A/N: Hello everyone, long time no update, huh? Obviously, I'm not dead. It got a little annoying seeing that in the review section and getting PMs about that. The story has HIATUS on it for a reason. It's been over THREE YEARS since the last time this story got a notice. Time sure flies. I'm surprised some of you are still following this story. I'm sure my writing has gotten rusty, but hopefully, for those of you who have still stuck with this series, I'll do my best to deliver and give my character, Seth Hunter, an ending he deserves.
As for why the hiatus was so long….well, IRL got in the way, namely COVID19 and the financial troubles that came with that. Lots of new developments distracted me - cough Genshin Impact cough - and fanfiction took a back seat throughout some difficult transitions I had to make. I also went through a long period of writer's block and was inactive in writing stories in general. Now that everything has settled down, I finally got around to having the motivation and ideas needed to start cranking out chapters for this story.
Anyway, to those still sticking with this, thank you all for the support! I have also edited and revised significant portions of Fades and Gleams prior to posting this so I'm reminded of what plans I had going for this last part. Some of you noticed my Gleam story had an update in October - that was me getting rid of my Poll notice chapter (finally) and making large revisions to chapters 5, 6, and 7. So make sure to check those out if you need a refresher! Anyway, I dedicate this chapter to my long-term readers and to new readers stumbling on this series for the first time.
Enjoy the chapter, and thank you for your patience:)
Chapter 4: Stalemate
The John Hancock Center loomed before us as we got out of the cab.
The high-tech skyscraper stood nearly 1500 feet above ground and was an established engineering feat of its time. The tapered rectangular tube with its giant trusses made it a bold icon among all other skyscrapers in Chicago. Designed by architect Bruce Graham in 1970, the 100-story center contained a mix-use of offices, restaurants, condominiums, lobbies, and an impressive observatory on the 95th floor. It's said that residents would never want to leave the building since everything was already provided for them, and I was inclined to believe it when I stepped into its spacious and highly modern lobby akin to a fancy resort.
No matter how much architecture mumbo-jumbo Annabeth had pounded into my brain over the years, the distraction wasn't enough to keep my body from tensing when a man in a well-tailored suit spotted us and immediately came over. He gave a quick glance at Ricky before his stern eyes rested on me a bit longer before recognition hit him.
"Seth Hunter?" he said, his tone neutral. I nodded hesitantly, not surprised that this 'man' knew my identity. I didn't bother with putting a damper on my aura, and now every monster I sensed in this grand lobby was giving off these alarm signals. On my right, near the receptionist desk, I noticed two of them giving me these fearful looks. The monster before me swallowed uncomfortably and adjusted his tie, and my sharp eyes noted the sweat slowly oozing out of his facial pores.
Hunter thought it was flattering to see these monsters afraid, and I was of the same mind until recently. I thought these monsters – soulless creatures that lived to create fear and havoc – deserved to have a taste of their own medicine. They should understand how it felt to be preyed on. They should realize just how insignificant and weak their existences were. They should realize how precious life was until it was snuffed out too early.
Unfortunately, these lessons would never apply: every monster's essence would inevitably bring them back into the living world, making death seem like a chore rather than a finality.
Even now, I still wonder how I should deal with these monsters. Was it so wrong to brutally put down creatures that wouldn't think twice of killing us in return? I was no longer so sure. I told Artemis I wanted to be better, and I had to trust that this change in thinking was another step towards that goal.
"We have been expecting your visit," the monster continued, causing me to give a questionable look – did Clare hold her end of the bargain? I could think of no other reason why they'd expect me. My confusion was left unaddressed as the monster turned his attention to Ricky, "and you are?"
"R-Ricky," the boy gulped, fidgeting every so often. I almost cringed at how bad he was stuttering and moving his hands to fiddle with his shirt collar; an obvious sign of unease. Where did all that bravado I saw earlier go? "Richard Callahan, but I…I prefer Ricky," he added as an afterthought, his face downcast.
