The Winged Warrior

Chapter 19

"Aah, but of course. I forgot. You are from her world, are you not? I hear Percy here has taken quite a liking to you. I dare say you've forgiven him for what he did to you. Strange. I certainly wouldn't have done if I were you."

"What are you talking about?" Lexi growled, still fighting to extract herself from my hold as I fought to keep her at bay.

"Don't you remember, little Lexi? Don't you remember how he took you from your family and forced you to watch from afar as they aged and died without you? How terrible that must have felt. How can you stand by his side even now, foolish girl?"

"I stand by him because he is a hero. Unlike you." she snarled.

"Bravery." Kronos spoke. I felt sick, sick of the way that I could here Leo's voice behind the cold sneer of Kronos, sick of the way that Kronos was controlling him.

"Yes, bravery is a commendable thing. But there is no shame in entering my service. In fact, two of you already have."

Out from behind the crowd walked Nicolas and Annabeth. They strode right up to Kronos without the slightest hint of fear, standing beside him.

"You!" I cried, staring at Annabeth. "You betrayed me again! How could you!"

"I'm sorry Percy. But we're on the right side." Annabeth said, looking at her toes. Nicolas grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him, grinning.

"I still can't believe you fell for my little act, Jackson." Nicolas said, and his smirk was even more pronounced under his mop of brown hair. "You are far too forgiving. I did so much to you. I killed your parents! And yet you welcomed me with open arms. You have such a handy fatal flaw."

Kronos smiled a frozen smile at Nicolas before turning back to me and Lexi.

"You see, if you join me, all will be forgiven. Even this one - " He gestured to Annabeth - "Who helped bring me down during my last attack has been allowed to enter my service. Come and join me. If you don't, I doubt you'll survive for longer than about ten minutes..."

"We will never join you!" Lexi screamed at Kronos.

"You are a troublesome one, aren't you?" Kronos asked, amused, his golden eyes fixed on Lexi. "You nearly ruined everything when you saw dear Annabeth taking metal into the forest for me. You see, they were making me this."

From the pocket of Leo's greasy overalls, Kronos pulled out what looked like a small purple gem. I recognized it as the object that he had been throwing and catching earlier.

Kronos threw it up again, but this time he didn't catch it. It landed on the ground at his feet and expanded, growing like a tree, a long handle sprouting from it until it was a large and ornate staff, topped with the purple jewel that was now the size of a football.

I was brought back down to earth by a cry from my right. It was Piper.

I hadn't spoken to Piper for a very long time, and the sight of her running and yelling at Kronos just like our war against Gaea all those years ago gave me courage. It reminded me that there would always be people on my side, no matter who betrayed me.

"Get out of his head, you bastard!" Piper screamed at Kronos, drawing her dagger and throwing it accurately at Kronos' head.

He caught it. Just raised a fist and caught it. His hand looked unscathed as he stared down at Piper's knife.

"Interesting." Kronos said, and once again I was filled with anger at the thought of Kronos using Leo's face, Leo's voice, Leo's identity. "This dagger had shown you much, Piper Mclean. Odd... I believe the boy who's body this used to belong was quite fond of you. And him." Kronos jerked his head in my direction. "Not so friendly now."