MELANCHOLY [1]

FIVE

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VIA HAD NEVER BEEN INSIDE Cabin Two before, but it was not a place Via would want to live. It was as cold as a freezer, with a circle of white columns around a central statue of the goddess, at least ten feet tall, seated on a throne in fancy golden robes. Via tugged on the long sleeves of her shirt, shivering.

At the goddess's feet, a fire burned in a bronze brazier. A stone hawk sat on Hera's shoulder, and in her hand was a staff topped with a lotus flower. The goddess's hair was done in black plaits. Her face smiled, but the eyes were cold and calculating, just like the goddess was in real life.

There was nothing else in the cabin. For a goddess of home and marriage, Hera's cabin reminded Via of a tomb.

Via froze. They weren't alone. Behind the statue, at a little altar in the back, stood a figure covered in a black shawl. Only hands were seen, palms up. She seemed to be chanting something like a spell or a prayer.

Annabeth gasped. "Rachel?"

Via wasn't sure Annabeth knew that from a pair of hands, but sure enough, when the girl turned, it was Rachel.

"Hey!" She ran to give Annabeth and Via and gave a hug. "I'm so sorry! I came as fast as I could."

They got lost in conversation about Percy for a few minutes, until Via remembered Piper, who was standing awkwardly behind them.

"Sorry Piper, I've been leaving you out." Via apologised. "Rachel, this Piper, one the half-bloods we rescued today. Piper, this is Rachel Elizabeth Dare, our oracle."

"The friend who lives in the cave," Piper guessed.

Rachel grinned. "Yep, that's me."

"So you're an oracle?" Piper asked. "You can tell the future?"

"More like the future mugs me from time to time," Rachel said. "I speak prophecies. The oracle's spirit kind of hijacks me every once in a while and speaks important stuff that doesn't make any sense to anybody. But yeah, the prophecies tell the future."

"Oh." Piper shifted from foot to foot. "That's cool."

Rachel laughed. "Don't worry. Everybody finds it a little creepy. Even me. But usually I'm harmless."

"You're a demigod?"

"Nope," Rachel said. "Just mortal."