The Path Of Glory (Annabeth Chase x Male Reader)

88. The Child Of Ares

"I've been seeing things, too," she muttered. "I mean, not just through the Mist. This is different. I've been drawing pictures, writing lines—"

"In Ancient Greek," Percy said. "Do you know what they say?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was hoping you could help me figure out what's happening to me."

She looked at Percy pleadingly. Her face was red, sunburned. Her nose was peeling.

"Rachel," Percy said. "I wish I knew. Maybe we should ask Chiron—"

She flinched as if she'd gotten an electric shock. "Percy, something is about to happen. A trick that ends in death."

"What do you mean?" Y/N asked. "Whose death?"

"I don't know." She looked around nervously. "Don't you feel it?"

"Is that the message you wanted to tell Percy?" Annabeth asked.

"No." Rachel hesitated. "I'm sorry. I'm not making sense, but that thought just came to me. The message I wrote on the beach was different. It had your name in it, Percy."

"Perseus," Percy said. "In Ancient Greek."

Rachel nodded. "I don't know its meaning. But I know it's important. You have to hear it. It said, Perseus, you are not the hero."

Y/N looked at Percy. He looked as though she'd just slapped him.

"You came thousands of miles to tell me I'm not the hero?" he repeated.

"It's important," she insisted. "It will affect what you do."

"Percy isn't the hero of the prophecy?" Ethan asked. "He isn't the hero who defeats Kronos? What do you mean?"

"I'm . . . I'm sorry. That's all I know. I had to tell Percy because—"

"Well!" Chiron cantered over. "This must be Miss Dare."

Percy made the introductions: "Chiron, Rachel Dare," he said. "Rachel, this is our teacher Chiron."

"Hello," Rachel said glumly. She didn't look at all surprised that Chiron was a centaur.

"You are not asleep, Miss Dare," Chiron noticed. "And yet you are mortal?"

"I'm mortal," she agreed, as if it was a depressing thought. "The pilot fell asleep as soon as we passed the river. I don't know why I didn't. I just knew I had to be here, to warn Percy."

"Warn Percy?"

"She's been seeing things," Y/N said. "Writing lines and making drawings."

Chiron raised an eyebrow. "Indeed? Tell me."

Rachel told him the same things she'd told Y/N, Annabeth, Ethan, and Percy.

Chiron stroked his beard. "Miss Dare . . . perhaps we should talk. The others, go get some sleep."

"Everybody keeps telling me to sleep," Percy grumbled. "I don't need sleep."

Y/N managed a smile. "You should look at yourself in a mirror."

Percy glanced down at his clothes, which were scorched, burned, sliced, and tattered from a night of constant battles. "I look like death," he admitted. "But you think I can sleep after what just happened?"

"If I can," Y/N said, "I see no reason why you couldn't."

Percy seemed about to complain, but instead he grumbled, "Sure." And he trudged toward the Empire State Building.

Y/N glanced back. Chiron and Rachel were walking together in earnest conversation, as if they were discussing funeral arrangements.

"We should sleep, too," Annabeth said.