The Trials of Aphrodite

♦ Chapter Two ♦

I blinked away the sleep from my eyes and sat up in bed. I tried to use my godly powers, but my attempts were futile. I was absolutely powerless.

I wanted nothing more than to burrow under the covers and drown in heaps of cotton, but I knew that would be cowardly. Besides, I felt something a goddess never feels: a will to live. I feared death. I wanted to breathe, to walk, to talk, to thrive.

You humans are extraordinary. As much as it pains me to admit, you have things that we don't. Curiosity and creativity. You want to explore the world, and you see things differently as gods do. When I look down upon the earth, I see nothing but war and death. You see hope and possibility. Humans are souls that are down to earth. Ahem, excuse the unintentional pun and my failed attempt at poetry.

I always thought that mortals were little toys I could play with. Pulling the strings on a puppet. When I promised Helen of Troy to Paris, it was all a game to me. I caused a war between the Trojans and the Greeks, all because I wanted to be recognized as the most beautiful goddess. I realized what a horrible decision I'd made. I'd costed thousands of people their lives.

Your fault, a voice whispered in my mind. All of this tragedy is your doing.

Piper had left clothes out for me, and I stared at them absently. Black leggings, black combat boots, a dark green long-sleeved shirt, and a black winter coat with brown fur lining the hood. I sighed and changed into it, fully aware that I would never be caught dead in combat boots if I was a goddess.

You aren't a goddess anymore, I thought. Get used to it.

But I couldn't. On any normal day, I would've been sitting on my throne on Olympus and combing my hair. Or floating on a pink cloud in New York City, matching couples. Or perhaps dancing with my lover, Ares. Or not. He isn't a good dancer. He steps on my toes when he tries.

I wondered if the other Olympians missed me at all. No. They were most likely celebrating.

There was a mirror on one wall in the room, and I studied my reflection. I wasn't a knockout, but I wasn't ugly either. Piper had left several makeup products, hair ties, hair sprays, and brushes on the edge of the bed, and I had never loved my daughter more. I got to work on my appearance.

My hair was the first thing I fixed. I don't have many skills, but I am skilled at this kind of thing. I brushed and yanked the knots out of my hair, using a little bit of hair spray. I wrapped it into a tight bun and left two strands out, which framed my face and made it softer. I didn't like black hair, but I supposed it would do.

Thankfully, my lips weren't blue anymore. I applied chapstick to my lips and used mascara to make my eyelashes longer. My muddy brown eyes weren't very flattering, but a girl could try. I still had scratches on my body, and that wasn't a quick fix. I groaned and banged my head against the mirror.

The door creaked open, and Piper slipped inside. "You can have breakfast here, and then I'll drive you as far as I can. It'll be a couple hours, though."

I nodded sadly and leaned away from that cursed mirror. "Thank you, Piper. I'm in your debt."

Piper hugged me, which startled me. "Of course, Mom. I'm really sorry this happened to you. Do you have any idea why?"

I pulled away. "I think it's a punishment. For what, I don't know. I suspect Zeus sent me here."

Her brow furrowed. "What could you do to anger the king of the gods?"

"I'm not sure. My mortal brain is . . . limited."

"So you have amnesia? Like Jason?" Piper asked.

"No, I remember a few things. It's like the important parts are missing," I responded.

"Oh. Well, breakfast is in the kitchen. I hope you like eggs and bacon."

I poked my fork at the yellow mush that my daughter called scrambled eggs.

"What is this?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Is it poison?"

Piper chuckled. "It's good. Try it."

I dipped my fork into the bowl and took a small bite. It tasted alright.

I took a sip of orange juice and licked my lips. "I enjoy a glass of champagne, but this will have to do."

Piper ripped into her bacon, and I resisted the urge to teach the girl basic table manners. "We have a lot of work to do if you're going to survive in Camp Jupiter," she said.

"How am I supposed to fit in with the Romans? They're barbaric!"

"You'll need to be tougher, for one. They don't just accept anyone into the legion, you know."

"I know that," I said. "But doesn't one train with the she-wolf goddess—Lupa—before coming to camp?"

Piper frowned. "Aphrodite, it takes months to train with Lupa. I've contacted a friend of mine, Reyna. She knows you're coming. She also knows about your situation. She's offered to help."

