FREE FALLING | percy jackson

vii. the oracle speaks

PERCY JACKSON

Percy woke up in a cold sweat. The images of the dream still plaguing his mind. But, before he could think too long about it, he noticed the sunlight shining through the cabin door and Tyson missing from his bed beside Percy's.

The boy changed into his usual attire; shorts and the Camp t-shirt, and he stared hesitantly at the fountain towards the back of the cabin. A part of him wondered if another Iris Message was going to appear. He still couldn't figure out who was sending them to him since Nico clearly never realized they were happening. Percy waited for a second, then a knock came from the cabin door.

Isaac opened the door, "Hey man, Chiron is calling a war council. You better get out here, we are meeting in the sword arena."

Percy nodded, he thought it was pretty strange. For starters, they never held any meetings in the sword arena, they were always held around the pool table in the Big House. Then, secondly, when they arrived, they tried to discuss the fate of the camp while Mrs. O'Leary chewed on a life-size squeaky pink rubber yak. The hellhound did not understand the serious mood of the meeting, that was for sure.

Chiron and Quintus stood at the front by the weapon racks while Clarisse, Hana, and Annabeth sat next to each other and led the briefing. If Percy still felt shaken from the whole thing the night before, Hana looked like she was still trapped in the Labyrinth. Her eyes didn't look focused, it reminded Percy slightly of Annabeth, but on Hana it looked unnatural and frightening. She was tapping her fingers on her leg and her face was still pale, too. Percy got the feeling that Grover hadn't been the only one to hate being underground.

Percy figured Annabeth must've noticed the state of the girl as well because she kept looking down at the brunette anxiously but never said anything. Annabeth and Clarisse looked like Hana's personal bodyguards, which surprised him. Clarisse never was nice to any of the new campers, but when someone even gestured in the direction of Hana, Clarisse glared at them and scowled, resulting in them to quickly turn away.

Also present around the table: Juniper who was sitting next to Grover, Silena Beauregard, Travis and Connor Stoll, Beckendorf, Lee Fletcher, even Argus, the hundred-eyed security chief. Tyson was there too, but he sat as far away from Grover as possible.

Despite looking like she saw a ghost, Hana spoke calmly and confidently. She explained the situation to everyone and she told them about how and where the entrance to the Labyrinth was. Argus kept his hundred blue eyes trained on the girl so hard his entire body turned bloodshot.

"Luke must have known about the Labyrinth entrance," Annabeth said when Hana finished, "He knew everything about camp."

Percy thought he heard a little pride in her voice, like she still respected the guy, evil as he was.

Juniper cleared her throat, turning to Hana. "That's what I was trying to tell you last night. The cave entrance has been there a long time. Luke used to use it."

Silena Beauregard frowned, "You knew about the Labyrinth entrance, and you didn't say anything?"

Juniper's face turned green. "I didn't know it was important. Just a cave. I don't like yucky old caves.

"She has good taste," Grover said.

"I wouldn't have paid any attention except...well, it was Luke." She blushed a little greener.

Grover huffed. "Forget what I said about good taste."

Hana's lip quirked up in amusement and for a moment, she looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Then, Quintus spoke up and the weight was returned.