I listened carefully for the sound of the horn signalling the start of the Capture the Flag match, my left hand pressing a cloth into the currently bleeding scar on the side of my neck. I could feel the warm liquid seeping through to my fingertips, and every once in a while, a small twinge of pain shot through my nerves. But I didn't move, instead waiting for the signal.

I needed everyone occupied before I even thought about consulting the Oracle.

I twisted uncomfortably at the thought, but what choice did I have. I couldn't stop thinking about them. Annabeth and Artemis. And not just them, but everyone else I'd put in harms way too; Percy, Grover, Mary, Felicity, my mother … What was I doing? Why did I put everyone I'd ever cared about it danger constantly?

"What are you doing here, Grace?" a sharp voice came. I didn't turn to watch as Mr D approached, wrapping one arm around my legs. He dropped himself into the chair to my left. "Looks painful."

I shot him a dismissive look. "Dying can do that," I commented airily.

"You're supposed to be at the Capture the Flag match," he replied.

"Chiron taught it best not to scare the other campers." To prove my point, I lifted the cloth away from my scar and showed him the blood.

He snorted. "So you thought it was a better idea to sit in here and stew, did you?"

I sniffed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me, Grace."

"Or what?" I snapped. "You'll kill me faster?" He glowered at me, and for a moment, all I could do was sit and glare back. Somewhere in the distance, the horn blew for the start of the match. My heart jumped in anticipation – I didn't have a lot of time.

"You'd better watch yourself, girl," Mr D warned me furiously, leaning forward with narrowed eyes. "Wouldn't want you to upset anyone important in your last month now, would we?"

I gulped hard, but he only scoffed darkly and stood back up, marching out of the room in what I assume he thought was a very dramatic and threatening way. Instead, I found myself tensing my muscles to stop myself moving, waiting until the door had slammed shut after him.

In the same second, I leapt to my feet and raced toward the stairs, forgetting to catch the cloth for my scar as I moved. Taking the stairs two at a time, I slipped straight past the infirmary as quietly as I could and dragged myself up the next set of stairs, into the loft.

My feet automatically slowed as I neared the top, and I caught my breath, scanning the random objects scattered throughout the room. Strange souvenirs from quests long since past were scattered all over the room, covered in dust and cobwebs. I coughed and waved as much of it away as I could, but somehow it only seemed to make it worse.

At the very back of the room sat the Oracle.

She looked as old as the gods themselves, but she hadn't aged at all as well. It was as though she was a corpse, dug up and positioned carefully so as not to break her. Fine, leathery skin clung to her bones and sank deep into the hollows between them, and she wore an aged, tie-dyed dress that hung from her shoulders with lengths of beads lay around her neck.

The sight made me gulp hard. "Get over it, Acacia," I murmured to myself, taking a few very small, very delicate steps closer. "Percy did this over a year ago and lived, you'll be fine."

Still, the closer I get, the more on edge I became. Cold shivers ran over my skin and up the back of my neck, causing the scar to twinge in protest. I only shook them away, licking my lips anxiously before I spoke. "Erm … Oracle?" Nothing happened. The Oracle remained perfectly still, her eyes shut.

"Hello?" I called, a little louder. Still nothing. Biting down hard on my lip to stop myself cringing, I moved forward an inch at a time, then stretched out to touch the Oracle's hand.

Immediately, the Oracle lurched to sit up straighter, her eyes and mouth opening. I yelped in surprise, and lightning crackled across my fingertips before I could help it. The mummy turned to look at me, and I staggered back in fear. Her eyes were glassy white, and green smoke began to billow from her mouth.

"Beware the daughter of lightning," she said in a thin, raspy voice. It took me a second to realise she hadn't spoken aloud. Instead, the voice rattled around the inside of my head hauntingly.

"What?" I gulped, shaking myself furiously. A chill rushed around the room, and a ghostly breeze ran through my hair.

"Beware the daughter of lightning."

The words made me shudder. "I'm almost dead," I insisted. "How can I be a danger to anyone?"

"Beware the daughter of lightning."

I scoffed weakly. "Is that all you're going to say?"

The Oracle stared at me for a moment. "Beware the daughter of lightning, for she has stolen something she can never return."

"Stolen?" I blurted. "I haven't taken anything!"

"She must pay the price for that which she has taken."

"But-"

"Beware the daughter of lightning, the girl with the heart of a god."

I froze. The heart of a god … she was obviously talking about Apollo. There was no one else it could mean. Was that what she thought I'd stolen? I cleared my throat awkwardly, shifting on the spot. "What do you mean by pay the price? How? What with?"

