Flowergirl, Percy Jackson

20. A New Prophecy

At camp, Argus is waiting. He stands in the sand, arms crossed, every single one of his hundred eyes glaring at them. He could look a little happier to see they've all survived, Lila thinks. 

"Is she here?" Percy asks.

Argus nods.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth adds.

Argus shakes his head.

"Wonderful," Lila sighs. 

They follow him up to camp. It's weird to be back - surreal, as everything looks as it should be. Nothing is on fire, the sun is bright in the sky. Yet, it's also empty; silent. 

By the time they reach the Big House, green light is shooting from all the windows. Lila watches nervously as the Mist swirls around the yard. Chiron is watching, lying on a stretcher by the volleyball pit, while Blackjack canters around the grass. When he spots Percy, Lila's pretty sure he's apologising. 

Rachel stands at the bottom of the porch, arms raised like she's summoning demons in a horror movie. 

"What's she doing?" Annabeth demands. 

"Are we supposed to know?" Lila asks seriously. 

"How did she get past the barriers?"

"She flew," one of the satyrs glares at Blackjack. "Right past the dragon, right through the magic boundaries."

"Rachel!" Percy calls, but the satyrs stop him from going closer. 

"Percy, don't," Chiron warns, wincing when he tries to move. "You can't interrupt."

"I thought you explained things to her!"

"I did. And I invited her here."

"You said you'd never let anyone try again! You said—"

"I know what I said, Percy. But I was wrong. Rachel had a vision about the curse of Hades. She believes it may be lifted now. She convinced me she deserves a chance."

"And if the curse isn't lifted? If Hades hasn't gotten to that yet, she'll go crazy!"

The Mist swirles around Rachel, and she shivers. Lila listens to the exchange between Chiron and Percy with confusion. 

"Hey! Stop!" Percy runs toward her, ignoring all of Chiron's warnings. As soon as he gets close, he hits some invisible barrier, bouncing back to land in the grass. 

Rachel opens her eyes, but seems to look right through everything.  "It's all right." Her voice is distant. "This is why I've come."

"You'll be destroyed!"

She shakes her head. "This is where I belong, Percy. I finally understand why."

The house rumbles, the door flying open with green light pouring out. Mist curls into smoky waves around the house, seeming to get denser around some shadowy figure, solifying into the Oracle. Lila's never really seen the withered mummy - and she's glad. Her hair is falling out, skin cracking.

Rachel doesn't look scared, which probably says a lot about Lila's cowardly instincts. 

"You've waited too long. But I'm here now."

The sun suddenly blazes with an intense flame, and Apollo appears above the porch in the air. He's wearing a toga and sunglasses, which would be an odd fashion choice on most, but somehow he makes it work. 

"Apollo," Percy says.

He winks, but holds a finger up to his lips. 

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," he says. "You have the gift of prophecy. But it is also a curse. Are you sure you want this?"