Annabeth Chase and the Last Olympian

Chapter 6 - Percy can't read the Prophecy

The council was already in uproar before we even arrived. We walked straight into a yelling match between Clarisse and Michael Yew. 

The rec room had become the informal headquarters for war councils, mainly because it was big enough to fit the entire council and private enough to discuss important business, but also because the ping pong table was great for spreading maps out on. It was only this table that seemed to be holding the daughter of Ares back from attacking the son of Apollo when Chiron, Percy and I walked in. 

"It's our loot!" Michael yelled back, looking like he was going to step on a chair to address her properly seeing as he was so much shorter than her. "If you don't like it, you can kiss my quiver!"

I sighed. They were still fighting over the captured chariot. I'd hoped that they would have come to some sort of agreement by now, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. The rest of the councillors seemed to be finding the argument funny at least, especially the Stoll brothers, who were passing money between each other. The only person who didn't seem to find it somewhat funny was Silena, who was sitting dejectedly beside Clarisse, her red rimmed eyes staring vacantly at the table. A mug of untouched hot chocolate sat in front of her and she didn't even seem to notice it was there. Why she was here rather than having one of her siblings represent her was beyond me. And why Clarisse and Michael thought it was a good time to fight over a chariot in front of her, after what she had just lost, was even more ridiculous. 

"STOP IT!" Percy suddenly yelled, loud enough that the whole council swung around to face him. He didn't often get angry, but when he did, it was best to listen. "What are you guys doing?"

Clarisse scowled. "Tell Michael not be a selfish jerk."

"Oh, that's perfect coming from you," the son of Apollo returned. 

"The only reason I am here is to support Silena!" she snapped. "Otherwise I'd be back in my cabin."

"What are you talking about?" Percy demanded. 

Pollux, son of Dionysus, cleared his throat. "Clarisse has refused to speak to any of us, until her, um, issue is resolved. She hasn't spoken for three days."

"It's been wonderful," Travis Stoll said wistfully. 

"What issue?"

Clarisse whipped around to face Chiron. "You're in charge, right? Does my cabin get what we want or not?"

The centaur shuffled his hooves awkwardly. "My dear, as I've already explained, Michael is correct. Apollo's cabin has the best claim. Besides, we have more important matters -"

"Sure," she snapped. "Always more important matters than what Ares needs. We're just supposed to show up and fight when you need us and not complain!"

"That would be nice," Connor Stoll muttered. 

Clarisse gripped her knife tightly. "Maybe I should ask Mr D -"

"As you know," Chiron said, his voice betraying his frustration, "our director Dionysus is busy with the war. He can't be bothered with this."

"I see. And the senior councillors? Are any of you going to side with me?"

Her angry eyes swept over us all. Most of the councillors looked away, the smiles gone. She stared at me, but I raised my shoulders slightly. I wasn't going to get involved in this. There were far more important things that had to be discussed than who gets a chariot, no matter how cool it is. 

"Fine." Clarisse turned to Silena, who still hadn't moved. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get into this when you've just lost . . . anyway, I apologize. To you. Nobody else."