Party in the Dark, A. Chase & P. Jackson

Lydia Goes Against God...Or At Least A God

          Technically, Lydia was not permitted to join in on councilor meetings given that she was the youngest in her cabin. Instead, that right was given to Castor, who was the eldest of the twins. Given the circumstances of the current meeting about the prophecy the Oracle just gave though, Lydia could not give less of a damn about the rules. Crouched down and hiding outside the open window that met the meeting room, the Dionysus girl listened intently to the members speak. She had been in such a rush to snoop that she was still in her capture the flag gear, which now beared new scorch marks and a tiny bit of steam still rising from where Thalia's lightning hit her. Demigod healing meant she was fine, but her right eye still occasionally twitched from the aftershock of being electrocuted. 

          "Our goddess needs us," the voice of Zoe rang out, interrupting the senseless chatter, "The Hunters must leave immediately."

          "And go where?" Chiron could be heard asking.

          "West!" Was that Bianca? How did the younger girl manage to get herself into this meeting? Lydia silently scowled, wondering if she could have managed to get in without eavesdropping. "You heard the prophecy. Six shall go west to the goddess in chains. We can get six hunters and go."

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

          Lydia had half a mind to jump up and add in Annabeth, annoyed that the Hunters were choosing to ignore the missing camper.

          "Your," Thalia spoke up, voice hard yet almost dazed. Lydia figured she was maybe still recovering from whatever she did to her head. "Nobody has said thy in, like, three hundred years, Zoe. Get with the times."

          The bickering between the two girls made Lydia want to bang her head on the wall in front of her. With the dry blood still on her upper lip, perhaps a little more couldn't hurt.

          "I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron finally interrupted. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

          "Or do they?" Lydia's father spoke up. He sounded almost bored with the conversation, but his words held a sharper sense of authority. "One shall be lost. One shall perish. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

          Lydia was thrown off by his words. Normally her father couldn't care any less about the campers, especially the ones that tried to be heroes. Why would he suddenly be bothered by a prophecy warning of their demise?

          "Mr. D," Chiron this time. "With all due respect, whose side are you on?"

          "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful," his words sounded more clipped this time. The gods always knew more than they let on, Lydia wondered what he knew now. It was as if she could sense a little fear coming off of his normally bored or annoyed aura.

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

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

          "Oh, joy," Dionysus muttered, sounding distracted by something. "Another dull annual meeting."

          "Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoe said. "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."