¹Mσɳ Aɱσɳ Cαɾα I ᴘᴇʀᴄʏ ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ

6. He dreams of her for the first time

♡ Percy didn't show up for dinner that night. Which was a mistake, because Chiron and Grover came looking for him.

"Percy, I'm so sorry!" Grover said, sitting next to me on the bunk. "I didn't know they'd – that you'd – Honest!"

He started to sniffle, and Percy figured if he didn't cheer him up he would either start bawling or chewing up his mattress. Grover tended to eat inanimate objects whenever upset.

"It's okay," Percy lied. "Really. It's fine."

Grover's lower lip trembled. "I wasn't even thinking... I was so focused on helping Artemis. But, I promise, I'll look everywhere for Annabeth. If I can find her, I will."

"Grover," Chiron said, "perhaps you'd let me have a word with Percy?"

"Sure," he sniffled. Chiron waited.

"Oh," Grover said. "You mean alone. Sure, Chiron. See? Nobody needs a goat."

He trotted out the door, blowing his nose on his sleeve.

Chiron sighed and knelt on his horse legs. "Percy, I don't pretend to understand prophecies."

"Yeah, Well, maybe that's because they don't make any sense."

Chiron gazed at the saltwater spring gurgling in the corner of the room. "Thalia would not have been my first choice to go on this quest. She's too impetuous. She acts without thinking. She is too sure of herself."

"Would you have chosen me?"

"Frankly, no," he said. "You and Thalia are much alike."

"Thanks a lot."

He smiled. "The difference is that you are less sure of yourself than Thalia. That could be good or bad. But one thing I can say: both of you together would be a dangerous thing."

"We could handle it." Percy fell silent.

"The way you handled it at the creek tonight? Perhaps it is for the best," Chiron mused. "You can go home to your mother for the holidays. If we need you, we can call."

"Yeah, Maybe."

He pulled Riptide out of my pocket and set in on his nightstand. When Chiron saw the pen, he grimaced.

"It's no wonder Zoë doesn't want you along, I suppose. Not while you're carrying that particular weapon."

Percy didn't understand what he meant. Then he remembered something Chiron told him a long time ago: It has a long and tragic history, which we need not go into.

"Call your mother, Percy. Let her know you're coming home in the morning. And, ah, for what it's worth... I almost volunteered for this quest myself. I would have gone, if not for Lady Asteria forbidding me along with the last line."

"One shall perish by a parent's hand. Yeah." Percy said, remembering that Chiron's father was Kronos before asking. "What is up with her anyways? Dany, I mean? Everyone treats her with some type of respect. Even the gods like her. I don't understand."

"Lady Asteria is treated with respect because she has gained it, Percy. As for her story..." Unfiltered pain and sadness graced Chiron's face. "Lady Asteria has been through much, she has led a hard life. Her story is her's to tell but Percy you must not push her, do you understand? She has not only gained respect but has earned it and commands it."

Percy nodded. Well that didn't help at all.

"Chiron," he said. "You know what this Titan's curse is, don't you?"