LOST AT SEA | jason grace

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨.

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨. 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑒

𝙰 𝚂𝙴𝙰 of hastily assembled demigods parted for Lorna as she walked through the forum. Some looked tense, some nervous. Some were bandaged from their recent battle with the giants, but no one was armed. No one attacked.

Entire families had gathered to see the newcomers. Lorna saw couples with babies, toddlers clinging to their parents' legs, even some elderly folks in a combination of Roman robes and modern clothes.

Were all of them demigods?

Lorna suspected so, though she'd never seen a place like this. At Camp Half-Blood, most demigods were teens. If they survived long enough to graduate from high school, they either stayed on as counselors or left to start lives as best they could in the mortal world. Here, it was an entire multigenerational community. At the far end of the crowd, Lorna spotted Tyson the Cyclops and Percy's hellhound, 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 ran over. He was wearing an SPQR banner like a giant bib.

"Lori!" He scooped Lorna up into a big hug.

"Hey, big guy." Lorna said, returning the hug.

"I missed you, Lori," Tyson mumbled.

"I did too," Lorna replied, waving goodbye.

Lorna registered how beautiful the city was- the smells from the bakeries, the gurgling fountains, the flowers blooming in the gardens. There were gilded marble columns, dazzling mosaics, monumental arches, and terraced villas.

In front of her, the demigods made way for a girl in full Roman armor 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, Lorna would have singled her out as the leader. Medals decorated her armor. She carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze.

The two girls considered each other. Lorna's friends fanned out on either side of her. The Romans murmured Jason's name, staring at him in awe. Then someone else appeared from the crowd, Percy smiled at her- that stupid, sarcastic, troublemaker smile that she remembered.

His sea-green eyes, identical to Lorna's. His dark hair was swept to one side, like he'd just come from a walk on the beach. He was tanner and taller, and leaner.

From beside her, Annabeth rushed towards Percy and Percy rushed toward Annabeth. They threw their arms around each other and they kissed.

Percy pulled away and studied her face. "Gods, I never thought- "

Annabeth grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement.

Romans cried out. Some surged forward, but Reyna shouted, "Hold! Stand down!"

Annabeth put her knee on Percy's chest. She pushed her forearm against his throat. "If you ever leave me again, I swear to all the gods- "

Percy had the nerve to laugh. "Consider me warned," Percy said. "I missed you, too."

Annabeth rose and helped him to his feet. She stepped away from him, as if giving Lorna space to reunite with her brother.

Lorna had envisioned this situation before. She imagined that they'd run towards each other and hug the shit out each other, or maybe they would fight childishly, she had even imagined meeting him again during a monster attack: the both of them fighting together, back-to-back, exchanging 'how's your day's.