiter. But looking around this room, I think we both made good choices. Strangely, our destinies were made possible by the hero you all just raised to Praetor on the battlefield—Percy Jackson."

More cheering. The sisters raised their glasses to Percy and beckoned him forward.

Everybody asked for a speech, and Aurora laughed when she noticed how flustered Percy was. He protested, saying that he really wasn't the best person for Praetor, but the campers drowned him out with applause. Reyna took away his probatio neck plate. Octavian shot him a dirty look, then turned to the crowd and smiled like this was all his idea, which Aurora wanted to punch him for. He ripped open a teddy bear and pronounced good omens for the coming year—Fortuna would bless them! He passed his hand over Percy's arm and shouted: "Percy Jackson, son of Neptune, first year of service!"

The Roman symbols burned into his arm, and Aurora noticed pain flash in his eyes. He covered it up pretty well, though. A trident with SPQR underneath and a single stripe. He was one of them and one of the Greeks. A Roman soldier and a Greek hero all wrapped in one. Aurora felt pride swell in her chest for her friend (who she wanted to be more than friends with.)

Reyna gave him an eagle medal and purple cloak, symbols of a Praetor. "You earned these, Percy."

Queen Hylla pounded him on the back. "And I've decided not to kill you."

"Um, thanks," Percy said, making Aurora laugh harder.

He made his way around the mess hall one more time while Aurora sat with Hazel and Frank and Dakota. Aurora had to keep taking Dakota's flask from him, the two joking around with each other and reveling in the congratulations they were receiving from the other cohorts. Hazel and Frank were whisked off by a few members of the First and Aurora got surrounded by a few Amazons who asked if she wanted to join them.

"No," she said politely, her eyes meeting Percy's from where he sat with Ella and Tyson. She couldn't leave her friends, her camp, her home. Even if being an Amazon sounded amazing, she had already found where she belonged. And plus, she couldn't let Percy be off on his own. Gods know he would do something stupid and get himself killed. "I've already got everything I need."

Kinzie gave her a smile and told her to call anytime before leaving with the other Amazons. Once they had disappeared, Octavian came and found Aurora, a scowl tugging at his lips, turning his already ugly face into something gruesome.

Aurora smirked at him. "Well, Octavian, looks like all that lying and blackmailing was a waste of time. Camp Jupiter found someone trustworthy and much better looking to fill Jason's spot."

Octavian glared at her. "You're just saying that because you never wanted me to be Praetor."

"Yeah, I didn't." Octavian seemed surprised by Aurora's bluntness. The girl wasn't usually this way, but a lot had changed about her on her quest. "And now, I don't have to deal with you anymore. Because Percy isn't gonna put up with your shit, and neither will Reyna anymore. And neither will I."

With that, Aurora left Octavian standing in the middle of the mess hall with his jaw dropped and his eyes wide. Aurora smiled and felt a weight lift off her chest. She had been wanting to tell Octavian that ever since she met him, and now she finally had.

Aurora sat down beside Percy with a grin. She noticed that some of the other campers were pulling out decks of cards. "If we're playing Uno, get ready to lose!"

"Oh, you're on!"

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

After dinner, the entire legion got the night off. Aurora and her friends drifted down to the city, which wasn't quite recovered from the battle, but the fires were out, most of the debris had been swept from the streets, and the citizens were determined to celebrate.

At the Pomerian Line, the statue of Terminus wore a paper party hat.

"Welcome, Praetor!" he said. "You need any giants' faces smashed while you're in town, just let me know."

"Thanks, Terminus," Percy said. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Yes, good. Your Praetor's cape is an inch too low to the left. There—that's better. Where is my assistant? Julia!"

The little girl ran out from behind the pedestal. She was wearing a green dress tonight, and her hair was still in pigtails. When she smiled, Aurora saw that her front teeth were starting to come in. She held up a box full of party hats.

Aurora laughed as Percy tried to decline and picked a blue party crown from the box, giving Julia a smile as she did so. She reached up on her tiptoes and placed the crown on Percy's head, the paper falling askew on his head. She bit her lip and smiled up at him, laughing softly. Percy chuckled and reached into the box, grabbing a yellow crown and placing it on her head so it was tilted like his.

Julia offered Hazel a gold pirate hat. "I'm gonna be Percy Jackson when I grow up."

