The Mark of Athena,Heroes of Olympus, Book 3

Annabeth III


"Senate meeting," Reyna said as Annabeth and the senior counselors of Camp Half-Blood stepped off the boat. "Bring your friends, too." Annabeth nodded and motioned for the campers to follow her.

"Hang on, let me put this up," Annabeth replied.

"No, Octavian's going to be at that meeting. I recommend keeping it. Just hide it so Terminus doesn't see it." Reyna smiled, and Annabeth didn't know if it was a joke or not.

Percy and the two people with him stopped among the crowd that was retreating to their daily lives.

"Hey," he whispered.

"How much do you remember?" Annabeth whispered back while fighting the urge to throw her arms around him.

"Everything," Percy said even softer than before.

Annabeth's smile grew.

"Who are they?" Annabeth asked in her normal voice.

"Oh, sorry. Hazel and Frank. Yeah, I kind of introduced you already." Annabeth laughed.

"Weapons?" said a desecrated statue that was sitting in three pieces all in a row. A little girl held out a bowl. Annabeth adjusted her shirt so that it was covering the gun hidden poorly in her pocket. Luckily, the girl didn't look too close. Annabeth dropped her knife into the bowl and Percy sighed, rolled his eyes, and dropped his pen.

"Jason." Reyna stopped to look at said boy. "Coin?"

"Heh, heh... kind of broke." Reyna looked at him with an exasperated expression.

"This is our stop," said Hazel. "Nice 'meeting' you, Annabeth." Annabeth smiled and waved as she walked by them.

"Don't worry, they usually aren't that quiet." Annabeth laughed again.

When they got to the Senate building, Annabeth's mouth dropped. Despite the fact that the backdrop was reconstruction on the city, the Senate building was so beautiful.

"I knew you would do that," Percy said with a smile.

"So did I!" Octavian announced, even though most of the people were already inside. "Me being the Augur and all, I heard from Lady Minerva that her daughter who loved architecture would be arriving today. However, I did not think that she would be a Greek!"

"Is there something wrong with that?" Annabeth said, a splash of anger filling her voice.

"No." Octavian was still smiling politely.

"Well, you obviously think so. Don't you? You think Rome is better than Greece." Annabeth's pride was showing through, and she already knew that Octavian would either get a knife in the chest or a bullet in the brain.

"Now, now, we're just different from you-in a better way."

"If I had my knife-"

"Don't argue with idiots. It'll just bring you down to their level," Piper said as she walked past.

"Come on, Annabeth." Percy lead her into the building, and Annabeth jumped.

The room was filled with ghosts.

"They're Lares. House gods," Percy explained.

"Okay," Annabeth said in a small voice.

The Greek demigods were gathered around the table, looking nervously at the ghosts.

"Do we really need this alliance?" asked one of the Senators right off the bat.

"Yes!" said the Greeks and Jason.

"Yes!" Clovis said, a few moments behind. The Romans snickered.

"I vote we send them away immediately!" Octavian said, banging his fist on the table. It barely shuddered, and Octavian's hand seemed more hurt than the table did. Annabeth stifled a laugh.

"We need this alliance," Annabeth insisted. "If not, we'll lose and Gaea will awaken. If she does, do you think she'll spare you in her destruction? You'll be right after the gods."

"Annabeth's right," Piper said, putting too much force in her words for it to be subtle she was trying to charmspeak them. However, the Romans must not have had any charm speakers in their camp.

"We really should help them," one senator interjected. He shrank into his chair as Octavian stared him down, which was pretty hilarious, considering standing up the boy would be a foot taller than Octavian.

"What'd I miss?" shouted a boy with a red stained mouth as he bounded around the room. Annabeth had one thought:

There's a Leo in every camp.

"Who are they?" he yelled.

"The Greeks," muttered Octavian darkly.

"We aren't here to hurt you!" Piper said quickly.

The hyper boy looked at Piper for a moment.

"Okay!" he said, bounding across the room and sitting down beside her.

"Is he drunk?" Annabeth whispered to Percy.

"On kool-aid."

"Dakota, lay off the kool-aid for one day. Please," Reyna pleaded.

"Okay." Dakota frowned, and Annabeth muffled her laugh in her hands.

"Jason. Do you have any memories?" Reyna looked desperate, an expression that didn't fit well with her stern features.

"Yeah... a few... not all." Reyna looked disappointed.

"Wait, does Percy have his memories?" Connor Stoll asked.

"Yes," Percy answered.

"Then how come Jason doesn't?" Octavian asked, although he didn't look particularly concerned.

"That's what I'd like to know." Reyna looked at Percy expectantly. He looked at Annabeth like, Do I have to tell this story?

