invisible string | f. zhang

xlii. bob says hello

Maribelle turns to see the Argo II veered to port, its aerial oars in motion, its sails catching the wind. Festus's head glinted in the sunlight.

"That's my boy!" Leo yells.

As the ship grows closer, Maribelle saw Coach Hedge standing at the prow.

"About time!" Coach yells down. "What took you so long, cupcakes? You kept your visitor waiting!"

"Visitor?" Hazel murmurs.

At the rail next to Coach Hedge, a dark-haired girl appears wearing a purple cloak, her face covered with soot and bloody scratches.

Reyna.

     Leo's new mechanical hoist system had lowered the statue onto the hillside with ease. Now, the forty-foot-tall goddess gazed serenely over the River Acheron, her gold dress like molten metal in the sun.

"Incredible," Reyna admits.

The praetor circles the Athena Parthenos warily, "It looks newly made."

"Yeah," Leo says. "We brushed off the cobwebs, used a little Windex. It wasn't hard."

The Argo II hovers just overhead, with Festus keeping watch for threats on the radar, the entire crew had decided to eat lunch on the hillside while they discussed what to do.

Maribelle was glad for anything that wasn't fire water or drakon meat soup.

"Hey, Reyna," Annabeth calls. "Have some food. Join us."

The praetor glances over, her dark eyebrows furrow, as if join us didn't quite compute.

"All right," She says finally.

They scoot over to make room for her in the circle. She sits cross-legged next to Annabeth, picks up a cheese sandwich, and nibbles at the edge.

Maribelle avoids eye contact, instead she focuses on her own sandwich Frank had provided for her.

"So," Reyna says. "Frank Zhang . . . praetor."

Maribelle does look up at that, daring the girl to say something.

Frank shifts, wiping crumbs from his chin. "Well, yeah. Field promotion."

"To lead a different legion," Reyna notes. "A legion of ghosts."

Maribelle places her arm protectively through Frank's.

"Reyna," Jason says, "You should've seen him."

"He was amazing," Piper agrees.

"Frank is a leader," Maribelle insists.

"He makes a great praetor," Hazel agrees.

Reyna's eyes stay on Frank, "I believe you, I approve."

Frank blinks. "You do?"

"You do?" Maribelle mutters to herself.

Reyna smiles dryly. "A son of Mars, the hero who helped to bring back the eagle of the legion . . . I can work with a demigod like that. I'm just wondering how to convince the Twelfth Fulminata."

Frank scowls. "Yeah. I've been wondering the same thing."

"The legion will listen to you, Reyna," Frank says. "You made it here alone, across the ancient lands."

"In doing so, I broke the laws of the legion."

"Caesar broke the law when he crossed the Rubicon," Frank says. "Great leaders have to think outside the box sometimes."

She shakes her head. "I'm not Caesar. After finding Jason's note in Diocletian's Palace, tracking you down was easy. I only did what I thought was necessary."