Chapter 35: I Defend My Ex-Girlfriend's Honour

Percy found himself in a temple of sorts, enormous in scale and grand in design. The ceiling was adorned with celestial constellations, glowing faintly against the dark vault. The floor beneath his feet was made of polished marble, glittering in the light of the torches that lined the walls.

In the centre of the hall stood a grand altar draped in rich, golden fabrics. Surrounding the altar were two simple but elegant thrones, the larger one gold and the smaller silver.

Percy's breath caught as he took in the figures gathered around the altar. He recognised more than he expected. In the first row sat Marduk, a smile gracing his handsome face as he chatted excitedly with a woman to his side. She was considerably smaller than him and lacked the divine glow that Marduk possessed, but that by no means meant she wasn't beautiful. Her long brown hair was braided to frame sparkling blue eyes, and her smile was so bright he understood how it had attracted a being of even Marduk's stature.

Alongside Marduk and his wife sat a beautiful woman who seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Regal black hair framed high cheekbones, a delicate nose and full lips. Her face was noticeably different from the last time he had seen it, but Ishtar had burnt her face into Percy's consciousness when she killed Tyson. Next to her sat a woman he didn't recognise with short blue hair, but she shared the same silver eyes as all the Annunaki. There were a few others in the first couple rows of ten seats, all of them other than Marduk's wife sporting the silver eyes of the Annunaki. Percy made a mental note that they had underestimated the potential numbers for total Annunaki members.

In the third row were also figures that appeared familiar. Chronos sat directly behind Marduk, his grey beard neatly styled as always, and he was in deep conversation with a large man whose skin glistened purple and rippled with muscle. He felt like he recognised the man from somewhere, but couldn't quite put his finger on where. Next to him sat the goddess Gaea, her head resting on the shoulder of the god Ouranos. A blonde couple sat next to them, and beyond them other figures that he didn't recognise. In the fourth row, he recognised Akhlys and Nyx, but beyond them no others. He recalled someone mentioning to him that there had initially been twenty Primordials, and he remembered there being twenty Primordials in one of his dreams. If he were a betting one, he would be willing to wager that the occupants of the third and fourth row were Primordials. As he glanced back at the figure speaking to Chronos, it dawned on him that he was staring at a human version of Tartarus. He shuddered as he remembered his time in the Pit, and a sense of dread settled over him as he realised he would have to return.

In the rows behind the Annunaki and Primordials sat figures that, while eloquently dressed and holding themselves up proudly, did not radiate the same kind of energy and divine energy that the figures in front of them did. Despite the fact that these were clearly mortals, they seemed strong and powerful. Demigods perhaps? Percy wasn't sure, but as he turned around to get a full view of the venue he realised the temple was absolutely packed, all the way to the end where figures crowded around the door, fighting for a place to see the event unfold.

It quickly became apparent to Percy as he turned his attention back to the altar, that the event that was unfolding was marriage. The two figures at the altar were ones he was keenly familiar with from previous dreams. Enlil, tall and imposing, radiated authority as his blonde hair was cropped short. On his head sat a crown of gold, set with jewels that seemed to pulsate. He was wearing fine robes, and he couldn't keep the smile off his face as he gazed out at the crowd gathered before them. Beside him, in stark contrast, stood Ninlil, a vision of beauty and grace. She was even more beautiful than the first time he had seen her, dressed and prepared in a manner befitting a queen on her wedding day. Her gown was woven from silver threads, flowing around her like a gentle breeze, and her eyes, the same piercing silver as the man who was to be her husband, seemed to carry a quiet sorrow that she tried to hide behind a smile.

He saw Enlil's face soften as he looked at Ninlil, but she did not return his gaze. Instead, her eyes searched the crowd, passed Percy, until they settled on a figure in the distance. Percy followed her gaze, and found himself once more staring at a familiar face.