"Very well," the monster muttered. He snapped his fingers, and a couple more security guards came in from all sides, surrounding the two of us completely. My chest tightened in anxiety and I was biting the inside of my lip when Ricky gave a nervous laugh.
"W-what's up with the whole flanking routine?" Ricky said, glancing up with both arms angled out defensively. He yelped as the guards continued to press in and kept us locked in a tight-knit circle as we followed the man in the well-tailored suit.
"Do bear with it for now, Mr. Callahan," he said, "at least until we reach our next destination."
"Where are you leading us?" I questioned. We were in front of an elevator, and he pressed the button for down. Once the doors opened, we were quickly ushered in and my question was left unanswered. Ricky and I were sandwiched between a pair of guards behind us and another pair in front with the suited monster. I couldn't get a clear view of which floor was pressed as the elevator doors gently closed and we started to descend.
We stood there in silence for what seemed like hours. The doors didn't open immediately as I would have liked, and the tight space made me more rigid. The awful elevator music didn't help either – the singer sounded like she was screeching rather than trying to sing. Ricky wasn't any better: his face looked paler, his stance as stiff as mine if not more so, and he kept his head down. I could hear his heart beating fast, and I saw his hands clench the loose fabrics of his jeans tightly, like he was trying to restrain himself.
When the elevator doors finally opened, my question was finally answered when the guards in front walked out, giving me a clear line of sight to the one seated behind a large desk. The room was dark, and the figure would have been indistinguishable if not for my sensitive eyes. Immediately, I felt his immense aura, crushing me at every step I was forced to make as the guards behind us ushered me and Ricky towards the man I didn't expect to meet again so soon.
It was Luke Castellan.
"If it isn't Seth Hunter," he remarked, his voice sounded sharper and deeper than I remembered, and when I finally saw his eyes – a pure gold rather than blue – I was reminded why that was. It was not the son of Hermes who was speaking to me. "You've at last decided to heed my summons after so long and well into the cusp of war. The timing is almost…impeccable." He motioned his gold eyes at the guards behind me, and gave them the order:
"Seize them."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw numerous dark figures emerge, their hands outstretched to grab me. Before I knew it, I had both arms tucked against my back, and my knees forced to the ground. Just as I was trying to think of a way out of this situation, a familiar voice cried out.
"My Lord, what are you doing to him?!" I heard her exclaim in surprise. "Y-you said you would grant him a hearing-!"
"Indeed," I heard Luke – the Titan Lord – say in condescension, "but unfortunately, my dear, your friend has committed too many offenses to be let off."
"Y-you're going to kill him?" she whispered, causing my body to seize up in fear. I wanted to look up, but the guard behind me had his hand around my neck, forcing me to face the concrete floor.
"Are you telling me not to," he said, his soft voice belying the malice underneath, "daughter of Demeter?"
I heard Clare swallow uncomfortably, "I-I wouldn't dare to, m-my Lord."
"But you still plead for me to spare his life all the same," he murmured, and I could almost sense those gold eyes on me, his gaze burning the top of my scalp. I heard him shift slightly in his seat. "You have served me well for many years, Clare Evergreen. You were with my host since the beginning and have been loyal to me since. I suppose," the Titan Lord said thoughtfully, "that I could grant you his life as a reward for all your service."
Clare nearly exhaled in relief, "My Lord-!" The Titan Lord interrupted her with an order.
"Take him to the vaults," he ordered the guards. "The son of Artemis is to remain incarcerated until he is judged for his crimes in impeding the war effort." A dark bag was placed over my head, and I struggled to free myself as the string tightened around my neck. My heart was thumping so fast I missed Clare's protest.
"I granted you his life, my dear," the Titan Lord responded narrowly, "his freedom, on the other hand, is another story. Unless, you wish to vouch for that too?"
