Daughter of Neptune, Book one

V

Chapter five:

Tori pov

               Jason and the redhead, who introduced herself as Rachel, put Piper  on the couch while Annabeth rushed down the hall the hall to get the med kit. Piper was still breathing, but she wouldn't wake up. She seemed to be in some kind of coma. "We've got to heal her," Jason insisted. "There's got to be a way, right?" 

               Seeing her so pale, barely breathing, I felt a surge of protectiveness. Maybe she wasn't really my friend. But we'd survive survive the Grand Canyon together. We'd come all this way. I left her side for a second, and this happened. 

               Chiron put his hand on her forehead and grimaced. "Her mind is in a fragile state. Rachel, what happened. 

               "I wish I knew," she said, "As soon as I got to camp, I had a premonition about Hera's cabin. I went inside. Annabeth and Piper came in while I was there. We talked, and then--I just blanked out. Annabeth and I spoke in a different voice."

               "A prophecy?" Chiron asked. 

              "No. The spirit of Delphi comes from within. I know how that feels. This was long distance, a power trying to speak through me."

               Annabeth ran in with a leather pouch. She knelt next to Piper. "Chiron, what happened back there-- I've never seen anything like it. I've heard Rachel's prophecy voice. This was different. She sounded like an older woman. She grabbed Piper's shoulders and told her--"

              "To free her from a prison?" Jason and I guessed in unison.

              Annabeth stared at us. "How did you know that?"

              Chiron made a three finger gesture over his heart, like a ward against evil. "Jason, Victoria, tell them. Annabeth, the medicine bag, please." Chiron trickled drops from a medicine vial into Piper's mouth while Jason explain what had happened when time stopped--the dark misty woman who claimed to be our patron, and I did the color commentary. 

              When we were done, no one spoke, which made me more anxious. 

               "So does this happen often?" I asked. "Supernatural phone calls from convicts demanding you to bust them out of jail?"

               "Your patron," Annabeth said. "Not your godly parent?"

              "No, she said patron. She also said our fathers had given her our lives." Jason said.

               Annabeth frowned. "I've never of heard anything like that before. You said the storm spirit on the skywalk--he claimed to be working for some mistress who was giving him orders, right? Could it be this woman you two saw, messing with your minds?" 

               "I don't think so," Jason said. "If she were my enemy, why would she ask for our help? She's imprisoned. She's worried about some enemy getting more powerful. Something about a king rising from the earth on the solstice--"

               Annabeth turned to Chiron. "Not Kronos Please tell me it's not that." 

               The centaur looked miserable. He held Piper's wrist, checking her pulse. At last he said, "It's not Kronos. That threat  is ended. But..."

               "But what?" Annabeth asked. 

              Chiron closed the medicine bag. "Piper needs rest. We should discuss this later."