Blade's Edge || Deception Book II ||

Chapter 39: Smoke and Shadows Pt. I

"Move," I snapped, glaring at the back of Annabeth's head. "We haven't got all day."

"Rianna, hurry up!" Luke shot over his shoulder some ten metres ahead as he trailed Atlas to the outcrop where Artemis was waiting. "They'll be here any minute!"

"I'm coming," I grumbled, yanking lightly on the ropes binding Annabeth's hands together. "Come on, move."

"Just stick your sword to her throat and see if she'll comply," Luke returned. "Come on."

I sighed as I felt Annabeth tense in front of me, betrayal and hurt likely swimming in those grey eyes, but I unsheathed my dagger and pressed it lightly to her neck. "Move."

"Sorry," I whispered as we trudged towards Artemis. "I'll get you free, just hold on a bit longer."

"Mmmmf," Annabeth replied through her gag.

A sudden roar split the air, followed by a faint cry of pain.

"Ladon," Atlas rumbled, voicing my thoughts. "It's about time."

Sure enough, a few minutes later, a girl, the silver circlet resting on her brow, emerged from the dense fog. She was followed by another girl with spiky black hair and electric blue eyes, a monstrous shield and spear in hand, and, finally, a boy with the aura of the salty sea.

Zoe. Thalia. Percy.

I took in a deep breath, drawing up my magic, and let it ripple silently across the clearing as I exhaled.

"How touching," Atlas sneered as Zoe cried out and ran to Artemis, yanking futilely at her chains. He stepped out of the shadows, and so we followed.

Percy's eyes instantly shot towards Annabeth, worry and relief filling them, before they darkened as he saw the dagger I held at her throat.

"Who are you?" Thalia snarled, her spear shifting in my direction. "Let Annabeth go."

"I don't believe we've ever met," I smirked, pressing the point in deeper, drawing blood. "Rianna Claire, daughter of Hecate, at your service. And no. That's the General's decision."

Her eyes flickered with lightning but she didn't move, instead skipping to Luke, who was standing right beside me. "Luke."

"It's good to see you again, Thalia," he said, smiling weakly.

She spat in his direction.

"So much for old friends," Atlas chuckled. "And Zoe, my little traitor. It's been a long time."

"Do not challenge him," Artemis ground out. "It's what he wants."

"Let Artemis go," Zoe demanded, her eyes flicking past me to her father.

"Be my guest and take it, then," Atlas countered, walking towards the goddess.

"No! I forbid you from offering, Zoe," Artemis said.

"See? She likes her job. I think I'll make each of the Olympians take turns holding it once Lord Kronos rules again. It'll show them some humility," Atlas said in satisfaction.

Annabeth shifted and I turned my attention back towards Percy, who had resumed staring at her.

Gods, this was slow. Hurry up and start fighting already, I thought. Or you guys will never get out of here. I can't do anything when all you're doing is standing there.

"Why can't she just let go of the sky?" Percy muttered to Thalia. "I don't get it."

Atlas scoffed. "How little you understand. It isn't as simple as that. This is where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia met, where the Earth mother birthed the first of the children, the Titans. Millenia later, the sky still yearns to embrace the earth and someone must hold it, or else it would crush this place and flatten the mountain and everything in a hundred-kilometre radius. There is no escape from the burden unless someone else takes it."