Home Is Where The Heart(h) Is (Rewritten)

Chapter 6: The Curtain Parts

I'm back, yes. Life caught up with me. But here you go. Enjoy?

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"You shouldn't be drawing attention to yourself," Malcolm warned the minute they stepped outside the Big House.

Annabeth sighed. One drawback to being a child of Athena was that your siblings were just as observant as you. "I know, I wasn't thinking straight." If the councillors hadn't cared before about the drama between her and Percy, they would be now.

To Annabeth's relief, her half-brother didn't pursue the subject, so they walked in silence towards Rachel's cave.

The rest of the camp was in the midst of their daily activities. Without meaning to, Percy's words floated up in her memories. She found herself watching for any campers with spiteful or fearful expressions.

A few of them spotted her and were gawking. Annabeth did her best to ignore them, but it took a lot to control herself from snapping at them to mind their own business. She kept her head held high and her gaze turned away from them.

They reached the Oracle's cave, which had finished construction, thanks to Apollo's enthusiasm to see his favourite Oracle get a "sick crib".

"Hello?" Malcolm called out as they brushed aside the vines that hung over the entrance.

"Hi. What's up?" Rachel Dare waved at them. She was sitting on her stool painting something Annabeth did not recognise. She wore a white apron over her pink shirt and denim jeans which was splattered with a myriad of colours, while her frizzy red hair was as loud as ever. It was starting to grow on Annabeth.

"I see you're enjoying your holidays," She observed dryly.

The redhead grinned. "Perks of joining an independent academy. Random days off whenever. Anyway, what're you guys here for?"

Malcolm started to explain his vision, but midway through, Rachel's eyes glowed green, and the usual green smoke poured from her mouth. He stopped talking, and Annabeth murmured, "Here we go."

The same choir of voices spoke:

The son of owl and daughter of rice

Shall rescue the children locked in vice

The acid green light cut. Rachel's mouth closed and she stirred as the mist evaporated. Annabeth blinked. "Wait. That's it?"

The redhead rubbed her head. "How much did I say?"

"Two lines," Malcolm replied, frowning. "There's a rice god?"

"Excuse me?" Rachel cracked a smile. Annabeth recounted the lines for her.

"I suppose it's a short prophecy for a short mission. I guess it makes sense, but in the first place, the Oracle only spouts prophecies for quests. It's a bit strange, isn't it?" Rachel said. Malcolm nodded slowly.

"We'll report back to Chiron, maybe he knows who's this daughter of the rice god is." He shrugged. "Thanks anyway, Rachel."

"Anytime."

Rachel watched the two leave. Once she was sure she was alone, she gingerly ran her hand along the rock walls. The two demigods had not noticed, but the Oracle's mist had corroded the granite, as though acid had been poured on it, leaving a rough, scarred surface. She winced as her fingers brushed the sharpness of it.

What does this mean? She wondered, staring at the wall.

---

"That is peculiar," Chiron muttered, stroking his beard. "Well, I suppose it doesn't exactly matter, given the simplicity of this task. Perhaps the spirit of Delphi was feeling off today."