One thing before I start the chapter. I have just read another story on Wattpad called The  Demigods in High School by macaronigalore, and there's a PJO or HoO quiz question at the end of each chapter, and the first to comment the correct answer in the comments gets a shout out and dedication in the following chapter. So yeah. That's what I'm doing. Thanks for reading my story and thank you to macaronigalore.

- Mabel D

ANNABETH

Who was that guy? And where was Frank? 

All these questions rushed through my mind. About a year ago, an Egyptian vulture goddess once told me that my mind was overly crowded with too many thoughts, plans and ideas. I had scoffed at that, thinking that it didn't hurt to be smart, but I had remembered what my mother would've said. Wisdom is not always good for you.

We were held by the legionnaires. Their grip was slack, so at least I knew they didn't want to do this.  Hazel put a hand on my shoulder and I saw her worried and grieved expression. I knew that. She was on the brink of tears.

As she bound me in Imperial gold chains, I whispered to her, "What happened to Frank?" 

Hazel gulped. "He's... he's getting trialed. Reyna is dead. For... great grandfather-" She broke into real sobs now. And I saw why as we turned around the corner. Frank was bound to a stake, wounds covering his shins and thighs and arms. Magic seemed to be holding a knife in thin air, making it twist into Franks chest as he screamed with agony. He looked pale and thin, and he was dressed in only shorts, so you could see his ribs showing, like he hadn't eaten.

As the legionnaires loosened their grip and went to go sit miserably in the stands and some of them who remained chained Percy, Akari, Helen and I to the stakes. Double chains. 

Hazel had mentioned Frank's great grandfather. I knew he had done something, caused and earthquake or flood since he was the son of Neptune. He was already disliked, since Neptune in the Roman world wasn't really respected, only feared, so I supposed a great incident like that could've let out some ambitious and other negative feelings from some other fellow veterans and people. 

Something had been brought up to reinstate those, and probably built up on a current unpopularity thing or problem. And Hazel had said "Reyna is dead"... the former praetor. She had joined the Hunters of Artemis and gained immortality, but if she fell in battle...

Frank looked at us, like how come you come all of a sudden?

I was wondering the same thing. The bird... Reyna... Frank... Hazel... Cruel guy who was now praetor... wow, I ever really knew how many thoughts I was thinking at the same time until I wrote it down. Maybe the Egypt vulture goddess was right. 

I stood, and suddenly blinding pain encased me. I wanted to scream, but my mouth didn't work because of all my other thoughts. The chains seemed to tighten, and they chafed my skin until my forearms turned purple.

Let me explain something. Pain was like my worst friend. I knew it. I had been stabbed with a poison blade in the Battle of Manhattan, broken my ankle in the caverns of Arachne and endured the poisonous blood air, demons and general hot/cold horrible conditions of Tartarus, all the while doing rock climbing there and other dangerous things without eating (except for once) for two weeks. 

I felt like I was going to black out, until the agony stopped. 

"Annabeth Chase, Akari Yadav, Percy Jackson and Helen Everly... the new prophecy child." He smiled cruelly, and I hated that smug look on his face. I was trying to think of a plan. "You are all on trial. And if you don't pass... we strap you down in the Battlefield of Mars and let Lupa and the wolves devour you. Or, if you prefer, we will make a show out of it with a gladiator tournament between all of you. The last one standing will be a human sacrifice to Jupiter." 

I gulped. "And if we do pass?" 

"Well, you ultimately get the gladiator contest. And I already know, you, Miss Chase, are going to twist your words, buy time and get you and your friends out of here. So, gladiator or wolves?"

As if we planned it, all of us said in unison, "Gladiator."

"Oh," he suddenly said. He smiled mockingly at Hazel. "And your praetorship is revoked." 

"You can't do that!" Hazel said, trembling. 

"All in favour?" He glared at everyone. If you don't agree, you will be joining the gladiator competition. Everyone raised their hand. It was unanimous. 

"Righto!" He yelled cheerfully. "Go suit up! It starts today, after the afternoon feast."