Pyrrhic

━━ V

IT HIGHLY AMUSED LYRA HOW THE ORACLE DID NOT GO BACK TO ITS PLACE THE SAME WAY IT HAD COME, instead freezing in the manner of a statue, thus leaving the task to two elected campers to carry her towards the Big House's attic, where everybody knew she had made herself at home for the last few decades or so. It was not amusing for her, however, the decision to send Percy Jackson and his satyr friend to do it, given everyone's venomous comments about the recently lost game and how it was all his fault, therefore dragging his best friend with him. It was not fair to blame it all on him—had Zoë Nightshade been just a second slower, he would have been the one crossing the boundary line, and there had not been another tactic, explicit or not, which could have won them that second. He had been a fast thinker, the problem was that Zoë was a fast runner. It was not his fault.

She had frowned at all of her cabin mates who had made a bitter comment towards the son of Poseidon (mostly M&M—Marisol and Michael, as Lee had named them, apparently a reference to a candy she had not tried yet) but made no statement in the matter. It was not her place to talk, she had not participated in the game, after all, nor was she a true camper. But the tense atmosphere was palpable and it was enough to overwhelm her: not only was the whole camp angry at a single person for losing the game to the Hunters, which led to a gloomy aura surrounding everyone except the immortal girls; but there was also the new prophecy from the Oracle, which introduced a flicker of apprehension inside Lyra's body, who subconsciously understood it was a very serious matter, and had the feeling she was somewhat involved in it.

Well, it was not much of just a feeling, given Dionysus had called a council of cabin leaders just as they were all returning to their cabins, and explicitly asked for her presence there. She did not know what to think about it, but Lee grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the Big House before she could get lost in her own head.

Luckily, it was not a long walk, and they were the first to arrive—well, Lyra was the first one to approach Chiron and Dionysus, for Lee told her he was going to briefly check on his siblings, who were in charge of the infirmary, and then he would come back. She did not get to greet the ones in charge of Camp Half-Blood properly, for the god kindly (and quickly, almost shooing her away) asked her to fetch both of the boys upstairs, those that had been tasked with the delivery of the Oracle to its "living" quarters.

She went up, noticing there were two voices engaged in a faint conversation. Lyra did not wish to eavesdrop, so she cleared her throat to make her presence known, and heard how they suddenly halted their speech just as she reached the top of the stairs. Percy Jackson was accompanied by his best friend, a curly-haired tall satyr, his brown eyes staring at her in confusion.

"Hi, I apologise for interrupting," she said, lightly smiling at them both, who automatically returned it, "but your presence is needed downstairs."

"Why?" The demigod asked, already following her down the stairs, the satyr behind him. "What happened?"

"Dionysus is calling a council of cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy," she told him, "which means you are included. And Grover, I think, for some reason."

The council was held around a ping-pong table in the same room where they talked about Lyra's situation right after she arrived at camp. Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: a couple of red cans labeled 'Cheez Whiz', crackers, and several bottles of red wine. When Chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of the people present were underage, the god sighed, turning the wine to Diet Coke with a snap of his fingers. Nobody drank that either, except for Lyra, who sipped it the whole conversation, as she had not much to say.

Dionysus and Chiron (who was in a wheelchair, hiding his centaur half) sat at one end of the table, whereas Zoë Nightshade and a young, olive-skinned and black-haired girl took the other end. Thalia, Grover (the satyr, who had introduced himself to her), and Percy sat along the right, and the other head councilors —Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, the Stoll brothers and Lee— sat on the left. Lyra was squished between Silena and Connor Stoll. The Ares kids were supposed to send a representative, too, but Lee had informed them that all of them had suffered broken limbs during capture the flag, courtesy of the Hunters, and they were resting up in the infirmary. Lyra was then chosen as the emissary for Cabin Five, as she did not represent her own.