He wouldn’t ever admit it, but Jason kind of reminded Frank of a child waiting for Christmas.

  That was just how impatient and eager his friend seemed to be, even though Jason tried to hide it.

  A few days ago, Frank and Jason had received news from their friends at Camp Half-Blood that Reyna and Hylla were on their way to New Rome. Both of them were obviously looking forward to seeing their friend again, but Frank noticed that Jason was a little obsessed.

  Jason started casually volunteering for guard duty even though he was a centurion. When others were on shift, Jason would make sure to interrogate them on what they saw (he was disappointed every time). And when he was supposed to be supervising drills, Frank would often catch him staring at the camp entrance intently like a kid trying to catch Santa Claus coming down the chimney.

  Frank had decided it was simply because Jason had been much closer to Reyna than he was. Jason was probably looking forward to spending time with her, since last time he never got the chance to after being kidnapped by Hera.

  So when the sisters finally arrived, Frank prepared himself for Jason potentially being a little emotional. However, he still found his preparation lacking, as what followed was so out of character that it almost short-circuited Frank’s brain.

  They arrived at the bank of the Little Tiber, where Reyna and Hylla had just crossed. To Frank’s astonishment, as soon as they saw them, Jason had all but charged at Reyna with open arms. Apparently, he completely forgot they were total strangers in this time.

  Frank felt completely floored when he saw Jason suddenly become so giddy. Reyna looked absolutely flabbergasted, and Frank gave a shocked laugh right then and there.

  Then Hylla had stepped forward, intercepting Jason before he could get to Reyna. She grabbed his shirt and judo-flipped into the Little Tiber.

  SPLASH!

  That was when Frank really lost it.

  He couldn’t have ever imagined this happening, not in his wildest dreams. Frank doubled over, trying not to throw out his lungs.

  “PFT–HAHAHAHAHA!”

  Hylla had dragged Jason out of the water and pinned him to the ground, leaving Frank to cackle at his now-soaked friend. Jason seemed fine; if anything, the water had only brought him back to his senses. He looked more embarrassed than anything.

  Frank couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard.

  “Oh, my gods…!” Frank wiped a tear from his eye. His knees shook, barely able to not give out. “I can’t believe what I just saw….”

  Reyna and Hylla exchanged confused glances. In his bleary gaze, Frank realized they looked kind of offended.

  “Who are you!?” Hylla interrogated. “Why are you attacking us?”

  Frank suddenly became acutely aware that unfortunately, he was the only one laughing.

  “Wh-what?” Frank coughed, trying to regain his breathing. “No, no, no. We’re not doing that at all!”

  “Then why did he run at me like that?” Reyna asked.

  She looked so confused that Frank found it hard not to laugh again. That expression on the usually composed Praetor made Frank want to check his eyesight. Did he need glasses?

  Jason shifted uncomfortably under Hylla’s grip. “I was excited?”

  “Huh?”

  “What he means is that we’ve been expecting you!” Frank hurriedly added. “Our friends told us you’d be coming, so we’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

  Reyna wrinkled her nose. “Is this how you normally greet people here?”

  “No,” Jason grumbled. “But I wasn’t attacking you, so could you let go now?”

  Hylla reluctantly let go of his wrists, and Jason wrung them with a wince. He cracked a knuckle and a clap of thunder made them all jump.

  “Sorry.” Jason apologized.

  “That was you?” Hylla stepped back. “Who are you people?”

  “This is Camp Jupiter.” Frank gestured to the fort behind them. “The home of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata.”

  Reyna glanced at them, and Frank got the feeling she was sizing them up, gauging if they were a threat. “So…you’re the Roman demigods?”

  “You bet,” Frank nodded.

  “You said someone told you we’d come,” Hylla narrowed her eyes. “So you know Annabeth?”

  “We’re friends of hers,” Jason reassured. “But you shouldn’t go around telling people that here. The Romans aren’t exactly friendly with Greeks.”

  Frank snorted. “They don’t even know they exist.”

  “But you do?” Hylla challenged.

  “We’re different from most,” Jason said evasively. “We met Annabeth and the others a long time ago.”

  Reyna looked at the intimidating walls in front of her. “Piper told us we’d be safe here.”

  “You will be. This is the place for people like us.” Jason said.

  “Don’t get comfortable yet, though.” Frank had to point out. “The legion has to accept you first.”

  “The legion?” Reyna asked.

  As if on cue, the gates opened behind them. Dozens of kids poured out of the fort, many of them armored. The two praetors, notable by their purple cloaks, followed suit.

  Hylla immediately pulled out a sword, her dark eyes hardening with hostility. She put herself in between the army and her sister.

  “Centurion!” Anthony, the praetor, barked. “Who are these two?”

  Frank and Jason both saluted the praetors quickly.

  “New demigods, praetor,” Jason explained. “Here to join the legion.”

  Julia, the second praetor, frowned at the sisters. “Like any recruit, we will have to interrogate you and receive your auguries. What are your names?”

  “I’m Reyna, and this is Hylla,” Reyna replied.

  Anthony raised an eyebrow. “Any last names?”

  The daughters of Bellona went silent.