Enki stood at the edge of the gathering, hiding amongst the crowd as he tried to avoid attention, his face a mask of pain. He wore dark robes that helped him blend in with the shadows, but it seemed Ninlil's eyes had been drawn to him almost instantly. The thick beard he had seen him with before now grew out wildly, and despite his rugged handsomeness he seemed to be in a state of disrepair. His hair was wild, his beard untrimmed, his eyes heavy. A broken man.

The ceremony began, and the hall filled with a low, humming chant as the Annunaki raised their voices in an ancient, forgotten language. The Primordials and mortals joined them, their voices forming a chorus that filled the temple and seemed to make the celestial pattern dance above them. The building itself seemed to throb, almost as though the universe itself were acknowledging the union that was about to be sealed.

But Ninlil's eyes never left Enki, and that didn't go unnoticed by the man at her side destined to be her husband. A look of hurt crossed his face for just a moment, before the smile returned to his lips. For Ninlil, Percy could see the silent plea in her gaze, a final cry for a fate that could not be altered. Enki's hands clenched into fists at his sides, and for a moment, Percy thought he might object, might step forward and declare his love for her. But instead, Enki turned away, unable to bear the sight any longer. He walked out of the hall, his departure unnoticed by all but Ninlil, whose heart seemed to break before Percy's eyes.

The ceremony continued, but all Percy could focus on was the emptiness in Ninlil's eyes as her face remained expressionless. Her posture was proud, but it seemed to be a struggle, as though a great weight were resting on her shoulders. When the vows were spoken, her voice was barely a whisper, drowned out by the triumphant roar that followed as Enlil was declared King of the Annunaki, and Ninlil, his Queen.

A cheer went up from the assembled gods and mortals alike, and it seemed like everyone was in the mood for celebration. Everyone except the bride. She smiled and waved, but the hollowness in her eyes gave it all away to Percy. They took their seats on their respective throne and Enlil raised his hand for quiet.

He opened his mouth, and his first words as king echoed throughout the temple.

"Seaweed brain!"

Percy frowned. There was no way in Hades-

"SEAWEED BRAIN!"

Percy awoke with a start. The morning sun blinded him as he struggled to open his eyes. They took a moment to adjust, but when they did he found the stern stormy grey eyes of Annabeth looking down at him from the driver's seat.

"Good, you're awake," She said with a smile, "We're almost there."

He reached down to the side of the chair and clicked a button, causing the seat to rise from its prone position until it was upright. He straightened up, but as he did so he caused Zip to slip off his head and land in a heap in his lap. The lizard let out a startled yelp before righting himself and licking his eyeball in protest at being so rudely awoken. Percy lifted the lizard up out of his lap and placed him on the dashboard, where Zip was more than happy to curl up on the sun-warmed leather.

"How was the drive?" Percy groaned, rubbing his eyes as he adjusted to his surroundings.

"Short, but you passed out as soon as we hit the highway," Annabeth replied. She eyed him worriedly, concern evident in her eyes,

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

Annabeth shrugged, "It looked like you could use the sleep. But…it seems like you didn't have the most peaceful sleep."

Percy ran his hand through his hair, leaning back in the comfy SUV seat, "Another dream about the Annunaki."

"Anything interesting?"

"Enlil's wedding to Ninlil."

Annabeth's eyes raised in surprise, "Seems pretty benign to me."

Percy shook his head softly, "That's until you realise that Ninlil was in love with Enlil's brother Enki."

Annabeth pursed her lips, "That does make things slightly more complicated."

"Seems like even all-powerful beings have problems with their love lives," Percy sighed.

Annabeth stiffened, and Percy realised his mistake almost as soon as it had slipped out of his mouth. "No Annabeth, I didn't mean my love life with you!"

Annabeth winced, and it dawned on him that that probably didn't make her feel any better either.

"Fuck…" Percy groaned, burying his head in his hands, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"N-no," Annabeth argued, "if we're going to be working together again…we have to address the elephant in the room."

' Working together again' like they had been coworkers or something.

"So, um, are you seeing anyone?" Annabeth asked nervously, and Percy wasn't entirely sure he knew what she was hoping his answer would be.

"No," he answered, looking out the window at the San Francisco highway flying past him, "There's a girl I'm kind of interested in, but it's weird."