Clare didn't answer, and in that moment of hesitation, my head was struck from behind. The impact was strong enough to make my body crumple and my eyes roll back before losing consciousness.
-o-
When I came to, I found myself in the inner room, my head and upper body resting against a large pillow. I also noticed my counterpart, hovering silently by my own desk, his back facing me. Although I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was distressed by the way his arms were wrapped around his waist, one hand clenching the excess folds of his shirt, and the other pressed against his face. His head was bowed, and I could hear him muttering something to himself, words that were too quick and soft for me to hear clearly. Eventually, he turned around, his silver eyes widening with worry before they narrowed in concern.
"What happened?" Hunter finally said, walking over and pulling out a chair. His question confused me.
I sat up straighter. "Don't you have access to my memories?"
"I want to hear your perspective," Hunter clarified, and noticing my skeptical look, he admitted, "you might have noticed something I didn't."
I took a moment to answer. While Hunter may have seen what had occurred, and know my thoughts regarding it, it wasn't the same as experiencing it. It was like watching a film clip with limited third-person narration. Hunter only got to know what I knew, but he was deprived of all sensory information: Hunter wouldn't know how it felt to be crushed under Kronos' overwhelming aura, the cold touch of that concrete floor, or the musky smell of that hood over my head. Even that moment of pain and fear I felt from that back-handed strike would be lost on him.
With that in mind, I carefully recalled what happened since we last switched – since the moment we stepped out of that taxi to when I got hit on the head. I made sure to include my thoughts of seeing a Kronos-possessed Luke Castellan, the conditions of that subterranean room, and Clare's involvement. When I finished, Hunter appeared even more uneasy.
"He planned this," the Roman finally said, his jaw clenched in frustration, and I couldn't help but agree with his assessment. "He took advantage of Clare's sympathies and your trust in her to get a hold of us without letting us get a word in." He suddenly slammed a fist down at the bedside table. "Damn it! We shouldn't have relied on her!"
"Hey, Clare did what she could," I said defensively, "in fact, I'm surprised she stuck her neck out for as long as she did, given how it went last time we met."
I'm ashamed to know you!
Those were the last words I said to Clare after she tried to take Percy's life. I remembered being angry at her for forcing my hand. If she hadn't made the decision to hurt my friends, the Fates would never have sent me that dream and forced my ass out of Camp Half-Blood. If I hadn't known her prior to her betrayal, then I wouldn't feel so guilty about not seeing the signs and stopping her from joining Kronos in the beginning.
I always wondered about that last thought. If I had missed Artemis' deception as well as Zoe's less than subtle hints, then what else did I not see? If I hadn't been so drenched in my hatred and drive to sharpen my skills to take revenge, then would I have noticed Clare's turmoil? Would I have noticed her discontent? Would I have known what to say to change her mind?
No, I thought silently. While Clare had her secrets, I also had mine. I never spoke of my past even after she met Lucy. She only knew as much as she did about St. Clair's from a secondary source, and I never bothered to give her more details about that incident. I kept my problems to myself, and that was all I cared about.
It was nothing short of a miracle that Clare would interfere as much as she did there. If the situation was reversed, I honestly didn't know if I'd be able to do the same.
"If anyone is at fault, then it's Kronos for twisting things to his favor, which we really should have seen coming," I said to my displeased counterpart. "Clare did what she could, and I shouldn't have been so compliant and fought back a little." Hunter shook his head.
"No, you made the right call," he reassured me, "if you had resisted those guards, then Kronos could have taken that as a slight and have us killed. Still, we at least got in alive and kicking, didn't we?"
"For now," I couldn't help but say bitterly, still thinking I could have done something to mitigate that outcome. Instead, I got the drop on me and stood there helplessly while handing Kronos all the power to decide my fate. I shuddered to think of what awaited me when I woke up. I could only pray there weren't any rats or other pests crawling in those vaults they mentioned.
"So," Hunter drawled, moving to sit on the bed in front of me, "what's our next move?"
