Chapter 67: Shrouds

One way to cause chaos amongst the Romans was through sailing a Greek trireme straight up the Little Tiber.

"It's not quite the Argo II," Chrysaor had said. "But I'd be a useless son of Poseidon if I can't bring my ship and my crew to a nice little river and sail it into Roman territory." It was far more complicated than that, since one moment they were sailing into San Francisco Bay and the next there was the densest fog Thalia had ever seen – and then the Greek trireme was sailing out of fog down a river.

Chrysaor had been particularly smug at the look of disbelief on Thalia's face. "That's not possible," she'd said.

"Says the daughter of Zeus. What do you know about the powers of Poseidon, little Huntress?" Chrysaor taunted. "Perseus is young. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface of what he can do. Neither have you," he added. As he spoke, the sails of the ship folded in on themselves, oars extending out and the ship beginning to row itself forwards down the river.

Thalia had accepted his non-existent explanation and fallen silent to focus on not throwing up over the deck of the ship.

Chrysaor sent Thalia to the bow of the ship to wave to the Romans as the trireme rolled gently up the river, dropping anchor at the closest possible point to the Decumanian Gate. Thalia pressed her lips together as she waved, noting the Roman legionnaires whom filed out of the Gate armed.

"Hey," Thalia called to them from her safe position on the bow of the ship. "I need to speak to Reyna, and to Frank," she yelled as the Romans filed up along the bank. "New Rome is under threat!"

The Roman Legion didn't so much as twitch, remaining annoyingly stoic and unmoved despite Thalia's shouting. "Bloody Romans," she muttered under her breath as she stormed back past Chrysaor onto the lower deck, grimacing slightly and briefly clutching at her side.

Chrysaor chuckled. "I have many cannon I can use-"

"No," Thalia hissed. "No. Greeks have already fired on New Rome before with a warship and it kicked off a war. You don't need to start another one I'm going to have to deal with," she snapped.

The son of Poseidon raised an eyebrow at her, but Thalia spun around and ignored him. She'd taken more ambrosia and nectar than was strictly allowed, but it at least left her mostly pain free.

Until she'd have to start dealing with the Romans. Thalia was sure she'd quickly find herself with a headache then.

"Thalia?" A familiar voice called from the bank below. Thalia immediately returned to the railings of the trireme and waved down at Reyna. The Praetor looked like she'd aged several years in just the past few weeks. She seemed particularly stressed and anxious, one hand closed tightly around a sword at her side. There were three Romans standing close to her, each of them alert and wary of their fellows around them.

Thalia smiled. "Reyna," she called in greeting. Thalia peered over the edge of the trireme down into the river. "Chrysaor, how do I get to the bank?"

"Swim."

Thalia turned to glare at him. "I'm not a child of Poseidon."

"And thank the gods for that," the son of Poseidon muttered. "It's bad enough that you're my cousin."

Thalia scowled. Chrysaor just waved a hand dismissively. "Here," he said, vaulting over the railings of the trireme and landing on the surface of the river. "Walk on water. The river will catch you," he said to Thalia.

The daughter of Zeus sighed, seeing no other option. She climbed over the railings and dropped to the river below, to find herself submerging beneath the surface. Thalia spluttered and gasped as she resurfaced. Chrysaor's hand grabbed hers and he pulled her out, laughing wildly as he did so. Thalia bristled and gave him a sharp electric shock, gritting her teeth as it made the water beneath her feet wobble slightly and dropped her down a foot before steadying beneath her again.

Chrysaor chuckled. "Apologies," he said with a sharp smile.

Thalia decided she hated the half-monster son of Poseidon. She scowled at him, dripping wet as she stormed across the river to where Reyna had been patiently waiting. Reyna looked Thalia over, her expression stoic aside from the smallest of twitches to her lips. "Who's that?" Reyna questioned, slowly raising an eyebrow.

The daughter of Zeus scowled. "Chrysaor. Medusa's son." Reyna's other eyebrow joined the first. The guards around her shifted their uneasiness towards Chrysaor as well as the other Romans around them. "It's a long story," Thalia said, angrily trying to twist some of the river water out of her bloodstained silver parka. And she didn't want to have to discuss the ambush that had probably killed most of the Hunt either.