"Why?"

Percy looked over at her frowning, "You sure you want to talk about this?"

Annabeth shrugged, "It's like a band-aid right? Just gotta rip it off."

Percy sighed, "Okay, well she's a daughter of Demeter, I met her at camp."

Annabeth frowned, "Olive?"

Percy gawked, "How'd you know?"

"Well other than being the only daughter of Demeter at camp I know," Annabeth replied, "She also seems like one of the only campers that wouldn't have a problem interacting with you."

"What do you mean by that?"

She shrugged, her eyes focused on the road, "You're a hero Percy, everyone knows your name. These campers grew up hearing about you as though you were a god in your own right. Your stories were told around the campfire, I'm sure it would be intimidating for most of them to actually meet you in person."

Percy nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought about the situation with Olive, "I think that's part of why it's so awkward. She's so nice, and she's easy to be around but… there's a generation gap between us. I've seen things she couldn't imagine…I've seen things most people couldn't imagine."

Annabeth glanced over at him, "Well…you've been out of the ice for what, a few weeks? The first girl to show interest in you isn't necessarily the girl you're gonna spend your life with."

Percy gave her a side-eye, "I'm not sure I'm destined to spend my life happily with someone."

"And why is that?"

"I think I missed my opportunity for that when I went into the ice."

An uncomfortable silence settled over them as Annabeth's face tightened. Percy wondered what was going on in her head. Once upon a time maybe he would have been able to figure it out, but twenty years and a lifetime of experiences separated them now.

"So," he muttered, shattering the silence, "How's Teddy?" He did his best to keep any venom out of Annabeth's husband's name, but he didn't think he was successful. Thankfully, Annabeth didn't notice, instead the name flustered her."

"Oh fuck, Teddy!" she cried out, slapping her forehead as she tapped the touchscreen on the centre console. She flicked through a couple of screens before a phone symbol appeared. She looked over nervously at Percy, "Do you…um…do you mind if I-"

"Go for it," Percy told her, indicating for her to carry on doing what she was doing.

She shot him a grateful smile and tapped the icon. Teddy's face showed up on the screen, a picture of him and Annabeth standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. It rang for a few moments before a click sounded and Teddy's voice came through the speakers.

"Hey gorgeous!" Percy felt his eye twitch and turned his attention to the rows of houses they were passing.

"Hey honey," Annabeth replied, her tone changing to something higher pitch than what she had been speaking to Percy with, "I wanted to let you know that something came up and won't be home tonight."

"Oh…" he sounded disappointed, "Can I ask what came up?"

"A friend of ours is in trouble, and we're going to go help them."

There was silence on the other end for a moment, "We?"

Annabeth's face flushed, "Umm…Percy came by to visit me at school. It's urgent."

"Percy came all the way from camp? Did he come with Jason?"

"Um…not our Percy…uhh…my Percy."

Once again there was silence on the other end for a moment, "Percy…as in Percy Jackson? He came knocking and you dropped everything?"

"It-it's not like that," Annabeth stammered, "Our friend, Leo, he's in trouble and we-"

"Annie, I thought you said you were done with the hero business. What am I supposed to say to Percy and Jason if something happens to you?"

"Nothing will happen to me," Annabeth assured him, "Besides, I have Percy to protect me."

"He's in the car with you right now?"

Percy glanced back over and saw Annabeth looking at him flustered, she opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't find the words. "Hey Teddy," Percy spoke up, "Sorry to come out of the blue with this. It's just I'm in a bit of a bind and I need Annabeth's brains to help me through it."

"Hello Percy," Teddy replied, his voice stiff, "Can I ask how long you plan on needing my wife for?"

Percy turned to Annabeth who was biting her lip in nervousness, "Um…I'm not really sure to be honest with you. Shouldn't be more than a couple days max."

"And you're certain that you absolutely need my wife for this?"

Percy sighed, "Listen Teddy, I'm not trying to steal your wife okay? The past is the past. But the stakes are pretty high in this one, and I need someone I can trust to help."

