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chapter six.
(  titan's curse  )
❝ dead girl's not invited! ❞

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      Here is the thing:

        1. The Oracle of Delphi—in all my time at camp—has never left her post in the attic. She stayed up there through thick and thin. She's survived all the leaks and the broken roofs, gone through tons of demigods and never, not one, has she moved an inch.

       2. The Oracle moved—for the first time!—for Zoë. Why the hell Zoë? What did she ever do to deserve a hero's quest to go save Artemis? I mean, she's a huntress so it kinda makes sense but still.

       3. The Oracle didn't mention Annabeth. At all.

       4. I am never moving her back up to the attic ever again.

     Setting her on her dusty chair was the best thing I've ever experienced because I was done holding her slimy skin and carrying her all the way up from the forest to the Big House and up three flights of stairs. No thank you.

      "That was gross," said Grover as he dusted his hands. I gave him a look and blew my hair out of my face. I didn't want to touch it with my slimy dead-Oracle-touched hands. 

      Percy didn't say anything. He just started to lead the way down the stairs. His brows were furrowed, and I knew he was thinking. His brain was ticking away, and I had a feeling it was about Annabeth and the Oracle refusing to answer his questions.

       Yeah, I've was let in on all the gossip that I missed as we were taking up Miss Dead-I'm-Not-Dead-But-I'll-Tell-How-You'll-Die back to the attic.

       Finally, the Son of Poseidon stuffed his hands in his pockets and asked, "What will Chiron do?"

      I shrugged, and Grover sighed. "I wish I knew." The satyr glanced wistfully out of the second-floor window at the rolling hills covered in snow. "I want to be out there."

       "Searching for Annabeth?"

      He had a little trouble focusing on Percy. He then blushed. "Oh, right. That too. Of course."

      "Why?" I frowned. "What were you thinking?"

      He shuffled on his hooves nervously. "When we were down getting Bianca, Nico and Cain, the manticore ... well, it was just something he said, about the Great Stirring. I can't help but wonder ... if all those ancient powers are waking up, maybe ... maybe not all of them are evil."

      "You mean Pan."

       Grover sniffed, a little upset. "I've let the trail go cold," he said. "I feel restless, like I'm missing something really important. He's out there somewhere, I can just feel it."

       When Percy stayed silent, just brooding at the floor, I gave him a look and placed a hand on Grover's shoulder. "You'll find him Grover. I know you will."

       He seemed grateful. "Thanks, Claire."

      As he spoke, Thalia stormed up the steps. She focused her gaze on me, but not after sending a icy glare Percy's way. "Claire, you gotta come down, and tell Percy to get his but down stairs too."

      She was kinda ignoring him.

       Percy frowned. "Why?"

      "Did he say something?"

      "Um ..." Grover scratched his ear. "He asked why."

      "Dionysus is calling a council of cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy," she said. "Unfortunately, that includes Percy."

° ° °

       I sat beside Lee. The council was held round a ping pong table in the rec room. Dionysus had conjured up snacks that Grover immediately pigged into. It wasn't every day we had a council meeting. In fact, I've only been in one, and that was when I was announced as the new counsellor for Cabin 7. There weren't many co-counsellors like Lee and I. There were the Stoll Brothers of Hermes, and Castor and Pollux of cabin twelve, who awkwardly sat beside their father at the end of the table. Gosh, it must be the worst to be Dionysus' child. Clarisse wasn't present, for all the Ares campers had broken limbs—courtesy of the Hermes cabin.

       "This is pointless," Zoë started the meeting off in a very positive tone. "There is no time to talk. Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately."

      "And go where?" Chiron asked.

      Hannah, who sat not far from him, pursed her lips and leaned back in her chair. She used to be head counsellor for the Hermes cabin, so I'm guessing she was used to council meetings.

      "West!" said Bianca. It was strange how different she looked since she joined the Hunters. Her dark hair was braided just like Zoë's now, and you could actually see her face. She had a few freckles speckled across her nose. She looked as if she had been working out, and her skin glowed. "You heard the prophecy. 'Five shall go west to the goddess in chains.' We can get five hunters to go.

        "Yes!" agreed Zoë. "Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her!"

       "You're missing something, as usual," Thalia seethed. "Campers and Hunters combined prevail. We're supposed to do this together."

       "No!" Zoë said. "The Hunters do not need they help."

