Jason is in the foyer of a palace.
There are guards stationed at the large gilded doors to the interior. It takes him no time at all the recognize them as Roman. Judging from the style of their armor, Jason's best guess would be somewhere between 160-180 CE.
So, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Lucius, or Commodus.
The sound of frenzied footsteps echoes from what seems to be the gardens, heading Jason's way. Whoever is arguing out there is on their way inside the palace in a hurry. He steps towards the doors as they round the corner: a pale woman with auburn hair in a white cotton dress and, unmistakably, the god Apollo.
"Lord Apollo, you blessed me with this gift for a reason-"
"Yes! To take some responsibility off my back. You are hardly doing that by nagging me now, Herophile."
"My Lord, please," The woman insists, sounding tired and frustrated. She reaches out and snags the god's hand, and Jason half expects Apollo to blast her to smithereens for daring touch him. Surprisingly, he just groans and turns back to glare at her tiredly. She pleads with her eyes. "I am telling you that if you allow Emperor Lucius to invoke Tiberii donum, countless lives will be lost. They must be-"
The woman grimaces in pain and grabs her head. She seems to be struggling to get words out anymore. When they do come, they erupt from her like painful sounding hiccups.
"Verb. Nine letters. Starts with D."
Destroyed. The Tiberii donum.
All of Jason's focus zeroes in on their conversation.
Apollo just sighs and rolls his eyes. "I am not going to destroy their Gifts. What does it matter, anyway?"
"You will bring Venus' wrath upon Rome if you do not do something now!" Herophile exclaims.
"Cordolia are just monsters, my priestess," tuts Apollo. "And, they make wonderful companions once properly leashed. You do remember Tiberius' hydra, don't you? He taught it all sorts of tricks! It was the life of the party!"
The woman bristles.
So does Jason. Juliette's face. Her scent. Her smile. All of it starts fueling his anger as he listens to the god - Jason's own brother - dismiss her kind. He feels a wave of affection for this priestess of Apollo as she stamps her foot and glares at her patron.
"You are not listening to me!" She snaps in frustration.
Apollo sighs and shakes his head at her. "Sweet Herophile, you are still young as an Oracle. Trust me when I say not all predictions mean what you believe them to. Now," He takes the woman by the shoulders and starts walking her inside the palace, beaming. "The coronation ceremony is beginning. Afterwards, they will bring out the Gift and Lucius' chosen cordolium, and you will see that you were mistaken. Until then, enjoy the refreshments!"
Apollo bursts open the doors, and the two of them step inside the main chamber of the palace. Jason hurries inside with them.
If he had form, he'd have knocked right into the god's back. Instead, he ends up phasing through Apollo where he's stopped suddenly to stare up at the dais where the new emperor is being crowned. Jason follows his gaze, and what awaits his attention makes him feel physically sickened.
A smirking, brown haired man with a ferret-like face is swearing an oath with a hand on an alter to Jupiter. At his feet, where the base of his purple cape brushes the steps, is a little girl.
She has red hair. Redder than Juliette's, but their freckles are the same. And, the ones dotting the pale skin of the girl's tiny biceps are partially hidden behind thick bands of Imperial Gold.
Jason hears Apollo mutter a quiet curse behind him. He hears Herophile gasp in horror. But, his eyes remain fixed on the desolate expression of the child on the steps. He watches a tear roll down the little girl's cheek, and the etching on the cuffs - the axe wrapped in a bundle of rods - glows an angry red.
Normally, nightmares don't phase him. This time, Jason wakes up with a strangled cry.
Jason and Juliette do, in fact, get in trouble.
Getting caught in the middle of a 'let me distract my girlfriend from my very obvious nightmare' makeout session by a scowling centaur bursting into his cabin might be the most humiliating thing to ever happen to him. Actually, what's worse is the following hour that Chiron keeps the two of them locked in Cabin 1 while he lectures them on topics that make Jason's face nearly melt off with embarrassment. By the time their mentor is finished with them, Jason is entirely sure he'll never be able to look the man in the eye again.
"Now, I am going to allow you to get changed in here so that rumors do not spread. I know how children can be. But," Chiron glares at them sternly. "Keep this door open. And, I expect you both at breakfast in ten minutes."
"Yes, sir." "You got it, teach."
