It Shouldn't Have Come to This...(Percy Joins Kronos)

Chapter 6: I Get Confronted A Lot

Percy pov

Voices. That's all I heard. Voices. Whispering. And arguing.

I tried to get up, but for some reason, I couldn't. So instead, I tried to open my eyes.

Bright. So, so bright.

I remembered what happened. Annabeth. Knocking me out with her dagger.

My eyes darted around the room, attempting to find the source of the noise. I saw Annabeth and Chiron, arguing in low voices, sitting in chairs on the opposite side of the room.

I tried to lift my arms to grab my sword, but I felt my arms stay in place. I glanced down. Of course. My hands are tied to the bed. They heard me moving, and both of them gazed at me, their conversation stopping abruptly.

'Uh. How do?' I spoke, not knowing what to say.

Annabeth glared at me. Chiron lifted an eyebrow. I winced.

'Not the right time?' I asked.

Annabeth glared even harder. 'Clearly.'

Chiron, the ever peace-maker, put his hand on Annabeth's shoulder. 

'Percy, my boy, how are you?'

'I'm- uh- good?'

'You don't sound so sure, for that being your answer.'

'Yeah, well, right now I'm kinda tied to this bed and I just woke up, so sorry if I'm a bit confused.'

Chiron winced.

'You realise why we have to do this, right?'

'Yeah, but you don't have to tie me to a fricking bed!'

'It had to be done.'

'I'm feeling like a prisoner, here.'

'Yeah, well, you are. Deal with it.' Annabeth butt in.

I groaned.

'We're having people watch you at every moment. Don't try escaping.' With that, Chiron left, leaving me and Annabeth alone.

There was a strained silence while we both looked at each other. She had grown taller, her blonde curls were in a ponytail (like usual), and she had an unreadable expression on her face. She broke eye contact first and instead stared at the floor.

She was the first one to break the silence.

'Why did you do it,Percy?' 

'You know why, Annabeth.'

She kicked a leg of the bed angrily.

'Percy, when I last saw you, you were one of the only people who tried to understand me. And one of the only people who did understand. And, Percy, I can't lose you. Kronos is trying to tempt you with lies. He isn't any better than the gods. He's worse. Yes, the gods don't pay attention to us, but at least they don't attempt to throw us into Tartarus! Percy, I need you to come back. I can't lose anyone else.'

I couldn't bear to look at her anymore. She made it sound so simple. Kronos is evil, and the gods are good! Join your friends, Percy! And everyone will be happy and forgive you.

But it wasn't that simple. If I left Kronos, I would have to face the gods. By now, I'm sure they would've known about me leaving them. And... Then there was the matter of Kronos. He had promised to keep all my friends safe, even if they were fighting against him. And he promised to keep my mom safe. I had made my decision.

'Annabeth. I... I already told you. I can't.'

Her face hardened, but I saw past that. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she was about to start crying.

'Fine.' She got up and started to leave.

'Annabeth. I'm sorry.'

She turned back around. Angry tears were sliding down her cheeks.

'No. You're not. If you were sorry you would've realised your mistakes.'

She stomped out of the room, leaving me tired and miserable. I want so lost in thought that I didn't even notice Travis and Connor Stoll slide into the room until they spoke.

'You shouldn't have done it, Percy.'

'What is this, pick-on-Percy day?'

I sighed. There were too many confrontations in one day. I just closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep.

Annabeth pov

I stormed out of the room, calling for some other campers to go in there. Everyone seemed to want to do it, but Chiron let Travis and Connor Stoll because they were Percy's friends (well, I guess not anymore). I walked over to the sword-fighting arena. I took out my dagger and started slashing at the dummies. I was thinking of my conversation with Percy.

He seemed so... Different, but the same. His eyes were a darker shade of green, his arm was littered with little scars, his words carried a weight to them.

He seemed so much more closed off and distant. I missed him.

Don't tell anyone I said that, or I will stab you.

I was tempted to join Kronos myself. I mean, both of my best friends had left to join him! And, plus, the gods had never done anything for me! But- I couldn't. I couldn't leave Chiron, who was practically my father, or my siblings, or camp. I just couldn't. I knew it wasn't the right thing to do.

I looked back at the small cabin that Percy was stuck in.

What have you gotten yourself into?