Chapter Six
Lucius
"I'll go." I speak up, surprising myself.
Chiron gives me a long hard look, and then he nods. "Alright then."
"I'll go with him." Rachel volunteers. She flashes another flirty glance at me and I have to resist the urge to convulse in disgust.
Girls flirt with me a lot. I'm not exactly sure why. I'm used to it, I guess. But it still weirds me out.
"No Rachel." Chiron says sternly and I feel like worshiping him right then. He gives me a look and I realize that he noticed Rachel's flirting. I'm just about to take off when he speaks again. "But Phoenix will be going with you."
"Why?" Rachel cries out.
"Phoenix is the only person right now who will be able to calm Annabeth down. Lucius will be going with her to prove to Percy once and for all that he is alright." Chiron looks at Phoenix and seems to puzzle over something.
Then his face goes back to normal. "Alright. Off with you both."
I turn around and take off, anxious to get away from Rachel. Phoenix follows behind me; I hear her footfalls close behind.
Slowing down my pace, she's soon walking beside me. I glance at her, but she's firmly focused on the ground.
"So where do you think they are?" I ask her lightly; in spite of the dire warning we'd just been given.
"Lake?" She offers in her usual short answer.
We walk side by side in silence. Every so often she would glance at me, but every time I turned to look at her, she would quickly look away. Her hands are stuffed deep into her pockets and a stray lock of hair falls in front of her hung head.
Eventually we come within sights of the lake. I can see Percy and Annabeth, and once again I'm astounded by Phoenix's in depth observation.
"Annabeth, please!" Percy is pleading with his girlfriend. I notice that both of them have been crying.
Annabeth turns her back to him, but she doesn't walk away. Percy walks over to her and puts his arms around her. I really hate to interrupt but it's important.
Just as I'm about to open my mouth and call to them, I feel a hand on my arm. I look beside me to see Phoenix concentrated on them.
"Give them a minute." She says without stuttering.
I nod my head and look at my arm. Her hand was still on it. She looks at me and I raise my eyebrows at her, my eyes pointing towards her hand. Hastily she snatches her hand away.
I chuckle under my breath as I watch her ears blush red. My eyes linger on her, and I can't hear what Percy and Annabeth are saying anymore.
She was really beautiful actually. What was that one line in that prophecy? Appearances are naught but an illusion. I wonder what that could mean. I suppose we'd discuss what it meant once we all got together, but still. I couldn't help but wonder.
Suddenly she smiles. Just a little tiny smile, but enough for me to notice. I look over to Percy and Annabeth. They were kissing.
When they let go, both of them are smiling and I know that she forgave him. Now I can interrupt without feeling bad.
"Hey guys." I call out to them.
They both look over at us. Phoenix motions with her hand for them to join us. Percy wraps his arm around Annabeth and they walk over to us.
The first thing that happens when they reach us is Phoenix walks up to Annabeth and pulls her into a huge hug. She whispers something into her ear, but I don't hear it. Annabeth is smiling and blushing brightly when Phoenix releases her, so I assumer it was a girl thing.
"Chiron wants you two with us." I say, interrupting the mood.
"For?" Percy asks.
I was just about ready to drag everyone back to Chiron. That prophecy was really bugging me and I wanted to know what it meant.
"Discuss the prophecy." Phoenix tells him.
Both of them turn grave and nod. "Lead the way." Percy tells me.
I turn around and head back to the main cabin. As we walk, I can't help but notice that Percy falls into step beside me and that Annabeth is beside him. I don't have to look to know that Phoenix is beside Annabeth; as far away from me as she can get.
