by Rick Riordan
‘Thank you, great one.’
Pegasus spread his wings and inclined his head.
Even now, after flying halfway up the East Coast together, Reyna could scarcely believe the immortal horse had allowed her to ride.
Reyna had always pictured him as solid white with dove-like wings, but Pegasus’s coat was rich brown, mottled with red and gold around the muzzle – which Hedge claimed were the marks where the stallion had emerged from the blood and ichor of his beheaded mother, Medusa. Pegasus’s wings were the colours of an eagle’s – gold, white, brown and rust – which made him look much more handsome and regal than plain white. He was the colour of all horses, representing all his offspring.
Lord Pegasus nickered.
Hedge trotted over to translate. ‘Pegasus says he should leave before the shooting starts. His life force connects all pegasi, see, so if he gets injured all winged horses feel his pain. That’s why he doesn’t get out much. He’s immortal, but his offspring aren’t. He doesn’t want them to suffer on his account. He’s asked the other horses to stay with us, to help us complete our mission.’
‘I understand,’ Reyna said. ‘Thank you.’
Pegasus whinnied.
Hedge’s eyes widened. He choked back a sob, then fished a handkerchief out of his backpack and dabbed his eyes.
‘Coach?’ Nico frowned with concern. ‘What did Pegasus say?’
‘He – he says he didn’t come to us in person because of my message.’ Hedge turned to Reyna. ‘He did it because of you. He experiences the feelings of all winged horses. He followed your friendship with Scipio. Pegasus says he’s never been more touched by a demigod’s compassion for a winged horse. He gives you the title Horse Friend. This is a great honour.’
Reyna’s eyes stung. She bowed her head. ‘Thank you, lord.’
Pegasus pawed the deck. The other winged horses whinnied in salute. Then their sire launched himself upward and spiralled into the night.
Hedge stared at the clouds in amazement. ‘Pegasus hasn’t shown himself in hundreds of years.’ He patted Reyna on the back. ‘You did good, Roman.’
Reyna didn’t feel like she deserved credit for putting Scipio through so much suffering, but she forced down her feelings of guilt.
‘Nico, we should check the ship,’ she said. ‘If there’s anyone aboard –’
‘Way ahead of you.’ He stroked Blackjack’s muzzle. ‘I sense two mortals asleep in the main cabin. Nobody else. I’m no child of Hypnos, but I’ve sent some deep dreams their way. Should be enough to keep them snoozing until well after sunrise.’
Reyna tried not to stare at him. In the last few days he’d become so much stronger. Hedge’s nature magic had brought him back from the brink. She’d seen Nico do some impressive things, but manipulating dreams … had he always been able to do that?
Coach Hedge rubbed his hands eagerly. ‘So when can we go ashore? My wife is waiting!’
Reyna scanned the horizon. A Greek trireme patrolled just offshore, but it didn’t seem to have noticed their arrival. No alarms sounded. No signs of movement along the beach.
She caught a glimpse of silver wake in the moonlight, half a mile to the west. A black motorboat was speeding towards them with no running lights. Reyna hoped it was a mortal vessel. Then it got closer, and Reyna’s hand tightened on the hilt of her sword. Glinting on the boat’s prow was a laurel wreath design with the letters SPQR.
‘The legion has sent a welcoming committee.’
Nico followed her gaze. ‘I thought the Romans didn’t have a navy.’
‘We didn’t,’ she said. ‘Apparently Octavian has been busier than I realized.’
‘So we attack!’ Hedge said. ‘ ’Cause nobody’s standing in my way when I’m this close.’
Reyna counted three people in the speedboat. The two in the back wore helmets, but Reyna recognized the driver’s wedge-shaped face and stocky shoulders: Michael Kahale.
‘We’ll try to parlay,’ Reyna decided. ‘That’s one of Octavian’s right-hand men, but he’s a good legionnaire. I may be able to reason with him.’
The wind swept Nico’s dark hair across his face. ‘But if you’re wrong …’
The black boat slowed and pulled alongside. Michael called up: ‘Reyna! I’ve got orders to arrest you and confiscate that statue. I’m coming aboard with two other centurions. I’d prefer to do this without bloodshed.’
Reyna tried to control her trembling legs. ‘Come aboard, Michael!’
She turned to Nico and Coach Hedge. ‘If I’m wrong, be ready. Michael Kahale won’t be easy to fight.’
Michael wasn’t dressed for combat. He wore only his purple camp shirt, jeans and running shoes. He carried no visible weapon, but that didn’t make Reyna feel any better. His arms were as thick as bridge cables, his expression as welcoming as a brick wall. The dove tattoo on his forearm looked more like a bird of prey.