"Get back to your duties," Reyna firmly and sharply said to the legionnaires, raising her voice. There were whispers and mutters, and Thalia frowned when she noted the hesitation to obey in some of the legionnaires' responses.

"What's happened?" Thalia asked when the crowd had dispersed, casting distrustful and angry looks at the trireme. The guards grew tenser and Thalia turned briefly to see that Chrysaor had joined her on the river bank, his sword at his back.

Reyna hesitated. "Why is the son of Medusa with you?"

"He saved my life," Thalia said. "From Commodus." The name caused Reyna's expression to tighten and the guards around them to shift uneasily. "I don't trust him, but I do trust that he's been paid to keep me alive."

The Roman Praetor sighed and nodded. "Very well," she said. "Come, we can talk while we walk."

Thalia pressed her lips together. "There's an invasion force on its way," she said. "Commodus at least, he's gathering his own Roman Legion."

"And Caligula," Chrysaor said, deciding to add his unneeded and unwanted opinion to the discussion. "But I think he's been… delayed. His yacht was taken out. Would be too much to imagine that he went down with it though. It's a shame. I'd have liked a ship-on-ship battle in the Little Tiber."

Reyna scowled. "Invasion force?" She echoed, looking alarmed at the thought. The Praetor pressed her lips together. "The timing… can't possibly be worse."

Thalia noted then that she was favouring her left side. Thalia gestured to it, gritting her teeth as the arms of her soaked parka peeled away from her skin. "Something happen?"

Reyna sighed. "Discontent. The recent years have left a lot of legionnaires and civilians unhappy. Somehow word about the Triumvirate got out," Reyna said grimly. "Now… well." She gestured to the side, to the back of the Principia as they approached.

Thalia paled when she spotted the golden triangle which had been graffitied onto the back of the Principia. "That's the symbol of the Triumvirate," she noted. "Reyna-"

"Many Romans are unhappy," Reyna repeated tiredly. "Someone tried to kill me only two days ago now. There have been… some unusual circumstances lately, even before that, but this was the conclusive evidence of foul play amongst the Legion and within New Rome. Many are voicing their support for the Triumvirate as a way of regaining Rome's former strength."

"But that's insane!" Thalia exclaimed angrily, causing heads to turn in her direction. Thalia glared back at them all, lightning crackling between her fingers.

"Ah, Romans," Chrysaor mused. "You never cease with trying to murder your leaders, do you?"

Reyna shot him a sharp glare. "Consider yourself lucky that the Lieutenant of Diana's Hunters has vouched for you, son of Medusa," she said curtly. "Else you would've been killed before you were able to enter the Decumanian Gate."

Chrysaor just seemed amused at the threat. Thalia conceded with the river so close it was a stupid one – threatening a son of Poseidon left to a river was just empty words. She waited until they were inside the Principia, where they weren't likely to be overheard before speaking again.

Thalia shook her head. "Commodus is heading this way with an invasion force, and I think Caligula is involved too," she said to Reyna as the Praetor stepped into her office, her guards moving with her and preventing Chrysaor from joining them. The son of Medusa just rolled his eyes. "If what you say is true about there being support for them within your own ranks, that needs to be dealt with," Thalia said once it was just her and Reyna.

"You think we haven't been trying that already?" Reyna demanded as she settled behind her desk, looking remotely relieved to be off her feet and sitting down. She had clearly been more injured than she let on in the assassination attempt. "We've tried, but we can't pin down anyone whom actually supports them. Everyone is too careful for that. No one supports them in public, but they still make their presence known."

"The Legion's in no state to defend New Rome against an invasion," Thalia summed up. She sat opposite Reyna, trying to ignore the wet squelch as she sat back into the chair. "What about Jason? What's he doing? And Frank?"

"Frank is talking with the Senators to try to find a way to calm the tensions within New Rome," Reyna said to Thalia. "And Jason went into the Labyrinth with Piper to try to find out what he can about these fires across California. It's been two weeks now since he left."

