wonderful Oracle!"

 

It was hard to drop the subject, but Apollo insisted that Rachel needed to rest,

and she did look pretty disoriented.

 

"I'm sorry, Percy," she said. "Back on Olympus, I didn't explain everything to

you, but the calling frightened me. I didn't think you'd understand."

 

"I still don't," I admitted. "But I guess I'm happy for you."

 

Rachel smiled. "Happy probably isn't the right word. Seeing the future isn't

going to be easy, but it's my destiny. I only hope my family ..."

 

She didn't finish her thought.

 

"Will you still go to Clarion Academy?" I asked.

 

"I made a promise to my father. I guess I'll try to be a normal kid during the

school year, but — "

 

"But right now you need sleep," Apollo scolded. "Chiron, I don't think the attic

is the proper place for our new Oracle, do you?"

 

"No, indeed." Chiron looked a lot better now that Apollo had worked some medical

magic on him. "Rachel may use a guest room in the Big House for now, until we