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chapter fourteen. ( the titan's curse ) ❝ weight of the world! ❞
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"Let Artemis go," Zoë demanded.
Her father walked closer to the chained goddess. You could see the resemblance between father and daughter. Zoë and Atlas had the same regal look about them; able to command a room by just their presence and voice. "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. The sight made me angry and sick to the stomach. "Hoo-hoo," he 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."
Annabeth was trying to tell me something. She motioned her head towards Luke. I frowned at her, wondering what she could mean. It was then that I noticed something about her had changed: her blonde hair was now streaked with grey. Thalia seemed to notice as well. "From holding the sky," she muttered. "The weight should've killed her."
"I don't understand," Percy asked Thalia and I. "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," he smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."
Something hit me. I glanced back at Annabeth. The grey streak in her hair, and her motion towards Luke—he seemed so tired ... and then I saw a grey streak in his hair as well. I grew angry. He tricked her. He played with her. I clenched my fists. My anger turned cold.
Atlas approached us, studying Thalia, Percy and I. "So, these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."
"Fight us," Percy said. "And let's see."
"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is breath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."
"So three millennia holding up the sky hasn't taught you an ounce of humility either, has it?" I snapped. "You're just a coward."
I didn't know I had it in me, but he hurt Annabeth. I was ready to throw all the wrath I had. Annabeth was my family, my sister and my best friend. If I could, I would crash the sky right down on him. No one hurt my family.
