The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

by Rick Riordan

Strangely, it was Athena who spoke up: “The boy is correct. We have been unwise to ignore our children. It proved a strategic weakness in this war and almost caused our destruction. Percy Jackson, I have had my doubts about you, but perhaps”—she glanced at Annabeth, and then spoke as if the words had a sour taste—“perhaps I was mistaken. I move that we accept the boy’s plan.”

Another god was waiting for me on the way out of Olympus. Athena stood in the middle of the road with her arms crossed and a look on her face that made me think Uh-oh. She’d changed out of her armor, into jeans and a white blouse, but she didn’t look any less warlike. Her gray eyes blazed.

“Well, Percy,” she said. “You will stay mortal.” “Um, yes, ma’am.” “I would know your reasons.” “I want to be a regular guy. I want to grow up. Have, you know, a regular high school experience.” “And my daughter?” “I couldn’t leave her,” I admitted,

Just then Nico ran in from the street, and his face told me something was wrong. “It’s Rachel,” he said. “I just ran into her down on 32nd Street.” Annabeth frowned. “What’s she done this time?” “It’s where she’s gone,” Nico said. “I told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and—” “She took my pegasus?” I demanded. Nico nodded. “She’s heading to Half-Blood Hill. She said she had to get to camp.”

Nobody steals my pegasus. Not even Rachel. I wasn’t sure if I was more angry or amazed or worried. “What was she thinking?” Annabeth said as we ran for the river. Unfortunately, I had a pretty good idea, and it filled me with dread.

“Apollo,” I said. He winked at me but held up his finger to his lips. “Rachel Elizabeth Dare,” he said. “You have the gift of prophecy. But it is also a curse. Are you sure you want this?” Rachel nodded. “It’s my destiny.” “Do you accept the risks?” “I do.” “Then proceed,” the god said. Rachel closed her eyes. “I accept this role. I pledge myself to Apollo, God of Oracles. I open my eyes to the future and embrace the past. I accept the spirit of Delphi, Voice of the Gods, Speaker of Riddles, Seer of Fate.”

“Stop! This is the most delicate part.” “What’s going on?” I demanded. “What do you mean?” Apollo studied Rachel with concern. “Either the spirit takes hold, or it doesn’t.” “And if it doesn’t?” Annabeth asked. “Five syllables,” Apollo said, counting them on his fingers. “That would be real bad.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked. Apollo drifted down from the porch. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the new Oracle of Delphi.” “You’re kidding,” Annabeth said. Rachel managed a weak smile. “It’s a little surprising to me too, but this is my fate. I saw it when I was in New York. I know why I was born with true sight. I was meant to become the Oracle.”

I thought about the lines Rachel had spoken in that creepy voice: about storm and fire and the Doors of Death. “Maybe,” I said, “but it didn’t sound so good.” “No,” said Apollo cheerfully. “It certainly didn’t. She’s going to make a wonderful Oracle!”

“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 give the matter more thought.” “I’m thinking a cave in the hills,” Apollo mused. “With torches and a big purple curtain over the entrance…really mysterious. But inside, a totally decked-out pad with a game room and one of those home theater systems.” Chiron cleared his throat loudly. “What?” Apollo demanded.

“Hey.” Annabeth slid next to me on the bench. “Happy birthday.” She was holding a huge misshapen cupcake with blue icing. I stared at her. “What?” “It’s August 18th,” she said. “Your birthday, right?”

“Make a wish,” she said. “Did you bake this yourself?” I asked. “Tyson helped.” “That explains why it looks like a chocolate brick,” I said. “With extra blue cement.” Annabeth laughed. I thought for a second, then blew out the candle.

“You saved the world,” she said. “We saved the world.” “And Rachel is the new Oracle, which means she won’t be dating anybody.” “You don’t sound disappointed,” I noticed. Annabeth shrugged. “Oh, I don’t care.” “Uh-huh.” She raised an eyebrow. “You got something to say to me, Seaweed Brain?” “You’d probably kick my butt.” “You know I’d kick your butt.”

“When I was at the River Styx, turning invulnerable…Nico said I had to concentrate on one thing that kept me anchored to the world, that made me want to stay mortal.” Annabeth kept her eyes on the horizon. “Yeah?” “Then up on Olympus,” I said, “when they wanted to make me a god and stuff, I kept thinking—” “Oh, you so wanted to.” “Well, maybe a little. But I didn’t, because I thought— I didn’t want things to stay the same for eternity, because things could always get better. And I was thinking…” My throat felt really dry. “Anyone in particular?” Annabeth asked, her voice soft. I looked over and saw that she was trying not to smile. “You’re laughing at me,” I complained. “I am not!” “You are so not making this easy.” Then she laughed for real, and she put her hands around my neck. “I am never, ever going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it.” When she kissed me, I had the feeling my brain was melting right through my body.

“Oh, come on!” I complained. “Is there no privacy?” “The lovebirds need to cool off!” Clarisse said with glee. “The canoe lake!” Connor Stoll jeered. With a huge cheer, they carried us down the hill, but they kept us close enough to hold hands. Annabeth was laughing, and I couldn’t help laughing too, even though my face was completely red. We held hands right up to the moment they dumped us in the water. Afterward, I had the last laugh. I made an air bubble at the bottom of the lake. Our friends kept waiting for us to come up, but hey—when you’re the son of Poseidon, you don’t have to hurry. And it was pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time.

“Won’t change anything,” I said. “You’re still my best friend.” He grinned. “Except for Annabeth.” “That’s different.” “Yeah,” he agreed. “It sure is.”

“Good-bye,” Rachel said to us as she shouldered her bag. She looked pretty nervous, but she was keeping a promise to her father and attending Clarion Academy in New Hampshire. It would be next summer before we got our Oracle back. “You’ll do great.” Annabeth hugged her. Funny, she seemed to get along fine with Rachel these days.

Annabeth, thank goodness, would be staying in New York. She’d gotten permission from her parents to attend a boarding school in the city so she could be close to Olympus and oversee the rebuilding efforts. “And close to me?” I asked. “Well, someone’s got a big sense of his own importance.” But she laced her fingers through mine. I remembered what she’d told me in New York, about building something permanent, and I thought—just maybe—we were off to a good start.

“You’ve been thinking about Rachel’s prophecy?” I asked Annabeth. She frowned. “How did you know?” “Because I know you.” She bumped me with her shoulder.

She nodded, though she still seemed uneasy. I didn’t blame her, but it was hard to feel too upset on a nice day, with her next to me, knowing that I wasn’t really saying good-bye. We had lots of time. “Race you to the road?” I said. “You are so going to lose.” She took off down Half-Blood Hill and I sprinted after her. For once, I didn’t look back.