Seaweed Brain Forgets...

Reyna

*Senate Meeting stays the same, this is afterwards when Percy is talking with Reyna*

"Stay seated," Reyna growled. "You leave after lunch. We have a lot to discuss."
She plunked down her dagger so hard, the jelly-bean bowl rattled. Aurum and Argentum took their posts on her left and right and fixed their ruby eyes on me. 
"What'd I do wrong?" I asked, "If it's about the chair-"
"It's not you." Reyna scowled, "I hate senate meetings. When Octavian gets talking..." 
I nodded. "You're a warrior. Octavian is a talker. Put him in front of the senate, and suddenly he becomes the powerful one."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're smarter than you look."
"Gee, thanks. I hear Octavian might get elected praetor, assuming the camp survives that long." 
"Which brings us to the subject of doomsday," Reyna said, "And how you might help prevent it. But before I place the fate of Camp Jupiter in your hands, we need to get a few things straight."
She sat down and put a ring on the table- a band of silver etched with a sword-and-torch design, like Reyna's tattoo. 
"Do you know what this is?"
"The sign of your mom," I said. "The... uh, war goddess." I tried to remember the name but didn't want to get it wrong- something like bologna. Or salami?
"Bellona, yes." Reyna scrutinized me carefully. "You don't remember where you saw this ring before? You really don't remember me or my sister, Hylla?" 
I shook my head. "I'm sorry."
"It would've been four years ago."
"Just before you came to the camp."
Reyna frowned. "How did you-?"
"You've got four stripes on your tattoo. Four years."
Reyna looked at her forearm. "Of course. It seems so long ago. I suppose you wouldn't recall me even if you had your memory. I was just a little girl- one attendant among so many at the spa. But you spoke with my sister, just before you... destroyed our home." I got the feeling she was editing something out, but I didn't push. Her hand was still much too close to her dagger.
I tried to remember. Really, I did. For some reason I'd gone to a spa and destroyed it. Why? Hades if I knew. Maybe I hadn't like the deep-tissue massage? Maybe I'd gotten a bad manicure?
"It's a blank," I said. "Since your dogs aren't attacking me, I hope you'll believe me. I'm telling the truth."
Aurum and Argentum snarled. I got the feeling they were thinking, Please lie. Please lie.
Reyna tapped the silver ring. 
"I believe you're sincere," She said, "But not everyone at the camp does. Octavian thinks you're a spy. He thinks you were sent here by Gaea to find our weaknesses and distract us. He believes the old legends about the Greeks."
"Old legends?"
"Some believe Greek demigods still exist," she said, "heroes who follow the older forms of the gods. There are legends of battles between Roman and Greek heroes in relatively modern times- the American Civil War, for instance. I have no proof of this, and if our Lares know anything, they refuse to say. But Octavian believes the Greeks are still around, plotting our downfall, working with the forces of Gaea. He thinks you are one of them."
"Is that what you believe?"
"I believe you came from somewhere," she said. "You're important, and dangerous. Two gods have taken a special interest in you since you arrived, so I can't believe you'd work against Olympus... or Rome." She shrugged. "Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps the gods sent you here to test my judgement. But I think... I think you were sent here to make up for the loss of Jason."
Jason... I couldn't go very far in this camp without hearing that name.
"The way you talk about him..." I said. "Were you two a couple?"
Reyna's eyes bored into me-like the eyes of a hungry wolf. I had seen enough hungry wolves to know.
"We might have been," Reyna said, "given time. Praetors work closely together. It's common for them to become romantically involved. But Jason was only praetor for a few months before he disappeared. Ever since then, Octavian has been pestering me, agitating for new elections. I've resisted. I need a partner in power- but I'd prefer someone like Jason. A warrior, not a schemer."
She waited. I realized she was sending me a silent invitation. 
My heart leapt into my throat. "Oh... you mean... oh."
"I believe the gods sent you to help me," Reyna said. "I don't understand where you come from, any more than I understood it four years ago. But I think your arrival is some sort of repayment. You destroyed my home once. Now you've been sent to save my home. I don't hold a grudge against you for the past, Percy. My sister hates you still, it's true, but Fate brought me here to Camp Jupiter. I've done well. All I ask is that you work with me for the future. I intend to save this camp."
The metal dogs glared at me, their mouths frozen in snarl mode. It was a lot harder to look her in the eye. 
"I'm new here, there are so many other good people who know the camp so much better than I do." I explained. "If we succeed on this quest, Hazel and Frank will be heroes. You could ask one of the-"
"Please," Reyna scoffed, "No one will follow a child of Pluto. There's something about that girl... rumors about where she came from... No, she won't do. As for Frank Zhang, he has a good heart, but he's hopelessly naive and inexperienced. Besides, if the others found out about his family history at this camp-"
"Family history?"
"The point is, Percy, you are the real power on this quest. You are a seasoned veteran. I've seen what you can do. A son of Neptune wouldn't be my first choice, but if you return successfully from this mission, the legion will be saved. The praetorship will be yours for the taking. Together, you and I could expand the power of Rome. We could raise an army and find the Doors of Death, crush Gaea's forces once and for all. You would find me a very helpful... friend." 
She said the word like it had many meanings and I could pick the one I liked. 
To be honest, Reyna was very pretty. Plus I wanted to see what she was like underneath the cold and calculating outer skin because there was something there. She wasn't completely cold. The offer was definitely intriguing... and not completely because of the power she offered. 
"Reyna... I'm honored. Serious, but I don't know if I want that kind of power." 
I was terrified I'd made her mad. Instead she just raised her eyebrows. 
"A man who turns down power?" she said. "That's not very Roman of you. Just think about it. In four days, I have to make a choice. If we are to fight off an invasion, we must have two strong praetors. I'd prefer you, but if you fail on your quest, or don't come back, or refuse my offer... Well, I'll work with Octavian. I mean to save this camp, Percy Jackson. Things are worse than you realize."