There was a moment of silence on the other end once more, "And I'm just supposed to sit here and wait while you go frolicking off into the sunset with my wife?"

Percy rolled his eyes, "If you're that concerned about me hanging out with Annabeth, you could always look for a cuck chair on Amazon."

Annabeth punched him in the arm, but Percy couldn't keep the smirk off his face, "Ignore him, Teddy. Listen, I need you to trust me okay?"

"It's not you that I don't trust…it's your ex-boyfriend who came back from the dead."

"Much obliged," Percy muttered.

"Teddy," Annabeth said sternly, "My friend is in danger and I can help him. I know it's not ideal, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you in advance, but this is important."

"But Annie-"

"No buts! If you trust that I love you then you have nothing to worry about."

That seemed to shut him up, and Percy couldn't help but note that he and Annabeth hadn't gotten into these sorts of arguments when they had been together. Disagreements here and there for sure, but there had also been an unwavering trust between them.

"Okay," Teddy finally replied, "I trust you. Just stay safe for me okay?"

"Of course," Annabeth promised, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Annabeth tapped the screen and the connection went dead. She sighed, and a look of defeat seemed to cross her face.

"I'm sorry," Percy told her.

She shook her head, "He should trust me more but…I can understand where he's coming from. He hasn't been the same since you got back."

Percy frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"After we met you at Montauk…I don't know…he changed a little. More insecure. Quicker to argue. He's very threatened by you…and this certainly won't have helped."

"Then perhaps this was a mistake," Percy offered, "You can drop me off at Camp Jupiter and go home."

The daughter of Athena straightened up, shaking her head as she did so, "I'm not doing this for you, Percy. Leo is my friend too, and I'm gonna help save him."

Percy smiled, "Sounds good to me,"

The rest of the drive was in silence. Percy wasn't a huge fan of how Teddy had treated Annabeth, but it also wasn't his place to stand up for her. And if he did, he was all but certain that would only make things worse. Her husband's insecurities were a challenge Annabeth would have to deal with alone.

They drew close to the Caldecott Tunnel when Annabeth turned off the road and began driving down a residential section of East Oakland. She drove through some winding roads before getting on a small dirt road that led up to the hills.

"Umm…Annabeth…I think we're going the wrong way,"

Annabeth shook her head with a smile, "I've stopped by Camp Jupiter a few times over the years. This is a hidden road into camp. Why do you think I brought the SUV instead of the Mercedes?"

"A Mercedes?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Annabeth shrugged, "What can I say, I'm a material girl."

They followed the road for a couple of miles up through the hills and then down to the valley below. They came to an empty dirt car park, and Annabeth pulled into the spot closest to a walking path that winded down the rest of the valley. As Percy glanced down at it, he could see the Roman Camp unfold beneath him.

The first thing that caught his eye was the Little Tiber, winding its way through the camp and forming a sort of natural barrier. Percy recalled the first time he had taken a dip in the river. An amnesiac, but one blessed with the Curse of Achilles. He stretched out his arms, noting that this time his invulnerability was one that wouldn't be so easily stripped from him. Just beyond the river, the sprawling expanse of the camp came into view. The fortifications of the legion's encampment stood strong and resolute, with the towering walls of the Principia, the command centre, rising above the rest. The praetor's house, with its distinctive Roman architecture, stood nearby. Percy also recognised the Fifth Cohort's barracks from the time he spent at the camp, arranged in neat, orderly rows, reflecting the disciplined lives of the young demigods who trained within them. Percy glanced down at his left wrist, the SPQR and trident tattoo a permanent reminder of his time with the Romans.

Beyond the military quarters, demigods moved about with purpose, clad in their polished armour, as they made their way to various duties or training exercises. The parade ground was a hub of activity, with legionnaires practising formations, their movements precise and fluid, a well-oiled machine of Roman discipline. Further to the south, the lush gardens of New Rome spread out, a peaceful contrast to the stern military atmosphere of the camp. The terracotta roofs of the small city glowed warmly in the sunlight, and the Forum, with its grand marble columns, stood at the centre, bustling with the daily life of demigods and their families. Percy had always wondered if, when he and Annabeth grew old, they would retire to New Rome. He found it ironic how close to New Rome Annabeth had settled as she moved on in life. In the distance, the hills rose again, crowned by the towering forms of the Sibylline Hills, where the Temple Hill held the sacred places dedicated to the gods.