His eyes glittered darkly as he took in the scene – the Athena Parthenos harnessed to its team of pegasi, Nico with his Stygian sword drawn, Coach Hedge with his baseball bat.
Michael’s backup centurions were Leila from the Fourth Cohort and Dakota from the Fifth. Strange choices … Leila, daughter of Ceres, wasn’t known for her aggressiveness. She was usually quite levelheaded. And Dakota … Reyna couldn’t believe the son of Bacchus, the most good-natured of officers, would side with Octavian.
‘Reyna Ramírez-Arellano,’ Michael said, like he was reading a scroll, ‘former praetor –’
‘I am praetor,’ Reyna corrected. ‘Unless I have been removed by a vote of the full senate. Is that the case?’
Michael sighed heavily. His heart didn’t seem to be in his task. ‘I have orders to arrest you and hold you for trial.’
‘On whose authority?’
‘You know whose –’
‘On what charges?’
‘Listen, Reyna –’ Michael rubbed his palm across his forehead, like it might wipe away his headache – ‘I don’t like this any more than you do. But I have my orders.’
‘Illegal orders.’
‘It’s too late for argument. Octavian has assumed emergency powers. The legion is behind him.’
‘Is that true?’ She looked pointedly at Dakota and Leila.
Leila wouldn’t meet her eyes. Dakota winked like he was trying to convey a message, but it was hard to tell with him. He might’ve been twitching simply from too much sugary Kool-Aid.
‘We’re at war,’ Michael said. ‘We have to pull together. Dakota and Leila have not been the most enthusiastic supporters. Octavian gave them this one last chance to prove themselves. If they help me bring you in – preferably alive, but dead if necessary – then they keep their rank and prove their loyalty.’
‘To Octavian,’ Reyna noted. ‘Not the legion.’
Michael spread his hands, which were only slightly smaller than baseball mitts. ‘You can’t blame the officers for falling into line. Octavian has a plan to win, and it’s a good plan. At dawn those onagers will destroy the Greek camp without a single loss of Roman life. The gods should be healed.’
Nico stepped in. ‘You’d wipe out half the demigods in the world, half the gods’ legacy, to heal them? You’ll tear apart Olympus before Gaia even wakes up. And she is waking, Centurion.’
Michael scowled. ‘Ambassador of Pluto, son of Hades … whatever you call yourself, you’ve been named an enemy spy. I’ve got orders to take you in for execution.’
‘You can try,’ Nico said coldly.
The face-off was so absurd it should have been humorous. Nico was several years younger, half a foot shorter and fifty pounds lighter. But Michael didn’t make a move. The veins in his neck pulsed.
Dakota coughed. ‘Um, Reyna … just come with us peacefully. Please. We can work this out.’ He was definitely winking at her.
‘All right, enough talk.’ Coach Hedge sized up Michael Kahale. ‘Let me take this joker down. I’ve handled bigger.’
Michael smirked at that. ‘I
’m sure you’re a brave faun, but –’
‘Satyr!’
Coach Hedge leaped at the centurion. He brought his baseball bat down with full force, but Michael simply caught it and yanked it away from the coach. Michael broke the bat over his knee. Then he pushed the coach back, though Reyna could tell Michael wasn’t trying to hurt him.
‘That’s it!’ Hedge growled. ‘Now I’m really mad!’
‘Coach,’ Reyna warned, ‘Michael is very strong. You’d need to be an ogre or a –’
From somewhere off the port side, down at the waterline, a voice yelled, ‘Kahale! What’s taking so long?’
Michael flinched. ‘Octavian?’
‘Of course it’s me!’ yelled the voice from the dark. ‘I got tired of waiting for you to carry out my orders! I’m coming aboard. Everyone on both sides, drop your weapons!’
Michael frowned. ‘Uh … sir? Everyone? Even us?’
‘You don’t solve every problem with a sword or a fist, you big dolt! I can handle these Graecus scum!’
Michael looked unsure about that, but he motioned to Leila and Dakota, who set their swords on the deck.
Reyna glanced at Nico. Obviously, something was wrong. She couldn’t think of any reason Octavian would be here, putting himself in harm’s way. He definitely wouldn’t order his own officers to get rid of their weapons. But Reyna’s instincts told her to play along. She dropped her blade. Nico did the same.
‘Everyone is disarmed, sir,’ Michael called.
‘Good!’ yelled Octavian.
A dark silhouette appeared at the top of the ladder, but he was much too big to be Octavian. A smaller shape with wings fluttered up behind him – a harpy? By the time Reyna realized what was happening, the Cyclops had crossed the deck in two large strides. He bopped Michael Kahale on the head. The centurion fell like a sack of rocks. Dakota and Leila backed away in alarm.
