XVIII

Annabeth wakes uneasy as the Argo II docks in Charleston. Jason, Frank, and Leo depart for a museum, while Percy plans to dive into the harbor to consult Nereids and cleanse the taint from Atlanta. Annabeth, Piper, and Hazel head to White Point Gardens seeking the so-called ghost of the Battery.

Walking among stately Southern mansions, Annabeth reflects on beauty intertwined with a dark history and worries about Nico’s deadline. A glowing figure approaches from the water, which resolves into Aphrodite, shifting between faces and dressed as a Southern belle. The goddess invites them to tea in the park’s gazebo.

Over tea, Aphrodite revels in memories of romance amid war and explains that she spans both Greek and Roman aspects. She hints at Reyna and at the gods’ schism, noting Athena suffered most in the Roman era when Minerva lost martial primacy. Aphrodite needles Annabeth about her strained bond with Athena and Piper about fashion, emphasizing love’s entanglement with conflict.

Prompted by Annabeth, Aphrodite confirms the Mark of Athena leads to the lost statue of Athena. She says Athena’s children have pursued it for centuries, stoking Greek–Roman feuds, and that the Mark is a spiritual trail to be followed by the most worthy. The next step is a “map” left by Athena’s children in 1861 at Fort Sumter, which will set them on their path once they reach Rome. She warns Annabeth she will face every child of Athena’s greatest fear and must choose how to use the prize—toward war or peace.

As Hazel spots Roman eagles and a pegasi-drawn chariot descending, Aphrodite calmly urges them to hurry back to their ship and points to Fort Sumter as their objective. The girls break off the tea, intent on returning to the Argo II before the Romans can cut them off.