Blade's Edge || Deception Book II ||

Chapter 16: Flight Pt. 2

"Why don't you fight me yourself?" Percy challenged, his grip tightening on his sword the same time I held up a hand, halting the advancing soldiers.

"Wait," I said, stepping forwards. "Luke, hold on. We need Percy alive."

Luke opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Agrius stumbled onto the deck, leading a black pegasus, Luke's steed, who whinnied and bucked in protest, curse words flying through the air in Horse so bad I nearly winced.

"My lord, your steed is ready!" Agrius said, ducking to avoid a flying rear kick.

Luke ignored him.

"Scared I'll beat you?" Percy continued, his gaze fixed on Luke as he glared at the younger boy. "I bet you don't want everyone here to see you lose."

It was smart of Percy, I supposed, to bait Luke into crossing blades with him in a one-on-one fight. Under normal circumstances, it would increase their chance of survival as well as stall time to think of an escape. However, this wasn't under normal circumstances and Percy couldn't beat Luke in a one-on-one fight.

"Wait," I said, stepping forward as Luke glanced at the rest of the soldiers. "I can do this. You go after Clarisse. Fighting Percy would be too much of a waste of time, and the plane's not getting any closer. As your first lieutenant, I can-"

"No, Ri," Luke said, drawing his sword. "I want to be the one who ends his pathetic life. You just stay back. And watch."

"As you wish sir," I said, dipping my chin in acceptance and taking a step back. I felt both Percy and Annabeth's gaze shift to me, Percy wary and slightly confused, Annabeth silently begging me to find a way to get them out of this mess.

Because we both knew that Percy couldn't beat Luke.

I silently handed Luke his shield, stepped away from the two, and tried to think of a solution. All of my plans were riding on Chiron, but if he couldn't make it, it seemed I'd have to risk myself much earlier than I thought. But it didn't matter. Even if I wouldn't be able to maintain my position in this army, I'd already gleaned enough valuable information, plus I now had Nicole.

I took a deep breath as Luke lunged towards Percy, who barely dodged the attack. Percy leaped back and parried, but Luke swatted his blade aside with the shield easily. He pressed Percy back towards the edge of the pool, only to have him leap straight in and blast out of the deep end in a funnel of water straight into Luke's face. However, Luke was fast and immediately rolled aside to come up on his feet before Percy could even make a move.

And then it happened. I watched from the sidelines, helpless, as Luke managed to deal a severe blow to Percy, his sword slashing through his leg right above the knee. Percy stumbled and immediately collapsed, his face twisting in pain.

Luke advanced slowly, grinning, his sword tinged in red. Percy wasn't going to make it. If I was going to do something, I'd have to do it now.

"You can eat dinner now," Luke said to Oreius, who was holding Annabeth and Grover.

Oreius bared his teeth in excitement. As I prepared to unleash my magic, my hand gripping the magic cards in my pocket, I sensed something. No, not something. Someone. A lot of someones.

I heard the arrow before I saw it. It flew through the air out of nowhere, piercing straight through Oreius' mouth. He collapsed to the deck, dropping Annabeth and Grover. "Brother!" Agrius cried, dropping the reins he was holding, letting the pegasus launch into the air and fly away, free.

For a moment, absolute silence descended upon the ship as everyone watched the two dissolve into piles of golden dust.

And then all Hades broke loose.