Changing the Future

Chapter 78

I didn't pull any punches with my appearance this time.

Subtlety rarely worked on the Romans.

I wore a simple white dress underneath my gleaming armor. A purple cape flowed from my shoulders to my ankles. Gold vambraces and greaves patterned with hourglasses and clocks adorned my forearms and shins. Gold laurels wrapped around my head, elegantly braided between my hair before tumbling into tight curls. Epithymia glinted in the sunlight as I adjusted my grip on the hilt. The only non-traditional part of my outfit was my pair of white Converse. I still don't understand how the Ancient Greeks or Romans could fight in such flimsy sandals without spraining their ankles every other step.

Gasps of, "Bellona!" filled the crowd as the Romans scrambled onto their knees.

I turned to Reyna. I gave her a look that I hope silently conveyed: Do I look like your mother?

Reyna shook her head, the faintest of smiles on her lips.

"Children of Rome, I am Andromeda – the daughter of Saturn and goddess of time." At the sight of so many blank faces, I added, "Aka, I'm Andy. Hi, everyone."

Octavian wasted no time in charging me, a strangled war cry erupting from his lips as he ran. I sheathed Epithymia and lowered my stance. As Octavian went to tackle me, I grabbed him by the hips and flipped him over me so that he landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him.

"No violence in the Senate, Octavian. We don't want a repeat of Caesar on our hands." I clapped my hands together. "Well, now that that's taken care of, we have much to discuss."

0o0o

A three-hour Senate meeting and the repeated urge to smash my head into the nearest wall later, I arrived at the Great Salt Lake wanting nothing more than to throttle Apollo. Despite my best efforts to calm tensions at Camp Jupiter, the Romans' urge for justice was too strong. They'd conceded to a three-day stall to give Camp Half-Blood time to shore up its defenses, but then they would cross the country with guns blazing in the name of Apollo's honor.

Funny that Octavian and his supporters just so happened to forget his attack against me, which would've given Camp Half-Blood the right to march on Camp Jupiter by his logic.

I should've smacked him over the head with Epithymia.

Seeing that the meeting took longer than expected, I reached Utah just as the Argo II took off. I could sense the ticked off water nymphs around the boat and was glad I'd arrived later rather than sooner.

While Leo, Annabeth, Frank, and Percy worked in the engine room, I walked down to the sick bay. There I found Piper and Jason, sitting on an empty cot while watching Apollo. He was still sleeping, but someone had put an ice pack on his forehead and bandaged his hands.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He hasn't woken up," Jason said.

"He's said your name a few times, though," Piper added.

"Did he now?" I sighed. "Do you mind giving us the room? I think Leo's about to call a meeting in the lounge, anyway."

I made sure to lock the door once the pair left. I grabbed a stool and sat beside Apollo, actively suppressing my inner turmoil.

On one hand, I wanted to wring his neck. I wanted to yell at him for making such a rash and stupid decision. I wanted to berate him for bringing our personal issues into this and causing a civil war.

On the other hand, I wanted to help him. Clearly, something was on his mind other than the fact that the Oracle of Delphi's spirit had latched onto my soul. We – I – shouldn't have left things the way I did the last time we spoke on Olympus. Yes, I was angry and upset, but maybe if I had shoved those feelings aside and kept my wits about me, we wouldn't be in this situation. Apollo might've been more receptive to my decision to go on this quest and call him should this Oracle thing prove excessively cumbersome and dangerous should I have stayed a little longer.