Chapter 8
AN: Cjay015, I adore your ideas, and will definitely be using the one.
Reyna looked up from where she was discussing something the new Augur had wanted to talk about, when she heard a sharp knock on the door. Waving Octavian's replacement off, she strode over to the door and opened it, smiling instantly.
"Perseus," she said brightly, gesturing for the Greek to enter. "I was wondering when you would arrive. How are you feeling?"
Percy shrugged, brushing his black hair out of his eyes.
"Haven't been sleeping well, but hey!" he chuckled lightly. "What else is new, right?"
"Gracea,(1)" the new Augur snarled, walking to Reyna's side. "What's he doing here?"
Reyna glared at him. "His name is Perseus Jackson, Julius," she said, noting to herself how Percy didn't correct his name. "And he's my second Praetor."
"But we already have Praetor Zhang!" Julius argued. "Why do we need a Gracea?"
"Praetor Zhang is stepping down," Reyna said calmly. "I trust Perseus's judgement, and Frank supported my idea to offer the position to Perseus. So I did, and he accepted. What's so hard to understand?"
"Why didn't you pick a Roman?" Julius asked angrily. "One who's better suited for the position. Like me," he added, a cocky smirk on his face. "Everyone likes me."
"I don't like you," Percy muttered, keeping his gaze downcast when Reyna shot him a disapproving look. Turning to Julius, Reyna kept a firm expression of dignity on her face, as she spoke.
"I chose Perseus, because he has been a Praetor before, during Praetor Grace's time of absence, and during your predecessor's time. He knows how I operate Camp Jupiter, and he has been through two wars in his lifetime. He is the best person suited for the position."
Julius narrowed his eyes, and crossed his arms over his chest, before walking past Reyna, and violently shoving Percy out of the way, as he left the room. Percy, unprepared for the sudden force, cried out when he lost his balance, and fell. Reyna immediately rushed over.
"Percy, are you okay?!" she cried, grabbing his arm, adn pulling him to his feet.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry." he said, though he sounded distracted. "I wasn't...really paying attention."
"You heard the voice again, didn't you?"
Percy sighed, and nodded. "He's getting stronger."
"He?"
"I thought it was Kronos at first," Percy said, following Reyna over to a nearby table. "But...I'm not so sure anymore."
"What was he saying just now?" Reyna asked, handing Percy a glass of water. He ignored it, and held his head in his hand.
"He was saying he could make everything stop. All I had to do was give in."
"Why does he want you to give in?"
"I don't know," Percy said quietly. "But he always shows me flashes of Annabeth and my mom...covered in blood. Dead. Then he tells me all I have to do is say the 'magic word', and I can save them."
"It sounds like something Kronos would do," Reyna mused. "Do you have any enemies? Anyone you've angered?"
Percy tilted his head back, and laughed loudly. "Have you met me?" he asked, still laughing. "If I've angered most of the Gods, I've more than likely angered a monster."
"I see," Reyna said slowly, nodding. "Do you have any idea what he wants from you?"
"My unwavering loyalty," Percy answered in a dark tone. "He says he knows about what happened to me when I was little. Something I never told my mom."
"Which is?"
Percy laughed quietly, stifling a yawn. "If I never told my mom, do you think I'm going to tell anyone else?"
"True."
"He knows I'm afraid to sleep," Percy said slowly. "ANd he's breaking me that way."
"Do you think you'll give into him?"
Percy bit his lip, and nodded. "I know I will."
He looked up when Reyna stood, and pulled him to his feet.
"Well then," she said, dragging him out of the room after her. "Let's go try that cure."
One year later
"Do you think Percy told his mom?" Annabeth asked Grover, as the two made their way to the Big House, for a meeting. Grover shrugged.
"It's been a year," he said, looking around. "I'm sure he's talked to her at some point."
"Has he talked to you?" Annabeth asked. Grover shook his head.
"I haven't talked to him since he left."
"Maybe we should Iris message him," Annabeth suggested, as they entered the Big House, and sat down. "After the meeting, of course."
"Campers, I have some bad news to give," Chiron said, once everyone had settled down. He waited a few seconds, before continuing. "Reyna, the Praetor of Camp Jupiter contacted me earlier this morning."
"What did she say?" Annabeth asked, sitting up straighter.
"As you all know, Perseus left us, because he was suffering from severe nightmares."
"So?" Clarisse La Rue, Daughter of Ares cut in, spinning her knife in her hand. Chiron shot her a look, until she apologized, and he went on.
"Reyna has informed me that Percy hasn't slept in three weeks, and they've had no choice, but to put him in a medically induced coma."
"Oh Gods," Annabeth whispered. "Why?"
"According to Reyna, his nightmares got to the point, where he wouldn't even close his eyes. She said the voice he had been hearing in his dreams, he was starting to hear almost constantly. They put him into a coma to try and get him some sleep that his body desperately needs."
"Can we see him?" Annabeth asked, standing quickly. Chiron smiled.
"Reyna is sending a delegate to retrieve the following people," the room went quiet, as Chiron pulled out a sheet of paper, and began reading off of the list. "Sally Blofis, Paul Blofis,"
Everyone shared a glance at the names. "Jason Grace, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, Leo Valdez, Calypso, and Piper Mclean."
The mentioned Demigods and Satyr shared a glance, before nodding, and looking back to Chiron. "The delegate will be here within the hour. I'd advise you start packing immediately."
"How long are we going to be there?" Annabeth asked, as they began to file out of the room.
"One week," Chiron said, though Annabeth could tell he was hiding something.
"One week," she said quietly, shaking her head as she left the Big House, adn made her way out of the Bug House. "Percy, you'd better be okay when you wake up."
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I hope you enjoy the story too! Please review. Cjay015 and a few others did, and that's what inspired me to finish and upload this chapter!
(1): I apologize if that isn't right. I didn't have the book in front of me so I couldn't remember what they called Percy in SoN