Rising Heroes Book One: When Angels Met Gods

Chapter Three: Prophecy

Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes of Olympus or Violet Eden

Chapter Three: Prophecy

"Two women, warriors in tow, shall go to the west to retrieve the stone

Their group of four will soon be six as they are carrying twins

Another child shall also arrive, but must die so the world survive."

Lincoln repeated the prophecy as Chiron and Calypso listened. Percy had left when they got a call about Adrian flooding Annabeth's work and Leo left to go fix her work's plumbing. Calypso had stayed behind to help them solve the riddle.

"Let's take this line by line," Jason suggested. "Two women, warriors in tow, shall go to the west to retrieve the stone."

"So me and Piper," Violet said. "We're the women. Jason and Lincoln are the warriors."

"So we go west," Piper said. "That's where the stone is."

"You might find more information about its specific whereabouts if you consult the seer Tiresias. He lurks around the mortal entrance to the Underworld." Chiron said.

"By DOD recording studios in Los Angeles," Calypso said. "Percy visited there on his quest to retrieve Zeus' bolt."

"Great," said Violet. "We have a destination. But the next line's confusing- Their group of four will soon be six as they are carrying twins."

"Apollo and Artemis?" Jason suggested.

"Maybe Waverly and Maverick?" Piper said. Then she shook her head. "No, they're too little."

"The line says, carrying twins," Chiron said. "The only thing that makes sense-" he stopped himself and shook his head. "No, that couldn't be it."

"What?" Lincoln asked.

"It would sense if..." Chiron stared at Violet and Piper. "If one of you were pregnant with twins."

Violet shook her head. "It's not me. I'm not pregnant."

"And Piper's not," Jason said. "Right, Pipes?"

"I am," Piper said.

Jason turned to look at her. "What? When were planning on telling me this?"

Piper looked down at the floor. "Five months ago," she whispered.

"I'm sure you two are very hungry," Calypso said suddenly, standing up. Lincoln and Violet followed her lead.

"Yes, very hungry," Violet agreed. "Why don't you take us somewhere we can eat?" The three shuffled out of the room while Chiron mumbled something about archery classes and followed them.

Jason turned to Piper. "Pipes, how far along are you?"

Piper didn't meet his eyes. "Seven months."

Jason shook his head angrily. "I can't believe this! We're having a baby in two months and you didn't tell me!"

Piper shook her head. "I was just so scared," she whispered. "We've only been married for a year and now we're having a baby? I just don't think that we're ready."

"Well it's too late now," Jason said. "If you had come to me about this, we could have sorted it out together! But now it's too late. And I don't think you should be going on a quest while pregnant!"

"I have to," Piper insisted. "You heard Chiron. It has to be me."

"Do you even have twins?" Jason asked.

Piper shrugged. "I have no idea." She paused for a moment. "Jason, did I lose you?"

Jason sighed. "I don't know, Pipes. I just... need some time to think."

Piper watched as he walked out the door, slamming it behind him. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks as she started to cry.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, over in the mess hall, Violet and Lincoln were sitting at the guest table. Calypso sat down with them but farther away so that they could have some space to talk.

"Everyone's staring," Violet muttered as she poked at her roast beef. They hadn't sacrificed their food like everyone else, earning them more than a few curious stares.

"It's fine," Lincoln said. Leaning in closer, he whispered, "Why didn't you tell them you were pregnant, Vi?"

Violet sighed. "The prophecy's about Piper, anyway. I'm not having twins. And besides, it's not like we'll ever see these people again after this quest. I'll give birth after we're gone."

"I still don't think you should be going at all," Lincoln's green eyes bored into hers. "You're five months, Vi. Almost six."

"Then let's be glad my bump is tiny," Violet said.

Lincoln shook his head. "Baggy clothing only gets you so far."

"Tell that to Piper," Violet looked at the Big House and watched as Jason stormed out the front door. "Maybe I should go talk to her."

Violet stood up, but Lincoln grabbed her wrist. "Give her some space. It's what you would want."

Violet nodded and slowly sat down. After a moment she smiled. "You know, we still haven't decided on a name."

Lincoln smiled back. "If it's a boy, we'll name him..."

"Gray," Violet said immediately. "And if it's a girl, we'll name her... actually, I can't think of any good girl names."

Lincoln shrugged. "If it's a girl, we'll think of one when she's born."

Violet smiled. "I like that plan."

The two clasped hands as they finished their meal and stood up.

"So," Violet asked Calypso, "where do we sleep?"

"Um," Calypso bit her lip. "I'm not really-" she was about to finish when she rushed over to the sacrificial flame and threw up.

"Are you okay?" Violet rushed over to her, then wrinkled her nose at the smell. "Oh, the gods will not like that."

"I'm fine," Calypso said. "Just-"

"Pregnant?" Lincoln interrupted with a smile. "You've been showing signs all day. And those pickle and mustard tacos? Please. They're a dead giveaway for cravings."

Calypso looked at him in bewilderment. "Yes, I am. But I'm only a month along and I haven't told Leo yet, so can we please keep this to ourselves?"

Violet smiled and squeezed her hand. "Of course. But did you consider... maybe you're the one from the prophecy?"

Calypso shook her head. "Although I'm no longer immortal, I still have some Titan abilities. It's one baby- a boy. And I'm not the questing type."

Lincoln smiled. "Congratulations."

Calypso smiled back. "Thank you. You'll probably leave in the morning, so you should get some sleep. Follow me."