Rachel flung her arms around him, and her father seemed surprised, like she'd

never hugged him before.

 

"I'll make it up to you, Dad!"

 

He smiled, but his expression was chilly. He studied her like he wasn't seeing

his daughter — just the young lady he wanted her to be, once Clarion Academy got

through with her.

 

"Yes, Rachel," he agreed. "You most certainly will."

 

The scene faded. I mumbled in my sleep: "Rachel, no!"

 

I was still tossing and turning when Thalia shook me awake.

 

"Percy," she said. "Come on. It's late afternoon. We've got visitors."

 

I sat up, disoriented. The bed was too comfortable, and I hated sleeping in the

middle of the day.

 

"Visitors?" I said.

 

Thalia nodded grimly. "A Titan wants to see you, under a flag of truce. He has a

message from Kronos."