✔ | [1] 𝒞𝒶𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝒸 | ᴘᴇʀᴄʏ ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ

𝓁𝓍𝓋. Camp's new resident redhead

⋆༺𓆩⚔𓆪༻⋆

I think I'll miss you forever.

Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky

Later's better than never

Even if you're gone, I'm gonna drive

I got that summertime, summertime sadness

⋆༺𓆩⚔𓆪༻⋆

⚔ Camp looked so peaceful—no burning buildings, no wounded fighters. The cabins were bright in the sunshine, and the fields glittered with dew. Basically, it looked like the complete opposite of Manhatten.

Annabeth, Percy, Nico, and Ethan followed Argus to the big house.

They could immediately tell that something was wrong. Green light was shooting out of all the windows, just like Percy had seen in his dream about May Castellan. Mist—the magical kind—swirled around the yard. Chiron lay on a horse-sized stretcher by the volleyball pit, a bunch of satyrs standing around him. Blackjack cantered nervously in the grass.

Don't blame me, boss! he pleaded when he saw Percy. The weird girl made me do it!

Rachel Elizabeth Dare stood at the bottom of the porch steps. Her arms were raised like she was waiting for someone inside the house to throw her a ball.

"What's she doing?" Annabeth demanded. "How did she get past the barriers?"

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

Sure, blame the innocent horse!

"Rachel!" Percy called, but the satyrs stopped him when he tried to go any closer.

"Percy, don't," Chiron warned. He winced as he tried to move. His left arm was in a sling, his two back legs were in splints, and his head was wrapped in bandages. "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 got to that yet, she'll go crazy!"

The mist swirled around Rachel. She shivered like she was going into shock.

"Hey!" Percy shouted. "Stop!"

Percy ran towards her, ignoring the satyrs. He got within three metres and hit something like an invisible beach ball. He bounced back and landed in the grass. Rachel opened her eyes and turned. She looked as if she were sleepwalking—as if she could see them, but only in a dream.

"It's all right." Her voice sounded far away. "This is why I've come."

"You'll be destroyed!"

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

It sounded too much like what May Castellan had said. The house rumbled. The door flew open, and a green light poured out. Percy recognised the warm, musty smell of snakes.

Mist curled into a hundred smoky serpents, slithering up the porch columns and curling around the house. Then, the Oracle appeared in the doorway.

"She gives me the creeps," Ethan mutters, shifting so he stands in front of Nico.