  When they received no response, Julia turned to Jason. “You found them here?”

  Jason nodded, and immediately realized his mistake.

  “How did you get here alone?” Anthony frowned. “Where are the guards at the tunnel?”

  Hylla scoffed. “Those were your guards? They threatened to attack us at the entrance.”

  “To be fair, you were pretty disrespectful,” Reyna muttered. She stared back at the accusing gaze of the praetor without flinching. “We gave them the fight they wanted. Hopefully, they’ve woken up by now.”

  Well, that explained why Hylla had been so…on edge when they first arrived.

  “You—”

  “We apologize for that,” Julia cut her colleague off, evidently realizing these weren’t your normal run-on-the-mill demigods. “But here in Camp Jupiter, you must exert more self-control. You will be among friends and comrades here.”

  Hylla didn’t look happy about it, but the praetor’s tone brokered no argument. She nodded stiffly and finally lowered her sword.

  “You’ll be questioned at the Principia,” Anthony grumbled, still upset. “Jason, come and relay your report there.”

  “Uh…” Jason hesitated.

  “Is there a problem with that, Centurion?”

  Frank couldn’t help it, grinning. “Yeah, Jason. What’s the problem?”

  The smell of ozone filled the air as his friend shot a glare at him. “No. No problem, praetors.”

  The praetors nodded and went back into the camp, and everyone followed. As they all filed into the fort, the legionaries surrounded the sisters like high security as if their heavy armor and synchronized marching weren’t intimidating enough.

  The entourage stopped in the middle of the camp, where the paved road split into two paths. The legion dispersed while Jason, Reyna, Hylla, and the praetors went down the path toward the Principia. The white marble building gleamed in the distance, its purple banner adorned with golden letters: SPQR.

  Even though the rest of the legion scattered to the city or barracks, Frank stayed a while longer, watching his friends walk away. Even though Jason was there, he was a little worried about what would happen during the interrogation, and Frank wished he could see what would happen.

  But then again, after what he just saw, it would be hard to trust his eyes from now on.

  If Hylla kept glaring at Anthony, she could probably burn two holes into the praetor’s skull. He hadn’t made the best first impression on her, it seemed.

  On the flip side, Reyna seemed to have taken the situation in stride. She was completely calm and serious as they walked to the Principia. Just like Jason always remembered.

  Partially to distract himself from his wet socks, Jason observed the difference between the sisters with interest. Maybe Hylla was just more aggressive. He had never met her, and Reyna seldom talked about her. The only of Hylla he had heard from her was that she parted ways with her a long time ago.

  He wondered why they had separated.

  They entered the Principia, and Jason’s shoes unfortunately left wet marks inside. He hoped he didn’t ruin anything, since the office was as refined as Jason remembered, with polished marble floors and velvet-draped walls. Wooden poles with banners and medals lined the back, surrounding one empty stand in the middle.

  The praetor’s desk in the center was the only thing different from his memory. Jason remembered Reyna would always have it cluttered with scrolls, notebooks, weapons, and everything in between. Once, he had snuck a large bowl of jelly beans onto her desk in an effort to stop her all-nighter, and to his delight, Reyna had kept it there since.

  But that was a different time. Here, the large table was organized and clean. The praetors walked behind it and sat on the two high-backed chairs.

  “So,” Julia began. “Let’s hear your story. How did you get here?”

  Hylla grudgingly described stumbling upon the ruined mansion in the woods of Sonoma and recounted her and Reyna’s time with Lupa at the Wolf House. Once they had proved their skills to her satisfaction, the Wolf Mother sent them south. Eventually, the sisters came across the Caldecott Tunnel.

  “We beat up the soldiers trying to fight us and walked in,” Reyna said simply. She pointed at Jason. “Then we met him.”

  Jason nodded. “Their story makes sense, praetors. It lines up with what Frank and I saw.”

  “Uh huh,” Anthony looked unconvinced. “And what happened at the Little Tiber before we arrived? There seemed to be another altercation.”

  “That was my fault, praetor,” Jason quickly said. “I approached them while they were still on guard. It was hasty of me.”

  Julia raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. She reminded Jason of Annabeth when she did that, with her blonde hair and wary eyes.

  “And that is how you ended up…like this,” The praetor gestured vaguely at Jason’s soaked clothes.

  Jason nodded, refusing to make any eye contact.

  Anthony huffed. “Between you and the guards, this reflects poorly on the legion’s discipline.”

  “My apologies, praetor.”

  “As for you two, your story checks out. It’s very similar to the experiences of most demigods,” Julia said. “However, you’re old for a recruit. What age are you?”

  “Seventeen,” Hylla replied.

  “I’m thirteen,” Reyna added.

  “You couldn’t have survived so long by yourselves,” Anthony said bluntly. “You must have had training or help.”

  Hylla’s eyes hardened. “No, we didn’t. My mother is Bellona, your goddess of war. I learned how to fight quickly to protect me and my sister.”

  “All by yourself?” Anthony stood up, gaze stony.

  Hylla and the praetors were about the same age, Jason realized. Hylla was almost an adult, a definite outlier among new prospects. A demigod that old surviving outside camp was seldom heard of.

