Sorry for yet another chapter by Reyna but I'll do a chapter by Jason next time.

Reyna:

Tempest turned so quickly, Reyna almost fell off.

The wheat parted, and a man stepped into view. He wore a wide-brimmed hat wreathed in grapevines, a purple short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks with white socks. He looked maybe thirty, with a slight potbelly, like a frat boy who hadn't yet realized college was over.

"Did someone just call me the wine dude?" he asked in a lazy drawl. "It's Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don't-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus."

Percy urged Blackjack forward, though the pegasus didn't seem happy about it.

"You look different," Percy told the god. "Skinnier. Your hair is longer. And your shirt isn't so loud."

The wine god squinted up at him. "What in blazes are you talking about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"

"Uh…what series?"

"I think he means Ceres," Jason said. "The goddess of agriculture. You'd call her Demeter." He nodded respectfully to the god. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma."

Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. "Ah…yes. John Green."

"Jason Grace."

"Whatever," the god said. "Did Ceres send you, then?"

"No, Lord Bacchus," Jason said. "Were you expecting to meet her here?"

The god snorted. "Well, I didn't come to Kansas to party, my boy. Ceres asked me here for a council of war. What with Gaia rising, the crops are withering. Droughts are spreading. The karpoi are in revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war."

"The plant war," Percy said. "You're going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"

The god narrowed his eyes. "Have we met?"

"At Camp Half-Blood," Percy said, "I know you as Mr. D—Dionysus."

"Agh!" Bacchus winced and pressed his hands to his temples. For a moment, his image flickered. Reyna saw a different person—fatter, dumpier, in a much louder, leopard-patterned shirt. Then Bacchus returned to being Bacchus. "Stop that!" he demanded. "Stop thinking about me in Greek!"

Percy blinked. "Uh, but—"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused? Splitting headaches all the time! I never know what I'm doing or where I'm going! Constantly grumpy!"

"That sounds pretty normal for you," Percy said.

The god's nostrils flared. One of the grape leaves on his hat burst into flame. "If we know each other from that other camp, it's a wonder I haven't already turned you into a dolphin."

"It was discussed," Percy assured him. "I think you were just too lazy to do it."

Reyna realized Percy was not making things better, and Annabeth wasn't around to rein him in. He figured her friend would never forgive him if she brought Percy back transformed into a sea mammal.

"Lord Bacchus!" Piper interrupted, slipping off Tempest's back.

"Sorry to trouble you, my lord," she told the god, "but actually we came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom."

Reyna heard her use her most agreeable tone, pouring respect into her charmspeak.

The god frowned, but the purple glow faded in his eyes. "You're well-spoken, girl. Advice, eh? Very well. I would avoid karaoke. Really, theme parties in general are out. In these austere times, people are looking for a simple, low-key affair, with locally produced organic snacks and—"

"Not about parties," Piper interrupted. "Although that's incredibly useful advice, Lord Bacchus. We were hoping you'd help us on our quest."

She explained about the Argo II and their voyage to stop the giants from awakening Gaea. She told him what Nemesis had said: that in six days, Rome would be destroyed. She described the vision reflected in her knife, where Bacchus offered her a silver goblet.

"Silver goblet?" The god didn't sound very excited. He grabbed a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and popped the top of the can.

"You drink Diet Coke," Percy said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bacchus snapped. "As to this vision of the goblet, young lady, I have nothing for you to drink unless you want a Pepsi. Jupiter has put me under strict orders to avoid giving wine to minors. Bothersome, but there you have it. As for the giants, I know them well. I fought in the first Giant War you know."

"You can fight?" Percy asked.

Reyna wished he hadn't sounded so incredulous.

Bacchus snarled. His Diet Pepsi transformed into a five-foot staff wreathed in ivy, topped with a pinecone.

"A thyrsus! Oh, what a mighty weapon!" Piper cried.

"Indeed," Bacchus agreed. "I'm glad someone in your group is smart. The pinecone is a fearsome tool of destruction! I was a demigod myself in the first Giant War, you know. The son of Jupiter!"

Reyna noticed Jason flinching. Probably he wasn't thrilled to be reminded that the Wine Dude was technically his big brother.

Bacchus swung his staff through the air, though his potbelly almost threw him off balance. "Of course, that was long before I invented wine and became an immortal. I fought side by side with the gods and some other demigod…Harry Cleese, I think."

"Heracles?" Piper suggested politely.

