Chapter 2

"Wake up, kid. We're here."

Felix scanned the view. "Where exactly is here.We're still on the highway."

"You see that maintenance tunnel. It's not a tunnel, but the entrance to the camp. Come on"

They reached the door at the hillside, greeted by two guards who instantly recognised Logan. Felix noted that they too were just teenagers. The tunnel cut through solid rock, about the width and height of a school hallway. At first, it looked like a typical maintenance tunnel. As they walked deeper into the hillside, the cement floor changed to tiled mosaic. The lights changed to reed torches, which burned but didn't smoke. A few hundred yards ahead, they saw a square of daylight. The glow at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, and finally they burst into the sunlight. 

Spread out at their feet was a bowl-shaped valley several miles wide, a familiar sight that always brought Logan a sense of pride and belonging. The basin floor was a tapestry of smaller hills, golden plains, and stretches of forest he had explored countless times. A small, clear river cut a winding course from a lake in the centre and around the perimeter, resembling a capital G.

Live oaks and eucalyptus trees, gold hills and blue skies. Mount Diablo stood majestically in the distance, a constant companion on the horizon. In the centre of the valley, nestled by the lake, was a city of white marble buildings with red-tiled roofs. Some had domes and columned porticoes reminiscent of national monuments, while others looked like grand palaces with golden doors and expansive gardens. 

A five-story-tall Roman coliseum gleamed in the sun next to a long oval arena like a racetrack, both familiar venues of countless events and celebrations. Logan heard the rhythmic clank of hammers at a forge and smelled meat cooking over a fire, everyday sounds and scents of his home.

"Welcome to Camp Jupiter," Logan said, a hint of pride in his voice. "This place has been my home for years, and now it will be yours too."

Felix looked around, his expression a mix of wonder and apprehension. "It's amazing," he whispered.

They reached the riverbank. The current was fast, but the river didn't look deep. Only a stone's throw across stood the gates of the fort. 

"The Little Tiber," said Logan. "It flows with the power of the original Tiber, river of the empire."

They forged into the river. It was icy cold, much swifter, but that didn't bother them. New strength surged through Logan limbs. And he could see, so did it for Felix. Their senses tingled like they'd been injected with caffeine. They reached the other side.

Shimmering purple warriors stood outside the armoury, polishing ethereal swords. Others hung out in front of the barracks. None of the campers paid the ghosts much attention, but all the spirits stopped what they were doing and stared at Felix. A few looked angry. The little boy ghost shrieked something like "Greggus!" and turned invisible. Logan saw Felix looked uncomfortable. He stayed behind Logan and tried to look inconspicuous.

"Am I seeing things?" Felix asked. "Or are those—" "Ghosts?" 

Logan turned. "They're Lares. House gods." 

"You have gods of houses? What else, do you apartment gods too?" 

"They're ancestral spirits. The Lares are kind of like mascots," he continued. "Mostly they're harmless, but I've never seen them so agitated." 

"They're staring at me," Felix said. "That ghost kid called me Greggus. My name isn't Greg." 

"Graecus," Logan said. "Once you've been here awhile, you'll start understanding Latin. Demigods have a natural sense for it. Graecus means Greek." 

"Is that bad?" 

Logan cleared his throat. "Maybe not. You've got that type of complexion, dark hair and all. Maybe they think you're actually Greek. Is your family from there?" 

"Maybe. Mom always avoided the question about my dad and our background."

They made their way to the Principia. Logan knew they needed to present Felix formally to the Senate, ensuring his acceptance and protection. He placed a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder as they stopped at the centre of camp, where two wide stone-paved roads met at a T.

Along the Via Praetoria, rows of shops advertised food, armour, weapons, coffee, gladiator equipment, and toga rentals. At one corner of the crossroads stood the most impressive building—a two-story wedge of white marble with a columned portico like an old-fashioned bank. Roman guards stood out front. Over the doorway hung a big purple banner with the gold letters SPQR embroidered inside a laurel wreath. 

The principia was even more impressive inside. On the ceiling glittered a mosaic of Romulus and Remus under their adopted mama she-wolf. The floor was polished marble. The walls were draped in velvet. Along the back wall stood a display of banners and wooden poles studded with bronze medals—military symbols.

In the back corner, a stairwell led down. It was blocked by a row of iron bars like a prison door. Felix wondered what was down there—monsters? Treasure? Greggus?

In the centre of the room, a long wooden table was cluttered with scrolls, notebooks, tablet computers, daggers, and a large bowl filled with jelly beans. Two life-sized statues of greyhounds—one silver, one gold—flanked the table. Reyna and Jason, the Praetors of Camp Jupiter, sat behind the table in the two high-backed chairs. Logan, although belonged to the second cohort, was a good friend of Jason. During the battle of Mount Othrys, Jason had actually saved his life.

Octavian ,the camp's augur, and a few senators were already in a meeting with them. But they went silent and the tension in the room was palpable as Logan began to speak.

"Praetors and senators, I bring before you Felix Pappas, a demigod in need of our protection," Logan announced. "He's faced great danger, and I believe he belongs here with us."

Reyna's gaze softened as she looked at Felix, but before she could respond, a sneering voice cut through the air. "Hold on a moment," said Octavian, stepping forward. His eyes were narrow, his expression one of suspicion. "Pappas? That's a Greek name."

A murmur rippled through the room, and Logan felt a chill run down his spine. "He inherited the surname from his mother, who was a mortal. His father might still be a Roman god." 

Octavian shook his head, his lips curling into a disdainful smile. "A Roman god would never have a child with a Greek woman. We cannot harbour Graecus here. They are our enemies, our rivals. Allowing him to stay would be a betrayal of our traditions and our safety."

Reyna hesitated, clearly torn. "Logan, you know our rules. Has the kid had his training with Lupa?"

"No, I found him on the street, fending off monsters. He is an orphan, abandoned since he was seven. I have sworn on my lineage to provide him safe shelter in Camp Jupiter."

Jason stepped forward, his young face set with determination. "Reyna, he's just a child. We can't turn him away. He needs us."

But Octavian's influence was strong. "This is a matter of security and loyalty, Jason. We cannot afford to make exceptions. The risk is too great. Greeks and Romans never mix."

Logan felt a surge of anger and frustration. He had hoped that Felix would find a place here, a sanctuary from the dangers that plagued him. But the camp's rigid adherence to tradition was proving to be an insurmountable barrier. 

He knelt down beside Felix, who looked up at him with eyes full of uncertainty. "What's going to happen to me?" the boy asked, his voice trembling.

Logan's heart ached for him. "We're going to find another way," he said quietly. "I promised to protect you, and I will. No matter what."

Reyna's voice broke through his thoughts. "Logan, as much as it pains me, Octavian is right. Although he can't be a camper here, I grant him a temporary stay for a week. Still, augur, you should see the omens related to Felix."

Octavion sneered. Felix followed Octavian to the augur house.

As Logan left the Senate House, they had to make a choice. A temporary stay, then what? Felix couldn't fend off monsters all his life, at least not alone. The weight of the decision he was going to make settled heavily on his shoulders. But his resolve was unshaken. He would protect Felix, no matter the cost.