𝐃𝐄𝐉𝐀 𝐕𝐔 • Percy Jackson.

24

"PERCY'S HURT." The question was never answered. They dropped what they were doing and followed the child of Apollo to the big house. They ran up the steps and rushed to the door, "What happened?" Amani asked as his eyes trailed  Percy's bandaged hand and his unconscious body on the bed.

The Apollo child explained, "his injuries make us believe he was bit by a pit scorpion. He was found in the forest, Chiron's doing his best to heal him the best he can right now." He explained before bidding goodbye. "How's the injury?" Annabeth asked Chiron gave a small smile of comfort, "nothing too bad. Amani could you feed Percy some nectar while I grab some things." Amani wordlessly nodded, grabbing the nectar on the table, and offering it to Percy's mouth.

There was a silence as Amani sat on one side of the bed with Annabeth. "What do you think happened?" She asked and Amani shrugged. "I don't know." He muttered. "Are you staying year-round?" Annabeth switched the topic and Amani nodded. "Yeah probably. Not like I have much of a choice." He said. "She hates this place." Maybe she hates the gods too, he thought silently thinking back to their last conversation.

Annabeth nodded, but she asked, "why doesn't your mom want you to stay at camp?" She asked and Amani shrugged, their last conversation had been all he had thought about at night when he couldn't sleep. "She doesn't think the camp suits me." Was all he said. "She doesn't want anything to do with the god stuff either." Amani said with a sigh, neither do I, he silently said.

"What about you? You're staying year round too right?" He asked, but Annabeth nervously picked at her beads. "About that…"

She didn't get to finish as Chiron came back and sat by the foot of the bed. Not long after, Percy woke up muttering, "here we are again." He blinked before staring at Amani in a daze. "Woah you look pretty–I mean good–uh–pretty good." Percy stumbled, Amani raised his eyebrows.

He threw the washcloth over his face.

"Hey!" Percy yelped and Amani managed to not laugh in his face. "You idiot, you were green and turning grey when we found you. If it weren’t for Chiron’s healing…" Annabeth said trailing off.

"Now, now," Chiron’s voice said. "Percy’s constitution deserves some of the credit." He was sitting near the foot of the bed in human form. He smiled, but his face looked weary and pale. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like my insides have been frozen, then microwaved."

"Apt, considering that was pit scorpion venom. Now you must tell me, if you can, exactly what happened." Between sips of nectar, Percy told them the story.

The room was quiet for a long time.

"I can’t believe that Luke…" Annabeth’s voice faltered. Her expression turned angry and sad. "Yes. Yes, I can believe it. May the gods curse him… He was never the same after his quest."

"This must be reported to Olympus," Chiron murmured. "I will go at once."

"Luke is out there right now," he said. "I have to go after him." Chiron shook his head. "No, Percy. The gods –"

"Won’t even talk about Kronos," he snapped. "Zeus declared the matter closed!"

"Percy, I know this is hard. But you must not rush out for vengeance. You aren’t ready." Amani sighed as Percy slumped. "Chiron… your prophecy from the Oracle… it was about Kronos, wasn’t it? Was I in it? And Annabeth or Amani?" Chiron glanced nervously at the ceiling. "Percy, it isn’t my place –"

"You’ve been ordered not to talk to me about it, haven’t you?"

His eyes were sympathetic, but sad. "You will be a great hero, child. I will do my best to prepare you. But if I’m right about the path ahead of you…"
Thunder boomed overhead, rattling the windows.