That evening at dinner, Amanda told Blake about her decision. He nodded along, laughing when she described what had happened at the fountain. “‘I’m Amanda. My father doesn’t get me and I fight for Death.’”

Amanda wobbled her hand. “Not your best work.”

“Hey, it’s harder than--”

He was cut off by a loud clattering. Everyone in the mess hall turned to the sound. The girl who had been pointed out to Amanda as the oracle was standing completely still, a tray of food scattered around her feet. The girl Amanda had met at the forge and two boys rushed to her as her eyes began to glow green.

“March through the house of a single God’s breath

Three curved heroes of Sun and Death

A Golden hero, facing father’s might

Through burning skin and acid sight

A fallen foe and arrow rain

Shall bring home the stolen reign”

Her words cut through the air like a knife. It was hard to imagine a room filled with hundreds of teenagers being silent, but no one made a sound as they watched the girl. She blinked and her eyes stopped glowing, turning back to her normal, mis-matched irises. Horror dawned on her face and she looked between the three students who’d rushed to her aid.

One of the boys had pulled out a pad of paper and was writing furiously, while the other two looked uneasy. When he was done, the first boy passed the paper to the oracle, who read it over.

“That can’t be right.” She said, looking around the room at the still silent masses. “What’s a curved hero?”

Amanda couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. At once, all eyes shifted to her. It unnerved her, but she tried to appear confident. “Isn’t it obvious?” She glanced at Blake, but he looked just as confused as everyone else. “What’s the opposite of curved?”

The oracle stared blankly at her, then, hesitantly, answered “Straight?”

“Exactly.” Amanda hated the attention she was drawing. “So you need three heroes who aren’t straight.”

A slight murmur rippled through the hall. Amanda remembered Blake’s qualms about being gay and wondered if this quest was going to forcibly out someone.

Zain, the boy who had given Amanda a tour, stepped up to the oracle. “I guess that’d mean me. My father’s Apollo, God of the sun. And I’m the only one of my siblings who’s gay.”

Amanda noticed Blake duck his head and saw his face was bright red.

“What about death?” the girl beside the oracle asked. “Does it mean Thana? Or her brother?”

“Her brother’s, like, a month old.” One of the boys countered.

“And she has a boyfriend.” The other added.

“So?” the girl crossed her arms. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Hades.” A girl stepped out of the crowd beside Zain. She held a toddler in her arms and a little girl clutched at her leg. “When mortals forget about Thanatos, they attribute Hades with death, since he’s Lord of the Underworld.”

“Would that mean you, Eliza?” Zain asked, but the girl shook her head.

“I’m straight, unfortunately.” She hefted the boy in her arms and patted the little girl’s head. “Plus, I’ve got these two to look out for.” She looked up at the oracle. “But none of my siblings are--”

“I am.” Blake shouted. He was shaking, but he stood tall. “I’m a son of Hades and I’m gay.” He walked up to the oracle. “I’ll go on this quest.”

Everyone cheered, but the echo soon died down. “That’s still only two.” The oracle voiced what everyone was thinking.

Blake locked eyes with Amanda. “I’m not straight.” She said before she could chicken out. “And I’ve taken Thanatos as my patron God.”

Zain choked on a laugh, but it was drowned out by more cheers.