Hazel smiled and ruffled her hair. "That's a good thing to be, Julia."

"Although," Frank said, picking out a hat shaped like a polar bear's head. "Frank Zhang would be good too."

"Frank!" Hazel said.

They put their hats on and continued to the forum, which was lit up with multicolored lanterns. The fountains glowed purple. The coffee shops were doing brisk business, and street musicians filled the air with the sounds of guitar, lyre, panpipes, and armpit noises. Aurora had been asked to play something by a few of the surrounding people and picked up a saxophone, playing along with the rest of the musicians.

The goddess Iris must've been in a party mood too. As Aurora and her friends strolled passed the damaged Senate House, a dazzling rainbow appeared in the night sky. Unfortunately the goddess sent another blessing, too—a gentle rain of gluten-free R.O.F.L. cupcake simulations, which Aurora figured would either make cleaning up harder, or rebuilding easier. The cupcakes would make great bricks.

For a while, Aurora wandered the streets with Hazel, Frank, and Percy, two of them brushing shoulders constantly.

"I'm a little tired, guys. You go ahead," Percy said, looking at Hazel and Frank. He sent a glance to Aurora, and she realized what he was up to.

Aurora nodded. "Same. Go on and enjoy the festival."

Hazel and Frank protested, but Aurora could tell they wanted some time alone. That, and Aurora needed to talk with Percy about their recent relationship developments. Eventually, the two agreed and waved goodbye to Percy and Aurora, who headed off in a different direction as them.

Their hands found each other at some point, fingers lacing together. They talked about mindless things for a while, just allowing themselves to enjoy a moment of peace before things grew hectic again. They stopped at one of the fountains and sat down, shoulders brushing as they looked up at the stars. Aurora could see the faintest outline of a huntress running across the sky made out of stars. She vaguely remembered the name of the girl. Zoe. A huntress she had helped all those years ago.

They sat in silence for a moment, soaking in everything around them. Aurora loved how the music filled the air, mixing in with the laughter of the people of New Rome. No thoughts of the future, other than if Percy would be in it or not.

Finally, Percy spoke, "So . . ."

Aurora nodded. "So . . ."

"We kissed." The two of them laughed softly, turning so they could see each other in the light of the fountain. Percy's eyes were a brilliant sea green, unlike any color she had seen before. His hair was windswept and fell over his forehead, the crown tilted on his head. His lopsided smile made her heart flutter in her chest. "More than once."

Aurora hummed and nodded. "Yes we did." She looked down at their conjoined hands. "So . . . what are we going to do about it?"

Percy placed his hand under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his, giving her a soft smile. "This."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers for the third time. It was much different from their last two kisses. One had been passionate, the other relieved (and used to shut her up.) This one was just perfect. A sweet moment shared between soulmates. Aurora felt like fireworks were going off in her stomach as her whole body heated up and her lips molded with his. The taste of salt lingered on her tongue and she smiled softly, moving her hands to hold his cheeks.

After a moment, they pulled away, Aurora's eyelids fluttering open. She stared into Percy's eyes, feeling all giddy inside. "Good choice. Still doesn't answer my question, though."

Percy chuckled and shook his head, Aurora lowering her hands. "Rory, I—I really like you. And I mean it when I say that, 'cause I've never liked anyone the way I like you." Aurora felt her cheeks grow warm. "And I would really, and I mean really, love it if you would say yes to being my girlfriend if I asked."

Aurora's cheeks hurt from how big her smile was. "Perseus Jackson, are you trying to ask me out?"

Percy nodded. "Is it going well?"

"Not really, but what else should I expect from you?" Percy sent her a mock glare of offense and Aurora laughed, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "Try again, and maybe I'll say yes."

Percy rolled his eyes playfully and took her hands, staring directly in her eyes. "Aurora Jacarusso. Would you please—no, would you pretty please with a blue cherry on top, be my girlfriend?"

Aurora threw her head back with a laugh, the sound echoing through the air joyfully. "A blue cherry?"

Percy nodded. "A blue cherry."

Aurora met his eyes and nodded. "Well, if there's a blue cherry on top, then I guess I can consider it—" Percy gave her a look and she laughed, leaning her head against his chest. "Yes. Yes, Percy Jackson, I would love to be your girlfriend."

Percy grinned. "Good."