  They stared each other down, neither giving in. Jason was a little impressed, since most people would buckle in seconds under Anthony’s intimidating gaze. The praetor was a son of Mars, and he automatically radiated a harsh aura of power and strength. Just standing next to him would make most jittery and nervous.

  Hylla was obviously not most people. She glared right back at the praetor, even as he called her bluff. Eventually, the other praetor sighed and interrupted the staring contest.

  “Where did you come from, then?” Julia suggested.

  After a moment of silence, Reyna responded. “San Juan, Puerto Rico.”

  Julia tapped her fingers on the desk. “Hylla…Are you by chance related to the Ramirez-Arellano family?”

  Immediately, both sisters recoiled as if they had been shot. Jason couldn’t help but wince at Reyna’s fierce glower.

  “So you are,” Julia nodded, seemingly not noticing the murderous expression on Reyna’s face. “I heard they had settled in Puerto Rico. Bellona always favored that clan, but I did not know she ever sired children into your family.”

  Anthony stroked his chin thoughtfully. “It’s rumored that Bellona decreed that the Ramirez-Arellano family would play pivotal roles in many battles. Many members have served Rome and defended it during times of war. They have a strong history in the legion.”

  “That’s enough,” Reyna hissed. “I left that name behind when I left Puerto Rico.”

  Gods, she looked pissed. Jason wisely kept quiet, though he noticed that Hylla didn’t seem to share Reyna’s anger. Instead, the older sister only looked shocked, and also a little worried for Reyna.

  Why was Reyna seemingly the only one to have beef with her past?

  Julia frowned. “That name goes back millennia to the times of the Roman Empire. It carries great honor and esteem.”

  “Well you can take that honor and shove it–”

  Hylla cut her sister off. “So you’ll accept us into the camp, then? No more questions?”

  Reyna looked outraged but Hylla ignored her. The praetors exchanged uneasy looks, but Anthony eventually relented with a sigh.

  “Out of respect for your family name, we will consider it during your recommendations,” He decided. “That is if the auguries are favorable.”

  “Guide them to Octavian, Centurion Grace,” Julia ordered. “I think our time here is done.”

  “Right,” Jason nodded. “Hylla, let’s go.”

  Before your sister tries to murder someone, went unsaid. Hylla nodded and dragged her sister out of the Principia. He led them out of camp and toward New Rome, heading to Temple Hill.

  Jason hummed awkwardly as they walked in silence. “Um…so, what was that all about?”

  Immediately, he regretted asking. Reyna fixed him with a glare fierce enough Jason wondered how he ever thought she looked calm before.

  “Reyna,” Hylla chided. “Stop that. They don’t know.”

  Reyna huffed and turned away, evidently done talking. Hylla sighed. “Our experience at our home wasn’t a good one. When we left, we tried to forget and abandon anything related to it. That included our history and name.”

  It didn’t really explain much, but it didn’t seem like a good idea to press.

  “I guess I’ll scratch San Juan off my bucket list then,” Jason said.

  Their expressions were blank, and Jason immediately winced at his joke falling flat. It clearly wasn’t the right thing to say, but Jason really wasn’t sure how to react to what Hylla had told him. Should he be sympathetic or positive? He wasn’t very good with emotions.

  “Well, it might work out for you, though. Rome values its legacy and honors a lot,” He carefully said. “Your lineage could help you get into a higher cohort.”

  “Cohort?”

  Jason explained to them how the legion worked as they climbed the hill. With how the praetors had worded it, it seemed the sisters could be accepted into a higher cohort based on their name alone. The Third was Jason’s guess since that was Reyna’s cohort last time.

  Hylla hadn’t been with her, though. Jason had never met her. He wondered why they had split before.

  “I’m a centurion too, and if you want, I can ask the praetors to keep your last name a secret,” Jason added after going over the line of command.

  Hylla glanced at Reyna, who nodded fervently. “That would be appreciated.”

  They passed by a domed vault covered in steel, like an apocalypse bunker built in 100 B.C. The doors hung open, and Jason pointed inside.

  “There’s the Temple of Bellona, one of the most important gods of Rome,” Jason explained. “The praetors would go inside and throw a spear into the ground if the legion were to declare war.”

  Reyna reached out hesitantly. “I can…feel it. It feels powerful.”

  Jason glanced at the hilltop, where dark clouds had formed. Flashes of red lightning lit up the hill.

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  “We can visit later. Octavian’s almost done, so we should hurry.”

  Hylla and Reyna reluctantly followed him to the peak. Eventually, they reached the steps of a great white pavilion with columns supporting the dome roof.

  “Here’s where Octavian reads the auguries. The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.”

  They walked into the hall, where the walls and floor were etched with Latin inscriptions and mosaics. The temple certainly lived up to its name. In the middle was the great golden statue of Jupiter, lightning bolt in hand.

  “There he is, Jupiter, the lord of the sky and king of the gods,” Jason stated. “Also, my dad. I would say hi, but he usually doesn’t respond.”

  Hylla frowned. “Does your augur usually massacre stuffed animals in this temple?”

  “I do, thank you very much!” Octavian cried out from the altar.

