The Praetor

"I say we camp out on Long Island until we find it."

"That's a stupid idea, Octavian, do you know how long that would take?"

"Well it's better than just sitting around here, this is – "

"Shut up!" Reyna butted into Dakota and Octavian's argument. "It's 1 in the morning and we haven't gotten any closer to figuring out a plan-much less finding Camp Half-blood! I say we just retire for the night-the morning and figure things out later. There's no point in continuing."

Reyna glared at all the officers sitting around the table, making sure they knew this wasn't just a suggestion, it was a demand. Being head of the camp had its advantages. They all nodded. A few even yawned. She guessed that if she hadn't stepped in, they all would've fallen asleep with their heads on the table and woken up with map lines all over their faces.

"Fine! But as soon as we're rested we start right back up again!" Octavian screeched, and then stormed to his hotel room. They all heard a lock turn from behind the door. Before Reyna could ask what was up with him, she thought of two answers. A) This was Octavian-he was always going to be a bit crabby and B) He was still mad that he wasn't praetor yet, and couldn't boss people around as much as Reyna could.

George, the other centurion of the First Cohort, got up and urgently ran to the door.

"Octavian! You, I, Dakota and Ryan are rooming together! You can't lock the door on us. Octavian, open up!"

Reyna rolled her eyes and walked to her own room. She didn't want to deal, with yet another problem. She flopped on to the bed and stared at the ceiling. The Romans had quickly assembled after the Greek ship had fired on the camp, and followed the 7 demigods. Since the 7 had gone into the Mare Nostrum, the Romans had turned to the Greek camp. They knew it was on Long Island, but thing was, Long Island wasn't that small. They still had to find the Greek camp before they attacked it, and that was taking a while.

Reyna wondered how the 7 demigods were doing. Was Jason still alive? Oh gods, Jason. Even after he had been taken by Juno, forgotten everything, then came back with a girlfriend, and finally left with the other 6 demigods to go to Rome, she still had feelings for him. She even remembered the moment when she had really fallen for him.

It had been 3 days since the Titan war. 3 days since Jason had been raised on the Romans' shields and become praetor. 3 days since Reyna's job had become easier, finally having someone to share a huge weight with, to lead the camp with. They had just finished yet another feast, and the campers had retired to their quarters. Reyna was walking with Jason to the praetor's places.

"You look different," said Jason, turning to face her. Reyna stopped abruptly- what was he about to say? Oh gods, she could never act comfortably around him ever since that talk with Aphrodite, it had made her so paranoid.

"What do you mean, different?" she asked nervously.

"You look…relaxed. You're always so tense, ever since you became praetor. You haven't smile too often, but now? You were laughing tonight. Nothing's wrong, I'm just not used to it. It's a change. But a nice one."

Reyna smiled and started walking again.

"We just beat the Titans in a huge war, and I have another praetor to help me lead the camp. Everyone's celebrating, the gods are happy. Jason, are you that surprised?" Jason looked up at the sky, as if he had been hoping she wouldn't ask that question.

"Yeah…"

Reyna slapped him playfully. They were nearing the praetor houses now, though she didn't really want their banter to end. What could she say to keep their conversation going? Was there any way she could keep it going?

"Here we are," Jason said. Reyna bit her lip. Too late.

"Oh, okay," Reyna replied. "See you tomorrow then." She almost hoped he would tell her to stop, wait a moment, but that wasn't who Jason was. He was always one to follow the rules. That's one of the reasons why he was such a good praetor.

Not that Reyna was a trouble maker or anything-she had been praetor for a few years now. She knew what kind of leader the Romans needed-strong, dependable and a good role model. Basically an ideal Roman.

But sometimes it was so difficult. She had to keep up a strong face for her camp. Before Jason had been elected praetor, when she had been leading the Romans by herself since their other leader was killed in the war, it had been extremely difficult. Having to make huge decisions, she had never felt so alone in her life.

That's why she felt so relieved with Jason around. Not only that, but he treated her differently than the other campers did. They saw her as their leader. And even though he was the other leader, the same rank, Jason saw her as a friend.

Reyna choked back a sob. Juno had taken him and his memory away, and while he was on his Greek trip, he had gotten a girlfriend. It's not like Jason had made a move on her, but seeing them together; when Jason asked her if he and Piper could go look around New Rome, it still hurt. She was daughter of Venus, she had the power of charmspeak-how could Reyna compete with her?

Jason didn't want her, Percy didn't want her. She didn't have anyone. The Romans were on their way to destroy the Greeks, soon Octavian would pull enough strings and find some way to get on top.

She just wanted a break. She wanted a shoulder to cry on. But that wasn't happening anytime soon. With that, Reyna finally broke down and cried.

Reyna woke up to a loud banging on her door. A loud voice screeched at her. Octavian.

"Reyna, it is exactly 7 am! A good leader would be up by now, working on their battle plan! A good leader would- "

She got up and opened the door, silencing him with a cold glare.

"Well, Octavian, have you done anything yet?" she asked in an icy, calm tone.

"No, he hasn't! "Called George. "All he's done is complain about how little progress we're making!"

Just then, they heard a commotion at the front door. Reyna pushed past Octavian and strode into the foyer of the officers' suite. 2 campers were struggling to keep down a guy who was thrashing about.

"Stop!" she ordered. "What is this?" One of the Romans, Jessica, looked up.

"Reyna, we were doing patrol duty when we saw this guy fighting some Scythian Dracanae-he's a demigod."

"Untie the binds. I want to talk to him."

The campers did as they were told. They stood, waiting, until they realized that Reyna wanted them to leave. They hastily walked out of the room.

"So," Reyna said. "Who are you?"

The boy shifted in his seat.

"My name is James- my dad is Mars, at least that's what my mom told me. She said to find Lupa or someone like that, I don't know. Then to go to the Roman camp in California." He told Reyna about his journey so far, the monsters he'd fought. He showed her his magic weapon, an Imperial Gold spear that shrunk into a thick gold ring with an M on it. AS he talked, Reyna studied him.

He looked to be about 16, with a mop of shaggy, honey brown hair. His eyes were a deep brown, his skin tan, and he didn't stop fiddling with the zipper on his sweater pocket.

"Well, you found us. This is the Roman camp, at the moment. We're kind of in the middle of planning to attack some old enemies…" Reyna trailed off, thinking of the Greeks that she didn't really want to fight.

"Let me guess. You don't especially want to do this, but there's another officer who's convinced the camp that they need too. And that guy screeching in the other room? I'm pretty sure that's the guilty one." He smiled sympathetically.

Before Reyna could ask how he knew that, he replied.

"I'm pretty good at reading people and situations."

"Well, you're right. That's Octavian."

"Sounds like a jerk. Not just his description, but his screaming. I bet he's a scrawny wimp. You know what? I bet you, like, a ton of money that he is super annoying."

Reyna cracked a smile, something she hadn't done in a long time.

"Come on," she said to James. "I'll introduce you."

As they walked into the other room, Reyna relaxed her tense shoulders. She pushed all her worries to the back of her mind. The Greeks, Gaea, the giants, Jason, Percy, Octavian, everything. Then her thoughts went to James. And she didn't feel so lonely anymore.