The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 32 - Alex - The City

Percy's hand went to his pocket, where his pen always stayed. "Why? Are we not supposed to?"

I twisted the beads of my necklace. A new large pearl shined on the string. The conch, I thought.

"No weapons allowed inside the Pomerian Line," Hazel said.

"The what line?"

"Pomerian," Frank said. "The city limits. Inside is a sacred 'safe zone.' Legions can't march through. No weapons allowed. That's so senate meetings don't get bloody."

"Like Julius Caesar getting assassinated?" I asked.

Frank nodded. "Don't worry. Nothing like that has happened in months."

"Very reassuring," I said, my lips pulled into a thin line.

As we got closer to the city, I could appreciate how beautiful it was. The tiled roofs and gold domes gleamed in the sun. Gardens bloomed with honeysuckle and roses. The central plaza was paved in white and gray stone, decorated with statues, fountains, and gilded columns. In the surrounding neighborhoods, cobblestone streets were lined with freshly painted town houses, shops, cafés, and parks. In the distance rose the coliseum and the horse racing arena.

On the side of the road stood a white marble statue—a life-size muscular man with curly hair, no arms, and an irritated expression. Maybe he looked mad because he'd been carved only from the waist up. Below that, he was just a big block of marble.

"Single file, please!" the statue said. "Have your IDs ready."

Percy looked to his left and right. I hadn't noticed before, but a line of identical statues ringed the city at intervals of about a hundred yards.

The senators passed through easily. The statue checked the tattoos on their forearms and called each senator by name. "Gwendolyn, senator, Fifth Cohort, yes. Nico di Angelo, ambassador of Pluto—very well. Reyna, praetor, of course. Hank, senator, Third Cohort—oh, nice shoes, Hank! Ah, who have we here?"

Hazel, Frank, Percy and I were the last ones.

"Terminus," Hazel said, "this is Percy Jackson. Percy, this is Terminus, the god of boundaries. And this is Alexandra, his sister. Alex, this is Terminus."

"New, eh?" said the god. "Yes, probatio tablet. Fine. Ah, weapon in your pocket? Take it out! Take it out! And you, young lady! Quite a lot of weapons on your neck! Take it out!"

Percy took out his pen, and I removed the necklace.

"Quite dangerous," Terminus said. "Leave it in the tray. Wait, where's my assistant? Julia!"

A little girl about six years old peeked out from behind the base of the statue. She had pigtails, a pink dress, and an impish grin with two missing teeth.

"Julia?" Terminus glanced behind him, and Julia scurried in the other direction. "Where did that girl go?"

Terminus looked the other way and caught sight of Julia before she could hide. The little girl squealed with delight.

"Oh, there you are," said the statue. "Front and center. Bring the tray."

Julia scrambled out and brushed off her dress. She picked up a tray and presented it to Percy. On it were several paring knives, a corkscrew, an oversized container of sun lotion, and a water bottle.