DIVINE! | percy jackson

chapter eight - hecate, the goddess of sabotage

CHAPTER EIGHT
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PERCY SUGGESTED Estella stop helping him and Grover carry the Oracle back to the Big House. She was practically gagging every second, trying her hardest to not be repulsed by the stiff, decomposed body in her hands.

She headed back to her cabin, still recovering from her failure with the mummy, with Darius.

"Where are you going?" Estella asked as the Stoll Brothers were leaving while she walked in.

"There's an emergency meeting for all the counselors... It might be about a quest." Travis said.

Estella felt defeated. Of course, there would be a meeting called that she couldn't go to, despite going on a successful quest last year and being in the Great Prophecy. One would think Chiron would make an exception for her to discuss, she assumed, was about Annabeth's disappearance.

"If there was a Hecate cabin, I'm sure you would be the counselor!" Connor said, trying to cheer her up.

She gave a small, forced smile. "Yeah, that seems nice." She didn't want to mention the fact that she was currently the only child of Hecate at camp, which would automatically make her the head counselor.

"We'll see you later, almost sis!" They called while walking away.

Estella gave a small wave, watching them fade into the distance. Darius nudged her hand.

You're seriously not going to spy?

"Why would I want to do that if I'm not welcome?" Estella asked. Darius' dark eyes bore into hers. "Oh. That's the whole point."

It's about a quest; you need to see if you're able to go.

"Okay," Estella said. She didn't want to be embarrassed that a dog was more logical than her, but she was. "Fine. Let's go."

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BY THE time Estella got to the rec room (with the help of a locator spell on Percy, which included a piece of his hair and a bunch of herbs stolen from the Demeter cabin) the meeting had already started. She hid behind the doorway, peeking in only to see her friends and the Hunters gathered around a table.

"I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron said. "Hunters and campers must cooperate."

"Or do they?" Mr. D asked. "One shall be lost. One shall perish. 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?"

Chiron raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful."

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

Zoë grimaced.

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

"Oh joy," Dionysus said. "Another full annual meeting."

"Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoë said. "She's been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Krono'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.

"Yes, Lord Dionysus."