Changing the Future

Chapter 7

Needless to say, my conversation with Chiron was by far the most awkward thing I've ever experienced in my entire life with the exception of human growth and development in ninth grade. My biology teacher, fresh out of college, had refused to meet any of our eyes and was bright red the entire time he read off of his PowerPoint presentation. Not to mention the immature boys who would ask the most indecent things mortifying our teacher and the more sensitive girls.

Okay, I described that in way too much detail, sorry.

Anyhow, Chiron was surprised to say the least once I revealed my parentage to him. I had come up to him after breakfast, and while he had been finishing the last of his coffee, I kinda just blurted out that my father was Kronos and he choked. One of the satyrs that had been nearby quickly ran and returned with a napkin for Chiron, eying the centaur as if he was deciding whether he needed to pat Chiron's back or not.

"My office," Chiron had spluttered out, wiping his mouth of the coffee that had dribbled out. "Now."

After a very heated fifteen minute conversation about how I was to keep my father's identity under lock and key, Chiron sighed and put his head in his hands. He lifted his head and gazed past me, his eyes fixated on a single book that was shelved on the bookcase by the door. He wheeled himself over, pulled out the large leather-bound book, and set it down on his lap.

"Come, child," Chiron had beckoned, flipping through the pages until he stopped on what he was looking for. "If you are indeed telling the truth, I figure it's best you know everything about our father."

"I've read everything on him I could find," I had told Chiron, a tingling in the back of my mind telling me to be careful of how much I revealed. I had no doubt in my mind that it was Salina, reminding me that my arrival into this world was to be my best guarded secret, something I'd take to my grave. "Every article, book, and webpage."

Chiron raised his eyebrows at me, most likely surprised as to how in depth my research was. "May I ask why you've researched the Titan King so extensively, Andy?"

"I've researched every entity extensively," I had answered calmly. And I hadn't been lying. Once I agreed to join the crazy worlds that Rick Riordan had wrote about, I forced myself to commit every myth, every story about all Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian mythologies to memory. My biggest concerns were clearly the Greek and Roman myths, but in the off chance I ran into Magnus, Samirah, Alex, Blitzen, Hearthstone, Sadie, or Carter, I wanted to be prepared.

"What do you mean every entity?"

"I mean that quite literally, Chiron," I said nonchalantly, standing beside him to read the page he had opened to. I read the first few lines and said, "Yes, I've already read this before. Don't remember where, but I know this information already."

"I'm impressed," Chiron had said, closing the book and sliding it back into place. "Maybe I should put you in charge of mythology classes in the foreseeable future."

I shrugged, readjusting my bag's strap over my shoulder. "I'd love to, but unfortunately I already have other commitments. The Olympians have chosen to oversee my training personally, wanting me to be a spy for them."

"That is most unusual. Lord Zeus is known for his distrust and dislike of demigods, especially powerful ones such as yourself. Speaking of which, you really shouldn't be alive, not after the meeting Mr. D took you to."

"Thanks for those kind words, Chiron," I replied sarcastically, shaking my head at his poor choice in wording. "I survived by pledging my undying fidelity to the Olympians, swearing an oath on the River Styx that I'd never turn against Olympus."