Indigo Eyes

Chapter 101

When they finally stopped running, Rachel was hugging her chest, unable to go any further. Annabeth had been crying the entire time they were running and now she collapsed and put her head between her knees, her sobs echoing through the tunnel.

"You stupid, stupid, idiotic, Fish-Faced, Barnacle Butt! He was going to kill you!" Cressida shouted as she slapped Percy's arm with every word as he tried to protect himself.

"Ow! Ow! OW! This is killing me more than Luke would have," Percy said before she crashed into him in a hug.

"I still hate you," she muttered into his shoulder as he squeezed her tighter, but her words made him smile.

"I know."

When they finally let go, Cressida moved to sit next to Annabeth who didn't hesitate to turn and cry on her best friend's shoulder. Percy sat next to Nico who explained that it was Cressida's fault that they all went after him.

Annabeth eventually lifted her head. Her eyes were red from crying. "What ... what was wrong with Luke? What did they do to him?"

Percy then explained that Luke was Kronos. Kronos was Luke.

Luke's body was now host to Kronos' spirit now that Ethan Nakamura pledged his service.

"No," Annabeth said. "That can't be true. He couldn't –"

"He gave himself over to Kronos," Percy said. "I'm sorry, Annabeth. But Luke is gone.'

"No!" she insisted. "You saw when Rachel hit him."

Percy nodded, looking at Rachel with respect. "You hit the Lord of the Titans in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush."

Rachel looked embarrassed. "It was the only thing I had."

"It was badass," Cressida praised.

"But you saw," Annabeth insisted. "When it hit him, just for a second, he was dazed. He came back to his senses."

"So maybe Kronos wasn't completely settled in the body, or whatever," Percy said. "It doesn't mean Luke was in control."

"Percy," Cressida began but Annabeth interrupted her. She knew that this was a delicate situation and that Annabeth had history with Luke. She may not like Luke but Annabeth did and she guessed that if there was a way to convince Luke to stop, Annabeth would be the person to do that.

"You want him to be evil, is that it?" Annabeth yelled. "You didn't know him before, Percy. I did!"

"What is it with you?" Percy snapped. "Why do you keep defending him?"

"Whoa, you two," Rachel said. "Knock it off."

Annabeth turned on her. "Stay out of it, mortal girl! If it wasn't for you ..."

Annabeth's voice broke as she curled back into Cressida who just held her as she cried. Cressida did send Percy an icy glare that told him that he took it too far.

"We have to keep moving," Nico said after a time, Percy trying to process what happened. "He'll send monsters after us."

Nobody was in any shape to run, but Nico was right.

"Books? Hey, I'm sorry but we have to go," she whispered, and Annabeth sat up again as Cressida began to wipe her tears.

"Make it stop," she begged. "Just until we get to camp, and the fight is over, just please...make it stop."

"Annabeth, are you sure?"

She nodded. "Please make it stop."

"Until the battle at camp is over," Cressida began as her eyes flamed, and her hands glowed as they linked with Annabeth's. "Anytime Luke is mentioned, anytime you think of him, you will feel nothing. No pain, no joy, no anger, nothing."