[1] 𝐼𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑠 - 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑦 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠𝑜𝑛

2.02

-

"MY DEAR," Chiron said. "You made it."

Annabeth walked into the arena. She sat on a stone bench and stared at the floor.

"Well?" Quintus asked.

Annabeth looked at Percy first. He couldn't tell if she was trying to warn him, or if the look in her eyes was just plain fear. Then she focused on Quintus. "I got the prophecy. I will lead the quest to find Daedalus's workshop."

Nobody cheered. I mean, they all liked Annabeth, and they wanted her to have a quest, but this one seemed insanely dangerous.

Chiron scraped a hoof on the dirt floor. "What did the prophecy say exactly, my dear? The wording is important."

Annabeth took a deep breath. "I, ah . . . well, it said, You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze . . ."

They waited.

"The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise."

Grover perked up. "The lost one! That must mean Pan! That's great!"

"With the dead and the traitor," Cassiopeia added. "Not so great."

"And?" Chiron asked. "What is the rest?"

"You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand," Annabeth said, "the child of Athena's final stand."

Everyone looked around uncomfortably. Annabeth was a daughter of Athena, and a final stand didn't sound good.

"Hey . . . we shouldn't jump to conclusions," Silena said. "Annabeth isn't the only child of Athena, right?"

"But who's this ghost king?" Beckendorf asked.

No one answered. But Percy had an idea - Nico.

"Are there more lines?" Chiron asked. "The prophecy does not sound complete."

Annabeth hesitated. "I don't remember exactly."

Chiron raised an eyebrow. Annabeth was known for her memory. She never forgot something she heard.

Annabeth shifted on her bench. "Something about . . . The immortal or the scarred taking their final breath."

The breath died in Percy's lungs.

"Katniss," he muttered before his voice rose. "It's Katniss! It has to be!"

"It's a possibility," Chiron said slowly. "Annabeth, what are the other lines?

The daughter of Athena stood. "Look, the point is, I have to go in. I'll find the workshop and stop Luke. And . . . I need help." She turned to Percy. "Will you come?"

He didn't even hesitate. Katniss was a part of the prophecy, he knew it.  "I'm in."

She smiled for the first time in days. "Grover, you too? The wild god is waiting."