Camp Jupiter. Home to an army, and one he was desperately hoping he would be able to recruit.

As Percy and Annabeth made their way down the path towards the praetor's house he asked her for some information he figured would be good to know before he made his case for the new generation of Roman soldiers to throw their lot in with him.

"You said that at Camp Half-Blood I'm treated like a hero," he started, "What about at Camp Jupiter?"

"Aww is somebody worried they're not going to be as famous in California as they are in New York?" Annabeth teased.

Percy rolled his eyes, "You know that's not what I mean. I meant more like…how are our stories told here? What's the relationship like between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter?"

Annabeth cocked her head to the side, considering his question for a moment before answering, "They treat the Seven with a lot of respect, I'll say that much. I've also been shown a great deal of grace and acknowledgement when I've visited in the past. There are funeral markers here for both you and Jason, as praetors and even more so as praetors who fell in battle. As for how you'll be received once they realise you're back from the dead…I can't say. But at the very least they'll be aware that you fought against Gaea."

"And the relationship between the camps?"

Annabeth pursed her lips, "Hard to approximate for certain. When Frank and Reyna were praetors, and especially when Frank and Hazel were praetors, there were a lot of efforts made to bring the camps closer together. Hazel and Frank served for a little over 5 years before they retired to live in New Rome. The praetors after them preached similar values: harmony, integration, etc. but the more time that passed the less it became a priority. The camps have fundamentally different values, and as a result, they've drifted apart over the past few years. The last time I was here was a couple of years ago. The female praetor, Sarah, was someone I got along with. The male praetor, Victor…less so."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Victor do something to annoy you?"

"He is an uneducated, misogynistic, racist piece of shit," Annabeth growled, "But he's also one of the best damn swordsmen I've ever seen."

"Son of Mars?"

"Virtus?"

"What does being a Virgo have to do with anything? I was almost a Virgo. Is it like he's a Virgo rising or something because I never really understood the whole-"

"No, not Virgo, Virtus dumbass."

"Who in Zeus' name is Virtus?"

"He's a minor Roman deity. God of manliness, virtue, and honour."

"He just like me for real," Percy noted before Annabeth whacked him upside the head.

"I forgot how annoying you are," Annabeth huffed, to which Percy grinned.

"Okay, so this Victor guy doesn't like women or people of colour. Sounds like I'm in the clear."

"He's not racist towards black people Percy, he's racist towards Greeks."

Percy facepalmed, "Gods fucking dam it. Why does everyone hate the Greeks so much?"

Annabeth shrugged, "They hate us cuz they ain't us."

Percy laughed, "Speak your truth queen. Alright, so Victor is gonna be tough to win over. What about Sarah? Think I can win her over with my charm and dashing good looks?"

"Definitely…if you had either charm or good looks."

Percy pouted, "Don't be like that. So what do I need to know about her?"

"Daughter of Pax, goddess of peace of justice. Smart, level-headed, and well-respected. You don't need to charm her, you just need to explain the situation and she should back you in front of the Senate. Frank was her mentor, so there will be a built-in trust towards you as Frank's friend."

"Huh, if that's the case maybe this will be easier than I thought."

Annabeth sighed, "You just had to jinx it, didn't you?"

"Never!"

The two neared the towering walls that surrounded the Principa and also housed the Parestors House. Along the wall two Roman legionnaires stood guard, eyeing them cautiously as they approached.

"State your name and lineage!" One of them called, brandishing their gladius as a sign that it was in their best interest to do as they stated.

"Annabeth Chase," Annabeth called up, "Daughter of Athena!"

