Chapter Eight

Lucius

The debate goes on for another hour. I sit in silence as I listen to everyone's concerns and ideas. Some people thought that are marking was just a prank, but they were shot down by Percy and Annabeth. Some thought they should send us out on a quest, but Chiron said that this prophecy didn't require adventuring. This shocked a lot of people. I guess most prophecies required leaving camp.

Eventually Chiron calls the meeting to an end. No one could figure it out, and it was just about supper time. I glance over at Phoenix. She looked a bit better now than she had at the beginning. I swear, when Chiron had asked her to introduce herself she looked like she was going to throw up.

"Lucius, Phoenix, may I see you for a minute?" Chiron calls out to us.

I tell Percy and Annabeth that we'll catch up with them later. As we walk up to Chiron, I notice the looks everyone gives us. Everyone would smile at me, and then nod politely at Phoenix.

Tommy and his girlfriend Sara stop in front of us. She pokes him gently in the side to get him to speak. He stands tall and then looks at Phoenix. "I just wanted to apologize. For my outburst earlier. It wasn't needed and I'm sorry."

Phoenix nods, her eyes on the ground. Sara hugs him, but I notice him glare at Phoenix as they walk out of the cabin.

We finish our way to Chiron. "I'm sorry about that." He apologizes.

"Sir?" I ask. "There's nothing for you to apologize for."

He sighs. "Well, I'm sorry to say, but you'll both be stuck in cabin eleven. It's Hermes's children's cabin as well as a cabin for undetermined demigods. You shouldn't have to go there, but unfortunately we don't have cabins for Nyx and Dawn."

"That's fine." I say, and Phoenix nods. In the back of my mind, I realize that means that I'll be sleeping in the same room as the girl beside me, but I push the thought aside.

"Alright then. Would you two care to walk with me to supper?"

"Of course." I say and walk beside Chiron as he rolls out of the cabin.

When we reach the tables, Chiron directs us to the Hermes table. I sit down across the table from Phoenix as we begin to eat.

I don't pay much attention to the food I'm eating. People around me make small talk, and I talk back with them. Everyone around me seems to like me and enjoy my company. However, I feel weird. Like I didn't really belong here with these people. It's a feeling I've had all my life, around everyone I've ever known.

During the entire meal, I watch Phoenix. She doesn't talk to anyone, and no one makes a move to talk to her. She seems entirely focused on her food and she doesn't look my way once.

As she eats, I notice certain things about her. Every so often she would raise her hands to her head and tighten her ponytail. She was left-handed. When she ate, she separated all the different and ate them one at a time. When she focused on something entirely, it seemed that she couldn't hear anything else. And her face looked really beautiful in the moonlight. Although, I guess that was because she was a night girl.

Finally supper ends, and everyone lines up at a huge fire. They dump their leftovers in it and say a prayer to their god parent. I take my spot in line behind Phoenix.

When we reach the front I listen to her speak. "For Nyx." She pauses as she dumps at least half her plate into the fire. She hadn't eaten much. "Please help me understand the prophecy." She pauses again and then whispers. "And Lucius."

I raise my eyebrows. Obviously she didn't know I was behind her. She turns around and I smile at her, pretending that I hadn't heard. Phoenix's ears turn a bright pink like they always do when she's embarrassed. Quickly she rushes off to our cabin.

I stand up to the fire. "For Dawn." I dump my carrots into the fire; my least favourite vegetable. "Please help me understand the prophecy." I repeat Phoenix's prayer before adding my own. "And help me coax Phoenix out of her shell."