XXXV LEO

By the fire in the cave, Jason and Thalia reunite. Thalia immediately takes charge of Piper’s condition, sending Coach Hedge and Leo to get Piper to the Hunter Phoebe for healing, while Jason asks Leo to stay as support. Leo masks his insecurity with jokes but stays attentive.

Thalia hears about the quest: Hera’s imprisonment, Enceladus holding Piper’s father, the solstice deadline, and the group’s recent encounters. She warns Jason not to trust Hera, especially as children of Zeus. Jason shows Thalia an old photo, confirming Hera left him just enough memory to find his sister.

Thalia reveals their past: their mother, an unstable TV actress, craved attention, struggled after Zeus left, and blamed Hera. On a “family trip” when Jason was two, Thalia briefly left to fetch a picnic basket; she returned to find their mother claiming Hera had taken Jason and that he was as good as dead. Thalia ran away soon after and never knew Jason survived.

They discuss Jason’s Roman traits—Latin, Roman names, and tattoos. Thalia suggests Zeus may have visited in his Roman aspect, making Jason unique, but questions how he survived without Camp Half-Blood. Leo notes signs of other Latin-speaking demigods, hinting at another group. Thalia resolves to consult Artemis.

Thalia explains the Hunters are tracking Lycaon on Artemis’s guidance for a lead to their missing friend, Percy Jackson. Pressed for time and urged on by a white wolf, Thalia promises to escort the group to Aeolus’s palace before rejoining her Hunters. Jason and Thalia leave to move quickly, while Piper receives treatment outside.