The legionaries disappeared briefly from view, and Percy could hear the two whispering to one another just out of sight. A moment later they returned to the gate. "Entry denied. Have your companion state their name and lineage."

Annabeth gawked, "What do you mean my entry is denied?"

"Do not question the orders of the praetor," The voice called back down, "Now have your companion state their name and lineage!"

Percy raised an eyebrow at Annabeth but stood forward and cleared his throat, "Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

Percy watched as both the legionnaire's mouths fell open, and they hurriedly disappeared from view. Even from the base of the wall Percy could hear their excited whispers.

"There's no way that actually him."

"I have no idea what he looks like."

"Do we have a picture?"

"Umm, there's the portrait in the Prateor house."

"Well go get it!"

"But that's from twenty years ago."

"It's the best we've got. Go!"

"Sir yes sir!"

He heard the distant thud of armour on concrete as one of the legionaries followed orders and sprinted away. He turned back to Annabeth with a grin.

"Not invited to the party it would seem," he teased.

Annabeth glared at him, "Shut up Seaweed Brain. There's no guarantee you'll do any better."

They stood around for a minute before a distant thudding grew louder as it neared the wall, indicating the legionnaire had returned.

"This one sir?"

"That's the one."

There was silence for a moment, and then Percy noticed one of the soldiers poke their head over the top of the wall, holding a large portrait in both hands and looking back and forth between Percy and the portrait before disappearing from view once more.

"That's him, looks like he hasn't aged a day."

"Like…not a single bit in twenty years."

"I'm telling you, exact same except for the eyes."

"Maybe it's a god? Do we refuse entry if it is a god?"

"You want us to refuse entry to a god? They might smite us."

"They might smite the praetors if we DO let them in."

"What do we do?"

"Go get the praetors."

Once more there was the distant thud of armour on concrete. Percy let out a chuckle, "So popular that you brought the party to you."

Annabeth nodded, "Just like in my college days."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "You were a party animal in college?"

Annabeth suddenly found the floor interesting, her cheeks heating up, "I may have attended a party or two."

"Oh my gods you were a party animal!"

Annabeth turned her attention to the heavens, her blush now prominent as she kicked the ground nervously, "I'd been through my fair share of trauma, I thought I deserved some time to unwind."

"Does Teddy know about your partying past?"

"I was fortunate enough to meet him after I'd calmed down a little."

"Calmed down a little? Holy shit Annabeth how bad were you?"

"I believe, according to my students, they still call taking a shot after shotgunning a beer the Chase chaser."

"The Chase chaser?" Percy breathed in awe, "Holy shit."

"You better not tell anyone!" Annabeth warned.

"It is quite literally the first thing coming out of my mouth when I next see Thalia."

"I was young and foolish," Annabeth sighed, "And I left those days behind when I met Teddy."

"He didn't like you going out partying when there might be other guys at the party?" Percy prodded.

Annabeth levelled her gaze to his, "What guy on the planet has enough self-confidence and trust in their partner to let them go partying all the time with frat bros?"

Percy met her eyes, "Me."

Annabeth's face sagged, as though weighed down under the weight of his words, "Percy…"

The doors creaked open in a start, the heavy wooden doors swinging with force to reveal a small group of soldiers, all of them armed. At the forefront stood a young man and woman, both of them dressed in the regal purple togas that delineated their status as praetors, gold medals glittering in the sun.

"Legion, formation!" The woman called, and the soldiers behind them formed a loose semicircle around them, a human shield, as they approached the two Greek demigods.

As they neared the demigods, the legion separated, allowing the two praetors to step forward. They removed their helmets, and Percy noticed Annabeth stiffen next to him.

"Percy," she whispered under her breath, "That's not-"

"Percy Jackson! State your business!" The man announced, allowing his gladius to swing into view: a warning.

