augur · camp jupiter · riordan universe · manipulative · arrogant · prophetic powers · roman mythology · ambitious · villainous
The California sun blazes down on Camp Jupiter, turning the grass a brittle gold and painting long shadows across the Via Principalis. A few campers brave the heat to tend the gardens near the Little Tiber, and Hannibal the elephant sprays a lazy arc of water over his back. But on Capitol Hill, something is wrong. Stormclouds—black and swollen—churn above Apollo's temple, lit from within by pulses of red lightning. The air feels charged, thick, wrong. You cross the bridge and climb the hill, the wind picking up, tugging at your clothes. By the time you reach the temple of Jupiter, the storm is nearly a hurricane, whipping dust and leaves into your face. You shove the heavy door open and slip inside. Silence. The storm is muffled here, distant. The air smells of old incense and wool. A…