The Truths Spoken In The Sea Of Lies

A Soul for a Soul is not how it's done. And into the Labyrinth, they go

Sacrifice for life,

Soul for a soul, not the true way,

Rhea knows it well.

***

Rhea wished she could manifest popcorns to at LEAST enjoy her dreams somehow! But of course, she can't do that!

That night in her dreams, she was in the stateroom of the Princess Andromeda. The windows were open on a moonlit sea. A cold wind rustled the velvet drapes.

Luke knelt on a Persian rug in front of the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. In the moonlight, Luke's blond hair looked pure white. He wore an ancient Greek chiton and a white himation, a kind of cape that flowed down his shoulders.

The white clothes made him look timeless and a little surreal, like one of the minor gods on Mount Olympus, he looked perfectly fine. Almost too healthy, but Rhea knew better.

"Our spies report success, my lord," he said. "Camp Half-Blood is sending a quest, as you predicted. Our side of the bargain is almost complete."

"Excellent." The voice of Kronos echoed and spread around like poison.

It made Rhea shiver in disgust, the air around Kronos always felt wrong but now that he's getting stronger it was ... disturbing, wrong, disgusting, unnatural presence full of negativity, it was hard to describe.

Luke closed his eyes as if collecting his thoughts. "My lord, perhaps it is too soon. Perhaps Krios or Hyperion should lead—"

"No." the voice was quiet but absolutely firm. "I will lead. One more heart shall join our cause, and that will be sufficient. At last, I shall rise fully from Tartarus."

"But the form, my lord..." Luke's voice started shaking.

"Show me your sword, Luke Castellan."

Luke drew his sword. Backbiter's double edge glowed wickedly—half steel, half celestial bronze.

Rhea would be a hypocrite if she called it an evil weapon, because Palírroies-Allagí (Tides Changer) her trident as she likes to call it, is like Backbiter ... able to kill both mortals and monsters.

"You pledged yourself to me." Kronos reminded him. "You took this sword as proof of your oath."

"Yes, my lord. It's just—"

"You wanted power. I gave you that. You are now beyond harm. Soon you will rule the world of gods and mortals. Do you not wish to avenge yourself? To see Olympus destroyed?"

A shiver ran through Luke's body. "Yes."

The coffin glowed, golden light filling the room. "Then make ready the strike force. As soon as the bargain is done, we shall move forward. First, Camp Half-Blood will be reduced to ashes. Once those bothersome heroes are eliminated, we will march on Olympus."

There was a knock on the stateroom doors. The light of the coffin faded. Luke rose. He sheathed his sword, adjusted his white clothes, and took a deep breath.

"Come in."

The doors opened. Two dracaenae slithered in—snake women with double serpent trunks instead of legs. Between them walked Kelli, the empousai cheerleader from my freshman orientation.