The centaur gives them one final warning look before turning to clop out the front door. On his way, he very pointedly scoots Jason's entire dresser in front of the bronze door to prop it open.
Once the man disappears down the steps, Jason lets out a sound like a deflating balloon. Juliette, however, snorts and starts to cackle.
"How are you finding this funny?!" He cries, burning face buried in his hands. A long groan of humiliation tears right out of his soul. "Holy Hera, that was the most embarrassing moment of my life."
Juliette is still laughing, half doubled over where she's perched on the side of the bed next to him. "Regretting last night's bad boy attitude?" She teases.
Jason just groans again and slides bonelessly to the floor.
The girl seems to take pity on him. She scoots closer, and Jason slumps against her leg as she starts petting through his hair. Probably to fix the tangles he caused raking his hands through it nervously that entire conversation. He relaxes, suddenly understanding why wolves must have accepted domestication.
It's been three months since that night in Rome, and it still feels surreal to Jason that he gets to be this close to Juliette whenever he wants.
"Oh, don't be so embarrassed. Chiron's caught Percy and Annabeth way more often doing way worse. At least all our clothes were on," She smirks. "Sadly."
Jason chokes on his spit, and Juliette starts cracking up again. He headbutts her knee in protest for the teasing, and she pats him once on the hair before standing up.
"You're a mighty hero, Jason Grace. I'm sure you'll live," She snickers.
He sighs and sits up to watch her wobble her way over to his dresser. She's doing much better on that leg. It isn't perfect still, but she doesn't walk like a newborn giraffe anymore. Jason also doesn't feel the need to hover behind her constantly in case she falls over and breaks the only ankle she has left.
"Nothing I have is going to fit you," He warns as Juliette starts perusing the drawers of his dresser.
She shrugs and pulls out a Superman t-shirt and the smallest pair of jeans he owns. "I'll make it work."
She says it with a wink that tells Jason he's in for a day of holding his breath every time he sees her around camp. Juliette bends down to kiss him on the cheek, loses her balance a bit, catches herself on the mattress, and then turns to go change in the bathroom, laughing at her own clumsiness. Jason watches her go, heart aching at the sight of her happiness.
Once the door clicks shut behind her, he sighs in relief and glares down at his hands where they're propped on his bent knees.
They're sore again this morning. The joints feel stiffer and stiffer every day. Will Solace says it's nothing to worry about - that he just needs to keep doing the stretching exercises on them, and they'll eventually become flexible again. But, the amount Nico's been kicking Jason's ass in the sword arena lately says differently.
The scarring coats both hands like he's wearing a pair of pink gloves. It passes his wrists in a splotch-like pattern, the highest of the splashmarks being almost at his left elbow. Jason doesn't remember it hurting at the time. He'd been so focused on keeping as much of Juliette's blood inside her body as possible that the damage it was causing him didn't even register at first. And, once it did, he couldn't get himself to care.
He still doesn't really care. She's alive. That's what matters to him.
But, he wants to keep her that way, and the stiffness the scars have caused in the joints of Jason's fingers is an issue. He can't grip his sword the way he used to. He can't put the kind of power he's accustomed to using behind each attack. He's ridiculously easy to disarm now, and, no matter how quick his battle reflexes are, if his hands can't physically move fast enough, Jason's eventually going to take a blow that he can't block in time.
He's going to have to figure out a way get past this weakness, though, because he can't protect Juliette anymore if he can't fight. And, Jason refuses to let her experience anything like what she's gone through this last month again.
Which brings him back to this morning.
The Tiberii donum.
Proserpina said one set survived. That it's been discovered again. And, if a soul felt the need to leave Elysium to tell Pluto about it, Jason suspects it probably isn't safe and secure in a museum somewhere.
He hears the sink in the bathroom start running and glances over.
He loves Juliette like nothing else in this world. He loves her like it's breathing. Like she's a vital organ that he'd wither away without. It's terrifying to him how hard he's fallen for a girl he's known for less than a year at this point.
Especially because she's never been one to care much for self-preservation.
She's been going through a lot these past few weeks, so Jason hasn't brought it up. Gods know that the girl has enough to worry about without trying to track down some ancient artifact that can take over her mind. There's no way in Hades that Jason is going to allow something like that to end up anywhere near Juliette, though. Nearly all of his time these past few weeks has been split between his oath to Kymopoleia and viciously searching through book after book in hopes of finding some sort of clue on where to look for these cuffs.
