Chapter 8: What has to be done
Jason was eighty percent sure he was dead. And it wasn't only because of the lack of any pain in his body. The mere fact that he was where he was now proved that he was loosing it.
The wolf house was just as he remembered it, black and old and empty. For mortals it was abandoned years ago, now only serving as a museum from time to time. But for every Roman it was a sacred place. Every demigod was tested here before going to camp Jupiter by the wolf Lupa. Yeah, the same from the legends. Much like Chiron was the one to teach the Greek demigods.
Jason walked slowly towards the house, his steps echoing in the empty garden. When he neared what probably used to be pool, his brows scrunched. That…tower wasn't there the last time he came here. Something felt very wrong about this place.
''You are right.'' a snarling voice sounded in his head and the son of Jupiter hastily turned around to see a big wolf standing on the pathway. Lupa. ''It is me cub. Our enemies think that they can do their sacrifices on our sacred lands only because we were defeated once! You have to prove them wrong! You have to stop this from rising!''
The wolf nodded towards the tower of mud with bared teeth and Jason looked back at it. It surely didn't belong there. It had to be destroyed but how? He couldn't do it now, could he? He wasn't really there. For all he knew, he was dying, if not dead already, in the other end of the country.
''Yes and no my young champion.'' Another voice came but thankfully, this one had a real source. The son of Jupiter spun around yet again to notice a woman in the base of the tower, imprisoned like in a cage there. She was scowling while looking at him. Jason stiffened noticing the goat skin on her shoulders and the golden crown that contrasted with her black hair.
''Lady Juno.'' He immediately recognized his patron and bowed in respect.
''You are not really here Jason, for that you are right. But you are not dead either. It isn't your time. You have many fights ahead of you.''
''Why are you here my lady? What has happened.'' He asked the goddess.
''I was imprisoned. Something that had happened before. I can't escape on my own.'' And like to prove her point she glowed in gold for a few seconds before the light died down and she sighed in frustration. ''You have to free me from my prison. Our enemy must not rise from my death. Romans and Greeks must forget the old rivalry if the war is to be won by us!''
Jason felt angered but tried to not show it. The goddess was just standing there, shouting orders. Like it was that easy to make peace between two nations that didn't want that peace! Why didn't she try to stop them from fighting? And on top of it all, she had to be saved. He had the sudden urge to just leave her there.
''You can't leave me here. The Olympians may not have noticed my absence yet but at the Summer solstice they will. And if I'm not present, your father will start a war! You must prevent the history from repeating!''
Jason suddenly felt his head throb. He clutched it and tried not to wince.
''We don't have time my hero. I'm growing weak because of this prison and you are returning back. But know that you can trust the Greeks. You can trust her too, she had proven herself to you!'' Juno demanded.
For a second he couldn't understand who was the girl the queen of the gods was talking about. But then it became clearer in his hazy mind. He nodded half-heartedly. He could feel more places on his body starting to hurt. Dizziness threatened to overtake him.
''Go hero, save me and win this war!'' was the last words he heard from the goddess before the place vanished and he fell into darkness again.
In another time Piper would have been glad to see Romans and Greeks working together like that. It seemed that the army they had to fight somehow made it easier for them to work together, to overcome their difference in order to win. And they won. But at the cost of many injured and even some dead.
But right now, she wasn't bothered by the passing demigods around her. She couldn't care less that Will was working with that Gwen girl over one of her friends, trying to stop him from standing up or that another Roman girl was cleaning Clovis' face as he slept on a bunk bed not far away. The only thing she could concentrate on now was Jason's pale face and limp body against the bed.
A day had passed since they managed to defeat the army of monsters, attacking camp Half-blood. Jason hadn't woken up since then even though Will said that he would be fine. The son of Apollo had to pray to his father and gods know what else to save the praetor but eventually, he did. But due to the blood loss, he wasn't completely out of danger until he woke up. Which, Piper thought, should have happened by now.
''How is he?'' Thalia's voice came from behind her and the daughter of Aphrodite turned abruptly to see her standing at the foot of his bed.
Piper quickly let Jason's hand go and stood up from her chair as she noticed that the daughter of Zeus wasn't alone. Reyna's gaze was still on his hand that was in hers before but her expression didn't show any emotion as usual. However, Piper could detect something passing the daughter of Belona, some understanding probably. The daughter of Aphrodite averted her eyes from her and looked at Thalia instead.
''No change for now. But at least his fever ceased.'' She explained while stepping away.
''Of course there will be no change since we've left our praetor in the hands of the Greeks! They don't want him to wake up so we can be easily taken over!'' came a voice that Piper had started to hate.
The augur Octavian was nearing them with a fast step much to … everyone's annoyance actually, judging by Reyna and Thalia's faces Piper figured that they weren't much pleased to hear from him right now.
''We are taking care of my brother and he will wake up.'' Thalia said sternly, glaring at the scrawny-looking boy who cowered a little, faltering in his steps. He was quick to regain his composure and turned to Reyna instead.
''Praetor, if I may speak, isn't it better if we just…''
Piper soon tuned him out because his speeches were usually long, with a lot of twists and half of the things he said were just plain irrelevant. He talked much like a politician actually. Instead, she decided to concentrate on Jason's face and the scrunching of his eyebrows from time to time. He was probably having a dream or something. He didn't look peaceful and Piper would have been holding his hand again and praying to whomever god listened if it wasn't for the audience around. Their relationship was still a secret. If there still was one that is.
