¹Royal Cries.

008.

"Well, Nakamura. What did you think of the diplomatic mission?"

The boy hesitated. "I'm sure Lord Prometheus is better suited to speak—"

"But I asked you."

Ethan's good eye darted back and forth, noting the guards that stood around Kronos. "I ... I don't think Jackson will surrender. Ever."

Kronos nodded. "Anything else you wanted to tell me?"

"N-no, sir."

"You look nervous, Nakamura."

"No, sir. It's just ... I heard this was the lair of—"

"Medusa? Yes, quite true. Lovely place, eh? Unfortunately, Medusa hasn't reformed since Jackson killed her, so you needn't worry about joining her collection. Besides, there are much more dangerous forces in this room."

The Titan looked over at a Laistrygonian giant who was munching noisily on some French fries. Kronos waved his hand and the giant froze. A French fry hung suspended in midair halfway between his hand and his mouth.

"Why turn them to stone," Kronos mused with a dark smile, "when you can freeze time itself?"

His golden eyes bored into Ethan's face. "Now tell me one more thing. What happened last night on the Williamsburg Bridge?"

The demigod trembled. Beads of sweat were popping up on his forehead. "I—I don't know, sir."

"Yes, you do." Kronos rose from his seat. "When you attacked Jackson, something happened. Something was not quite right. The girl, Elisa, jumped in your way." He frowned, as if recalling something from long ago. "That girl—Elisa—she had been on our side once, hadn't she? I haven't seen many half-bloods change from our side to the gods—probably because I had them killed before they could go back, of course."

Ethan glanced to his side nervously, as if debating something. "I don't if I would have considered her on our side," he said hesitantly. "She joined to—"

"Stay alive," said Kronos. "Yes, I remember. Well, a lot of good that did her. She should have stayed with the winning side. Now—back to my original question. Why would that girl take the stab for Jackson?"

"She wanted to save him."

"But he is invulnerable," Kronos said calmly. "You saw that yourself."

"I can't explain it. Maybe she forgot."

"She forgot," Kronos repeated with an eye roll. "Yes, that must've been it. Oh dear, I forgot my friend is invulnerable and took a knife for him. Oops. Tell me, Nakamura, where were you aiming when you stabbed at Jackson?"

Ethan frowned. He clasped his hand as if he were holding a blade and mimed a thrust. "I'm not sure, sir. It all happened so fast. I wasn't aiming for any spot in particular."

Kronos's fingers tapped the blade of his scythe. "I see," he said in a chilly tone. "If your memory improves, I will expect—"

Suddenly the Titan lord winced. The giant in the corner unfroze and the French fry fell into his mouth. Kronos stumbled backward and sank into his throne.

"My lord?" Ethan took a small step forward.

"I—" The voice was weak, but just for a moment, it was Luke's. Then Kronos's expression hardened. He raised his hand and flexed his fingers slowly as if forcing them to obey. "It is nothing," he said, his voice steely and cold again. "A minor discomfort."