Crimson Rivers [1] - Percy jackson

Chapter 6: Percy gets a New Cabin Mate

He shook his head sadly. ‘The poison used on Thalia’s pine is something from
the Underworld, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus.’

‘Then we know who’s responsible. Kro–’

‘Do not invoke the titan lord’s name, Syrus. Especially not here, not now.’

‘But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his
idea. He’d get Luke to do it, that traitor.’

‘Perhaps,’ Chiron said. ‘But I fear I am being held responsible because I did
not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left
unless…’

‘Unless what?’ Annabeth asked.
‘No,’ Chiron said. ‘A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of
the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago.’

‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘We’ll go find it!’

Chiron closed his saddlebag. He pressed the STOP button on his boom box. Then he turned and rested his hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the
eyes. ‘Syrus, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told Percy's mother your guardian I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It’s much too
dangerous. But now that you are here, stay here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave.’

'Wait wait wait, my guardian?'

'Oh yes, your father gave his parental rights over to Sally Jackson'

'Oh'

‘Why?’ Percy asked. ‘I want to do something! I can’t just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be –’

‘Overrun by monsters,’ Chiron said. ‘Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took you and Syrus’s life.’

It was true, but still, I wanted to help so badly. I also wanted to make Kronos
pay. I mean, you’d think the titan lord would’ve learned his lesson aeons ago
when he was overthrown by the gods. You’d think getting chopped into a million pieces and cast into the darkest part of the Underworld would give him a subtlebclue that nobody wanted him around. But no. Because he was immortal, he was still alive down there in Tartarus – suffering in eternal pain, hungering to return and take revenge on Olympus. He couldn’t act on his own, but he was great at twisting the minds of mortals and even gods to do his dirty work.

The poisoning had to be his doing. Who else would be so low as to attack Thalia’s tree, the only thing left of a hero who’d given her life to save her friends Annabeth was trying hard not to cry. Chiron brushed a tear from her cheek.
‘Stay with Percy, child,’ he told her. ‘Keep him safe. The prophecy – remember
it!’

‘I-I will.’

‘Um…’ I said. ‘Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me and Percy in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell us about?’

Nobody answered. ‘Right,’ I muttered. ‘Just checking.’

‘Chiron…’ Annabeth said. ‘You told me the gods made you immortal only so
long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp –’

‘Swear you will do your best to keep Percy and Syrus from danger,’ he insisted. ‘Swear upon the River Styx.’

‘I-I swear it upon the River Styx,’ Annabeth said. Thunder rumbled outside.

‘Very well,’ Chiron said. He seemed to relax just a little. ‘Perhaps my name
will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It’s possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I
have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved …
one way or another.’

Annabeth stifled a sob. Chiron patted her shoulder awkwardly. ‘There, now,
child. I must entrust your safety to Mr D and the new activities director. We must hope … well, perhaps they won’t destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear.’

‘Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?’ I demanded. ‘Where does he get off
taking your job?’

A conch horn blew across the valley. I hadn’t realized how late it was. It was
time for the campers to assemble for dinner. ‘Go,’ Chiron said. ‘You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your
mother, Percy, and let her know you’re safe. No doubt she’ll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten either of you!'

With that, he clopped out of the apartment and down the hall, Tyson calling after him, ‘Pony! Don’t go!’

I realized I’d forgotten to tell Chiron about my dream of Grover. Now it was
too late. The best teacher I’d ever had was gone, maybe for good. Tyson started bawling almost as bad as Annabeth.
I tried to tell them that things would be okay, but I didn’t believe it.