Thalia pressed her lips together, immediately growing concerned. "The Labyrinth? And you haven't heard anything from him?"

"No," Reyna admitted. "Not yet. But the Labyrinth does distort time," Reyna pointed out. "He'll report in when he can."

Thalia's hands fisted, crackling with electricity across her knuckles. She was tempted to spin around and storm from the room to search for her little brother. Reyna's faith in his capabilities aside, Thalia was worried. "You can't hold back the Triumvirate's invasion force," Thalia said. "What about Camp Half-Blood? They can help?"

Reyna just shook her head. "Bringing so many Greeks here, with the current tension? It would cause New Rome to erupt," she said worriedly. "No. That's not an option."

Thalia grit her teeth. "But New Rome might fall then. Isn't there anything that can help?"

"Short of a miracle to unite us again?" Reyna asked. "No. I will order the Legion to prepare to defend Camp Jupiter. That's all I can do for now."

"No one you can ask to help? They don't have to stay within the barracks or New Rome," Thalia pointed out.

"The Amazons were decimated in the war too," Reyna said. "Asking them would be…" She trailed off. Reyna shut her eyes briefly, before she slowly nodded. "That… might work," she muttered to herself before pulling open one of the drawers of her desk.

Thalia stared as Reyna pulled out a playing card with green scribbles over it. "What is that?" She asked in bewilderment.

Reyna's gaze was grim. "Our help," she said, before she tapped her index finger twice against the card on the desk. "They're much closer than Camp Half-Blood are. And I suppose we're desperate enough to ask them for help."

Thalia cursed violently as a face swam into focus on the card. Bright blue eyes peered back at her, looking just as surprised to see Thalia as she was him.

"Luke," Thalia said, her throat tight. Reyna glanced to Thalia briefly, squinting at her.

Luke blinked in surprise, recoiling slightly. "Thalia?" He asked, looking baffled. "How're you – hey, Al! Your card's acting up!" He yelled, his voice louder now. "Thals, why're you soaked?" His familiarly made Thalia grit her teeth in anger.

A guard promptly barged into the room, Roman gladius half pulled out of its sheath. "Praetor, are you…?"

Reyna nodded. "I'm fine, thank you for your reactions," she said.

The legionnaire nodded and left.

Luke in the small, shimmering face of the card was jogging through a snowy landscape. The movement was dizzying, so Thalia turned her head away briefly and back to Reyna. "How did you get that?"

"Percy and Nico," Reyna said. "A demigod called Alabastor Torrington gave them two, they gave one to me in case I need it."

Thalia scowled. "Torrington? I know him. He led Kronos' demigod army," she said. "We've been trying to track him down ever since."

"And you failed," a new voice said through the card. "Reyna, right? I've heard about you," the son of Hecate said. He smiled. "And Thalia, of course."

Thalia sneered at him. "You murdered-"

"What's up, then?" Luke asked, cutting across Thalia before she could properly accuse Alabastor Torrington of murdering his fellow demigods.

"And where's Percy?" Alabastor asked. "I gave that to him, not to you."

Reyna pressed her lips together. "I have just been informed that there's an invasion force, headed by the Triumvirate, which is heading our way here at Camp Jupiter."

"Why do we care?" Alabastor grumbled.

The Praetor's gaze darkened. Luke frowned and clapped a hand over Alabastor's mouth. "Excuse him. He's rude," Luke said. "Why are you telling us this? You're New Rome. Beat their asses."

"We are in no state to defend New Rome," Reyna said. "We have traitors amongst us. We also have reason to believe that the Triumvirate are involved in the disappearance of Kronos."

That seemed to catch their attention. Alabastor paused. "Invasion, huh?" He looked over at Luke in the flat face of the card. "Think the Wolves will want to help?"

Luke smiled. "Obviously." Luke shared a glance with Alabastor before he was nodding. "Alright," he said. "We'll help you stop the Triumvirate, for Kronos. I knew something shifty was going on with them already," Luke said with a scowl. "We'd be happy to. Have you contacted Camp Half-Blood yet to let them know?" At Reyna's shake of the head, he nodded slightly. "We can do that with magic," he said. "See if anyone can get to you quickly from there too. Di Angelo at least will be able to."

