•as the world caves in•

•the truth•

When the conch horn blew and I heard Percy's name being shouted, I quickly ran with Silena. I ran just a little quicker, excited to see him. "Percy! Thank the gods. But where...?"

He blushed and I did a little too when I held onto his arms. We were still working through everything, and although I hadn't told him everything I thought, I was getting there. "Is Luke...?"

"The ship blew up. He wasn't destroyed, I don't know where-"

Silena brushed through the crowd and my heart broke as I left Percy to hold her. Her hair wasn't brushed and she didn't have makeup. "Where's Charlie?"

"Silena, let's talk about this at the Big House—" Chiron tried.

"No," she sobbed. "No. No!"

She clung to me as I also started to cry. She and Charlie were always like parents to me, caring for me like a normal family probably would, and it hurt seeing my sister, and someone who I considered a mother, grieving.

Clarisse came and held us both, but mainly Silena. Once Silena and I gave Clarisse advice on her boyfriend, Chris, who was returned to his normal mental state by Dionysus, she decided she would be our bodyguards.

I smiled at Clarisse. "Take her to the Big House? I'll be there soon."

Clarisse nodded. "Let's go Silena. I'll make you hot chocolate."

I turned back to Percy, "I'm glad you're not dead, Seaweed Brain."

"Thanks Cor, me too." Percy looked to the ground. "We'll uh, need to talk later. But my father said it's time, I need to know the full prophecy."

Chiron didn't looked surprised. "Very well. Annabeth, Coriane, we will show Percy the truth, all of it."

•.•.•.•

We saw the blade of Kampê and Percy and I made awkward eye contact. We talked about what our kiss meant to each of us, and we agreed it was sealing our love that we confessed, but it was the last time Percy had truly been mine.

I cleared my throat. "Prophecy."

Annabeth gave me a sad smile. She knew what we were going through and though she mainly heard my side, she was now neutral between us. She wanted us to work, and she tried to not take my side, she was being a voice of reason when Percy and I were too stubborn.

I looked to the Oracle, I hadn't seen her since I'd gotten my quest. I hadn't wanted to see her again. If I could've forced only Annabeth up here, I would've.

"I never understood this." Percy whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"Why it's a mummy."

"She wasn't always a mummy. For thousands of years the spirit of the Oracle lived inside a beautiful maiden. The spirit would pass generation to generation. Chiron told me she was like that fifty years ago. But she was the last."

"What happened."

Annabeth shook her head. "Let's just get our job done and get out of here. O Oracle, the time is at hand. I ask for the Great Prophecy."

Annabeth grabbed one of her necklaces and opened the punch, the tiny roll of parchment no bigger than my pinky.

"You mean all these years it's been right around her neck?" Percy asked.

"The time wasn't right." I said. "Percy, we read this when we were ten years old. We still have nightmares."

"Can I read it now?"