  The skinny augur walked toward them with a knife, a slightly crazed smile, and a teddy bear. “Bellona’s daughters, I presume?”

  “How did you know?” Reyna asked.

  Octavian waved his knife at the base of the altar, where a pile of stuffing crowded the feet of Jupiter’s statue. “I saw it in the auguries. The message was hard to read, but it kept repeating the phrase: Bellona’s daughters.”

  “You saw it…by disemboweling stuffed animals?” Reyna wrinkled her nose as if she found the idea disgusting.

  “Why, yes! We used to read the will of the gods with real animal guts, but stuffed ones still work well.” Octavian proudly presented his mutilated teddy bear. “You have no idea how much knowledge you can gain from the stuffing of one plushie.”

  Hylla blinked. “I cannot believe that sentence just happened.”

  “Read the augury, Octavian,” Jason said. “Can they join the legion or not?”

  “Down to business as per usual, Centurion,” Octavian sneered. “Very well.”

  He returned to his altar, eyes glittering like he enjoyed gutting helpless stuffed animals. Octavian chopped up the toy puppy and poured the insides onto the altar. He pushed his straw-colored hair out of his face and studied the fluff carefully.

  Octavian muttered something, then turned around with a big smile. “Good news! They are eligible to join the legion. I’ll inform the praetors to assign them a cohort in the evening.”

  “Thank you, augur,” Jason intoned. “We’ll be going, then.”

  Reyna and Hylla needed no extra incentive, and they immediately turned to leave. Octavian had that effect on people. Jason went to follow, but Octavian suddenly called at him.

  “Oh, centurion, aren’t you going to ask me?”

  Jason froze. “What are you talking about?”

  “Why, about your sister!” Octavian’s voice was a mix between smugness and fake concern. “The favor you’ve asked me for. Aren’t you curious about what I’ve found?”

  Jason clenched his fists, his veins glowing dangerously. Before he had traveled back in time, Jason had all but pleaded with Octavian to look in the auguries for anything about his sister. He had been desperate to know anything about Thalia back then, and the new augur had taken full advantage of it.

  The memory made his blood boil, but Jason kept his voice calm. He kept his face cold and emotionless as he stared at the legacy. At least this was convenient timing; Jason wanted to break ties with this guy sooner rather than later.

  “Save it, Octavian. You’ve given me nothing but excuses and delays instead of information.” Jason said.

  Octavian had the audacity to look apologetic. “Sadly, the will of the gods is difficult to discern—”

  A crackle of thunder interrupted him.

  “I doubt you’ve actually tried, Octavian.” Jason accused. “You haven’t done me a favor. In fact, you’ve continually asked me for favors because I ‘owe’ you for searching for my sister.”

  That was what had given the new augur a perfect opportunity. Having the support of the legion’s ’golden boy’ had done wonders for Octavian’s reputation during his early days in the legion. When Jason traveled back in time, he quickly distanced himself from Octavian, but it was too late to change what had already been done.

  This was why the augur was so dangerous and powerful. He knew how to make and use allies, willing or unwilling. Jason had fallen into that second category, and it was one of his past life’s biggest shortcomings.

  “It’s only fair, centurion,” Octavian shrugged. “I help you, you help me.”

  “But you haven’t helped me at all. Not in all these months of your ‘searching’.” Jason shook his head. “I’m not doing anything more to help you, Octavian. It was a mistake to put any trust in you. You can stop your pretend auguries for my sister.”

  Not once in his entire years at Camp Jupiter did Jason receive any useful information about Thalia from the augur. The slimy weasel had found every excuse under the sun every time Jason had confronted him about it. Octavian gained power and influence with Jason’s help while giving back nothing in exchange.

  Octavian frowned. “You’re content with giving up? To give up on your one and only family?”

  Back then, Jason had no choice. He had to cling to the slim hope that Octavian would find something on Thalia, even if it meant he had to help the tricky snake. But now…

  “You say a lot of words but you still have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jason simply replied. “Goodbye, augur. Let’s not talk again.”

  He didn’t know how much longer he could keep up the levelheaded facade, so Jason turned on his heel and quickly left the building.

  Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in his wake.

  In his past life, Frank had never been at camp at the same time as Jason. He only heard stories about him in the Fifth, about how the son of Jupiter had dragged the worst cohort to a high reputation and standard among the legion. He had practically grown up in the cohort and rebuilt its reputation through hard work and diligence. It was the underdog hero’s story.

  This time, Frank got to see Jason’s effect in person, and even be a part of it. After taking control of the Fifth last year, the whole cohort gained a new energy under his leadership. Jason led by example, and it had caught the legion completely by surprise when the Fifth started dominating the war games. Even though the Fifth always got the last pick in the legion, from recruits to shifts to even equipment.

  But Jason never let that fact bog him down. When the other cohorts mocked and jeered the Fifth, he put his head down and won war game after war game, shutting up the critics. Jason backed up every word he said, didn’t make excuses, and rose to every occasion.

  The rhetoric against them was stacked. The cursed Fifth, they called them. They were lesser than the other cohorts in the eyes of many. But Jason had shown the confidence, the audacity, to take on any challenge thrown at him. Quickly, the mindset became contagious within the cohort.