Reyna inclined her head slightly, taking a second to realise he meant Nico. "Thank you," she acknowledged. Luke just nodded his head, already turning to Alabastor.

"We'll have to tell Fenrir if we want his Wolves-"

Alabastor cut off the connections between them. The card faded back to a regular playing card, the scribbles no longer glowing, but instead a dull green.

Thalia exhaled sharply. "So they're coming to help," she said.

"Hopefully," Reyna agreed. "I must ready the Legion. With some luck, Jason will be back before the invasion force arrives too," she added. "We will need him."

The door to Reyna's office opened and Reyna and Thalia looked up sharply at the sound of raised voices from behind. Thalia shut her eyes as she recognised Chrysaor's voice raised above many others as Frank slipped into the room. He looked uneasily back to the corridor behind him as he closed the door. "Why is there Chrysaor causing chaos in the corridor?" Frank questioned.

Thalia sighed. "Poseidon and Oceanus both paid him to rescue me and he seems to think staying here will be fun for himself," she said.

Frank looked displeased at that. "We can't kick him out?"

The daughter of Zeus shrugged. "You're welcome to try," she said half-heartedly. "But he's a little too determined to be dislodged easily."

Frank grunted and nodded. "It's good to see you again," he said diplomatically to Thalia. "I didn't see the rest of the Hunters when I came over, are we expecting them too?" He asked.

Thalia's expression twisted at the sharp pain she felt in response to the question. "No," she said curtly. "We were attacked by Commodus. I don't know what's happened to them," Thalia said, her tone sharp. She knew Frank had no way of knowing, but still couldn't help but snap at him for the question that made her heart ache.

Commodus would die for that. Thalia would make sure of it herself.

Reyna pressed her lips together, looking surprised that the Hunters could've been beaten. Frank looked stunned, his eyes widening. "I'm sorry," he quickly said, "I didn't realise."

Thalia just shook her head. "You didn't do it," she said, her gaze dark.

Frank grimaced. "The Triumvirate haven't even attacked yet and we're already fighting amongst ourselves," he said worriedly. Frank looked at Reyna with concern. "How's your side?"

"Fine," Reyna said curtly. She turned back to Thalia then. "You're favouring your side," she said to her. "Our medics can check you over if you'd like?"

Thalia shook her head. "I took nectar and ambrosia," she said. "I'll be fine."

Reyna opened her mouth, probably about to insist, when there was commotion outside and an armoured gauntlet knocking on the door. Reyna's expression tightened, looking irritated at the disruption. "Praetors? There's a commotion at the Caldecott Tunnel," the voice from behind the door said. "Rumour is that Jason's back."

Thalia immediately started for the door, hurriedly wrenching it open and fixing her gaze on the startled and rather terrified legionnaire who was staring back at her as water dripped over the floors, his fist in her face. He dropped his fist, face paling slightly. "Sorry, Lieutenant," he rushed out apologetically.

"Jason?" Thalia asked sharply. She was surprised at the relief which rushed through her, but supposed she shouldn't be. After the last few days she'd had, it was a sharp relief which nearly made her collapse. Past the guard, a tiny twister of water that Chrysaor had been spinning around his finger – much to the worry of the Romans guarding Reyna's office – froze in mid-air. "Is he ok?" She demanded as she heard Reyna and Frank pause at her back.

The guard shifted slightly. "He's being taken to the medics," he said, causing Thalia's worry for her brother to immediately shoot up again. "But, Praetors, Lieutenant? He hasn't just come back with the graecus." Thalia's gaze sharpened at the Roman insult.

"Who's with him?" Thalia demanded.

The guard hesitated. "They wear the royal purple of Emperors," he said.

Reyna stilled, tensing slightly. "Are you suggesting that he has brought enemies into our borders?" She asked.

The legionnaire frowned. "No Emperor is an enemy of Rome, Praetor," he insisted. "Jason said they were allies."

Reyna eyed the legionnaire closely, a faint frown marring her face. "Lead the way, legionnaire," Reyna said.