       "Your," Thalia's face was red in frustration and anger. "Nobody has said thy in like three hundred years, Zoë. Get with the times."

        Zoë hesitated. Percy and I shared a glance. I think we were thinking the same thing of wow this is getting heated pretty quick. "Yerrr," she managed, trying to copy Thalia. "We do not need yerrr help."

       Thalia rolled her eyes, "Forget it."

      Hannah narrowed her eyes in thought, before she leaned forward and spoke for the first time the whole council meeting. "That's all great girls, but Thalia's right. The prophecy does say that you do need our help. Campers and Hunters have to cooperate. That one's a given."

      "Or do they?" Mr D mused, swirling his Diet Coke under his nose like it had a fine bouquet. "One shall be lost. One shall be perished. Dead Girl walks. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

      "Mr D," Chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

     The God of Wine raised his eyebrows, "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful."

     "We're supposed to work together," Thalia said stubbornly. "I don't like it either, Zoë, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?"

      Zoë grimaced, but Thalia had won the argument.

     "We must not delay," Chiron warned. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter-solstice."

      "Oh, joy," Dionysus muttered. "Another dull annual meeting."

      Across the table, Cory leaned towards Hannah and whispered, "Wait, are they making these kids save this goddess?"

      Hannah frowned, "Yeah, that's how it always works."

     Cory pursed his lips, "Isn't that like child endangerment?"

     "These aren't normal kids."

     "Yeah, but still—"

    He was cut off when Hannah gave a small point to the table to tell him to just listen when Zoë spoke. "Artemis must be present at the solstice. She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations."

       "Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?" Dionysus asked.

       Without hesitation, Zoë said, "Yes."

       I stifled a laugh and sunk in my chair.

      Mr D nodded, "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on."

      "I must agree with Zoë," said Chiron. "Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possible even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest."

      "Three and two," said Percy. Everyone looked at him strangely. I rolled my eyes, dramatic. Percy frowned. "We're supposed to have five," he continued, sounding a little self-conscious. "Three Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair."

      I leaned over to whisper, "You're smarter than you look, Seaweed Brain."

     He just gave me a look as Thalia and Zoë exchanged glances.

     "Well, it does make sense."

     Zoë grunted. "I would prefer to take all the Hunters. We will need strength in numbers."

    I shifted in my spot, "Sorry, Zoë, but too many Hunters will make your scent stronger. Better to mix it up, confuse the scent."

      "You'll be retracting the goddess's path," said Chiron. "Moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You'll have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: the bane of Olympus shows the trail. Claire is right. What would your mistress say? "Too many Huunters spoil the scent." A small group is best."

      Zoë picked up a ping-pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first. "This monster—the Bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be."

      Everyone looked at Dionysus. We all expected him to have an answer, but he was just flicking through a wine magazine. When he realised we were all watching him, he glanced up, "Well, don't look at me. I'm a young god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty Titans. They make for terrible party conversation."

      "Chiron," Percy turned to the centaur. "You don't have any ideas about the monster?"

     Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Ketos. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father Poseidon would have already sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."

      "That's some serious danger you're facing," Connor Stoll said. Lee and I shared a look. Like how he's saying you and not us. "It sounds like at least two of the five are going to die."

       "One shall be lost in the land without rain," said Beckendorf. "If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert."

      There was a mutter of agreement.

      "Dead girl walks underneath a veil, only to be found when all light fails..." Lee murmured. "Who is she talking about? What dead girl? What veil is she walking underneath?"

      I know Percy was looking at me, and I shook my head. No, I mouthed. Yes, he replied. He pointed at me then him as if saying: you and me are going on this quest. And I shook my head once again.

      "It's probably not as literal as your making it out to be," said Hannah.

     "Or it could be," said Mr D from behind his magazine. "You might have a ghost following you the whole way, who knows."

     "And the Titan's Curse must one withstand," Silent said. "What could that mean?"

     Chiron and Zoë shared a nervous look, but whatever they were thinking, they didn't share it.

     "One shall perish by a parent's hand," Grover said in between bites of Cheese Whiz and ping-pong balls. "How is that possible. Whose parent would kill them?"

      There was a heavy silence around the table.

     In the end, Chiron spoke. "There will be deaths. That much we know."

    "Oh, goody!"

    Everyone looked at Dionysus. He glanced up innocently from the pages of Wine Connoisseur magazine. "Ah, Pinot Noir is making a comeback. Don't mind me."

