The Heroes of Olympus, #3
The Mark of Athena
by Rick Riordan
Contents
XIII
Overview
Percy dreams of twins Ephialtes and Otis preparing a spectacle to destroy Rome on the Kalends of July, using captive Nico as bait in a sealed bronze jar. Waking, Percy and Annabeth share an intimate midnight talk, recalling their past, debating a future in New Rome, and revealing Athena’s disturbing visit. They decide to tell Hazel about Nico in the morning, as the clock toward July first continues to tick.
Summary
Percy suffers nightmares, first reliving his near-suffocation in Alaskan muskeg, awakening his new fear of drowning. The dream shifts to a cavernous, stage-like lair with props and machinery, where twin giants Ephialtes and Otis argue over theatrics for a Rome-destroying spectacle set for the Kalends of July, sacred to Juno.
Ephialtes and Otis reveal their plan: use a captive as bait so the seven rush to rescue him, then begin Rome’s destruction before an audience of Roman ghosts. After they depart, Percy wills himself into a bronze jar and finds Nico di Angelo inside, barely conscious, with a Stygian iron blade and pomegranate seeds—three eaten, five left—suggesting a limited means to endure in the sealed container.
Percy wakes to Annabeth at his bedside. She leads him to the ship’s stables with a glass floor, where they reminisce about their first quest, share a kiss, and savor rare privacy. Percy confides his hope for a future like New Rome’s peaceful life for demigods, while Annabeth worries about tensions with the Romans.
Percy recounts the dream: Nico’s imprisonment underground in Rome and the July 1 deadline. Annabeth identifies Nico as bait and notes the timeline matches Nemesis’s warning. They postpone telling Hazel until morning. They also discuss a mysterious statue guarded by a “talented friend.”
Annabeth admits Athena visited weeks ago, acting unlike herself and declaring Annabeth had failed her; Annabeth has had troubling nightmares since. The two resolve to rest, choosing comfort over more dire talk. They fall asleep together, and at dawn a boy’s voice warns that they are in trouble.
Who Appears
- Percy JacksonHaunted by suffocation nightmares; dreams of giants’ plot and Nico’s captivity; shares hopes for a New Rome–style future with Annabeth.
- Annabeth ChaseWakes Percy for a private moment; reminisces, kisses him, and reveals Athena’s harsh visit; plans to tell Hazel about Nico.
- EphialtesShowman giant planning a Rome-destroying spectacle; insists on dramatic flair and timing for July 1.
- OtisEphialtes’s twin; handles preparations, nervous about a powerful female guardian; confirms Nico is bait.
- Nico di AngeloImprisoned in a sealed bronze jar with Stygian iron; surviving on pomegranate seeds as bait for the seven.