Last Shadow || Deception Book III

Chapter 10

Clarianna 

One month later

"Luke?" I knocked on the door again before turning around and running my hand through my hair. "If you're in there, let me in. I've been pacing outside these halls for the last ten minutes."

There was no response. Sighing, I turned around again to the door and knocked again. "Luke, I know you're awake. Don't try to fool me by pretending to be asleep. You never sleep in the stateroom. Plus, it's not even midnight yet. What are you doing?"

Silence.

"Okay fine, If you don't want to see me, you can just say so instead of giving me the silent treatment. I'll be going now."

"Wait," Luke whispered from the other side of the door. "Stay. Please."

I paused. "Are you going to let me in or not?"

"Just...just give me a moment."

I bit my lip, mentally steeled myself, and pushed the doors open. "What the..." I trailed off, my eyes flitting from the wide, open windows and the moonlit sea to finally land on my boyfriend.

Luke was kneeling there, in front of Kronos sarcophagus, which was glowing with an eerie light. But that wasn't what made my blood drain from my body. He was wearing a white chiton and himation, both of which were ancient Greek clothes and the attire of many minor gods I'd seen on Olympus. As the moonlight streamed through the windows, Luke's hair shined white and silver and with the cape flowing from his shoulders to pool behind him on the floor, I couldn't help thinking that he looked a little timeless and unreal.

Like a god.

A god that was out of my reach no matter how hard I tried.

All rationality flew out of my head as my legs failed to keep me upright and I dropped to my knees, not even a meter past the threshold of the door. "What happened?"

"I'm fine," Luke said, his voice shaking slightly. "Why did you come in?"

"You told me to stay," I whispered, staring at his figure.

"I didn't want you to come in," he breathed, his eyes fixated on the coffin in front of him. "I've told you before, I don't like you seeing this side of me."

"It's too late," I retorted. "Besides, it's all of you I love. Not just my boyfriend Luke. But also this side of you."

"This side of me?" Luke whispered, turning around to stare at me. Tears glimmered in his eyes. "The side that tried to send a twelve-year-old into Tartarus? The side who poisoned his former best friend? The side that tried, over and over again, to kill those I used to and still care for?"

"Luke-" I started.

"The me who, despite knowing better, agreed to give up my own will and freedom to serve someone who will destroy this world? I'm going to be leaving you, Ri," He said, voice cracking, "How can you still love me while knowing this?"

"Luke," I said again. "Look at me."

"Did you just...crawl over here?"

"You said you'd crawl over coals for me," I smiled softly. "This is just a plain old wooden floor."

"Ri-"

"I made a pledge too," I pointed out. "To avenge myself and help you overthrow Olympus. He promised you power. Invulnerability. You have both. So what's the hesitation?"

I couldn't bring myself to hope. Hope that now, finally, right before everything went to hell, Luke could realize that all this was wrong. Because even if he did, it wouldn't change anything. It was too late. It was too late as soon as he went into the Styx. And now, no matter what he did, there was no stopping Kronos from rising.