So far, he's had little luck. He even asked Nico if it would be possible to summon up whatever spirit had brought Pluto the details about it in the first place, but the look Will Solace gave him when he suggested using Nico's powers shut him up real fast.
Jason's been at a loss. But, he thinks maybe this dream has given him a new angle.
The sink shuts off, and he reminds himself he should probably get changed before she comes back out. He swaps his sweats for a pair of jeans and is just tugging a CHB shirt over his head when the door to the bathroom swings open, and Jason's breath gets caught in his throat.
He's seen Juliette in a million different outfits. She probably has enough clothes to have filled the hull of the Argo II with. Something about seeing her in his own, though - his Superman tee tied up above her navel, his way oversized jeans hanging low on her hips...Something about it makes a primal sort of protectiveness shoot through Jason like lightning.
He must be giving her a funny look because of it, because she freezes and tilts her head at him nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Because all he can picture is an angry red glow burning hot against those freckles on her arms.
"You just look beautiful."
She smiles at him, and something twists in Jason's chest.
He has to figure it out. He has to find it. No matter what it takes. Which means, he's making a trip to Brooklyn today.
"I don't want to be here."
"It's just Paul, Nico, calm down."
"I still don't want to be here," He grumbles, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets as he reluctantly follows Juliette down a random alley in the Bronx.
Julie hums noncommittally and checks her watch. "Yeah, well, I didn't want to spend three hours watching you play with trading cards last weekend, so stop whining. We're late."
"You're always late."
"Well, we're extra late, and it's Paul this time, so I actually care."
Rounding the corner back onto the street, Julie shields her eyes from the sun and searches out her stepfather. She doesn't have to look long. Paul is already standing by the entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with three tickets in his hand. Julie whistles loudly, and the man looks over with a smile.
"Hey, Paul!"
"Hey to you, kid," He greets back, squeezing her into a tight hug once they meet up by the curb. "Where's Jason?"
Julie shrugs. "He said he had an errand to run. I dunno. Sounded important. I brought Nico instead," She gestures back at her friend, who's standing awkwardly by the street with a grimace that could possibly be an attempt at a polite smile.
Paul nods at the boy in welcome. "Good morning, Nico. It's good to meet you outside of a deadly battle, for once."
Nico's doesn't respond until Julie elbows him.
"Hello."
She rolls her eyes at her friend's demeanor. "So, Paul," She pivots. "Percy said you wanted to show me something?"
"Yes. Right this way," He invites, gesturing at the entrance to the museum.
Nico and Julie let him lead them through the doors, the later oohing and ahhing at the marble statues and painted vases they pass, eventually elbowed sharply by an annoyed Nico once she's giggled at enough naked body parts on display. They follow Paul back to the very rear of the building. He pauses at a roped off section to turn to them, and Julie raises her eyebrows.
"Uh, Paul, I don't think this part's open."
"It isn't," He confirms. "But, I went to college with one of the lead historians here. I contacted him about your interest in Nero and Ancient Rome. He offered to let us take a look at some pieces that aren't currently on display."
Julie puffs out her cheeks and exchanges a look with Nico. "Oh, well, I'm not really into Rome. I mean, that's really cool, and thank you, but-"
"Just humor me," Paul insists, unclipping the rope and holding it open for them.
Julie looks to Nico again. He shrugs. She'll take that as an 'alrighty then.'
"Okay," She agrees hesitantly. Stepping around the rope, Julie starts to take in the objects and paintings on the shelves around them. There are more marble statues, most of which look unfinished, more vases, stashes of weathered looking armor, books...Gods, the Athena cabin would be foaming at the mouth looking at all this.
Once Paul reclips the rope, he waves the two teenagers over to follow him again. Her stepdad starts pointing out different artifacts in glass cases and introducing them.
"Most of this stuff back here belonged to Emperor Nero. Apparently, a few years ago some company sold a whole unit full of it to the Smithsonian for a few million dollars, and they're working on displaying it here. They've found battle maps, clothes, weapons, even instruments that belonged to him."
Julie laughs quietly to herself at his enthusiasm. She really appreciates Paul trying to help her out, but she's barely given him any information on what's even going on. And, for good reason. The last thing she wants is to somehow get him and Sally mixed up in her weird world of magical mommy issues. But, if looking at some art pieces will make him happy, what's really the harm?
