reflection ● jason grace

Parties and Prophecies

Daria's energy ran out about an hour in.

She considered herself to be popular enough. The population of New Rome and Camp Jupiter liked her so much as to elect her as the primus pilus all those years ago. But she wasn't really an extrovert. She preferred spending time with her seven closest friends, and even then, Nathan was questionable.

So Daria was sitting at one of the tables, drinking punch as Reyna and Mitch debated whether Bellona or Mars was more powerful. She could see Leila with Jess, and Michael with Octavian and Benny. She couldn't see Clara, or Dakota, but who knew what they were up to?

"You're kidding me," Mitch said. "Mars is literally the god of war."

"So is Bellona," Reyna fired back. She was wearing a simple red dress and a gorgeous necklace that had been Hylla's, her older sister. "Just say you're misogynistic."

Mitch spluttered. He was less dressed up than the younger boys, just in a button-down and pants; Daria wondered where his boyfriend was. "I'm not-"

"Daria!" Clara exclaimed, running up to her as fast as she could in her dress. "Have you seen Jason or Daniel?"

Anything Mitch was going to say disappeared from the tip of his tongue. "Why?" He demanded, standing. "What happened?"

The music was suddenly too loud. Daria joined the son of Mars in his defensive stance. Immediately, she felt the ground under her feet. Mangled with the booming of the bass line, it was hard to get a definite read, but she couldn't feel Jason or Daniel anywhere inside camp borders.

"Dakota and I were outside," Clara rushed, with a glance at her partner who seemed just as frazzled. "We saw a giant light flashing from Temple Hill and rushed to the scene. There was a," she paused, looking at Mitch. "A cigarette, on the ground, alongside Ivlivs."

Mitch inhaled sharply, but if something really was going on, there was no time for shock. "Come on," Daria grabbed Reyna's hand. Her dark eyebrows were set in worry, but she looked determined. As fast as possible, the five of them raced to the statue of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

Daria had been training since she was five years old – a run from the Forum to Temple Hill was easy, but she was struggling to inhale. Her head rushed, she almost felt like she was going to vomit. She imagined Jason and Daniel already dead somewhere. She should have seen it; she should have followed them.

Reyna gripped her hand as they slowed. "Not now, Daria."

She was right. Daria had to get it together. She pushed any fears out of her head as she kneeled on the grass. "They were here," she decided, backing up Clara's claim. She could feel Jason, Daniel, and a third figure that had been here for less than a minute. "So was someone else."

"If they knocked out both Jason and Daniel, then they've got to be super powerful, right?' Dakota said nervously.

"Or they were taken by surprise," Mitch said grimly. Daria could see him digging his nails into the palm of his hand. "We've got to tell Leila. A quest needs to be issued."

"Yeah," Daria agreed, standing shakily. Reyna tried to place a hand on her shoulder in comfort, but Daria brushed it away, leading the pack back to the Coliseum.

"What?" Reyna raised her eyebrows as she paced beside her. She kept her voice low, but Daria could hear the anger in it. "Are you mad at me or something?"

"I'm trying to concentrate." Reyna hadn't done anything to warrant it, maybe, but Daria felt like she was one comment away from bursting. She really didn't need Reyna telling her to calm down. "Just, give me a second."