Rome
"Who signed that one?" Phoebe had just read a letter to Jason. It read that the "The girl is being kept alive in order to ensure his compliance. You may be making his decisions, but only the threat of her life keeps him check. If he starts to fight you, be brutal. Kill some civilians, sleep with another friend and abandon her, whatever is necessary to ensure he does not fight against you. Servant of the Spear."
"Virinus." Reyna looked at Phoebe, the hunter had not forgiven her for not following her vows despite the changes in her life. Nightshade seemed to have done so, but she was also more guarded in her countenance than Phoebe. "Who is he? Another man that shares your bed?"
Reyna glared at her. "No, he's a second tier senator who works for Octavian."
"Not true." They all turned to Diana. She was one of Drew's girls and currently loathing her nightly bed fellow. "Second tier senators do not walk into auger's houses and fuck his girl to remind him of his place."
"He did what?"
"He came to Octavian's villa and fucked me in front of the little shit to 'remind you who you answer to.' He has done that once."
"And you let that happen?" The contempt was heavy upon Phoebe's voice. Diana turned to her slowly. There was no shame or regret on her face.
"You were mistreated by men at some point I know, hunter. But you had a way out. The only way I had out of the gutter in Korinth was my body. I did what I had to do to get out of there. Do not judge me, hunter. Just as I do what I have to do here to find out the secrets of a man I've never met, just because a king I've never met pays the woman I work for, it is the way of those of us not touched by goddesses." Diana's voice had stayed level, she was not going to attack the others but she would let her position be known.
"So he's the target now?" Asked Nico. "He is where we focus how to find this girl?" Reyna and the hunters nodded. "Alright then. Reyna, we need to find him and figure out who he is working for."
"I have an audience at the Senate tomorrow. His house is on the Aventine, he will not be there while the Senate convenes." Zoë turned to her fellow hunter and the Son of Hades.
"Nico, thee and Phoebe will go there with me tomorrow to investigate."
Athens
"Explain. To. Me." Percy emphasized each word by raining sword blows upon the raised shield of his cousin. She had dropped to a knee under the onslaught. She attempted to sweep his leg with the practice spear. Instead he stamped down upon weapon and stamped down on it. He planted his foot against the shield and kicked hard. Thalia landed on her back with Riptide at her throat.
"Explain to me how I have a crippled Spartan in my infirmary?" She gave him an annoyed smirk. She slapped the blade away.
"In a mood, Kelp Head?" He shook his head and laughed.
"A son of Sparta gets sent to learn strategy from me and instead my daughter breaks his damned knee."
"We're going again," Thalia said as she picked up another practice spear and turned on him. "He has a broken knee because she has a crush on him and no one here has ever given her a fair fight for fear of angering you."
Thalia leapt into the air and used gravity to power the spear thrust. Percy was forced to side step and deflect the blow with his shield. He swung the sword from the inside to the outside of his body. The movement allowed him to keep the shield in front of his torso. Against most opponents he did not carry it, but against Thalia and her spear he needed the extra protection. The spear shot out whip like and he rolled forward, attempting to regain his feet too close for her spear to be effective.
Instead he was met with Thalia's fist connecting with his jaw. He spit blood to the side and matched her punch with a blow from his shield. He swung the shield parallel to the ground and the rim of it connected with Thalia's torso. She cursed at him and grimaced.
"You are in a fucking mood." He rolled his eyes.
"Pinecone Face, I'm always in a mood these days. There's nothing worse than waiting on Nico's next report, because I never know if it's going to say that they've found the answer or that Rome is marching on my borders."
"You're not always in a mood." She muttered. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You're never this cranky after you and Annabeth spend the night crying each other's name."
"Let's not talk about that, young la…" He stopped. The sea green eyes met her electric blue ones. "Shit. Just shit." He sheathed his sword and a young soldier carried away his shield. Thalia was staring at him. Her mouth was moving but no words were coming out.
"You. You. You almost called me young lady. Like a dad level fuck up there."
"Let's just not talk about it."
"Oh no. Annabeth, I mean mom is hearing about this."
"You wouldn't."
"Kelp Head."
"Don't swear, Pinecone Face."
Macedon
"Frank, orders arrived." Frank looked to Hazel.
"What do they say?"
"Move to Illyria. Legio XIX is moving into Macedon. We are to establish camps along the border with Epirus in preparation for expansion there." The blood had drained from her face. "You know what that means."
"Yes. It means we're going to invade Epirus. And soon after that, Rome will invade Greece." He poured himself a glass of wine. "What is the last from Reyna?"
"She and my brother have a lead. A senator they think may be behind Jason. They're convinced he's possessed. But they know him. He won't fight the eidolon until he knows whoever the girl that they blackmailed him with is alive."
"What if it's too late then? If Rome has already invaded."
"Gods help us." Frank laughed harshly.
"Isn't it fucked? We're closer to them than ever and we can't get a bloody answer from them."
Rome
Nico was not sure why Zoë Nightshade's lips were pressed against his. He had been facing her partway down an alley across from Marcus Virinus's house when she had suddenly gripped his upper arms and forced his face to hers. Both of them were wide eyed and staring at each other. At the demi-titan was until she suddenly darted her eyes to the left, allowed a shoulder slump of relief, and then released him. Phoebe appeared from their left and asked Nico's question.
"What the Hades was that, Lieutenant?"
"Virinus appeared from the side alley. I… I… did not know what else to do to disguise why we were lurking in an alley." Phoebe allowed a half moment of being impressed at her work to be visible on her face.
"Maybe we have been around these people too long, sister. And boy, don't touch her again." Nico rolled his eyes. It did not seem to matter how many times he explained that he was gay, Phoebe still distrusted any of his attempts to converse with her behind the search for this mystery girl. She had walked over to the small alley. "This only goes towards an entrance underground. I cannot tell what is at the other end."
