Time Running Out

There was a meeting happening at the big house, all head counsellors had to be there. Sadly, this included Annabeth, who wasn’t really paying any attention. She sat there silently, every now and again wiping a tear that fell onto her face, but nothing more.

“Percy is missing.” Chiron was saying, “His cabin has been cleared and he was last seen on the beach.” At that everyone not-so-subtly glanced in Annabeth’s direction. She just glared at them, ignoring their looks of pity, until they finally looked away. “Yes, well,” Chiron continued, “We’ve spoken to his mother, all she says is that he told her he was going on a quest, but no prophecy has been spoken. So-”

“Um…well…” That was when all eyes turned to Rachel Elizabeth Dare. “See, there is a prophecy.” Everyone looked surprised, everyone except Nico.

“What?” Annabeth started to rise from her chair.

“Don’t bite my head off! He hasn’t actually heard it yet.”

“What do you mean Rachel?” Chiron asked”

“There’s a prophecy that I need to tell him.” She answered, looking anywhere but Annabeth’s eyes. “It came this morning, and I know I need to see him, but I can’t actually say it unless I’m face to face with him. It just won’t work.”

“Let me know if I got this right?” Annabeth said, her voice was level but you could feel the anger rolling off her tongue. “We’ve been sat here trying to figure out what happened, and you just thought you’d neglect to tell us there’s a prophecy about my boyfrie-“ The word caught in her throat and she held back a sob, “I mean, about Percy.”

“Annabeth, sit back down.” Piper said gently, putting her hand on Annabeth’s shoulders and layering on the charmspeak.

“Right,” Chiron said, trying to break the tension. “Does anyone else know anything that might help us about Percy?”

Everybody was shaking their heads or shrugging, Nico stayed perfectly still hoping to go unnoticed. However his plan failed.

“Nico?” Annabeth asked. He ignored her, ready to melt into the shadows now that every eye was on him. “Nico! Don’t you dare even try to shadow travel!”

“Nothing, okay? I don’t know anything! He didn’t talk to me about this.”

She got up, dragging him by the shirt and shoving him against the wall, which earned her a few gasps from fellow campers. “NICO DI ANGELO I SWEAR TO EVERY SINGLE GOD UP THERE, INCLUDING YOUR FATHER, THAT IF YOU DON’T TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT PERCY I WILL PERSONALLY END YOU!” She half screamed, half cried.

Nico pushed her off of him, staying silent.

“Please, Nico” She cried. She knew he could explain this. Since Percy left she’d been wondering what she did, how to change it. But Nico knew. He had the answer she needed, she could tell, but he was refusing to say a word. “Please…”

“Percy, he didn’t know that I knew.” Nico sighed. Annabeth just stared at him with her watery eyes, waiting for the full explanation. “I…I can’t. I’m sorry. It’s just not for me to tell.” He watched her renew her sobs and he went back to his seat, everyone (including Chiron) glaring at him.

Chiron cleared his throat getting everybody’s attention, ready to speak again. Piper, however, had a different idea.

“You know what? No!” Piper shouted, “Nico, Percy is your friend. Annabeth is your friend. Look at her! She is crying her eyes out, and you’re the only one here that can help her right now. But what are you doing? Nothing! Some friend.” She got up to wrap an arm around a still crying Annabeth.

It had worked. Nico got up, about to come forward with what he knew when a younger camper ran into the meeting. He was only around ten, and had no place at this meeting.
He was out of breath and suddenly realised that he was walking in on something important.

“S-Sorry,” He muttered, “It’s just that, Percy Jacksons back.”

Notes