Claimed by Twelve

7. Camp

"Relax Jason. He'll wake up," Frank's voice floated through the darkness. Light pierced through my eyelids.
"I know. I know. It's just..." Jason's voice protested.
"Look we don't need to know what happened at Khione's." Piper's soft voice chimed in.
      "Except we do," Percy countered.
      "I know. It's..." Jason dragged off again. I got the distinct feeling that he was pacing again too.
      I heard an angry puff. "Just what?" Annabeth. Silence followed.
      "Maybe you'd be more comfortable telling just me?" Piper's voice was cautious. I heard a mumble of agreement before people shuffled out the door. "So what happened?"
      Jason had stopped pacing. "She– she gave him a choice."
      "What kind of choice?"
      "I don't know. All I know is that he said no."
      "So what's to worry about?"
      There was hesitation before he answered. "She kissed him. I think he might say yes. But that's not it. Something weird happened. When Khione kicked me–"
      "She did what!?" Piper exploded.
      "When Khione kicked me," Jason continued, "he–"
      "...felt it." The words barely made it past my lips.
      I heard hurried footsteps over to me. "Julian." Jason exhaled in relief.
      "It's Jules," I muttered as I forced my eyes open. I pushed myself up with my elbows, despite both Jason and Piper's protests. "When Khione kicked him, I felt it." I looked up at them.
Piper was still seething with rage. "I am going to kill her."
      "If you followed through with that every time someone hurt me, you'd never have time to do anything else," Jason pointed out.
There was a a bang on the door. Piper stalked over to it, still fuming, and opened it. I couldn't see who she was talking to. She turned around. "I'll be back in five minutes. Don't. Get. Kidnapped. Again." She glared daggers at Jason before exiting.
"That was pleasant. Are all relationships like this?" I grumbled. Jason just laughed. I paused. It was just Jason and I. Again. "Where are we exactly?"
Jason smiled. "I suppose I should have mentioned that. You up for a walk?"
"I am agreeing to this fully aware that Piper is going to kill you later." I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.
Jason walked over and helped me up. "Both of us actually." I cursed silently. Jason's smile widened. "Come on."
I hobbled to the door, leaning heavily on Jason. I paused when we got outside.
      People rushed back and forth in front of me. It reminded me oddly of an army base, without the modern equipment of course.
      "Welcome to Camp Jupiter." I was stunned. I pushed off of Jason and took a couple of steps forward. I spotted Percy and Annabeth talking to someone with black hair. She carried a golden spear and two dogs sat behind her. Jason must have seen me staring. "Reyna. Praetor of the Twelfth Legion. Daughter of Bellona."
      "Who?" I looked back at him.
      "Goddess of Destruction and Devastation. Twin of Mars." Jason started to walk toward her. I followed after hesitation. Something told me meeting her would be a bad thing. Because she was the daughter of the Goddess of Destruction? Possibly. Khione did say that I would be the downfall of Olympus.
      "Jason," Reyna nodded her head at him as we approached. "And you are...?" Reyna focused her gaze on me.
      "Jules," I responded.
      One of the dogs behind her growled. I realized with a jolt that they were made of metal. Gold and silver. Reyna frowned. "That's not your name."
      I gritted my teeth. "Julian." The dogs stopped growling.
      Reyna turned back to Percy. "You were saying?"
      "Any idea why all twelve would claim one?" Percy was trying to be casual. I knew he was talking about me.
      Reyna frowned. "No. It's never happened before."
      "Reyna!" We all turned to see the demigod stumbling toward us. There was blood covering half his face, his eyes were wild. My hand immediately strayed to my bow. I glanced at the hill where he had come from. A figure stood atop the hill. I had the faintest feeling that whoever it was, they were smiling at me.