𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒛𝒆 - pjo x hp [₂]

xxiv. wedding invites

𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐑 '𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊' 𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏.

There, next to Mr. D at the head table, was a shimmering Iris-Message that was beginning to get the attention of the other campers as well.

Raya could see Percy standing with his sword at his ready — he must've uncapped it right after the Iris-Message connected. That was the familiar 'shink' noise she's heard. In front of him, with their backs facing the Iris-Message, were two giants that held Annabeth, Tyson and Grover in their hold, and Luke.

He wasn't facing Raya, but she could see the tense set of his shoulders, the way his legs were angled — he was scared, but he was ready for a fight.

 "This is no time for heroics, Percy," he sneered. "Drop your puny little sword, or I'll have you killed sooner rather than later." 

The hatred in his voice had Raya's brain stumbling. She tried to remember the boy who'd loved her years ago, but she couldn't even conjure his memory.

"Who poisoned Thalia's tree, Luke?" Percy asked him.

By now, every camper was silent and watching the Iris-Message with their breaths held. Even Tantalus was silent for once. Though the latter might've been because he was trying to corner a cheeseburger.

 "I did, of course," Luke snarled. "I already told you that. I used elder python venom, straight from the depths of Tartarus."

"Chiron had nothing to do with it?" Percy questioned.

"Ha! You know he would never do that. The old fool wouldn't have the guts." 

Raya's blood boiled at Luke calling Chiron an old fool. There'd been a time when Luke would run to Chiron for even the smallest of his problems. Clearly, he didn't hold the centaur in that same regard anymore.

"You call it guts? Betraying your friends? Endangering the whole camp?" Percy's voice was tight, like he was refraining to lash out. 

Raya wanted to meet his gaze, she wanted to help him. But the only thing she could do was sit tight and watch the other end of the Iris-Message.

Luke raised his sword. "You don't understand the half of it. I was going to let you take the Fleece... once I was done with it." 

Raya saw Percy hesitate. She  didn't know why Luke was going to give the Fleece, but she knew there was no good reason behind it. There couldn't be.

"You were going to heal Kronos," Percy said, recovering quickly. 

"Yes! The Fleece's magic would've sped his mending process by tenfold. But you haven't stopped us, Percy. You've only slowed us down a little." 

"And so you poisoned the tree, you betrayed Thalia, you set us up — all to help Kronos destroy the gods." 

Luke gritted his teeth. "You know that! Why do you keep asking me?" 

"Because I want everybody in the audience to hear you." 

"What audience?" 

Luke whirled around, eyes narrowed before noticing the Iris-Message. Everyone in the pavilion sat in stunned silence, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Luke met Raya's eyes in the crowd, but for the first time, she couldn't read them. She had no idea if he regretted what he'd done or was proud, and it scared her. For the first time in her life, Raya found herself afraid of Luke.

His giant goons gasped and stumbled back. But Luke didn't look away from Raya.

She wondered if he was searching for the person she'd been, the same way she was searching him.