gilded lily, p.jackson

013, a visit from luke

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
a visit from luke

—— "Being a prisoner is so boring." Danica mumbled to Annabeth, it wasn't as if she was even listening. The daughter of Athena was pretty much out cold, their sleep routine muddled and messy. They were both chained up, both their bodies bloodied and bruised. There wasn't much to do, as expected while being a prisoner. She tried having conversation with Annabeth, but the girl would scowl.

She spent her time being chained up or beaten until she let answers go, which she never did.

She had no idea how long she been lying there, Annabeth was asleep, Danica really did think she was beginning to lose her mind. Luke visited her once, and here he was doing it again. She was lying on her side when she heard the door creek open. She watched with a mixture of anger and hatred as he stepped forward, closing the door behind him even though the girl had very little chance off escaping. Even if she were strong enough, she wouldn't beat him in a fight this weak.

Part of her wished he died. The other part of her hoped he was still the boy she once knew. She hated herself for think that way.

She closed her eyes, not wishing to look at him any longer.

"Danica, i'm not a monster." he breathed in a deep breath, annoyed at her child like behaviour.

"Sure as hades been acting like one," she snapped back.

She heard him move closer, a chair scrapping back and a heavy thud. She peaked open one eye to see him sitting on one of the chairs by the table, watching her. She jammed her eye shut.

"It wasn't my idea to have you hold the sky," he whispered.

"Oh, really?" she exploded, anger rising within her causing her to give some strength. She managed to ride onto one elbow to glare at him. "You put annabeth under there, you knew i would help her. And you did jackshit to stop it. And I sure as Hades didn't see any reluctance when you walked away with her and left me there!"

"I had to!" he yelled back, face flushed with anger. "Do you really think i'd leave my sister there by choice?"

Danica glared at him. Had glare was always lethal, it was enough to make a grown man tremble. Her teeth gritted. Under all that anger, he was afraid and he knew Danica could see that, because she was the only one that could read him like a book.

"I can't believe you!" she growled. "All you've ever done is hurt me. You betrayed us. All of us. I can never trust a word you say, ever again."

All of her energy had drained out of her and she fell back on her side, feeling more dizzier and more sore than ever before. She wanted him to leave, she wanted to sleep, but he never did.

Instead of leaving like she wished, he got out of his chair and moved closer, crouching down beside her bed, making them face to face. He looked earnest, as if some brilliant idea had just come to mind. She stared coldly at him, hoping for him to step back.

"It's not too late to join me," he said, eyes searching for any emotion in her eyes. "Kronos would welcome you, I know it. Then i would not longer have to hurt you or betray you. We would be working together like old times. You and i against the world! You are wasting your powers!"

"What about Annabeth and Thalia?" she asked, seeing his excitement.

"Shell join us, i know, they both will. I know them. Shell be by our side. it'll be us four again, all back together. come on, Nickie, what are you so afraid off?"

She looked at him, and couldn't help but let her mind wonder to Percy. It seemed like years ago, but it was only last summer when he had told her he would always be by her side. He had asked her if she would join him, and she swore down she wouldn't ever. He wouldn't either, and neither would Thalia. She had to believe that.

As she looked at Luke, it was hard to remember all the fun times they'd. All the training he'd done to make her strong, all the sneaking out he'd helped her with, everything was just a distant memory.

"No," she whispered. "Ican't join you. i wont join you. i will not help you destroy the world."

"i will destroy it to make it better!" he protested, looking almost surprised to see her refuse. "Danica, don't you understand? The world is corrupt and the gods are at the middle of it all. If we tear them down, we can start a new world. one where you can bring as much chaos as you'd like without Zeus breathing down your neck."

Danica knew what he was doing. he was trying to use her weakness, her need for chaos against her. her fatal flaw, hubris, was that she believed that she could be better than everyone. Although, what he didn't know, was she had faced her flaw before, and she was stronger now. There was so much he didn't know about her now.

"You would kill thousands of people." she said. "Thousands of innocents. i will not help you with that."

"Some people deserve to die!" he shouted. "What about your father? Doesn't he deserve to die after treating you like a monster? Causing you to run away?"

Danica stared at him hardly. Against , there was so much he didn't know about her now. "I don't care for my father anymore. Some people, you should forget about. I've made peace with my family. My father, is not my dad. He is not my family."

He reeled back, shock on his face. He looked at her as if he didn't recognise the girl sitting in front of him.

"You've changed, asteria." he said, he looked as if he were sad.

"So have you," she stated. "The Luke i once knew was selfless and caring and kind. He wouldn't kill thousands of people for no reason. You are not the boy i grew up with. You are not my brother."

He started at her, anger returning to his face. "You disappoint me, Danica. I can protect you better than Camp Half-blood could. I offer you everything you ever wanted. I can give you everything you ever need. And yet, you are still too stupid to see that?"

"Is it stupidity, or is it being human?" she snapped

Luke kept his eyes fixed on her for a new moments longer. She could feel her gaze faltering as exhaustion began to take its toll, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of breaking eye contact.

He stood up rapidly and kicked the chair he'd been sitting in before against the wall. Danica didn't flinch, she kept her eyes glaring at him. He was standing by the door, glaring back at her with anger written all over his face.

"You will join me," he threatened. "I don't care what it takes. You will come over to my side. You, Annabeth and Thalia."

"They're coming for me!" she yelled, trying to get in the last word. "They'll find me, and when they do, i'll make sure you wish you never had betrayed us."

A cruel smile spread across his face. It was the look of someone who knew something she didn't. she felt her drop at the sight.

"There is no rescue team, Nickie," he told her harshly. "Your friends believe you are dead. And if you don't join me, you will be."

With that, he stormed through the door and slammed it shut behind him, awaking Annabeth from the deep sleep she was in.

—

if anyone wishes to read a hoo fanfic, with percy and jason as the love interests (love triangle), i have just published 'the other woman'