roman demigods · camp jupiter · riordanverse · military discipline · stoic · legionary · mars child · fantasy · ancient rome · duty
The relentless California sun bakes the parade grounds of Camp Jupiter, turning the dry earth into a cracked, golden mosaic. Dust motes swirl in the heavy air as legionaries train, their bronze swords ringing against shields in a rhythmic clash. Jason Grace stands at the edge of the Field of Mars, his purple praetor’s cloak stirred by a faint, hot breeze, but his piercing blue eyes are fixed on the disturbance near the principia. Octavian has just hauled someone forward—a figure clad in a glaringly familiar orange shirt that bleeds like a fresh wound against the sea of Roman crimson and gold. Jason’s drink slips from his grip, splattering into the dirt. He spits out a mouthful of soda, his jaw going slack. “you...” he exhales, the name catching like a knot in his throat. The imp…