The man stood about 6 feet tall, about the same height as Percy, but his posture was slightly hunched. His skin was rough and weathered, marked by deep scars that crisscrossed his face and arms. His complexion was uneven, with patches of dry, rough skin that gave his face a gritty, almost sandpaper-like texture. His face was angular, but not in an attractive way. His jawline was sharp, almost gaunt, with sunken cheeks that made his features appear hollow. His nose was slightly crooked, the result of multiple breaks, and his lips were thin, chapped, and set in a grim, determined line. His eyes, though sharp and piercing, were a murky, dull grey, giving him a perpetually tired and worn-down look like he'd seen too much and slept too little. There was a permanent frown etched into his brow, and his dark hair fell in uneven strands that seemed to resist any attempt at order.

To his side, his fellow praetor was a couple of inches taller than him. Standing at an imposing 6'2, coupled with her broad shoulders and athletic build, her presence alone seemed to command respect. Her skin was a deep, rich brown, smooth but marked with faint scars. Her cheekbones were high and pronounced, with a touch of red to them as though they had been exposed to the elements for too long. Her eyes were a striking, stormy grey, similar to Annabeth's except they seemed to be in flux, constantly flicking around, surveying the area. They were set deep under a strong brow, giving her a perpetual look of focus. Her hair was a cloud of thick, tightly coiled black curls that she kept pulled back in a high, no-nonsense bun. Her lips were full but, similar to her fellow praetor, they were set in a tight line.

Percy stepped forward, partly to shield Annabeth and partly to show the praetors that their demonstration of numerical superiority didn't phase him. Romans responded to strength, and he had that in abundance. "As a former praetor, I wasn't aware I needed to state my business."

The man's eyes narrowed, "In light of recent events, we must take the highest precaution. No one is exempt, not even former, formally dead, praetors."

"Recent events?" Percy queried.

The male praetor frowned, glazing at the female praetor who shrugged in response, "You are not aware of the recent attacks?"

"I've been on sabbatical," Percy replied, which if you considered a twenty-year icebath sleep as a sabbatical, wasn't a lie, "I haven't been caught up to speed on everything yet."

"We've been under attack," the female praetor spoke up, her accent thick and southern, "Skeletons have been raiding New Rome. Y'all will forgive us for being cautious."

"Skeleton bandits?" Annabeth asked, and as she spoke up the male praetor's nose curled up in disgust.

"Ah…Miss Chase-Walker."

"Dr. Chase-Walker," Annabeth corrected him, "I have a PhD."

His face hardened, "I believe your entry was denied. May we ask what you are still doing here?"

"She's with me," Percy answered, his voice carrying just the vaguest hint of a threat with it as his eyes met the male praetor's dark ones.

"She's married you know," the praetor told him.

"I'm aware."

The male praetor shook his head, "Hanging out with a used woman…have some respect for yourself."

Annabeth hissed, her hands flicking to the handle of her knife. In response, the legionaries surrounding the praetors brandished their weapons. For a moment tensions mounted, and then they all noticed something about the same time. Despite the relentless beating down of the midday sun, coupled with their location in south California, it was suddenly freezing.

Annabeth breathed out and found she could see her own breath. She frowned, and glanced over at Percy, only to find that his ice-blue eyes were glowing lightly. The simple but terrifying reality settled over those gathered that they were suddenly on a knife's edge. The environment, hostile and formal before, had now settled into horrifying.

Percy, unarmed, strode forward as the legionaries around him seemed stunned into immobility, watching as he came within an arm's breadth of the praetor. "Speak again," Percy warned him, "without my permission, and I will kill you. Do we understand each other?"

The prateor glanced around at his fellow soldiers, as though a reminder from him would spur them into motion. It didn't.

"Don't look at them, look at me," Percy told him, and the praetor reluctantly refocused his gaze on him, "I don't make threats. I make promises. I've killed people I like more than you. I've killed people that had a better chance to kill me than you do. If any of your soldiers make a move towards Dr. Chase or myself, I will kill everyone here, to a man, to a woman. Not only am I capable, but right now I am more than willing. I don't care that you're a praetor, I don't care that we're in your house. I expect a certain level of respect for both myself and my friends, and you have failed to provide me with that. Do we understand each other?"

The praetor looked to open his mouth to reply but Percy held up his hand.

"No, no. That wasn't permission to speak. That was permission to nod your head."

