The Well of Lost Souls (ONGOING)

Chapter 9: I Get A Awkward Meeting With The Praetors

Hey peeps~

Sorry I haven't updated this =( I've been busy. Like on Quora and updating my "Soulmates" and "Demigods in Facebook".

I've also been contacting someone special on Wattpad, and you'll (maybe) see my message about them soon.

Btw this chapter is going to get interesting so I'm not going to waste any more time. Enjoy and cheers~

As soon as Hazel announced that I was a daughter of Bacchus, she and Frank rode away on their pegasi, their horses clopping close next to each other, and the praetors talking in hushed tones. I thought they were going to fly away from the Field of Mars, but they stopped halfway.

A girl from the Fourth was beckoned to the praetors. She said, "Yes, Praetor?" Then Frank said something like "Claudia, get Rio", and the girl, Claudia, rushed towards me as soon as Frank and Hazel left.

"Rio," Claudia said, "The praetors would like to speak to you, privately, in the principia. Oh, and they would like you to ride on your pegasus, too. Something about that'll be faster."

"Thank you, Claudia." I replied.

"Let's keep in touch. I'm a daughter of Cardea, minor goddess of hinges. My great – granddad's Mercury, god of messengers. I'm from the Fourth Cohort. Recently, Praetor Hazel let me be her messenger, 'cuz the last one was badly injured, so he retired and settled down in New Rome. Oh yeah, I better stop talking. Hurry up, Rio! Don't be late! It's impolite – and you might be punished!"

Claudia ran back to her cohort. I sighed, grabbed the reins of my pegasus, and climbed up. I've never learned to ride a pegasus before, but this one felt just right. He – my pegasus, that is – nickered as if he understood.

My pegasus spread his wings, and he half – galloped, half – flew out of the Field of Mars.

Oh, and just that moment I decided to name him Paron, which is Ancient Greek for "present". After all, it was a gift from Bacchus, my father, and a force – gift from the boy I had took this pegasus from.

I did not know why his name was in Ancient Greek; it just felt right. Then I remembered why: both Manticore, Lycaon, and Lupa have said I was blessed by Aphrodite, Victoria, Ares, Apollo, Poseidon, Hades, and Athena. And all of them were Greek gods, not Roman, except for Victoria, the goddess of victory. And the reason I was good with horses were probably because I was blessed by Poseidon. And how I got into the fort without being defeated was probably because of being blessed by Ares.

By the time I was done thinking, Paron had arrived at the principia. He nickered. I jumped off, and approached the principia with shaky legs.

As soon as I reached the doors, the guards opened the holy oak doors, the doors that protect the praetors, one of the symbols of New Rome and the Twelfth Legion. I shuffled in, and faced a long wooden table. Behind sat Frank and Hazel in two high – backed chairs. On the table lay a jar of jellybeans, and old maps, scrolls, daggers, and laptops were scattered across the table.

On the celling, mosaics showed Lupa the wolf goddess saving Romulus and Remus by the Tiber River.

Behind the table and all around the room, there were all kinds of banners, and the eagle of the legion stood behind the praetors, the air around the emblem humming with energy.

The golden eagle, I thought, the symbol and pride of the legion.

Frank saw me approaching first. He beckoned me to go in front of the long table.

"Rio," He said, "Have you any idea of the prophecy Bacchus gave us?"

I nodded and opened the scroll. "Praetor, may I spread the scroll on the table?"