  “I’m starting to believe that with Jason leading our cohort, we can do anything,” Frank was saying. “I think the others in the Fifth think the same.”

  In the shimmering rainbow in front of him, an image of a dark-skinned girl with cinnamon-brown hair listened intently. She hummed nostalgically. “Jason was already praetor when I arrived. I wish I could see all this happen like you.”

  Frank felt the corners of his lips tug into a smile like they were pulled at by his heartstrings. Hazel seemed to have that effect on him, for some reason. He chewed on the muffin he got from his favorite bakery in New Rome to hide his grin, all while glancing around the streets of the city to see if anyone was around. If Octavian accused Frank of giving up confidential legion secrets to a rainbow one more time…

  “Maybe it’s irrational, but what Jason has done makes it seem like we can achieve prestige and heroism too, no matter what the legion says.”

  “It’s not irrational,” Hazel chided. “We proved the Fifth’s worth last time, even without Jason. It’s the mindset that matters.”

  “You’re right,” Frank sheepishly agreed. “If we put our minds to it, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.”

  Hazel nodded proudly. “And that’s what Jason’s trying to show the cohort.”

  “He’s succeeding at it,” Frank said. “Jason’s doing so much I’m finding it hard to keep up, even when I’m doing all I can to build the Fifth’s reputation. By the time you get back, Hazel, no one’s going to be calling us the ‘cursed Fifth’.”

  Hazel cheered. “That’s the spirit!”

  Frank wished he could hug her, but unfortunately, Iris didn’t provide tangible service in her messages. Maybe she had a premium subscription plan for that?

  “What about Reyna and Hylla?” Hazel asked.

  It had been a few weeks since the sisters had arrived and joined the legion. To Frank’s surprise, Reyna was assigned to the Third Cohort and Hylla was accepted into the Second . Despite them having no letters of recommendation or credentials, the two had avoided being tossed into the leftovers.

  Then again, a rumor had spread that Hylla had defeated Jason in a fight. Even though it was drastically exaggerated, it showed Hylla was obviously an experienced warrior unlike your normal recruit, and the centurion clearly saw potential if they took a risk on the esteemed Second Cohort’s honor.

  “They’re quickly making a name for themselves,” Frank said. “Hylla beat us last week in Siege.”

  “Hylla? Not the Second?”

  He recalled the event. The Fifth, Third, and Fourth had been on defense while the First and Second attacked. He remembered they had been doing well defending the walls from the assault. Frank had been shooting arrows at the members of the First and Second when Hylla had led an ambush out of nowhere, crashing into their flank. In a flash, her squad had climbed over the walls and wreaked havoc in their defense.

  “Jason tried to mount a counterattack, but he got jumped by Hylla before he could reach the ballista,” Frank recounted. “That’s been a bit of a trend lately, now that I think about it.”

  “Does she not like him or something?” Hazel wondered.

  Frank shrugged. “Hylla generally seems annoyed at anything and everything here. Yesterday, she almost got into a fight with her centurion.”

  Hazel’s golden eyes widened. “Really? She’s still in probatio, isn’t she?!”

  “Yeah. Caused quite the commotion,” A memory of Hylla sitting on the throne of the Amazons, gazing down with all the authority in the world, popped into Frank’s head. “Maybe she’s not used to all these strict rules.”

  Hazel frowned. “I don’t think that’s quite it.”

  “Who knows…” Frank finished eating his muffin. “At least Reyna isn’t having problems. She’s adapting really well to the legion.”

  “As expected,” Hazel scoffed. “She’s Reyna.”

  He laughed. “Exactly. The centurion seems pretty impressed with her.”

  “The centurion…is it still Hank?”

  “Yeah,” Frank said. “The Third has always been middle-of-the-pack in the legion. But with Reyna, it looks like they’re hoping to change things up.”

  Hazel smirked at that. She looked so bright and lively talking to Frank it was hard to tell that she was actually dead. “That means you and Jason have competition.”

  “We won’t lose to them,” He said without hesitation.

  “Confident, huh? You know, I don’t see this side of you often, Frank,” Hazel noticed.

  Frank blinked, suddenly self-conscious. “O-oh, really? Is it bad?”

  “No, no!” Hazel flushed. “I like it. Y-you look better when you’re more sure of yourself.”

  Frank chuckled, feeling his cheeks start to warm. “Thanks, Hazel. That means a lot, honestly.”

  She smiled back softly. “Coming to camp early was a good idea, wasn’t it?”

  “For sure,” Frank admitted. “I’m putting good use to that time. And when you’re here, I can’t wait to spend it with you.”

  Hazel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Me too, Frank. Me too.”

  Jason was trying his best to connect with Reyna again, but progress was slow. He had hoped it would be easier this time since he remembered everything about her, but the memories actually made it tougher.

  Reyna was naturally distrustful, doubly so if she felt that someone was being dishonest with her. She was knack for detecting if someone was hiding something–something that made her a great praetor since she always seemed to know who to trust and who had ulterior motives.

