Brighter Than the Sun

Chapter Sixty-Nine

I wanted to scream.

The last thing I wanted was another vision. I was so sick of these visions that kept invading my mind and showing me glimpses of a terrible future that I doubted I could stop.

But another vision came anyway.

Percy, Luke, Grover, and Annabeth were in the Olympians' throne room, but the once glorious room with its shining thrones was now in ruins. The hearth that usually took up the center of the room — the one I'd discovered belonged to the goddess Hestia — was almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia was nowhere to be seen.

Annabeth and Grover knelt at the foot of Athena's throne; Grover was handing Annabeth chunks of Ambrosia.

I noticed that Luke's eyes were gold, meaning he was under the influence of Kronos. He advanced on Percy with blinding speed. Grover — brave stupid satyr that he was — tried to protect Percy, but Kronos tossed him aside like a rag doll.

Percy sidestepped and jabbed under Kronos's guard. It was a good trick. Unfortunately, Luke knew it. He countered the strike and Percy's sword skittered across the ground and fell straight through the floor of the throne room towards the throne room.

"STOP!" Annabeth came from nowhere.

Kronos whirled to face her and slashed with Backbiter, but somehow Annabeth caught the strike on her dagger hilt. It was a move only the quickest and most skilled knife fighter could've managed. Don't ask me where she found the strength, but she stepped in closer for leverage, their blades crossed, and for a moment she stood face to face with the Titan lord, holding him at a standstill.

"Luke," she said, gritting her teeth, "I understand now. You have to trust me."

Kronos roared in outrage. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!" He pushed against her, trying to dislodge his blade, but she held him in check, her arms trembling as he forced his sword down towards her neck.

"Your mother," Annabeth grunted. "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos!" the Titan roared. "This is my fate."

"No!" Annabeth insisted. Her eyes were tearing up, but I didn't know if it was from sadness or pain. "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy — she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"I will crush you, child!" Kronos bellowed.

"You won't," Annabeth said. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even

now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, Kronos struck her face and she slid backward.

The sight seemed so wrong — Luke would never hurt Annabeth; he'd promised that we were family.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Percy as he managed to rise. I wished I was part of this, so I could save Annabeth, but I had to watch as Luke, possessed by Kronos, loomed over Annabeth, his sword raised.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She croaked, "Family, Luke. You promised."

Percy took what looked like a painful step forward. Grover was back on his feet, over by the throne of Hera, but he seemed to be struggling to move as well. Before either of them could get anywhere close to Annabeth, Kronos staggered.

He stared at the knife in Annabeth's hand, the blood on her face. "Promise." Then he gasped like he couldn't get air. "Annabeth..." But it wasn't the Titan's voice. It was Luke's. He stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. "You're bleeding..."