The harpy fluttered to the deckhouse roof. In the moonlight, her feathers were the colour of dried blood.
‘Strong,’ said Ella, preening her wings. ‘Ella’s boyfriend is stronger than Romans.’
‘Friends!’ boomed Tyson the Cyclops. He scooped up Reyna in one arm and Hedge and Nico in the other. ‘We have come to save you. Hooray for us!’
XXXVIII
Reyna
REYNA HAD NEVER BEEN SO GLAD to see a Cyclops, at least until Tyson set them down and wheeled on Leila and Dakota. ‘Bad Romans!’
‘Tyson, wait!’ Reyna said. ‘Don’t hurt them!’
Tyson frowned. He was small for a Cyclops, still a child, really – a little over six feet tall, his messy brown hair crusted with salt water, his big single eye the colour of maple syrup. He wore only a swimsuit and a flannel pyjama shirt, like he couldn’t decide whether to go swimming or go to sleep. He exuded a strong smell of peanut butter.
‘They are not bad?’ he asked.
‘No,’ Reyna said. ‘They were following bad orders. I think they’re sorry for that. Aren’t you, Dakota?’
Dakota put his arms up so fast he looked like Superman about to take off. ‘Reyna, I was trying to clue you in! Leila and I planned to switch sides and help you take down Michael.’
‘That’s right!’ Leila almost fell backwards over the railing. ‘But, before we could, the Cyclops did it for us!’
Coach Hedge snorted. ‘A likely story!’
Tyson sneezed. ‘Sorry. Goat fur. Itchy nose. Do we trust Romans?’
‘I do,’ Reyna said. ‘Dakota, Leila, you understand what our mission is?’
Leila nodded. ‘You want to return that statue to the Greeks as a peace offering. Let us help.’
‘Yeah.’ Dakota nodded vigorously. ‘The legion’s not nearly as united as Michael claimed. We don’t trust all the auxilia forces Octavian has gathered.’
Nico laughed bitterly. ‘A little late for doubts. You’re surrounded. As soon as Camp Half-Blood is destroyed, those allies will turn on you.’
‘So what do we do?’ asked Dakota. ‘We have an hour at most until sunrise.’
‘Five fifty-two a.m.,’ said Ella, still perched on the boathouse. ‘Sunrise, Eastern seaboard, August first. Timetables for Naval Meteorology. One hour and twelve minutes is more than one hour.’
Dakota’s eye ticked. ‘I stand corrected.’
Coach Hedge looked at Tyson. ‘Can we get into Camp Half-Blood safely? Is Mellie all right?’
Tyson scratched his chin thoughtfully. ‘She is very round.’
‘But she’s okay?’ Hedge persisted. ‘She hasn’t given birth yet?’
‘ “Delivery occurs at the end of the third trimester”,’ Ella advised. ‘Page forty-three, The New Mother’s Guide to –’
‘I gotta get over there!’ Hedge looked like he was ready to jump overboard and swim.
Reyna put her hand on his shoulder. ‘Coach, we’ll get you to your wife, but let’s do it right. Tyson, how did you and Ella get out to this ship?’
‘Rainbow!’
‘You … took a rainbow?’
‘He is my fish pony friend.’
‘A hippocampus,’ Nico advised.
‘I see.’ Reyna thought for a moment. ‘Could you and Ella escort the coach back to Camp Half-Blood safely?’
‘Yes!’ Tyson said. ‘We can do that!’
‘Good. Coach, go see your wife. Tell the campers I plan to fly the Athena Parthenos to Half-Blood Hill at sunrise. It’s a gift from Rome to Greece, to heal our divisions. If they could refrain from shooting me out of the sky, I’d be grateful.’
‘You got it,’ Hedge said. ‘But what about the Roman legion?’
‘That’s a problem,’ Leila said gravely. ‘Those onagers will blast you out of the sky.’
‘We’ll need a distraction,’ Reyna said. ‘Something to delay the attack on Camp Half-Blood and preferably put those weapons out of commission. Dakota, Leila, will your cohorts follow you?’
‘I – I think so, yes,’ Dakota said. ‘But if we ask them to commit treason –’
‘It isn’t treason,’ Leila said. ‘Not if we’re acting on direct orders from our praetor. And Reyna is still praetor.’
Reyna turned to Nico. ‘I need you to go with Dakota and Leila. While they’re stirring trouble in the ranks, trying to delay the attack, you have to find a way to sabotage those onagers.’
Nico’s smile made Reyna glad he was on her side. ‘My pleasure. We’ll buy you time to deliver the Athena Parthenos.’
