The Heroes of Olympus, #5
The Blood of Olympus
by Rick Riordan
Contents
VII
Overview
Reyna, Nico, and Coach Hedge hide with the Athena Parthenos in Pompeii as tourists pass, the Mist masking the statue. Reyna’s nightmares heighten fears about Gaea and Octavian. As night falls, they plan to contact allies and shadow-travel, but the ghosts vanish and Gaea possesses Hedge, raising ash-figures to attack.
Summary
Morning in Pompeii brings swarms of tourists, but the Mist hides the Athena Parthenos. Reyna keeps watch with Aurum and Argentum, uneasy from nightmares of Gaea destroying New Rome and Octavian’s impending assault. Coach Hedge cooks breakfast and sends a paper-airplane letter to Mellie, revealing his fear he may never meet his child.
Seeking a moment alone, Reyna visits a visitor center, then is unsettled by plaster casts of Pompeii’s dead, reflecting on her Roman ideals, past hardships, and the painful memory of Split and Jason. Time slips strangely, and she hurries back, sensing the ruins’ oppressive history.
The day passes tensely but quietly; monsters and lemures keep their distance under the statue’s aura, though its anger grates on Reyna. At sunset Nico wakes and eats, and Reyna recounts her dreams of Camp Jupiter’s doom, Octavian’s siege, and a glowing-eyed hunter with giant-sized arrows. They debate avoiding confrontation and consider contacting Thalia for intel and Hylla for Amazon aid.
As ghosts gather in the dark, Nico prepares a shadow-jump—possibly to Spain—when the spectral mob suddenly extinguishes. Before they can react, Hedge speaks in Gaea’s voice, his eyes turning black. The ground swirls into human-shaped ash-shells like Pompeii’s casts. Gaea promises Reyna will die as a Roman, and the earth begins to rise against them.
Who Appears
- Reyna Ramírez-ArellanoLeader escorting the Athena Parthenos; troubled by nightmares; strategizes contacts and escape; confronts Gaea’s sudden attack.
- Gleeson HedgeSatyr companion; sends a letter to Mellie; worries about speed; briefly possessed by Gaea to threaten Reyna and summon ash-figures.
- Nico di AngeloExhausted son of Hades; wakes with appetite; plans a shadow-jump to Spain; suggests contacting Thalia about the mysterious hunter.
- GaeaEarth goddess; speaks through Hedge, disperses ghosts, and animates ash-shells to attack, intensifying the threat.
- Aurum and ArgentumReyna’s metallic dogs; stand guard and subtly expose Nico’s evasions.
- Athena ParthenosDivine statue whose aura attracts yet repels threats; its presence protects the camp but radiates growing anger.