     Trying to lessen the awkward tension, Selena Beauregard spoke up, "Percy is right. Two campers should go."

      "Oh, I see," Zoë said sarcastically. "And I suppose you wish to volunteer?"

     She blushed. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters. Don't look at me!"

     "A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at," Zoë scoffed. "What would thy mother say?"

     Silent started to get out of her chair, but the Stoll brothers pulled her back.

     "Stop it," Beckendorf was a guy that demanded respect. He was big with a big voice and he could silence a room. He was a natural leader. "Let's start with the Hunters. Which three of you will go?"

      Zoë stood. "I shall go, of course, and I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker."

    "The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis Stoll asked cautiously.

     Zoë nodded.

    "The one who put the arrows in my helmet?" Connor added.

    "Yes," the Huntress snapped. "Why?"

     "Oh, nothing," said Travis. "Just we have a T-shirt for her from the camp store," he held up a big T-shirt that said ARTEMIS THE MOON GODDESS, HUNTING TOUR 2002, with a huge list of national parks and stuff underneath. "It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?"

      Okay, the Stoll Brothers are up to something. Obviously Zoë was oblivious, for she didn't know them as we did. She took the T-shirt with a roll of her eyes. I almost felt bad and wanted to warn her, but she spoke before I could. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go."

      I stiffened in my seat. I remembered what Hades wanted me to do, and suddenly, I wanted to go on this quest. The look on her face made my clench my fists, she looked so scared and unsure. "Me? But ... I'm so new. I wouldn't be any good."

     "You will do fine," Zoë insisted. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

     Bianca closed her mouth. I pursed my lips. "Bianca, you're a natural," I told her to try and make her feel better. "You're a demigod and a Hunter. You're a force to be reckoned with."

     She gave me a tiny smile in which I returned. Zoë sent me a thankful look, and I nodded. I hadn't forgotten about her offer to join the Hunters, and part of me really wanted to. The idea of immortality unless I was killed in battle sounded great—the chance of dying and seeing the Transition was less than that of a demigod.

      "And for campers?" Chiron asked, and his eyes landed on Percy, and drifted to mine. I don't know what he was thinking, but it made me nervous.

      "Me!" Grover stood up so fast he bumped the ping-pong table. He brushed cracker crumbs and ping-pong ball scraps off his lap. "Anything to help Artemis!"

     Zoë wrinkled her nose. "I think not, satyr. You are not even a half-blood."

     "But he is a camper," Thalia said. "And he's got a satyr's senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?"

      "Absolutely!"

     Zoë wavered. "Very well," she said. "And the second camper?"

     I went to speak, but Thalia got there before me. "I'll go," she stood and looked around, daring anyone to question her. I sat back in my seat, and my hair looked very interesting from this angle. I played with it. Percy's eyes landed on me.

     "Whoa, wait a sec."

     Trust Percy to make this complicated.

    "I want to go, too," he said. "And Claire's with me. We want to go."

     He stared down Thalia, but she stood her ground, saying nothing.

     "Oh," Grover said, suddenly aware of the problem. "Whoa, yeah, I forgot! Percy and Claire have to go! I didn't mean ... I'll stay. Percy should go in my place. Thalia?"

      She pursed her lips, watching me. I shared a glance with Percy, then glanced at Bianca. Hades's daughter. He wanted me to look after her ... but Percy could do that for me as well, couldn't he?

      "He cannot," said Zoë. "He's a boy. I won't have Hunters travelling with a boy."

     "You travelled here with me," Percy reminded her.

     "That was a short-term emergency, and it was ordered by the goddess. I will not go across country and fight many dangers in the company of a boy."

     "What about Grover?"

    She shook her head. "He does not count. He's a satyr. He is not technically a boy."

     "Hey!" Grover protested.

     "We have to go," Percy said. "We need to be on this quest!"

     "Why?" Zoë asked. "Because of thy friend Annabeth?"

     Percy blushed. "No—I mean, yes, but—I just I feel like I'm supposed to go! And Claire is coming with me. We're both meant to go. Claire's the Dead Girl in the prophecy. She died, and came back."

     "Percy," I muttered, suddenly feeling insecure. I didn't like the way people were looking at me. "Percy, stop."

     He turned to me, "Claire," he whispered over Lee. Lee looked very uncomfortable. "Come on."

