𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍; son of neptune

augur

A ghost ran toward them—an old man with a medicine-ball belly and toga so long he kept tripping on it. He caught up to them and gasped for air, his purple aura flickering around him.

"This is him?" Vitellius panted. "A new recruit for the Fifth, perhaps?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Jasper chirped. "He's pretty badass."

"Thanks," Percy said, his eyebrows raising like the compliment had surprised him.

"Vitellus," Hazel said, "we're sort of in a hurry."

The ghost scowled at Percy and walked around him, inspecting him like a used car. "I don't know," he grumbled. "We need only the best for the cohort. Does he have all his teeth? Can he fight? Does he clean stables?"

"Yes, yes, and no," Percy said. "Who are you?"

"Percy, this is Vitellius," Hazel said tightly. "He's one of our Lares; takes an interest in new recruits."

On a nearby porch, other ghosts snickered as Vitellius paced back and forth, tripping over his toga and hiking up his sword belt.

"Yes," Vitellius said, "back in Caesar's day—that's Julius Caesar, mind you—the Fifth Cohort was something! Twelfth Legion Fulminata, pride of Rome! But these days? Disgraceful what we've come to. Look at Hazel here, using a spatha. Ridiculous weapon for a Roman legionnaire—that's for cavalry! And you, boy—you smell like a Greek sewer. Haven't you had a bath?"

"I've been a little busy fighting gorgons," Percy said.

"Vitellius," Hazel interrupted, "we've got to go get Percy's augury before he can join. Why don't you check on Frank? He's in the armory doing inventory. You know how much he values your help."

The ghost's furry purple eyebrows shot up. "Mars Almighty! They let the probatio check the armor? We'll be ruined!"

He stumbled off down the street, stopping every few feet to pick up his sword or rearrange his toga.

"O-h-h-kay," Percy said.

"Poor Frank," Jasper said.

"Sorry," Hazel said to Percy. "He's eccentric, but he's one of the oldest Lares. Been around since the legion was founded."

"What did that guy call the legion, anyway? Fulminata?"

"'Armed with Lightning,'" Hazel translated. "That's our motto. The Twelfth Legion was around for the entire Roman Empire. When Rome fell, a lot of legions just disappeared. We went underground, acting on secret orders from Jupiter himself: stay alive, recruit demigods and their children, keep Rome going. We've been doing that ever since, moving around to wherever Roman influence was strongest. The last few centuries, we've been in America."

Jasper beamed. "Hazel, you've actually gotten caught up on your history."

"Oh, shush," she said, but her cheeks were faintly red.

"So you're in the Fifth Cohort?" Percy asked Hazel. "I take it it's not the most popular."

Hazel scowled. "Yeah. I joined up last September."

"Just a few weeks before that guy Jason disappeared."

Jasper nodded. "The camp took a major hit. He was really popular, especially for the Fifth. Plus, being a praetor and all... people looked up to him, you know? If one of our strongest leaders could just go missing, then what else could happen, right?"

Percy turned to Jasper. "Do you miss him?"

That was an interesting question. Did Jasper miss Jason? He was surprised to find that he did. The son of Jupiter had been good for a lot of things, and in general he was just a decent person.