Those blue eyes. A.C x oc fem

3.11- The Stars

◇◇◇◇◇Annabeth Chase◇◇◇◇◇

I was desperate. I barely even cared about that Zoë and the General were related. I mean, did I see that coming? No. Did I care? Also no.

No matter who was Zoë's parent, she was one of Artemis's Hunters. She was with us. I knew that enough.

I looked at Vic, trying to tell her something. I kept tilting my head towards Luke.

She didn't get it. Her lips were slightly parted and her blue eyes were open widely. She kept looking at Zoë, then at Atlas, then at Zoë and then at... you get the idea.

Vic and Percy shared a look. Like they were saying what a plot twist!

"Let Artemis go," Zoë demanded.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoë opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid you."

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the centre of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

Vic and Percy finally looked at me again (well, V was staring a bit.) I motioned my head towards Luke again.

Then they shared a look again and both shrugged.

Ugh, big three kids.

Vic looked back at me and frowned. I guessed it was because I had a gray streak now.

She tried to appear as confident, but she was tapping her left ring finger against her thigh. It was a tic Toire didn't know she had. It meant that she was nervous, perhaps scared. Though, scared is not a word I'd ever use to describe Victoire Avery.

Thalia and Vic muttered something.

"I don't understand," Percy said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

He approached us, studying Thalia, Vic and Percy. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," Percy, forever with a death wish, said. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," The son of Poseidon stated.

Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia and V.

"As for you, Children of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about the two of you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. I felt sorry for him. Kronos was doing him so wrong. "Tory, Thalia, you both still can join us. Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"