The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 111 - Alex - Consolation

"Look, Alex," Percy consoled me, "I just want you to know, Will and I would never hurt you."

I was angry. I was angry at Tartarus so much that I wanted to dig a hole into the ground, reach his stupid domain and kill him. 

I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath in. 

"Looking for answers?" a voice came.

I couldn't help but smile a bit. 

When I opened my eyes again, Alexander stood in front of me, his arms spread wide. White mist floated around him. The stars were closer than ever. Alexander smiled wide, his face full of pure joy. 

I rushed to him. He wrapped his arms around me protectively. "I was looking forward to meeting you again," he said. 

 "I assume you already know what's happened," I said. 

Alexander nodded. "It's nothing to worry."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "He's planning to kill us!"

"Yes," Alexander said calmly. 

"I thought he- he-" I couldn't control my anger. "AHH!" 

"Let go of it all," he said calmly. "Dying is way better than working for him or staying in a cell for the rest of eternity."

"But- there must be a way- a way to stop him," I said. I pulled away from him. 

"There is, and you know that way," Alexander said. "Irene, you need to take the first step in this game."

"But-"

"Alexandra has chosen good, loyal friends," Alexander continued. "They will never hurt us."

"But Tartarus will hurt them."

"Then is it not of utmost importance that we protect them?" he said. It was not a question. He put his palms on my shoulders. His smiling face became serious. "You have time till the thirteenth full moon. You need to take the first step before that. Not Jason, not Perseus. You."

"Until then?"

"Until then," Alexander said, smiling now, "you have to keep them united too. Tartarus will do anything to turn everyone away from each other. You know that." 

Alexander smirked. "Besides, you're usually the one leading armies. You just have to lead one again."

"A more difficult army."

"And a very difficult enemy."

I opened my eyes. Percy was still next to me, waiting for an answer. 

"Look," I said, smiling, "I understand."

Nico looked at me in surprise. "You do?"

"Of course," I replied. "I understand what Tartarus is trying to do. Don't you see it? He assigned two of you to kill one of us each! What happens to the person who doesn't end up killing their assigned person?"

"Divide and rule," Jason whistled. "He's turning us against each other, then."

"He knows that we'll realize it at one point, and when that point ever does come, it'll be too late to go back," I said.

Will's eyes went wide in realization. "Wow. I guess I didn't think of it that way."

"Right now," I said, looking at Percy, "what we need is trust. And I trust all of you the most." I looked at Annabeth, Will, Nico and Jason. "I don't have to listen to you console me to learn that you won't hurt me, Percy. I already know that you won't even think about it."