"Is she willing to help because you're her friend, or does she pity me?"

"A little of both, I think. Reyna says she wants your identity kept secret. She's waiting at the Little Tiber. She'll explain the details there."

So much for Piper's help.

She abandoned me as soon as I reached the river, which snaked around the Roman camp in the shape of a capital G. A girl was waiting there, looking impatient.

She had straight, dark hair, piercing dark eyes, and a regal stance. Medals bedecked her chest, and a purple cape billowed behind her. She looked like a queen. For some reason, she looked familiar. I couldn't remember if I'd seen her before.

I extended my hand, but she didn't shake it. "I am Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion, daughter of Bellona. Piper told me about you. You're Venus?"

I didn't really care if she called me by my Roman or Greek name. Love is the same in both forms. "Yes."

Reyna regarded me as if I had done something horrible to her in the past. Knowing me, I probably had.

"You will not tell anyone your true name," she said. "If anyone asks, your name is Ren Amore. You're a daughter of Venus."

"Amore? I didn't know you had a sense of humor."

Reyna's lips twitched. "So you really don't remember me?"

"No," I said, sighing through my nose. "It's . . . complicated."

"And you're fully mortal?"

"If you mean not a demigod, then yes. I have no powers whatsoever."

"You'll be fine. Can you fight?"

"I've never actually held a sword before. Do you pick it up by the hilt or by the tip?"

Reyna heaved a sigh and shook her head. "You're hopeless. Just act like you belong, okay?"

"Okay." It wouldn't be that hard, would it?

"Romans don't slash," Reyna was saying as we passed into camp. "They stab. Try to pick up fighting techniques by watching others. Frank and Hazel can show you around. Take a bath, or something. We'll have dinner in an hour."

Lares float around the camp, purple and shimmering. One of them jabbed a finger at me and yelled, "Away, goddess!"

"Rude," I said.

Romans stopped to gawk at me as I walked. Reyna dragged me along, giving me no time to stop and look around.

Reyna halted in front of another girl with curly cinnamon-colored hair and dark skin.

"Ren, this is Hazel Levesque. From the Fifth Cohort. She'll show you around."

Hazel smiled warmly and shook my hand. She was friendly, unlike Reyna. "Hi, Reyna. Is this a new camper?"

"Yes. On probatio, for now. She can be put into a cohort at dinner," Reyna replied, her words clipped.

"I'll handle her," Hazel promised. I didn't like the way she said 'handle.' Like I was an animal.

Reyna nodded briskly and left, her cape sweeping the air.

"So, what's your name?" Hazel asked me.

"Ren Amore," I lied. "I'm a daughter of Venus."

"Oh. Welcome to Camp Jupiter! Reyna explained the basics to you, right?"

"Yes. I'm new to this demigod thing," I fibbed.

"Well, that's completely normal. As Reyna said, my name is Hazel Levesque, and I'm a daughter of Pluto. God of riches and the Underworld. I'll introduce you to a few of my friends and my brother. I think you'll like them. Camp Jupiter is a bit strict, but it's my home." The girl babbled almost as much as I did when I got a new bottle of perfume.

"You're one of the seven," I blurted.

Hazel blinked. "How . . . How did you know that?"

I wanted to slap myself for being so stupid. "Reyna told me."

"Oh. Well, yes. We had a war with the Earth Mother, Gaea, last year. Thankfully, we won," the girl said carefully.

I barely contained my excitement. I remembered! Perhaps my mortal mind wasn't useless after all!

"You aren't allowed to visit New Rome," Hazel continued. "Since you aren't in a cohort yet. For now, I'll show you around Camp Jupiter."

I didn't want to join this camp's ranks. I wasn't even a demigod. But if it helped me become a goddess again, then that was what I would do.

"This is the Principia. Our main base. We have the stables, the barracks, the baths, and the Via Praetoria. The praetors sleep there.

"No one in Camp Jupiter is allowed a horse, except for Reyna and Frank. Well, and me." Hazel blushed. "I have a horse named Arion."

"The immortal horse, son of Demeter and Poseidon?" I asked. It felt strange to have a human brain—to focus on only one subject. When I was a goddess, I could just scroll through my memories as if they were websites.

