Festus spread his wings and landed with a stumble. Apparently one of his legs was broken. The dragon pitched sideways and catapulted Leo face-first into the sand.
So much for a heroic entrance.
Leo spat a piece of seaweed out of his mouth. Festus dragged himself down the beach, made clacking noises that meant Ow, ow, ow.
Leo looked up. Calypso stood over him, her arms crossed, her eyebrows arched.
‘You’re late,’ she announced. Her eyes gleamed.
‘Sorry, Sunshine,’ Leo said. ‘Traffic was murder.’
‘You are covered with soot,’ she noted. ‘And you managed to ruin the clothes I made for you, which were impossible to ruin.’
‘Well, you know.’ Leo shrugged. Somebody had released a hundred pachinko balls in his chest. ‘I’m all about doing the impossible.’
She offered her hand and helped him up. They stood nose to nose as she studied his condition. She smelled like cinnamon. Had she always had that tiny freckle next to her left eye? Leo really wanted to touch it.
She wrinkled her nose. ‘You smell –’
‘I know. Like I’ve been dead. Probably because I have been. Oath to keep with a final breath and all, but I’m better now –’
She stopped him with a kiss.
The pachinko balls slammed around inside him. He felt so happy he had to make a conscious effort not to burst into flames.
When she finally let him go, her face was covered in soot smudges. She didn’t seem to care. She traced her thumb across his cheekbone.
‘Leo Valdez,’ she said.
Nothing else – just his name, as if it were something magical.
‘That’s me,’ he said, his voice ragged. ‘So, um … you want to get off this island?’
Calypso stepped back. She raised one hand and the winds swirled. Her invisible servants brought two suitcases and set them at her feet. ‘What gave you that idea?’
Leo grinned. ‘Packed for a long trip, huh?’
‘I don’t plan on coming back.’ Calypso glanced over her shoulder, at the path that led to her garden and her cavern home. ‘Where will you take me, Leo?’
‘Somewhere to fix my dragon, first,’ he decided. ‘And then … wherever you want. How long was I gone, seriously?’
‘Time is difficult on Ogygia,’ Calypso said. ‘It felt like forever.’
Leo had a stab of doubt. He hoped his friends were okay. He hoped a hundred years hadn’t passed while he was flying around dead and Festus searched for Ogygia.
He would have to find out. He needed to let Jason and Piper and the others know he was okay. But right now … priorities. Calypso was a priority.
‘So once you leave Ogygia,’ he said, ‘do you stay immortal or what?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘And you’re okay with that?’
‘More than okay.’
‘Well, then!’ He turned towards his dragon. ‘Buddy, you up for another flight to nowhere in particular?’
Festus blew fire and limped around.
‘So we take off with no plan,’ Calypso said. ‘No idea where we’ll go or what problems await beyond this island. Many questions and no tidy answers?’
Leo turned up his palms. ‘That’s how I fly, Sunshine. Can I get your bags?’
‘Absolutely.’
Five minutes later, with Calypso’s arms around his waist, Leo spurred Festus into flight. The bronze dragon spread his wings, and they soared into the unknown.
Glossary
Acropolis the ancient citadel of Athens, Greece, containing the oldest temples to the gods
Actaeon a hunter who spied Artemis while she was bathing. She was so angered by the idea of a mortal seeing her naked that she turned him into a stag.
Ad aciem Latin for Assume battle stance
Aeolus lord of all winds
Alcyoneus the eldest of the giants born to Gaia, destined to fight Pluto
amphora a tall ceramic wine jar
Antinous the leader of the suitors for Odysseus’s wife, Queen Penelope. Odysseus killed him by shooting him through the neck with an arrow.
Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She was married to Hephaestus, but she loved Ares, the god of war. Roman form: Venus
Apollo the Greek god of the sun, prophecy, music and healing; the son of Zeus, and the twin of Artemis. Roman form: Apollo
Aquilo Roman god of the north wind. Greek form: Boreas
ara (arai, pl.) female spirits of curses; wrinkled hags with bat-like wings, brass talons and glowing red eyes; daughters of Nyx (night)
Ares the Greek god of war; the son of Zeus and Hera, and half brother to Athena. Roman form: Mars
Artemis the Greek goddess of nature and hunting; the daughter of Zeus and Hera, and twin to Apollo. Roman form: Diana
Asclepeion a hospital and medical school in Ancient Greece
Asclepius the healing god; son of Apollo; his temple was the healing centre of Ancient Greece
Athena the Greek goddess of wisdom. Roman form: Minerva
Augustus the founder of the Roman Empire and its first emperor, ruling from 27 B.C.E. until his death in 14 C.E.
auxilia Latin for helps; the standing non-citizen corps of the Imperial Roman army
Ave Romae Latin for Hail, Romans
Bacchus the Roman god of wine and revelry. Greek form: Dionysus
Banastre Tarleton a British commander in the American Revolution who gained infamy for his part in the slaughter of surrendering Continental Army troops during the Battle of Waxhaws
Barrachina a restaurant in San Juan, Puerto Rico; birthplace of the piña colada
Bellona a Roman goddess of war
bifurcum Latin for private parts
Boreas god of the north wind. Roman form: Aquilo
Briares older brother of the Titans and Cyclopes; son of Gaia and Ouranos. The last of the Hundred-Handed Ones still alive.
