LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE . . . pjo

XXXVI.

AFTER THAT, IT was all a blur.

Mia felt like she was a ghost waiting for the chance to go down into the Underworld, staring ahead of her as she thought about her new role in this world — to be a traitor to her friends. She thought about freedom, and how she should've appreciated it more. She thought about 'what if' situations that made her mind go insane.

But she sat there and let dracaenae feed her and give her water and ambrosia and nectar. She sat there for who knows how long, closing her eyes and wishing that she could turn back time and life could be normal again. She felt Luke's presence as he ordered said dracaenae to gag her, tie her wrists up with rope again, and carry her out to the cave again, where Mia felt the life forces of different people — Annabeth, tied up next to her, and Percy and Thalia.

It didn't matter. Mia couldn't look at them, even as she felt their gazes on her. If Thalia didn't join Luke — and by some sheer miracle, they'd win, but Luke and Kronos were still alive — then Mia would have to be a spy. She'd have to relay information to Luke. She'd have to set Percy up to get killed.

All of that seemed impossible, though. Mia felt tears rushing down her cheeks. She shut her eyes and tried not to sob as she heard voices talking.

But once she'd heard the fighting, she opened her eyes.

Thalia went straight for Luke. The power of her shield was so great that his dracaenae bodyguards fled in a panic, dropping the golden coffin, Annabeth, and Mia and leaving him alone. Luke snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When Backbiter met Thalia's shield, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

Percy attacked the the General — Atlas.

He laughed as Percy approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armor. "Go on, then!"

"Percy!" The Hunter who looked like a princess — Zoë — said. "Beware!"

Percy swung his sword, and Atlas knocked him aside with the shaft of his javelin. Percy flew through the air and slammed into a black wall. It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real. Mia's mouth went dry.

"Fool!" Atlas screamed gleefully, swatting aside one of Zoë's arrows. "Did you think, simply because you could challenge that petty war god, that you could stand up to me?"

Percy charged again. The javelin's point slashed toward him like a scythe. He raised Riptide, but then his arm faltered. Quickly, he tried to dodge, but the javelin caught him in the chest and sent him flying like a rag doll. He slammed into the ground, at the feet of Artemis, straining under the weight of the sky.

Atlas was taking his time coming toward Percy, whose sword had skittered away over the edge of the cliff. Luke and Thalia were fighting like demons, lightning crackling around them. Annabeth was a few feet away from Mia, desperately struggling to free her hands. Mia wasn't trying to free her bonds, staring at the fight and somewhat hoping that the Titans would win so she didn't have to fulfill her role of a spy.

"Die, little hero," Atlas said.

He raised his javelin to impale Percy.

"No!" Zoë yelled, and a volley of silver arrows sprouted from the armpit chink in Atlas's armor.

"ARGH!" He bellowed and turned toward her.