Daughter of Wine

Callida

After we all clean up, Coach Hedge takes the helm and us demigods gather below for dinner. It's the first time we've all sat down together, just the eight of us. I should feel reassured that we're all finally together, but instead I just feel anxious. The Great Prophecy is underway. No more fun days training and helping with the ship and goofing off. This is serious now. We're on our way to Greece, with a bunch of angry Romans behind us. 

The others must feel the same way. The tension in the mess hall is like an electrical storm brewing, which is totally possible considering Jason and Percy's powers. In an awkward moment, the two boys try to sit in the same chair at the head of the table. Sparks literally fly from Jason's hands. After a brief, silent standoff, like they're both thinking Seriously, dude?, they cede the chair to Annabeth and sit on opposite sides of the table. I sit at the chair at the other head of the table, and no one argues. I don't know why, but it feels right for me to be Annabeth's second in command. 

The crew compares notes on what happened in Salt Lake City, but not even my ridiculous story about how we tricked Narcissus is enough to cheer up the group. It's a shame, really. I'm pretty proud of that one.

"So, where to now?" Leo asks with a mouthful of pizza. "I did a quick repair job to get us out of the lake, but there's still a lot of damage. We should really put down again and fix things before we head across the Atlantic."

Percy is eating a piece of blue pie. "We need to put some distance between us and Camp Jupiter. Frank spotted some eagles over Salt Lake City. We figure the Romans aren't far behind us." 

That doesn't improve the mood around the table. The anxious energy is making me hungry. I take a big bite of my empanada, dipping it in chimichurri first. The taste is comforting. It reminds me of my mom. After I inhale an empanada, I fill my goblet with wine and take a sip. A nice, dry Malbec. 

"I don't suppose we should go back and try to reason with the Romans?" Piper offers. "Maybe- maybe I didn't try hard enough with the charmspeak." 

Jason takes her hand. "It wasn't your fault, Pipes. Or Leo's" He adds quickly. "Whatever happened, it was Gaea's doing, to drive the two camps apart."

"Maybe we could explain that though-" Piper tries. 

"With no proof?" Annabeth asks her. "And no idea what really happened? I appreciate what you're saying, Piper. I don't want the Romans on our bad side, but until we understand what Gaea's up to, going back is suicide." 

"She's right." Hazel speaks. She's nibbling on saltines, as if her stomach is upset. The rim of her plate is embedded with rubies. "Reyna might listen, but Octavian won't. The Romans have honor to think about. They've been attacked. They'll shoot first and ask questions posthac."

I can't help but feel a little responsible. I really did a number on the Roman troops before I left, which is probably why they took so long to catch up to us, but they're probably even angrier now. 

"You're right." Piper decides. "We have to keep going. Not just because of the Romans. We have to hurry." 

Hazel nods. "Nemesis said we have only six days until Nico dies and Rome is destroyed."

Jason frowns. "You mean Rome Rome, not New Rome." 

"I think." Hazel says. "But if so, that's not much time." 

"Why six days?" Percy wonders. "And how are they going to destroy Rome?"

No one answers. I don't have any answer to give, and I feel like a sarcastic comment isn't exactly going to be helpful right now. 

"There's more." Piper says. "I've been seeing some things in my knife." 

Frank freezes with. forkful of spaghetti halfway to his mouth. "Things such as...?"

"They don't really make sense." Piper says. "Just garbled images, but I saw two giants, dressed alike, maybe twins." 

Annabeth stares at the magical video feed from Camp Half-Blood. Right now it shows the living room in the Big House, with Seymour snoring happily above the mantle. I reminded Chiron to feed him, but I'm still worried. 

"Twins, like in Ella's prophecy." Annabeth notes. "If we could figure out those lines, it might help." 

"Wisdom's daughter walks alone," Percy says. "The Mark of Athena burns through Rome. Annabeth, that's got to mean you. Juno told me.. well, she said you had a hard task ahead of you in Rome. She said she doubted you could do it. But I know she's wrong." 

"Reyna was about to tell us something right before the ship fired on us." I blurt out. I'm not sure if Annabeth really wants me to share that, but I don't think it would be right to hide it from our friends either. "She said there was an old legend among the Roman praetors. Something that has to do with Athena. She said it might be the reason the Greeks and Romans could never get along." 

Hazel and Leo exchange nervous looks. 

"Nemesis mentioned something similar." Leo reminds me. "She talked about an old score that had to be settled." 

"The one thing that might bring the gods' two natures into harmony." I recall. "An old wrong finally avenged." 

Percy draws a frowny face in his whipped cream. "I was only a praetor for about two hours. Jason, you ever hear a legend like that?"

We all turn to Jason, who looks uncomfortable. "I... uh, I'm not sure. I'll give it some thought." 

Percy narrows his eyes. "You're not sure?"

Jason doesn't respond, and I get the feeling he definitely knows something, though why he doesn't want to share, I have no idea. 

Hazel breaks the silence. "What about the other lines?" She turns her ruby encrusted plate. "Twins snuff out the angel's breath, Who holds the key to endless death." 

"Giants' bane stands gold and pale," Frank adds. "Won through pain from a woven jail." 

"Giants' bane." Leo says. "Anything that's a giants' bane is good for us, right? That's probably what we need to find. If it can help the gods get their schizophrenic act together, that's good." 

Percy nods. "We can't kill the giants without the help of the gods." 

Jason turns to Frank and Hazel. "I thought you guys killed that one giant in Alaska without a god's help, just the two of you." 

"Alcyoneus was a special case." Frank says. "He was only immortal in the territory where he was reborn. Alaska. But not in Canada. I wish I could kill all the giants by dragging them across the border from Alaska into Canada, but..." He shrugs. "Percy's right. We need the gods." 

I stare at the walls. I really wish I hadn't enchanted them with images of camp. In the moment I had thought it was a good idea. A comforting image during scary times. But all it does is remind me that we're not there. I watch the hearth of Hestia burning in the middle of the green as the cabins turn off their lights for curfew. 

I wonder what Frank and Hazel think of the images. They've never been to Camp Half-Blood. Does it seem alien to them? Or does it remind them of Camp Jupiter? I had wanted to grab images from there too, to be inclusive and all, but I didn't get the chance through the explosions and attacks. 

"So..." Leo pushes his char away from the table. "First things first, I guess. We'll have to put down in the morning to finish repairs." 

"Someplace close to a city." I suggest. "In case we need supplies. But somewhere out of the way, so the Romans will have trouble finding us. Any ideas?"

"Well..." Piper shrugs. "How do you guys feel about Kansas?"