Julie's amusement fades when she feels a staggering pulse of fear from behind her. Hand already on her charm bracelet, she spins around in alarm.
Nico has stopped at one of the displays to read off the little placard beside it. As Julie watches him, his eyes widen further, and his breathing changes pattern. His aura stays fearful and angry and...disgusted.
"Nico?" She calls hesitantly.
Nico turns around, looking kind of like he's going to be sick. But, he just clears his throat and shakes his head, stuffing his hands back in his pockets and heading to catch up with her and Paul.
Curiosity wins. Julie raises up on her tiptoes to see what it was Nico was looking at.
The glass display box holds nothing but a tarnished iron chain, like from a manacle, and the bust of a young teenage boy.
The boy is beautiful. Feminine. With a gentle face and heart shaped lips.
"Is this the guy who has your sister?" Nico asks, voice dark and quiet.
When Juliette pulls her gaze from the haunting visage of the boy to look back at her companions, they're standing beside a marble statue.
The guy's thinner. He's wearing armor that Juliette can guarantee he never bothered touching in his actual life. There's a sword at his belt rather than a dagger, and his face was clearly doctored with whatever the Ancient Roman version of facetune is. But, there's no mistaking that fugly neckbeard.
"That's him," She nods.
Paul stares at them both with his mouth hanging slightly open. The anxiety she feels from him is nice and foreboding.
"Emperor Nero is alive?" He asks.
Julie nods again, and Paul looks back to the statue with horror.
"That's..." The man seems lost for words. "That is really, really bad."
"No kidding," Juliette mumbles. She sighs and looks back around at the objects around them. "You said a company sold all this? Do you remember what it was called?"
Paul adjusts his glasses and nods. "Triumvirate Holdings, he said."
"Oh, is that the big skyscraper across from that smoothie place?"
"I think so," confirms Paul.
Nico steps up to the statue, and the two of them fall silent at the unsettling look on his face. His dark eyes are narrowed, mouth turned down in a dangerous sneer as he glares up at the depiction of the emperor. There's darkness rolling off of him. Stronger than Juliette has felt from him in years.
Finally, Nico draws his Stygian Iron sword and, with one powerful thrust, stabs the blade into the statue.
Right between its legs.
Julie and Paul both shout in surprise when cracks spiderweb through the marble. Nico yanks his sword back out, and the statue breaks into pieces, crumbling to shatter against the museum floor. The destruction is loud. And, it's only moments before shouts start echoing down the halls of the Met as, presumably, security races their way.
"Nico, what the Hades!" Julie cries, turning in circles fearfully. There's no widows in this room. There's only one entrance or exit, and it's going to be filled up with security in seconds. Shit, shit, shit, they're going to get arrested. They're going to get Paul arrested.
The son of Hades just curls his lip and spits down on the wreckage of Emperor Nero.
"You kids need to get out of sight," Paul hurries them. "I'll explain to security. I'll say the statue just fell over, or something. It'll be fine, but you two need to hide."
"You are not taking the fall for this!" Julie protests.
The sound of a sword sheathing draws their attention. Nico seems to disregard both of their panicked states. He just strides up to them, clasps either of their arms, and yanks them through the nearest shadow.
Percy was not kidding when he said Rachel Dare has money.
Jason gapes, glancing back and forth between the address in his hand and the towering mansion down below him. Yeah, he seems to have flown to the right place. What the Hades is he supposed to do now, though? Where's the front door? Jason sees, like, ten different entrances.
He decides to pick the one that has the biggest fountain in front of it. Jason figures, if he were a rich person, he'd probably put the biggest fountain by the main door. That just makes sense, right?
Before he even gets the chance to knock, an intercom buzzes loudly over his head and startles him. A bored sounding male voice comes through around heavy static.
"Dare residence: what's your business?"
Jason blinks.
"Umm. I'm, uh, Jason Grace?"
Static.
"Okay?"
He nods quickly. "I'm a friend of Rachel's. From...school."
Gods, Juliette's right. Jason's a terrible actor.
Apparently, he does a decent enough job, though, (or the doorman just doesn't care) because the intercom disconnects, and the front doors swing open a moment later to reveal a curious looking redhead splattered head to toe in paint.