She sighed. They still hadn't talked about where they stood after they discovered they both were demigods. And now this. What if he never woke up? No, she shouldn't think like that. He was strong, he would survive. He had to, he couldn't just…die. Octavian's words brought her back from her reverie.
''…elections on the Feast of Fortuna and if our praetor here doesn't make it by then we'll be forced to…''
Piper couldn't take it anymore. This guy was talking like Jason was already dead. She pushed herself off of the cupboard and made a step towards him, anger building up in her and tears swelling in her eyes.
''Will you just shut up already?'' she nearly screamed at him, earning the attention of all the people in the infirmary but she didn't care. ''Jason will wake up, do you hear me? He will. But he won't get the chance to kick your damn ass because I'm going to do it if you don't just shut up!''
She hadn't realized she was charmspeaking him and most of the auditorium until she stopped talking and noticed his wide eyes and his mouth that continued opening and closing but no sound came out of it. That sobered her up a little and she took a deep breath trying to calm herself down.
A few seconds passed before the augur could talk again.
''You…you're a sorceress! She can control minds! The Greeks want to control us all! We have to…''
But he didn't manage to finish his thought because at that moment Thalia's fist connected with his jaw and the boy swayed a little before falling on the ground, unconscious.
''We need a medic.'' The huntress announced casually, not even affected by the punch she threw and turned to Reyna. ''How do you even cope with this guy around? If I were you I would have killed him by now.''
The daughter of Belona smiled down at Octavian for what Piper thought to be the first time since they arrived.
''Believe me, I would have if I could. But he's the only augur we have and he has some power so it's not that easy. But thank you for this, you just made my day.'' The two girls grinned at each other before Reyna's dark eyes turned towards Piper, the smile gone from her lips replaced by her usual poker face. Great. ''So you are a charmspeaker?''
''Yeah, as a matter of fact. A daughter of Aphrodite thing. One of my sisters has it too.'' Piper explained feeling uncomfortable under the praetor's gaze. She didn't know how she would take the information. Her stony expression didn't let anything out too.
''Well, you have the luck to have around the good charmspeaker thought. Piper is stronger than Drew on that matter and actually on every other. A better person too.'' Thalia announced like she was proud of the Cherokee girl and Piper smiled at her. Ever since she met Thalia she understood why Annabeth admired her so much. The two were like the sisters Piper never had.
The daughter of Aphrodite was utterly surprised when she saw Reyna's outstretched hand. She took it gingerly and met the praetor's eyes.
''I owe you once for this. Finally someone who can shut up Octavian.''
Piper found herself smiling in response as they shook hands.
''Don't mention it, it was my pleasure.''
Amanda, one of Apollo's daughters came with two guys to take Octavian to one of the bunks while the three girls chuckled together. A sound brought them back to reality a few seconds later. The tree turned to look back at Jason's bed where he was groaning. His eyes opened and he looked around confused.
''Where am I?'' he croaked out, trying to stand up but Piper and Thalia were already by his two sides, pushing him back down.
''It's okay, you're in the camp's infirmary. Do you remember what happened?'' Piper asked him gently, her hand unconsciously grabbing his.
He turned to look at her, his eyes trained on her in confusion like wondering what the hell was she doing there but the realization downed on him. He groaned and leaned back on his pillows, eyes on the ceiling now. However, he didn't make an attempt to let her hand go.
''I remember the attack. We were fighting monsters. Then your plan. I summoned lightning and then got back behind the barrier. Then there was blood, my blood. And after that…nothing. I think I dreamed actually…''he said and shook his head.
''You were injured by an enchanted arrow that got through your armor. You're lucky that they got you to the camp fast enough or you would have lost too much blood. You're going to be fine now.'' Thalia smiled at him, relief evident on her face.
''Did it work though? How the attack ended?'' he looked at all of them then.
''We won thanks to working together. Maybe Juno won't be wrong after all, maybe we can do this together.'' Reyna concluded finally, still standing at the foot of his bed.
At the mention of Juno Jason's eyebrows scrunched. Piper wondered what that was for but didn't dare asking. She was too happy to care about it anyway, he was awake!
''And your plan? Did it work?'' he turned to Piper, squeezing her hand a little.
''Perfectly. You fried them all.'' She smiled at him, forgetting completely that they weren't alone. But it was okay, he didn't seem to care either.
''Okay, Reyna I think we should go tell Chiron and the rest that Jason's awake, alright? See you guys later.'' Thalia announced after a while and the two girls left after a wink from the daughter of Zeus and a strange look of longing from the daughter of Belona that passed quicker than a blink of an eye.
''I think that's Thalia telling us that we have to talk.'' Jason announced, trying to joke but it didn't help ease the tension that had settled between the two.
''There's no escaping from it now.'' Piper finally sighed and looked at him again.
This was going to be harder than she thought.
A\N: Okay, I better stop here because if I continue, this chapter would be twice as big as now. Anyway, I hope you all sense the JASPER moment here…next chapter: JASPER WONDERLAND! I don't know if the next chapter will be the last one or that would be the one after but it doesn't matter. What does matter is that this story is coming to an end. So stay tuned, we're at the final lap here!
And I almost forgot, I'm apologizing to the Octavian's fans who read this. I just wanted Piper to charmspeak him to shut up for so long now! I could't stop myself! :))
Thanks so much for the support! I LOVE YOU ALL GUYS!