AFTER DINNER, the entire legion got the night off. Camilla and her friends drifted toward the city, which wasn't quite recovered from the battle, but the fires were out, most of the debris had been swept up, and the citizens were determined to celebrate.
At the Pomerian Line, the statue of Terminus wore a paper party hat.
"Welcome, praetor!" he said. "You need any giants' faces smashed while you're in town, just let me know."
"Thanks, Terminus," Percy said. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Yes, good. Your praetor's cape is an inch too low on the left. There—that's better. Where is my assistant? Julia!"
Julia ran out from behind the pedestal. When she smiled, Camilla saw that her front teeth were coming in. She held up a box full of party hats.
Percy tried to decline, but Julia gave him those big adoring eyes no human could say no to.
"Ah, sure," he said. "I'll take the blue crown."
Julia offered Hazel a gold pirate hat. "I'm gonna be Percy Jackson when I grow up," she told Hazel solemnly.
Hazel smiled and ruffled her hair. "That's a good thing to be, Julia."
"Although," Frank said, picking out a hat shaped like a polar bear's head, "Frank Zhang would be good, too."
"Frank!" Hazel said as Camilla picked out a pink paper crown.
They put on their hats and continued to the forum, which was lit up with multicolored lanterns. The fountains glowed purple. The coffee shops were doing a brisk business, and street musicians filled the air with the sounds of guitar, lyre, panpipes, and armpit noises.
The goddess Iris must have been in a party mood too. As they strolled past the damaged Senate House, a dazzling rainbow appeared in the night sky. Unfortunately, the goddess sent another blessing, too—a gentle rain of gluten-free R.O.F.L. cupcake simulations.
For a while, Camilla and Percy wandered the streets with Hazel and Frank, who kept brushing shoulders. Percy looked at Camilla, silent understanding passing between them.
"I'm a little tired, guys," Percy said.
"Yeah, me too," Camilla added. "You guys go on ahead."
Hazel and Frank protested, but it was clear they wanted some alone time.
Camilla and Percy started heading back to the camp.
"How's your face?" Percy asked.
Camilla touched the bandage on her cheek. "Doesn't really hurt unless I smile really wide," she said.
"I'm sorry," Percy said. "I should've been paying more att—"
"Don't even try," Camilla cut him off. "I got distracted. It happens. It didn't kill me, and now I have a super cool battle scar. Don't steal this from me, Dory."
Percy blinked. "Dory? From Finding Nemo?"
Camilla shrugged. "You've had your fair share of memory problems," she said. "It fits."
Percy glared at her. "Okay, Scarface."
Camilla feigned a pout. "Too soon."
Percy bumped her shoulder lightly. "Not sorry," he told her.
"This is why Tyson's my favorite brother," she said.
It was Percy's turn to fake a pout. "And I was going to say you were my favorite sister."
"How many other sisters do you have?" Camilla questioned.
Percy was quiet for a moment. "...None."
Camilla laughed. "That's what I thought."
They walked in silence for a few minutes. Percy was the first to break it. "Annabeth's gonna love this place," he said as they passed some of the intact buildings of New Rome, sounding wistful. "She's really into architecture. Wish she could've seen it before it all got... y'know, ruined."
"It gives the city character," Camilla said.
Percy huffed a laugh. "So, you excited to see Jason again?"
Camilla smiled despite herself. "Of course," she said. "He's my best friend."
Percy smirked. "And you love him," he teased, drawling out the 'o' obnoxiously.
Camilla smacked his arm. "Shut up," she said, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Am I going to have to deal with another Hazel and Frank situation, because I don't think I can handle that," Percy said. "If it's going to be a 'will-they-won't-they' situation the whole way to Rome, I'm going to throw you both overboard."
"Shut up!" Camilla insisted. "Jason doesn't like me that way. Besides, he's been gone eight months. He might... He might be a completely different person."
Percy's expression softened at Camilla's change in tone. "Hey, I doubt that," he said. "I haven't changed from my old self. I really doubt he's changed from his."
Camilla bit the inside of her lip. "I hope so," she murmured. "I just... I've really missed him."
"The warship'll be here within the next few days," Percy told her. "Maybe even tomorrow. You'll see him soon. And if he somehow turned into an asshole—I'll beat him up if you want."
Camilla cracked a smile. "That's a very kind offer," she said.
Percy shrugged. "Nothing but the best for my favorite little sister."
"Only sister," Camilla corrected. "And Neptune said we're only a month apart!"