  For Jason, this was quite a problem. He and Reyna had kept secrets from each other before, and it rarely turned out well. The time she spoke to the ghost in Charleston– which Jason had since realized to be Venus–and refused to tell him what it said had been one of the first and certainly the worst.

  Now, Jason had a boatload of secrets that he couldn’t tell her. She knew he was hiding something, and she also knew he knew that too.

  They were in different cohorts, but any chance he got, Jason tried to get her to warm up to him. For example, he chose to be her guide when she and Hylla toured the city, showing them around New Rome. At the end of the tour, he led them to the Garden of Bacchus that Jason knew Reyna had always loved.

  (The next day, Jason saw her relaxing in the garden during her free time, and he couldn’t help but feel a little triumphant.)

  Further attempts to befriend her fell flat, though. Reyna had already deduced he was hiding something, and she generally tried to ignore him. She didn’t trust him, and why would she? They were basically strangers.

  However, Jason was persistent. This was once his first real friend, and he wasn’t about to lose it to something as trivial as time travel.

  “Pick up the pace! We need these done before dinner!” Gwen shouted to the legionnaires beside her.

  “Come on, guys!” Hank, the centurion of the Third, called out. “We’re not going to fall behind the Fifth, are we!?”

  The Third and Fifth Cohorts were currently excavating trenches in the Field of Mars. It was technically preparation for tomorrow’s War Games, but it also served as basic physical training for legionnaires. Hours of digging in the sun, all while fully armored. If you weren’t in shape before, you would soon be.

  Jason could see Reyna a few feet away from him. She was one of the newest probatios, so she was expectedly struggling with the work. She was adapting to the legion’s standard very quickly, but Jason guessed she would still need a week or so to catch up to the condition of experienced campers.

  Jason heaved up another shovelful and tossed it over his shoulder. He couldn’t afford to rest, or else morale in his cohort would drop. As their leader, he needed to lead by example, even when his shoulders burned and screamed for mercy.

  The Fifth followed his lead, digging with fervor. This agitated the Third, who picked up their pace in an effort to not ‘lose’ to the Fifth.

  They had been at it for hours, and the sun was starting to set when the centurions deemed their work finished. Many legionnaires tossed down their shovels in relief and scrambled for their water bottles.

  Jason wiped the sweat off his brow, wincing as he raised his arms. He needed a hot shower as soon as possible. Or better yet, a bath.

  Unfortunately, neither cohort had the bathhouse that day. But if by some miracle the Second didn’t use up their entire time slot, Jason would be first in line.

  Jason looked around and noticed that Reyna was gone from the Third Cohort. He spotted her in a trench off to the side, sitting against the walls and catching her breath. Jason gently hopped into the ditch and held out a flask of water to her.

  Reyna looked at him warily but accepted it. “Thanks.”

  He sat down next to her as she drank. “Your cohort will wonder where you are.”

  Reyna just shrugged, staring right ahead. Things went quiet between them, and Jason started to feel a little awkward. He took out Ivilis and flipped the coin through his fingers.

  “Thanks for keeping it a secret,” Reyna suddenly said. “My name, that is. I haven’t heard anyone else bring it up.”

  “The only people who know are the praetors and me,” He hesitated. Jason would probably get kicked in the teeth for asking, but… “Why don’t you want people to know about it? I don’t see why…”

  He trailed off as Reyna’s face darkened. “You don’t need to know why.”

  “Oh…I–”

  “Why do you care, anyway?” Reyna snapped. “You have your secrets, I have mine. There’s no reason for us to share anything, and I have no obligation to tell you anything, centurion or not.”

  Well, Jason thought, she put that rather bluntly.

  “Okay, then…how are you doing at Camp?” Jason eventually said.

  Reyna didn’t seem to want to talk, but she sighed and said, “It’s been cool. I feel like I’m in the right place if that makes sense.”

  “I understand that. The legion tries to foster camaraderie so that no one’s left out,” Jason said. “We’re supposed to be one fighting unit, not a bunch of separated individuals.”

  “I guess that’s what the cohorts are for,” Reyna murmured. “The others in the Third have been welcoming. I’m getting to know everyone in my squad. The war games are fun, and I’m learning to fight more. It’s completely different than the island.”

  “The island?”

  She hesitated before telling him. “The last place we were at was a witch’s island. She hated men but took care of the women, and Hylla and I lived there until Piper and her friends managed to get us out.”

  Jason considered his words carefully. “It sounds like you were glad to leave.”

  Reyna seemed to think about it. “I suppose it wasn’t much of a prison. Circe treated us well, and we were happy living on her tropical island. But whenever a guy arrived on the island, she would turn him she found into a guinea pig. Usually, she would just ship them off, but Circe had pet owls, and sometimes…”

  She trailed off, looking a little queasy. Jason decided he didn’t need to hear more. “I’m glad you’re out of there, then. You’re not going to turn me into a guinea pig if I upset you, right?”

  Reyna waved him off. “Don’t be silly.”

  “Oh, good.”

  “I didn’t have time to learn that trick.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “So, what about you?” Reyna asked, raising an eyebrow. “What was your life before camp?”