     I shook my head. I glanced at Thalia again, who seemed to be considering what Percy was saying. It took a lot of me to say, "No. I don't want to go."

     Percy looked as if I had betrayed him.

    I said it stronger this time. "I'm not meant to be on this quest. The Oracle spoke to Zoë. Grover knows his tracking song. And Thalia is the daughter of Zeus. She is the Dead Girl, not me. Thalia should be in this quest."

     People nodded, believing in me. Percy shook his head, and I just gave him a look to shut up.

     Zoë pursed her lips. "Claire is right. I insist upon this. I will take a satyr if I must, but not a male hero."

     Chiron sighed. "The quest is for Artemis. The Hunters should be allowed to approve their companions."

     Percy sat down, his face red with anger. He sent me a glare and I rolled my eyes.

    "So be it," Chiron said. "Thalia and Grover will accompany Zoë, Bianca and Phoebe. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods—" he glared at Dionysus, "—present company included, we hope—be with you."

° ° °

     "What is wrong with you?"

     As soon as the council meeting finished, Percy followed me outside to speak his anger. I rolled my eyes. "Percy, not now—"

      "Yeah, now," he pulled me aside from the others and crossed his arms. "What happened to finding Annabeth? She and Artemis are connected, I saw it in my dream—Luke—"

     "Percy, shut up—"

     "—Don't you care about Annabeth—?"

     "—of course I do—!"

     "—then why aren't you—?"

     "—because Chiron's right!" I pulled him aside even more when some of the other councillors exited. Silena gave us a weird look, but she continued on her way.

     Percy was fuming, but I didn't care. "This is Zoë's quest, and she chooses her companions. You can't change that."

      He knew I was right, and so he sat down on the patio seat, his arms still crossed.

     I sighed, and sat down beside him. "Look, Percy I'm sorry you can't go on the quest. But if anyone can save Annabeth, it's Thalia. Thalia is the best fighter I know."

      "But we're meant to go," said Percy. "I just know it."

      I frowned and thought about it. Maybe he was right. I mean, Hades wanted me to look after Bianca, and a part of me does think that that part of the prophecy did refer to me. I just don't know what it meant by a veil, or how I will reveal myself when all light fails. And two people were going to die on this quest, it seemed way more dangerous than anything we've done before.

      "Maybe we are meant to go," I then said, giving him a glance. "Just not with them."

     Percy seemed to get my idea. "You want us to sneak onto the quest?"

      "We've done it before. We did it last summer. We'll just do it again."

     Percy pursed his lips and thought about it.

      "They'll be leaving tomorrow morning, we'll just follow them."

     He was silent before he pulled out of his pocket Annabeth's Yankee's Cap. Percy gripped it tight. He still seemed unsure.

      An idea suddenly came to him. "I'll be back," he told me, before leaving.

     I frowned, watching him walk away. "No answer?!" He didn't hear me. "Okay ..."

     At dinner, Percy didn't show up. Chiron and Grover went looking for him after I told them that he might be hanging out by the lagoon. Grover apologised to be profusely about the quest but I shook my head, telling him that it was okay.

     Percy still didn't show up after dinner, and I was confused whether our plan was still going ahead. Going back to my cabin with Lee and the others, I was nervous. I didn't know whether we were going ahead and following the others that were to leave tomorrow morning. When everyone was asleep, I packed my things in a duffel bag, just in case.

      My fingers hovered over my dagger and key necklace. I didn't know whether I should bring them or not. They were my weapons. I was known to be the best archer at camp. But ... that didn't feel right anymore.

      And yet, I couldn't not leave them there sitting by the photo and Jay and I. It seemed just as wrong as still using them. So, I grabbed the necklace and slipped it over my neck. I also sheathed the dagger, placing it on-top of my jeans I was going to change into, before I went to bed feeling rather sick. I wasn't sure whether it was because of the nerves, or because of how cold I was despite being under blankets upon blankets.

      I had a dream.

      It was strange. I hadn't had a dream since I came back, and now suddenly, I was thrown into a world of bright yellow light as if I looking right into the sun. I shielded my eyes and looked away, hoping I would wake up, but instead a voice chimed:

      "Oh! So sorry!"

      The light seemed to dim enough that I could open my eyes. When I did, I saw my dad's smiling facing beaming at me and waving.

      I frowned.

      "Hello!" he said.

      When I didn't wave back, he pursed his lips. "Okay ..."

