Act II — From The Sea We Rise

Part XVII — Up from the sea we rise, up to the world of skies, forever to be, together as one, under the sea and under the sun.

The Feast of Fortuna had—indeed—nothing to do with tuna after all.

Campers, Amazons and Lares crowded the mess hall for a lavish dinner. Even the fauns were invited. Despite the exhausting battle, everyone was in good spirits. Casualties had been light. The restored golden eagle stood proudly behind the praetor's table, and the walls were decorated with cornucopias. The cohorts mingled freely with the Amazons, there was a lot of flirting and arm-wrestling—which seemed to be the same thing for the Amazons. Hylla had defeated her challenger Otrera in two consecutive duels to the death, so that the Amazons were now calling their queen Hylla Twice-Kill.

"Otrera stayed dead the second time," Kinzie said. "We have you to thank for that. If you ever want to be one of us..."

Andy shook her head vehemently. "Thanks, but no, thanks."

Once everyone had eaten and the plates stopped flying, Reyna made a short speech. She formally welcomed the Amazons, thanking them for their help. "My sister and I haven't always seen eye to eye—"

Hylla laughed. "That's an understatement."

"She joined the Amazons," Reyna continued. "I joined Camp Jupiter. But looking around this room, I think we both made good choices. Strangely, our destinies were made possible by the heroine you all just raised to praetor on the battlefield—Andy Jackson."

More cheering. The sisters raised their glasses to Andy and beckoned her forward. Reyna took away her probatio neck plate. Octavian shot her a dirty look, then turned to the crowd and smiled like this was all his idea. He ripped open a teddy bear and pronounced good omens for the coming year—Fortuna would bless them! He passed his hand over Andy's arm and shouted: "Andy Jackson, daughter of Neptune, first year of service!" The Roman symbols burned onto Andy's arm: a trident, SPQR, and a single stripe. It felt like someone was pressing a hot iron into her skin, but Andy managed not to scream.

Octavian embraced her and whispered, "I hope that hurt."

Then Reyna gave Andy an eagle medal and purple cloak, symbols of the praetor. "You earned these."

Queen Hylla pounded Andy on the back. "And I've decided not to kill you."

"Um, thanks."

Reyna gave her the second praetor's house on the Via Principalis. It was nice, but it was also full of Lena Grace's stuff. However, even though it was uncomfortable, Andy fell asleep almost immediately.

And then Juno was there in her dream. "Do you still want to punch me, dear?" she asked.

"You crazy goddess," Andy said. "I know of your plan. But you had no right to kidnap me."

Juno tutted disapprovingly. "Don't get testy. If we are to defeat Gaea, our plans must be timed perfectly. Lena and her friends just succeed on saving me from my prison—"

"Your prison? You were in prison and they let you out? Why would they do that? I know I wouldn't."

Juno ignored her. "At the same time, you saved the Romans at their moment of greatest crisis. Within a few days now, you will be united and you'll be seeing that blonde boy you liked so much again. No need to lose your mind about it though. He isn't that interesting."

"I hate you," Andy Jackson told the goddess. "I hope that's clear between us. You can be Juno or Hera, I still hate you."

"My," she said, "you are in a bad mood. But you know I'm right. They trust you. You are a hero of Rome. And Lena Grace has learned to trust the Greeks. They got the Argo II ready right now. Together, you and Lena will unite the camps."

Andy closed her eyes and tried to control her anger. "Why me?" she demanded. "Like I said—and will continuing saying every time I see you—I hate you. Why do you want me to help you?"

"Because I know you, Andy Jackson. In many ways, you are impulsive, but when it comes to your friends, you are as constant as a compass needle. You are unswervingly loyal, and you inspire loyalty. You are the glue that will unite the seven."

"Oh, joy," Andy said. "All I ever wanted to do."

Juno laced her crooked fingers. "The Heroes of Olympus must unite! After your victory over Kronos in Manhattan—well, I fear that wounded Jupiter's self-esteem."

"Because I was right," Andy said. "And he was wrong."

The old lady shrugged. "He should be used to that, after so many eons married to me, but alas! My proud and obstinate husband refuses to ask mere demigods for help again. He believes the giants can be fought without you, and Gaea can be forced back to her slumbers. I know better. But you must prove yourself. Only by sailing to the ancient lands and closing the Doors of Death will you convince Jupiter that you are worthy of fighting side-by-side with the gods. It will be the greatest quest since Aeneas sailed from Troy!"

"And if we fail? If Romans and Greeks don't get along?"

"Then Gaea has already won. I'll tell you this, Andy Jackson. The one who will cause you the most trouble is the one you care most about."

"Anthony?" Andy felt something boiling in her mind. "Uninteresting and now a troublemaker?" she scoffed. "You don't know him. You can't see… If I have to go on dangerous quest for you, if I need to put my life on the line, Juno, he's the person I most want watching my back. I won't do anything else for you without him."

The goddess smiled dryly. "You will see, young heroine. The boy has a hard task ahead of him when you arrive in Rome. Whether he is up to it—I do not know. But your heart shall break, a risk I'm not willing to take, since I need you on my side."

