Born To Die

I push alison off the ship

The next day was thick with tension, the air on the ship charged as if a storm were brewing on the horizon. We were gathered around the chart table in the strategy room, the morning sun slanting through the small windows and glinting off the scattered compasses, maps, and scrolls. I leaned over the table, tracing potential routes with my finger as Luke spoke, his tone urgent.

"We need something that will turn the tide completely in our favor. Just outmaneuvering them isn't enough. We need power." His eyes met mine, and I could see the glint of ambition there.

I nodded, the gears in my mind turning. "If we can get to Atlas, free him... that power would be unstoppable."

A murmur rippled through the room as the others absorbed the gravity of my words. Atlas—the Titan who bore the weight of the sky. Freeing him was dangerous, even reckless, but it could be the move that secured victory.

Alison's voice piped up, lilting and too familiar. "So how do we even approach that? The Titan's Mountain is heavily guarded, isn't it, Luke?" She leaned forward, a lock of blonde hair falling over her shoulder as she placed a hand on his arm. My stomach clenched at the sight, my patience thinning with every coy glance she threw his way.

Luke shifted slightly, as if oblivious to the gesture, but I caught the flicker of discomfort in his eyes. "It is, but that's where our diversion plan comes in," he said, glancing briefly at me. I could see the tension in his posture, the silent reassurance meant for me.

I crossed my arms, trying to focus on the task at hand while resisting the urge to glare at Alison. "We'll need to mislead Percy and his crew, maybe even set up traps to buy us time. The more chaotic it gets for them, the clearer our path to Atlas."

"Exactly," Luke affirmed, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he looked at me, pride evident in his gaze.

Alison chimed in again, her tone dripping with sweetness that grated on my nerves. "Luke, if anyone can pull this off, it's you."

I clenched my jaw, taking a slow, deliberate breath. A flicker of an idea crossed my mind, dark and unbidden. The mental image of her being tossed overboard, the sea swallowing her smug smile—it was almost satisfying enough to make me smirk. Almost.

Shaking the thought away, I met Luke's eyes. "Then it's settled. We'll split the team, create enough distractions to keep Percy guessing, and set our course for the Titan's Mountain."

Luke nodded, his eyes narrowing in determination. "We need to move quickly. Isla, you and I will scout potential locations for our traps tonight."

As the group dispersed to prepare, Alison lingered, her hand brushing against Luke's arm one last time as she whispered something too low for me to hear. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. This time, if she pushed any further, I wouldn't just be imagining the plunge overboard.

That night, the ship was quieter than usual, with most of the recruits busying themselves below deck with preparations or finding rest before the chaos to come. I stood at the rail, watching the moon cast its silver path over the rippling sea. The distant sound of waves lapping against the hull mixed with the faint hum of conversations carried on the wind. I leaned into the cool breeze, trying to find a moment of peace, when I heard Luke's footsteps approach behind me.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice a low murmur that always made my heart beat a little faster.

I glanced over my shoulder and gave him a small smile. "Always."

He stepped up beside me, hands gripping the wooden rail as he looked out at the dark horizon. For a moment, we stood in companionable silence, the weight of the day pressing down on us both.