The Heroes of Olympus, #3
The Mark of Athena
by Rick Riordan
Contents
XXIV
Overview
Leo is taken to Aphros’s hidden undersea training camp, where his truthful account wins the ichthyocentaurs’ trust. Hazel is welcomed; Frank is interrogated and coached by Bythos. The mer-heroes pledge to oppose Phorcys and Keto and aid the Argo II’s crossing. Aphros gifts brownies and a letter to Tiberinus, warns of looming trials in Rome and the urgent deadline to save Nico, then returns the trio to the surface.
Summary
Guided by Aphros through a kelp forest, Leo discovers a hidden undersea Greek-style camp of mer-people and Cyclopes. Suspected as enemies after the skolopendra attack, Leo is told to explain himself. He recounts Hera’s involvement, his mother’s death by Gaea’s designs, the Prophecy of Seven, the Argo II, Roman tensions, eidolons, and their clashes en route. Aphros, knitting as he listens, judges Leo truthful and acknowledges Hazel’s corroboration.
Hazel arrives, clearly at ease with the mermaids, and confirms the Argo II is damaged but afloat. While they wait for Frank, Hazel and Leo quietly address Leo’s resemblance to Sammy and Frank’s fear of Leo’s fire. Leo deduces Frank’s secret lifeline—a piece of firewood entrusted to Hazel—realizing how easily his powers could endanger Frank and contemplating the prophecy line “To storm or fire the world must fall.”
Bythos returns with a pale but unharmed Frank, having interrogated and trained him, urging practice of sea-creature transformations. Aphros and Bythos accept the trio’s mission, decide to send mer-heroes to free Phorcys’s captives and oppose Keto, and promise to speed the Argo II across the Atlantic while warning of greater perils in the Mare Nostrum.
They deliver key guidance: Hazel must reach Rome the day after tomorrow to save Nico, whose role will be essential; Leo must stay close to Hazel and Frank in Rome to resolve impending mechanical difficulties. Aphros presents gifts—a basket of brownies with a recipe and a letter of introduction to Tiberinus to aid Annabeth’s Mark of Athena quest. Finally, Bythos launches the three upward in protective pearl bubbles, returning them to the surface.
Who Appears
- Leo ValdezProves their mission to Aphros, learns Frank’s firewood secret, receives brownies and a letter to Tiberinus, tasked to solve mechanical problems in Rome.
- AphrosIchthyocentaur instructor; assesses Leo, pledges mer-hero aid, warns of Rome, gifts brownies and a Tiberinus letter.
- Hazel LevesqueWelcomed by mermaids; discusses Leo/Sammy link; safeguards Frank’s lifeline; anxious to save Nico soon.
- BythosIchthyocentaur combat trainer; interrogates and coaches Frank, predicts Nico’s importance, speeds their departure.
- Frank ZhangInterrogated and trained underwater; embarrassed but cooperative; his life bound to a piece of firewood, wary of Leo’s fire.