Thalia's eyes cut towards her briefly. The Roman nodded his head. "Praetor," he muttered, before he turned around and started down the corridor.

Chrysaor looked on with interest, sidling out ahead of them and ignoring the bristling weapons around him wielded by twitchy Romans. Thalia felt uneasy as they followed after the Roman. Reyna held herself tall, Frank beside her as a small number of guards closed around them.

It didn't make Thalia think that they were in a position of strength, that the two had to walk around their own legionnaires with an armed guard to protect against their own. They started down the Via Principalis to head to the infirmary, Thalia uneasy.

It was never a good sign when someone was sent straight to the infirmary after returning from a quest, not with the haste that Jason clearly was.

"He'll be fine," Frank said to Thalia. "Jason's strong. Don't worry," he assured her. "And Piper would've had his back too, the two of them work well together."

"They broke up," Thalia reminded Frank.

Frank just shrugged. "Still kept in touch with each other," he pointed out.

Thalia disagreed. But then the only similar experience she'd had was with Luke, and that was hardly comparable. Her and Luke hadn't been dating before he'd betrayed her. Piper hadn't exactly betrayed Jason either.

"I'm more concerned with the company he has," Reyna said, her expression stoic, yet her eyes flicked to the legionnaires around them. Thalia spotted the mark of the Triumvirate along the walls of the barracks, pressing her lips together. "No matter how many times we have them removed, it's always replaced the day after," Reyna muttered, her voice low as she noted where Thalia's eyes lingered. "The Lares aren't helping either. They're stirring up support for the Triumvirate constantly."

The group passed the barracks, heading out the Praetorian Gate and along the Via Praetoria. Thalia relaxed as they left the Legion's barracks behind, turning briefly to look at the golden triangle which shined off the eastern side of the First Cohort's barracks.

Thalia's gaze soured. "You need to find a way to deal with that," she said to Reyna.

"We have tried," Reyna said, frustration tinging her voice.

"No one is willing to say if they know," Frank said. "And we can't just punish everyone within the Legion and New Rome when we don't know who's responsible. It will upset a lot of powerful people within New Rome if the Legion marches through and arrests anyone we suspect of supporting the Triumvirate."

"Bait," Chrysaor said. "Use yourself as bait. It always works."

"There's an invasion force heading here," Thalia said, ignoring him. "And you're facing your own people along with theirs."

Reyna's jaw clenched. "We'll manage," she said. "We always have so far. The Titan War, the Giant War. Both of them we survived. We will make it through this one too."

"Camp Jupiter will," Thalia agreed. "But I don't know who's going to be leading Camp Jupiter by the time this is over," she said, staring at Reyna head-on. Thalia glanced to watch as a group of civilians from New Rome approached them on the Via Praetoria. The guards didn't seem concerned. Chrysaor, wandering after them, was looking around Camp Jupiter with casual interest. Thalia glanced back at him to check that he was behaving himself and not causing trouble.

"As soon as we find out what Jason has uncovered," Reyna said. "We will begin to set defences."

Thalia sighed. "I hope Camp Half-Blood can make it here in time," she murmured.

"Praetors!" One of the civilians greeted as the party passed by. Reyna nodded to them and replied in kind with her own greeting, Frank doing much the same.

"Me too," Reyna muttered under her breath. "We're not in a good position right now," she said.

"Watch out!" Frank barked. Thalia had already seen the flicker of movement from behind them. She turned, reflexes given to her by the blessing of Artemis bestowed on all the Hunters aiding her in frying an arrow out of the air before it hit Frank. The half a dozen guards drew their swords in unison, closing ranks around the three.

Thalia cursed as a sword was stabbed in her direction from amongst the guards. She thrust her palms out and lightning burst out, the guard flying back with a pained cry.

"Ave Imperatores!" A voice cried.

Reyna had drawn her own sword and next to her Frank had shapeshifted himself into a bear, slamming a large paw into a guard about to stab him. It was a quick fight, more a skirmish than anything else that ended with two guards pinned along with a further two of the civilians. Chrysaor had disarmed one of the guards effortlessly, his golden sword pointed at the throat of the screaming guard clutching at the stump of his forearm. Thalia gasped, her body trembling from all the lightning strikes she'd thrown around.