And with that, they shared a kiss, the fountain lights turning a brilliant pink as doves fluttered above them. Above, beyond the clouds, Poseidon and Apollo cheered with Aphrodite, the gods glad that their work was finally done.

The rest of the night, Aurora and Percy walked around New Rome and Camp Jupiter, laughing and sharing stories, their hands never once leaving each other and their smiles never dipping into frowns.

That night was the first night that Aurora hadn't thought about her missing cousin.

And it was all thanks to Percy Jackson.

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

Aurora dreamed she was standing on the top of a mountain she was all too familiar with. Mount Tam rumbled and shook with fury, the faint screams of Atlas from his prison making the air fill with the sounds of thunder. The clouds swirled above her and she could hear fighting coming from off to her left.

With knit eyebrows, Aurora turned to see an event she had only just remembered ever partaking in. Atlas wasn't trapped under the weight of the world, Diana was. The goddess was struggling with the weight in her gold chains while two separate battles took place. A girl with dark spiky hair fought a pale blond with a scar on his face while three others battled Atlas. The titan was dressed in full battle armor with a javelin, a few silver arrows poking out from the chinks in his armor.

The first girl she noticed was a tall and beautiful huntress. Zoe. The girl who had fallen to her father in battle after getting attacked by her dragon. She looked young and beautiful again, fighting with courage and strength, hiding her pain. It hurt Aurora's heart to see the girl alive again after watching her turn into a constellation.

Next she saw a younger Percy. He was much shorter and not as muscular as he was now, but he was still handsome in Aurora's eyes. He looked tired and worn out, but he still fought Atlas as if he was fighting another demigod, and not a giant Titan that wanted him dead.

Beside him, a girl that looked like a younger version of Aurora was fighting back-to-back with him, the two making progress in their battle. Aurora couldn't remember this memory fully. After her conversation with Percy in Vancouver, the memory had returned somewhat, but this was the first time she could see it clearly.

She watched as her younger self got tossed aside with Percy, and then the two of them freed Diana and took the sky. Aurora moved her hand to her hair and looked down, just now noticing the gray streak. How could she have forgotten this?

"Because we wanted you to." Aurora turned around quickly, taking notice of her father.

Apollo stood watching the memory, his cat-like eyes glowing in the dark. "Dad?"

Apollo gave her a smile. "Aurora, you've grown so much since the last time I saw you. Of course, that was almost eleven years ago."

"Why did Diana wipe my mind of this moment?" Aurora wanted to know. Why would such an important moment in her life get taken from her?

Apollo sighed. "At that time, it was dangerous for the Romans and Greeks to be mixed. Even now, it's a risky gamble. But my sister and I knew it wasn't time for you to meet Percy, so we took the memory and made you think that you had only dreamed it."

"And now? Is it the right time now?"

"I would hope so. Otherwise that kiss would have been for nothing," Apollo said, giving his daughter a smirk. Aurora felt her cheeks heat up. "You and Percy are now Venus's number one favorite couple. She has all these plans for you."

"Oh, gods." Aurora knew how Venus's plans went. Two words: not good.

Apollo chuckled. "Don't worry. Me and Neptune are gonna keep her in check." His face then turned serious. "But I'm here for a different reason."

The memory faded and Aurora found herself sitting in her barrack, Apollo sitting across from her. "Why? I haven't seen you in years. Why now?"

"The Prophecy of Eight has started." Aurora felt her heart drop. She had her suspicions, and the group had discussed it during the quest, but now that she was hearing it from a god, it felt . . . terrifying. "Your cousin Jason is safe. He will arrive in camp tomorrow with the other three of the prophecy on a war ship that you must not get shot down."

Aurora pursed her lips. "The ship from Percy's dream. The one that Leo kid was inventing."

Apollo nodded. "Yes. They will arrive after the senate meeting, and it will be your job to keep everyone together." No pressure. "I know you can do it, Aurora. You're a Roman warrior and a strong one at that. People listen to you because they trust you, but you have to trust yourself in order to keep them together. It's time to push through, Aurora."

She knew what he meant. It was time for her to finally let go of the past. If she didn't, she would enter Rome with memories that would drag her down. In order to keep everyone safe, she had to listen to Percy and finally get through it. She hadn't meant to kill her sister. It was an accident. A mistake that she knew she had made, but now she had to get over it. Not only for herself, but for the other members of the quest. For the world.

