SHE WAS FIRST TAKEN TO THE BATHS. There she was scrubbed raw and her skin became pink. Once she was left alone she stared into the bath water. There was something about it.

Closing her eyes, the daughter of Trivia dunked herself until she was fully covered in the bath. It was warm and reminded her of something.

There was a voice in her ears. It was muffled partially. But she concentrated on it. It made her head feel all fuzzy again.

A boy with dark hair and sea green eyes ran over, "Selena, give the sky to me."

"I'm... fine." Selena gasped.

"You'll die."

"Then I'll die." She growled.

She took a deep breath as she exited the water. She remembered. She remembered her name.

"Selena Madison." The brunette whispered.

She was soon collected and given new clothes to change into. A pair of jeans and a purple t-shirt with SPQR written on the front.

She was escorted towards the middle of the camp. She had never seen so many people gathered.

The first four cohorts, each forty kids strong, stood in rows in front of their barracks on either side of the Via Praetoria. The Fifth Cohort assembled at the very end, in front of the principia, since their barracks were tucked in the back corner of camp next to the stables and the latrines.

The campers were dressed for war. Their polished chain mail and greaves gleamed over purple T-shirts and jeans. Sword-and-skull designs decorated their helmets. Even their leather combat boots looked ferocious with their iron cleats, great for marching through mud or stomping on faces.

In front of the legionnaires, like a line of giant dominoes, stood their red and gold shields, each the size of a refrigerator door. Every legionnaire carried a harpoonlike spear called a pilum, a gladius, a dagger, and about a hundred pounds of other equipment.

Reyna sat on top of a beautiful tan pegasus, the metal dogs Aurum and Argentum trotted at her side. Her purple officer's cape billowed behind her. Beside her on his own white pegasus was Jason.

Selena, it was still weird that she now knew her name, stood off to the side with a couple of guards. She didn't quite understand what was happening.

The Lares were the last ones to fall in. Their purple forms flickered as they jockeyed for places.

Octavian shouted, "Colors!"

The standard-bearers stepped forward. They wore lion-skincapes and held poles decorated with each cohort's emblems.

Jason brought his pegasus to a halt, "Romans!" Hee announced. "You've probably heard about the events of today. A girl had found her way to camp and proclaimed herself as the daughter of Trivia.."

"Selena." Jason paused and looked over at her, as did everyone else. The brunette looked around nervously, "My name is Selena Madison."

Jason smiled at her as Reyna continued, "She seeks to join the legion. What do the auguries say?"

"I have read the entrails!" Octavian announced, as if he'd killed a lion with his bare hands rather than ripping up a stuffed black cart, "The auguries are favorable. She is qualified to serve!"

The campers gave a shout: "Ave! Hail!"

Reyna motioned the senior officers forward—one from each cohort. Octavian, as the most senior centurion, turned to Selena.

"Recruit," he asked, "do you have credentials? Letters of reference?"

Selena stared at him in confusion, it's not like she was applying for a job. Or college. Why would she have a letter? "Letters? Um, no."

Octavian wrinkled his nose, "No letters," Octavian said regretfully. "Will any legionnaires stand for her?"

It was silent for a moment. Selena didn't know any of these people. She wouldn't expect anyone to stand for her.

"I will stand for Selena Madison."

Everyone turned to see a lanky boy standing in the back of the fifth cohort. He didn't look at anyone, only the ground.

"Cato?"

He glanced up, his whisky coloured eyes meeting with hers before looking over at Reyna and Jason,

"You wish to stand for the recruit?" Jason asked him.

He shrugged, "Why not?"

"Very well," Reyna announced. "Cato Grant, you may stand for the recruit. Does your cohort accept him?"

The other cohorts started coughing, trying not to laugh. Selena balled up her fists. She'd show them.

Cato pounded his shield against the ground. The other members of the Fifth followed his lead, though they didn't seem very excited. Their centurions, Dakota and Gwen, exchanged pained looks, like: Here we go again.

"My cohort has spoken," Dakota said. "We accept the recruit."

Reyna looked at Selena with pity. "Congratulations, Selena Madison. You stand on probatio. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. Senatus Populusque Romanus!"

The rest of the legion echoed the cheer.

Reyna wheeled her pegasus away from Selena, like she was glad to be done with her. Skippy spread his beautiful wings. Selena felt a pang in the back of her head. She saw a flash of a different pegasus. But this one was completely black.

Selena shook her head and the image disappeared,

"Centurions," Reyna said, "you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Good fortune!"

A bigger cheer went up—for the war games and for dinner. The cohorts broke ranks and ran for the mess hall.

Cato waved at Selena and she made her way towards him. One of the guards had given Selena her probatio nameplate. She placed it through the leather that held her dagger.

"Thanks, Cato," Selena cleared her throat. "Um, what exactly does it mean—your standing for me?"

"I guarantee your good behavior," Cato explained with a smile, "I teach you the rules, answer your questions, make sure you don't disgrace the legion."

"And...if I do something wrong?"

"Then I get killed along with you," He answered, "Hungry? Let's eat."