DON'T BLAME ME! (p. jackson) (#2) (ON HOLD)

- four

ROSE WANTED TO HATE NEW ROME. but as annabeth's best friend, she couldn't help admiring the terraced gardens, the fountains and temples, the winding cobblestone streets and gleaming white villas. annabeth would love the way those columns lead into that courtyard. whoever designed new rome had clearly poured a lot of time and love into the project.

"we have the best architects and builders in the world," reyna said, as if reading her thoughts. "rome always did, in the ancient times. many demigods stay on to live here after their time in the legion. they go to our university. they settle down to raise families. percy seemed interested in this fact."

rose wondered what that meant. she must have frowned more fiercely than she realized, because reyna laughed.

"you're a warrior, all right," the praetor said. "you've got fire in your eyes."

"sorry." rose tried to tone down the glare.

"don't be. i'm the daughter of bellona."

"roman goddess of war?"

reyna nodded. she turned and whistled like she was hailing a cab. a moment later, two metal dogs raced toward them—automaton greyhounds, one silver and one gold. they brushed against reyna's legs and regarded rose with glistening ruby eyes.

"my pets," reyna explained. "aurum and argentum. you don't mind if they walk with us?"

again, rose got the feeling it wasn't really a request. she noted that the greyhounds had teeth like steel arrowheads. maybe weapons weren't allowed inside the city, but reyna's pets could still tear her to pieces if they chose.

reyna led her to an outdoor café, where the waiter clearly knew her. he smiled and handed her a to-go cup, then offered one to rose.

"would you like some?" reyna asked. "they make wonderful hot chocolate. not really a roman drink—"

"but chocolate is universal," rose said.

"exactly."

it was a warm june afternoon, but rose accepted the cup with thanks. the two of them walked on, reyna's gold and silver dogs roaming nearby.

"in our camp," reyna said, "athena is minerva. are you familiar with how her roman form is different?"

rose hadn't really considered it before. she remembered the way terminus had called athena that goddess, as if she were scandalous. octavian had acted like annabeth's very existence was an insult.

"i take it minerva isn't... uh, quite as respected here?"

reyna blew steam from her cup. "we respect minerva. she's the goddess of crafts and wisdom... but she isn't really a goddess of war. not for romans. she's also a maiden goddess, like diana... the one you call artemis. you won't find any children of minerva here. the idea that minerva would have children—frankly, it's a little shocking to us."

"oh."

"i understand that you greeks don't see things the same way," reyna continued. "but romans take vows of maidenhood very seriously. the vestal virgins, for instance... if they broke their vows and fell in love with anyone, they would be buried alive. so the idea that a maiden goddess would have children—"

"got it." rose's hot chocolate suddenly tasted like dust. no wonder the romans had been giving annabeth strange looks. "annabeth isn't supposed to exist. and even if your camp had children of minerva—"

"they wouldn't be like her," reyna said. "they might be craftsmen, artists, maybe advisers, but not warriors. not leaders of dangerous quests."

after a few moments of silence, she said, "there's more." she snapped her fingers, and her golden dog, aurum, trotted over. the praetor stroked his ears. "the harpy, ella... it was a prophecy she spoke. we both know that, don't we?"