I'm so nervous, I don't really want to eat. But, the Romans definitely know how to throw a feast. Sets of couches and low tables were carted into the forum until it resembled a furniture showroom. Romans lounge all around us in groups of ten to twenty, talking and laughing while wind spirits swirl overhead, bringing endless assortments of pizza, sandwiches, chips, cold drinks, and fresh baked cookies. Purple ghosts, which Percy explains are Lares, drift through the crowd in togas and legionnaire armor.
The whole scene is so familiar, yet feels totally uncomfortable. I look over at Annabeth, who is almost completely checked out. She just stares at Percy, happy to be with him again. I'm happy for her. I really am, but I had been counting on her to help me out here. She keeps me in check. I've been spending way too much time around Leo, and it's showing big time. If our quest is going to succeed, we need the Romans, which means getting to know them and building some goodwill. That's going to be hard to do if jokes just slip out of my mouth whenever there's an opportunity.
I'm grateful to Heracles, who is laying at my feet calmly. Leo is next to me, but there's so much going on around us, he's completely distracted. Jason is to my other side with Piper, followed by Percy and Annabeth. Reyna sits across from me at the table, with her own people beside her.
We all introduce ourselves to the Romans, and they do the same for us in return. It seems that no one wants conflict. We're all trying to be as nice as we can to each other while Jason explains what happened on our quest.
"Impossible!" Octavian exclaims when Jason tells him about the Wolf House. "That's our most sacred place. If giants had imprisoned a goddess there-"
"They would've destroyed her." Piper interrupts him. "And blamed it on the Greeks, and started a war between the camps. Now, be quiet and let Jason finish."
Octavian opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. I give Piper a discreet thumbs-up.
Jason continues, and I take the opportunity to examine the Roman officers more carefully. Reyna is eyeing Piper and Jason warily, as if just putting together the thought that they might be together. I wonder if that's jealousy I see in her eyes. Octavian is clearly angry, his arms crossed like a frustrated toddler. I get the feeling that he isn't very well liked. The two centrions that Reyna had called earlier are sitting over by Percy. The asian guy looks really uncomfortable, like he doesn't really feel like he belongs here with us. The girl with the curly hair is still staring wide-eyed at Leo from the opposite side of the table. She looks younger than the rest of us. Maybe thirteen, but I get a weird vibe off off her. Like she's older.
"So," Jason is still speaking. "That's how we found out about the earth goddess, Gaea. That's around when Theo found out she was her mom-"
Octavian gives me a dirty look, which I ignore.
"She's still asleep, but she's the one freeing monsters from Tartarus and raising the giants. Porphyrion, the big leader dude we fought at the Wolf House: he said he was retreating to the ancient lands. Greece itself. He plans on awakening Gaea and destroying the gods by..." He looks over at me. "What did he call it?"
"Pulling up their roots." I reply.
Percy nods thoughtfully. "Gaea's been busy over here, too. We had our own encounter with Queen Dirt Face."
Percy adds his own details about what he's experienced. His trip to Alaska with Frank and Hazel and their fight against their own giants.
When he's done, Jason whistles appreciatively. "No wonder they made you praetor."
Octavian snorts. "Which means we now have three praetors! The rules clearly state we can only have two!"
"On the bright side," Percy smiles. "both Jason and I outrank you, Octavian. So we can both tell you to shut up."