"This better be good," Rachel sighs. "I'm right in the middle of a competition piece. You'll have to talk while I paint."
She doesn't bother waiting for his agreement, turning and heading up a nearby spiral staircase with just a vague wave of dismissal to the butler that appears to take Jason's jacket. Baffled at the sheer enormity of this girl's wealth, Jason follows behind her quickly for fear of getting lost. She leads him to what he can assume is some kind of office turned art studio and goes back to her project (Gods, that's a really big snake she's painting), nodding at him to get talking.
Jason's explanation takes about half an hour, and he's not even sure Rachel listens to all of it. She doesn't look interested enough in anything he's saying to bother putting down her paintbrush until he gets to the part about his dream. At that, she looks up sharply enough that her hair drags across the wet canvas.
"Wait. Herophile, you said?" She asks, face suddenly urgent.
Jason nods. "Yes. Apollo called her an Oracle. She did this thing where she had to-"
"Spell out her prediction," Rachel finishes for him. "Like a crossword."
Jason leans back against the art supply covered desk behind him and nods again.
Rachel puts down her brush, frowning worriedly at the floor. She doesn't speak for a bit, and Jason waits patiently. The two of them haven't ever really hung out much, but he knows when Rachel Elizabeth Dare gets quiet, something foreboding is probably going to follow.
As expected, she looks back up at him after a bit and speaks lowly. "I need to show you something."
Jason watches as she steps around her easel to a drying rack by the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. She shuffles the paintings there around for a moment before finding what she's looking for and drawing it out. She brings it to him, and Jason accepts the crinkly watercolor with hesitance.
He looks down at it.
A beautiful woman with auburn hair is sitting on a metal island in a pool of lava. Her eyes are closed, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her hands are what draw Jason's attention the most. On each wrist, glowing red manacles are clasped tightly enough that purple bruises dot her skin. Clutched between them, cupped in her palms, are two circles of golden light. Jason runs a finger across them and looks at Rachel gravely.
"You saw this?" He confirms with her.
She nods. Rachel takes the painting back from him and squints down at the golden circles as well. "I didn't know what I was seeing. Herophile is another one of Apollo's Oracles. The Oracle of Erythaea. She's visited me in dreams before, but...With Apollo missing and Delphi silent, I didn't know what to make of this. Until what you just said."
Jason frowns in confusion. "Apollo is missing?"
Rachel's face darkens. "Yes. I don't know what happened, but about a week ago, I felt his influence go silent."
"You don't mean..."
"I don't know," The Oracle mutters again. "But, whatever happened, I'm willing to bet that it's because Zeus passed judgement."
Frustration eats at Jason. He tried warning his father that shifting around the blame would cause nothing but more harm. If Zeus' stubbornness has put them all back in danger, Jason is never going to forgive him.
"So this vision," continues Jason. "You think she's holding the Tiberii donum?"
"I think it seems likely," Rachel nods. "Or at least the key to it. She's an Oracle, and she was living in Rome during Emperor Lucius' reign. If anyone would have details, it's her. I think that Herophile is in trouble, and helping her is what we have to do to help Julie."
Another quest.
It's been two months since the last one. Two months since Jason thought he watched his closest friend die. Sure, he's had those two months to recuperate, but is he really ready to pick his gladius back up yet?
Jason runs a hand down his face tiredly. Ready? No. But, is he going to do it anyway?
Of course he is. He'd do anything for that girl.
"Where do I find her?"
"You're stupid."
"I'm fine."
"I hate you."
"I'm fine," Nico groans, shoving her away so that he can sit up on their couch at home. Juliette sighs angrily and shoves some ambrosia she took from Percy's nightstand into his hands.
"You aren't supposed to be using your powers. You were out for an hour and a half, Nico! I thought you were dying!"
"I am fine," He snaps. Julie glares at him as Nico rolls his eyes and breaks off a piece of ambrosia to nibble on. "Lay off. You sound like Solace. It was spur of the moment. There wasn't another choice."
"There probably was," She snips. "You just didn't bother to try and think of one."
Nico rolls his eyes again and brushes the crumbs off his lap. He shifts to put his feet on the floor, reaching to pull his shoes back on, and Julie glares at him.
"When we get back to camp, you better tell Will."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because, he needs to check you out."
"I'm fi-"
"Nico!"
