The Dark Prophecy: Chapters 13–19

by Rick Riordan
In this second book of the series The Trials of Apollo, Lester must reclaim and protect five Oracles from three evil emperors with help from the demigod Leo Valdez, bronze dragon Festus, and sorceress Calypso.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–12, Chapters 13–19, Chapters 20–29, Chapters 30–42
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. threshold
    the entrance for passing through a room or building
    She yanked the pin shards out of the lock, then followed me across the threshold, gently closing the door behind us.
  2. discreet
    not easily noticeable
    In one corner, a musician sat discreetly serenading us with his lyre.
  3. opulence
    wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
    I gestured at the opulence around us.
  4. furlough
    a temporary leave of absence, especially from military duty
    “Why not talk to your father? Ask for a furlough?”
  5. esteemed
    having an illustrious reputation; respected
    “You know what he’ll do—give me another lecture on duty and morality. He is so virtuous, so perfect, so esteemed.”
  6. stifling
    causing one to feel inhibited or oppressed
    It’s stifling. All duty, all the time.
  7. misgiving
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    “Go,” I said, as calmly as I could, forcing down my misgivings.
  8. prowess
    a superior skill learned by study and practice
    I would even have settled for Meg McCaffrey and her garbage-bag-throwing prowess, though I knew what Meg would say about our present predicament: You guys are dumb.
  9. sentry
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    I spotted the lone Germanus on sentry duty, about fifty feet across the plaza, but he was busy studying the carousel.
  10. circumvent
    avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
    Calypso’s plan was to circumvent the orangutans and cut through the reptile display, skirting the park perimeter until we reached the train depot.
  11. simian
    relating to or resembling an ape or a monkey
    Our simian movements must have amused the orangutan.
  12. undaunted
    resolutely courageous
    Calypso, undaunted, waved her arms and began to incant.
  13. rafter
    one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
    Above Lityerses, the canopy roof shook again, as if a thousand rats were scurrying through the rafters.
  14. foliage
    the collective amount of leaves of one or more plants
    The vines seemed to be growing, the foliage turning thicker and darker.
  15. shingle
    building material used as siding or roofing
    The swordsman disappeared under hundreds of pounds of shingles, lumber, and ivy.
  16. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    I found the ignition switch. The train lurched into motion. (Calypso will claim she found the ignition switch. This is a blatant lie.)
  17. trundle
    move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle
    Their zookeeper frowned as we trundled past.
  18. manacle
    shackle that can be locked around the wrist
    Around the arena floor, chains with empty manacles were fastened to spikes in the ground.
  19. plight
    a situation from which extrication is difficult
    The plight of these animals depressed me...but so did thinking about Commodus.
  20. jaundice
    yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes
    Calypso’s face turned jaundice yellow.
  21. impervious
    not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
    “Their hides are impervious to all metal weapons—like the Nemean Lion, except, ah...much larger, and red.”
  22. plumage
    the covering of feathers on a bird
    Their russet wings folded regally across their backs. Their aquiline heads bristled with gold and white plumage.
  23. cantankerous
    having a difficult and contrary disposition
    Griffins get very cantankerous when they’re imprisoned or restrained in any way.
  24. retribution
    a justly deserved penalty
    Ever since, I had lived in terror, wondering when and how the spirit of the Styx would punish me. Perhaps, instead of a grand moment of retribution, it would be a slow death by a thousand insults.
  25. plaintive
    expressing sorrow
    Calypso’s voice was plaintive and full of melancholy.
  26. proffer
    present for acceptance or rejection
    Nevertheless, I proffered a handful of golden Tater Tots to Abelard.
  27. intercede
    act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
    Surely Zeus would intercede. He couldn’t allow my punishment on earth to include actual death!
  28. precariously
    in a manner affording no ease or reassurance
    While precariously gripped in Abelard’s paws, she willed her swords to shrink back into golden rings.
  29. gusto
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
    Meg grabbed the entire bread loaf and ripped off a chunk, chewing it with gusto.
  30. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
    “A huge decorated column thing in the middle of a plaza, a few blocks north of here. Just the kind of ostentatious, over-the-top edifice you’d expect the emperor to have for his entrance.”
  31. megalomaniac
    a pathological egotist
    “The emperor is quite the megalomaniac. As he did in ancient times, he plans to rename this capital city after himself. Probably he’ll rename the state, the inhabitants, and the months of the year too.”
  32. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
    The great hall shook as if the Waystation itself had taken offense. Emmie blanched.
  33. reproach
    a mild rebuke or criticism
    Any death you cause is the will of the gods and entirely beyond reproach.
  34. crony
    a close friend or associate
    While Commodus concentrated on his beloved games, he turned the powers of state over to prefects and cronies...all of whom tended to have a very short life expectancy.
  35. bastion
    a stronghold for shelter during a battle
    Rome itself, the bastion of the Olympian gods, would be shaken to its core.
  36. transpose
    transfer from one place or period to another
    I imagined Trophonius’s head transposed on his body—my son’s agonized voice crying to the heavens, Take me instead!
  37. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    She seemed so gentle and affable, the same way I thought of Festus the dragon, yet at times I had to step back and remember, Oh, right, this is a giant fire-breathing death machine.
  38. liaison
    a means of communication between groups
    I was Al’s—what would you call it?—liaison to the African American bootleggers.
  39. intoxicating
    extremely exciting
    That lifestyle...it was intoxicating, dangerous. It took me to a dark place, almost destroyed me.
  40. expendable
    suitable to be used up
    I remembered Hemithea and her sister Parthenos launching themselves over a cliff, in a time when women’s lives were more expendable than jars of wine.
Created on Sat Sep 03 17:18:41 EDT 2022 (updated Fri Feb 03 10:09:52 EST 2023)

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