"He's coming from underground at this hour. We go." Nico began walking towards the entrance. The two eternal maidens watched his descent into the underground tunnel, the shadows bending around him. They both took off at a light jog before he vanished into darkness. They had gone what Phoebe estimated to be a hundred yards and six blind turns into the darkness when they began to hear voices. It took another twenty-five before they could discern words.
"One more victory in Gaul and we will be nearly in position for the end of Greece."
"I know that voice." Phoebe and Nico turned to Zoë. The voice from the other room spoke again. Father thought Zoë and her body ached at the thought.
"We have kept the monsters far to the east. They are ready to sweep into this world once the Greeks and the Romans destroy each other." They heard grunts and growls of approval. "Once we force the Son of Poseidon to break using the Son of Jupiter, the gods are finished."
They heard a voice Nico recognized as Octavian. "But how, my lord?" Another voice Nico recognized replied instead. It chilled Nico to his core.
"Grace's legions will pillage Greece. Specifically they will target the Queen and his daughter for particular attention. Maybe even the Hunters who seem to treat him more and more like a father. We break him the same way we broke Grace. When he snaps and kills the legions, he and Grace will have drawn the line. Zeus and Poseidon will be at war, Rome and Greece at their apocalypse. The eidolon will release Grace and Percy will kill him while he is in shock. That ensures the gods never unify."
Octavian's voice sounded uneasy. "What will you do to the girls?" Nico had a thought, As much as a bastard as he is apparently he has some sort of morals, maybe. Zoë and Phoebe bristled at being referred to as girls.
"Whatever we have to," replied Luke Castellan coldly. Phoebe started at the icy quality of his response. It made a slight sound.
"What was that?" asked the son of Hermes. Nico grabbed the girls hands and felt a lurch in his gut. When he opened his hands they were in the shadows of the dark courtyard of Reyna's villa.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" with each repetition of the word Nico's voice rose. He slammed his fist into a water pot and shattered it. Zoë threw her own piece of pottery. Phoebe looked at the both.
"Who the fuck is it that you are doing this?"
"Luke Castellan," replied Nico as Zoë said, "My father."
"Shit," said Reyna as she opened the door to her home and overheard them.
"That about sums it up."
"Whoever the girl is has to be down there in a part of the tunnels we did not see."
"You will have to find her," Nico said softly. They turned to him. "I have to go see Percy. I don't know how long it will take."
"Not yet." They turned to Zoë. "My father is not a planner and Castellan does not have such influence on monsters. We need to know who this Spear is because they are actually in charge and any planning without knowing that is futile."
"And the girl?" asked Reyna and Phoebe together.
"Unfortunately she just became a secondary priority." They could see the pain in her eyes with that resignation.
Athens
"Sire, one of our patrols went missing near the border with Epirus. The king there is at war with two Roman legions right now. There are several potential enemies." While Boeotia was officially as far north as Percy's domain reached, Aetolia had long been contested between Boeotia and Epirus and he had inherited the problem. Thessaly was no more than a vassal of Roman Macedon these days, but everything south of line from Thermopylae to Mount Giona to Naupaktos was his. From there to the Ambracian Gulf was more questionable, but the Greeks preferred him to Rome or Epirus. Cephalonia held a garrison of his and served as his northern and western stronghold.
"Demosthenes, take a hundred cavalry and find out what happened. Take Brasidas with you, it is time he sees what we fight."
"Sire, he is fifteen."
"Yes, but by the time this war is here, he will be who we rely on." The man saluted and began shouting orders immediately. Percy rubbed his temples.
"Patér?" Percy turned to his daughter. He buried his burdens and smiled at her. She had turned thirteen just days before.
"Yes, my dear?"
"Is a war coming?"
"I am afraid it is."
"You are afraid? I've never seen you afraid."
"I'm afraid of what I could lose."
"Being king?" Percy laughed and shook his head.
"No, not that. I've seen many friends die over the years, Zoë. Some of them I have gotten second chances with."
"Like my sister, Zoë." He smiled. The Hunters had truly adopted his daughter like a sister. The only awkwardness came when he slipped up and treated them like additional daughters.
"Yes, like her. I don't want to watch this happen again."
"I will fight with you." He put his hands on her shoulders and held her at arm's reach.
"No. You won't."
"Patér! I…" he cut her off.
"Zoë, I was a child when I fought for the gods. Brasidas is fifteen before you argue and he's not going to war. It's a patrol. It's something I will not watch others do. Nothing prepares you for a battle. It is not for children, despite what the gods seem to think. I will walk through Tartarus a dozen times before I send you to fight my wars." It was rare her father discussed Tartarus, or the wars of his youth. There was a pain in his eyes she already regretted putting there.
"Zoë, you mean more to me than anyone else." His hands slid from her shoulders to her upper arm. "I have failed in war many times. People rely on me, I haven't always succeeded for them. I won't fail you. Just as importantly," he turned her to look out over Athens, "I cannot fail them. You are the only heir to my throne, little one. If I am gone, who leads but you?" A cold weight settled in Zoë's stomach as responsibility weighed on her shoulders. He left her with her eyes on the city.
He was walking down a hallway when Annabeth sidled up to him. They walked in silence toward the dining hall where they knew food waited. She did not say anything but Percy could see the concern in her eyes.
"What is it, Wise Girl?"
"Another war. Our daughters." He looked to her an eyebrow raised. "They are our daughters, Percy. You had one, then we had one, now we have six. Six daughters and five of them Hunters of Artemis, even if they never call us mother and father, I love them like they do and I know you do as well."