The boy's eyes widen at Julie's outburst. She tries not to feel guilty. She doesn't raise her voice often, but appearing with Paul on their fire escape earlier just for Nico to collapse into her arms, fingertips fading away like shadows...He'd scared the ichor out of her.
Nico must finally get that. He sighs and looks down, nodding sheepishly.
A key rattles in the lock, and they both look over as the front door swings open. Percy steps through, grocery bags on both arms, and stops in his tracks when he sees them staring at him from the couch.
"Uh...Hey?" He says dumbly.
Julie snorts at him. Nico just stares.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asks in surprise, heading to the kitchen to set down the bags. "I thought you and Jason were hanging out with Paul."
Julie cringes. "Jason's busy, and Paul..."
There's a very well-timed yacking sound from the master bathroom.
"Shadowtravel sickness."
Percy winces in sympathy. "Wait, I thought you weren't supposed to do that anymore, Nico."
"He's not."
"It was necessary," Nico defends with a scowl.
Julie crosses her arms at that and glares at him again. "Are you going to explain why you just stabbed a statue in the middle of the Met?"
"Why's it always the Met?" mumbles Percy.
"It doesn't matter," Nico snaps. "What matters is that we know where to look for Nero now."
Percy shuts the refrigerator with a frown and turns to them in confusion. "Nero? Like the Roman guy? Why are you looking for him?"
Juliette freezes.
Her eyes find Percy's backpack on the carpet by the door. There's a patch on it of a little shark wearing goggles that says 'AHS Swim Team.' Hanging from Percy's lanyard, beside his car keys, is a plastic covered polaroid of him and Annabeth at the movies.
Percy's a senior. He has one last year left.
"Just information on him," She dismisses. "Chiron wants us to learn more about the Romans. Since we're allies now, y'know."
Nico frowns at her, but thankfully doesn't say anything. Percy just shrugs and goes back to putting away groceries.
"That sounds boring. You guys staying for dinner?" He asks, holding up a jar of premade pasta sauce.
Nico looks at Juliette in pure Italian terror.
By the time Julie makes it back to the cabins, the sun is on its way down, and she's dead on her feet. Still, she hasn't seen Jason since this morning and, given recent uncovered information, she thinks she needs to remedy that. She hops her way up his steps and raps her knuckles loudly against the giant bronze doors.
"Hey, you in there?" She calls, pushing it open with a yawn. "I just spent the last hour being chewed out by our lovely head medic because Nico decided to be a rule breaker and shadowtravel again. On the bright side, I did manage to ID the guy who-"
Juliette stops in the doorway, one hand still holding open the door to Cabin 1. She takes in the scene in front of her: the suitcase open on the bed, the clothes neatly folded inside, the look of dread on Jason's face as he slowly sets down a pair of socks into the bag.
In confusion, she just frowns. "What are you doing?"
It's an honest question. She just wants to know what's up with the suitcase. But, Jason flinches like she just screamed at him.
"I'm..." He flounders for words, eyes bouncing back and forth across her face. That's when Julie picks up the nervousness of his aura, and it clicks.
"Are you leaving?"
"I didn't realize you were back yet," He says softly. "I would have come and found you."
Julie doesn't know what to do with her hands. She ends up awkwardly folding them behind her while Jason steps away from the bed, worrying at his scar. He moves closer to her, but Juliette's gaze is stuck on the half packed suitcase.
"Where are you going?" She asks him.
Jason sighs. "California."
There's a twisting sensation in the base of Julie's throat. Like someone just tugged a fishing line that's hooked into her trachea. She takes a hesitant step away from him. "Like...New Rome?"
"Maybe for a bit," Jason nods. "But, I think I'll probably be moving a lot."
"I-You're-Why? When?" sputters Julie, heart pounding.
"I'm leaving in the morning."
What the fuck is happening?
"I'll come with you," She states, closing back up the space she'd put in between them. She lays her hands onto his upper arms and looks up at him earnestly. "Just tell me where we're going. I'll come too."
"No, Juliette."
"Why? Jason, what is going on? Did I do something?" She asks desperately. There's a heartbeat in every one of her organs. Her knees are shaking. She can't get her breaths to fully fill her lungs. "Are...Are you breaking up with me right now?"
Jason's eyes go wide. "No! Gods, Rosa, no, I could never-I'm not-" He stops to take a deep breath. "I'm not breaking up with you. I swear."