Aurora swallowed thickly. "Is—is what Gaea showed me in Alaska true? Did you—"

"No." Apollo shook his head. "No, I would never. What happened to you is something the Fates chose to happen. I don't pretend to understand them. No one does. But I know that they do what is right for everyone, and if it was meant to happen, they will make it happen. And I'm sorry that what had to happen for you was that."

Aurora nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. She loved her father. Even if he never really spoke to her, she loved him. And she knew that he would never do anything to hurt her. But she had to make sure.

"Another thing, dad." Apollo hummed. "Something Alcyoneus told me. About Orion."

Apollo stiffened. His eyes flashed dangerously, much like Aurora's would. "What did he tell you?"

"He said that Orion is alive and waiting to chain me at his feet and kill me when the time is right." Aurora's voice was shaky, her heart racing. "He can't be alive, can he? You—I mean, you and Diana killed him."

Apollo thought for a moment before sighing. "I don't know. For once, my sight is blocked." He turned to Aurora and reached out, taking her hand that had Solstice on it. "I will look into this with my father. I promise." He then glanced down at her ring. "But first, I must do something about this."

He plucked the ring from her finger and twirled it in the air. The ring shone a mix of gold and green before landing back in his palm. Aurora had no clue what he had done to it, but as she took a closer look, her felt her smile return. Engraved right next to the sun was a trident, pulsing with green light. Before, it had been a simple outline. Now it was a part of her weapon.

She then noticed something else. On the other side of the sun, a small indentation was made—and engraving of a lyre. She took the ring back from her father and looked at it. "What?"

"Just a small upgrade. You'll know what to do when the time is right." Aurora slipped the ring back on her finger and looked at her dad.

"Thanks, dad," Aurora said, giving him a smile. "Please tell me this isn't the last time I'll hear from you."

Apollo laughed softly and shook his head. "No, it won't be. I promise you now that I will try and talk with you at least once a week. After all, you are one of my more favored children." Aurora laughed. "Oh, and I must congratulate you on punching Octavian. It's about time someone did it."

Aurora beamed. "Thanks, dad. And . . ." She hesitated, unsure. "I love you."

Apollo wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you, too, my daughter. Do me proud."

With that, the dream vanished, and Aurora woke to the sound of snoring bunk mates.

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

The next morning, Aurora, Percy, Hazel, and Frank ate breakfast early, then headed into the city before the senate was due to converse. Since Percy was the Praetor now (and her boyfriend. Gods, she would never get tired of saying or hearing that), the group could pretty much go anywhere they wanted, whenever they wanted.

"Come on, Mr. Praetor! Off to New Rome we go!" Aurora said brightly, jumping onto Percy's back. He chuckled and hiked her up, the group walking toward the city.

On the way, they passed the stables, where Tyson and Mrs. O'Leary were sleeping in. Tyson snored on a bed of hay next to the unicorns, a blissful look on his face like he was dreaming of ponies. Mrs. O'Leary had rolled onto her back and covered her ears with her paws. On the stable roof, Ella roosted in a pile of old Roman scrolls, her head tucked under her wings.

When they got to the forum, they sat by the fountains and watched the sun go up. The citizens were already busy sweeping up cupcake simulations, confetti, and party hats from last night's celebration. The engineer corps was working on a new arch that would commemorate the victory over Polybotes.

Hazel said she'd even heard the talk of a formal triumph for the four of them—a parade around the city followed by a week of games and celebrations—but Aurora knew they wouldn't make it. Her conversation with her father from the night before stuck with her, and she almost didn't tell them about what he told her because of how carefree and happy they looked.

Luckily, it was Percy who broke the happiness bubble.

He told them about his dream of Juno, and once he was done, Aurora filled them in on her visit from her father.

Hazel frowned. "The gods were busy last night. Show them, Frank."

Frank reached into his coat pocket. Aurora thought he might bring out his piece of firewood, but instead he produced a thin paperback book and a note on red stationary.

"These were on my pillow this morning." He passed the book to Aurora, who held it so both her and Percy could read it at once. "Like the Tooth Fairy visited."

