The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 47 - Alex - A Message From The Skies

The next morning, we ate breakfast early, then headed into the city before the senate was due to convene. As Percy and I were in top ranks now, we could go pretty much wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted.

When we got to the forum, we 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 three of them—a parade around the city followed by a week of games and celebrations—but I knew they'd never get the chance. They didn't have time.

Percy told us about his dream of Juno. She'd told him that there were much more troubles that Seven demigods would have to face, and I knew just who they were. 

Hazel frowned. "The gods were busy last night. Show him, Frank."

Frank reached into his coat pocket. I 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 letter 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 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."

I smiled. "Yeah, maybe he is."

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."

"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 Frank's hand.

They seemed more comfortable around each other this morning, not quite as nervous and awkward. I wondered if they'd started dating. 

"Hazel, how 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 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?" Percy 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."

I glanced at the sunrise, hoping to see a warship descending from the sky. So far, nothing.

"We'll find your brother," Percy promised. "As soon as the ship gets here, we'll sail for Rome. And you'll be there with us too, Alex?"

I took a deep breath in, and said, "No. There are far more important things to do. Just being in war won't be enough. We need to look at the politics angle as well. I'll stay and make sure the connection between the Greeks and Romans don't... worsen. Because if they do..." my voice trailed off. I couldn't say it out aloud. The world as we knew it would end.

Hazel and Frank exchanged uneasy looks.

"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 you could pick anyone at Camp Jupiter now. If we're not part of the seven, 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!"

The tension broke. All three 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 sinister faces appearing in the shadows of the hills.

Hazel took a deep 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," he 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..."

"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!" Tyson had hay in his hair and peanut butter in his teeth. "The scroll is from Leo. He is funny and small."

The scroll looked unremarkable, but when Percy spread it across his lap, a video recording flickered on the parchment. A kid in Greek armor grinned up at us. 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?"

"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?"

"I like him," I said. 

Hazel, on the other hand, looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"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..."

He wanted to say a coincidence.

He was 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."

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