I woke up in the big house on the leather couch. The last thing I remembered was feeling like I was gonna puke after my team lost capture the flag.
"Saph!" I looked over and saw Troy walk in from the kitchen, smiling.
"Hey guys she's up!" he yelled into the kitchen before walking in. He sat at the edge of the couch and patted my leg.
"How are you feeling?" his eyes filled with concern.
"I feel absolutely fine, why?" Chiron trotted in followed by Mr. D, V, and Kori.
"You mean you don't remember anything?" Kori asked. I looked over at V. She had her arms crossed but her face was anxious. I thought back to when I was walking towards Chiron and was about to say something when I heard a voice.
Sapphira
I yelled and fell off the couch. Troy rushed over and sat me up.
"Who said that?" I turned and looked around the room. Mr. D made a face before making a diet coke appear in his hand.
"I swear I'm not crazy!"
Of course you're not. Calm down child.
"Ah, Urania. Nice to hear from you." Mr. D said, taking a sip from his coke can.
"Wha-" then something really weird happened. It was like I took a back seat in my own body. It looked like I was wearing purple glasses.
"Dionysus, pleasure." The voice in my head answered, using my mouth. I saw Troy jump back, V's eyes widened as she dropped her arms and Kori covered her mouth.
"I though you guys had died out." He said casually, like he was saying he thought I had gone to the grocery store.
"That is why I am here. I haven't much time. If I stay awake for much longer, this girl will turn to ash."
Wait, WHAT? Uh uh, no. Someone get an axe, there's a goddess in my head!
"Sapphira is hosting my sleeping conscience. Those two," I/she pointed to V and Kori, "are hosting my sisters." Both V and Kori's jaws went slack.
"No way! Then why aren't we all like you?" V gestured to her/me. Gods this was confusing! The voice giggled sadly.
"Someone had to give notice to you. If you children don't release us, we will take over your psyche. You will cease to exist and that is only if your bodies can handle the transition." I felt like someone had dropped a bomb into my stomach. I wanted to scream and cry and yell.
"H-how are we supposed to do that?" Kori managed to stutter. Urania chuckled.
"Sweet Korinna, you must go to Mount Helicon-"
"The home of the muses." Kori interrupted, "But that's in Greece."
"Yes child. My sister Clio has blessed you. You host her in the depths of your conscience. Vanessa, you hold the gifts of Euterpe. Your words and songs are sweeter than honey and hold more power than you realize."
V picked at her black Beatles shirt, refusing to make eye contact.
"You must travel to Mount Helicon. Go to the Valley of the Muses. Find our sanctuary and go to the alter."
"Sounds pretty easy if you ask me." Troy said, trying to lighten the mood. I shook my head, as Saph, as me.
"The journey will be perilous. I have foreseen that you, Troy Avalon, shall join them. Along with the son of Hades and a child of Hermes. He should be here momentarily." And right on cue, Jacob tumbled through the kitchen door.
"You called?" He said, looking to Chiron. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't question.
"What's up with Saph?" He took a few steps into the living room.
"Oh, nothing. She's just hosting a dead goddess. Oh, and wouldn't ya know it. So are Kori and I!" V yelled, gesturing with her arms. Jacob's face turned white, his freckles were the only color on his cheeks.
"Listen here, child of Hades. Fate has dealt you with a grand hand. But it is by your will you use your gifts. You leave at first light. However, you must not enter the path of Greece through the pillars of Heracles. I must sleep now." And like that, Urania fell back asleep and I was put back into the driver's seat. Chiron's tail swished nervously.
"What did she mean that we're not taking the water route? What other way can we go?" Troy asked. I gripped his hand. Kori's eyes flashed, literally. They turned a gold color and glowed.
"Bristol. First to Bristol, then London." Her voice sounded like hers so luckily she was still herself.
"Then what?" I asked. Her eyes stopped glowing and returned to their normal blue color.
"That's all she said. She'll tell us more later. She said that we would have too much trouble if we went the way the 7 went." Years earlier my brother and 6 others traveled to Greece to defeat Gaea. He told me how awful the trip was. I nodded in agreement. V bit her lip.
"Nico won't go. He said he'd had enough of Greece for a life time." Kori tugged her hair nervously.
"But he has to. Urania said. She's the muse of astronomy and was said could tell the future from the stars so it will happen." V lowered her eyebrows and nodded, though she wasn't convinced.
"Who's gonna tell Percy?" I asked. I totally forgot about him. He was gonna freak! It was like the Trojan war just letting him let me and V go to Buffalo on our own.
"I'll tell Percy and Jason." Chiron said as he dug one of his hooves into the Persian rug. Kori nodded in thanks. The front door creaked open and Nico stepped through.
"I brought someone." He announced and Mary stepped inside, she had wrapped her ankle and had a crutch under her right arm.
"Mrs. Carson!" Kori squealed and ran to her. She laughed and hugged Kori with her free arm.
"Hi, Kori. It's good to see you too. I heard you were claimed." Kori nodded, but refused to let go of her. Mary looked up and saw everyone's solemn expression.
"What'd I miss?" she asked confused. Chiron filled her in as Mr. D lounged in a chair. Mary kept a protective arm around Kori, like a worried mother. I noticed Nico looking at his feet after hearing that he had been specifically named to go.
"You're letting 6 teenagers go to Greece without any supervision?" Those teacher attitudes stick around even when school's out. Yippee.
"We have no choice Mary and you know that." Chiron said gently. She didn't look convinced and tightened her grip around Kori.
"Mrs. Carson, we have to go. We'll be back here soon." Kori gave Mary a big puppy eyed look. She sighed and kissed her head.
"I suppose that means you all should get to bed then." She said.
"Yes, you have a big day tomorrow. You'll need all the sleep you can get." Chiron agreed and sent us to our cabins. But before we actually walked out the door Chiron stopped us.
"Oh and girls. Tell Percy and Jason that I'd like to see them." I swallowed and nodded. I walked out and caught up with V.
"Hey V, um, I'm sorry I didn't talk to about what was going on." She didn't look at me.
"Um, V? I know you're mad but-"
"Hell yeah I'm mad! I'm pissed!" She trudged on. I hurried to catch up.
"I'm sorry! I was scared, I didn't know what was going on and-"
"That's exactly why you should have told me!" she spat and disappeared through an inky curtain. I stood there for a few seconds, shocked. The cicadas buzzed in the background, making me feel even lonelier. I was kinda in a haze. I walked into the cabin, gave Percy a hug, and then got ready for bed. I was exhausted by the time I hit the pillow and was about to fall asleep when the cabin door opened. Percy's footsteps were slow and heavy as he walked over to my bed. He rubbed my shoulder and sat down on his bed.
"I know that you're probably asleep, but I gotta say a few things. I know you aren't exactly best friends with Annabeth, but she cares about you. You need to come back safe and sound, ok?" He sighed and the springs in the mattress goaned.
"Come back home safe."