The book was The Art of War by San Tzu. Aurora had only read it once, back when she was starting off as a centurion, but she hadn't picked it up since. She then switched them so the letter was on top, her eyes hurting from how bright the red paper was. The letter red: Good job, kid. A real man's best weapon is his mind. This was your mom's favorite book. Give it a read. P.S.—I hope your friend Percy has learned some respect for me.

"Wow," Percy said as Aurora handed the book back to Frank. "Maybe Mars is different than Ares. I don't think Ares can read."

Aurora muffled her laugh by resting her head on his shoulder. One of these days, he would end up getting smited by some god he managed to make angry.

Frank flipped through the pages. "There's a lot in here about sacrifice, knowing the cost of war. Back in Vancouver, Mars told me I'd have to put my duty ahead of my life or the entire war would go sideways. I thought he meant freeing Thanatos, but now . . . I don't know. I'm still alive, so maybe the worst is yet to come."

He glanced nervously at Percy and Aurora, and Aurora got the feeling Frank wasn't telling them everything. She wondered if Mars had said something about them, or just Percy in general. But Aurora was pretty sure that she didn't want to know anything.

Besides, Frank had already given enough. He had watched his family home burn down. He'd lost his mother and his grandmother. Aurora didn't want to push him farther than she already had.

"You risked your life," Percy said. "You were willing to burn up to save the quest. Mars can't expect more than that."

"Maybe," Frank said doubtfully.

Hazel squeezed Frank's hand.

They seemed more comfortable around each other this morning, not quite as nervous and awkward. Aurora wondered if they'd started dating like her and Percy. She hoped so, but she decided it was better not to ask.

"Hazel," Aurora said. "How about you? Any word from Pluto?"

She looked down. Several diamonds popped out of the ground at her feet. "No," she admitted. "In a way, I think he sent a message through Thanatos. My name wasn't on that list of escaped souls. It should have been."

"You think your dad is giving you a pass?" Percy asked, hiking Aurora further up his back.

Hazel shrugged. "Pluto can't visit me or even talk to me without acknowledging I'm alive. Then he'd have to enforce the laws of death and have Thanatos bring me to the Underworld. I think my dad is turning a blind eye. I think— I think he wants me to find Nico."

Okay, short run through. Apparently while Aurora had been down in the muskeg with Percy, Hazel had had a vision conversation with Gaea, the earth mother telling her that her brother had been captured and was being held captive as bait. Hazel hadn't told anyone except Frank, leaving Aurora and Percy out of the loop until they were done saving camp Jupiter from ultimate destruction.

Aurora glanced at the sunrise, half expecting to see a warship descending from the sky. So far, nothing.

"We'll find your brother," Aurora promised. "As soon as the ship gets here, we'll sail to . . ." Aurora hesitated. She felt Percy look up at her, but she ignored it. "Rome."

Hazel and Frank shared uneasy looks with each other and Aurora. She knew the dangers of traveling through the Mare Nostrum, but if they wanted to rescue Nico and stop Gaea from rising to power, they had to. Sure, it was dangerous and if they went without the camp's permission, they would be considered outlaws and get killed on sight, but they had to do this. If a multitude of gods said so, then it was probably right. Right?

"Percy . . ." Frank said. "If you want us to come along, we're in. But are you sure? I mean . . . we know you've got tons of friends at the other camp. And you could pick anyone at Camp Jupiter now. If we're not part of the eight, we'd understand—"

"Are you kidding?" Percy said. "You think I'd leave my team behind? After surviving Fleecy's wheat germ, running from cannibals, and hiding under blue giant butts in Alaska? Come on!"

The tension broke. All four of them started cracking up, maybe a little too much, but it was a relief to be alive, with the warm sun shining, and not worrying—at least for the moment—about sinister faces appearing in the shadows of the hills.

Hazel took a deep breath. "The prophecy Ella gave us—about the child of wisdom, and the mark of Athena burning through Rome . . . do you know what that's about?"

Aurora thought for a moment. Percy had told her Annabeth—his gay best friend, who Aurora was excited to meet—was a daughter of Athena (Minerva to the Romans). Athena/Minerva was the goddess of wisdom and battle strategy for the Greeks and crafts for the Romans. Which meant that if Annabeth was one of the eight, she would be wisdom's daughter.

"I'm not sure," Percy said. "I think there's more to the prophecy. Maybe Ella can remember the rest of it."

