The Aftermath

The way back to the Big House was a long and anxious one.

After the boys arrived, they went to have a private talk with Chiron and Annabeth, who happened to be together at the time. Percy narrated what had happened depressingly, while Albert would jump in to fix his count of events to make it more coherent. There were many questions, Chiron was in disbelief and Annabeth was confused and agitated. 

"I can't believe that Luke..." Annabeth's voice faltered. Her expression shifted angry and sad. "Yes... Yes, I can believe it. May the gods curse him... He was never the same after his quest."

"This must be reported to Olympus," Chiron murmured mournfully. "I will go at once."

"No offense, but that won't change much, sir" Albert commented bitterly. "You better than anyone knows how they will react... your brothers will suspect even you of being an accomplice."

"Brothers?" Percy echoed in surprise, "How? He is a centaur..."

"Kronos, he is my father...yes," Chiron admitted in defeat. "It's a long story... but the truth remains, I can't avoid reporting this to Olympus. Otherwise, I would give them a good reason to suspect me. If they find out that I knew and did not tell them they would become paranoid and will not trust me to fulfill my duties here. Now, more than ever, I have to prepare all of you for what is to come. I can't let that happen."

"Luke is out there right now," Percy said. "I have to go after him!"

Chiron shook his head. "No, Percy. The gods will take—"

 "Won't even talk about Kronos," Percy snapped. "I was there at Olympus, I told them straight to their faces. Zeus declared the matter closed! He won't do anything, because it will hurt his pride to admit he was wrong then!"

 "Percy, I know this is hard..."Chiron replied in understanding, "But you must not rush out for vengeance... You're in pain, I get that. He tried to kill you. But you aren't ready for that yet."

 Percy didn't like it, but part of him suspected Chiron was right. With one look at my hand, he knew I wasn't going to be sword fighting any time soon and he never defeated Luke on a spar. "Chiron... your prophecy from the Oracle... it was about Kronos, wasn't it? Was I in it? And Annabeth? Albert?"

 Chiron glanced nervously at the ceiling. "Percy, it isn't my place to—!"

 "You've been ordered not to talk to me about it, haven't you?" Percy asked as the realization dawned on him. " You reported the prophecy to them and they don't want me to know."

 The centaur's eyes were sympathetic but sad, "You will be a great hero, child. I know that and I promise I will do my best to prepare you for your journey. But if I'm right about the path ahead of you..."

Thunder boomed overhead, rattling the windows.

 "All right!" Chiron shouted. "Fine!" He sighed in frustration. "The gods have their reasons, Percy. Knowing too much of your future is never a good thing."

Albert felt that like a jab, oh how he understood that better than anyone. One day he was fine on his own, then his life turned upside down and he had the foreknowledge that could help bring an end to the gods themselves if he wanted. Yet, the fall of Olympus wasn't what he wanted, he had to avoid a big war, help his friends, and use what he knew to his advantage like he did so far. Still, it was stressful and he felt guilt for the things he let happen.

"We can't just sit back and do nothing," Percy argued, almost desperately.

"We will not sit back," Chiron promised. "But you must be careful. Kronos wants you to come unraveled. He wants your life disrupted, your thoughts clouded with fear, anger, and resentment. Do not give him what he wants. Train patiently. Your time will come."

"Assuming I live that long," the boy snorted.

Chiron put his hand on my ankle. "You'll have to trust me, Percy. You will live. But first, you must decide your path for the coming year. I cannot tell you the right choice..."

Percy got the feeling that he had a very definite opinion of what path he should take, and it was taking all his willpower not to advise him.

Chiron continued, "But you must decide whether to stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, or return to the mortal world for eighth grade and be a summer camper. Think about that. When I get back from Olympus, you must tell me your decision."

Percy wanted to protest more. He wanted to ask him more questions. But Chiron's expression told him and the others there could be no more discussion; he had said as much as he could.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Chiron promised. "Argus will watch over you..." The old centaur glanced at Annabeth. "Oh, and, my dear... whenever you're ready, they're here."

"Who's here?" Percy asked.

Nobody answered. Annabeth because she refused to do so, Chiron out of respect, and Albert because he knew and also felt like it wasn't his place. Chiron rolled himself out of the room. I heard the wheels of his chair clunk carefully down the front steps, two at a time.

After he left, there was an oppressive silence over them. Annabeth studied the ice in her drink with a terrifying focus, as if looking at it for too long would reveal the answers she desperately wanted to have.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked her.

"Nothing..." She set the glass on the table. "I... just took your advice about something. You... um... need anything?"

"I want to go outside."

"Percy, that isn't a good idea," The girl said, then she glanced over to the other boy. "You knew it was Luke from the beginning right? That's why you didn't tell me. That's why you borrowed my cap... do you think it wouldn't have mattered?"

"No, I think it would, but not in the way you think," He replied sternly. "Luke is the closest thing to a family you have since before coming to camp, Blondie. You would have tried to dissuade him from deserting us, but you would only hurt yourself by doing in so... Luke had planned Percy's demise from the start. He had been helping the Titan for a while. He... he hates the gods with a burning passion. If he knew that you knew about him. Kronos would have him eliminate or recruit you."

"Luke wouldn't have hurt me!" The girl insisted angrily.

