"No indeed," Chiron said. "In fact his next assault is already on the way."

 

I scowled. "You mean the 'bigger threat' Poseidon mentioned?"

 

He and Annabeth looked at each other like, It's time. Did I mention I hate it

when they do that?

 

"Percy," Chiron said, "we didn't want to tell you until you returned to camp.

You needed a break with your . . . mortal friends."

 

Annabeth blushed. It dawned on me that she knew I'd been hanging out with

Rachel, and I felt guilty.

 

Then I felt angry that I felt guilty. I was allowed to have friends outside

camp, right? It wasn't like . . .

 

"Tell me what's happened," I said.

 

Chiron picked up a bronze goblet from the snack table. He tossed water onto the

hot plate where we usually melted nacho cheese. Steam billowed up, making a

rainbow in the fluorescent lights. Chiron fished a golden drachma out of his

pouch, tossed it through the mist, and muttered, "O Iris, Goddess of the

Rainbow, show us the threat."