Changing the Future

Chapter 77

The uproar was instantaneous.

Nearby Romans turned to the Greeks with murder in their eyes. They reached for weapons that weren't there. It was Hank, one of Octavian's most faithful goons, who shouted for the Romans to use their plates as weapons.

It would've been a massacre if not for Reyna's sharp, "Halt! Any Roman who advances on our guests will be severely punished! It will make cleaning the unicorn stables seem like a privilege!"

"Eidolons?" Leo asked.

"Possessing spirits," Piper explained. "They turn people into their puppets."

"There are no strings on me," Leo badly sang, stopping at the glares Annabeth, Jason, and Frank shot his way. He raised his hands in surrender. "Ok, not the time, I get it."

As for me, the world listed under my feet. I would've fallen flat on my face had Percy not been there to catch me. Though it had never been my intention to become an Oracle/conduit for prophecies, I started thinking of why this had happened. All my ideas got progressively darker, and for the sake of my sanity, I stopped.

Instead, I focused on the fact that my hand stung. The world continued spinning, but after probing my palm with my fingers, I knew I'd cut myself. It was probably that cup I'd dropped when I first fell.

Why was it that things had gotten significantly worse for me when I became a goddess?

Note to self, smack Zeus upside the head with the Master Bolt as payback.

Better yet, zap him with it.

Slowly, but surely, my vision fixed itself. I ignored any of my friends' worried faces in favor of bandaging my hand with gauze from my bag. Sure, I could've healed the cut with the snap of my fingers, but something told me that I'd need this physical reminder to ground me for the time being.

"Right, so, the eidolons," I said, getting to my feet.

"There are more pressing issues than some stupid eidolons," Percy said. He continued to keep an arm draped over my shoulders, his eyes scanning my face for any indication of the Oracle's presence. "We have no idea what happened to you."

"You keep doing that, and you'll put Rachel out of her job," Leo joked.

"Oh, God, I hope not," I said, rubbing my temples. "That was awful."

"It's probably worse for you since you didn't go through the process of accepting the Oracle of Delphi's spirit," Annabeth said. One look at her and I knew her mind was going at a million miles per hour. "Piper, maybe you should call Rachel and check on her."

"No, I need Piper." I waved the daughter of Aphrodite to my side. "I also need Jason, Percy, and Leo."

"What for?" Jason asked.

"I need to get the eidolons out of you. I would've done it myself, but I'm not in any state to be messing around with my powers at the moment. That's where Piper comes in."

Frank frowned. "How do you know they're housing eidolons?"

"They feel...cold. It's kinda hard to explain."

"Ah, Hades no! I'm the ultimate McShizzle! I can't be cold," Leo said. To prove his point, he lit his hands on fire. Frank jumped back, as did some of the nearby Romans. "Exorcise the demon from my soul!"

Piper rolled her eyes.

Jason face-palmed.

I chuckled.

"Um, we're gonna want to do this somewhere private, Reyna. It's not something I want everyone to see."

Reyna nodded. "Very well. We can move this to your villa."