The Oracle didn't move. Her mouth had closed, and her eyes simply stared, white and glassy.

I waited as long as I could, my heart thudding nervously, but still nothing happened.

Then, just as I'd given up, the Oracle twisted. Slowly, her arms creaked and cracked and she pushed herself to her feet, eerily and ghost-like. I gawped, frozen on the spot in astonishment as the Oracle climbed unsteadily off her stool and stepped toward me. Panicked, I staggered back, straight into a display case full of useless trinkets. She simply strode straight past me and made for the stairs.

For a second, I stared after her, wide-eyed and thunder-struck. What in the name of Zeus was going on? Had I done that?

I cursed at the thought, and scrambled back to my feet, tearing down the stairs to follow her. She'd reached the first floor, and was shuffling along in a manner that would have made me laugh if it hadn't been so creepy.

Before she could reach the second flight of stairs though, someone else tore up them and froze at the sight.

"What the …" Apollo gawped, the Oracle stood before him silently. He blinked, straightening out and scanning the landing for answers. He only found me. "Ace? What's going on?"

"I don't know!" I protested, my voice shaking. "You're the god of prophecy, you tell me!"

He frowned. "Did you wake her?" I hesitated, opening and closing my mouth several times as I searched for the right words. "Ace, tell me you didn't."

"Erm… sure?"

"Ace!" he groaned, side-stepping the Oracle as if he'd completely forgotten about her already. "Are you trying to get yourself in more trouble? What did you ask her?"

I took a step away from him as he neared. "Don't you think we've got bigger things to worry about right now?" I retorted, pointing at the Oracle.

He ignored me. "Have you not had enough bad experiences with prophecies without going looking for another?"

"I wasn't looking for-"

"It doesn't matter what you wanted, Ace, it's dangerous! Even I can't stop prophecies being written, they just are!" He groaned again, running a hand over his face. "Promise me you won't go anywhere near her again."

"Oh for – that's a little dramatic, isn't it?" I scowled. "She didn't read any more prophecies, okay? She's-" I cut off, staring down the landing. "Gone. She's …"

"Damn it, Ace," Apollo cursed, running after her. Jaw tightening in irritation, I followed, twisting down the stairs and racing out onto the grounds.

She hadn't gotten very far, but then she was only travelling an inch at a time. Apollo was beside her, speaking in very fluent, very fast Ancient Greek. I couldn't make much of it out, but he was obviously trying to figure out what was happening. I never heard the Oracle rely, but then if she was speaking to him, I guessed it would have been in his head anyway.

"You're the god of prophecy," I breathed when I caught up to them.

He scowled at me. "You're bleeding again." My hand immediately raised and clamped over my scar.

"Where is she going?"

"To deliver a prophecy," he said simply, frowning at her.

"Which one?" I scoffed quietly.

"A new one." I wanted to ask what it was, but I had a feeling that not only would I find out soon enough, but he wouldn't tell me anyway.

It took awhile, but eventually, the creak came into view a hundred yards or so ahead of us. "Looks like trouble," Apollo murmured. My heart sank. Overhead, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. On the creak bed, water smashed into the ground restlessly. More worryingly though was the figure stood knee deep in the water, and the girl screaming at him from dry land. "Tell me that isn't your dear sister and cousin trying to kill each other?"

"Five minutes," I groaned. "I've left them alone for five damn minutes." He didn't say anything, continuing to walk beside the Oracle as I broke into another run.

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY AT THE CAMP!" Thalia was screaming so loudly her face was bright red.

"I got the Flag, didn't I?" Percy shouted back, a little more calmly. "There were too many campers on you!"

"DON'T TRY AND PIN THIS ON ME!"

"I wasn't-"

Lightning flashed, and the next thing I knew, Percy was on his back, his clothes and skin smoking. "Thalia!" I screamed.

My sister jolted at the sound of my voice, and the anger in her face drained. She shook herself, staring at Percy as she tried to catch her breath. "I-I'm sorry, Perc, I didn't mean-"

Whatever she was going to say was lost in the sound of a wave rising from the creak and slamming straight into her, knocking her off her feet. "Percy!" I shrieked. "Stop!"

The water fell to the ground, and Thalia spluttered, drenched from head to toe. "So that's how you want to play it?" she snarled furiously, stumbling to her feet. In the background, the other campers and Artemis' hunters had gathered some distance away to watch, Zoe Nightshade among them. She watched through narrowed eyes.