‘Um …’ Dakota shuffled his feet. ‘Even if you get the statue to the hill, what’s to stop Octavian from destroying it once it’s in place? He’s got lots of firepower, even without the onagers.’
Reyna peered up at the ivory face of Athena, veiled beneath camouflage netting. ‘Once the statue is returned to the Greeks … I think it will be difficult to destroy. It has great magic. It has simply chosen not to use it yet.’
Leila bent down slowly and retrieved her sword, keeping her eyes on the Athena Parthenos. ‘I’ll take your word for it. What do we do with Michael?’
Reyna regarded the snoring mountain of Hawaiian demigod. ‘Put him in your boat. Don’t hurt him or bind him. I have a feeling Michael’s heart is in the right place. He just had the bad luck of being sponsored by the wrong person.’
Nico sheathed his black sword. ‘You sure about this, Reyna? I don’t like leaving you alone.’
Blackjack whinnied and licked the side of Nico’s face.
‘Gah! Okay, I’m sorry.’ Nico wiped off the horse spit. ‘Reyna’s not alone. She’s got a herd of excellent pegasi.’
Reyna couldn’t help but smile. ‘I’ll be fine. With luck, we’ll all meet again soon enough. We’ll fight side by side against Gaia’s forces. Be careful, and Ave Romae!’
Dakota and Leila repeated the cheer.
Tyson furrowed his single eyebrow. ‘Who is Ave?’
‘It means Go, Romans.’ Reyna clapped the Cyclops’s forearm. ‘But, by all means, Go, Greeks, too.’ The words sounded strange in her mouth.
&
nbsp; She faced Nico. She wanted to hug him but wasn’t sure the gesture would be welcome. She extended her hand. ‘It’s been an honour questing with you, son of Hades.’
Nico’s grip was strong. ‘You’re the most courageous demigod I’ve ever met, Reyna. I –’ He faltered, perhaps realizing he had a large audience. ‘I won’t let you down. See you on Half-Blood Hill.’
The sky began to lighten in the east as the group dispersed. Soon Reyna stood on the deck of the Mi Amor … alone except for eight pegasi and a forty-foot-tall Athena.
She tried to steady her nerves. Until Nico, Dakota and Leila had time to disrupt the legion’s attack, she couldn’t do anything, but she hated standing around and waiting.
Just over that dark line of hills, her comrades in the Twelfth Legion were preparing for a needless attack. If Reyna had stayed with them, she could’ve guided them better. She could’ve kept Octavian in check. Perhaps the giant Orion was correct: she’d failed in her duties.
She remembered the ghosts on the balcony in San Juan – pointing at her, whispering accusations: Murderer. Traitor. She remembered the feel of the golden sabre in her hand as she slashed down her father’s spectre – his face full of outrage and betrayal.
You are a Ramírez-Arellano! her father used to rant. Never abandon your post. Never let anyone in. Above all, never betray your own!
By helping the Greeks, Reyna had done all of those things. A Roman was supposed to destroy her enemies. Instead, Reyna had joined forces with them. She’d left her legion in the hands of a madman.
What would her mother say? Bellona, the war goddess …
Blackjack must have sensed her agitation. He clopped over and nuzzled her.
She stroked his muzzle. ‘I don’t have any treats for you, boy.’
He bumped her affectionately. Nico had told her that Blackjack was Percy’s usual ride, but he seemed friendly to everyone. He’d carried the son of Hades without protest. Now he was comforting a Roman.
She wrapped her arms around his powerful neck. His coat smelled just like Scipio’s – a mixture of fresh-cut grass and warm bread. She let loose a sob that had been building in her chest. As praetor, she couldn’t show weakness or fear to her comrades. She had to stay strong. But the horse didn’t seem to mind.
He nickered gently. Reyna couldn’t understand Horse, but he seemed to say, It’s all right. You’ve done well.
She looked up at the fading stars.
‘Mother,’ she said, ‘I haven’t prayed to you enough. I’ve never met you. I’ve never asked for your help. But please … this morning, give me the strength to do what is right.’
As if on cue, something flashed on the eastern horizon – a light across the Sound, approaching fast like another speedboat.
For one elated moment, Reyna thought it was a sign from Bellona.
The dark shape got closer. Reyna’s hope turned to dread. She waited too long, paralysed with disbelief, as the figure resolved into a large humanoid, running towards her across the surface of the water.
The first arrow struck Blackjack’s flank. The horse collapsed with a shriek of pain.
Reyna screamed, but, before she could move, a second arrow hit the deck between her feet. Attached to its shaft was a glowing LED read-out the size of a
