𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

9

The explosion almost knocked Annabeth overboard, she would've flown off too if Hadrian hadn't held on to her arm and hauled her back on board. She didn't say anything, but the murderous glare in her eyes was enough to make Hadrian pull his hand back. He whirled around to find himself face to face with a statue.

"Unacceptable!" he shrieked.

Apparently he had exploded into existence, right there on the deck. Sulfurous yellow smoke rolled off his shoulders. Cinders popped around his curly hair. From the waist down, he was nothing but a square marble pedestal. From the waist up, he was a muscular human figure in a carved toga.

"I will not have weapons inside the Pomerian Line!" he announced in a fussy teacher voice. "I certainly will not have Greeks!"

Jason shot Annabeth a look that said, I've got this.

"Terminus," he said. "It's me. Jason Grace."

"Oh, I remember you, Jason!" Terminus grumbled. "I thought you had better sense than to consort with the enemies of Rome!"

"But they're not enemies—"

"I think you're mistaken" Hadrian tried to put a hand on the statues shoulder, "We just want to talk-"

"Ha!" snapped the statue and he jumped back. "Don't try that charmspeak on me, young man. And put down that bow before I slap it out of your hands!"

Hadrian glanced at his bronze bow, which he'd forgotten he was holding. "Um... okay. But how would you slap it? You don't have any arms."

"Impertinence!" There was a sharp POP and a flash of yellow. The bow grew flaming hot in his hands. He yelled indignantly and dropped the weapon which was now smoking and sparking.

Obviously no one rushed to help him.

"Lucky for you I've just been through a battle," Terminus announced. "If I were at full strength, I would've blasted this flying monstrosity out of the sky already!"

"Hold up." Leo stepped forward, wagging his Wii controller. "Did you just call my ship a monstrosity? I know you didn't do that."

The idea that Leo might attack the statue with his gaming device was enough to snap Annabeth out of her shock.

"Let's all calm down." She raised her hands to show she had no weapons. "I take it you're Terminus, the god of boundaries. Jason told me you protect the city of New Rome, right? I'm Annabeth Chase, daughter of—"

"Oh, I know who you are!" The statue glared at her with its blank white eyes. "A child of Athena, Minerva's Greek form. Scandalous! You Greeks have no sense of decency. We Romans know the proper place for that goddess."

Proper place? 

As far as first impressions went, Hadrian decided he wasn't ready to be chummy with the Romans if they were all like Terminus. He seemed so... uptight. It was easy to understand why Jason was the way he was.

Annabeth clenched her jaw. This statue wasn't making it easy to be diplomatic. "What exactly do you mean, that goddess? And what's so scandalous about—"

"Right!" Jason interrupted. "Anyway, Terminus, we're here on a mission of peace. We'd love permission to land so we can—"

"Impossible!" the god squeaked. "Lay down your weapons and surrender! Leave my city immediately!"

"Which is it?" Leo asked. "Surrender, or leave?"

"Both!" Terminus said. "Surrender, then leave. I am slapping your face for asking such a stupid question, you ridiculous boy! Do you feel that?"

"Wow." Leo studied Terminus with professional interest. "You're wound up pretty tight. You got any gears in there that need loosening? I could take a look."

He exchanged the Wii controller for a screwdriver from his magic tool belt and tapped the statue's pedestal.

"Stop that!" Terminus insisted. Another small explosion made Leo drop his screwdriver. "Weapons are not allowed on Roman soil inside the Pomerian Line."

"The what?" Hadrian asked.

"City limits," Jason translated, though he looked annoyed.

"And this entire ship is a weapon!" Terminus said. "You cannot land!"

Down in the valley, the legion reinforcements were halfway to the city. The crowd in the forum was over a hundred strong now.

Annabeth looked like she was debating throwing the statue off the ship. 

"Thinking face" Hadrian whispered to Leo. The corners of her mouth dipped down, her eyebrows furrowed, she always looked to the side and down. Hadrian had seen that face multiple times during capture the flag and one time when the Stoll twins recruited her to help them make a gingerbread leaning tower of Pisa.

"Definitely"

"Leo, stop the ship," Annabeth ordered.

"What?"

"You heard me. Keep us right where we are."

Leo pulled out his controller and yanked it upward. All ninety oars froze in place. The ship stopped sinking.

"Terminus," Annabeth said, "there's no rule against hovering over New Rome, is there?"

The statue frowned. "Well, no..."

"We can keep the ship aloft," Annabeth said. "We'll use a rope ladder to reach the forum. That way, the ship won't be on Roman soil. Not technically."

The statue seemed to ponder this. Hadrian wondered if he was scratching his chin with imaginary hands.

"I like technicalities," he admitted. "Still..."

"All our weapons will stay aboard the ship," Annabeth promised. "I assume the Romans—even those reinforcements marching toward us—will also have to honor your rules inside the Pomerian Line if you tell them to?"

"Of course!" Terminus said. "Do I look like I tolerate rule breakers?"

"Uh, Annabeth..." Hadrian said. "You sure this is a good idea?"

"It'll be fine," she said. "No one will be armed. We can talk in peace. Terminus will make sure each side obeys the rules." She looked at the marble statue. "Do we have an agreement?"

Terminus sniffed. "I suppose. For now. You may climb down your ladder to New Rome, daughter of Athena. Please try not to destroy my town."

Hadrian shook with nerves, not sure what to expect. But he was most terrified of meeting Percy Jackson. He wasn't sure if he trusted himself to not strangle him right then and there. 

"Well, when in Rome, I suppose" He plastered a fake smile.