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were trying to eat or have a serious conversation about the fate of the world.<br />
Percy sipped his syrup-flavoured orange juice. He seemed to find it okay. ‘I’m cool with fighting<br />
the occasional goddess, but isn’t Nike one of the good ones? I mean, personally, I like victory. I can’t<br />
get enough of it.’<br />
Annabeth drummed her fingers on the table. ‘It does seem strange. I understand why Nike would be<br />
in Olympia – home of the Olympics and all that. The contestants sacrificed to her. Greeks and<br />
Romans worshipped her there for, like, twelve hundred years, right?’<br />
‘Almost to the end of the Roman Empire,’ Frank agreed. ‘Romans called her Victoria, but same<br />
difference. Everybody loved her. Who doesn’t like to win? Not sure why we would have to subdue<br />
her.’<br />
Jason frowned. A wisp of steam curled from the wound under his shirt. ‘All I know … the ghoul<br />
Antinous said, Victory runs rampant in Olympia. Juno warned us that we could never heal the rift<br />
between the Greeks and Romans unless we defeated victory.’<br />
‘How do we defeat victory?’ Piper wondered. ‘Sounds like one of those impossible riddles.’<br />
‘Like making stones fly,’ Leo said, ‘or eating only one Fonzie.’<br />
He popped a handful into his mouth.<br />
Hazel wrinkled her nose. ‘That stuff is going to kill you.’<br />
‘You kidding? So many preservatives in these things, I’ll live forever. But, hey, about this victory<br />
goddess being popular and great – Don’t you guys remember what her kids are like at Camp Half-<br />
Blood?’<br />
Hazel and Frank had never been to Camp Half-Blood, but the others nodded gravely.<br />
‘He’s got a point,’ Percy said. ‘Those kids in Cabin Seventeen – they’re super-competitive. When<br />
it comes to capture the flag, they’re almost worse than the Ares kids. Uh, no offence, Frank.’<br />
Frank shrugged. ‘You’re saying Nike has a dark side?’<br />
‘Her kids sure do,’ Annabeth said. ‘They never turn down a challenge. They have to be number one<br />
at everything. If their mom is that intense …’<br />
‘Whoa.’ Piper put her hands on the table like the ship was rocking. ‘Guys, all the gods are split<br />
between their Greek and Roman aspects, right? If Nike’s that way and she’s the goddess of victory –’<br />
‘She’d be really conflicted,’ Annabeth said. ‘She’d want one side or the other to win so she could<br />
declare a victor. She’d literally be fighting with herself.’<br />
Hazel nudged her cereal bowl across the map of Greece. ‘But we don’t want one side or the other<br />
to win. We’ve got to get the Greeks and Romans on the same team.’<br />
‘Maybe that’s the problem,’ Jason said. ‘If the goddess of victory is running rampant, torn between<br />
Greek and Roman, she might make it impossible to bring the two camps together.’<br />
‘How?’ Leo asked. ‘Start a flame war on Twitter?’<br />
Percy stabbed at his pancakes. ‘Maybe she’s like Ares. That guy can spark a fight just by walking<br />
into a crowded room. If Nike radiates competitive vibes or something, she could aggravate the whole<br />
Greek–Roman rivalry big-time.’<br />
Frank pointed at Percy. ‘You remember that old sea god in Atlanta – Phorcys? He said that Gaia’s<br />
plans always have lots of layers. This could be part of the giants’ strategy – keep the two camps
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