  Jason glanced at his forearm, where seven lines marked his years of service to the legion. He angled the tattoo toward Rena so she could see. “I got to camp when I was very young. I’ve been here longer than almost everyone.”

  “Seven lines…so you’ve been here since you were five?” Reyna surmised. “You were basically raised here, then. You don’t remember anything before that?”

  He paused. Jason swallowed nervously because he did remember a few bits and pieces. But they weren’t good memories, and he was reluctant to share them.

  “Lupa raised me for a while. Before that…my mother left me at the Wolf House when I was two.” Jason took a deep breath. “She didn’t take it well when Jupiter…didn’t stick around.”

  It was only quiet for a few seconds, but it felt like hours to Jason. Reyna’s guarded expression softened slightly, her eyes growing sad.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head. “It’s alright. It happened a long time ago.”

  “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt,” Reyna said. She turned away, looking bitter. “It doesn’t mean it was right for her to take it out on you.”

  Jason found the sky an extremely good place to stare at. In his mind, he could hear his mother’s ghost calling for him again, trying to reach out to him like that time in Ithaca.

  “Didn’t anyone try to look for you? Any other family?” Reyna tentatively asked.

  Immediately, Jason’s throat clamped up. He quickly turned away as Reyna looked at him in confusion and concern. He had never told her about Thalia. Not once did he mention her name to anyone, even Reyna. It had gone so horribly even mentioning that he had a sister to Octavian. He couldn’t tell her.

  …Right?

  You have your secrets and I have mine, Reyna had said just a few minutes ago. And now, she was still waiting for an answer. Jason sighed.

  If he was being honest with himself, Jason felt like he had messed up their relationship in his last life. That day in Charleston kept nagging at him like a thorn in his side.

  Jason and Reyna hadn’t been friends for long when it happened. Even though they tried to move on in the following years, the event set a precedent of hiding their true emotions from one another. Jason had barely even realized Reyna liked him for that same reason, not that it was her fault.

  In any case, things had to be different this time. He told himself to suck it up, to throw away the old habits of hiding his emotions and thoughts.

  Maybe he had to take the first step. Besides, Piper would be pretty disappointed if he relapsed right now.

  “I…I had–have a sister,” Jason pictured Thalia in his mind: black spiky hair, freckles across her nose, and electric-blue eyes just like his. “Her name was Thalia. Even though I barely remember anything back then, I know we were close. I know she must have looked for me.”

  “Was she also a daughter of Jupiter?” Reyna asked.

  Jason checked to see if they were alone. Fortunately, no one had come to look for them. The cohorts might’ve been dismissed already. “Zeus, actually.”

  Reyna’s eyes widened. “She’s Greek.”

  “And I’m Roman. And it doesn’t matter,” Jason firmly said. By now, Reyna would have heard the rhetoric on Greeks: bad luck and enemy outsiders. That wasn’t true, no matter how vocal Octavian was. “You’ve met them too, and they helped you. That much speaks for their trustworthiness.”

  Reyna nodded slowly. “So…she’s still alive?”

  “Yes,” Jason confirmed. “No god or monster’s stopping me from one day seeing her again.”

  Reyna chuckled at that. “That’s good. I wouldn’t let anything come between Hylla and me either if something were to happen.”

  “You two look pretty close, too,” Jason pointed out. “She cares about you a lot, from what I’ve seen.”

  “More like she worries too much,” Reyna said. “If I even look nervous or scared she’ll start to fuss.”

  That lined up with what Jason remembered. Reyna kept a stoic face, but Jason knew she worried if she ever broke that calm facade it would affect the legion. Reyna feared if she ever showed weakness it would hurt Camp Jupiter’s morale.

  Jason smiled reassuringly. “It’s okay to open up and show emotion. Nobody’s going to judge.”

  Reyna raised an eyebrow. “I doubt that.”

  “Well, if they do, they’re nobody and you shouldn’t pay attention to it,” Jason amended.

  That got a small laugh out of her. Reyna tossed him back his flask of water, now empty. The sun was almost completely set now, and they needed to head to dinner. At the same time, both of them stood up.

  Reyna climbed out of the trench. “What happened here stays here.”

  “Of course,” Jason agreed. “I don’t want you spilling my past either.”

  Reyna extended a hand out to Jason from above. It was both a nice gesture and a symbol of friendship. It seemed after seeing his honesty, Reyna had finally accepted him as someone she could trust.

  Jason grinned. Now this was familiar.

  He reached out and grabbed her hand.

  Frank had promised his grandma that he would practice his shapeshifting. Contrary to popular belief, he couldn’t just change form willy-nilly. It was like any demigod power, a muscle he had to train. It was a steady process of getting stronger and not overexerting himself.

  Bigger transformations required more energy. Animals that weren’t very familiar also took more concentration. And sometimes, things just didn’t feel right.

  There were no words to explain the brainpower Frank needed to consciously breathe with gills. It was overwhelmingly foreign, and as a fish, Frank would often catch himself trying to inhale with his nonexistent lungs.

  He had fought the Trojan Sea Monster as a shark last year, but he didn’t hold that form for long. Usually, Frank avoided using any fish form. It just felt so weird.

