the_blood_of_olympus_-_rick_riordan

Nobody else. I’m no child of Hypnos, but I’ve sent some deep dreams their way. Should be enough to
keep them snoozing until well after sunrise.’
Reyna tried not to stare at him. In the last few days he’d become so much stronger. Hedge’s nature
magic had brought him back from the brink. She’d seen Nico do some impressive things, but
manipulating dreams … had he always been able to do that?
Coach Hedge rubbed his hands eagerly. ‘So when can we go ashore? My wife is waiting!’
Reyna scanned the horizon. A Greek trireme patrolled just offshore, but it didn’t seem to have
noticed their arrival. No alarms sounded. No signs of movement along the beach.
She caught a glimpse of silver wake in the moonlight, half a mile to the west. A black motorboat
was speeding towards them with no running lights. Reyna hoped it was a mortal vessel. Then it got
closer, and Reyna’s hand tightened on the hilt of her sword. Glinting on the boat’s prow was a laurel
wreath design with the letters SPQR.
‘The legion has sent a welcoming committee.’
Nico followed her gaze. ‘I thought the Romans didn’t have a navy.’
‘We didn’t,’ she said. ‘Apparently Octavian has been busier than I realized.’
‘So we attack!’ Hedge said. ‘ ’Cause nobody’s standing in my way when I’m this close.’
Reyna counted three people in the speedboat. The two in the back wore helmets, but Reyna
recognized the driver’s wedge-shaped face and stocky shoulders: Michael Kahale.
‘We’ll try to parlay,’ Reyna decided. ‘That’s one of Octavian’s right-hand men, but he’s a good
legionnaire. I may be able to reason with him.’
The wind swept Nico’s dark hair across his face. ‘But if you’re wrong …’
The black boat slowed and pulled alongside. Michael called up: ‘Reyna! I’ve got orders to arrest
you and confiscate that statue. I’m coming aboard with two other centurions. I’d prefer to do this
without bloodshed.’
Reyna tried to control her trembling legs. ‘Come aboard, Michael!’
She turned to Nico and Coach Hedge. ‘If I’m wrong, be ready. Michael Kahale won’t be easy to
fight.’
Michael wasn’t dressed for combat. He wore only his purple camp shirt, jeans and running shoes. He
carried no visible weapon, but that didn’t make Reyna feel any better. His arms were as thick as
bridge cables, his expression as welcoming as a brick wall. The dove tattoo on his forearm looked
more like a bird of prey.
His eyes glittered darkly as he took in the scene – the Athena Parthenos harnessed to its team of
pegasi, Nico with his Stygian sword drawn, Coach Hedge with his baseball bat.
Michael’s backup centurions were Leila from the Fourth Cohort and Dakota from the Fifth. Strange
choices … Leila, daughter of Ceres, wasn’t known for her aggressiveness. She was usually quite
levelheaded. And Dakota … Reyna couldn’t believe the son of Bacchus, the most good-natured of
officers, would side with Octavian.
‘Reyna Ramírez-Arellano,’ Michael said, like he was reading a scroll, ‘former praetor –’
‘I am praetor,’ Reyna corrected. ‘Unless I have been removed by a vote of the full senate. Is that