Andy tried to swallow the panic that started to form in her throat. She couldn't let Juno get to her. Her words were meaningless.

"Now wake up, child of land and sea," the goddess said. "You have work to do."

Andy told Hazel and Frank about her dream.

"The gods were busy last night.," Hazel said, frowning. "Show her, Frank."

Frank reached into his coat pocket. Andy thought he might bring out his piece of firewood, but instead he produced a thin paperback book and a note on red stationery. "These were on my pillow this morning." He passed them to Andy. "Like the Tooth Fairy visited."

The book was The Art of War by Sun Tzu. The letter read: Good job, kid. A real man's best weapon is his mind. This was your mom's favorite book. Give it a read. P.S.—I hope your friend Jackson has learned some respect for me.

"Wow." Andy handed back the book. "He really has my respect now. Mars is different than Ares. I don't think Ares can read."

Hazel laughed. Frank flipped through the pages. "There's a lot in hereabout sacrifice, knowing the cost of war. Back in Vancouver, Mars told me I'd have to put my duty ahead of my life or the entire war would go sideways. I thought he meant freeing Thanatos, but now… I don't know. I'm still alive, so maybe the worst is yet to come." He glanced nervously at Andy, and Andy got the feeling Frank wasn't telling her everything.

"You risked your life," Andy said. "You were willing to burn up to save the quest. Mars can't expect more than that."

"Maybe," Frank said doubtfully.

Hazel squeezed Frank's hand. They seemed more comfortable around each other this morning, not quite as nervous and awkward. Andy hoped they had started dating.

"Hazel, how about you?" she asked. "Any word from Pluto?"

She looked down. Several diamonds popped out of the ground at her feet. "No," Hazel admitted. "In a way, I think he sent a message through Thanatos. My name wasn't on that list of escaped souls. It should have been."

"You think your dad is giving you a pass?" Andy asked.

Hazel shrugged. "Pluto can't visit me or even talk to me without acknowledging I'm alive. Then he'd have to enforce the laws of death and have Thanatos bring me back to the Underworld. I think my dad is turning a blind eye. I think—I think he wants me to find Nico."

"And we will," Andy promised. "As soon as the others get here, we'll sail for Rome."

Hazel and Frank exchanged uneasy looks, like they'd already talked about this.

"Andy..." Frank said. "If you want us to come along, we're in. But are you sure? I mean… we know you've got tons of friends at the other camp. And you could pick anyone at Camp Jupiter now. If we're not part of the seven, we'd understand—"

"Are you kidding?" Andy said. "I hope you're kidding. Please, tell me you're kidding." They stared at her quietly. "Guys... I don't think either of you understands how much you mean to me. So unless you'd like to drown, I say shut up and accept you're important."

The tension broke. All three of them started cracking up, maybe a little too much, but it was a relief to be alive. The sun was shining and they didn't have to worry, at least for now, about dying a painful death.

Life was good.

Some time went by after that—a time that seemed to go on forever—a time that almost made Andy go insane with waiting. And then, when she least expected, Tyson came running across the forum, Ella fluttering behind him with a scroll in her talons. She dropped the scroll in Andy's lap.

"Special delivery," she said. "From an aura. A wind spirit. Yes, Ella got a special delivery."

"The scroll is from a Leo," Tyson told them. "He is funny and small."

The scroll looked unremarkable, but when Andy spread it across her lap, a video recording flickered on the parchment. A kid in Greek armor grinned up at them. He had an impish face, curly black hair, and wild eyes, like he'd just had several cups of coffee.

Hazel choked on an olive. It was another sunny day and Hazel, Frank and Any were having a picnic just outside the city.

"What?" Frank asked, patting her back. "What's wrong?"

"Hey!" said the guy in the video. "Greetings from your friends at Camp Half-Blood, et cetera. This is Leo. I'm the..." He looked off screen and yelled: "What's my title? Am I like admiral, or captain, or—"

A girl's voice yelled back, "Repair boy."

"Ha ha, McLean," he grumbled. He turned back to the parchment screen. "So yeah, I'm… ah... supreme commander of the Argo II. Yeah, I like that! Anyway, we're gonna be sailing toward you in about, I dunno, an hour in this big mother warship. We'd appreciate it if you'd not, like, blow us out of the sky or anything. So okay! If you could tell the Romans that. See you soon. Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out."

The parchment turned blank.

"It can't be," Hazel said.

"What?" Frank asked. "You know that guy?"

Hazel looked like she'd seen a ghost. "It's Sammy Valdez," she said. "I knew him back when... back before... but how... how..."

"It can't be," Andy said. "His name is Leo." They were interrupted by horns blowing in the distance. The senators came marching into the forum with Reyna at the lead. "It's meeting time. Come on. We've got to warn them about the warship."

"Why should we trust these Greeks?" Octavian was saying. He'd been pacing the senate floor for five minutes, going on and on, trying to counter what Andy had told them about Juno's plan and the Prophecy of Seven. The senate shifted restlessly, but most of them were too afraid to interrupt Octavian while he was on a roll. The Senate House was packed. Queen Hylla, Frank, and Hazel sat in the front row with the senators. Veterans and ghosts filled the back rows. Even Tyson and Ella had been allowed to sit in the back.