  But practice makes perfect, so after finishing his lunch early Frank took a dive into the Little Tiber. He swam through the currents as a striped bass. He would have chosen a shark, but that had caused quite the commotion last time when the Fourth had arrived for a swimming exercise…

  At the banks of the river, Frank noticed a familiar pair. It was Reyna and Hylla, which didn’t really make sense since most legionnaires would be eating right now.

  Even stranger, they were arguing.

  “You can’t!” Reyna was protesting. “Why would you even want to leave?”

  Hylla shook her head in exasperation. “I can’t take it anymore, Reyna. The praetors, my pompous cohort members, that stupid augur; I’m done putting up with them.”

  “You don’t have to,” Reyna argued. “There are a lot of good people here. Maybe if you just–”

  “I don’t know who you’ve been working with, but from what I’ve seen, this place is an unproductive mess of politics and tradition,” Hylla snapped. “Whose idea was to raise a ‘disciplined’ legion of child soldiers?”

  “Everyone works their hardest–”

  Hylla snorted. “Tell that to nepotism. You didn’t get to see much of the First and Second, Reyna. They’re supposed to be the best of the best, but most of them got in on their name or daddy’s precious donation.”

  “But…you can’t just leave!”

  “Why not?” Hylla frowned.

  Reyna struggled for an answer. It was rare for her to look completely shaken up. “B-Bellona said that the legacy of Rome would never fall, as long as one from our bloodline remained to defend it.”

  “Gods, Reyna, don’t you remember? That’s exactly what caused Papa to go crazy!” Reyna visibly flinched at that, and Hylla sighed. “Everywhere I look, they’re all just like him. They’re only focused on traditions, legacy, and prestige. That’s all they care about.”

  That’s not true . Frank wanted to speak out then, but his words couldn’t form.

  On some level, Hylla was right. Camp Jupiter was centered around honor and legacy as she said, even for children who were just trying to find a safe place to live. It was unfair to the kids who didn’t have the luxury of receiving a recommendation, favoring the soldiers from prestigious families who could afford it.

  Frank himself was a victim of it. He had been shunned because he and his recommendation were from the family of Shen Lun, who had allegedly destroyed their camp once. Reyna had told him she judged people by their own merits, not anyone else’s no matter the history or legacy. Unfortunately, most did not share her view.

  Hylla kicked a stone into the Little Tiber. “The only reason they cared about us in the first place was because of our name. They were ready to kill us if we were a threat, Reyna. I could sense it.”

  The praetors wouldn’t do that, would they? The legion was harsh, but still…

  “I’m not staying here. If I do, I’m going to fossilize into a husk, working my entire life for some pointless medals.”

  Pinned on Hylla’s chest was the Mural Crown, an award she got during Siege Games. As Frank watched, Hylla yanked the medal off her and tossed it away. “Let’s go. I’m thinking we head north. Maybe–”

  “Hylla,” Reyna interrupted, twisting the ring on her finger. Her eyes were filled with pain, but somehow she maintained a straight face. “I’m not leaving.”

  “What?”

  “I said I’m not leaving, Hylla,” Reyna stiffly repeated, staring her sister straight in the eyes. “This is where I’m supposed to be.”

  “Here? No, you’ll be wasting your time.” Hylla sounded sad. “I know Piper and Annabeth said we’d be safe here, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for us. Circe’s Island was safe, wasn’t it?”

  “You’re wrong–It is right for me,” Reyna wasn’t backing down. “Things are going well, Hylla. They’re even saying I could soon be a centurion.”

  Hylla frowned. “Is that what’s important to you? A title?”

  The younger sister shook her head. “It’s not just a title. It’s the responsibility over the people. And I know you don’t like them, but I’m not giving up on these people just like this.”

  Frank couldn’t help but feel proud. That was his praetor!

  Well, she wasn’t praetor yet, but…whatever.

  “Is that so?” Hylla cast her gaze down.

  “I’m tired of running, Hylla,” Reyna clenched her hands, and her jaw trembled. “You can leave if you want, but I’m not going. You don’t have to protect me anymore.”

  Hylla flinched. “Reyna–”

  “I can take care of myself, Hylla!” Reyna closed her eyes tightly.

  Hylla fell silent. She slowly put her arms on her sister’s shoulders. “...I’m sorry.”

  The sisters hugged, and Hylla said something in Reyna’s ear. Frank couldn’t make it out; they were too quiet.

  He had no intention of finding out though–in all reality, Frank was feeling very uncomfortable being here. It felt very rude to be intruding on this conversation, even with how important it could be. Hylla leaving Camp Jupiter could change a lot of things.

  But that was an issue for future Frank to deal with. He turned away from the scene and swam away.

  As he headed downstream, the waters suddenly shifted behind him. Frank turned around and saw Hylla wading through the river. She leaped out the other side and ran into the tunnel, disappearing into the darkness. The daughter of Bellona was gone frighteningly quickly.

  On the other side was Reyna, staring at the tunnel. Frank wondered if she would follow, but the future praetor just stood there. Her face was ashen and her knees trembled.

  Oh, man. Frank swam away sadly, leaving the depressing scene to go to find Jason. Hopefully, his friend would know what to do.