Relief hits her so hard she nearly falls over. Jason pulls her into his chest, and she lets him hold up all of her weight while she leans against his neck.
She's tired. Way too tired to argue tonight. But, if he's leaving her, she has to understand why.
"Please tell me what's going on."
He tenses.
Juliette expected that reaction. How many times has something like this gone down in her life? Someone she loves going off to do gods know what and keeping her in the dark? She's been through this a thousand times.
Next, he'll say her name again.
'Rosa...'
It'll be quiet and emotional to just really get across how much he cares. Then, she'll ask again.
'Jason, I can handle it. Just let me in.'
And, when she says that, he'll get frustrated. He'll break their hug so he can storm back to his suitcase and keep packing.
'You don't understand,' He'll say.
'I could if you'll tell me!'
And then, finally, he'll close the argument with something indisputable. Something with divine oomph behind it. Maybe he swore an oath on the Styx never to tell her. Maybe he's convinced that if she knows, she'll only be in more danger. Whatever it is, he'll say it with that locked jaw. That raised chin and those stiff shoulders.
He'll pull the shutters closed behind his eyes, and Juliette will be left in the cold. Again.
Just wait.
"I'm going to find the Tiberii donum."
That's...That's not your line, Jason.
Julie breaks their hug herself to look up at him in confusion. Jason sets one hand against her waist and uses the other to push her hair behind her ear so gently that Juliette almost breaks down. "You're what?"
"I had a dream," He explains. "I think that the key to finding those cuffs that Proserpina talked about is with Apollo's Oracle of Erythaea. Her name is Herophile, and Rachel Dare thinks she's been imprisoned somewhere near the California coastline."
The buzzing in Juliette's brain raises in volume. Shit, where does she even start here?
"You're looking for the cuffs?" She clarifies.
Jason nods. "I have been, actually. Ever since we defeated Gaea."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Julie asks in bewilderment. To be totally honest, she completely forgot about them. Pluto's probably been rolling his eyes at her from the Underworld, watching the one mortal he bothered doing a favor just completely ignore his warning.
"I didn't have any solid information," shrugs Jason. "And, you had enough to worry about with your recovery and...Leo. But, now, I know where to start. And, I need to get these things somewhere safe. Preferably, as far away from you as I can manage."
Gods, Juliette loves him, but he's well on his way to making her go grey by twenty.
"Jason, this is crazy. There's no telling where these things might be. You could be walking right into a trap," She warns fearfully.
Jason grasps her shoulders and nods at her.
"I've considered that. But, leaving the Tiberii donum in someone else's hands isn't an option," He insists. He looks a bit wolfish at the idea. "They belong to you. To your kind. No one else. And, to be totally honest," Jason grins a bit. "I'd rather not have to face you as an enemy one day. You'd kick my butt."
That pulls a reluctant snort out of Juliette. Her boyfriend smiles triumphantly, and Julie launches herself forward again to re-bury her face into his shoulder. Jason's arms circle her waist and lift her from the ground so that she can cling to him like a spidermonkey.
She's still shaking. So is he. He's holding her just as fiercely as she is him.
"I'll kick your butt anyway, cuffs or no cuffs, if you get hurt," She whispers.
Jason laughs against her hair. "So, does that mean you'll let me do this for you?"
"Are you going to listen if I say no?"
He hesitates. Then, he tucks his face into her shoulder. "No," He admits sheepishly.
At least, he's honest.
"Can I make one request?" Julie asks.
Jason nods, and Julie leans back to look at him. He puts her down gently, and the two stand millimeters apart.
"Don't go by yourself," She pleads. "Take someone with you. Anyone. Just don't go alone."
"I won't," Jason agrees. "Piper's going with me. Her dad lives there, so we'll have a place to stay. And, she wants these things somewhere secure just as much as I do."
"Okay," Julie nods. She looks down at the half packed suitcase on the bed. "When do you leave?"
"After breakfast tomorrow," He answers. "I'm going to call Tempest."
Juliette wrinkles her nose, rubbing at the place on her shoulder that stupid horse always likes to bite. Jason laughs at her expression and presses a long kiss to her forehead. Julie closes her eyes and leans into it.
It's going to be okay. He's right. She can't help with this one.
It's just a couple of handcuffs. It's not a big deal.
