The Underworld's Child

35 | Stars

"Well?" Luke asked.

Thalia trembled with fury.

Behind her, Annabeth came scrambling. Her face was bruised and streaked with dirt. "Don't kill him!"

"He's a traitor," Thalia said. "A traitor!"

"We'll bring Luke back," Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He… he'll be useful."

"A little help here, Ana?" Luke said to the watching Elora.

She stood frozen at her spot unable to move nor speak.

How dare he ask for help after all he's done, her brain said.

Yes, but everyone makes mistakes, her heart argues.

Thalia said it. He's a traitor, her head replied.

But he was one of the first to accept you for who you are, her heart said. Plus he was nice.

"Ouch." Luke touched his heart and smiled.

She didn't know why but he looked sad.

See, her heart retorted. Now he's hurt. Offended probably. What if he doesn't like us anymore?

He's a traitor! It doesn't matter! her head chastised.

But he's still a friend.

"Is that what you want, Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear.

"No!" Annabeth shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed. She screamed too but she didn't let it out. She watched as her former best friend fall. Her heart was in agony from the loss.

She rushed to the cliff's edge. Below them, the army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped. They were staring at Luke's broken form on the rocks.

That's it, she thought. He's really gone. She let out a stream of tears, crying quietly at the sight. It felt unreal. For some time now, Luke was their enemy. He was a threat. And now, he's splattered on a rock, broken. She wiped her tears. She'd grieve later, she decided. If she'd ever give in to grief.

"Kill them!"

Thalia was stiff with grief, tears streaming down her cheeks. Percy pulled them back as a wave of javelins sailed over their heads. Elora resisted and went out shooting arrows from her bows.

It's their fault, she thought, the monsters, Kronos. It's all their fault. She pinned the blame. If it wasn't for them, he'd still be alive and well.

The tears came again. And this time, she let them flow freely.

"Elora!" Percy screamed.

She ignored it like she didn't hear it.

"Come on!" Arms were around her body pulling her back.

She wiggled trying to get free and in the process, she dropped her bow and it vanished. "Let me go!"

Percy was stronger still. He managed to drag her to where her friends and Artemis are.

The goddess looked up, her face almost as grief-stricken as Thalia's. Zoe lay in the goddess's arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open.

"The wound is poisoned," Artemis said.

"Atlas poisoned her?" Percy asked.

"No," the goddess said. "Not Atlas."