𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐢━━Nico di Angelo

65

After a piece of ambrosia, Ajax felt a lot better. The pain in his side had almost vanished.

He helped Hazel and Frank set their magic plates from the mess hall on the blanket they had spread.

The Argo II hovered just overhead. With Festus keeping watch for threats on the radar, the entire crew had decided to eat lunch on the hillside while they discussed what to do. After the last few weeks, Ajax figured they'd earned a good meal together.

Percy came to join them with the new girl- Reyna in tow.

They all shifted to accommodate them. Ajax was pressed between Piper and Frank. He could see Nico to his right, next to Hazel.

They hadn't talked yet, all Ajax wanted to do was drag Nico inside their room and kiss him until neither of them had any more air in their lungs. Why did he have to be so goddamn difficult?

"So," Reyna said. "Frank Zhang...praetor."

Frank shifted, wiping crumbs from his chin. "Well, yeah. Field promotion."

"To lead a different legion," Reyna noted. "A legion of ghosts."

Hazel put her arm protectively through Frank's. After an hour in sick bay, they both looked a lot better.

Ajax didn't know what to think about all these new people. He remembered Annabeth from camp, he had even confessed to one of his friends that he found her attractive (It's a whole different matter that the friend told everyone and Luke had to step in and tell them to not discriminate based on sexuality).

But Percy and Reyna? He knew next to nothing about them. Percy didn't even seem like the guy he had met nearly a month ago, Ajax wondered if the others could tell. They probably could.

"Reyna," Jason said, "you should've seen him."

"He was amazing," Piper agreed.

"Frank is a leader," Hazel insisted. "He makes a great praetor."

"Yeah, I have no idea what we're talking about but go Frank!" Ajax chimed in, "Tell her about the time he killed like a hundred katoblepones!"

Frank looked down with a sheepish grin.

Reyna's eyes stayed on Frank, "I believe all of you," she said. "I approve."

Frank blinked. "You do?"

Reyna smiled dryly. "A son of Mars, the hero who helped to bring back the eagle of the legion...I can work with a demigod like that. I'm just wondering how to convince the Twelfth Fulminata."

Frank scowled. "Yeah. I've been wondering the same thing."

Ajax had no idea what all their fancy roman words meant, but he figured it was like a council?

"The legion will listen to you, Reyna," Frank said. "You made it here alone, across the ancient lands."

Reyna chewed her sandwich as if it were cardboard. "In doing so, I broke the laws of the legion."

"Caesar broke the law when he crossed the Rubicon," Frank said. "Great leaders have to think outside the box sometimes."

She shook her head. "I'm not Caesar. After finding Jason's note in Diocletian's Palace, tracking you down was easy. I only did what I thought was necessary."

Percy smiled, "Reyna, you're too modest. Flying halfway across the world by yourself to answer Annabeth's plea, because you knew it was our best chance for peace? That's pretty freaking heroic."

Reyna shrugged. "Says the demigod who fell into Tartarus and found his way back."

"He had help," Annabeth said.