It's not.
"I'll be back before you know it," Jason tells her as they crest Halfblood Hill. It sounds sort of like he's trying to convince himself of that too. "A month. Maybe two. Tops."
A long sigh breezes from Julie's lungs, and she nods. "A month. Okay. I can do a month, but you'd better be back by May," She threatens, pointing a finger in his face.
Jason raises an eyebrow in amusement. "Why, what's special about May?"
"You have to take me to prom, obviously," Julie tuts.
A wide smile spreads across Jason's face. "Is that the big party with the fancy dresses?"
"Ew, I forgot you were homeschooled. Yes."
"Then, I'll be back by May," He laughs. "I promise."
Julie smiles and leans forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders. "Good. I haven't gotten my cheer captain/quarterback high school romance yet."
"I'll have to get right on that."
"I'd sure appreciate it."
A dramatic gagging noise sounds from behind them. They both turn their heads to see Piper hiking up the hill as well, equip with a backpack and a Hello Kitty suitcase that she definitely stole from Lacy. "If you're planning on exchanging saliva, please warn me in advance. I just ate breakfast."
Julie flips her sister the middle finger as Jason snorts and shakes his head. Piper smirks and cuts in to give Juliette a hug.
"I'll bring your hunk back to you in one piece," She sighs. "Maybe. If he doesn't get too annoying."
"Hey," Jason protests weakly.
Piper laughs and pats Julie on the back. "Maybe I'll find an epic romance for myself," She sighs wistfully, batting her eyelashes like a floozy.
"Gonna find yourself a quarterback?" Jason smirks.
Piper pauses for a second. Her color changing eyes flick between Jason and Juliette for a moment, and then she seems to remember to uphold her smile. She tosses her hair and stuffs her hands in the pockets of her ripped jeans.
"Actually, I think I'll be looking for the cheerleader."
Oh...? Oh.
"Shit, Pipes," Julie grins. "If you'd told me sooner, I could have hooked you up by now! There's plenty of cute girls on my team at school."
Jason shakes his head. "They're all so rude," He argues with a frown.
"Jason, popular girls act like that to impress hot guys. It's like a mating dance," Julie insists. "They're only rude when they want to date you."
"But, all of them were like that."
"...Yes, Jace. Yes, they were," Juliette smirks. He still looks baffled, so she just rolls her eyes with a smile and turns back to her sister.
Piper looks a little shaken, but she's smiling. Julie smiles wider and gives her another tight hug.
"Congrats, Piper," She says softly. "I'm proud of you."
Piper accepts the hug with red cheeks. When they pull away, she clears her throat and points a thumb over at the pine tree. "Okay, I'm gonna be over there. So, you guys can do your...gross couple stuff...or whatever."
She turns her back to go escape to the tree.
Julie turns back to Jason and frowns.
"Please be careful."
"You know I will."
"No more concussions."
"Oh, so now you have a problem with head trauma? What happened to wanting to date the quarterback?" He jokes.
"Don't be smart with me, Grace."
Jason laughs. "Speaking of sports, though."
He sets his suitcase down and unzips it, reaching in and pulling out some white and purple cloth. He holds it up to Julie, and she takes it with a puzzled frown.
"I was thinking basketball instead," He shrugs. "When we go to school together next year. But, for the meantime, I asked your cabinmates to help me make this."
Juliette looks down from his nervous smile to the jacket in her hands. It's purple with white sleeves. On the front of it, the right side breast is adorned with the eagle of Jupiter. There are lightning bolts down both shoulders and, when she turns it around to see the back, there are big yellow letters across spelling 'GRACE.'
She feels tears forming in her eyes. "A letterman jacket?"
Jason shrugs. "That guy gave his to his girlfriend when we watched High School Musical that time. You said you wanted one."
She laughs. Or maybe sobs. The jacket is wrapped around her, comfy and oversized and smelling like Jason, before she even finishes her next breath. Juliette throws herself at the boy in front of her. He catches her.
"I love you so much," She says into his shoulder.
"I love you too," He chuckles.
Pulling back, Jason runs a thumb across Julie's cheek. She closes her eyes and breathes in the scent of summer rain.
"It won't be long. I'll see you in a month," He whispers.
Juliette nods. "See you in a month."
It's a good thing that they put their all into that kiss goodbye on the hill.
It's their last one.