claimed |PERCY JACKSON| [book 5]

XXI

THE THREE FATES THEMSELVES TOOK LUKE'S BODY.

Percy hadn't seen the old ladies in years, since he'd witnessed them snip a life thread at a roadside fruit stand when he was twelve. They'd scared him then, and they scared him now—three ghoulish grandmothers with bags of knitting needles and yarn.

One of them looked at Percy, and even though she didn't say anything, his life literally flashed before his eyes. Suddenly he was twenty. Then he was a middle-aged man. Then he turned old and withered. All the strength left his body, and he saw his own tombstone and an open grave, a coffin being lowered into the ground. All this happened in less than a second.

It is done, she said.

The Fate held up the snippet of blue yarn—and Percy knew it was the same one he'd seen four years ago, the lifeline he'd watched them snip. He had thought it was his own life. Now Percy realized it was Luke's. They'd been showing him the life that would have to be sacrificed to set things right.

They gathered up Luke's body, now wrapped in a white-and-green shroud, and began carrying it out of the throne room.

"Wait," Hermes said.

The messenger god was dressed in his classic outfit of white Greek robes, sandals, and helmet. The wings of his helm fluttered as he walked. The snakes George and Martha curled around his caduceus, murmuring, Luke, poor Luke.

Percy thought about May Castellan, alone in her kitchen, baking cookies and making sandwiches for a son who would never come home.

Hermes unwrapped Luke's face and kissed his forehead. He murmured some words in Ancient Greek—a final blessing.

"Farewell," he whispered. Then he nodded and allowed the Fates to carry away his son's body.

As they left, Percy thought about the Great Prophecy. The lines now made sense to him. The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. The hero was Luke. The cursed blade was the knife he'd given Annabeth long ago—cursed because Luke had broken his promise and betrayed his friends. A single choice shall end his days. Percy's choice, to give him the knife, and to believe, as Annabeth had, that he was still capable of setting things right. Olympus to preserve or raze. By sacrificing himself, he had saved Olympus. Rachel was right. In the end, Percy wasn't really the hero. Luke was.

And he understood something else: When Luke had descended into the River Styx, he would've had to focus on something important that would hold him to his mortal life. Otherwise, he would've dissolved. Percy had seen Selena, and he had a feeling Luke had seen Annabeth and Selena. He had pictured that scene Hestia showed Percy—of himself in the good old days with Thalia, Selena, and Annabeth, when he promised they would be a family. Hurting Annabeth in battle had shocked him into remembering that promise. It had allowed his mortal conscience to take over again, and defeat Kronos. His weak spot—his Achilles heel—had saved them all.

Percy looked around. Selena had yet to show. He was about to call Blackjack so he could look for her when another entered the room.

"Kasey!" Percy exclaimed and she walked over.

Her eyes were puffy, her left hand was holding her right wrist as if it was in pain and in her right hand she held something,

"Kasey, where's Selena?" Annabeth asked, narrowing her eyes at the younger girl.

"I'm sorry." Kasey whispered as she held out the necklace, more tears falling down her face, "She knew it had to be done."

Next to Percy, Annabeth's knees buckled. Grover caught her and she cried in his arms.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked, slowly reaching out to grab the necklace,

"She died a hero, Percy." Kasey said before she let out a sob,

The beaded necklace slipped from Percy's fingers and hit the floor. Everyone fell silent. He seemed to have forgotten to breathe.

"She's gone?" He whispered.

"I'm sorry," Kasey sobbed, "I'm so sorry."

"What did you do?!" Annabeth stood from Grover's arms, tears pouring down her red face, "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you."

Percy shook his head, "No, no, I'll go get Blackjack. We'll go get her. She'll be fine, she's strong." He began to run towards the doors, "I have to find her-"

"Percy!" He stilled at the sound of his father's voice, "You cannot bring back those who have passed on."

"Not her!" Percy turned back to them, tears filling his eyes and blurring his vision, "She has to be an exception. The Fates don't get to decided that, not this time!" He ran over to Kasey, "Why did you leave her? She's probably scared right now. Where did you guys go? Why didn't you get me?"

Kasey hated the desperate tone in his voice. The heartbreak. She should've fought harder to save Selena. She had so much of an effect on everyone around her. Maybe Kasey should've been the one to sacrifice herself. To spare Selena from such a horrible fate.

"She needed to do this without you, Percy." She hiccuped, "You weren't the chosen one this time."

"Enough with the dam prophecies!" Percy yelled and Grover put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

Kasey shook her head, "It had to be done." She whispered, "Selena Madison had to die."

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Didn't want to leave you guys hanging too badly so here's another update. I'm so glad you're just as attached to Selena as I am!