Down in Flames [OC Demigod Fic]

Chapter Thirteen "An Odd Prophecy"

After Grandma Jean finishes her letter of recommendation for me, we share an emotional hug goodbye. Atticus and I hurry back to Camp Jupiter to meet up with Rhodes and July, who are waiting at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

"Sabine!" Rhodes calls out as I enter the temple; he jogs over to greet me with an unexpected hug, which I don't hesitate to return. I've never been much of a hugger— today seems to be filled with surprises. "I've been accepted into the Fifth Cohort, on probatio— whatever that all means," he gushes, quickly summarizing the events he'd undergone during our time apart.

"Have you been claimed?" I ask him in anticipation. Glancing around the temple, I just now notice the giant statue of Jupiter glaring down at us from the center of the room. It's quite humorous, in fact; I hadn't moved my gaze from Rhodes in the past two minutes. There was definitely something magnetizing about him.

"Not yet," he looks down, sounding worried. "But July says I could be a legacy, and that can take a bit longer to find out." Since he brought it up, I seize the opportunity to tell him about my visit with Grandma Jean, and how her and Warren, my grandfather, are Roman demigods.

Neither of us realize how much time is passing until Atticus, now standing next to July, asks us to join them for an important occasion. July, smiling at us cheekily, now holds a stuffed lamb plushie in one hand and a knife in another. Now aware of the fact that July is the Augur of Camp Jupiter, I begin to panic a little inside; she's going to read our fortunes.

Reluctantly, I walk over to them, clasping my hands together in nervousness. Rhodes tells me July, though being a daughter of Minerva— Athena's Roman form— she was gifted with the power of prophecy from a young age.

"Do we really have to do this?" Rhodes asks July, perhaps thinking similarly to me. Knowing the future makes it so much more stressful.

"It'll be a cinch," July assures us, looking at us sympathetically. "And don't worry, I always patch up the stuffed animals and donate them to cancer patients after every stuffed entrail reading." Though her intentions must be well, that was the creepiest sentence I've ever heard uttered in my entire life.

Pushing stray chocolate brown curls out of her face, July begins the ritual. I watch as the lamb is shredded and gutted in the kindest possible way. Even so, Doc McStuffins would be forever scarred by the experience.

"Oh no, oh no oh no oh no," July murmurs to herself, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Her features soften for a moment and she lets out a quiet hum. Yet, as soon as it came, the peaceful look passes, giving way to an even more worried expression. "How... in the Underworld..." She stretches the cotton with her fingers delicately, as if one false move would ruin the reading.

No one dares to interrupt July's nonsensical mumbling as she meticulously sifts the fluff around in a disarrayed pattern. "Rome in chaos, Pluto will rise, though flames can quench the darkness... a war shall be waged, a fight against madness. Greeks and Romans joi hands once again, the child of both is hard to understand... Pawn, a pawn in the game, who is the pawn?" July's voice becomes more frantic. "Will the puppet be free of its trembling strings... Will the pawn break free from the king's hand?"

She abruptly snaps out of her hypnotic daze. Putting her knife away and smiling peacefully at them, July proclaims, "Excellent! Sabine, Rhodes, You're both very welcome at Camp Jupiter."

Rhodes and I look at each other nervously. His face seems to say, Did that really just happen?

"Pardon me for disagreeing," Atticus quickly rebounds off her statement. "But you've said a number of questionable things in the past minute. Are you sure there isn't anything more you would like to clarify for us?"

July simply shakes her head. "There's nothing to worry about. I must have been mistaken."

I hope she's mistaken, but her words have etched themselves in my brain; they seem to echo through my soul. Why is July acting like that episode never happened? From what I've pieced together from my father, Dennis, and her augury, a war is definitely coming. The only god mentioned was Pluto— perhaps he has answers. I'd rather not visit the Underworld and find out.

"Am I the only one completely creeped out or..." Rhodes says with bewilderment.

"What do you mean, Rhodes?" July stifles out a laugh. "Nothing is wrong. You might want get back to your Cohort. Preparing for the War Games tomorrow would be a wise idea."

"Really, you're scaring me." He keeps his tone lighthearted in an attempt to distill the tension in the air.

The augur looks past Rhodes and directly into my eyes, sending a shiver down my spine. In a low, trance-like voice, she replies, "I'm not the one you should be scared of." Immediately after saying those ominous words, July collapses inexplicably.