Bythos combat trainer at an underwater camp for mer-heroes; half brother of Chiron
Calypso the goddess nymph of the mythical island of Ogygia; a daughter of the Titan Atlas. She detained the hero Odysseus for many years.
Ceres the Roman goddess of agriculture. Greek form: Demeter
chlamys a Greek garment; a white wool cloak loosely wrapped and pinned at the shoulder
Circe a Greek sorceress who once turned Odysseus’s men into pigs
Clytius a giant created by Gaia to absorb and defeat all of Hecate’s magic
coquà the common name for several species of small frogs indigenous to Puerto Rico
cuneum formate a Roman military manoeuvre in which infantry formed a wedge to charge and break enemy lines
Cupid Roman god of love. Greek form: Eros
Cyclops (Cyclopes, pl.) a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his or her forehead
cynocephali (cynocephalus, sing.) dog-headed monsters
Damasen giant son of Tartarus and Gaia; created to oppose Ares; condemed to Tartarus for slaying a drakon that was ravaging the land
Deimos fear, the twin of Phobos (panic), son of Ares and Aphrodite
Delos the island birthplace of Apollo and Artemis in Greece
Demeter the Greek goddess of agriculture, a daughter of the Titans Rhea and Kronos. Roman form: Ceres
Diana the Roman goddess of nature and hunting. Greek form: Artemis
Dies Roman goddess of the day. Greek form: Hemera
Diocletian the last great pagan emperor, and the first to retire peacefully; a demigod (son of Jupiter). According to legend, his sceptre could raise a ghost army.
Dionysus the Greek god of wine and revelry, a son of Zeus. Roman form: Bacchus
dracaena (dracanae, pl.) female reptilian humanoids with snake trunks instead of legs
drakon gigantic yellow and green serpent-like monster, with f
rills around its neck, reptilian eyes and huge talons; it spits poison
Earthborn Gegenees in Greek; monsters with six arms that wear only a loincloth
Eiaculare flammas Latin for Launch flaming arrows
Enceladus a giant created by Gaia specifically to destroy the goddess Athena
Ephialtes a giant created by Gaia specifically to destroy the god Dionysus/Bacchus; twin brother of Otis
Epidaurus a Greek coastal town where the sanctuary of the physician god Asclepius was located
Epirus a region presently in northwestern Greece, site of the House of Hades
Erechtheion the temple to both Athena and Poseidon in Athens
Eros Greek god of love. Roman form: Cupid
espresso strong coffee made by forcing steam through finely ground dark-roast coffee beans
Eurymachus one of the suitors of Odysseus’s wife, Queen Penelope
Évora a Portuguese city still partially enclosed by mediaeval walls, with a large number of historic monuments, including a Roman temple
fartura a Portuguese pastry
Field of Mars a publicly owned area of Ancient Rome; also the practice field at Camp Jupiter
filia Romana girl of Rome
frigidarium a room in a Roman bath with cold water
Furies Roman goddesses of vengeance; usually characterized as three sisters – Alecto, Tisiphone and Magaera; the children of Gaia and Ouranus. They reside in the Underworld, tormenting evil-doers and sinners. Greek form: the Erinyes
Gaia the Greek earth goddess; mother of Titans, giants, Cyclopes and other monsters. Roman form: Terra
Gaius Vitellius Reticulus a member of the Roman legion when it was first created; a medic during the time of Julius Caesar; now a Lar (ghost) at Camp Jupiter
geminus (gemini, pl.) half human, half snake; the original Athenians
Hades the Greek god of death and riches. Roman form: Pluto
Hasdrubal of Carthage king of Ancient Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 530 to 510 B.C.E.; he was elected as ‘king’ eleven times and was granted a triumph four times, the only Carthaginian ever to receive this honour
Hebe the Greek goddess of youth; daughter of Zeus and Hera. Roman form: Juventas
Hecate goddess of magic and crossroads; controls the Mist; daughter of Titans Perses and Asteria
Hemera Greek goddess of day; daughter of Erebos (darkness) and Nyx (night). Roman form: Dies
Hephaestus the Greek god of fire and crafts and of blacksmiths; the son of Zeus and Hera, and married to Aphrodite. Roman form: Vulcan
Hera the Greek goddess of marriage; Zeus’s wife and sister. Roman form: Juno
Hermes Greek god of travellers; guide to spirits of the dead; god of communication. Roman form: Mercury
Hippias a tyrant of Athens who, after he was deposed, sided with the Persians against his own people
hippodrome an oval stadium for horse and chariot races in Ancient Greece
Hippolytus a giant created to be the bane of Hermes
House of Hades a place in the Underworld where Hades, the Greek god of death, and his wife, Persephone, rule over the souls of the departed; also the name of an old temple in Epirus in Greece
Hundred-Handed Ones children of Gaia and Ouranos with one hundred hands and fifty faces; elder brothers of the Cyclopes; primeval gods of violent storms
Hygeia goddess of health, cleanliness and sanitation; daughter of the god of medicine, Asclepius
Hypnos Greek god of sleep. Roman form: Somnus
Invidia the Roman goddess of revenge. Greek form: Nemesis
Iris goddess of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods
Iros an old man who ran errands for the suitors for Odysseus’s wife, Queen Penelope, in exchange for scraps of food
Ithaca a Greek island and home to Odysseus’s palace, which the Greek hero had to rid of suitors for his queen after the Trojan War
Janus Roman god of doorways, beginnings and transitions; depicted as having two faces, because he looks to the future and to the past
Juno the Roman goddess of women, marriage and fertility; sister and wife of Jupiter; mother of Mars. Greek form: Hera
Jupiter the Roman king of the gods; also called Jupiter Optimus Maximus (the best and the greatest). Greek form: Zeus
Juventas the Roman goddess of youth; daughter of Zeus and Hera. Greek form: Hebe
Kekrops leader of the gemini – half human, half snake. He was the founder of Athens and judged the dispute between Athena and Poseidon. He chose Athena as the city’s patron and was the first to build a shrine to her.
