The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 23 - Alex - Augury

"Sorry, what?" I asked as Octavian snatched the Bargain Mart panda pillow that was sticking out of the top of Percy's pack. It was just a silly stuffed toy, but Percy had carried it a long way. He was kind of fond of it. Octavian turned toward the altar and raised his knife.

"Hey!" Percy protested.

Octavian slashed open the panda's belly and poured its stuffing over the altar. He tossed the panda carcass aside, muttered a few words over the fluff, and turned with a big smile on his face.

"Good news!" he said. "Percy and Alex may join the legion. We'll assign him a cohort at evening muster. Tell Reyna that I approve."

Hazel's shoulders relaxed. "Uh...great. Come on, Alex, Percy."

"Oh, and Hazel," Octavian said. "I'm happy to welcome them into the legion. But when the election for praetor comes up, I hope you'll remember—"

"Jason isn't dead," Hazel snapped. "You're the augur. You're supposed to be looking for him!"

"Oh, I am!" Octavian pointed at the pile of gutted stuffed animals. "I consult the gods every day! Alas, after eight months, I've found nothing. Of course, I'm still looking. But if Jason doesn't return by the Feast of Fortuna, we must act. We can't have a power vacuum any longer. I hope you'll support me for praetor. It would mean so much to me."

Hazel clenched her fists. "Me. Support. You?"

Octavian took off his toga, setting it and his knife on the altar. Octavian's mark was a harp, the symbol of Apollo.

"After all," Octavian told Hazel, "I might be able to help you. It would be a shame if those awful rumors about you kept circulating...or, gods forbid, if they turned out to be true."

This guy was blackmailing Hazel. That was obvious. One sign from Hazel, and Percy was ready to bust out Riptide, and I could see his hand slip to his pocket.

Hazel took a deep breath. Her knuckles were white. "I'll think about it."

"Excellent," Octavian said. "By the way, your brother is here."

Hazel stiffened. "My brother? Why?"

Octavian shrugged. "Why does your brother do anything? He's waiting for you at your father's shrine. Just...ah, don't invite him to stay too long. He has a disturbing effect on the others. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to keep searching for our poor lost friend, Jason. Nice to meet you, Percy, Alex."

Hazel stormed out of the pavilion, and we followed.

As Hazel marched down the hill, she cursed in Latin. I didn't understand all of it, but I got son of a gorgon, power-hungry snake, and a few choice suggestions about where Octavian could stick his knife.

"I hate that guy," she muttered in English. "If I had my way—"

"He won't really get elected praetor, will he?" Percy asked.

"I wish I could be certain. Octavian has a lot of friends, most of them bought. The rest of the campers are afraid of him."