Sea Green Eyes

Chapter 13

An explosion almost knocked them overboard before Jason started talking with a statue called Terminus. Piper had tried to charmspeak him, but it didn't work because he was a god. And then he'd insulted Annabeth by insulting her mother.

But eventually, it was Annabeth who was able to calm the god that didn't want weapons on Roman soil and since the entire ship was a weapon, Annabeth said they'd stay right where they were and leave all their weapons on the ship and use a rope ladder to reach the forum.

And down on the ground while Percy watched some of his friends descend said rope ladder, his eyes were drawn to the figure that was climbing over the side of the ship. It was clearly a woman, and Percy just smiled as he watched her jump and the other Romans gasp as they watched a grapevine grow from the ground and the girl slide down it as she landed on her feet.

And she led the group of Greeks through the sea of hastily assembled demigods that parted for them as they walked through the forum, her indigo eyes darting across the crowd.

At the far end of the crowd, Cressida spotted Tyson the Cyclops and the hellhound pet she shared with Percy, Mrs O'Leary—who had been the first scouting party from Camp Half-Blood to reach Camp Jupiter. They looked to be in good spirits. Tyson waved and grinned. He was wearing an SPQR banner like a giant bib. 

Cressida couldn't help but smile as she waved back and blew him a kiss. She glanced at Annabeth and who was nervous but also in awe of the beautifully designed city.

In front of her, the demigods made way for a girl in full Roman armour and a purple cape. Dark hair tumbled across her shoulders. Her eyes were as black as obsidian. Reyna.

Jason had described her well. Even without that, Annabeth would have singled her out as the leader. Medals decorated her armour. She carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze.

Cressida met Reyna's gaze and she was unwavering as her friends fanned out beside her, people muttering about Jason. While Annabeth was analysing the look of forced courage that was holding back hopefulness, worry and fear, Cressida felt eyes on her again and her heart stopped as she turned.

Percy smiled at her—that sarcastic, troublemaker smile that had annoyed her for years but eventually had become endearing. His sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. His dark hair was swept to one side, like he'd just come from a walk on the beach. He looked even better than he had six months ago - tanner and taller, leaner and more muscular.

The butterflies in her stomach were on overdrive as it became difficult to breathe. She spent months looking for him and now she couldn't move. She was brought back to the moment she realised she loved him, the name of the ridiculously intense feelings she'd been feeling in the months he'd been gone making her stomach do somersaults.

The praetor Reyna straightened. With apparent reluctance, she turned toward Jason. "Jason Grace, my former colleague..." She spoke the word colleague like it was a dangerous thing. "I welcome you home. And these, your friends—"

Cressida couldn't take it anymore as her eyes shimmered like crystals as they welled with tears, and she started moving towards him.

Percy rushed toward her at the same time.

The crowd tensed. Some reached for swords that weren't there.

And then suddenly she was in his arms in the hug that she'd needed for months. Her tears soaked his shoulder as he squeezed her tight as if he was afraid, she'd disappear.

"Took you long enough to find me," he joked, and she laughed into his shoulder as she cried, her whole body trembling.

"You didn't make it easy on me."