¹On This Spring Day.

019.

               Rachel looked embarrassed. "It was the only thing I had."

               "But you saw," Annabeth insisted. "When it hit him, just for a second, he was dazed. He came back to his senses."

               "So maybe Kronos wasn't completely settled in the body, or whatever," Percy said, his expression turning defensive. AJ couldn't blame him; Annabeth was questioning what they saw. "It doesn't mean Luke was in control."

               "You want him to be evil, is that it?" Annabeth yelled. "You didn't know him before, Percy. I did!"

               "So did I, Annabeth!" snapped AJ, unable to stand the fact that Annabeth was questioning this. "I was at Camp when Luke came back from his quest. I had to watch as Luke was requited by Kronos. And I had to watch as Luke gave his fucking body over to that dick. Why do you keep defending him? He's tried to kill all of us!"

               "Whoa, you guys," said Rachel, spreading her hands. "We shouldn't be fighting."

               Annabeth turned on the redhead. "Stay out of it, mortal girl! If it wasn't for you ..."

               Whatever she was going to say, her voice broke. She put her head down again and sobbed miserably. This time, she didn't go to AJ for comfort.

               He struggled to his feet, his limbs feeling like they had been turned to lead. Not only did he have to watch Luke's descent, but he had to watch every other half-blood in Cabin Eleven who had turned. He had to watch Ethan's, Chris's, and to some degree, Violet's. He had to watch them do stupid shit in the name of ... AJ didn't even know what. Glory? Fame? Parental attention?

               Violet's chest rose and fell at a rapid rate. She stared off at the wall, and looked to be barely hearing anything. Percy took a step closer to her, but her eyes snapped over and she sneered, "Don't get near me."

               Percy's eyes flashed. "What is with you?"

               An expression AJ had seen a couple of times before flashed across Violet's face—anger. She wasn't the type to get angry often, but when she did, it was, well, pretty explosive; like father, like daughter, AJ figured. Violet's temper was just about as bad as Eros's ( and Eros cursed plenty of people to fall in love with unobtainable people because he felt slighted ).

               "With me?" Her voice pitched. "I'm not the guy who went on a fucking vacation in the middle of a goddamn quest!"

               AJ winced at the look on Percy's face. His anger seemed to be like Violet's—eruptive. "Vacation? It wasn't a fucking vacation, Violet!"

               "What was it then? A tropical retreat with Calypso?"

               The boy winced, but that didn't stop Violet. "Yeah, I know about that, Percy. I'm not a dumbass, despite what everyone thinks."

               For a moment, the son of Poseidon sputtered, then he demanded, "So where were you? We hadn't seen anything of you until you were marched in by Luke's cronies. From what I understand, you were somewhere down here—"

               "It wasn't a tropical retreat, if that's what you're asking." Violet rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, Percy, I have a shred of dignity and don't—"

               "Violet—shut up!" AJ snapped.

               The daughter of Eros gave the blond a smoldering look, but her mouth clamped shut.