"We wait," I said, scowling at the thought, "until they decide it's time to 'judge us for our crimes'- you don't think they're planning to...to execute us?" I couldn't quite hide the fear in my voice at that very real possibility.
"That would be going against Clare's request, remember?" Hunter pointed out.
"This is the Titan Lord we're talking about," I said, "the Crooked One. I wouldn't put it past him to find a loophole in Clare's request, and simply off us once he finds it."
"That's possible," Hunter acknowledged, "but I doubt it."
I frowned in confusion. "Why?"
"Based on what you told me of your encounter and my own conjectures, I see two solid reasons why the Titan Lord, in his best interest, would rather keep us alive," Hunter started, gesturing two fingers to emphasize his claim.
"Two reasons?" I echoed, slightly amused. "Alright, I'll bite."
"First, the Titan Lord is currently occupying Luke Castellan's body," Hunter said, "this statement is proven by the change in Luke's eye color from blue to gold, as well as your observation of his aura feeling heavier and more dense compared to the average demigod. You also claimed to hear Clare addressing 'Luke' as the Titan Lord, and hearing Luke accept it. Just to make sure - can you confirm that what I just said is true?"
"It is," I said.
"Good," Hunter said, "that means the Titan Lord, as he is now, is currently limited by his host body's restrictions and is thus reliant on garnering support from his followers.
"Based on the rules of this world, we know that the more influence and support a deity has, the more powerful they become," Hunter reminded. "While their domains play a large part, it isn't the only factor. It is one of the reasons why the gods bother with mortals, to produce offspring that would spread their fame and lineage, and if that demigod turns into a well-known hero, then even better. So if the gods use this method to become stronger, then it would only be logical to conclude that their predecessors, the Titans, also function in a similar way."
"I see your point," I replied, "but surely, the Titan Lord couldn't be so desperate to take in just any follower now that he has a physical body, right?"
"You're right," Hunter said with a smile, "and that leads into my second reason - our value as a potential follower. You noticed those new recruits that came to take the initiation, right? What's your impression of them?"
I took a moment to recall the recruits I saw and spoke with, and struggled to find something concrete. "Honestly...they didn't leave much of an impression? I could tell from their auras that most of them are children of minor deities, but that's it. Besides Ricky, who we know is a clear-sighted mortal, I don't know anything else about them."
"I disagree," Hunter replied, and when I still looked confused, Hunter rolled his eyes, "Come on, Seth! I know you don't give a shit about appearances, but did you at least take note of what kind of clothes they wore? What equipment and weapons those recruits carried?"
I felt my face flush in embarrassment. As much as I'd hate to admit, Hunter wasn't wrong. I cared so little about what others wore that I was blanking on Hunter's question. In fact, I could hardly recall what Ricky was wearing when we were just with him. If someone wore a T-shirt, then it's a T-shirt. If someone wore jeans, then it's jeans. Everything else beyond that was superfluous information that I could do without. The only times I did pay attention to clothes would be if I was trying to gauge a person's economic and social circumstances, and if their hygienic habits appeared lacking. Those observations would help me act accordingly.*
Unfortunately, Hunter seemed to think I was disregarding something I mistook as insignificant, and I couldn't figure out what it was. None of the recruits I saw stood out to me enough for me to consider anything beyond their auras, which were...unimpressive compared to ones I felt at Camp Half-Blood. Even the unclaimed kids in Cabin Eleven had a more vibrant aura than the ones here with recognizable parents.
There was one demigod whose aura I took careful note of, but it wasn't from a new recruit.
Alabaster Torrington, I recalled his name. The son of Hecate who oversaw the initial test and took roll-call. I made sure to get a feel of his aura just before I entered the Labyrinth, and going by first impressions, he didn't disappoint. I've never met a child of Hecate with an aura that had so much presence. It hinted at his skill and potential. I never saw him at Camp Half-Blood, which meant he likely honed his skills elsewhere or on his own. It'd be interesting to learn where the Titan Army found him.