"Whatever," Bacchus said. "Anyway, I killed the giant Ephialtes and his brother Otis. Horrible boors, those two. Pinecone in the face for the both!"

"Lord Bacchus," Piper said, "Those two giants, Ephialtes and Otis…would they happen to be twins?"

"Hmm?" The god seemed distracted by his thyrsus-swinging, but he nodded. "Yes, twins. That's right."

Piper turned to the others. Reyna new what she was thinking.

"Twins snuff out the angel's breath."

In the blade of Katoptris, Reyna remembered, she'd seen two giants in yellow robes, lifting a jar from a deep pit.

"That's why we're here," Piper told the god. "You're part of our quest!"

Bacchus frowned. "I'm sorry, my girl. I'm not a demigod anymore. I don't do quests."

"But giants can only be killed by heroes and gods working together," she insisted. "You're a god now, and the two giants we have to fight are Ephialtes and Otis. I think…I think they're waiting for us in Rome. They're going to destroy the city somehow. The silver goblet I saw in my vision—maybe it's meant as a symbol for your help. You have to help us kill the giants!"

Bacchus glared at her,

"My girl," he said coldly, "I don't have to do anything. Besides, I only help those who give me proper tribute, which no one has managed to do in many, many centuries."

Blackjack whinnied uneasily.

Reyna couldn't blame him. She didn't like the sound of tribute. she remembered the maenads, the crazed followers of Bacchus, who would tear up nonbelievers with their bare hands. And that was when they were in a good mood.

Percy voiced the question that no one else wanted to ask, "What kind of tribute?"

Bacchus waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing you could handle, insolent Greek. But I will give you some free advice, since this girl does have some manners. Seek out Gaia's son, Phorcys. He always hated his mother, not that I can blame him. He didn't have much use for his siblings the twins, either. You'll find him in the city they named after that heroine—Atalanta."

Piper hesitated. "You mean Atlanta?"

"That's the one."

"But this Phorcys," Jason said. "Is he a giant? A Titan?"

Bacchus laughed. "Neither. Seek out the salt water."

"Salt water…" Percy said. "In Atlanta?"

"Yes," Bacchus said. "Are you hard of hearing? If anyone can give you insight on Gaea and the twins, it's Phorcys. Just watch out for him."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

The god glanced at the sun, which had climbed almost to high noon. "It's unlike Ceres to be late, unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or…"

The god's face suddenly went slack. "Or a trap. Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same!"

"Lord Bacchus, wait!" Jason protested.

The god shimmered and disappeared with a sound like a soda-can top being popped.

The wind rustled through the sunflowers. The horses paced in agitation. Despite the dry, hot day, Piper shivered. A cold feeling…Annabeth and Leo had both described a cold feeling.…

"Bacchus is right," she said. "We need to leave—"

Too late, said a sleepy voice, humming through the fields all around them and resonating in the ground at Jason's feet.

He and Percy suddenly drew their swords. Piper and Reyna stood on the road between them, frozen with fear. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. The sunflowers turned to look at them. The wheat bent toward them like a million scythes.

Welcome to my party, Gaea murmured. Her voice reminded Reyna of the wind blowing through the reeds at Camp Jupiter.

What did Bacchus say? the goddess mocked. A simple, low-key affair with organic snacks? Yes. For my snacks, I need only two: the blood of a female demigod, and the blood of a male. Reyna, my dear, choose which hero will die with you.

"Gaia!" Jason yelled. "Stop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!"

Such bravado, Gaia hissed. But the other one, Percy Jackson, also has appeal. Choose, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, or I will.

Reyna's heart raced. Gaia meant to kill her. That was no surprise. But what was this about choosing one of the boys? Why would Gaia let either of them go? It had to be a trap.

"You're insane!" she shouted. "I'm not choosing anything for you!"

Suddenly Jason gasped. He sat up straight in his saddle.

"Jason!" Reyna cried. "What's wrong—?"

He looked down at her, his expression deadly calm. His eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold.

"Percy, help!" Reyna cried.

She stumbled back from Tempest.

But Percy galloped away from them. He stopped thirty feet down the road and wheeled his pegasus around. He raised his sword and pointed the tip toward Jason.

"One will die," Percy said, but the voice wasn't his. It was deep and hollow, like someone whispering from inside the barrel of a cannon.

"I will choose," Jason answered, in the same hollow voice.

"No!" Piper yelled.

All around her, the fields crackled and hissed, laughing in Gaia's voice as Percy and Jason charged at each other, their weapons ready.