Reyna stalked across her room in the Big House at the Greek Hero Camp. They were very hospitable to her, considering what she had planned to do to them. She took a deep breath, stopping by the window, looking down at the spacious yard where the Greek heroes were playing volleyball. He was down there with them.
She had thought he would return home, back to New Rome where he belonged, not stay with the Greeks. She watched him playing with that girl, a child of Aphrodite, they were on the same team with Percy and the child of Pluto that traveled between camps. He looked happier than she had ever seen him, but this was not where he belonged.
Percy had not belonged in New Rome, it had never been his home. Percy was happiest here with the Greeks, laughing with the blonde who had commanded the Argo II when it sailed to New Rome. And Jason belonged with her in New Rome. This child of Aphrodite could never understand him the way she did. The Greek hero could never know who Jason really was; she would never know his Roman side, the most crucial part of his personality.
The Jason out there was not the real Jason Grace. She could see his two sides fighting when he thought no one was looking. Piper only saw what she wanted to see, Piper refused to see that he was torn between Roman and Greek. Reyna could see it, and it upset her that he was choosing Piper over her.
She could barely stand to watch him.
Reyna turned from the window, resuming her pacing trying to find a way to convince Jason to return home. Frank and Hazel had gone home; they had spent time with the Greeks and then returned to New Rome. Percy had spent some time with Romans and then returned to this camp. Jason should go back to New Rome, to Camp Jupiter, where he belonged. But he was choosing to stay with Piper, a girl who barely knew him.
Reyna shook her head, dislodging the image of the two of them together from her mind. She could not focus on the task at hand with that image flashing before her eyes. She wrung her hands as she crossed the room, her mind whirling through way to prove this was not where Jason belonged.
It should have been simple. But nothing was ever simple for demigods, even less when a child of the Jupiter was involved. Reyna ran her fingers through her hair, brushing it out of her face.
This was not the place for a mental breakdown. She could not afford a mental lapse. A Praetor had to be in control, constantly and infallibly in control of themselves; even when they were alone. Reyna took another deep breath, cleansing her mind so she could think.
How could she convince Jason that he needed to return to New Rome? He was not like Percy. The Greek had wanted to return to Long Island. Jason was still torn, there had to be a way she could convince him his home was in San Francisco.
By reminding him that he was Roman.
Of course, it was so simple! All she had to do was remind Jason where his loyalties lied. And that was with Camp Jupiter and New Rome, because he was a Roman demigod. His Roman personality could never accept the lax, un-militaristic aura of Camp Half-Blood and the Greek heroes—they were trained by a centaur for Zeus' sake!—he could never truly be happy there.
She'll never know your story like I do. We've been friends for years, why can't you see I'm the one who understands you. I know you, Jason. You say you're fine—but I know better than to believe the lie in your eyes. Come home, you belong with me.
She knew what she needed to say, she had gone over it a million times in her head that afternoon, watching him hold her hand, practice in the arena, pick strawberries with Percy and his friends. Reyna knew exactly what she was going to say to Jason. All that was left to do was find him alone to talk with him.
It was dinner time, the conch shell horn sounded over the grounds, drawing Reyna from her room. They refused to let her eat alone in the Big House; she was forced to join the Greek heroes in the pavilion for meals. And they made her sit with the children of Mercury since he was patron of travelers according to the Greeks.
Reyna stalked down the hall from her room, joining the cabin counselors who were leaving an informal meeting in the Rec room, Jason was among them. She kept forgetting that he was a counselor here since he was the only person in his cabin. He had his arm wrapped around Piper as he laughed with Percy and Annabeth, trailing after the other campers.
This was her chance. All she had to do was say his name. She opened her mouth to speak, restraining herself from reaching out to touch him. All she had to do was speak and he would turn around. If she could force his name out she could talk to him, convince him to leave with her. All she had to do was speak.
"Jason!" the little Latino boy spoke, the one who had blown up part of her city, wedging himself between Jason and the child of Aphrodite. "I demand a rematch, you and Percy can't play on the same team."
"Then it wouldn't be a rematch Leo," Annabeth smiled at the boy around Percy and Jason. "A rematch would be the two of them against you and Piper again."
"I don't want Piper, she wouldn't cheat using her Charmspeak to distract Jason," Leo complained loudly as they crossed from the house onto the veranda. "I want Annabeth, Percy would never beat you."
"I make it a personal mission to be better at Annabeth in all things non-academic," Percy responded, Reyna could see a smile on his lips from where she followed. "So if you had her as a partner we'd crush you even harder than we already have."
"I don't think it's possible to make his defeat anymore humiliating," Jason laughed starting down the steps. "It was 30-9."
"Because Piper sucks at ping-pong!" Leo shouted loudly, turning to walk backwards so he could look at Percy and Jason. "Hey, Reyna," he greeted subdued.
"Reyna?" the others turned to face her, questioning looks on their faces.
"We thought you left for California already," Jason continued. She could not help but notice that he moved slightly closer to Piper as he spoke. She held in her anger, forcing a diplomatic smile.
"I'm not leaving until tomorrow, it was the earliest they could get me a train ticket west," she lied, she would be leaving on a pegasus whenever she chose to leave this place. But she wanted to be leaving with Jason. She wanted to stay until she had convinced Jason to go with her.
"So you're on your way to dinner?" Annabeth offered while Jason seemed at a loss for words. "You can walk with us," she smiled kindly.
"Yea, you can even eat at table three, I bet the Stoll brothers have driven you insane," Percy laughed. "I'm sure Poseidon won't mind, he's pretty cool."
"Actually, can I talk to you?" she looked straight in Jason's eyes. "Alone?"
Before Jason could answer Piper wrapped her arms around one of his. Reyna did not miss the obvious meaning behind the action, "he's mine." But she had talk to Jason. She had to talk sense into him. He belonged in New Rome. He belonged with her.
"Yeah," he pulled away from Piper, Reyna was glad to notice that Piper seemed upset by his decision. "You guys go on ahead. We'll be there in a minute." He smiled watching Piper leave with the others, Reyna bit her own smile back.
"I think you should come with me," she started as soon as they were alone. "Jason, New Rome is your home."
"I know," Jason sighed, turning to face her. "But I can't leave her."
"Why? We could go now, return to New Rome and live out the rest of our lives like this never happened."
"It did happen, Reyna," Jason shook his head. "She remembers a time when were together. And I think I like her too."
"Jason, you belong in New Rome. How could you stand to stay here with these—these Greeks?"
"They're my friends," Jason snapped, his eyes hardening against her. "I've risked a lot with them. And I could never go back, I went to the Ancient Lands."
"They're friends with Frank and Hazel, and they went home," she breathed. "You can still be friends from New Rome."
"Reyna," he turned away from her, pacing a few steps before turning back to her, running his fingers through his shaggy hair. She wished he would cut it, it looked wrong on him. "I think I like it here."
"If you just came home," she began again, feeling like she was losing ground. He was not listening. He was to busy trying to find a reason to go when all he could think of are reasons to stay. "Just come with me, and you'll see. Once you get back into the routine, back in the Legion, you'll forget all about liking it here. You'll remember that you're Roman."
Can't you see I'm the one who understands you? I've been here all along, why can't you see, you belong with me. After all this time, how could you not see that you belong with me?
"Please Jason," she begged, grabbing his hand. This was not the time for a mental breakdown. She could not afford to appear weak, she was Roman. She was Praetor. She was the child of Bellona the goddess of war.
"I'm sorry Reyna, I don't think I can go back."
Why can't you see, you belong with me.