Aurora watched Frank slip the book in his pocket and sighed. "We need to take her with us—I mean, for her own safety. If Octavian finds out Ella has the Sibylline Books memorized—which he will, if we aren't careful—who knows what he'll do."

Percy shuddered. Octavian used prophecies to keep his power at camp. Now that Percy had taken away his chance as Praetor (thank the heavens), Octavian would be looking for other ways to exert dominance. (Aurora had a suspicion that he was trying to make up for something that he lacked.) If he got hold of Ella . . .

"You're right," Percy said. "We've got to protect her. I just hope we can convince her—"

"Percy!" Tyson came running across the forum, Ella fluttering behind him with a scroll in her talons. Aurora slipped off of Percy's back and he took her hand immediately, Ella dropping the scroll in his hand.

"Special delivery," Ella said. "From an aura. A wind spirit. Yes, Ella got a special delivery."

"Good morning, brothers! And brothers girlfriends!" Tyson had hay in his hair and peanut butter in his teeth. "The scroll is from Leo. He is funny and small."

The scroll looked unremarkable, but when Percy spread it across his lap, a video recording flickered on the parchment. A kid in Greek armor grinned up at them. He had an impish face, curly black hair, and wild eyes, like he'd just had several cups of coffee. He was sitting in a dark room with timber walls like a ship's cabin. Oil lamps swung back and forth on the ceiling.

Hazel stifled a scream.

"What?" Frank asked. "What's wrong?"

Slowly, Aurora realized the curly-haired kid looked familiar. She'd seen that face in an old picture.

"Hey!" said the guy in the video. "Greetings from your friends at Camp Half-Blood, et cetera. This is Leo. I'm the . . ." He looked off screen and yelled: "What's my title? Am I like admiral, or captain, or—"

A girl's voice yelled back, "Repair boy."

"Very funny, Piper," Leo grumbled. He turned back to the parchment screen. "So yeah, I'm . . . ah . . . supreme commander of the Argo II. Yeah, I like that! Anyway, we're gonna be sailing toward you in about, I dunno, an hour in this big mother warship. We'd appreciate it if you'd not, like, blow us out of the sky or anything. So okay! If you could tell the Romans that. See you soon. Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out."

The parchment turned blank.

Aurora would have laughed if Hazel didn't look like she wanted to pass out. That Leo kid was hilarious.

"It can't be," Hazel said.

"What?" Frank asked. "You know that guy?"

Hazel looked like she'd seen a ghost. Aurora understood why. She remembered the photo in Hazel's abandoned house in Seward. The kid on the warship looked exactly like Hazel's old boyfriend.

"It's Sammy Valdez," she said. "But how . . . how—"

"It can't be," Percy said. "That guy's name is Leo. And it's been seventy-something years. It has to be a . . ."

Aurora knew what he was going to say. A coincidence. But he knew no one, including himself, would believe that. Over the past few years, Aurora had seen a lot of things: destiny, prophecy, magic, monsters, fate. But she'd never run across a coincidence yet, and she had a feeling she wouldn't ever. She wasn't that lucky.

They were interrupted by horns blowing in the distance. The senators came marching into the forum with Reyna at the lead.

"It's meeting time," Aurora said. "Come on. We've got to warn them about the warship."

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"Why should we trust these Greeks?" Octavian was saying.

He'd been pacing the senate floor for five minutes, going on and on, trying to counter what Percy had told them about Juno's plan and the Prophecy of Eight.

The senate shifted restlessly, but most of them were too afraid to interrupt Octavian while he was on a roll. Meanwhile the sun climbed in the sky, shining through the broken senate room and giving Octavian a natural spotlight. Aurora might have taken part in blinding him a few times, but the rest was all Apollo's doing.

The Senate House was packed. Queen Hylla, Aurora, Frank, and Hazel sat in the front row with the senators. Veterans and ghosts filled the back rows. Even Tyson and Ella had been allowed to sit in the back. Tyson kept waving and grinning at Aurora and Percy.

Percy and Reyna occupied matching Praetors' chairs on the dais. Aurora couldn't take her eyes off of her new boyfriend for a while. He looked hot in his purple cape and toga, as well as a little stupid and dorky. But hey, he was her stupid dork now.