Lightning cracked again, but this time I skidded to a halt right in between them. "Acacia," Chiron's voice came in warning.

I ignored him. "Thalia, calm down," I warned.

Her jaw locked. "Get out of my way, Acey," she snarled back.

"No, now stop it before you get someone killed!"

"Better do as she says," Percy's voice sounded from behind me. "You look like you're in over your head."

"Percy!" I snapped, shooting him a glare over my shoulder, but the second I turned away from her, Thalia attacked. The lightning flashed, and something in my chest twisted. Without a second thought, I gave Percy a shove to the ground, tensing as the lightning crashed into the centre of my back.

The force knocked me to my knees, and the power rippled through me, sparking across my skin. "Acacia?" Thalia called in panic. "Acey?"

"Damn it, Thalia!" Percy snarled, and the water rose again.

"Stop!" I yelped, but it was too late. The water lifted higher into the sky, then came hurtling toward Thalia and me. I closed my eyes and braced for the impact, seconds before someone's hand wrapped tightly around my wrist and yanked me out of the way. I yelped and stumbled, eyes opening in surprise, but Apollo only caught me against his chest and held me there, scowling.

"That's enough, both of you!" Chiron announced worriedly. The two of them stood in silence, avoiding his gaze. Thalia was dripping wet, and Percy's skin was still smoking. "Have you any idea what you could have done? With Acacia in the middle of you both! I thought you had more sense than that!"

They gave me a sheepish look each, but all I could do was blush from the safety of Apollo's arms. I wanted to push him away, but he looked as likely to kill the two of them as they had each other.

"Wait," Percy frowned. "What's that?" He pointed, and I twisted to watch the Oracle shuffle across the damp grounds.

"The Oracle." Thalia scowled as Zoe moved forward, watching the Oracle with bright eyes as it approached her. There, it stopped and opened it's mouth once more. I tensed.

"I am the spirit of Delphi," her voice said in the back of my head, and from the winces that echoed around us, I was fairly sure I wasn't the only one she was speaking to. "The speaker of prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python." My eyes flicked up toward him, and for a split second, the usual, arrogant smirk wavered on his lips. I felt my eyes roll. "Approach, Seeker, and ask."

Zoe stepped forward and cleared her voice awkwardly. "What must I do to save my goddess?" she asked in a shaky voice.

The mist from the Oracle's mouth twisted until it formed an image – a mountain peak, where a girl, probably Artemis, was knelt with her hands raised, as if to fend off an attacker. Chains were wrapped tightly around her wrists, and she looked like she was in pain. Apollo's arms tightened a fraction and his scowl had returned.

The Oracle spoke again. "One shall be lost in the land without rain, the bane of Olympus shows the trail, Campers and Hunters combined prevail, the Titan's curse must one withstand, and one shall perish by a parent's hand."

There was silence for a long moment, and the Oracle closed her mouth again, her hand slumping to her chest. I gulped hard, trying not to look at Apollo, my mind whirling. The bane of Olympus, the Titan's curse and one perishing at the hand of their parent … all of which sounded terrible. A shiver ran across my skin at the thought, and my mind automatically drifted to Zeus.

Beware the daughter of lightning.

"So what now?" Percy asked brightly.

Chiron ordered two of the campers to help the Oracle back to the loft, while the heads of each cabin were called to an emergency meeting. Apparently, now that the Oracle had spoken, he and Mr D had no choice but to accept they had to do something to save Artemis.

"Listen to me, Ace," Apollo muttered as he marched me back up toward the Big House. One of his arms was still locked around my back, and he kept scanning the grounds like he thought someone was going to jump out from behind a tree and try to kill me. "You're not to say or do anything in this meeting, you hear? Thalia is the head of your cabin, she'll handle it."

I gawped. "What? You think letting Thalia and Percy anywhere near this is a good idea?"

"Better than you."

"Hey, don't-"

"Stop," he interrupted, pausing in his tracks and twisting me to face him. His eyes were deadly serious. "I know you want to help, but you can't. You're too ill, you have to let the others take this one."

"So that I can what? Spend my last month with my feet up? I'm not just going to sit here, Apollo!"

"Actually, that's exactly what you're going to do," he scowled. "Because if you try to leave this camp, I'll personally drag you back. Got it?"

I blinked in astonishment, but he only sealed his promise with a fleeting kiss then disappeared into the Big House.

Someone coughed, and I shook myself as Percy stepped into view, his eyebrows raised. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," I dismissed. "But I think I'm going to need your help."