"I'm kind of curious myself," Annabeth said, condemning Percy.

Percy sighed. "Before I start- no interrupting." He looked at the Greeks, specifically at Annabeth.

Percy began to tell the story about how he had gambled with Phineas using two vials of Gorgon's blood-one from the right side of their body, one from the left. At this, Annabeth opened her mouth to say something, but Percy continued talking. He talked about how Gaea had made the vial from the left side shake so that Phineas chose that bottle. He then told them about how he did not recommend the experience.

"Comments?" Percy concluded, looking directly at Annabeth.

"IDIOT!" yelled Annabeth with an incredulous look on her face.

"What did he look like after he died?" asked Leo looking extremely excited.

"Pile of very dirty clothes." Leo looked disappointed, but was silent.

"All in favor of letting the Greeks stay?" Reyna said.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow when Percy raised his hand.

"I'm praetor, remember?"

"You never told me that."

"Oh."

Annabeth quickly counted the people who raised their hands. She grinned. Everyone but Octavian had agreed to let them stay. Octavian looked very angry, and Annabeth truly believed that this was the best day of her life.
Percy IV


So far, Annabeth hadn't murdered anyone yet. Percy considered this a great achievement on her part. Although, he was a little disappointed when Annabeth didn't kill Octavian. That he would have paid to see.

Annabeth still looked exasperated with him after the story about the Gorgon's blood. Yeah, he was an idiot. But he was alive. That had to count for something.

Hazel and Frank were waiting in the Forum.

"I didn't really get to introduce myself earlier. I'm Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena."

"Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto. Have you seen my brother anywhere?" Hazel looked worried.

"Who's your brother?" Annabeth asked. "Is he Nico di Angelo? Because that's the only son of Hades I know, and I haven't seen him since August."

"Yup, that's him," Hazel murmured. "Gaea said she captured him while he was in Rome. Athena, huh? You might be the..."

Hazel trailed off because Percy was giving her a look that said, Don't tell her yet.

"I might be what?" Nobody answered. Annabeth gave Hazel that look that told people to tell her things.

"The-girl-that-mark-of-Athena-prophecy-was-talking-about." Hazel smiled apologetically at Percy after spitting out the words like a machine gun.

"Mark of Athena?" Annabeth said incredulously.

Ella flew by, which probably meant Tyson was about to tackle Annabeth in a huge hug and said over her shoulder, "Wisdom's daughter walks alone. The mark of Athena burns through Rome! Alaska was the fiftieth state!"

Annabeth frowned. Really? she mouthed. Percy nodded. Tyson came barreling towards them and Percy stepped out of the way, but Annabeth was lost in thought, and Percy suddenly saw Annabeth being replace by Tyson's back as he practically crushed her in a hug.

"Annabeth!" he laughed.

"Hey-Tyson," she moaned. "Let-me down!" Annabeth struggled to catch her breath.

"Percy remembers you! He also remembers me and Mrs. O'Leary!" Tyson exclaimed happily. "He is not dead! You are not dead! I do not like it when you're dead!" Tyson crushed Percy and Annabeth in a hug together.

When he released, Annabeth choked out, "Hooray for living." Annabeth stumbled and Percy caught her.

"I'm fine, just... out of breath." Percy laughed a little and helped her up. Frank walked addressed Annabeth.

"Frank Zhang, and no matter how much I deny it, I'm a son of Mars."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"That's what most people did when he told me."

"Wait, he told you?"

"Yeah, right after war games. Which I have a feeling are going to be pretty interesting tonight."

"Hey, I'm gonna go meet some of the other Greeks. See you." Hazel walked off and over to Leo.

"I... um... I'll go with her," stuttered Frank as he walked off.

Percy grinned hugely at Annabeth, who smiled even bigger than he did, although it probably looked a whole lot better on her than him.

"Want me to show you around?" Percy said while offering his hand.

"Sure," Annabeth said, taking it.

What Percy really was hoping for was the chance to talk to her. In private-so he could tell her something that really shouldn't be a public thing.
Leo V


He couldn't help antagonizing Annabeth.

In fact, he even made up a stupid game with himself to see how long it would take for Annabeth to either threaten him or tell him to shut up.

Normally it took about three minutes, but since Annabeth seemed to be feeling very moody today.

Obviously, Leo, said that dumb voice in the back of his head, she just got reunited with her boyfriend. Wouldn't that make you antsy?

No, Leo told the voice, I don't have a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend for that matter.

Sometimes, Leo felt like drawing a gun on himself.

