The Cult of Dionysus

Apollo

"I know what you're thinking."  Rachel says. "Don't do it."

I feign surprise. "Can you read my mind, Miss Dare?"

"I don't need to. I know you, Lord Apollo."

A week ago, the idea would make me laugh. A mortal cannot know me. I have lived for four millenia. Merely looking upon my true form would vaporize any human. Now, though, Rachel's words seem perfectly reasonable. With Lester Papadopoulos, what you see is what you get. There really isn't much to know. 

"Don't call me Lord." I sigh. "I am just a mortal teen. I do not belong at this camp."

Percy sits next to me. He squints at the sunrise, the sea breeze tousling his hair. "Yeah, I used to think I didn't belong here either."

"It's not the same." I say. "You humans change and grow and mature. Gods do not."

Percy faces me. "You sure about that? You seem pretty different."

I think he means that as a compliment, but I don't find his words reassuring. If I am becoming more fully human, that's hardly a cause for celebration. True, I mustered a few godly powers at important moments—a burst of divine strength against Nero's Germani, a hay fever arrow against the Colossus statue of me—but I cannot rely on those abilities. I don't even understand how I summoned them. The fact that I have limits, and that I can't be sure where those limits are...Well, that makes me feel much more like Lester Papadopoulos than Apollo.

"The other Oracles must be found and secured," I say. "I cannot do that unless I leave Camp Half-Blood. And I cannot risk anyone else's life."

Rachel sits on my other side. "You sound certain. Did you get a prophecy from the grove?"

I shudder. "I fear so."

Rachel cups her hands on her knees. "Kayla said you were talking to an arrow yesterday. I'm guessing it's wood from Dodona?"

"Wait," Percy says. "You found a talking arrow that gave you a prophecy?"

"Don't be silly," I say. "The arrow talks, but I got the prophecy from the grove itself. The Arrow of Dodona just gives random advice. He's quite annoying."

The arrow buzzes in my quiver.

"At any rate," I continue, "I must leave the camp. The Triumvirate means to possess all the ancient Oracles. I have to stop them. Once I have defeated the former emperors...only then will I be able to face my old enemy Python and free the Oracle of Delphi. After that...if I survive...perhaps Zeus will restore me to Olympus."

Rachel tugs at a strand of her hair. "You know it's too dangerous to do all that alone, right?"

"Listen to her," Percy urges. "Chiron told me about Nero and this weird holding company of his."

"I appreciate the offer of assistance, but—"

"Whoa." Percy holds up his hands. "Just to be clear, I'm not offering to go with you. I still have to finish my senior year, pass my DSTOMP and my SAT, and avoid getting killed by my girlfriend. But I'm sure we can get you some other helpers."

"I'll go." Rachel offers.

I shake my head. "My enemies would love to capture someone as dear to me as the priestess of Delphi. Besides, I need you and Miranda Gardiner to stay here and study the Grove of Dodona. For now, it is our only source of prophecy. And since our communication problems have not gone away, learning to use the grove's power is all the more critical."

Rachel tries to hide it, but I can see her disappointment in the lines around her mouth. "What about Meg?" She asks. "You'll try to find her, won't you?"

She may as well have plunged the Arrow of Dodona into my chest. I gaze at the woods, at the hazy green expanse that swallowed young McCaffrey. For a brief moment, I feel like Nero. I want to burn the whole place down. 

"I will try." I say. "But Meg doesn't want to be found. She's under the influence of her stepfather."

Percy traces his finger across the Athena Parthenos's big toe. "I've lost too many people to bad influence: Ethan Nakamura, Luke Castellan... we almost lost Nico too..." He shakes his head. "No. No more. You can't give up on Meg. You guys are bound together. Besides, she's one of the good guys."