Daughter of Neptune, Book one

XLVI

Jason's pov

I waited alone in cabin one.

Annabeth and Rachel were due any minute for the head counselors' meeting, and I needed time to think.

My dreams the night before had been worse than I wanted to share—even with Piper. My memory was still foggy, but bits and pieces were coming back. The night Lupa had tested Tori and I at the Wolf House, to decide if we would be a pup or food. Then the long trip south to... I couldn't remember, but I was getting flashes of my old life. The day Tori and I got our tattoos. The day we'd been raised on a shield and proclaimed praetors. Our friends' faces: Dakota, Gwendolyn, Hazel, Bobby. And Reyna. Definitely there'd been a girl named Reyna. I wasn't sure what she'd meant to me, but the memory made me question what I felt about Piper—and wonder if I was doing something wrong. The problem was, I like Piper a lot. I also remembered a boy, but I can't remember his name. But I definitely know that he grew up with Tori and I, we were best friends. But I couldn't remember his real name.

I moved my stuff to the corner alcove where my sister had once slept. I put Thalia's photograph back on the wall so I didn't feel alone. I stared up at the frowning statue of Zeus, mighty and proud, but the statue didn't scare me anymore. It just made me feel sad.

"I know you can here me," I said to the statue.

The statue said nothing. Its painted eyes seemed to stare at me.

"I wish I could talk with you in person," I continued, "but I understand you can't do that. The Roman gods don't like to interact with mortals so much, and--well, you're the king. You've got t set an example."

More silence. I had hoped for something--a bigger than usual rumble of thunder, a bright light, a smile. No, never mind. A smile would've been creepy.

"I remember some things," I said. The more I talked, the less self-conscious I felt. "I remember it's hard being a son of Jupiter. Everyone is always looking at me to be a leader, but I always feel alone. I guess you feel the same way up on Olympus. The other gods challenge your decisions. Sometimes you've got to make the hard choices, and the others criticize you. And you can't come to my aid like other gods might. You've got to keep your distance so it doesn't look like you're playing favorites. I guess I just wanted to say..." I took a deep breath. "I understand all that. It's okay. I'm going to try my best. I'll try to make you proud. But I could really use some guidance, Dad. If there's anything you can do—help me so I can help my friends. I'm afraid I'll get them killed. I don't know how to protect them."

The back of my neck tingled. I realized someone was standing behind me. I turned and found a woman in a black hooded robe, with a goatskin cloak over her shoulders and a sheathed Roman sword—a gladius—in her hands.

"Hera," I said.

She pushed back her hood. "To you, I have always been Juno. And your father has already sent you guidance, Jason. He sent you Piper and Leo. They're not just your responsibility. They are also your friends. Listen to them, and you will do well."

"Did Jupiter send you here to tell me that?"

"No one sends—"

Then Tori swung opened the door and collapsed on my bed. "Grace, I fucked up. I—" then she saw Juno and did double take. "Hello, Juno."

"Hello, Victoria." Hera said bitterly.

"Don't call me that. It's Tori."

"As I was saying, no one sends me anywhere, hero. I am not a messenger."

"But you got me into this," I said. "Why did you send Tori and I to this camp?"

"I think you know," Juno said. "An exchange of leaders was necessary. It was the only was to bridge to gap."