Hunter only sighed and shook his head. "Forget it. I'll enlighten you about this another time. Let's get back on topic." I nodded sheepishly.
"To rehash what I said, the first reason why the Titan Lord would keep us alive is that having more followers would make him stronger," Hunter said, "the second reason is the quality of those followers. How many new demigod followers do you think the Titan Army have gained since we last saw Clare on that Quest?" Hunter prompted. "How many of those followers do you think happen to match Luke and Clare's mastery over their powers? Training a demigod takes time and resources, after all.
"Besides our experience and parentage, Artemis herself has confirmed that a demigod's aura is determined by our ability and motivation," Hunter reminded. "I suspect that our auras are what the gods and Titans use as their source of influence, and our aura must look quite appealing if the Crooked One is even letting us live despite our past grievances."
"Think about it!" Luke had admonished me while Percy laid on the ground, fighting the poison in his system. "Don't dismiss an opportunity so easily when you haven't considered the possibilities! As a son of Artemis, your skills will prove most invaluable to Kronos' cause. You will be TREASURED in the Titan Army!"
I swallowed uncomfortably at that recollection, my arms crossing unconsciously with my fingers digging into the folds of my shirt. It was unnerving to think of myself as an object, but what Luke said back then to what my counterpart told me now seemed to correlate and made sense in an ill-twisted way. Even tools could become valuables if they've proven their use, like a dull sword surviving countless battles and becoming its Master's household heirloom.
"Take it how you will," Hunter continued, "but in the Titan Lord's eyes, we are too valuable to be carelessly tossed aside, at least not until he takes as much as he can from us. We also have personal ties with their enemies. I'm sure the Titan Lord is banking on us to share a couple secrets in order to gain their trust. What kind of master manipulator wouldn't want to take advantage of that?"
"...You got a point," I reluctantly agreed. This was one of the bitter things I'd have to accept doing if I wanted to succeed in my upcoming role.
Hunter nodded, "Yes, and just in case this comes up in our trial, I would like to make sure we brainstorm what 'secrets' we could share with the Titan Lord. Whatever we share has to be important enough to guarantee a place here, which means it has to have some truth to it…" I was about to protest when Hunter forcefully continued, "I know it's risky, but we'd get found out too easily otherwise."
"Can't we feign ignorance?" I suggested instead.
"Not unless you want our value to diminish," Hunter said casually. "We're being judged for our 'crimes', remember? If we offer nothing with our connections, then who's to say if the Titan Lord and his followers disregard every reason I just said, best interests be damned, and execute us? We are not just trying to survive and find a place here, Seth. We need to establish ourselves as indispensable- at least on the same level as Clare. We can't accomplish that if we offer nothing."
I scowled. "Then…we can say some outdated information, like Camp Half-Blood's defensive weak points and strategies that Annabeth mentioned…?"
"...and have them cross-referenced with that spy they have in the Camp?" Hunter interrupted. "I don't think that's gonna work. What can we offer about Camp Half-Blood that their spy can't get for them?"
"Assuming there is a spy," I pointed out. Hunter looked up. "There's strong evidence, but nothing's been confirmed. Let's not get ahead of ourselves on that one."
"Good point," Hunter muttered. "Fine, we could mention some Camp Half-Blood related info. We can coordinate with Chiron on this. If there really is a spy, it could help Chiron and our friends catch them in the act. We also don't want the Titans to realize we're suspecting a mole. That said, it still offers them nothing of worth on our end though."
"W-we can share the Hunters' whereabouts?" I said. "Sharing this information would enhance our narrative and motive of joining to spite Artemis. We can communicate with Lappy telepathically, and have the Hunters lead their army around?"
"Not bad, but that would bring into question how we would know this information if we're on the outs with Artemis, right?" I winced - that was an obvious oversight.
