Changing the Future

Chapter 38

While Chiron may have been over exaggerating about the Labyrinth at first, now I truly had a reason to be afraid of that stupid death maze. I had half a mind to kill Quintus the minute Percy and I returned to Camp Half-Blood, but I knew better. Maybe Hades would let me visit him in the Underworld after Nico releases his soul.

Percy had woken up before me, and according to Calypso, neither one of them were able to wake me up from my dream. From what I could gather, I'd been out for another two days, perhaps my overexertion finally catching up to me. I really didn't know.

I was currently sitting by the water, watching the gentle waves rush up to greet the sand before retreating back into the ocean. Calypso and Percy were talking behind me, the concern palpable in their voices.

"What happened?" Percy asked.

"I do not know," Calypso replied. "She was fine the last time she was awake. Perhaps she had a dream of some sort?"

"More like a nightmare."

He was right, of course. While Percy wasn't the smartest book-wise, he was one of the most observant people I'd ever met, able to distinguish someone's emotions by picking up on a few cues. It also helped that he'd known me for eight years, meaning he knew exactly how horrific my nightmares could be.

Could Kronos really inhabit me instead of Kyle?

I exhaled shakily, shoving that thought out of my mind. No, Kelli had to be lying. I hadn't bathed in the Styx, and nothing short of a complete brain washing would be enough to convince me to join my father.

Then again, this was uncharted territory. Even Salina had never heard of a mortal child of Kronos until the Fates told her about me, something that made me extremely dangerous. My powers alone were that of a minor god, which I knew Zeus hadn't been too happy about when he learned just how much I could affect the natural world simply based on my emotions.

Even so, I'd never heard of any god or Titan having the ability to possess one of their own children. Sure, they could influence a person using multiple different methods, but it's not like Poseidon was going to take over Percy's body and use it to do his bidding.

But this was Kronos we were dealing with. Thousands of years in Tartarus was more than enough time for the Crooked One to pick up on even darker tricks than he'd been aware of when he was king, which may have included possessing one's child.

Gods, I knew I'd be needed back at camp to help out in the fight, but maybe it was better if I accepted Poseidon's offer. At least I'd know that my mind would stay my own.

"Want to talk about it?" Percy asked, taking a seat next to me in the sand.

I sighed again, pulling my knees up to my chest. "Not really. You just need to know that my father is almost awake and that I won't be able to help you anymore on this quest. Once we get back to camp, I'm staying there."

"Not to sound rude, but why now? You promised to always be there for me, but now you're taking that back when the Labyrinth is involved?"

"It's not like that, Percy." I grabbed a fistful of sand. "I promised to be there, I know, but what I saw in that nightmare..." I shuddered.

"What did you see?"

"Percy, I-"

"Andy, I've always respected your privacy," Percy interrupted, "but I need to know why you're pulling away now of all times. If things go south, I knew I could always count on you to show up and help us out. If you're no longer available, I want to know why."

"Fair enough."

I told Percy everything I'd seen in that dream, including details about Kelli. Percy seemed relieved that he wasn't the only one the cheerleader could sense whilst in dreams, but he wasn't all that thrilled at the mention of her name, either.