Of Greeks And Romans (Leo Valdez x Reader)

XXIX

You

"You must think I'm crazy. I'm not killing anyone." I practically snarled at the boy in front of me. "Especially not Percy Jackson."

Octavian's lip twitched. I could feel the intensity of his stare as he stared me down, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of turning away.

"Can't you see I'm trying to save Rome? How daft can you be?"

I scoffed. "Your actions will only lead to Rome's destruction."

"I'm only doing what I must. I already know what will happen in the future, and this book only confirms it."

He pulled a hard cover book off the table, and I could feel my heart plummet. I'm sure that the shock could show on my face.

"Where did you get that?" I hissed.

There it was. The Son of Neptune sat in his hands. Percy's dark figure on the ice with the legion's eagle was in his one hand as he crouched on the ice of what I knew was Alaska. That's when I noticed my bag in the corner of the room. The rest of the books were still in the bag, although I hadn't touched them in months. I was scared that my actions would have already changed too much.

"This is the truth." Octavian declared. "Every moment leading up to this moment has been written down. Clearly it has been enchanted in some way to tell of possible futures. And it is clear. Rome will fall. And it will be all because of you and Percy Jackson."

I'm sure my mouth was gaping open as I struggled against the bindings. "No! That can't be true..." I could already feel myself losing hope.

Octavian flipped open the book and Katherine caught my eye in the background. I could almost see what she could see in my expression. The desperation... regret.

"Let's see what it says here. Hmm. This one is even from Percy's perspective. Y/n was at Percy's side as the two of them charged polybotes. The giant laughed so hard that he didn’t realize they were charging until it was too late. Percy jumped up, vaulting off the giant’s knee, and drove Riptide straight through one of the metal mouths on Polybotes’s breastplate, sinking the Celestial bronze hilt-deep in his chest. The giant stumbled backward, tripping over Terminus’s pedestal and crashing to the ground.

Y/n stood at this side, controlling the earth around his feet to stop him from moving. Her movements stumbled a little, and Percy could tell she was losing it. Polybotes seemed to notice that too.

'You know the truth, but you still choose to fight me?' the giant asked, directing his attention at the girl. Y/n paused, clearly fighting more than just her exhaustion. Percy paused watching as her thoughts turned to betray her.

'I-' she couldn't even finish her sentence as her face fell. Percy knew that she wasn't what he thought she was, but if she didn't help him now, they wouldn't be able to do it.

Her eyes met his and he could see the doubt in her eyes. No! He wanted to say. He wanted to tell her that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her of they made it through this. It didn't matter what she had done in the past.

Still, Percy knew she had given up on him, on the gods, and on the rest of the demigod world as she dropped her hands. Polybotes grinned, and in the next moment, Percy was flying. Polybotes' strong sweep with his hand knocked Percy so far, he stumbled into the grass.

He looked up in time to see Rome burn."

Octavian snapped the book closed, his fingers turning white as he gripped the book. His face was dark, his eyes staring at me with such intensity, I was sure he was going to kill me there.