      I crossed my arms. "What do you want?"

      "Am I not allowed to have quality time with my daughter?"

      I arched a brow, and he sighed. "Okay, okay, I'm here because I need to talk to you."

      "I know. That's what always happens," I said. "It's always something about the impending doom that is before me."

      "Not always..." Apollo sat down on a bright white light that seemed to morph into a seat. "Sit with me."

       I rolled my eyes and sat down beside him. "Where are we?"

      "We're in your mind," he shrugged. "I just thought I'd brighten it up a bit."

      "How funny."

      "Look," my father gave me a look. "I'm actually trying to be serious here. Manners would be appreciated."

      "You, serious?"

      He chose to ignore me, which was probably a wise decision. "Artemis has been kidnapped, and so has your friend Annabeth."

      "I know, I plan to go after them."

      "Good," he told me. "Because despite how annoying and temperamental she is, Artemis is still my sister."

       A part of my anger swayed into sympathy. I didn't realise stuff like this could affect gods. I always thought they were above all of that. "I'll find her," I told him. "She'll come back before the winter solstice."

       "I know you will," said Apollo. "But that's not what I brought you here to talk about."

      "Then what do you want to tell me?"

       "I wanted to show you a bit of your future."

       "My future?" I frowned and shifted awkwardly away from him, as if he would end up killing me or something. Which he wouldn't, but learning your future might as well be learning how you die. "But isn't it—?"

        "Unwise to know your future? Yes," nodded Apollo. "But this time it's important that you do know."

        "What is it?"

       He nodded to the bright scenery before us. "Look and I'll show you."

      I did as he told me, and before me, morphed a scene. There was a great volcanic explosion, that shook even where I was. I heard a great roar of anger that sent shivers down my spine. And then the scene changed, and there was nothing but gold eyes.

       My stomach jolted.

      I remembered when I was little kid, and I had nightmares of those exact gold eyes. "I know those eyes," I said. "I-I've always dreamt about them."

       Apollo nodded. He looked grave. "You're dreaming about the Great Prophecy."

     "The one about Thalia or Percy?"

      He kissed his teeth and shook his head. "Claire, know this now, the prophecy isn't about Thalia, nor is it about Percy. They aren't the hero the prophecy talks about."

      This struck me. This whole time ... it was about Percy. It was about the eldest child of the Big Three who reached sixteen. That's what it has always been about. Was there another child we were yet to know about?

      "Then who is it?" I asked him. "And who was that that made that roar? When the volcano exploded?"

      Apollo looked very grave right now. "I can't tell you anymore. Only what I showed you then."

      "But that's not enough!" I said. "How am I supposed to know what I'm meant to do or why I'm supposed to know this if I only know the bare basics? Who is the Great Prophecy about? What was that? Why am I supposed to find out everything by myself!"

       "Because of destiny," said Apollo. "If you know your future, you do everything to go against it, and then you end up doing the exact thing that leads you to the same end anyway. Better not knowing, because you make the choices yourself on what you believe in that exact moment. That is true destiny. Destiny isn't what other people decide for you, it's what you decide for yourself. There are plenty pathways—that is why Hecate and Janus exist. You never had to die, but you chose to die yourself. To save your friends. You created the path that you're on right now, and you'll continue to create that path that leads to your destiny. That is what people always get wrong with prophecies. They are not the decider, they are the crossroad we arrive on."

        "And so you're showing me my new crossroad," I realised. "You're showing me the road signs."

        "If we're talking metaphors," Apollo shrugged. "Then yes."

      I suddenly felt a lot more confident now. I stood up. "I'm going to bring Artemis and Annabeth home," I told my father. "I may not have any of my powers anymore, but I'm choosing this path. I'm bringing them home."

       For once, there was a proud smile on my fathers face.

      And then I woke up.

      I didn't check the time. I just knew it was still dark outside. But, despite that, I got changed, slipped my dagger into my boot and grabbed my duffel bag. As a last minute thought, I turned over the photo of me and Jay before—without waking anyone up—I exited the cabin.

      I went to go wake Percy up and bring him along, but I didn't need to. Up above me, a pegasus as black as the night around me landed right in front of me. And on its back, was the Son of Poseidon himself. He gave me a smirk.

       "Ready to bring Annabeth home?"

      I swung my bag over my shoulder. "You know I am Seaweed Brain."

° ° °

      ooop. not happy with this chapter either, just sayin.