Annabeth's POV

Tropical Paradise

Tropical Paradise

Percy kept on asking me questions about the Great Prophecy. Why can't he understand that I had promised Chiron not to tell anything about this to anyone?

Stupid Seaweed Brain.

"Annabeth, what's Chiron's prophecy?"

I pressed my lips, hoping he gets the message that I didn't want to talk about this. "Percy, I shouldn't-"

"I know Chiron promised the gods he wouldn't tell me. But you didn't promise, did you?"

"Knowledge isn't always good for you."

"Your mom is the wisdom goddess!"

"I know! But every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works."

"The gods are worried about something I'll do when I get older," he said. "Something when I turn sixteen."

I was unable to keep anything from him, with his sea green eyes looking at me.

"Percy, I don't know the full prophecy, but it warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three-the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have any more kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."

"Why?"

Gods, could you please put an end to his questions!

"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods, or destroys it." Please Percy, stop asking the questions.

"That's why Kronos didn't kill me last summer."

I nodded. "You could be very useful to him. If he can get you on his side, the gods will be in serious trouble."

"But if it's me in the prophecy-"

"We'll only know that if you survive three more years. That can be a long time for a half-blood. When Chiron first learned about Thalia, he assumed she was the one in the prophecy. That's why he was so desperate to get her safely to camp. Then she went down fighting and got turned into a pine tree and none of us knew what to think. Until you came along."

Gods, please stop him.

Something huge with spiky green dorsal fin curled out beside our boat, and then immediately disappeared. I was glad it did, since we were in no shape of fight that- whatever that was.

"This kid in the prophecy ... he or she couldn't be like, a Cyclops?" Percy asked. "The Big Three have lots of monster children."

I shook my head for a disapproval. "The Oracle said 'half-blood.' That always means half-human, half-god. There's really nobody alive who it could be, except you."

"Then why do the gods even let me live? It would be safer to kill me." He said. He was right in a way, but I couldn't see this guy die, at least not by a god.

I decided to tell that I agreed with his suggestion. "You're right."

"Thanks a lot." Percy seemed pissed. He looked cute with that expression, but still, with those sea green eyes staring intently at me, I could not help myself to say something depressing about his future. I didn't know why, but it won't be same without him.

"Percy, I don't know. I guess some of the gods would like to kill you, but they're probably afraid of offending Poseidon. Other gods ... maybe they're still watching you, trying to decide what kind of hero you're going be. You could be a weapon for their survival, after all. The real question is ... what will you do in three years? What decision will you make?"

"Did the prophecy give any hints?" Gods, this boy! I looked at my feet, not sure how to answer him. From what Chiron had told me, it appeared that that the choice would be impromptu.

I was thinking how to tackle his question, when suddenly something fell on my lap. Leaves... a seagull... thank the gods!

"Land!" I said. "There's land nearby!" I was glad to see land, as I could get a little rest there, and would be able to escape Percy's questions for a while.

I could see a land mass, just a blur of brown, but in a minute, I could make out a mountain at the center, and a collection of dazzling white buildings... gods... they had the ancient style marble buildings, I started loving that place already.

As we got closer, I saw that the beach was lined with palm trees, and there was a quite large collection of boats there, but most were ancient looking, the old style mast ships, and some looked suspiciously like pirate vessels. One U.S. navy submarine was also there, but how could it be? In a tropical paradise... bizarre.

Maybe a collection of replicas for the tourists. But I was overwhelmed with joy to pay much heed to it. But still there was a nagging at that back of my head, a small voice telling me that something was not right here.

Then there was a helipad. I could not help but appreciate the architect. They had planned out the island in a cool manner, keeping in mind the requirements of the tourists, if any emergency would come, there would be two ways to leave: air and sea.

"Welcome!" said the lady with the clipboard. She looked like a flight attendant-blue business suit, perfect makeup, hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shook our hands as we stepped onto the dock. She greeted us with a bright smile, as if two teens coming up to this island, looking horrible, and getting out of a row boat from the middle of nowhere was not odd at all.

She asked us if it was our first time here, with them.

"Um," I said, but before I could say anything, she noted down while saying,

"First-time-at-spa," then she examined us, "Let's see... hmm. An herbal wrap to start for the young lady. And of course, a complete makeover for the young gentleman."

"A what?" Percy asked. Why would she want to give Percy a complete makeover? This is so strange. And an herbal wrap for me? Was she kidding? Make up and me? Not a good thing.

She ignored Percy's question.

"Right!" She said with a breezy smile. "Well, I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you personally before the luau. Come, please."

C.C. I should know something about this... something was not right with this place. If it were actually a tropical paradise, then why was no such place on the map? I know, I should have analyzed the situation. At first, I expected it to be a trap. But the lady with the clipboard seemed like a mortal, and she was sweet enough. Maybe a little too sweet, Annabeth. I mentally scolded my inner voice to shut up.

I was hungry, and after spending so much time at the Sea of Monsters, I thought being on land for a while and grabbling a meal won't hurt. After all, this lady told us about luau.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt." I said.