Death's Touch | Jason Grace

Nineteen

As the three ventured through the city, Piper started to inquire about their relationship.

"Jason actually met me after I nearly killed a Roman legionnaire with my powers. I'm the daughter of Letus—Death, in other words. One of my powers is a death touch. It's pretty safe to assume I'm the death's touch mentioned in the prophecy. Anyway, if I touch someone without my bracelet on, I'll kill them. For longer than three seconds, that is. We were ten."

"Who's Leon, really?"

"My adopted/step brother. Our mortal parents got married. Both were in the legion. Leon is... a very long descendant of Venus. So, actually, I think you could be considered his aunt. But anyway, after my mom died, his father fought my grandparents for custody of me. Honestly, I'm glad he won. I'm a legacy of Vulcan."

"That's a thing?"

"Gods, yes. Piper, honestly, do you think all demigods die in a monster fight?"

She shrugged. "It seemed pretty normal at camp."

"Your camp maybe. Here, if you've completed ten years of service—you'll see I only have five lines—you can opt out whenever you like and go to college in the city. Get a degree, a job, get married, have a family. They normally join the legion. Very rarely will the parents send their children to Lupa if the entire family resides in New Rome."

Jason smiled and wrapped an arm around Cary. "And she's got five years before she'll go to college. There's the off chance that she can opt out early. It's really rare and if you're on really good terms with the praetors you can do that."

"You've been eligible to leave the legion since you were thirteen, Jase."

"I didn't know that." Piper kicked the ground. "Could... is it possible I could go to college in the city?"

"Yeah, maybe. I've never heard of it before. There's the occasional mortal that lives in the city," Cary said. "I think you could if you begged Reyna really hard. No charmspeak allowed."

"I wouldn't do that!" Piper said indignantly.

"Piper, she's kidding you," Jason said with a sigh. "Cary..."

"I was joking. Alright?" She squinted at the ship. "I'm getting a really bad feeling. I don't know why. You say it's pretty brand new?"

"Yeah," Piper said. "Why?"

"I don't know. I'm sensing... something. That's why I sent Mama."

"On that note, I didn't know you could even summon ghosts," Jason said.

"I figured it out on the quest. Only Elysian ghosts, though. Cameron and Nathan and Mama are basically bound to me. In Ancient Rome, they'd basically be free roaming servants."

"Why? Because they—"

"Exactly! Piper, first try!"

Jason laughed. His hand caressed her ring. She smiled at him.

A shrill sound pierced the air. Light flashed in the corner of Cary's eye.

She turned in time to see an explosion blast a new crater in the forum. A burning couch tumbled through the air. Demigods scattered in panic.

"What's going on?" Piper yelled over the confusion.

"You've betrayed our trust," Cary said. She just sounded disappointed.

"What? No!" Jason yelled.

As soon as he said it, the Argo II launched a second volley. Its port ballista fired a massive spear wreathed in Greek fire, which sailed straight through the broken dome of the Senate House and exploded inside, lighting up the building like a jack-o'-lantern. If anyone had been in there...