•as the world caves in•

•we teach percy some new stuff•

Wherever we went, there were whispers. Of course, everyone knew about the explosion of the bathroom, and, of course, me and Annabeth were soaking wet.

We showed him a few other places. The metal shop, where Charlie was forging his own sword. I waved to him and smiled, of which he gladly returned before returning to his sword making.

The arts and crafts room, where the satyrs were making a marble statue of Pan.

And the climbing wall. I'd actually made it up to the top before, and then the Stolls, who also somehow got up there, shoved me off.

We finally returned to the lake. Annabeth looked at Percy with annoyance. "We've got training to do. Dinner's at seven-thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall."

"Annabeth, Coriane, I'm sorry about the toilets."

"It's okay." I said.

"Whatever." Annabeth sighed.

"It wasn't my fault."

We both looked at him.

"You need the talk to the Oracle."

"Annabeth." I warned.

"Who?"

"Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron."

I glared at Annabeth, who shrugged.

Percy looked into the lake, where two Naiads waved up at him. He waved back.

"Don't encourage them," I sighed. "Naiads are terrible flirts."

"Naiads." He repeated. He looked overwhelmed and I felt horrible for him. "That's it. I want to go home. Now."

Annabeth groaned. "Don't you get it, Percy? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us."

"You mean, mentally disturbed kids?"

I sighed. I understood why this was hard for him, but this was like the tenth time I was explaining it.

"She means not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human."

"Half-human and half-what?"

"I think you know."

The look on his face gave it away.

"God," he said finally. "Half-god."

I nodded. "Your father isn't dead, Percy. He's one of the Olympians."

"That's... crazy."

"Is it?" Annabeth asked. She seemed calmer now that Percy had come to terms with what he is. "What's the most common thing gods did in the told stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?"

"But those are just..." he trailed off. "But if all the kids here are half-gods—"

"Demigods," I corrected, trying to smile a little for his sake. "That's the official term. Or half-bloods."

"Then who's your dad?"

Me and Annabeth both tensed.

Annabeth was the first to say. "My dad is a professor at West Point. I haven't seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history."

"He's human."

"What? You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?"

"Who's your mom, then?"

"Cabin six."

"Meaning?"