𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

13

"Are they always this friendly?" Hadrian called out to Jason who only cursed. He had no idea where the others were. Somewhere along the way they had gotten separated from each other.

As much as Annabeth seemed to hate him, Hadrian knew she would have some answer, some plan and right now they needed her.

"There!" Jason pointed to Percy. He and his friends, Hazel and Frank, were standing in the middle of a fountain as Percy repelled the angry Romans with blasts of water. Percy's toga was in tatters, but he looked unhurt.

Across the field, Annabeth was rushing towards them. Thank the gods.

"Annabeth!" Hadrian tried to get her attention, but she was too far away.

Annabeth yelled something as another explosion rocked the forum. This time the flash of light was directly overhead. One of the Roman catapults had fired, and the Argo II groaned and tilted sideways, flames bubbling over its bronze-plated hull.

Hadrian noticed a figure clinging desperately to the rope ladder, trying to climb down. It was Octavian, his robes steaming and his face black with soot.

Over by the fountain, Percy blasted the Roman mob with more water.

"I'll tell you what!" cried a voice from above. Octavian had reached the bottom of the ladder. "The Greeks have fired on us! Your boy Leo has trained his weapons on Rome!"

"What?" Jason looked like he was losing his mind.

How had everything gone to shit so fast?

Hadrian grabbed Jason's forearm and pulled him through the crowd. Someone punched him in his gut, causing him to lose balance and almost fall down. But Jason hauled him back up. They had no place to run to.

Out of all the people, did Hadrian have to be stuck with Jason? Seriously? He supposed that was better than one of the romans at least.

Hadrian wasn't as muscular as Percy or Jason, but he was quick on his feet. His stomach ached, but he managed to pull through. As he rushed through the crowd, he brushed his arm against the romans. The ones he touched stopped looking so hostile and lowered their pots, pans and stones.

"Monster!" Someone cried. It was an all out brawl.

"Hadrian" Jason gasped, looking at his hair. "What the hell is that? How did you-? Change it!"

Oh gods, really? Right now? His hair had turned a shade of dark purple, like Jason's toga. He couldn't see his reflection, but from the few strands that were over his forehead, he could see why the romans were so scared. Shit! He didn't want Jason to know about that. 

He'd always been targeted because of his hair. It wasn't natural, no other demigod had the ability. 

"Romans!" Jason cried. "Please!"

More stones were being pelted at them. Hadrian forced his hair to turn a boring brown, but that didn't stop the romans. Hadrian was aware of a fork stabbing him in his upper right arm. The pain was hot and spiky. He whirled around and kicked whoever it was. It hurt worse when the fork was taken out. But they couldn't stop.

They kept running towards Percy, Annabeth and the others.

"Hadrian, look out" Jason said. In his hurry to kick his attacker, he had ignored a brick rushing towards him. Since he was gripping Jason's arm tightly, when Hadrian leaned back to avoid the airborne brick, he accidentally dragged Jason right into it's path.

The brick caught him right above the eye. He crumpled and the crowd surged forward. Shit.

"Get back!" Hadrian screamed. His charmspeak rolled over the mob, making them hesitate. He grabbed Jason under his arms an tried to drag him away. For someone that looked lean, Jason was heavy.

Hadrian's strength was fading. His throat was raw from screaming, his arm hurt where blood dripped drop by drop from four holes. A fork? Really? That's their best weapon?

He alternated between using charmspeak and dragging Jason. He had to get them both to the ship, but they were too far away to make it themselves.

A roar pulled him out of his thoughts.

Romans screamed and scattered as a full-sized dragon charged through the forum—a beast even scarier than the bronze dragon figurehead on the Argo II. It had rough gray skin like a Komodo lizard's and leathery bat wings. Arrows and rocks bounced harmlessly off its hide as it lumbered toward Hadrian and Jason.

Hadrian may have given a very baby like shriek and almost passed out when the dragon grabbed them with its front claws, but no one would know.

"LET ME GO" He tried to charmspeak, but he'd used his powers so much, it was useless to try.

The dragon vaulted into the air with the two demigods.