BLOODSHOT . . . piper mclean

44.

"But I wanna see what it looks like," Eden pouted.

Piper rolled her eyes, looking over at her. "Fine, but don't say I didn't say so."

Eden's eyes were immediately drawn to a broken dome, ruins, and craters. How nice.

The other parts were pretty, though — the coliseum, colorful houses, flowering gardens. The flowers gave her flashbacks to when she was in the Underworld with Thalia, Nico, and Percy.

Dozens of kids in ugly togas were streaming out of the Senate House to get a better view of the Argo II. More Romans emerged from the shops and cafés, gawking and pointing as the ship descended. Eden should hit up those cafes. Not literally, though those weapons looked fun.

A column of demigods emerged from the gates, their armor and spears glinting as they hurried toward the city. In the midst of their ranks was an actual war elephant. God, Eden wanted one of those.

"You're done now," Kaleidoscope pulled her away from the edge, and Eden pulled her gaze up to her. "You're okay, darling, right?"

"Course I am," Eden smirked, "why wouldn't I be?"

Piper rolled her eyes and leaned in.

Then something went BOOM!

The explosion almost made Eden scream. She looked over and found Annabeth eye to eye with an angry statue.

"Unacceptable!" he shrieked.

Apparently he had exploded into existence, right there on the deck. Sulfurous yellow smoke rolled off his shoulders. Cinders popped around his curly hair. From the waist down, he was nothing but a square marble pedestal. Wow, guess he didn't have a dick. From the waist up, he was a muscular human figure in a carved toga.

"I will not have weapons inside the Pomerian Line!" he announced in a fussy teacher voice. "I certainly will not have Greeks!"

"Terminus," Perfect Jason said, and Eden wanted to groan. She did yawn, though. "It's me. Jason Grace."

"Oh, I remember you, Jason!" Terminus grumbled. "I thought you had better sense than to consort with the enemies of Rome!"

"But they're not enemies—"

"That's right," Piper jumped in. "We just want to talk. If we could—"

"Ha!" snapped the statue. "Don't try that charmspeak on me, young lady. And put down that dagger before I slap it out of your hands!"

Eden's girlfriend glanced at her bronze dagger, which she'd apparently forgotten she was holding. "Um . . . okay. But how would you slap it? You don't have any arms."

"Impertinence!" There was a sharp POP and a flash of yellow. Piper yelped and dropped the dagger, which was now smoking and sparking.

"Hey!" Eden snapped, taking out a javelin. "What'd you do to my girlfriend?"

The javelin got hotter, and hotter. She dropped it when her hands burnt, literally. "Dude, what the hell?"

"Stupid Achilles descendants," Terminus mumbled.

Eden huffed, shaking off the small burns on her hands. They'd be fine. Hopefully.

"Lucky for you I've just been through a battle," Terminus announced. "If I were at full strength, I would've blasted this flying monstrosity out of the sky already!"

"Hold up." Fire Boy stepped forward, wagging his Wii controller. "Did you just call my ship a monstrosity? I know you didn't do that."

"Let's all calm down." Annabeth raised her hands to show she had no weapons. Fucking diplomat. "I take it you're Terminus, the god of boundaries. Jason told me you protect the city of New Rome, right? I'm Annabeth Chase, daughter of—"

"Oh, I know who you are!" The statue glared at her with its blank white eyes. "A child of Athena, Minerva's Greek form. Scandalous! You Greeks have no sense of decency. We Romans know the proper place for that goddess."

Annabeth clenched her jaw. "What exactly do you mean, that goddess? And what's so scandalous about—"

"Right!" Perfect Jason interrupted. "Anyway, Terminus, we're here on a mission of peace. We'd love permission to land so we can—"

"Impossible!" the god squeaked. "Lay down your weapons and surrender! Leave my city immediately!"

"Which is it?" Fire Boy asked. "Surrender, or leave?"

"Both!" Terminus said. "Surrender, then leave. I am slapping your face for asking such a stupid question, you ridiculous boy! Do you feel that?"

"Wow." Leo studied Terminus with professional interest. "You're wound up pretty tight. You got any gears in there that need loosening? I could take a look."

He exchanged the Wii controller for a screwdriver from his magic tool belt and tapped the statue's pedestal.

"Stop that!" Terminus insisted. Another small explosion made Leo drop his screwdriver. "Weapons are not allowed on Roman soil inside the Pomerian Line."

"The what?" Kaleidoscope asked.

"City limits," Perfect Jason translated.

"And this entire ship is a weapon!" Terminus said. "You cannot land!"

"Leo, stop the ship," Annabeth ordered, glancing back at him from where she was looking down.

"What?"

"You heard me. Keep us right where we are."

Leo pulled out his controller and yanked it upward. All ninety oars froze in place. The ship stopped sinking.

"Terminus," Annabeth said, "there's no rule against hovering over New Rome, is there?"

The statue frowned. "Well, no . . ."

"We can keep the ship aloft," Annabeth said. "We'll use a rope ladder to reach the forum. That way, the ship won't be on Roman soil. Not technically."

The statue seemed to ponder this. Eden wondered if he was scratching his chin with imaginary hands.

"I like technicalities," he admitted. "Still . . ."

"All our weapons will stay aboard the ship," Annabeth promised. Eden protested, but she stopped her with a single glare. "I assume the Romans — even those reinforcements marching toward us — will also have to honor your rules inside the Pomerian Line if you tell them to?"

"Of course!" Terminus said. "Do I look like I tolerate rule breakers?"

"Uh, Annabeth . . ." Leo said. "You sure this is a good idea?"

It was not. It was a horrible idea. But the things you do for love. Eden knew personally.

"It'll be fine," Annabeth said. "No one will be armed. We can talk in peace. Terminus will make sure each side obeys the rules." She looked at the marble statue. "Do we have an agreement?"

Terminus sniffed. "I suppose. For now. You may climb down your ladder to New Rome, daughter of Athena. Please try not to destroy my town."

bye i forgot that i made valgrace a reality so excuse the next like??? eight??? chapters??? my bad uh after like ,,, 53 i'll try and remember to put in some more interactions !! istg i thought that i put jason w reyna whoopsies

<3 maybel