Annabeth chase and the conspiracy of endless time (A pjo swap parent fanfic)

Chapter 17 : So do i

Annabeth's pov

We left Athena's house. I noticed that it was already morning, around 7am. I still had doubts in my heart because of last night's dream. Could it be possible that Kronos and Athena were conspiring to overthrow Zeus?

I remembered the story of Athena's birth. Zeus heard the prophecy of the three fates that his son with the goddess of wisdom Metis would overthrow him and take the throne. So Zeus swallowed Metis to ensure that he would not be harmed. But then Athena was born from Zeus's head. Was the prophecy of the three fates really changed just because Zeus swallowed Metis?

Fate is a much more unpredictable and unavoidable thing than that. That is a lesson that history has taught me. Could it be that the ancient prophecy would never come true? Is there anything that can't happen just because Athena is a girl? And if Zeus "absorbed" Metis and the two are now one, then aren't all of Zeus's future children technically the children of Metis and Zeus?

If Athena's deal with Kronos is true, then does Athena's partnership with Hades mean Hades is on Kronos' side? Or are these two partnerships not even related? But which is more likely?

Why did Athena return our weapons? I think it was because I was part of her plan, but what part and what role I played is the question. This makes me believe even more in the theory that Kronos and Athena (and possibly Hades) are working together, after all Kronos already invited me so maybe Athena is just trying to entice me? Does Athena know that I know nothing about her deal with Hades or that my (her) Godly Grandfather visited me in my dreams?

Should I tell Percy about this? Is there any chance he'll think I'm making this up and blaming Kronos and Athena? Now that I think about it, I never told him about the dream about Kronos. If I were him, it would definitely raise my guard. After all, we were all just looking for something and tagging along on the mission.

Not to mention that the prophecy said he would be betrayed by a so-called "friend". I'm not sure if he considers me a friend, probably not, although we did spend some time talking to each other. But that's different, you know? Honestly, the prospect of me becoming the "friend" who would betray him was not beyond my expectations when I heard about the prophecy.

I was lost in my thoughts until I tripped over a tree branch on the side of the road, and I suddenly regained awareness of my surroundings.

-Ah!

I fell to the ground, of course one or two falls or even hundreds of falls on the ground would not have done anything to me. It was just the fall that made me realize that I was so lost in my thoughts that I had not seen the tree branch.

I should never have let my guard down, that was the lesson that Luke, Thalia, and Hades had always reminded me of. But the recent events only made me more confused. There were so many possibilities and hypotheses that could happen, that I started to panic.

-Are you okay, Annabeth?

Grover asked me. He held out his hand as if to help me up.

I wanted to take his hand too, but then I remembered what I had heard. I wasn't sure, my heart was screaming at me to say it again and let him know how important it was. My head was protesting the opposite because it would just make things more awkward.

-Ah, no need. Thanks.

I said and stood up. Grover reluctantly withdrew his hand. He didn't really want to look me in the face. Neither did I...

Percy had been walking ahead of us, he had paused but now he was continuing on. He had been silent all this time. I could understand why and I figured I would leave him alone.