Chrysaor's eyes gleamed. "He is disarmed," he announced gleefully. Thalia felt like slapping him for the dark joke in a situation like this.

The daughter of Zeus looked around at the chaos which had unfolded in the road, the main road of Camp Jupiter. There was a crowd gathered along the sides of the road, watching and whispering. Thalia narrowed her eyes at them with suspicion, a chill running down her spine.

Two of the Praetor's own guards had just tried to assassinate both Reyna and Frank.

Yet, it was only two guards and two civilians involved against the other four guards, Thalia, Frank, Reyna and Chrysaor.

This was never intended to have succeeded, Thalia realised. This was a message. A message to the Praetors and to Camp Jupiter itself.

Even their leaders were not safe from the reach of their enemy.

Chaos had struck Camp Half-Blood in the days since Nero's attack.

Percy spent much of it in a daze, moving through the motions, but not paying much attention to anything. Grover had organised for nature spirits to bring the bodies to the Camp and out of the Grove, a solemn march which had shocked and horrified the rest of the campers present when they saw the bodies of their fellow demigods. Chiron had listened to them explain what had happened, a shaking Sherman and Austin taken swiftly to the infirmary, before Chiron had sent them all to the infirmary too.

Percy had refused and gone to the dock instead, staring out across the waves. The form of Pricus danced out across the sound, overseeing the giant statue being dragged out to sea.

The son of Poseidon only felt a heavy weight on his shoulders. He'd sworn an oath to Luke that he'd keep Cecil alive and then he'd watched as the son of Hermes had burnt to death tied to a stake.

He recalled watching as the shrouds of the fallen demigods were burnt. It seemed a horrible thing, to burn the shrouds when the demigods themselves had been burnt beyond all recognition in the green flames of Greek fire. Percy still heard the screams of Cecil Markowitz, Luke's younger half-brother, ringing through his ears.

Nero had struck first, and the demigods had been too slow to react.

The murmurs and whispers too, they echoed in Percy's ears from his fellow demigods. He hadn't missed the looks and stares from the others during the burning of the shrouds, the accusing glances. It was bad enough that Percy was very well-known for the whole Kronos thing, but now? No one had died until Percy came back to camp and he wasn't the only one very aware of that.

Percy had been insisting he'd only help against Nero, that everyone else could manage against the Emperors. But now? It was two weeks after the burning of the shrouds that Percy finally stirred again, anger in his chest, choking him with its intensity. He'd rested and stayed away from most of the campers at Chiron's insistence for the past few weeks and some campers had left in that time, the camp even emptier than it had been when he first arrived.

The campers whom remained were grim, and yet an edge of furious determination cut across each and every one of them.

The Hephaestus cabin were organising for all of the remaining campers to rebuild the defences that had been taken down after the Second Giant War, Leo at the lead and instructing them all from Bunker Nine. Grover had also organised for the myrmekes to help defend the camp, and the giant ants scurried around building more defences and a network of tunnels through the camp that would've taken the campers months to make.

Percy knew this was a new war now, not just something that could be dealt with easily like he'd assumed.

So Percy entered into the Big House and used the single landline there to phone his Mom. "Mom," he said before Sally could say anything, knowing that she was down the other end. He could hear his baby sister, Estelle, crying down the phone and it made him smile slightly. "Hey," he whispered.

"Percy?" Sally asked. "Are you okay? What's happened?"

Percy bit back a sob and he told her everything, crumpling down into the chair in the room, head in his hands as he talked. Sally listened through it all, and when he stopped she was silent for a long minute.

"I understand, Percy," Sally said, clearly holding back her own tears. "Don't worry, we'll manage," she reassured him. "You go stop them," she said fiercely.

The son of Poseidon knew that if he involved himself more with this, he wouldn't be getting the grades he needed to get into New Rome's University. But there was no other choice, the Emperors had removed that from Percy when they attacked his home at Camp Half-Blood. "I'm sorry, Mom," Percy said.

