All rights belong to Rick Riordan

Chapter 28

Reyna's Tale

(Thalia)

It was good to see that the wolves had finally returned to the hunt. It had been almost two years since they were able to stay with us, after The Titan War and the battle at The Wolf House, we had lost so many that only a few remained. Lady Artemis at the time had told us she was sending them away for a while to replenish their numbers.

I did not however expect her to have sent them to the Romans and their wolf goddess, although I guess it did make sense in hindsight. Who else was better qualified to look after our pack in our stead?

The other hunters, even the new ones immediately had taken to getting to know the lupine pack. Most could be seen either petting them or outright playing with the older ones, the younger wolves still seemed apprehensive occasionally, but it seemed they were quickly overcoming it.

I was currently sitting against a fallen log to one side, overlooking them all with one of the elder she-wolves, a survivor of the original pack, her head resting on my lap seemingly content to be reunited with us when I heard a commotion from behind me, as someone tripped over angrily cursing.

"Finally decided to join us, Percy?" I asked without even turning. Even without hearing his voice, only one person in this group could trip over their own feet as often as he did.

"Very funny Pinecone Face, I am sure every forest hates me." He answered slumping down beside me against the log, after first leaping over it. Surprisingly it seemed the log actually shifted a little as he did so. My wolf raised her head and regarded him curiously before nuzzling his hand with her nose.

"Well, it seems that at least one person in this forest likes you, that's a start Seaweed Brain." I joked watching the wolf stand up and sit in front of him between his outstretched legs as if demanding food.

"Wow Thalia only one? Aren't you being mean? Lady Artemis and you like me don't you. And be honest, I think most of the other hunters at least don't mind me well except Tania of course." He said focused on the wolf who was staring at him licking her lips hungrily.

I was about to reply when he turned away for a moment and where he looked a gazelle suddenly walked out from behind a tree, seemingly looking extremely perplexed to see all of us. Although that look suddenly changed to fear, when it noticed the wolf turn and look at it and let out a howl.

Suddenly, every other wolf in the glade turned toward it at the same time and together they all ran towards it and disappeared into the woods as it bolted away with them in pursuit.

"Ok, that was weird for any number of reasons. How did you know it was there and hades why was there a gazelle in California? This isn't Africa for a start." I asked my cousin who slowly turned back towards me.

"I know where everything living is in this area; I have the senses of a god. I need them to keep an eye on all of you and act as your guardian. As for the gazelle, I have no idea perhaps it escaped from a zoo or collection nearby." He answered quickly and I had no reason not to agree. Only Lady Artemis could actively summon animals and she was not nearby and nor would she summon foreign species into an area. Fortunately, the only bit of the environment the hapless mammal would be invading was the insides of a pack of wolves.

"So, what are you doing over here for then Kelp Head? Did Lady Artemis throw you out of her meeting with Lupa?" I joked.

"No, Diana thought I should socialize with the wolves but as they have done a runner. That seems to have gone out the window." He joked back.

"Why has Artemis been Diana more recently Percy? Before you came here, I only saw Diana once back at Camp Half-Blood after the fire. Now she seemingly does it every day." I asked curiously. The point had been confusing me for the last few days, the other hunters had not noticed it so much, as they were not around for the morning briefing, but she would always return now as Diana before changing back to Artemis.

"I don't know for sure, other than she uses Diana at night when she rides the moon chariot as it is more comfortable apparently for her. Other than that, it could be to do with Suzie as she is a Roman after all and just now it was Lupa that caused her to change. I don't mind so much it is still the same goddess even if her appearance changes. Not that I don't mind having someone who looks my age around, as the rest of you look younger than me like you little cousin." He explained before patting me on the head playfully.

"Shut up Seaweed Brain! I am older than you even if I do look younger and so what if I am smaller? I will still kick your ass, now it is just easier to reach. Besides the twins are the same age as you or so I learned, they were actually born the day after you." I explained remembering our talk as we had collapsed Percy's tent.

