The Mark of Athena

He nodded. “Oh, boy. I can get my driver’s license.”

Piper laughed. Jason had killed so many monsters and saved the world so many times that the idea of him sweating a driving test seemed ridiculous. She pictured him behind the wheel of some old Lincoln with a STUDENT DRIVER sign on top and a grumpy teacher in the passenger seat with an emergency brake pedal.

“Well?” she urged. “Blow out the candles.”

Jason did. Piper wondered if he’d made a wish—hopefully that he and Piper would survive this quest and stay together forever. She decided not to ask him. She didn’t want to jinx that wish, and she definitely didn’t want to find out that he’d wished for something different.

Since they’d left the Pillars of Hercules yesterday evening, Jason had seemed distracted. Piper couldn’t blame him. Hercules had been a pretty huge disappointment as a big brother, and the old river god Achelous had said some unflattering things about the sons of Jupiter.

Piper stared at the cornucopia. She wondered if Achelous was getting used to having no horns at all. She hoped so. Sure, he had tried to kill them, but Piper still felt bad for the old god. She didn’t understand how such a lonely, depressed spirit could produce a horn of plenty that shot out pineapples and birthday cakes. Could it be that the cornucopia had drained all the goodness out of him? Maybe now that the horn was gone, Achelous would be able to fill up with some happiness and keep it for himself.

She also kept thinking about Achelous’s advice: If you had made it to Rome, the story of the flood would have served you better. She knew the story he was talking about. She just didn’t understand how it would help.

Jason plucked an extinguished candle from his cake. “I’ve been thinking.”

That snapped Piper back to the present. Coming from your boyfriend, I’ve been thinking was kind of a scary line.

“About?” she asked.

“Camp Jupiter,” he said. “All the years I trained there. We were always pushing teamwork, working as a unit. I thought I understood what that meant. But honestly? I was always the leader. Even when I was younger—”

“The son of Jupiter,” Piper said. “Most powerful kid in the legion. You were the star.”

Jason looked uncomfortable, but he didn’t deny it. “Being in this crew of seven…I’m not sure what to do. I’m not used to being one of so many, well, equals. I feel like I’m failing.”

Piper took his hand. “You’re not failing.”

“It sure felt that way when Chrysaor attacked,” Jason said. “I’ve spent most of this trip knocked out and helpless.”

“Come on,” she chided. “Being a hero doesn’t mean you’re invincible. It just means that you’re brave enough to stand up and do what’s needed.”

“And if I don’t know what’s needed?”

“That’s what your friends are for. We’ve all got different strengths. Together, we’ll figure it out.”

Jason studied her. Piper wasn’t sure that he bought what she was saying, but she was glad he could confide in her. She liked that he had a little self-doubt. He didn’t succeed all the time. He didn’t think the universe owed him an apology whenever something went wrong—unlike another son of the sky god she’d recently met.

“Hercules was a jerk,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. “I never want to be like that. But I wouldn’t have had the courage to stand up to him without your taking the lead. You were the hero that time.”

“We can take turns,” she suggested.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“You’re not allowed to say that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a breakup line. Unless you’re breaking up—”

Jason leaned over and kissed her. The colors of the Roman afternoon suddenly seemed sharper, as if the world had switched to high definition.

“No breakups,” he promised. “I may have busted my head a few times, but I’m not that stupid.”

“Good,” she said. “Now, about that cake—”

Her voice faltered. Percy Jackson was running toward them, and Piper could tell from his expression that he brought bad news.

They gathered on deck so that Coach Hedge could hear the story. When Percy was done, Piper still couldn’t believe it.

“So Annabeth was kidnapped on a motor scooter,” she summed up, “by Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.”

“Not kidnapped, exactly,” Percy said. “But I’ve got this bad feeling.…” He took a deep breath, like he was trying hard not to freak out. “Anyway, she’s—she’s gone. Maybe I shouldn’t have let her, but—”

“You had to,” Piper said. “You knew she had to go alone. Besides, Annabeth is tough and smart. She’ll be fine.”

Piper put some charmspeak in her voice, which maybe wasn’t cool, but Percy needed to be able to focus. If they went into battle, Annabeth wouldn’t want him getting hurt because he was too distracted about her.

His shoulders relaxed a little. “Maybe you’re right. Anyway, Gregory—I mean Tiberinus—said we had less time to rescue Nico than we thought. Hazel and the guys aren’t back yet?”

Piper checked the time on the helm control. She hadn’t realized how late it was getting. “It’s two in the