Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I have updated this. I am really sorry for the long wait. Tons of things happening at the one time tends to push other things out of your mind. and the lack of enthusiasm probably didn't help either. Again I am sorry, but I hope you enjoy this. It may be the last chapter you get in Lee's POV.

Chiron's Secret

The office was small, even for human standards, yet it had everything an ordinary office needed plus a few things such as Chiron's CD player with accompanying music CDs, walls of heroes which was probably reserved for his most trusted students, and celestial bronze plating to prevent monsters from discovering the use of electrical equipment in camp (not that the Hermes cabin cares). He even had party pony shirts hanging up. The only downfall for Chiron was that it wasn't big enough for a centaur which meant the old teacher was sitting in his wheelchair.

Chiron had been sitting in front of the biggest wall of heroes, remembering the 'good old days' with his numerous favourite students of the past, when we had been allowed to enter. All he told us was to 'take a seat' which ended up being a couple of chairs opposite him. It had been near on five minutes (though it definitely felt longer – especially near an Ares Child. Ow! What was that for? Who invited you in here anyway?) when the old centaur finally turned to us.

And that is when Glade Bushell entered the room, forgetting to knock in his haste to see what Chiron wanted. By the look on the satyr's face, I'd say that rumour had already gone around camp that John was back from the dead; he looked as pale as Hera's cabin and sounded like he had just run a marathon.

" Is it true, Chiron?" He panted. " Is John Smith really back from the dead? I didn't think that was possible."

Chiron heaved a sad sigh as I winced at the memory of my best friend's death.

" You should know just as well as any other that Lord Hades forbids anyone returning from his realm, my dear satyr. John Smith will no longer walk amongst us. Now if you would like to calm down and sit, I will explain."

With a nod and a deep breath, Glade took the last seat available in the room; the office chair that was behind the desk. Why Chiron had an office chair in the room when he had his own wheelchair is beyond me… but I think I remember one of my siblings saying something about it one time. I'm not quite sure. What I was sure about was that silence was turning into a bad thing in my books. And there was a lot of silence going on in that room the moment Glade sat down.

Finally, Chiron spoke. " The reason why I called you three in here is because I believe that Dominic has been in touch with his father."

" What?" I blurted out, unable to contain myself. " That's… Didn't you… How?"

" You demigods aren't the only ones who have prophetic dreams, you know."

We all just kind of looked at him. I'd never, in the entire time I've been at Camp Half-Blood, had even the smallest thought on how Chiron knew even a small portion of the amount of stuff he knows. To be honest, I got the feeling that - with those words - the three of us discovered something about the great centaur that most of the camp didn't. And the only thing Chiron did to confirm all of this was give a small nod.

Just before the silence got too thick, the old centaur continued with his explanation. It turned out that Chiron's dream included seeing both Dominic and Apollo in chains. He also explained that he witnessed a golden gryphon rescuing Dominic from said chains. The obviously weirded out look that was on my face then got Glade saying that 'not all monsters were bad'. But the weirdest thing that happened in that office was what Chiron said next.

" I apologise, Lee, but what I said to you about Apollo being missing for a month before you arrived back at camp was a lie. You see, Lord Apollo had told me to keep it secret that he was also looking for his son. It was he who told me to send you, Will and Kaytana to McKinnley High School where Dominic was. It wasn't until after the three of you had left that news came to me of Lord Apollo's disappearance."

" And you couldn't say anything about it earlier?" I asked. I felt like getting angry at the old man, but something stopped me.

" I'm afraid not, Lee. You see, when Lord Apollo told me to keep the secret from you, he also said that I would be able to tell you once Dominic arrived at Camp Half-Blood. Unfortunately, he never mentioned whether or not the boy had to arrive safely here. And I still had to keep my word."

" He made you swear on the River Styx, didn't he."

" Yes."

How did I know he was going to say that?

Remember how I said that something stopped me from getting angry at Chiron? Well, I think I only now figured out what it was. I wasn't able to get angry at Chiron because I was too busy getting angry at myself for not doing anything about Dominic almost blowing up Silver John and thus getting himself caught by monsters, injured and knocking himself unconscious entering camp so that he now lay in the infirmary, completely oblivious to what's happening around him and the possible turmoil that he was causing around Camp Half-Blood.

To put it simply, I was angry at myself for not going after Dominic so that he didn't get hurt and dragging him back with me while I still had the chance. My annoyance must have been obvious because Karla gently placed her left hand over my right (which seemed to have a mind of its own as it tapped out various tunes to keep my anger in check), Glade scratched the back of his neck and Chiron gave a soft sigh. A few seconds after that, Karla spoke.

" So… what does all this have to do with Glade and me?" She asked.

" What I want you three to do, my dear, is introduce Dominic to camp life when he wakes up and travel with him to rescue Apollo. I will give you a week before you have to leave." Chiron replied.

" But shouldn't there be a prophecy of something?"

" And wouldn't something like this have a deadline?" Glade added.

" I fear that our dear Oracle, Miss Dare, is unable to produce prophecies whist Lord Apollo is in trouble. That is why I am giving you the quest. As for the deadline, you may have to ask Dominic about that or else succumb to one of your prophetic dreams in order to find out. I'm sure Mr Smith will wake in the next day or two." Chiron said in a matter-of-fact tone.

That's when I stepped in. " Chiron. I can't leave camp until I'm – at least – able to go out in the sun again. The entire Apollo and Athena cabins have come together on the matter and refuse to let me leave the infirmary unless it's mealtime or wash time. I can't even train without them breathing down my neck. Every single one of them would have a fit if they found out that I'm on a quest."

" I'll have a talk with Annabeth and Will about that. In the meantime, it is time for the bonfire. I suggest you try and get some sleep Mr Harvey-King. You are now excused."

The three of us left the room silently with me being forced out by the one armed satyr. I didn't like how this was going to turn out, hence why I wanted to stay. And Glade saw that glint in my eye that I get when I start to get angry, hence him forcing me out of the room. But Karla on the other hand… she was the first one out like she was eager to get to the s'mores first. It was either that or she was planning something because she never charged out of any room unless she was really, really angry (which wasn't very hard to do).

So, while Karla quickly made her way down to the amphitheatre, Glade and I returned to the infirmary. The Apollo kids had left by now, having done all that they could for Dominic. But there was something about the boy that made my chest feel like it was being pumped with celestial bronze. Maybe it was the striking resemblance Dominic had to John, or the fact that I wasn't able to bring him to camp safely or maybe even the dread of having to tell Dominic of John's death… that it was my fault… that… that John was…

I can't bring myself to say it. Not while I'm looking at Dominic or any other time. That day still haunts me and probably will do for the rest of my life. And the poison that courses through me ever since that day is a constant reminder of the sacrifice that was made for my life… one that I constantly wished never had to happen.