"Are they? I never asked them; I only knew their names and their parentage. I was not exactly asking them out on a date Thals." He replied bluntly.

"So, two beautiful girls and you paid no attention to them whatsoever? Then again you always were oblivious. It took how many years for you and Annabeth to get together? Or is there someone you are interested in already?" I joked and saw his face turn crimson before he suddenly rose and began to silently walk away, back towards the camp.

I was left in a state of confusion. Why had he reacted like that? Was it the mention of Annabeth? Or perhaps had he really found an interest in someone else? If so, who was it?

I was left pondering this decision as I watched the other hunters give up on waiting for the wolves return and instead focus on hand-to-hand combat. The only two hunters who were especially good at it amongst them were Phoebe and Tania. It was only the three of us who actually preferred to fight and close range, not that any of us couldn't all fight at range.

Soon enough it was just the pair of them left as they squared up to each other, before Tania suddenly leapt forward intending on delivering a haymaker to the veteran hunter, Phoebe simply sidestepped and delivered a roundhouse kick to her neck as she passed by knocking her into the dirt. Being the last one standing the daughter of victory did a bizarre little celebratory dance, while the others looked on wearily, nursing a fresh cluster of bruises.

Once a week this usually happened, and the victor was normally one or the other. I generally stayed out of the bouts because I actively disliked fighting without a weapon and did not have the stature for it, both of those two were larger than I was. I had advantages over them if I used my heritage and infuse my strikes with electrical energy that could disorient or paralyze but that was almost cheating. Besides the real reason was that I just did not like to be beaten in front of the others.

The only activity I was happily beaten on was archery and callisthenics but that was because Atlanta was one a child of Apollo and two a hunter and three had several thousand years more experience than the rest of us including being a member of the original Argonauts. It essentially resulted in her having her archery talent squared, she could hit a target the rest of us couldn't even dream to, except Lady Artemis of course.

I almost always won at spear combat and normally drew with Tania in our rare sword fights. Everyone was essentially equal in the use of hunting knives in close combat, but we were generally not allowed to use them on each other even in training.

As I sat there watching Phoebe finish her customary dance and help Tania back to her feet, I gave a sigh and wished I had someone else who had the same skill as I did in armed combat. Percy was good to spar against, but deep down I knew he was holding back and that I stood little to no chance in an actual fight. Especially, if he could use his own weapons. Although I really did want my own sword like Riptide, unfortunately it seemed like he had no intention of letting me have it.

Speaking of his weapons, he was now more often than not carrying around one of our bows instead of his own. I guess Artemis did not want a repeat of yesterday.

(Percy)

I hadn't meant to have stormed away from Thalia, but I simply did not want to give any of my feelings away. Besides, she was already curious about the sudden appearance of a gazelle in a foreign habitat to which it did not belong. Which was stupid mistake of mine, I had just felt pressured by the she-wolves gaze, almost like she knew what I was capable of.

'Was it possible that they had learned from Nemea?'

Regardless I really needed to learn what animals were native to where if I did not want to give myself away. Fortunately, this time she had agreed with my escaped animal hypothesis.

After heading towards the camp initially I had changed my mind and I was now simply sitting over the cliff above the hunts camp. up on the bluff looking down at a series of wrestling and fist fights until only one remained doing a peculiar series of moonwalks while pumping her arms.

Nemea was behind me asleep around my own personal campfire. After having just swallowed an entire wild boar and almost choking on the still alive creature as it struggled against her gullet. Watching her do that I almost to preferred to watch when she would casually bite her prey in half like usual, despite the mess that usually followed as entrails ended up everywhere.

I continued to watch them for the rest of the day, only rarely moving to get food or drink. Unfortunately, two things I had a limited supply of up here. Not that I really needed either, it was more of a distraction.