Kerkopes a pair of chimpanzee-like dwarfs who steal shiny things and create chaos
Keto an ancient marine goddess and the mother of most sea monsters; daughter of Pontus and Gaia; sister of Phorcys
Khione the Greek goddess of snow; daughter of Boreas
Khios the fifth largest of the Greek islands, in the Aegean Sea, off the west coast of Turkey
Kronos the youngest of the twelve Titans; the son of Ouranos and Gaia; the father of Zeus. He killed his father at his mother’s bidding. Titan lord of fate, harvest, justice and time. Roman form: Saturn
Kymopoleia minor Greek goddess of violent sea storms; nymph daughter of Poseidon and wife of Briares, a Hundred-Handed One
Laistrygonian ogre a monster giant cannibal from the far north
Little Tiber a river that flows in Camp Jupiter. Though not as large as the original Tiber River in Rome, it flows with as much power and is able to wash away Greek blessings.
Lupa the sacred Roman she-wolf that nursed the foundling twins Romulus and Remus
Lycaon a king of Arcadia who tested Zeus’s omniscience by serving him the roasted flesh of a guest. Zeus punished him by transforming him into a wolf.
makhai the spirits of battle and combat
mania a Greek spirit of insanity
manticore a creature with a human head, a lion’s body and a scorpion’s tail
Mars the Roman god of war; also called Mars Ultor. Patron of the empire; divine father of Romulus and Remus. Greek form: Ares
medius Latin for middle
Medusa a priestess whom Athena turned into a gorgon when she caught Medusa with Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Medusa has snakes for hair and can turn people to stone if they look directly into her eyes.
Mercury Roman messenger of the gods; god of trade, profit and commerce. Greek form: Hermes
Merope one of the seven Pleiades, star-nymph daughters of the Titan Atlas
Mimas a giant created to be the bane of Ares
Minerva the Roman goddess of wisdom. Greek form: Athena
mofongo a fried plantain-based dish from Puerto Rico
Mykonos a Greek island, part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos
Nemesis the Greek goddess of revenge. Roman form: Invidia
Neptune the Roman god of the sea. Greek form: Poseidon
Nereids fifty female sea spirits; patrons of sailors and fishermen and caretakers of the sea’s bounty
Nestor’s Cave the spot where Hermes hid the cattle he stole from Apollo
Nike the Greek goddess of strength, speed and victory. Roman form: Victoria
numina montanum Roman mountain god. Greek form: ourae
Nyx goddess of night, one of the ancient, firstborn elemental gods
Odysseus legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. Roman form: Ulysses
Olympia the most ancient and probably most famous sanctuary in Greece, and home of the Olympic Games. Located in the western region of the Peloponnese.
onager a giant siege weapon
Oracle of Delphi a speaker of the prophecies of Apollo. The current Oracle is Rachel Elizabeth Dare.
Orbem formate! At this command, Roman legionnaires assumed a circle-like formation with archers placed among and behind them to provide missile fire support.
&
nbsp; Orcus the Underworld god of eternal punishment and broken vows
Orion a giant huntsman who became the most loyal and valued of Artemis’s attendants. In a jealous rage, Apollo drove Orion mad with bloodlust until the giant was slain by a scorpion. Heartbroken, Artemis transformed her beloved hunting companion into a constellation to honour his memory.
Otis a giant created by Gaia specifically to destroy the god Dionysus/Bacchus; twin brother of Ephialtes
ourae Greek for mountain gods. Roman form: numina montanum
Ouranos father of the Titans; the sky god. The Titans defeated him by calling him down to the earth. They got him away from his home territory, ambushed him, held him down and cut him up.
panaderÃa Spanish for bakery
Parthenon a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena. Its construction began in 447 B.C.E., when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power.
Pegasus a winged divine horse; sired by Poseidon in his role as horse god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa; the brother of Chrysaor
Pelopion a funerary monument to Pelops located in Olympia, Greece