"Well, we trust you, don't we?" A few of the senators laughed at Aurora's blatant comment, her voice monotonous as she grew bored of Octavian's ranting. Even Reyna cracked a grin while Percy chuckled, the augur sending her a look. "Plus, Apollo—god of prophecies and the guy who gives you visions—visited me last night and told me we needed to not blow up their ship."

"The camp is safe," Octavian continued, ignoring Aurora's comment. She sent a particularly bright shaft of light toward him. "I'll be the first to congratulate our heroes for bringing back the legion's eagle and so much Imperial gold! Truly we have been blessed with good fortune. But why do more? Why tempt fate?"

"I'm glad you asked." Percy stood, taking the question as an opening.

Octavian stammered, "I wasn't—"

"—part of the quest," Percy said. "Yes, I know. And you're wise to let me explain, since I was."

More snickers. Aurora had to place a hand over her mouth to keep from cackling at the embarrassed look on Octavian's face when the blond sat down. Oh, this was gold.

"Gaea is waking," Percy said. "We've defeated two of her giants, but that's only the beginning. The real war will take place in the old land of the gods. The quest will take us to Rome, and eventually to Greece."

An uneasy ripple spread through the senate.

"I know, I know," Percy said. "You've always thought of the Greeks as your enemies. And there's a good reason for that. I think the gods have kept our two camps apart because whenever we meet, we fight. But that can change. It has to change if we're to defeat Gaea. That's what the Prophecy of Eight means. Eight demigods, Greek and Roman, will have to close the Doors of Death."

"Ha!" shouted a Lar from the back row. "The last time a Praetor tried to interpret the Prophecy of Eight, it was Michael Varus, who lost our eagle in Alaska! Why should we believe you now?"

Octavian smiled smugly. Some of his allies in the senate began nodding and grumbling. Even some of the veterans looked uncertain. Aurora rolled her eyes and stood, drawing the attention to her. She ignored Octavian's look.

"As stated before, my lovely father visited me last night in a dream." Aurora met each senate member's eyes individually, ensuring they got her message. "He told me that the prophecy was beginning, and that the other four members were coming on the very warship that Octavian is trying to convince you all to blow up." She jutted her thumb at the augur with a distasteful look. "Plus, think about it. Percy carried Juno across the Tiber and told him that the Prophecy of Eight was starting. Mars also appeared to us in person. And the god of prophecies announced that it has begun. Do you really think two of our most important gods would appear at camp if the situation wasn't serious? Do you think my father would joke about this?"

It was silent as everyone took in her words. Aurora looked at them harshly once more before taking her seat.

"She's right," Gwen said from the second row. "I, for one, trust both Aurora and Percy's word. Greek or not, Percy restored the honor of the legion. You saw him on the battlefield last night. Would anyone here say he is not a true hero of Rome?"

Nobody argued. A few nodded in agreement.

Reyna stood. Everyone watched her anxiously. Her opinion would change everything—for better or worse.

"You claim this is a combined quest," she said. "You claim Juno intends for us to work with this—this other group, Camp Half-Blood. Yet the Greeks have been our enemies for eons. They are known for their deceptions."

"Maybe so," Percy said. "But enemies can become friends. A week ago, would you have thought Romans and Amazons would be fighting side by side?"

Queen Hylla laughed. "He's got a point."

"The demigods of Camp Half-Blood have already been working with Camp Jupiter," Percy said. "We just didn't realize it. During the Titan War last summer, while you were attacking Mount Othrys, we were defending Mount Olympus in Manhattan. I fought Kronos myself."

Reyna backed up, almost tripping over her toga. "You . . . what?"

"Not only that, but your own centurion Aurora fought alongside me and my friends one summer and held up the sky with me, helping me trap Atlas back under the weight of the sky." Aurora felt her cheeks redden as a few people glanced at her in shock. "I know it's hard to believe, but I think I've earned your trust. I'm on your side. Hazel, Frank, and Aurora—I'm sure they're meant to go with me on this quest. The other four are on their way from Camp Half-Blood right now. One of them is Jason Grace, your old Praetor."

Aurora's mood immediately brightened. Jason, her cousin that she hasn't seen in months, is finally coming back home. She wondered how much he had changed since the last time she saw him. She couldn't wait to give him hell for scaring her.

"Oh, come on!" Octavian shouted. "He's making things up, now."

Aurora had to bite back a particularly harsh comment.