Meanwhile as I watched the hunters below, they had settled for their usual archery contest. To no real surprise the daughter of Apollo won this with ease, despite taking her shots from almost twice the distance of the others. Even I had to wish I had one percent of her skill, just so it would keep the goddess off my back for a day or two about the damned weapon.

After a while a series of howls signalled the return of the wolves, and by the looks of their bloated stomachs a successful hunt for the returned pack.

Gradually, Apollo's chariot began to descend from the sky and the hunters had their own dinner in the communal mess tent before finally returning to their individual tents in pairs. Meanwhile the wolves went to the 'kennel' tent.

I rose from my observation position and kicked Nemea's paw a few times, until finally she stirred her head and looked at me with a clearly annoyed expression.

"Only five times this time girl, you are getting better at this waking up thing. We have work to do, you get to stay here while I get to find a pissed of praetor or do want to trade places?" I asked as the lioness who stretched out her front paws and arched her back.

"I thought so, stay here then and stay on guard. No going back to sleep and certainly no wolf munching." I said sternly to the lioness who trudged forward and plopped herself down in the position I had occupied the minute before, with her head hanging over the cliff.

I double checked to make sure everyone was in their tent, before I spread my wings and flapped down to the goddess's tent and knocked.

"Perseus come in; I know it is you." I heard from inside and I stooped inside the doorway.

'Good you are ready, find the Praetor and bring her back here then I will deal with her. Remember she may not be the same as you last saw her. She may now have a lot of resentment towards those she knew, it happens in these situations. She won't even talk to her mother or so I have learned from Bellona earlier when I messaged her. However, I do know she is currently laying low to the south of the Wolf House, so if anything, I would suggest you start there. Now go and be back by morning." Artemis commanded stepping past me and going outside as I followed.

I watched as she changed aspect into the beautiful figure of Diana.

"Oh, and Percy, be careful." She said calmly, before flashing away without any chance of conversation.

I stood there and watched the spot she had left from for almost a minute, remembering the seeming look of concern in her eyes. Before finally I nodded and leapt into the air with a massive flap and headed south.

I arrived at the ruins of the Wolf House and landed in the centre of the ruins and was met by a large silver wolf with numerous scars over his snout and paws and I guessed this was Lupa's Alpha. I had noticed him earlier and thought due to the colour of his fur that he must have been one of Artemis's but clearly, he served Lupa instead.

Regardless the wolf simply looked at me, before tipping its head back and seemingly indicated for me to follow him. As he led me out of the ruins towards and into a familiar cave.

This cave was the same one I woke up in about a year ago with no memory apart from my name and truthfully it had changed very little. As before I could make out the figure at the far end of the tunnel illuminated by torchlight. The visage of the great she-wolf upon a bed of furs, trophies and offerings.

'Perseus, I assume you have come requesting aid in finding the daughter of Bellona?' I heard in my mind.

"Yes Lady Lupa, I know she is nearby to the south, but I was wondering what aid you can lend me in narrowing my search. I understand she only lets herself be found by a demigod and even then, I assume that she generally finds them?" I spoke politely. I guess it could be thought of as strange, but I generally seemed to act more respectful with minor gods than I did with those who claimed to be more important. Pretty much no one on the Olympian Council got that from me except maybe Hestia.

'You speak truly, but then again... You are still a demi-god amongst other things, are you not?' She stated and I knew where this was going.

"That won't work Milady. How exactly can you expect me to pass myself off as a pure demigod? I don't exactly look 'normal' anymore." I said calmly flashing rows of wings that glimmered in the torchlight before folding them in again. Let alone the fact I towered over most normal people.

'True, but from a distance you still look human enough and that is likely enough to lure her in, you are to simply act as the bait as well as the hunter. Reyna has not exactly been thinking clearly since she left the Amazons or even Camp Jupiter. She will see, what she wants to see. Another struggling demigod in need of her assistance. All you need to do is leave here and blunder around the woods for a few hours looking helpless and she will likely find you. And when she does, you flip the positions of hunter and hunted around. Or is that perhaps too difficult for the Titan of the Hunt?' She explained before joking playfully as I rolled my eyes.

