Percy Jackson, The Missing Hero.

56. Blondes - Percy Jackson's True Achilles' Heel.

The minute they stepped back onto solid ground, Icarus practically materialised before them, skidding to a halt.

"Thank the gods!" He let out a relieved gasp before attempting to catch his breath.

"Hey, where's the fire?" Apollo asked, clear concern on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Heros sent me to find you, Chiron and the Counsellors are insisting we hold the meeting now." Icarus winced. "Apparently they've been clamouring outside the Cabin all morning, wanting to ask questions about the Quest, Nathan, Eros, Will. The minute Luke proposed a meeting, they demanded it be as soon as possible. They've already started to invade the War Room, I got sent to find you while Ares' terrifying daughter went to round up their missing Counsellors."

Percy grimaced, knowing there was no way out of this one. He'd have to sit and attend the meeting when all he wanted was a few hours alone; time to process the meeting with Nathan, time to process his admission that Annabeth truly was manipulated into turning against him.

He couldn't quite understand it though, left wondering why she had seemed so out of character when his identity was revealed in the depths of the Labyrinth – why she had acted so bizarrely in regard to the questions she had asked. Percy had known that she would never have greeted him with open arms, not after the way in which he had departed, but he'd expected something a little different to accusatory questions and insinuations that everything would have worked itself out if he had chosen to stay.

"Percy?" Apollo questioned softly, keeping his voice low out of consideration of the fact they were outside the walls of the Chaos Cabin and Percy's identity was not yet known.

"Sorry," Percy sighed, shaking his head in an attempt to banish the thoughts from his mind. "I had hoped that we'd have more time to process our talk with Nathan before we had to face even more questions."

"I can stall if you want me too?" Icarus offered. "I could say that you're still talking to Nathan or you want to head to the Big House and confirm parts of Nathan's story with Tanner?"

"I think it would be best if we just got it over with," Percy decided, though it wasn't an easy thing to say. "Better sooner than later."

As soon as they entered the room, he regretted his decision.

The room was awash with noise; raised voices and loud arguments almost deafening as everyone attempted to shout over the other in order to be heard. Some people were silent spectators, sitting on the edges of the room and watching the carnage, while the majority were standing, chairs forgotten in favour of standing and yelling at one another.

Apollo let out a low whistle and leaned in close so Percy could hear him. "Think we could make a run for it before they notice us?"

"I wish," Percy huffed. He knew they had no chance of escape, resigning himself to their fate. He debated what to do for a moment, wondered how on earth he was supposed to get everyone's attention. Several ideas floated through his mind, each more drastic and ridiculous than the last, but he didn't move to execute any of them. He just stood there, waiting.

"-ck are we supposed to just sit around and wait for Blue to turn up before you all start talking?" Clarisse was mid yell, volume going up to drown out the person who had been speaking moments prior. "Surely you don't need him here to at least start telling us what in my father's name happened on the Quest?"

"You said it yourself, you wanted answers from Blue!" Luke defended himself. "I'm not Blue, therefore I am absolutely not qualified to answer for him."