"Yeah. He likes gold. Um, anyway, we mainly have a stable for the unicorns. For medicinal purposes.

"The barracks are the sleeping quarters for all five cohorts. The baths are probably the most luxurious privilege here. It's very relaxing."

An immense sense of relief was lifted from my shoulders. Finally, a humane way to treat a goddess!

"Take me to the baths immediately," I ordered.

"Whoa, there, Ren. You've got to meet my friends first."

I sighed. "Fine."

Hazel led me further into camp, and I spotted a burly boy leaning against a column. "Hi, Hazel," he said. Hazel stood up on her tip-toes and gave him a quick kiss. I registered the fact that these two were dating, and a tingly feeling spread through me. I wanted so badly to break them apart and leave the boy heartbroken.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Frank, this is Ren Amore. She's a new camper. Ren, this is Frank Zhang. He's praetor, alongside Reyna," Hazel said.

Frank shook my hand. "It's nice to see we're accepting new recruits. Who's her godly parent? Or is she a legacy?"

"Venus," Hazel replied.

"Legacy?" I said, puzzled.

"Children of demigods," Frank said. "We get quite a few of them."

"Hmm. Well, it was nice meeting you, praetor," I said.

"I'm taking her to meet a few others," Hazel told Frank, "and then we'll check with the augur if she's fit to join the legion or not."

"Augur?" I thought that stringy-haired, scrawny boy, Octavian, was dead.

"Mhmm. Our last augur, um, tragically died, so we've replaced him with a harpy named Ella."

A harpy. Determining the will of the gods. How comical.

Hazel noticed my expression. "She's the smartest harpy in the world. She memorized part of the Sibylline books, so she's extremely valuable."

I knew a bit about the Sibylline books. I think they told future prophecies.

"Alright. Who's next on the introduction list?"

She quirked her lips to the side. "My brother, I think. He's a Greek demigod, but he visits often."

I didn't know she had a brother. Hazel hurried through the camp, leaving Frank back to his column-leaning. I reluctantly followed.

"Yes, there's also a camp for Greek demigods," Hazel was saying. "Camp Half-Blood. We were rivals once, but my brother helped restore the peace. The two camps are allies now."

A skinny boy wearing all-black jogged up to Hazel. A skull ring glinted on his finger, with two dazzling rubies that I immediately wanted. He had messy black hair and a pale complexion. A pure black sword hung at his side.

"Ren, this is Nico di Angelo. He's a son of Hades."

I remembered that boy. Why, I was the one that messed up his love life so terribly. It was great fun, though.

"Oh, I've heard about you!" I said. "You're such a great story—er, demigod."

Nico narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

I backed away slowly. "Um, Ren Amore."

"Amore," he said distastefully. "Italian for love. You strike me as familiar."

I whimpered.

"She's a new camper," Hazel said nervously. "Nico, you couldn't know her."

He turned to Hazel. "Hazel, I don't trust her. She's different. She looks harmless, but she has a huge aura of power," he whispered.

I pretended not to hear. Hazel bit her lip. "She seems so nice, Nico. Just be fair to her, okay?"

"Whatever. Good luck, Hazel." With that, he seemed to dissolve in the shadows.

"What a kind boy," I said, sarcasm dripping from my words like venom.

Hazel sighed. "He's a bit protective of me. Don't take it the wrong way."

"I won't." I did. Ah, when my godly powers were returned to me, I would either blast the boy to cinders or screw up his love life even further.

If my godly powers were returned to me.

"Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are visiting in New Rome," Hazel said, and my head snapped up. "A son of Poseidon and a daughter of Athena. I would love for you to meet them, but I'm afraid that can't happen right now. You're not allowed there yet, you know."

I knew both of them quite well, despite being in this state. To me, demigods are stories—and theirs is the greatest love story of all. It was one of the only relationships I just couldn't bear to break up.

Sadly, this camp had rules. Dumb rules. I had to wait.

"Well, Ren," she said, "I'll take you to the bathhouse. It was nice meeting you. I have this feeling that I know you . . . "

"I'm a very popular person," I answered.

Trivia Question: How did Jason get the scar on his lip?