"Haha very funny. Although I will need to leave some things here then if I don't want to arouse suspicion by wandering around with so many weapons on me. It will give the fact away that I am already experienced. Besides, she already knows the vast majority of my weaponry from the battle back at the fort on Half-Blood Hill. More so than even the hunters do, in fact.' I told her, it was true. Whilst she did not know about the bow as that came afterwards, instead she knew I had Backbiter/Maelstrom which they did not.

'Very astute Perseus, perhaps you are not as stupid as you look. Leave them on the floor here, I will ensure no one touches them until your return.' Lupa remarked accompanied by a playful grin that bared her canines. I complied and placed Artemis's bow and my shield on the floor face up so I could see the image of Zoe and the moon. I then checked that the rest of my equipment was securely hidden under my coat and sleeves.

'One more thing Perseus, take this.' She said tilting her head to the left and indicating an Imperial gold Gladius laying in a rocky alcove to the side.

"Why?" I asked confused. Even without what I was leaving behind I was still carrying more weapons than most quest parties and she knew that.

'Because no one leaves here unarmed. Unlike Dionysius I want those under my care to make it to New Rome as much as possible. Besides, you cannot walk around out there holding a Greek weapon, that would be obvious that something was amiss. Wield that for the time being and then return it later, when you come back to collect the rest of your own arms.' She instructed and I had to agree with her reasoning, so I walked where she indicated and took the Gladius by the hilt.

'I know you are likely less experienced with the use Roman weaponry but hopefully you will not need it, now off you go Perseus.' She instructed and I did a simple bow and began to walk out of the cave the alpha following on behind me. The goddess would probably be surprised to know that I was actually pretty confident with a gladius and pilum by now. I mean I had little to do for almost a year but train with a pair of muscle brains who loved fighting in all forms of physical close combat.

After I had exited the cave, I looked in the sky and read the stars and checked which way was north, before walking in the opposite direction. My departure accompanied by the howls of the pack as I ventured out of the ruins and into the wilderness.

(Reyna)

I had been hiding in the woods several miles to the south of the Wolf house when I heard the howls and knew another demigod had left the site.

Many years before, I myself had left that place alongside my sister and neither of us had known where we were supposed to be going and no one had seen fit to point us in the right direction. Even our mother Bellona had seemingly not seen fit to waste time helping her daughters. Instead, we had spent months wandering across a continent and even crossing seas hoping to find our destination. Instead, we spent almost twenty years or so I learned afterwards on Circe's Island... until they haplessly came along and destroyed it all.

After that came several weeks of imprisonment by those accursed pirates, before we were able to escape their clutches. Although, I still bore the scars of their mistreatment, even if they were nothing compared to Hylla's.

Unlike her, I may have had the mentality of some twenty years older than they outwardly appeared but physically I was still a child to them. Thankfully sparing me the worst of what those savages would do. Hylla like a lot of the other 'older' girls was not so lucky, eventually though Teach would find an end that was not as quite as legendary as his popular myth would have you believe.

Being choked to death on his own drunken vomit as Hylla smothered the son of Ares in his sleep.

Now armed with their captain's sabre, she would lead a rebellion against the drunken sailors. Killing or driving them away leaderless to the far side of the island.

Finally, after commandeering a small boat, the pair of us left the island and eventually made it back to the mainland. In our absence so much had seemingly changed as we wandered the streets of Tampa for almost a week. Eventually though after living off the streets for a week we were picked up amazingly by a courier for an online merchant company, whatever that was.

Apparently in the time we were in the Sea of Monsters, we had missed the growth of this thing called the internet and she said she worked for the largest online shop in the world. They seemingly were able to sell pretty much anything to any one or anywhere in the world. The woman had recognized us for what we were and had arranged for us to be sent to their headquarters in Seattle.

