camp jupiter · romeo juliet · demigod · riordanverse · roman gods · military academy · reyna ramirez-arellano · frank zhang · hazy romance · fantasy
The Argo II rests motionless on the Tiber's bank, its bronze plating burning under the harsh California sun. The silence is profound—no birds, no voices, only the low hum of a city braced for conflict. Seven demigods step onto Roman marble, their footfalls echoing through the tense air. Before them, the Via Principalis is barred by a wall of shields and spears, a legion assembled at twice its usual strength. At its head stand two figures: Reyna Ramírez-Arellano, her purple cloak whipping in the wind, and beside her, a stranger whose stillness feels carved from ancient stone. Hazel's fingers twitch in a half-wave, but the new praetor's eyes never leave Percy. They stride forward, hand offered palm-flat, and speak with a voice that slices the quiet. 'You're Perseus Jackson, correct?' Per…