Chapter 8

Apollo had started to explain to Rachel about the other Oracles, but that wasn't want brought my attention back to the conversation.

"Even though Delphi is the only known Oracle now, in ancient times there were a few more." Apollo started.

"Weren't all of those destroyed years ago?" Chiron questioned.

"That was what I believed too, until now. I think the Grove of Dodona is here at the camp. And I think the Triumvirate Holdings wants to control all of them." Apollo replied.

"What do you mean it is here at camp?" I asked.

"There is more like me?" Rachel questioned.

"No, you are the only Pythia. And I think it is somewhere in the forest." Apollo replied.

"What are the other Oracles?" Rachel asked.

"One of them was the Sybil of Cumae, she wrote the Sibylline books, those prophecies are save in Ella's memory. The other three, after some research to help my memory, are the Oracle at Erythaea and one at the Cave of Trophonius." Apollo started. "And then the one I just talked about. The Grove of Dodona."

"Is that like trees?" Meg questioned.

"Yes, and that is why I believe it is in the forest at the camp." Apollo replied. "Dodona were the sacred oaks that were planted by the Mother Goddess at the first days of the world." He added and looked at me.

"You mean Rhea?" I asked.

"Yes, the trees would talk and tell prophecies." Apollo replied.

"Do you think that might be what is causing the campers to disappear? Maybe the Grove is calling them?" I suggested.

"But Rhea as not been seen for more than a millennia and her grove was burn long ago." Chiron said.

"I think it regrow just like the The Labyrinth rebuilt itself." Apollo explained. "However, the Grove needs attention otherwise the voices can drive people insane."

"So, it is better for us to reach to it before Python." I said.

"Then we should go look for it." Meg said. "The two of us."

"The two of us?" Apollo asked.

"Don't you need to go through some trials? This might be the first one." Meg replied.

"She is right Apollo." I agreed. "But you should get some rest before you go, since there is no way to know what is out there."

After sending away Apollo and Meg to rest, I walked with Chiron back to the Big House.

"Does this have anything to do to why you are here?" Chiron asked.

"To say the true, I'm not sure just yet. But I think things are about to turn really fast, we should be prepared just in case."

"Sounds like a plan." Chiron agreed.

After that I decided to also get some rest and walked back to my room at the Big House. When I entered the room, I realized that this was the first time I was alone since Apollo had reach to camp. I looked at the mirror, just to remember what I always called home. I let loose my black, that had been tied up in a pony tail, I always tried to keep it just a little over my shoulders, so that the length wouldn't bother me during training and fights. Even though I had gotten my hair from my father, he had always told me that my onyx color eyes were from my mother, and I could only believe him since I had never meet her. But I had to admit that at least part of my personality was also from my father, and maybe some I had got from always being around the Gods. I laid down in my bed and closed my eyes for a little bit. I had no idea how long it had pass until there was a knock on my door.

"Apollo and Meg are about to leave." Nico said on the other side.

I got up without thinking and open the door, Nico was still there waiting.

"Thanks for letting me know." I said.

"I though he might like to see you before he goes, since he seems attach to you somehow." Nico said.

"You could say that." I agreed.

Nico was right, while at Olympus, Apollo was always treating me like a little sister, to the point I had sometimes to hide from him. Nico and I walked to where Apollo and Meg where getting ready, and Will was with them handing Apollo a ukulele, and Nico hand him some ambrosia.

"This will not work on me." Apollo said.

"It's for Meg, not you." Nico explained.

"Be careful out there, both of you." I said.

"I hoped you could come with us." Apollo said.

"Not my quest, plus the camp needs to be secure in case he comes after the Oracle here." I explained.

After a few more preparations, they were ready to go. I knew that what wait for them wasn't going to be easy. But I was also concern about the camp, a lot of small things had been happening around, and we all knew that it wouldn't stay like that for much longer.

"Do you think they will be alright?" Will asked.

"I do hope so." I replied. "He is still Apollo, just not with his powers."

"I mean, what could go wrong in a forest where campers have been vanishing?" Nico said sarcastically.

"For the Gods, a little less positive Nico." I said joking a bit. "We can only wait now. And keep the camp safe." I added.

"We can do that, right?" Will questioned.

The day at the camp went mostly to normal after the departure of Apollo and Meg, and while still helping with the training, I kept an eye around the camp, and I wasn't the only one. Nico was going around camp doing the same. Everyone was just a little bit more alert than usual, since the recent happenings. Being prepared was never too much, I had learned that long time ago, and not in the easier way, that had been for sure.