Shattered

Plan

"Three and two," Percy said, emulating his previous quote.

Everybody looked at him. Thalia even forgot to ignore him and not glare.

"We're supposed to have five," he continued, feeling self-conscious. "Three Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair."

Thalia and Zoe exchanged looks. They seemed to be saying, 'The idiot actually uses his brain', although percy supposed that Thalia would have probably called him something more nasty like 'kelp-for-brains', or 'kelp-head'

"Well," Thalia said. "It does make sense."

Zoe grunted. "I would prefer to take all the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers."

Zoe was a rather fine actress...

"You'll be retracing the goddess's path," Chiron reminded her. "Moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You will have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: The bane of Olympus shows the trail. What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best."

Zoe picked up a Ping-Pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first. "This monster—the bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be.", except she did. She knew of the Ophiotaurus, but she had no way of revealing this information without uncovering their secret.

Everybody looked at Dionysus, because he was the only god present and gods are 'supposed' to know things. He was flipping through a wine magazine, but when everyone got silent he glanced up, "Well, don't look at me. I'm a young god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty titans. They make for terrible party conversation."

"Chiron," Percy said, "you don't have any ideas about the monster?"

Of course, he already knew about the ophiotaurus, but he still needed to put up a charade so that his secret could remain. Pretty much what Zoe had done mere moments ago.

Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father, Poseidon, would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."

"That's some serious danger you're facing," Connor Stoll said, "Sounds like at least two of the five are going to die."

"One shall be lost in the land without rain" Beckendorf said. "If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert."

There was a muttering of agreement. Percy looked over at Bianca remorsefully and noticed Zoe looking at him with a sad eye.

"And the Titan's curse must one withstand," Silena said. "What could that mean?"

Percy and Zoe exchange a nervous look,

"One shall perish by a parent's hand," Grover said in between bites of Cheez Whiz and Ping-Pong balls. "How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?"

There was heavy silence around the table.

Percy remembered the oath he took merely minutes ago. Atlas. Atlas would love to kill his daughter. But not if Percy had something to do with it...

"There will be deaths," Chiron decided. "That much we know."

"Oh, goody!" Dionysus said.

Everyone looked at him. He glanced up innocently from the pages of Wine Connoisseur magazine. "Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don't mind me."