" the old gods were dying "
Shadows had followed Annabeth Chase her entire life. They leaked into her dreams and chased her out of her home, causing her to run into two others, Thalia Grace and Luke Castellan, who had the same shadows. They form a s...
C H A P T E R O N E " we were the kings and the queens "
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Content to be resting in the afternoon Sun, Annabeth Chase laid out on the soft grass, her hands laying flat on the ground beside her. Thalia Grace and Luke Castellan, her two closest friends, laid next to her on either side, a familiar silence accompanying them. It was a Spring day whose promise of warm weather rode on the occasional gentle breeze.
Through half-closed eyes, Annabeth watched as Thalia plucked a dandelion from the ground. She picked the white fluff off the wiry stem before dropping it back onto the ground.
"Did you make a wish?" Luke asked with a smirking smile on his face.
Thalia made a face back at the boy, her tongue sticking out. "Wishes don't come true, idiot."
Annabeth released a soft puff of laughter as she closed her eyes. "If only all Summer could be like this," she murmured.
But it wouldn't be. It couldn't be. Because Luke had been hired as a guard, and he would be working at the Palace for, possibly, the rest of his life. Several new guards were being hired everyday in order to have maximum security for when the Selection took place. And Luke was now one of them.
Annabeth could hear the grass rustle as Luke sat up. "I don't have to leave for a few more days, Annie. We still have time."
She released a small sigh. "I know. It's just not the same, knowing that you'll be gone soon. You'll be a Two. That will change everything."
Annabeth's eyes flew open as something prodded her leg. Her vision adjusted to the sudden brightness to find Luke grinning at her. "But not forever. It'll probably be a temporary job, anyways. Once the Selection's over, they'll send me right back here. Speaking of which-"
The groans of both Annabeth and Thalia cut him off suddenly. Luke gave them a wide-eyed exasperated look.
"Would you let me finish? What do two you have against it, anyways?"
"I never said that I have anything against it-" Annabeth started to say.
"I do," Thalia bluntly interrupted. "I think it's a stupid, misogynistic game constructed by men who have nothing better do to than to ogle at young women. It's condescending and disgusting, honestly."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Everything is misogynistic to you, Thals."
Thalia shot a glare in his direction, her electric blue eyes full of a self-righteous rage. "Yeah? Well, find me when everyone has equal rights. Then we'll talk."