"We'll figure something out after it's all dealt with," Sally insisted. "It'll be fine, Percy." Down the line, Estelle's screams picked up again and Percy heard his Mom sigh. "Percy-"

"It's fine," Percy said with a small smile. "Go, she needs you," he said.

"You're my baby too, Percy," Sally said firmly. "And so do you."

Movement from the corner of Percy's eyes had him raising his head. Chiron's gaze was sombre as he stood in the doorway watching Percy on the phone.

Percy swallowed. "I'm fine, Mom," he said. "But I have to go anyway," Percy said. "I love you, Mom," he added.

"Love you too, Percy," Sally returned.

Percy put the phone back down on the receiver, glancing over to Chiron. "Just telling her I won't be back until this is all dealt with," he said. "Don't want her to worry about me," he added.

Chiron nodded his head slightly as he observed Percy. The centaur looked like he'd aged years in the space of a few weeks. "You're looking better," he said to Percy. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better," Percy admitted tiredly. His gut no longer ached so much, maybe a few dull aches every now and then, but nothing like the piercing pain there was before. "A lot better."

The centaur seemed pleased at that. "Good," he said. "Then I will no longer stop you from helping prepare the camp. There are many campers whom could do with some swordplay lessons, I fear," Chiron said, his expression grim.

"Have you managed to get in touch with Olympus?" Percy asked hopefully.

"No," Chiron admitted. "Nothing. Even from Dionysus. Messages still aren't getting through to Olympus," Chiron said. "Whatever the Emperors have done, it isn't going to fix itself."

Percy grunted. "So we have to find a way to get communications back up then," he said tiredly. "How do we even begin with figuring that out?"

Chiron seemed just as lost as Percy felt. The son of Poseidon pressed his lips together, trying to figure it out, but he had absolutely no idea how the Emperors might have managed it. He cursed under his breath. "This is…" Percy trailed off. He glanced to Chiron. "What about the Prophecy that the Oracle of Dodona said to Nico?" Percy asked. "Any luck with figuring that out yet?"

The centaur frowned. "No," he admitted with a long sigh. "It does however seem particularly Roman, so perhaps they would have better luck," Chiron added. It also didn't help much that the fire in the Grove had destroyed enough of the trees that the prophecy was incomplete.

Percy nodded slightly. "And we can't even contact them to tell them," he grumbled. He was worried about how Jason's and Piper's quest into the Labyrinth to find the Burning Maze had gone, since he hadn't heard anything since he'd left New Rome. "It doesn't help that Aquila's disappeared again," he muttered. The giant bird had been around for a few days in the weeks since Nero's burning of the Grove, but vanished before too long after leaving bird poop over the camp. The bird was immortal and probably had better things to do other than babysit a camp of demigods, but Percy still wished the pain in the ass was still there.

"Indeed," Chiron murmured. "I must admit to being astonished that he lingered as long as he did," the centaur said. "Aquila is known for preferring to settle on the edges of the Greek world, away from heroes."

"Then why does he insist on annoying me?" Percy grumbled.

Chiron smiled. "Perhaps he considers that you might be interesting," he offered. His smile only lasted a few short seconds though before it crumbled and his expression shifted slightly. "I heard your conversation with your mother," the centaur gently said. "We now know that the Triumvirate are out there and causing problems. They can be dealt with," Chiron said firmly.

Percy slowly nodded. "Right," he agreed. "If we knew how to find them. We can take the fight to them then instead of being on the backfoot," Percy said, anger in his voice. "Get back at Nero for what he's done."

"Chiron!"

Percy blinked, looking up when he heard Nico's voice elsewhere in the Big House. Chiron's tail flicked. "I'm in here with Percy," Chiron called back, turning to face the door.

Nico appeared out of a shadow in the corner. Neither Percy or Chiron batted an eye, more than used to Nico coming out of nowhere now. "Hey," Nico said, slightly breathless. He held a card in his hand, one that Percy recognised.

Percy frowned. "Neeks?" He asked, gesturing to the card that Alabastor Torrington had given Nico. "What's that for?"