Reyna frowned. "It is a lot to believe. Jason is coming back with a bunch of Greek demigods? You say they're going to appear in the sky in a heavily armed warship, but we shouldn't be worried."

"Yes." Percy looked over the rows of nervous, doubtful spectators. "Just let them land. Hear me out. Jason will back up everything I'm telling you. I swear it on my life."

Aurora's heart stopped. Percy just swore on his life. Romans took that oath very seriously. If he turned out to be wrong, even by accident . . . Aurora couldn't think about it.

"On your life?" Octavian looked meaningfully at the senate. "We will remember that, if this turns out to be a trick."

Right on cue, a messenger rushed into the Senate House, gasping as if he'd run all the way from camp. "Praetors! I'm sorry to interrupt, but our scouts report—"

"Ship!" Tyson said happily, pointing at the hole in the ceiling. "Yay!"

Sure enough, a Greek warship appeared out of the clouds about a half a mile away, descending toward the Senate House. As it got closer, Aurora could see bronze shields glinting along the sides, billowing sails, and a strange-looking figurehead shaped like a metal dragon. On the tallest mast, a big white flag of truce snapped in the wind.

The Argo II. It was the most incredible ship she'd ever seen.

"Praetors!" the messenger cried. "What are your orders?"

Octavian shot to his feet. "You need to ask?" His face was red with rage. He was strangling his teddy bear. "The omens are horrible! This is a trick, a deception. Beware Greeks bearing gifts!"

"Last I checked, Octavian, you aren't a Praetor," Aurora bit back, glaring at him. "So I suggest you shut up and let them decide."

Octavian jabbed a finger at Percy. "His friends are attacking in a warship. He has led them here. We must attack!"

"No!" Percy said firmly. "You all raised me as Praetor for a reason. I will fight to defend this camp with my life. But these aren't enemies. I say we stand ready, but do not attack. Let them land. Let them speak. If it is a trick, then I will fight with you, as I did last night. But it is not a trick."

All eyes turned to Reyna.

She studied the approaching warship. Her expression hardened. If she vetoed Percy's orders . . . well, Aurora didn't know what would happen. Chaos and confusion, at the very least. Most likely, the Romans would follow her lead. She'd been their leader much longer than Percy.

"Hold your fire," Reyna said. "But have the legion stand ready. Percy Jackson is your duly chosen Praetor. We will trust his word—unless we are given clear reason not to. Senators, let us adjourn to the forum and meet our . . . new friends."

The senators stampeded out of the auditorium—whether from excitement or panic, Aurora wasn't sure. Tyson ran after them, yelling, "Yay! Yay!" with Ella fluttering around his head.

Octavian gave Percy a disgusted look, then threw down his teddy bear and followed the crowd. Aurora made a rude gesture toward his back, making Hazel fan her face and Frank laugh. After a few words from Reyna, the girl left the senate, Percy joining them by the doors.

"They're coming down right in the forum," Frank said nervously. "Terminus is going to have a heart attack."

"Percy," Aurora said. "You swore on your life. Romans take that seriously. If anything goes wrong, even by accident, Octavian is going to kill you. You know that, right?"

Percy smiled and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling her into him, Aurora's cheeks heating up. She trusted Percy. With her life, in fact. She would stand by whatever decisions he made. She just hoped he was right about that ship.

He threw his other arm around Frank, who was holding Hazel's hand, and grinned. "Come on. Let me introduce you to my other family."

And with that, the group of four made their way into the forum, Aurora's heart racing as fast as her mind.

Let's do this.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

𝐀 𝐔 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑 𝐒   𝐍 𝐎 𝐓 𝐄   !

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

We've reached the end of the Son of Neptune, guys! Aurora is an official badass, I am stating it now. She has changed so much from the beginning of the book. She stands up for herself more and is more blunt toward Octavian than she used to be. Also, Percy and Aurora are official! Eek! They kissed and their parents approve and everything!

Now we must say goodbye to Son of Neptune and say hello to the pain that is Mark of Athena. A lot will happen in this next half that you won't be ready for. Aurora will unlock a new ability. Percy and her will have some special moments. Aurora and Annabeth's relationship will be the best out of her relationship with everyone else, including Percy (possibly). Oh, and we'll have a protective Jason Grace as well!

A lot is gonna go down. It'll be fun!

Please comment and vote!

Love you all!

~ a.h.