The praetor nodded his head dumbly.

"Good," Percy said, turning and striding back to Annabeth as the glow in his eyes faded and the temperature climbed back to something more comfortable. "You," he continued, pointing to the female praetor as he returned to Annabeth's side, "Your name?"

"V-Vanessa," she stammered out.

"Vanessa," Percy said cooly, suddenly completely in control of the situation from a mere demonstration of power alone, "Where is Sarah? I was told she was praetor here." The tall African-American woman nodded, "She was my lord. She was killed by the bandits a couple of weeks ago."

Percy nodded, digesting the information that his supposed biggest advocate in the Roman Camp was now dead. "And the previous praetors, Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang, where are they?"

"They left a couple of days ago with a Greek demigoddess, my lord."

Percy glanced at Annabeth, "Piper," he mouthed, and then turned his attention back to the praetor, "Prateor Vanessa. If you would be so kind to take us to the Senate?"

Now it was Vanessa's turn to share a glance, except hers was with her fellow praetor and seemed something akin to worry, "I'm sorry my lord, but considering the circumstances I am not sure it would be safe to bring you to the Senate."

"And why is that?"

"We have been under near constant attack my lord," The praetor answered, "Leaving our post would be dangerous."

"The attacks are that frequent?" Percy asked, but before the praetor could respond a heavy bell began to toll somewhere in the distance followed by a number of trumpet calls.

The legionaries were suddenly jolted into action, yelling orders to unseen soldiers as they sprinted towards the sound of the trumpets.

"That would be them, my lord," Vanessa said, pulling her gladius free from its scabbard, "If you will excuse us, we must protect New Rome."

She and her fellow male praetor turned and sprinted down the hill, following in the footsteps of the legionaries towards the sound of the trumpets.

Percy felt a warm touch on his hand and glanced over to see Annabeth at his side.

"Skeleton bandits?" Percy asked, to which Annabeth shook her head.

"Never heard of something like that…perhaps you can help. Seeing you in action would certainly reaffirm their belief that you're a god."

Percy frowned, "You think they think I'm a god?"

"If I didn't know better I would too," Annabeth noted, "That was terrifying."

Percy shook his head, "I'm not sure what came over me. He just said those things about you and I…"

Annabeth suddenly leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you Percy."

Percy felt his cheeks heat up, "I wasn't about to let him speak to you like that. I know you can handle yourself."

"I'd forgotten how fiercely protective you are," Annabeth said, smiling at him, "Now go kick some skeleton ass."

Authors Note: Did I hear Percabeth knocking at the door? A rekindling of everyone's favourite power couple. No the fuck I did not. But can't have Percy find his moon until he gets over who used to be his sun. Hope you enjoyed a more dialogue-heavy chapter and the sneak peek at some more Annunaki content. School and work start up next week so I can't promise the chapters will be quick, but I can promise they will come.

As always please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. If I get off a long day of classes or work and I see a new review that may be what gets me to sit down at the computer and knock out another chapter. Your best chance of getting the next chapter sooner is to review, so please do.

I also realised I don't always respond to questions in the reviews, and so to incentivise you to review and ask questions, answering those questions is something I am going to start doing.

Seungwon22: You mentioned Gilgamesh and if I have plans to include him in this story or in a sequel. Gilgamesh is very much in my plans for this story, but I can't promise him showing up soon. As for a sequel…I'm not sure. I have plans for this story and how I want it to end. If I feel unfulfilled and want to write something else I will, but the reason I am writing this is because this is a genre of Pertemis that I don't think has been explored and I have always known how I plan for the last chapter to go down.

Greninja19: Will other Pantheons be involved? Chapter 32 gives an answer to that but not outright, you have to read between the lines. Next chapter you will get a much more concrete answer to that.

Name: The last chapter not addressing that Rachel has the knowledge of Enlil. That wasn't an oversight, that was just it slipping Percy's memory. It will certainly be cropping up in the future

Ask your questions and as long as they're not too big a spoiler I'll be happy to answer. See you in the next chapter.