Daughter of Wine

Callida

I get dressed in my favorite black cargo pants and a wine-colored cropped tank. I put on my favorite pair of shoes. I'm quickly coming to the realization that my closet is all black, purple, and leopard-print. A walking Dionysus stereotype. Fantastic. 

I do my usual makeup. Red lipstick, a little eyeliner, and black lashes. Simple, yet it works, I think. Besides, if we're going to be in Rome, I want to look good. I've always wanted to see Italy. 

When I go above-deck, I'm blinded by a brilliant blue sky. I join Leo at the helm, and he beams at me. I get to work, pulling levers and pushing buttons automatically. The more time I spend with Leo, the better I get at this mechanics stuff. It's like his knowledge is rubbing off on me, though I'll never tell him that. It would go right to his head and I wouldn't hear the end of it. 

The sun is rising over some distant hills, so everything below us shines and sparkles like the entire city of Rome has just come out of a car wash. 

I've seen big cities before. I'm from Miami, and I've lived in New York for the past nine years. But the sheer vastness of Rome still takes my breath away. The city doesn't seem to care about any limits of geography. It spreads over hills and valleys, jumps over the Tiber river with tons of bridges and just keeps sprawling to the horizon. Streets and alleys zig-zag with no rhyme or reason through quilts of neighborhoods. Glass office buildings stand next to excavation sites. A cathedral stands next to a line of Roman columns, which stand next to a modern soccer stadium. In some neighborhoods, old stucco villas with red-tiled roofs crowd the cobblestone streets, so if I concentrate on just those areas, I can imagine I'm back in ancient times. Everywhere I look, there are wide plazas and traffic-clogged streets. Parks cut across the city with a crazy collection of palm trees, pines, junipers, and olive trees, as if Rome can't decide what part of the world it belongs to. Or maybe it believes the world still belongs to Rome. 

We lower the landing gear, and a few minutes later, our crewmates come above deck, gawking at the city below. 

"We're setting down in that park." Leo announces, pointing to a wide green space dotted with palm trees. "Let's hope the Mist makes us look like a large pigeon or something."

As we land, I don't notice any cars veering off the road or Romans pointing at the sky screaming, "Aliens!" I retract the oars as we set down. 

The noise of traffic is all around us, but the park itself is peaceful and deserted. To our left, a green lawn slopes toward a line of woods. An old villa nestles in the shade of some weird-looking pine trees with thin curvy trunks that shoot up thirty or forty feet, then sprout into puffy canopies. They look like enormous dandelions, ready to be blown away. 

To our right, snaking up along the top of a hill, is a long brick wall with notches at the top for archers, maybe a medieval defensive line, maybe Ancient Roman. I'm not sure. 

To the north, about a mile away from the folds of the city, the top of the Colosseum rises above the rooftops, looking just like it does in travel photos. That's when my heart starts pounding. We're actually here. We are in Rome. Enemy territory for a Greek demigod. 

Jason points to the base of the archer's wall, where steps lead down into some kind of tunnel. 

"I think I know where we are." He says. "That's the Tomb of the Scipios." 

Percy frowns. "Scipio... Reyna's pegasus?"

"No," Annabeth puts in. "They were a noble Roman family, and... wow, this place is amazing. 

Jason nods. "I've studied maps of Rome before. I've always wanted to come here, but..."

Nobody bothers finishing that sentence. Looking at my friends' faces, I can tell they're just as in awe as I am. We've made it. We've landed in Rome. The Rome. 

"Plans?" Hazel asks. "Nico has until sunset, at best. And this entire city is supposedly getting destroyed today."

Percy shakes himself out of his daze. "You're right. Annabeth... did you zero in on that spot from your bronze map?"

Annabeth's eyes turn extra dark, glaring at him like she's scared he might spill some secret. 

"Yes," She says carefully. "It's on the Tiber River. I think I can find it, but I should-"

"Take me along." Percy finishes. "Yeah, you're right."

Annabeth glares daggers at him. "That's not-"

"Safe." He supplies. "One demigod walking through Rome alone. I'll go with you as far as the Tiber. We can use that letter of introduction, hopefully meet the river god Tiberinus. Maybe he can give you some help or advice. Then you can go alone from there."

Annabeth and Percy have a silent staring contest, as if they're battling for control. Everyone just watches. It's like mom and dad are fighting. 

"Fine." Annabeth mutters. "Hazel, now that we're in Rome, do you think you can pinpoint Nico's location?"

Hazel blinks, as if coming out of a trance from watching the Percy/Annabeth Show. "Um... hopefully, if I get close enough. I'll have to walk around the city. Frank, wold you come with me?"

Frank beams. "Absolutely." 

"And, uh... Leo." Hazel adds. "It might be a good idea if you came along too. The fish-centaurs said we'd need your help with something mechanical."

"Yeah," Leo nods. "No problem. As long as my girlfriend can come along too." 

Everyone blinks and look at me in confusion. I feel my face redden, but I don't want Leo to think I'm embarrassed of him. I do feel embarrassed, but I think it's more because I feel weird announcing that sort of thing when we have bigger things to worry about. 

"Yeah." I nod and step next to Leo. "I'll come." 

It's like I've dropped a bomb. Everyone flings a million questions at me all at once, mostly along the lines of "When did this happen?"

"Guys." I mutter. "We have bigger problems."

Piper draws her knife and sets it on the rail. "Calli is right." She doesn't sound very convincing. She's grinning at me like I've just bought her a pony. "Jason and I can watch the ship for now. I'll see what Katropis can show me. But, Hazel, if you guys get a fix on Nico's location, don't go in there by yourselves. Come back and get us. It'll take all of us to fight the giants."

She doesn't say the obvious: even all of us together won't be enough, unless we have a god on our side. I decide not to bring it up either. 

"Good idea." Percy says. "How about we plan to meet back here at...what?"

"Three this afternoon?" I suggest. "That's probably the latest we could rendezvous and still hope to fight the giants and save Nico."

Jason nods. "That works. If something happens to change the plan, try to send an Iris-message."

Everyone nods in agreement, but I, along with several others, glance at Annabeth. Another thing no one wants to say: Annabeth will be on a different schedule. She might be back at three, or much later, or never. But she'll be on her own, searching for the Athena Parthenos. 

Coach Hedge grunts. "That'll give me time to eat the coconuts-I mean dig the coconuts out of our hull. Percy, Annabeth, I don't like you two going off on your own. Just remember: behave. If I hear about any funny business, I will ground you until the Styx freezes over."

Percy smiles. "We'll be back soon." He promises. He looks around at all of us, clearly trying to look positive. "Good luck everyone." 

I rush to hug Annabeth. She's not a super touchy-cuddly person, but I am. And I can't help it. This very well could be my last time seeing my friend. 

"Come on." She tries. "Don't act like it's the last time you're seeing me."

"It's not."I insist. "I just love you, okay?"

She nods, and I can see she's holding back tears, either from emotion or from fear. "Love you too, wine-girl."

"If anyone can do this, it's you." I tell her, letting her go. 

Leo lowers the gangplank, and Percy and Annabeth are the first ones off the ship.