The Daughter Of Night (Original Version)

23- We Have A Discussion

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The crew compared notes about what had happened at the Salt Lake and Leo told a ridiculous story about how he had tricked Narcissus and pissed off some nymphs, but even that story was unable to brighten the mood of the crew.

"So where now?" Leo asked, once everyone had finished their stories, "there's still a lot of damage to the ship, we should really put down again and fix things properly before we head across the Atlantic."

"The Romans aren't far behind us," Percy said through a mouthful of blue pie, "Frank spotted some eagles over Salt Lake City. We should try and put some distance between us and them."

"I don't suppose we should try to reason with the Romans?" Piper spoke up. "Maybe I could try harder with the charmspeak."

"It won't work," I said, "whatever happened it was Gaia. If I could just remember what those possessing spirits were called..."

"Possessing spirits?" Annabeth leant forwards.

"I'm pretty sure that's what happened to Leo." I nodded.

"Hm," Annabeth sat back.

I chewed on a breadstick, "anyway, going back is suicide."

"They'll shoot first and ask questions later," Hazel nodded.

"You're right, we have to keep going." Piper sighed, as if realising something she didn't want to admit, "we have to hurry."

"Nemesis said we only have six days until Nico dies and Rome is destroyed." Hazel said, "that's not much time."

"Why six days?" Percy wondered, "and how are they going to destroy Rome?"

"I'd assume in some weirdly extravagant way," I said. Everyone ignored me.

"There's more," Piper sounded glum, "I've been seeing some things in my knife."

"Such as?" Frank asked.

"They don't make sense, just garbled images." Piper confessed, "two giants dressed alike, maybe twins..."

I growled and everyone turned to look at me with questioning looks, "Otis and Epheulties." I told them, "I ran into them a few times, not friendly."

"You ran into some Giants?" Frank looked at me strangely.

"In Tartarus." I nodded.

"In Tartarus?" Hazel gawped at me.

"Yes." I nodded again, "I lived there."

"You lived..." Frank was cut off by Annabeth.

"Twins like in Ella's prophecy." She said, "if we can figure out those lines it might help."

"Wisdoms daughter walks alone, the mark of Athena burns through Rome," Percy said, "Annabeth that's gotta me you."

My breath hitched at the mention of the Mark Of Athena. My father had followed that. That was how he fell.

"Juno said you have a hard task ahead of you in Rome." Percy continued, "she said she doubted you could do it."

"Reyna said there's an old legend among the Roman praetors, something to do with Athena." Annabeth said, "she said it may be the reason Greeks and Romans never got along."

"I know something." I confessed and everyone looked at me again, "my father was a child of Athena. The only thing that I really know about him was that he followed the Mark of Athena to Rome, my mother said that's how she found him."

Annabeth didn't show any signs of fear, although I knew she probably was scared.

"Nemesis talked about an old score that had to be settled," Leo said, "about bringing the gods two personalities into harmony."

"Apollo said that the gods were all starting to suffer from split personality disorder," I interjected, "he said that he and Artemis were going to have to retreat to Delos to stop them from stuff earring from it. We can't expect any help from the gods if they're all incapacitated."

"You spoke to Apollo?" Frank asked.

"Oh all the time." I waved the son of Mars off.

"What about the other lines?" Hazel asked, "twins snuff out the angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death."

"The Giants bane stands tall and pale, won through pain from a woven jail." Frank finished.

"Anything that's a Giants bane is good for us!" Leo munched on a taco, "if it can help the gods get their act together, that's good!"

"We can't kill the Giants without the gods help." Percy nodded.

"So," Leo pushed his chair away from the table and stood up, "we'll have to put down in the morning to make repairs."

"Kansas," Piper spoke up, "Topica 32."

Leo shrugged, "sounds good. Who's up for first watch?"

"I'll do it." I volunteered, "I got about an hour of sleep earlier that should get me through until we make it to Rome."

I was in a good mood, so here's another chapter! 

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~Em xx