That incident with Annabeth and her gun really had scarred him for life. He had never liked seeing the gun head on. It mad him nervous. He wished he could have just run off like the gutless little jellyfish he was.

Percy would like that.

Leo was looking around, trying to figure Hazel Levesque out. The first thing Hazel said to him was, "Hi, Sammy! Uh... I mean Leo. Sorry." Hazel had smiled apologetically, and all Leo could say was, "Okay" in a small voice.

Now he was cursing himself and his stupidity. He wished he hadn't screamed in front of all the Romans, and he wished that he had not just made a fool of himself in front of the only girl willing to overlook that!

Leo heard a laugh, and he wondered if it was Hazel laughing at him behind his back. But this sounded a whole lot closer than it should. Leo whipped around to find the source of the sound. It came from behind an old looking building. In faded letters over the door, Fifth Cohort was written. Leo quietly walked towards the source of the sound.

"...missed you," Leo heard a very familiar voice say in a not-so-familiar tone.

"Annabeth?" Leo mouthed to himself. He allowed himself a peek around the corner of the building, and saw Percy and Annabeth.

"Aw." A hand was clamped over Leo's mouth before he could jump.

"'Sup?" Piper said softly, turning Leo around to face her.

"You just gave me a heart attack!" Leo whispered accusingly. Piper shrugged.

"God, they're perfect for each other," said another voice, not Piper's. Leo jumped and turned to see a red-haired girl-Rachel.

"Look, look, look!" whispered Piper, pointing at Percy and Annabeth. Percy whispered something. Annabeth looked up at him with her eyes shining.

"We should probably leave," Rachel said, dragging Leo away from the now kissing couple.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Leo followed Rachel and Piper. Piper was acting in a very un-Piper-like way, giggling and saying, "Aww!" a few times.

"Who are you and what have you done with Piper McLean?" Leo demanded.

"Do you realize what just happened?" Piper asked.

"Uhh... no?"

Rachel and Piper looked at each other and cracked up.

"What? Tell me!" Leo begged.

"Later, Repair Boy!" Piper called, already walking away from him.

"What?" Leo asked himself. "What could be so important that Rachel and Piper won't tell me?"

"Doesn't really have to be that important," Annabeth said, walking by with Percy's arm around her shoulder.

"What?" Leo repeated.
Leo VI


Leo couldn't get it out of his head. What the heck had Percy told Annabeth that would send Piper into girly-girl land?

"Has Percy told you anything yet?" asked Rachel at lunch when Percy had gone to meet Octavian, who had just shouted across the Mess hall, "Percy Jackson, get over here!" Percy had rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Yes!" Annabeth said, grinning like there was no tomorrow.

"What?" Leo asked in an attempt to make one of the girls spill it, but no luck.

"Nothing, Leo," Annabeth said dismissively. But she was still grinning.

"Aww!" Rachel said.

"What?" Leo insisted.

"Nothing!" Piper answered. "It's nothing, Leo!"

Leo had the sudden urge to drop the subject, but Piper's malicious grin told him it wasn't him making the decision.

Percy returned to the table, and the girls suddenly looked nonchalant again. How did they do that?

"What did Octavian want?"

"Nothing," Percy said.

"You too?" Leo asked incredulously.

"Seriously, nothing. He just wanted to warn me about, 'What a horrible enemy he would make,' and, 'Why he believes the Greeks are so cowardly.' His main argument was you."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, the incident with the gun made up his mind," Annabeth guessed. Percy laughed, probably remembering the moment. Leo growled.

"Sorry," Percy chuckled.

"Don't be," Annabeth mouthed, which just sent him into hysterics again.

"Hey, S-Leo!" Hazel said quickly.

"Hey," said Frank.

They all shared knowing looks and Leo finally shouted, "Will you just tell me already?"

Everyone cracked up.

"I'll..." Piper had another fit of laughter. "I'll tell you later."

"It's not like I wanted to know now."

"No one really cares what you want, Leo," laughed Annabeth.

"I care," Leo mumbled. He really didn't like Annabeth sometimes. He didn't know much about Percy, but he seemed better than Annabeth was about teasing. He laughed at the jokes, but he really didn't make them that much. He also didn't seem to care what other people thought about him. Several times Rachel and Annabeth had made cracks against things that happened before Leo got to camp. However, Percy would make an attempt at looking angry for Annabeth, but he seemed like he was trying not to laugh.

After what felt like years of sitting around that table, they finally left for free time and Leo confronted Piper.

"What were y'all talking about?"

"God, Leo, your so ignorant."

Piper whispered into his ear, "Percy told Annabeth he loved her."

"Only that could make you act like a girl," teased Leo before running for his life.