"Still makes me older," Percy said. "And wiser. And better. And—"
Camilla smacked him in the arm. "More annoying?"
"Oh, no, that's just my dazzling personality."
He dodged the next smack by an inch.
◈
Camilla woke the next morning to Hazel shaking her awake, grinning from ear to ear.
"Frank asked me to be his girlfriend!" she squeaked.
Camilla blinked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It took her a moment to pull herself entirely from her dream. "That's great, Hazel," she said, stifling a yawn. "Took you two long enough."
Hazel scoffed, throwing one of Camilla's SPQR t-shirts at her. "You have no room to talk," Hazel teased. "I only knew you and Jason together for two months and it was unbearable."
"Shut up," Camilla mumbled, barely suppressing a smile.
"Come on," Hazel said, tossing a pair of jeans at Camilla. "Get dressed, we're meeting Frank and Percy for an early breakfast before the senate meeting."
Camilla got ready quickly, sensing Hazel's impatience to see her new boyfriend. Standing in front of the mirror, she peeled the bandage off of her cheek. The cut had healed nicely, thanks to the ambrosia and the water from hers and Percy's dip in the bay back in Alaska. It was the first time she'd actually seen the scar—it started just below her eye and ended at her jaw, the jagged line stark against her skin. She figured it would fade with time, but for now, it was the focal point of her face.
She wasn't sure if she liked that or not.
On one hand, she wasn't sure it really fit her. She'd never been a particularly big fighter—sure, she could hold her own, which she'd proven on the quest and throughout her time in the legion, but she'd never considered herself to be some kind of badass.
And, in a way, it reminded her of her mother. Of the pride in her eyes at the sight of Camilla's scars, as if Camilla's fights had anything to do with her.
But on the other hand, it made her feel... strong. Like a hero. It spoke of her battle with the shades, of how she survived. Her scar was like a medal.
She closed her eyes, brushing her finger over the scar. She'd earned it herself—her mother didn't have anything to do with it. It was her badge of honor, not her mother's, not her father's—it was hers.
In that moment, she made a decision.
She'd wear the scar with her own pride.
◈
Camilla and Hazel met Frank and Percy for an early breakfast, then they headed into the city before the senate was due to convene.
On the way, they passed the stables, where Tyson and Mrs. O'Leary were sleeping in. Tyson snored on a bed of hay next to the unicorns, a blissful look on his face like he was dreaming of ponies. Mrs. O'Leary had rolled on her back and covered her ears with her paws. On the stable roof, Ella roosted in a pile of old Roman scrolls, her head tucked under her wings.
When they got to the forum, they sat by the fountains and watched the sun come up. The citizens were already busy sweeping up cupcake simulations, confetti, and party hats from last night's celebration. The engineer corps was working on a new arch that would commemorate the victory over Polybotes.
Hazel said she'd even heard talk of a formal triumph for the four of them—a parade around the city followed by a week of games and celebrations—but Camilla had a feeling they wouldn't get the chance.
Percy told them about his dream of Juno.
Camilla was a little uneasy when Percy told her what Juno had told him about Neptune and Jupiter's fight. Jupiter was furious that Neptune had kept her hidden for so long, and the only thing that kept him from trying to smite her right then and there were the other gods convincing him to let the war play out with her in it.
Juno had called her Neptune's secret weapon. Camilla didn't know what that was supposed to mean. Weren't secret weapons supposed to be powerful and intense? She barely had a handle on her water powers, how was she supposed to be some kind of secret weapon?
Hazel frowned. "The gods were busy last night. Show him, Frank."
Frank reached into his coat pocket. Camilla thought he might bring out his piece of firewood, but instead he produced a thin paperback book and a note on red stationery.
"These were on my pillow this morning." He passed them to Percy. "Like the Tooth Fairy visited."
The book was The Art of War by Sun Tzu. The note read: Good job, kid. A real man's best weapon is his mind. This was your mom's favorite book. Give it a read. P.S.—I hope your friend Percy Jackson has learned some respect for me.
"Wow." Percy handed back the book. "Maybe Mars is different than Ares. I don't think Ares can read."
Camilla hit his arm. "One of these days the gods are going to collectively decide to smite you."
Percy waved a hand dismissively. "Eh, it'll be fine."
Frank flipped through the pages. "There's a lot in here about sacrifice, knowing the cost of war. Back in Vancouver, Mars told me I'd have to put my duty ahead of my life or the entire war would go sideways. I thought he meant freeing Thanatos, but now... I don't know. I'm still alive, so maybe the worst is yet to come."
