Apparently, I'm Dead

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognize. 

PERCY JACKSON

I run over the scene over and over in my head, trying to find where I lost control. I was fine up until Magnus told me I needed to stop. I didn't want to stop. I was so enthralled by the rush that I didn't realize I was hurting people.

Stupid, idiotic Percy. Vlacas.

Next time, I'll listen when someone tells me to stop.

I suck in a breath as Alex pulls particularly enthusiastically on my arm. I'm tugged into the elevator, and then we're making our way to the dining hall. I make a beeline for some food, but then grey smoke flows up from the middle of the room, like when that creepy old lady told everyone who my father was. Instead of a creepy old lady there, there are three creepy tall ladies wearing white robes.

I take a step back. They remind me forcefully of the Fates. I hate the Fates. They make everything about my life suck.

A disembodied voice rings through the hall. "Perseusssss..."

I shiver. The voice sounded like a blend of many, many voices. Old, young, male female. Anything you can think of, it's there.

"The Son of the Sea."

"The Hero of Olympus."

"One of the Seven."

"Survivor of Tartarus."

"Bearer of the Curse of Achilles."

"Holder of the Sky."

"Bane of Monsters."

"Retriever of the Bolt and the Fleece."

"And the Savior of the World."

I can feel a blush creeping onto my face. Did they really need to list all that? Thank the gods they didn't list everything. I tug my hair over my eyes, and rub the back of my neck sheepishly.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I straighten to see the Fates (The Norns? Is that like the Norse version of the Fates?) circling me like vultures who've found a wounded animal.

The same voice comes back, reciting,

"The Prince of Lies approaches.

The Son of his Son has been slayed.

He is angry."

A different voice continues,

"You must bind the serpent.

Trap him again under the sea.

Make him sleep."

Another voice finishes,

Use the yellow ship.

If you succeed,

You may see her once again.

And with those final words they vanish. I shiver runs up the back of my spine. "You may see her once again?" Could they be talking about... Annabeth?

I look out of the corner of my eye at Magnus and Alex. They look shaken. I'm shaken, too. Another godsdammed prophecy? How many am I going to get in a lifetime? Haven't I done enough?

Also, I'm dead. I feel like all of this questing stuff should be over now. This really isn't fair. I want to be in my nice, peaceful, GREEK afterlife.