The Battle for Olympus

Annabeth

Terminus was silent, and Annabeth imagined him scratching his head. Jason's brow furrowed and he said something in Latin.

Terminus replied, but Jason shook his head and said something else. Annabeth caught the word Reyna, but nothing else. She was starting to regret not taking Chiron's Latin course. Piper glanced at Annabeth like what's going on? Annabeth just shrugged. Jason said something else, this time gesturing at Annabeth, Piper, and Leo. Annabeth wished she could read Terminus's face, but alas it remained frozen in stone. Terminus and Jason seemed to have reached an agreement, because Terminus fell silent.

"Thank you," Jason said in English. He turned to Leo. "We can land in that field, and Terminus has agreed to give Reyna message to meet us there."

So why say it in Latin? But Annabeth didn't have time to dwell on it. Leo lowered the landing gear, and The Argo II swooped low before coming to a gentle stop on a grassy hill.

Jason walked down the ramp first, his purple robe fluttering in the breeze. Annabeth, Piper, and Leo followed, Annabeth's heart in her throat. Somewhere in that crowd was Percy, Percy who'd been missing for sixth months. Six months apart and she missed him with every fiber of her being.

The crowd below parted for them, revealing a young woman in a purple cloak identical to Jason's. Dark hair tumbled down her shoulders, her eyes glittered as she surveyed them, and the sun glinted off the medals on her chest. This was undoubtably Reyna.

"Jason Grace!" she spoke, her voice demanding silence. "We're glad to see you've returned."

Annabeth noted Jason had a hard time meeting Reyna's eyes.

"My fellow praetor," Jason said. "It's good to be back."

Reyna smiled thinly, but there was something off about her. About all of this actually. The romans surrounding them all held weapons, which Annabeth wouldn't have been concerned about if it weren't for the hungry gleam in their eyes.

"We're here to negotiate," Annabeth said, hoping to disarm whatever was happening. "The prophecy of seven involves both camps, we know that much. We need to talk about what that means."

"Annabeth Chase," Reyna said, tilting her head. "A daughter of Minerva."

"Athena, actually."

"Athena then. You're right, we must talk. But not about that. See, we have a solution, one that will eliminate the giants and cure the gods in one fell swoop." Reyna's hand strayed to the dagger on her belt. "A solution Jason came up with."

Piper frowned and turned to Jason. "What now?"

Jason cleared his throat. "Well..."

Something was definitely off, and whatever it was could turn ugly any second. Annabeth was going to say something, but she saw him. Striding across the green beyond the crowd, his arms around two people. Sea green eyes sparkling, locked with hers. He was still too far away to hear, to know what was happening, and likely he wouldn't care. Annabeth's breath caught in her throat and the crowd faded, the voices just white noise. There was only Percy, his hair shaggy and swept to the side, his mouth drawn up in his troublemaker smile. She ached to return to him, he was so close. But if she was right, that would be a deadly mistake.

Annabeth turned back to Jason. "You sold us out didn't you."

"There's only one way to end the schism, Annabeth," Jason said. His remaining eye gleamed. "The Greeks must be wiped out."

Reyna raised her hand. "Seize them."

"Jason!" Piper cried as two legionaries grabbed her arms. "How could you!"

Annabeth grit her teeth but didn't struggle. They couldn't win this fight. And the worst part? She totally saw it coming. She was a fool for not taking precautions.

Leo swung a hammer at the nearest legionnaire, who simply ducked and pinned his arm.

"Don't hurt him!" Jason said. "We need him."

Leo glared at his friend. "Yeah? For what? I built this giant warship for you! What else could you possibly need from me?"

"I can explain all this later," Jason insisted. "Just please don't fight!"

Reyna watched the two of them like a ping pong match, her an eyebrow raised. Annabeth recognized a fellow voice of reason.

"Reyna, this isn't going to solve anything!" Annabeth protested. "Surely you must know that!"

"This is a better idea than a fools quest across the Mare Nostrum," Reyna said. "We must defeat the giants, and Jason has convinced me this is the easiest way. And lucky for us, I have Camp Half-Blood's top military strategist in my possession."

The realization nearly destroyed her, but she knew what she had to do. Annabeth met Percy's gaze again, his eyebrows furrowing as he realized Annabeth's predicament. Her blood cried out to return to him, but she couldn't. She channeled everything she could into her gaze, and gave him the slightest, nearly imperceptible shake of her head. Run, Percy, she begged, run! And Percy, for whatever shortcomings he had, read the situation immediately. He whispered something to his companions, who straightened. They seemed to have a tense conversation before turning the other direction. As Percy slipped out of sight, he turned around one last time. He was so unbearably close, so unattainable. And he was also their only hope. His expression was unmistakable. I'll come back for you, Annabeth. Whatever it takes. Then he was gone.