He glanced nervously at Percy, and Camilla wondered if that was all Mars had told Frank.
"You risked your life," Percy said. "You were willing to burn up to save the quest. Mars can't expect more than that."
"Maybe," Frank said doubtfully.
Hazel squeezed his hand.
"Hazel, what about you?" Percy asked. "Any word from Pluto?"
She looked down. Several diamonds popped out of the ground at her feet. "No," she admitted. "In a way, I think he sent me a message through Thanatos. My name wasn't on that list of escaped souls. It should have been."
"You think your dad is giving you a pass?" Camilla asked.
Hazel shrugged. "Pluto can't visit me or even talk to me without acknowledging I'm alive. Then he'd have to enforce the laws of death and have Thanatos bring me back to the Underworld. I think my dad is turning a blind eye. I think—I think he wants me to find Nico."
"We'll find your brother," Percy promised. "As soon as the ship gets here, we'll sail for Rome."
Hazel and Frank exchanged uneasy looks, like they'd already talked about this.
"Percy..." Frank said. "If you want us to come along, we're in. But are you sure? I mean... we know you've got tons of friends at the other camp. And now you have a sister. You could pick anyone at Camp Jupiter now. If we're not part of the eight, we'd understand—"
"Are you kidding?" Percy said. "You think I'd leave my team behind? After surviving Fleecy's wheat germ, running from cannibals, and hiding under blue giant butts in Alaska? Come on!"
Camilla grimaced at the memory. "Can we agree never to mention the whole hiding under a giant's rear-end, please?"
The tension broke. All four of them started cracking up, maybe a little too much, but it was a relief to be alive, with the warm sun shining, and not worrying—at least for the moment—about the war looming over their heads.
Hazel took a deep, sobering breath. "The prophecy Ella gave us—about the child of wisdom, and the mark of Athena burning through Rome... do you know what that's about?"
"I'm not sure," Percy admitted. "I think there's more to the prophecy. Maybe Ella can remember the rest of it."
Frank slipped his book into his pocket. "We need to take her with us—I mean, for her own safety. If Octavian finds out Ella has the Sibylline Books memorized..."
Camilla shuddered. If Octavian got hold of Ella...
"You're right," Percy said. "We've got to protect her. I just hope we can convince her—"
"Percy!" Tyson came running across the forum, Ella fluttering behind him with a scroll in her talons. When they reached the fountain, Ella dropped the scroll in Percy's lap.
"Special delivery," she said. "From an aura. A wind spirit. Yes, Ella got a special delivery."
"Good morning, brothers and sister!" Tyson had hay in his hair and peanut butter in his teeth. "The scroll is from Leo. He is funny and small."
The scroll didn't look like much, but when Percy spread it across his lap, a video recording flickered on the parchment. A kid in Greek armor grinned up at them. He had an impish face, curly black hair, and wild eyes, like he'd just had several cups of coffee. He was sitting in a dark room with timber walls like a ship's cabin. Oil lamps swung back and forth on the ceiling.
Hazel stifled a scream.
"What?" Frank asked. "What's wrong?"
Slowly, Camilla realized that the curly-haired boy looked familiar. Hazel had had an old photograph of someone who looked exactly like this boy.
"Hey!" said the guy in the video. "Greetings from your friends at Camp Half-Blood, et cetera. This is Leo. I'm the..." He looked off screen and yelled: "What's my title? Am I like admiral, or captain, or—"
A girl's voice yelled back, "Repair boy."
"Very funny, Piper," Leo grumbled. He turned back to the parchment screen. "So yeah, I'm... ah... supreme commander of the Argo II. Yeah, I like that! Anyway, we're gonna be sailing toward you in about, I dunno, an hour in this big mother warship. We'd appreciate it if you'd not, like, blow us out of the sky or anything. So okay! If you could tell the Romans that. See you soon. Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out."
The parchment turned blank.
"It can't be," Hazel said.
"What?" Frank asked. "You know that guy?"
Hazel looked like she'd seen a ghost. Camilla understood why. She remembered the photo in Hazel's old house in Seward. The kid on the parchment looked exactly like her old boyfriend.
"It's Sammy Valdez," she said. "But how... how—"
"It can't be," Percy said. "That guy's name is Leo. And it's been seventy-something years. It has to be a..."
Percy's voice faded.
Before anyone else could speak, they were interrupted by horns blowing in the distance. The senators came marching into the forum with Reyna at the lead.
"It's meeting time," Percy said. "Come on. We've got to warn them about the warship."
◈