𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 [Jason Grace]

41

𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞. If he had to go on a horrifying quest, at least he'd gotten a filling lunch on the banks of the Tiber first. Now he got to take a scooter ride with Gregory Peck.

As the baby-blue scooter zipped through the streets of Rome, the goddess Rhea Silvia gave Annabeth and Dante a running commentary on how the city had changed over the centuries.

"The Sublician Bridge was over there," she said, pointing to a bend in the Tiber. "You know, where Horatius and his two friends defended the city from an invading army? Now, there was a brave Roman!"

"And look, dear," Tiberinus added, "that's the place where Romulus and Remus washed ashore."

He seemed to be talking about a spot on the riverside where some ducks were making a nest out of torn-up plastic bags and candy wrappers.

"Ah, yes," Rhea Silvia sighed happily. "You were so kind to flood yourself and wash my babies ashore for the wolves to find."

"It was nothing," Tiberinus said.

Dante felt light-headed. The river god was talking about something that had happened thousands of years ago, when this area was nothing but marshes and maybe some shacks. Tiberinus saved two babies, one of whom went on to found the world's greatest empire. It was nothing.

Rhea Silvia pointed out a large modern apartment building. "That used to be a temple to Venus. Then it was a church. Then a palace. Then an apartment building. It burned down three times. Now it's an apartment building again. And that spot right there—"

"Please," Annabeth said. "You're making me dizzy."

Rhea Silvia laughed. "I'm sorry, dear. Layers upon layers of history here, but it's nothing compared to Greece. Athens was old when Rome was a collection of mud huts. You'll see, if you survive."

"Not helping," Dante muttered.

"Here we are," Tiberinus announced. He pulled over in front of a large marble building, the facade covered in city grime but still beautiful. Ornate carvings of Roman gods decorated the roofline. The massive entrance was barred with iron gates, heavily padlocked.

"We're going in there?" Annabeth didn't look very happy.

Rhea Silvia covered her mouth and giggled. "No, my dear. Not in it. Under it."

Tiberinus pointed to a set of stone steps on the side of the building—the sort that would have led to a basement apartment if this place were in a major city.

"Rome is chaotic aboveground," Tiberinus said, "but that's nothing compared to below ground. You must descend into the buried city, Annabeth Chase. Find the altar of the foreign god. The failures of your predecessors will guide you. After that... your friend will."

Dante wanted to cower under the attention. He couldn't imagine what Annabeth was feeling.

"My siblings...none of them made it all the way to the shrine, did they?"

Tiberinus shook his head. "But you know what prize awaits, if you can liberate it."

"Yes," Annabeth said.

"It could bring peace to the children of Greece and Rome," Rhea Silvia said. "It could change the course of the coming war."

"If at least one of us lives," Annabeth said.

Tiberinus nodded sadly. "Because you also understand the guardian you must face?"

Dante studied her face. He had figured it was something to do with Spiders, perhaps a horde of them? Just thinking about it made his skin crawl. And they were supposed to stay underground with them.