𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐢━━Nico di Angelo

42

"Croatia used to be Dalmatia," Nico said. "A major Roman province. You want to visit Diocletian's Palace, don't you?"

Coach Hedge managed another heroic belch. "Whose palace? And is Dalmatia where those Dalmatian dogs come from? That 101 Dalmatians movie—I still have nightmares."

Frank scratched his head. "Why would you have nightmares about that?"

Coach Hedge looked like he was about to launch into a major speech about the evils of cartoon Dalmatians, but Jason decided he didn't want to know.

"Nico is right," he said. "I need to go to Diocletian's Palace. It's where Reyna will go first, because she knows I would go there."

Piper raised an eyebrow. "And why would Reyna think that? Because you've always had a mad fascination with Croatian culture?"

Jason stared at his uneaten sandwich.

"I get it. It's hard" Ajax looked at him, "Life from before feels like it was made up. Like a movie you acted in years ago"

After the whole Sciron business, Jason had warmed up to Ajax at last. Now he looked at him gratefully, like Ajax had just read his mind.

"Exactly" he breathed out.

"Reyna and I used to talk about Diocletian," Jason continued. "We both kind of idolized the guy as a leader. We talked about how we'd like to visit Diocletian's Palace. Of course we knew that was impossible. No one could travel to the ancient lands. But still, we made this pact that if we ever did, that's where we'd go."

"Diocletian..." Leo considered the name, then shook his head. "I got nothing. Why was he so important?"

Frank looked offended. "He was the last great pagan emperor!"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised you know that, Zhang?"

"Why wouldn't I? He was the last one who worshiped the Olympian gods, before Constantine came along and adopted Christianity."

Hazel nodded. "I remember something about that. The nuns at St. Agnes taught us that Diocletian was a huge villain, right along with Nero and Caligula." She looked askance at Jason. "Why would you idolize him?"

"He wasn't a total villain," Jason said. "Yeah, he persecuted Christians, but otherwise he was a good ruler. He worked his way up from nothing by joining the legion. His parents were former slaves...or at least his mom was. Demigods know he was a son of Jupiter—the last demigod to rule Rome. He was also the first emperor ever to retire, like, peacefully, and give up his power. He was from Dalmatia, so he moved back there and built a retirement palace. The town of Split grew up around..."

He faltered when he looked at Leo, who was mimicking taking notes with an air pencil.

"Go on, Professor Grace!" he said, wide-eyed. "I wanna get an A on the test."

"Shut up, Leo."

Ajax snorted. Nico looked up at him in confusion. As if he was asking why Ajax was laughing at all of Leo's jokes. Ajax glared back.

Piper sipped another spoonful of soup. "So why is Diocletian's Palace so special?"

Nico leaned over and plucked a grape. Probably that was his entire diet for the day. Ajax had told him multiple times to start eating more, but he never listened. "It's said to be haunted by the ghost of Diocletian."

"Who was a son of Jupiter, like me," Jason said. "His tomb was destroyed centuries ago, but Reyna and I used to wonder if we could find Diocletian's ghost and ask where he was buried...well, according to the legends, his scepter was buried with him."

Nico gave him a thin smile. "Ah...that legend."

"What legend?" Hazel asked.

Nico turned to his sister. "Supposedly Diocletian's scepter could summon the ghosts of the Roman legions, any of them who worshiped the old gods."

Leo whistled. "Okay, now I'm interested. Be nice to have a booty-kicking army of pagan zombies on our side when we enter the House of Hades."

"Not sure I would've put it that way," Jason muttered, "but yeah."

"We don't have much time," Frank warned. "It's already July ninth. We have to get to Epirus, close the Doors of Death—"

"Which are guarded," Ajax murmured, "by a smoky giant and a sorceress who wants..." he hesitated. "Well, I'm not sure. But according to Hecate, she plans to 'rebuild her domain.' Whatever that means, it's bad enough that my mom felt like warning me personally."

Frank grunted. "And if we survive all that, we still have to find out where the giants are waking Gaea and get there before the first of August. Besides, the longer Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus—"

"I know," Jason said. "We won't take long in Split. But looking for the scepter is worth a try. While we're at the palace, I can leave a message for Reyna, letting her know the route we're taking for Epirus."

Nico nodded. "The scepter of Diocletian could make a huge difference. You'll need my help."

Jason tried to hide his discomfort. It was the same as Frank had been in Venice. Ajax tried to reason with himself. The last time he agreed to go with people just so they didn't have to be creeped out with Nico, he had almost died. Was he ready to go through something similar again?

Piper squeezed Jason's hand. "Hey, sounds fun. I'll go, too."

Jason looked relieved, but Nico shook his head. "You can't, Piper. It should only be Jason and me. Diocletian's ghost might appear for a son of Jupiter, but any other demigods would most likely...ah, spook him. And I'm the only one who can talk to his spirit. Even Hazel won't be able to do that."

"Oh' Ajax didn't realise he had said it aloud until Nico looked at him, "It's nothing, I wanted to ask if I could come with... I could use my powers if we run into trouble, plus it would be good practice"

Now Nico looked like he was debating it.

Hazel looked between the two. But currently Ajax was looking at Leo, trying to see what was going through his mind. She lay a hand on Nico's shoulder. The boy followed her gaze. His gaze hardened, his jaw clenched.

Hazel smiled, satisfied that she called it.

"Yeah, Avery." Nico spoke fast, "You should come. Your powers and all that"

Piper looked like she was going to protest.

The ship's bell sounded. Festus creaked and whirred over the loudspeaker.

"We've arrived," Leo announced. "Time to Split."

Ajax grinned like he always did and Nico couldn't think straight.

Frank groaned. "Can we leave Valdez in Croatia?"

Jason stood. "Frank, you're in charge of defending the ship. Leo, you've got repairs to do. The rest of you, help out wherever you can. Nico, Ajax and I..." He faced the son of Hades. "We have a ghost to find."