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Boreas waved aside the question. ―For now. But the one who controls these storm winds … It would be<br />
madness to oppose her. You would be better staying here as frozen statues.‖<br />
―Hera‘s in trouble,‖ Jason said. ―In three days she‘s going to be—I don‘t know—consumed, destroyed,<br />
something. And a giant is going to rise.‖<br />
―Yes,‖ Boreas agreed. Was it Jason‘s imagination, or did he shoot Khione an angry look? ―Many horrible<br />
things are waking. Even my children do not tell me all the news they should. <strong>The</strong> Great Stirring of monsters that<br />
began with Kronos—your father Zeus foolishly believed it would end when the Titans were defeated. But just as<br />
it was before, so it is now. <strong>The</strong> final battle is yet to come, and the one who will wake is more terrible than any<br />
Titan. Storm spirits—these are only beginning. <strong>The</strong> earth has many more horrors to yield up. When monsters no<br />
longer stay in Tartarus, and souls are no longer confined to Hades … Olympus has good reason to fear.‖<br />
Jason wasn‘t sure what all this meant, but he didn‘t like the way Khione was smiling—like this was her<br />
definition of fun.<br />
―So you‘ll help us?‖ Jason asked the king.<br />
Boreas scowled. ―I did not say that.‖<br />
―Please, Your Majesty,‖ Piper said.<br />
Everyone‘s eyes turned toward her. She had to be scared out of her mind, but she looked beautiful and<br />
confident—and it had nothing to do with the blessing of Aphrodite. She looked herself again, in day-old traveling<br />
clothes with choppy hair and no makeup. But she almost glowed with warmth in that cold throne room. ―If you<br />
tell us where the storm spirits are, we can capture them and bring them to Aeolus. You‘d look good in front of<br />
your boss. Aeolus might pardon us and the other demigods. We could even rescue Gleeson Hedge. Everyone<br />
wins.‖<br />
―She‘s pretty,‖ Zethes mumbled. ―I mean, she‘s right.‖<br />
―Father, don‘t listen to her,‖ Khione said. ―She‘s a child of Aphrodite. She dares to charmspeak a god?<br />
Freeze her now!‖<br />
Boreas considered this. Jason slipped his hand in his pocket and got ready to bring out the gold coin. If<br />
things went wrong, he‘d have to move fast.<br />
<strong>The</strong> movement caught Boreas‘s eye. ―What is that on your forearm, demigod?‖<br />
Jason hadn‘t realized his coat sleeve had gotten pushed up, revealing the edge of his tattoo. Reluctantly,<br />
he showed Boreas his marks.<br />
<strong>The</strong> god‘s eyes widened. Khione actually hissed and stepped away.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n Boreas did something unexpected. He laughed so loudly, an icicle cracked from the ceiling and<br />
crashed next to his throne. <strong>The</strong> god‘s form began to flicker. His beard disappeared. He grew taller and thinner,<br />
and his clothes changed into a Roman toga, lined with purple. His head was crowned with a frosty laurel<br />
wreath, and a gladius—a Roman sword like Jason‘s—hung at his side.<br />
―Aquilon,‖ Jason said, though where he got the god‘s Roman name from, he had no idea.<br />
<strong>The</strong> god inclined his head. ―You recognize me better in this form, yes? And yet you said you came from<br />
Camp Half-Blood?‖<br />
Jason shifted his feet. ―Uh … yes, Your Majesty.‖<br />
―And Hera sent you there…‖ <strong>The</strong> winter god‘s eyes were full of mirth. ―I understand now. Oh, she plays a<br />
dangerous game. Bold, but dangerous! No wonder Olympus is closed. <strong>The</strong>y must be trembling at the gamble<br />
she has taken.‖<br />
―Jason,‖ Piper said nervously, ―why did Boreas change shape? <strong>The</strong> toga, the wreath. What‘s going on?‖<br />
―It‘s his Roman form,‖ Jason said. ―But what‘s going on—I don‘t know.‖<br />
<strong>The</strong> god laughed. ―No, I‘m sure you don‘t. This should be very interesting to watch.‖<br />
―Does that mean you‘ll let us go?‖ Piper asked.<br />
―My dear,‖ Boreas said, ―there is no reason for me to kill you. If Hera‘s plan fails, which I think it will, you<br />
will tear each other apart. Aeolus will never have to worry about demigods again.‖<br />
Jason felt as if Khione‘s cold fingers were on his neck again, but it wasn‘t her—it was just the feeling that<br />
Boreas was right. That sense of wrongness which had bothered Jason since he got to Camp Half-Blood, and<br />
Chiron‘s comment about his arrival being disastrous—Boreas knew what they meant.<br />
―I don‘t suppose you could explain?‖ Jason asked.<br />
―Oh, perish the thought! It is not for me to interfere in Hera‘s plan. No wonder she took your memory.‖<br />
Boreas chuckled, apparently still having a great time imagining demigods tearing each other apart. ―You know, I<br />
have a reputation as a helpful wind god. Unlike my brethren, I‘ve been known to fall in love with mortals. Why,<br />
my sons Zethes and Calais started as demigods—‖<br />
―Which explains why they are idiots,‖ Khione growled.<br />
―Stop it!‖ Zethes snapped back. ―Just because you were born a full goddess—‖<br />
―Both of you, freeze,‖ Boreas ordered. Apparently, that word carried a lot of weight in the household,<br />
because the two siblings went absolutely still. ―Now, as I was saying, I have a good reputation, but it is rare that
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