‘I understand,’ Reyna said. ‘Thank you.’
Pegasus whinnied.
Hedge’s eyes widened. He choked back a sob, then fished a handkerchief out of his backpack and dabbed his eyes.
‘Coach?’ Nico frowned with concern. ‘What did Pegasus say?’
‘He – he says he didn’t come to us in person because of my message.’ Hedge turned to Reyna. ‘He did it because of you. He experiences the feelings of all winged horses. He followed your friendship with Scipio. Pegasus says he’s never been more touched by a demigod’s compassion for a winged horse. He gives you the title Horse Friend. This is a great honour.’
Reyna’s eyes stung. She bowed her head. ‘Thank you, lord.’
Pegasus pawed the deck. The other winged horses whinnied in salute. Then their sire launched himself upward and spiralled into the night.
Hedge stared at the clouds in amazement. ‘Pegasus hasn’t shown himself in hundreds of years.’ He patted Reyna on the back. ‘You did good, Roman.’
Reyna didn’t feel like she deserved credit for putting Scipio through so much suffering, but she forced down her feelings of guilt.
‘Nico, we should check the ship,’ she said. ‘If there’s anyone aboard –’
‘Way ahead of you.’ He stroked Blackjack’s muzzle. ‘I sense two mortals asleep in the main cabin. 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 the case?’