I do not look back on my time with the Amazons with comfort; I disliked their contempt for men and their barbaric treatment of the ones they 'employed'. They seemed little different to how the pirates treated us at times. However, my time there did allow me to re-learn of another place I could go to. Camp Jupiter, a place where demigods could go and be safe and where we were supposed to go originally all those years before when we left The Wolf House.

The final push for me to leave came a month later, when their previous queen had tried to whip me, after I stopped her assaulting one of the workers. I had managed to attack her and knock her out, but as a result I was forced to leave. However, this had resulted in Hylla's rapid climbing through the ranks of the Amazons as she sought to punish the queen for her actions. Eventually she would be successful in deposing her and claiming both the position and the fabled girdle of Hippolyta for herself cementing the position.

This time however as I wandered south, I knew of the destination I sought. After a week of walking and hitchhiking I made it to Oakland. I was chased the last mile to the tunnel entrance by a Cyclops and was left unarmed as its dying brother had managed to force my dagger out of my hand in its death spasms. Unarmed with the surviving monster in pursuit, I had run up the path to the tunnel as hard as possible, until I spotted two figures ahead of me.

In that moment I watched in amazement, as one of them raised a golden spear above his head and it was met by a bolt of lightning from above. The bolt of electricity was then redirected passed me striking my assailant and instantly vaporizing it into a cloud of golden dust.

As I continued to walk towards the figures in front of me, I had noticed they were both heavily armoured in Roman style armour. The one with the spear had removed his helmet revealing blond hair and the cute face of a boy my own physical age, that being around thirteen. As stupid as it sounds now to say love at first sight. But it was there and then that I first realized I had feelings for this boy, who identified himself as Jason.

Leaving the other guard behind, I was escorted to the city by Jason and learned he both was a Centurion of the Fifth Cohort and the son of Jupiter. Of course, over the following months I was inducted into the second cohort and swiftly rose to the rank of Decanus myself. Eventually Centurion even after I went on a quest with Jason, we were to investigate rumours of the Titan's return. We had discovered that monsters were gathering on a ship on the East Coast, readying to attack Olympus itself.

Jason and I had snuck aboard the cruise ship and learned they were planning on resurrecting Saturn himself. We had managed to sabotage the ships engines, before escaping on a Pegasus that we found in the ships hold. The Senate had seemingly been more interested in the capture of the Pegasus, than the news we bore of upcoming war. Still, as a result I was promoted to Centurion for our actions. The Pegasus Scipio as we called it would only allow me or Jason to ride it due to us rescuing it. However, with the fact Jason could fly without it he became essentially mine alone.

Despite the Senates grumblings over it, we had begun to train our cohorts to prepare for the battle we knew was coming. During this period, I worked hard with Jason as we began to grow closer, even raising the second cohort's overall opinion of the fifth. Until one day we were told of the Titan presence on Mount Tamalpais. Of course, over the span of several weeks the Senate finally agreed to an assault on the Titan Palace of Orthrys to be conducted that summer.

Of course, during the battle nobody had expected the presence of Titan Lord Crius. We had thought incorrectly that Saturn still had not risen and that the Titans were still sealed in Tartarus.

The Titan of the Constellations had smashed his way through our lines. His black adamantium armour impervious to our weapons as we all struggled to land a blow on the Titan, until I had managed to put my spear through the back of his cuirass. The spear piercing where there was a slight chink in the armour.

The Titan had dropped to his knees and roared back in pain at the strike. This had allowed Jason a chance to land the killing blow and stab him through the throat. After and as a result of the battle, we learned that the two Praetors in command of the Legion had died in the assault and I and Jason were raised to replace them for our part in the Titan's defeat.

Following the battle, we tended to the dead and saw to it that the sealed palace was consumed with Greek fire.

