The Mark of Athena

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Jason said. “You saved us both.”

“But if two of our crew really have to die, a boy and a girl—”

“I don’t accept that. We’re going to stop Gaea. All seven of us are going to come back alive. I promise you.”

Piper wished that he hadn’t promised. The word only reminded her of the Prophecy of Seven: an oath to keep with a final breath.

Please, she thought, wondering if her mom, the goddess of love, could hear her. Don’t let it be Jason’s final breath. If love means anything, don’t take him away.

As soon as she had made the wish, she felt guilty. How could she stand to see Annabeth in that kind of pain if Percy died? How could she live with herself if any of the seven demigods died? Already, each of them had endured so much. Even the two new Roman kids, Hazel and Frank, whom Piper barely knew, felt like kin. At Camp Jupiter, Percy had recounted their trip to Alaska, which sounded as harrowing as anything Piper had experienced. And from the way Hazel and Frank tried to help during the exorcism, she could tell they were brave, good people.

“The legend that Annabeth mentioned,” she said, “about the Mark of Athena…why didn’t you want to talk about it?”

She was afraid Jason might shut her out, but he just lowered his head like he’d been expecting the question. “Pipes, I don’t know what’s true and what’s not. That legend…it could be really dangerous.”

“For who?”

“All of us,” he said grimly. “The story goes that the Romans stole something important from the Greeks, back in ancient times, when the Romans conquered the Greeks’ cities.”

Piper waited, but Jason seemed lost in thought.

“What did they steal?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m not sure anyone in the legion has ever known. But according to the story, this thing was taken away to Rome and hidden there. The children of Athena, Greek demigods, have hated us ever since. They’ve always stirred up their brethren against the Romans. Like I said, I don’t know how much of that is true—”

“But why not just tell Annabeth?” Piper asked. “She’s not going to suddenly hate you.”

He seemed to have trouble focusing on her. “I hope not. But the legend says that the children of Athena have been searching for this thing for millennia. Every generation, a few are chosen by the goddess to find it. Apparently, they’re led to Rome by some sign…the Mark of Athena.”

“If Annabeth is one of those searchers…we should help her.”

Jason hesitated. “Maybe. When we get closer to Rome, I’ll tell her what little I know. Honest. But the story, at least the way I heard it—it claims that if the Greeks ever found what was stolen, they’d never forgive us. They’d destroy the legion and Rome, once and for all. After what Nemesis told Leo, about Rome’s being destroyed five days from now…”

Piper studied Jason’s face. He was, without a doubt, the bravest person she’d ever known, but she realized he was afraid. This legend—the idea that it might tear apart their group and level a city—absolutely terrified him.

Piper wondered what could have been stolen from the Greeks that would be so important. She couldn’t imagine anything that would make Annabeth suddenly turn vengeful.

Then again, Piper couldn’t imagine choosing one demigod’s life over another, and today on that deserted road, just for a moment, Gaea had almost tempted her.…

“I’m sorry, by the way,” Jason said.

Piper wiped the last tear from her face. “Sorry for what? It was the eidolon who attacked—”

“Not about that.” The little scar on Jason’s upper lip seemed to glow white in the moonlight. She’d always loved that scar. The imperfection made his face much more interesting.

“I was stupid to ask you to contact Reyna,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking.”

“Oh.” Piper looked up at the clouds and wondered if her mother, Aphrodite, was somehow influencing him. His apology seemed too good to be true.

But don’t stop, she thought. “Really, it’s okay.”

“It’s just…I never felt that way toward Reyna,” Jason said, “so I didn’t think about its making you uncomfortable. You’ve got nothing to worry about, Pipes.”

“I wanted to hate her,” Piper admitted. “I was so afraid you’d go back to Camp Jupiter.”

Jason looked surprised. “That would never happen. Not unless you came with me. I promise.”

Piper held his hand. She managed a smile, but she was thinking: Another promise. An oath to keep with a final breath.

She tried to put those thoughts out of her mind. She knew she should just enjoy this quiet moment with Jason. But as she looked over the side of the ship, she couldn’t help remembering how much the prairie at night looked like dark water—like the drowning room she’d seen in the blade of her knife.

FORGET THE CHICKEN-NUGGET SMOKE SCREEN. Percy wanted Leo to invent an anti-dream hat.

That night he had horrible nightmares. First he dreamed he was back in Alaska on the quest for the legion’s eagle. He was hiking along a mountain road, but as soon as he stepped off the shoulder he was swallowed by the bog—muskeg, Hazel had called it. He found himself choking in mud, unable to move or see or breathe. For the first time in his life, he understood what it was like to drown.