It was a random sudden feeling, but one Hazel recognized. The feeling came to her as she was teaching a new camper about the layout of Camp Jupiter, like a cold poker piercing her heart. She gasped and pressed the palm of her hand to the middle of her chest, like some outward force would take away the pain inside her heart.
She brushed it off and continued with the tour. It was probably nothing. She had just gotten out of a major battle with a crazy emperor's cronies and it was probably just some more of the adrenaline leaving her system. After all, it was two in the morning and this camper had showed up in the middle of the battle, scared out of her mind. She just had to keep going and then rest.
All of these thoughts were blown away after Apollo arrived with Meg McCaffrey, carrying a coffin. They both looked solemn and sad, asking immediately for Reyna.
The entire population of Camp Jupiter amassed on one side of the Tiber, staring worriedly at the pair and their cargo. Reyna crossed the Tiber and spoke quietly with Apollo and Meg. Everyone watched as her face contorted in sorrow and grief before it harden to hatred and determination. She said something to Apollo quietly and turned back to her camp.
"Hazel, Frank, please cross." Reyna waved them over.
Nervously, Hazel and Frank joined her, gazing uneasily at the coffin.
"What's wrong?" Hazel asked.
Apollo looked apologetic. "We've been on a quest to free the five Oracles from the Triumvirate. On our quest to free the Erythraean Sybil, your friends Piper and Jason helped us." He seemed to stop and steel himself. "Jason, he fought the Emperor Caligula to let Meg, Piper, and I escape. Caligula—Caligula killed him."
Hazel looked at the coffin then back to Apollo. "Oh, Jason," she whispered. "Rest in Elysium."
Frank wrapped his arms around Hazel, not to comfort her, but to comfort himself. "He died a hero."
Hazel nodded sadly and hung her head.
"A hero," she repeated.