Andy and Reyna occupied matching praetors' chairs on the dais, which made Andy a little self-conscious.

"The camp is safe," Octavian continued. "I'll be the first to congratulate our heroes for bringing back the legion's eagle and so much Imperial gold! Truly we have been blessed with good fortune. But why do more? Why tempt fate?"

"I'm glad you asked." Andy stood, taking the question as an opening.

Octavian stammered, "I wasn't—"

"—part of the quest," Andy finished for him. "I know. Thanks for reminding us. You're wise to let me explain, since I was."

Some of the senators snickered. Octavian had no choice but to sit down and try not to look embarrassed.

"Gaea is waking," Andy said. "We've defeated two of her giants, but that's only the beginning. The real war will take place in the old land of the gods. The quest will take us to Rome, and eventually to Greece."

An uneasy ripple spread through the senate.

"I know, I know. You've always thought of the Greeks as your enemies. And there's a good reason for that. I think the gods have kept our two camps apart because whenever we meet, we fight. But that can change. It has to change if we're to defeat Gaea. That's what the Prophecy of Seven means. Seven demigods, Greek and Roman, will have to close the Doors of Death together."

"Ha!" shouted a Lar from the back row. "The last time a praetor tried to interpret the Prophecy of Seven, it was Michael Varus, who lost our eagle in Alaska! Why should we believe you now?"

Octavian smiled smugly.

"Because I'm the praetor who got your eagle back," she said. "I carried Juno across the Tiber. She told me that the Prophecy of Seven is coming to pass. Mars also appeared to you in person. Do you think two of your most important gods would appear at camp if the situation wasn't serious?"

"She's right," Gwen said from the second row. "I, for one, trust Andy's word. Greek or not, she restored the honor of the legion. You saw her on the battlefield. Would anyone here say she is not a true hero of Rome?"

Nobody argued. A few nodded in agreement.

Then Reyna stood. Andy watched her anxiously. "You claim this is a combined quest," she said. "You claim Juno intends for us to work with this—this other group, Camp Half-Blood. Yet the Greeks have been our enemies for eons. They are known for their deceptions."

"Maybe so," Andy said. "But enemies can become friends. A month ago, would you have thought Romans and Amazons would be fighting side by side?"

Queen Hylla laughed. "She's got a point."

"The demigods of Camp Half-Blood have already been working with Camp Jupiter," Andy said. "We just didn't realize it. During the Titan War last summer, while you were attacking Mount Othrys, we were defending Mount Olympus in Manhattan. I fought Kronos myself."

Reyna backed up, almost tripping over her toga. "You—what?"

"I know it's hard to believe. But I think I've earned your trust. I'm on your side. Hazel and Frank—I'm sure they're meant to go with me on this quest. The other four are on their way from Camp Half-Blood right now. One of them is Lena Grace, your old praetor."

"Oh, come on!" Octavian shouted. "She's making things up, now."

Reyna frowned. "It is a lot to believe. Lena is coming back with a bunch of Greek demigods? You say they're going to appear in the sky in a heavily armed warship, but we shouldn't be worried."

"Yes." Andy looked over the rows of nervous, doubtful spectators. "Just let them land. Hear them out. Lena will backup everything I'm telling you. I swear it on my life."

"On your life?" Octavian looked meaningfully at the senate. "We will remember that, if this turns out to be a trick." His face was red with rage. He was strangling his teddy bear. "The omens are horrible! This is a trick, a deception. Beware Greeks bearing gifts!"

"No," Andy said firmly. "You all raised me as praetor for a reason. I will fight to defend this camp with my life. But these aren't enemies. I say we stand ready, but do not attack. Let them land. Let them speak. If it is a trick, then I will fight with you, as I've done before. You have my word."

All eyes turned toward Reyna. She studied Andy. "When they arrived, we will welcome them. But the legion will stand ready. Andy Jackson is your duly chosen praetor. We will trust her word—unless we are given clear reason not to."

The senators stampeded out of the auditorium. Octavian gave Andy a disgusted look, then threw down his teddy bear and followed the crowd.

Reyna glanced at Andy. "I support you, Andy," she said. "I trust your judgment. But for all our sakes, I hope we can keep the peace between our campers and your Greek friends."

"We will," she promised. "You'll see."

Reyna's expression turned a little wistful. "You say Lena will return to us—I hope that's true. I've missed her." She marched outside, leaving Andy alone with Hazel and Frank.

"Andy," Hazel said, "you swore on your life. Romans take that seriously. If anything goes wrong, even by accident, Octavian is going to kill you. You know that, right?"

Andy smiled. It was a sunny day. A bright, clear day. A blue day. A new day.

She knew the stakes were high. She knew this day could go horribly wrong. But she also knew that Anthony was on that ship and, for him, she'd risk anything.

It was a beautiful day.

"Finally," she told the skies. "Two worlds. One family."

—End of Act II—