𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔲𝔰

Chapter Twenty [Tartarus and Poseidon] - Loose Ends

We had gotten what I had always wanted. The throne of Olympus. The ultimate mantle of power over the mortal world. Now every demigod, Olympian, minor god and goddess knew who we were and that we were not to be rivaled with.

    But we still had to tie up the loose ends.

I caught my father Chaos looking at me and made sure my face was as cold and blank as stone. No emotion could be seen on my face, not even in my eyes. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary. I was never really one to speak my mind. But Chaos couldn't know what I was thinking at the moment.

    He couldn't know that I was worrying about Percy. In his eyes, that would be a sign of weakness. And I couldn't have any weaknesses - or my father would find a way to use them to control me. Gods, I was done with him.

He and I were the only ones present on Mount Olympus, along with two thirds of the army. Every one else was back at the Refuge. So it seemed that he and I would be the ones to make sure that the entire plan fell into place.

Perseus still had the tattoo of the wolf on his arms. That meant that he could find the Refuge without any problem. That was a dangerous situation for all of us to be in. Who knew what he would do once he remembered where all the monsters were hidden?

No. Perseus might have been cold and harsh when he had needed to get the job done. But I had watched him along with my father for many years. He had a kind heart. He believed that the monster refugees could be innocent. That could work in our favor. The Refuge wouldn't be bothered any time soon.

But there was still the matter of my brother. Perseus knew much of our plans and our strategies. He knows how we think. How we operate. He needed to be eliminated, as I was sure my father was thinking. Today at the latest.

Or did he?

Chaos was still looking at me and I at last looked back. I nodded at him to say that I had been most likely thinking the same thing he had been thinking. About Perseus.

"Go," Chaos said softly. I traveled away.

I found Percy sitting on the beach near Camp Half-Blood. It hadn't taken much time to find him; he had such a strong aura it was impossible not to. I was surprised more monsters didn't come looking for him - their long lost general. They still thought he was their general. Ha.

"Tartarus," Percy said, without looking around. He looked relaxed, but I knew he was on his guard. His Pegasus Blackjack lay near him and Percy was stroking his mane absently. I felt a message being sent in between them - I couldn't interpret what it was like Percy could; I didn't talk to horses after all - and Blackjack flew away. Understandable. Percy probably didn't want his companion anywhere near me, just in case things got messy.

"Perseus," I greeted him. I realized our names rhymed.

I strode over and took a seat next to him, careful not to look at him. That would show concern, and I couldn't show concern to who was to be my enemy again. Percy had gone back to Camp Half-Blood, after all. Not to the Olympians - to the demigods.

    "I don't want to fight you," Percy said at last. He looked up at me and only then did I look at him. He took me by surprise. It sounded like he actually... cared. No one had done that for me.

    To my father, I was just another way to get what he wanted. I knew he favored Percy more than me because he was more human. It had bothered me and annoyed me for the longest time, but I saw why when I thought about it. Percy was human, so delightfully human. He felt the way mortals did and thought the way they did. I was immortal. I was wise but I didn't have the same light that Percy had. I couldn't bring myself to hate Percy, even when I tried.