"Hasn't he done so already?" Albert replied colder than he expected, which made him feel guilty. He was taking his frustration on someone who didn't deserve it. "...even if you're right, Luke would have been punished. He said Kronos punished him before, plagued him with terrible nightmares, could you live with that?"

Annabeth was left speechless after that, the silence was enough of a response.

Percy told them to go outside again. Argus followed them outside, but he kept his distance and quiet. By the time they reached the porch, the boy's face was beaded with sweat. His stomach had twisted into knots. 

It was dusk.

The camp looked completely deserted. The cabins were dark and the volleyball pit was silent. No canoes cut the surface of the lake. Beyond the woods and the strawberry fields, the Long Island Sound glittered in the last light of the sun.

"What are you going to do?" Annabeth asked.

"I don't know."

"I am going home..." Albert replied too. "I don't think staying here would do any of us any good, we need a change of place. Fresh air. This place is full of memories and hurt, right now, it's better if you two did the same."

Percy told them he got the feeling Chiron wanted him to stay year-round, to put in more individual training time, but he wasn't sure that's what he wanted. He admitted he'd feel bad about leaving Annabeth alone, though, with only Clarisse for company... 

Annabeth pursed her lips, then said quietly, "I'm going home for the year too."

Percy stared at her with worry. "You mean... to your dad's?"

Annabeth pointed toward the crest of Half-Blood Hill. Next to Thalia's pine tree, at the very edge of the camp's magical boundaries, a family stood silhouetted—two little children, a tall woman, and an even taller man with pale blond hair. They seemed to be waiting patiently. The man was holding a backpack that looked like the one Annabeth had gotten from Waterland in Denver.

"I wrote him a letter when we got back," Annabeth explained. "Just like you suggested. I told him... I was sorry for running away like I did. I'd come home for the school year if he still wanted me. He wrote back immediately. We decided... we'd give it another try."

"That took guts."

"You did well..."

 The girl pursed her lips. "You two won't try anything stupid during the school year, will you? At least... not without sending me an Iris message first?"

Percy managed a smile. "I won't go looking for trouble. I usually don't have to."

Albert rolled his eyes, "I make no promises, Nerd."

"When I get back next summer," she said, "we'll hunt down Luke. We'll ask for a quest, but if we don't get approval, we'll sneak off and do it anyway. All agreed?"

"Sounds like a plan worthy of Athena..." Albert commented with good humor. 

She almost gave him a middle finger and held out her hands for each of them. They shook it.

"Take care, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth told Percy, then she glanced at the other boy. "You too, Al. Keep your eyes open."

"You too, Wise Girl."

"You know you don't have to worry about me, Blondie. I am the best, you know it."

The girl made no further comments and they watched as she walked up the hill and joined her family. She gave her father an awkward and stiff hug and looked back at the valley one last time. She touched Thalia's pine tree, then allowed herself to be led over the crest and into the mortal world.

"Do you think she would be fine?" Percy suddenly asked. "I don't think her stepmom likes her very much."

"Annabeth will be ok, Percy," The boy replied. "Her stepmom isn't worse than Echina, Medusa, the Chimera, or Cerberus. Annabeth is not the helpless little girl she was when she ran away. We have to trust her strength too."

"You're right I guess..." Percy said, then he noticed something and shot him another accusatory look. "You were eavesdropping that night on the train!"

The brown-haired boy raised his hands in defense, "'It's not my fault you two assumed I was sleeping! What should I have done instead? Asked her to shut up while she opened up because I was, in fact, hearing everything?!"

Percy groaned in frustration, "You're the worst Albert."

"Why do you keep saying that?!"

For the first time at camp knowing the baby beside him was probably leaving soon too, Percy felt truly alone. He looked out at Long Island Sound and he remembered his father saying, 'The sea does not like to be restrained.'

Percy finally made up his mind and made a decision.

He wondered, if Poseidon were watching, would he approve of his choice? Chiron definitely wouldn't.

"I would go home too. I'll be back next summer," Percy stated. "You're not going back to Brazil, are you? I would drag you back if you do that. Believe I will."

"Nope, unfortunately, I can't..." Albert replied playfully, but he sounded way too honest. "I talked to my father, he said I am going to finish 9th grade in New York City, next to him. It will be the first time we live with each other... I am kinda excited, but also worried. Monsters and everything aside... this is like a big thing for us."

"You're living in New York City too?!" Percy asked again, visibly relaxed. "Where exactly? I could show you around! You just have to Iris Message me! I am like... perfect for the job."

"I don't know..." Albert confessed. "I think I heard grandma saying dad lives in an apartment on Central Park South, never been there though. He said I always had a room prepared for me. I could use a tour guide too, I guess. I'll send you my address and we can come over and we can have like... sleepovers? Play video-games? I am getting the Nintendo to play Pokémon. I always wanted to do that stuff with a friend. I bet Aunt Sally would let you come, she likes me a lot."

Percy made a face and blushed a little hearing what he said and sighed, "You're the worst. You're definitely the worst."

The word friend didn't go unnoticed by Percy.

After that, Percy asked Argus to take him down to cabin three, so he could start packing his bags for home. Albert went back to cabin ten, he also wanted to prepare some stuff before he left. He wanted to start Project ALECTO eventually.