For the next few weeks, everything was seemingly great despite our new responsibilities. As we worked together to restore the Legion. Helped in no short part by a sudden increase in the number of recruits and all of them claimed almost immediately much to everyone's surprise. Consulting the Augur, we were told was a result of the gods choosing to claim all their children going forward. This unexpectedly truthful statement later supported by the goddess Vestal proved to be start of Octavian's rise.

Then suddenly Jason disappeared, and I was left to run the Legion and organise the search for him at the same time. Something which was made extremely difficult by that bastard Octavian, claiming that we should immediately replace Jason. With himself obviously as the prime candidate.

Of course that all changed with the arrival of Percy Jackson.

The son of 'Neptune' was instantly able to gain success amongst the legionaries much to my curious interest and Octavian's chagrin. He was sent on a quest almost instantly and then returned mid battle with both our long-lost Eagle and even my sister's army. This unexpected reinforcement had allowed us to seize victory. But Percy was not done there even going so far as to kill the giant single-handedly. With almost no objections (Except Octavian and his lackeys) the Legion raised him up to be my equal and I began to question this sudden turn of events.

Being a son of the 'Big Three' gods it was almost natural that he attracted attention from those around him. Jason had been the same way and even Pluto emissary Nico albeit in not quite the same vain as people recognised that he had presence, they were just creeped out by it. Percy however just had an easy-going charisma that made you want to be near him, he was someone who could seemingly look death in the eye, smile and death would simply say "be on your way." The impossible didn't seem quite so impossible, even the gods seemed to have some begrudging respect or even camaraderie with him judging by Mars talk with him.

Of course, then came the revelation that he was really a Greek demigod, and the de facto leader of their camp. Explaining his abilities and relationship with the gods. This bizarre news was given at the same time we learned that Jason was returning to us.

Finally, after more than half a year Jason returned and I was happy to see him, the months had made me realize how much I missed him. However, any joy I felt was short lived as I saw him at last. But when I did all, I see was his little Greek girlfriend hanging off his arm and I felt my heart break.

Years of working together and getting closer and all of it for nothing. I seethed internally at losing my chance with him to this spawn of Venus or Aphrodite or whatever the bitch was.

Then came the calamity of the Greeks arrival cutting any chance of a reunion off prematurely before I could hear his story on what had happened. So, with the city now partially in flames came the beginning of Octavian's play for power at my expense.

I was soon forced into agreeing with a war I didn't want and helpless to prevent Octavian from trying to annihilate the Greeks. Futilely watching the atrocities, he committed against Diana's huntresses even if they were Greeks.

In the end I watched the son of Poseidon return and decimate the entire Legion single-handedly. Any sign of friendship with his fellow legionary discarded as he sought vengeance against the Augur. We were fortunate that it seemed he did not intend to kill those who stood in his way, otherwise there was guarantee the Legion as a unit would have made it off that hillside. The fifth cohort had wisely decided to stand aside from their former fellow even as he quickly defeated two others.

Yet when he breached the forts gates, I had helped in his capture of the coward Octavian and even his torture. Not that I regretted this, as I knew if he hadn't caught him, it would be much worse for the Legion. Octavian fortunately acted as a scapegoat for the wrath and sorrow of that day, the son of Poseidon was out of control. The once cheerful young man had lost all sense of morality, as he thought and acted with single-minded determination of anger and grief. Over what I later learned was his girlfriend's earlier death along with that of the Hunter's with whom he was acquainted.

Then after the deed was done, he had collapsed and been taken away by the Olympians. I found myself ordered by the gods to swear to keep quiet about him wielding the sword of Saturn and anything else relating to what I had seen there. This still confused me to this day, he had suddenly disappeared after that and no one, not even the six new gods seemingly talked about him around others, and certainly no one spoke a possible truth of what happened to him.

