Coincides with the ending of The Titan's Curse.
Thalia reflects on her loss of Luke and the events of the end of the book.
Rated T for swearing
A piece of her, deep down, thought he was right but then so was she. It was odd. You'd think she wouldn't have time for remorse. For regret. They were moving, running for their damn lives as monsters surged up the mountain and Percy and Annabeth were both still so desperately weak from their ordeal and she had her spear and Aegis leveled at their enemies. But she still felt a crushing in her chest as her heart imploded inwards.
Thalia didn't know what she expected when she'd signed up to go on this quest. A naïve part of her hoped to learn this was all some big misunderstanding…that Luke really hadn't done all the awful things Annabeth said he had. That him poisoning her tree was a mistake. That he really wasn't corrupted at the core. That Percy's dream about him tricking—and in the process almost killing— Annabeth into taking the weight of the sky was fake somehow. Meant to drive a wedge between her and Luke. But she couldn't lie to herself any more. Annabeth had that telltale white in her hair, same as Percy and Luke.
At the very least she'd hoped she could talk Luke out of it. She'd been stupid enough to think that a couple words from her would break Kronos' grip on him… There had been a time when he was her best friend. But he wasn't the same boy anymore. The Luke she knew hadn't stood on that mountain tonight. The Luke she knew would never break his promise and crush her heart into little sticky bits.
And she was angry and hurt and upset and above all she was confused. Confused because she felt…sorry. She felt sorry for Luke and for herself and for Zoë and for the whole fucking world. And she also hated Luke and herself and Zoë and the whole fucking world. Did she do the right thing in denying him? What might have been…if she took his hand? Or let her lips find his again? Could she have said something to change his mind?
Yet he had spoken her mind. The words that had been weighing in her heart since she was a child…perhaps he was the one who was right. Or perhaps not…she couldn't think like this. Couldn't stand the weight of Artemis' gaze on her or the smell of Zoë's blood or the defeated look on Annabeth's face or Percy's fish gaping as he tried to come up with something to say that would solve all their problems. He really did hold himself responsible for far too much…
She wanted to rewind the day. Stop Zoë from getting herself killed on their account and stop Luke from falling off the cliff. More than that, she wanted to say something to Luke. Something…anything, to get back the obnoxious dufus she'd once known and loved.
For a brief moment she fantasizes. Sees him sitting with them on Artemis' chariot, sitting between a weak Annabeth and Percy, letting them both lean on him for support. Protectively cradling Annabeth's head and his thin fingertips running through her blond hair and assuring her everything was going to be okay. Like he used to. Looking Thalia's way and sending a strained smile. Like the old days never ended. But they have. They're enemies now, Thalia reminds herself. And Luke vanishes from her sight, dissolving like the mirage he was. Percy and Annabeth are leaning against one another, their eyes drooping from exhaustion. And it's Percy that sends her the strained smile and Thalia wills herself to soften her glare; after all they've accomplished their objective. They've gotten Annabeth and Artemis back and sealed away Atlas once more, even though Zoë was fading before them more and more with every moment.
But like Percy, Thalia had had a secret goal in mind. Unlike Percy though, she'd failed.
More bitter than sweet I'll admit. But last chapter was more sweet than bitter so they even each other out.
Until Next Time,
~Crisi