Nico's gaze was grim. "Alabastor just contacted me," he said, his dark eyes flicking between Chiron and Percy. "Reyna contacted him with the card we left with her. Thalia and the Hunters had an encounter with an Emperor – Commodus – in Indianapolis and apparently he's got an invasion force heading to Camp Jupiter as we speak. She's asking if we can go to help. Alabastor and Luke and those guys are going to head south out of Alaska to join them," Nico added.

Percy's frown deepened. "They're going to New Rome?" He asked, slightly worried about the reception that Luke's group of demigods would receive. "Is that smart?"

His cousin's gaze met Percy's. "Probably not, but they're going anyway." Nico glanced back to Chiron. "I'm thinking I'll shadow travel over there," Nico said. "See if I can help."

"Just as we were saying we wanted to get off the defensive," Percy said with a tired groan. "Did they say anything about Jason?"

"We can't leave Camp Half-Blood undefended either," Chiron said worriedly. "Not with Nero still in this region."

Percy clenched his jaw. "Caligula still has Kronos," he pointed out. "That's also a problem. And Nero was spooked by Gaea."

Chiron inclined his head. "One of many problems that need to be dealt with as soon as is possible," Chiron agreed. "It worries me what he may be intending with a god held captive. Two gods, if we include Apollo," he added.

Percy shifted slightly. "I know Oceanus and Poseidon were involved with sending the sea serpent to take out that statue," he said. "Maybe I can ask them to at least keep the sea safe? If that sea serpent were to stick around, maybe?"

Nico raised an eyebrow at Percy. "You're going to join me at Camp Jupiter?" He asked. "I thought you were heading back home."

Percy just shook his head. "I can't now," he said. "Not after… not after what happened."

His cousin nodded, his gaze fierce. "I can shadow travel with you, it'll take a little longer, but-"

"Don't worry about that," Percy said. "I can take Blackjack. You just get to Camp Jupiter as soon as you can," he said. "I'd ask Leo to join us, but he's dealing with the defences."

Chiron nodded slightly. "Valdez is doing particularly well," he said. "But he is needed here."

"The two of us should be enough to help," Nico said to Percy. "With everyone already heading to Camp Jupiter."

Percy took a deep breath. "Alright," he said. It was clear that New Rome needed their help if they were even asking Luke and his demigods to help them, but Percy still felt uneasy with leaving Camp Half-Blood after the recent events.

"Go," Chiron said, clearly seeing the look of hesitation on Percy's face. "If you can get Oceanus and Poseidon to agree to keep the Sound safe, and send over that sea serpent, then we will be capable here. Grover has roused the myrmeke and the nature spirits to assist us too. It sounds like there is far more ongoing to the west than there is here."

Percy slowly nodded. "Okay," he said. "Okay. Nico – let them know I'll be joining them too, I'll fly over on Blackjack," Percy said. "After getting that sea serpent."

Nico nodded back to Percy, his gaze sharp. "I can pick up Annabeth on the way," he said. "Drop past hers, see if she wants to help too."

"Good idea," Percy said. He'd be relieved to have Annabeth fighting alongside him again, knowing there was someone whom he could trust to watch his back. "It might take me a while, but I'll get there as soon as I can," Percy said. "Good luck, Nico," he added.

Nico smiled and nodded slightly at Percy. "Good luck, Perce," he replied, before glancing at Chiron again and disappearing back into the shadow.

Percy stood, grimly pushing himself up. "I'd better go to the dock – what?" He asked when he saw the look Chiron was giving him.

Chiron's smile was sad. "There were many times as you were growing up that I worried you wouldn't make it to adulthood," the centaur said to Percy, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And yet, now look at you." Chiron chuckled.

Percy's gaze softened slightly. "Sometimes I didn't think I'd make it either," he said, before he continued on towards the door. "I probably won't drop back in here before I leave," Percy said to Chiron. "So I'll see you when I get back," he called over his shoulder as he ran out of the Big House and turned to head towards the docks.

Next chapter: Jason is back with some new friends! Yay!

New Rome has some problems to deal with now! Lots of resentment amongst the retired civilians for being forced to join the Legion to fill the empty spaces from the last two wars too... can't imagine the chaos that's going to come out of that XD