Annabeth Chase and the Titan's Curse

Chapter 26 - We hide secrets

Percy shouldn't be allowed to deliver bad news any more. He does an awful job of it.

First he had to tell Nico of his sister's death. If that wasn't a bad enough thing to experience, some of the undead skeletons that had pursued them all through their quest somehow managed to get into camp and attacked him. Nico managed to banish them but that only led to the worse bit kid news of all: that he was a son of Hades.

Grover and I were the first ones Percy turned to when Nico took off into the woods. We'd been searching for hours but there wasn't a single sign of the kid. It was like the ground had just swallowed him up, which is a possibility now that we know who his father is.

I came to the only conclusion I could think of. "We have to tell Chiron."

"No," Percy said immediately in a forceful voice.

I stared at him in shock. We had to tell Chiron, there was really nothing else we could do. It was out of our hands.

Grover looked as stunned as I. "Um, what do you mean . . . no?"

"We can't let anyone know," Percy said. "I don't think anyone realises that Nico is a -"

"A son of Hades," I supplied. "Percy, do you have any idea how serious this is? Even Hades broke the oath! This is horrible!"

"I don't think so," he said. "I don't think Hades broke the oath."

"What?" Did he really not understand how children happened?

"He's their dad," he explained, "but Bianca and Nico have been out of commission for a long time, since even before World War II."

I thought Percy had completely lost it but Grover seemed to understand.

"The Lotus Casino!" he exclaimed. He told me about how they had talked with Bianca about history and found she'd been missing a large chunk. She knew who the current president was, but she thought the previous president had been Franklin Roosevelt, who was in charge about seventy years ago. "She and Nico were stuck there for decades. They were born before the oath was made."

Percy nodded in agreement. I was glad now that we had only been stuck there a few days. Years was bad enough but decades? That could really mess you up.

"But how did they get out?" I asked.

"I don't know," Percy said. "Bianca said a lawyer came and got them and drove them to Westover Hall. I don't know who that could've been, or why. Maybe it's part of this Great Stirring thing. I don't think Nico understands who he is. But we can't go telling anyone. Not even Chiron. If the Olympians find out -"

"It might start them fighting among each other again," I sighed. "That's the last thing we need."

Grover looked worried. "But you can't hide things from the gods. Not forever."

"I don't need forever," Percy said. "Just two years. Until I'm sixteen."

I paled. Surely he couldn't be saying what I think he is. "But, Percy, this means the prophecy might not be about you. It might be about Nico. We have to -"

"No," he cut me off. "I choose the prophecy. It will be about me."

"Why are you saying that?" I cried, feeling fear punch through my heart. "You want to be responsible for the whole world?"

Percy paled as he considered that, but then a familiar determined look came over his face. I knew on seeing that that he wouldn't give up. He had made up his mind and nothing would change that. It was one of the traits I loved best about him.

"I can't let Nico be in any more danger," he told me, as if trying to make me understand and accept his decision. Like he needed my permission. "I owe that to his sister. I . . . I let them both down. I'm not going to let that poor kid suffer any more."

"The poor kid who hates you and wants to see you dead," Grover reminded him.

"Maybe we can find him," Percy said hopefully. "We can convince him it's okay, hide him somewhere safe."

I shivered, remembering my own time on the run. At least I had friends but Nico was alone.

That just reminded me of my old companions. "If Luke gets hold of him -"

"Luke won't," Percy promised. "I'll make sure he's got other things to worry about. Namely, me."

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I could tell that Chiron didn't believe us at all when Percy and I told him about Nico's disappearance, leaving out the part of his parentage. He knew we were hiding something but he didn't ask us. He knew us well enough to know that if we were keeping secrets, then it was for a good reason.

He seemed resigned to the fact that Nico was gone. The young demigod wasn't the first half-blood to go missing.

"So young," Chiron sighed, leaning his face into his hands. "Alas, I hope he was eaten by monsters. Much better than being recruited into the Titan's army."

I didn't particularly like either option.

"You really think the first attack will be here?" Percy asked.

Chiron seemed distracted, staring off at the Fleece on Thalia's pine tree. It seemed that all his years were finally starting to weigh on him.

"It will not be until summer, at least," he said finally. "This winter will be hard . . . the hardest for many centuries. It's best that you go home to the city, Percy, try to keep your mind in school. And rest. You will need rest."

Percy looked at me. "What about you?"

I felt myself flush as I prepared to tell him what I had decided to do since seeing and speaking to my dad. "I'm going to try San Francisco after all. Maybe I can keep an eye on Mount Tam, make sure the Titans don't try anything else."

"You'll send an Iris-message of anything goes wrong?" My heart fluttered at the concern in his voice.

I nodded. "But I think Chiron's right.  It won't be until the summer. Luke will need time to regain his strength."

And work on the labyrinth, I thought.

"All right," he said. "Just take care of yourself. And no crazy stunts in the Sopwith Camel."

I smiled. "Deal. And, Percy -"

I was ready to tell him to keep in touch when Grover burst through the door, cutting me off. His face was haggard and pale, like he'd seen a sight not meant for human eyes.

"He spoke!" he cried.

"Calm down, my young satyr," Chiron said, frowning. "What is the matter?"

"I . . . I was playing music in the parlour," he stammered, looking excited and nervous at the same time, "and drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee! And he spoke in my mind!"

"Who?" I demanded.

"Pan!" Grover wailed. "The Lord of the Wild himself. I heard him! I have to . . . I have to find a suitcase."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Percy said. "What did he say?"

Grover grew steady all of a sudden and fixed Percy with serious eyes. "Just three words. He said, 'I await you'."