The Greeks campers and Artemis's Lieutenant (She was apparently also Jason's full sister, but Greek somehow?) seemed to believe that he had left due to the death of his girlfriend Annabeth. They thought he would come back at some point when he had dealt with his grief.

Of course, we would eventually return to New Rome and then the next power-hungry bastard came along. He raised and spread rumours of Percy being punished by the gods and I had no proof to the contrary. I was sworn to not tell anyone what I had seen and so people began to say I conspired to commit treachery all along. That I was in cahoots with the son of Neptune all along.

Despite zero evidence to collaborate that story it spread through the ranks. I watched as once again my control of the legion was undermined by another foolish boy on a power trip and witnessed as he gained support from the other cohorts. Until finally I had enough and punched the foolish son of Mars in middle of The Senate House and left the city taking little but my weapons, armour and Scipio.

Originally, I had returned to Seattle and Hylla's Amazons but soon found myself unable to relax amongst the carefree women there, not while I knew others could use my help. Even if I hated the internal politics of Rome, it was still my home and my people.

I chose to help others reach the city, so they too did not have the problems that Hylla and I had all those years ago. Of course, I doubted Lady Lupa would be too happy about me doing this in defiance of our traditions. As such I tried to avoid the attention of the pack of wolves in the area. The last thing I wanted was to kill one in self-defence and nor did I want to be taken to the goddess herself and risk being taken back to the city.

This was why I was now camped outside the boundaries of the Wolf House waiting for demigods that needed help. I would escort them to the city boundaries safety or die trying to buy them an opportunity to escape. Fortunately, I knew from experience that the wolves would howl when another recruit left the lair of the wolf-mother. It only stood to reason that they would travel south from there following her instructions, it was at this point I would intercept them.

For four months now this charade had gone on and yet I still lived. I was now a far cry from the once proud Praetor I was before, my bronze moulded armour was pitted with dents and my purple cape was in stained tatters. Yet as long as my sword remained sharp and I could wield it, I would do so for the glory of Rome until one day I eventually fell unmourned by my people.

I continued to think of what was happening in my city as I rode Scipio on the ground through the forest until I began to hear movement up ahead. Not wanting to scare the poor soul I dismounted the Pegasus and told him to wait as I sneaked ahead on foot. Leaving my sword in its sheath, so the golden blade did not give away my presence in the darkness.

I slowly crept forward sticking to the shadows until I could make out the figure of an exceptionally tall man wielding a golden gladius. He was stumbling through the forest tripping here and there in the darkness despite the faint source of light in his hand. Often cursing under his breath as he did so, yet somehow not impaling himself on the blade he wielded in his left hand.

I was unable to make out his face in the darkness but could tell he had black hair and was exceedingly tall and would have easily towered over me. Still, this was not completely unusual, some of the Vulcan kids were very large and imposing. Regardless it was clear he was a demigod and not a monster though. Afterall, he wielded the Roman weapon and had just left the Wolf House and so slowly I began to sneak around until I was in front of where he was walking.

As I waited in front of him, I caught a flash of his face and realized he must have been in his late teens at the very least. This was strange enough, as most demigods were lucky to make it past their early teens before monsters detected them. Which likely meant he was the child of a minor god and must have a weak scent until recently. This combined with his general clumsiness in the woods meant it must have been a miracle every monster between here and Oregon hadn't found him already.

Patiently I waited behind a tree that I knew he would have to pass. The moment I heard the twig on the ground to my right snap under his foot I deftly drew my blade and levelled it where I knew the taller figures throat would be.

Only for my arm to be caught and the blade wrestled from my grasp in one simple movement disarming me and causing me to let out a cry of surprise at the sudden turn of events.

Looking up at the figure who was now holding an Imperial Gold gladius in each hand. I saw the natural light of the blades highlighting his figure and I saw his face clearly now at last, it appearing out of the darkness.

"Hello Reyna, I have been looking for you." The smiling man in front of me said. Slowly revealing the crooked grin of Percy Jackson.