The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 69--I Make More Enemies

A/N--Sorry y'all for not posting last week. I had a minor surgery and it was pretty hard to write for a few days. I'm back with a chapter, though! Enjoy!

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I didn't want to turn around. I couldn't. 

Because that would make the words true.

But it wasn't like I could feign ignorance. This time, I knew whose voice it was.

I could recognize it from a mile away. After all, I'd spent most of my free time in the past year with this person. I'd experienced his most happy moments, and he'd gone through my saddest ones. He was the one who'd been there for me when I'd been taken hostage by Eternity's soldiers—and was the loudest voice to argue against Chaos' decree that I was a criminal. Until now, I'd thought that I had met the bravest person in the universe. After all, he was protesting against the freaking creator of the universe. 

But that was just his wife. For immortals, this kind of fight was common. 

But I wasn't shocked. Deep down inside, I'd always known that there was something different about Chaos and Liam's relationship. The first time I'd been to her castle for a party, Liam had walked up to her as if they were best friends—although, now I understood it as a casual reunion. When he learned that the attacker at the gala was targeting Chaos, Liam had been the most worried about her safety. During my time in the castle, he'd mysteriously disappear for hours at a time—but it was just probably to spend time with Chaos.

I slowly turned around, not being able to handle it anymore. If Liam told me then and there that Niyomina had lied, I'd earnestly believe it. 

But he couldn't even look into my eyes, and his face was screwed up in an expression of pure sorrow. "I was going to tell you, Percy."

"When? I heard myself ask angrily. "Like now, when we're all about to die and I don't even have the time to process it? How many more secrets of mine do I have to divulge to gain your trust? How much more time do I have to spend with you?"

"That's not why, Percy . . ."

"Did you even come on this mission for me? Or did you have a lover's quarrel with Chaos?"

Liam's face was one of pain now, but I didn't care. My whole body felt numb. But it wasn't because of shock. No. It was because of a feeling of betrayal.

"We've saved each other more times that I can remember, and you can't even trust me with that?" I whispered.

Liam hung his head—or whatever best he could do in such a situation. He didn't speak. I didn't know whether it was because he was ashamed, or if he didn't know how to defend himself.

I couldn't read him anymore.

Niyomina said, "You know what this means, right? He could be a spy planted by Chaos."

"I'm not!" Liam growled out.

"But how can we believe your words now? Think about it, Perseus. The headhunt has gone for a while, but the Chaos Army hasn't come close to catching you even once. We're talking about a millions of soldiers. They've laid siege to dozens of planets and won—and yet, they can't catch three people? Or . . . is it two people and a spy?"

"This is ridiculous!" Liam exclaimed. "Tracking missions cannot be compared to sieges! They've obviously prioritized securing all channels of trade, as they still think we have the book but they can't find where we placed it. Although, it's quite obvious why they can't find it—because you have it."

"Which is information that you could have learned and then leaked to the Army," Niyomina countered. "And now your reinforcements are waiting nearby, until you find the final destination of my caravan. Then you're going to arrest everyone."