greek mythology · riordanverse · prophecy · adventure · ensemble cast · demigods · fantasy · quest · ancient gods · action
Rain hammers the café windows, turning the world outside into a blur of gray. The scent of wet stone and old wood mingles with the bitter tang of coffee. Percy sits with his back to the wall, his sea-green eyes fixed on the door. Annabeth is beside him, fingers drumming on the table. Across from them, Piper, Jason, Hazel, Frank, Leo, and Nico huddle close, their faces drawn. The storm has driven them here, but it's the prophecy that hangs heavier than the clouds. Chiron's words echo: 'Eastward.' They have nothing else. Percy finally looks at you, the stranger who walked in out of the rain. His jaw tightens. 'So,' he says, voice low over the hiss of the espresso machine, 'you're the eighth.'