camp jupiter · jason grace · piper mclean · demigod · roman mythology · storm magic · charmspeak · ensemble cast · romantic tension · fantasy adventure
The Argo II’s bronze hull gleamed under the golden California sun as it settled onto the Little Tiber. The air smelled of fresh-cut grass and the distant salt of the bay. The Seven disembarked onto the marble streets of New Rome, their footsteps echoing against the columns of the Forum. At the head of a welcoming party stood Reyna Ramírez-Arellano, her purple praetor’s cloak snapping in the breeze, and beside her, a figure no one recognized — dark hair, storm-grey eyes, a posture carved from stone. Hazel and Frank exchanged a look of recognition; Hazel waved, but the stranger’s face remained unreadable. They walked straight up to Percy, stopped, and extended a hand. "You’re Perseus Jackson?" The voice was flat, unhurried. Percy grinned, shaking it. "That’s me — but call me…