"Besides, why would the Titan Army care about where the Hunters are?" Hunter pointed out. "Thalia Grace? She's no longer a priority ever since she made that oath. Plus, having Artemis around would make any effort to overtake them futile and wasteful in the long run. They've already tried capturing her last time to delay the war preparations and failed. I seriously doubt they would be willing to try kidnapping Artemis or any god again. That tactic was used to buy time."
"What makes you think they still aren't trying to buy time?" I said back. "The Titan Lord hasn't regained his full power and body yet."
"Yet," Hunter repeated. "You saw him for yourself, Seth. He's fully conscious now, while Luke has become a husk of his former self. Buying time suggests going on the defensive. Do you think the Titan Army is still playing defense?"
"I believe the Titan Lord, as he is now, can still be stopped," I answered. "As long as he does not recover his original body, then they ought to be on the defensive."
"Perhaps," Hunter replied, "but what does going on the defensive mean at this stage? Time is now against us, Seth. Based on what Chiron told you before leaving camp, we've got a little over eight months from now before this 'Great Prophecy' is expected to take place, assuming it's Percy they're talking about. In those eight months, the Titan Lord will only grow stronger and more prominent unless the gods take direct action.
"In theory, it would be simple. Zeus could order all of Olympus to search for Luke Castellan, and when they find him, order his immediate execution. If the host is dead, then the Titan Lord would no longer have a physical manifestation and forced back down into Tartarus. The gods have got eyes everywhere- so I'm sure locating him wouldn't take much effort. Even with how much power the Titan Lord has currently accumulated, he'd still be no match against the gods collectively."
"So the question is - why have they not already done so?"
I thought about it carefully, and the possibilities of why this was happening painted the situation in a grim light. "I think…it's because it's Luke. The fact that the Titan Lord is relying on a mortal host is a weakness and his greatest trump card. The gods can't directly interfere in mortal matters because of those Ancient Laws, right? So while they may know where the Titan Lord is, they can't act on it because he's currently mortal, and not a Titan."
Why else would Athena tell me where their hideout is instead of destroying the base itself? Why issue Quests and use demigods, an unpredictable and untrustworthy existence, to do their bidding? Why depend on monsters to hunt down a rival god's children? Everything had to be done through indirect means.
"Ironic, isn't it?" Hunter said, voicing my sentiments on the matter. "To think having no direct interference from the gods has turned from a blessing into a detriment…heh, the Fates sure like to work in mysterious ways."
I was stumped. After hearing everything that's been said, what else could we offer in return and not put our allies in considerable danger? I didn't want to betray my friends, no matter how much that may solidify my role in the long run.
"What do you suggest?" I asked Hunter, who I realized had offered nothing but his critiques.
There must be something he's thinking of sharing that he knows I wouldn't like, I thought. Why else was this whole discussion so one-sided? Hunter was trying to ease me into accepting his idea by carefully pointing out what wouldn't work instead of what would.
Hunter only smiled at my unspoken thought. He looked like he was about to say more when he suddenly jolted. He looked up, his silver eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Someone is paying us a visit," Hunter revealed, "not here," he quickly clarified, noticing my shock, "but out there. Probably checking to see if we're still conscious or not."
"You can tell what's going on around our body while we're both in here?" I exclaimed.
"...yes," Hunter answered, "can't you?" I shook my head. "Huh…well that's surprising."
"Who is it?"
He shrugged, "I can't say - not with our eyes still closed. All I can sense from here is that it's one person, and it is not a monster.
"We'll discuss more about this later," Hunter decided, thus avoiding my question. "I'm going to check who this person is and what they want. Make sure to get some rest. I'll be right back," he promised before he vanished from my sight.
I stared at Hunter's now empty chair for a few moments more before sighing and lying back down. My eyelids heavy as I listened in.
-o-
When I came to, I immediately recognized who the visitor was.
It took me a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. There was a musty odor in the air, and I noticed heavy chains locked around my ankles. My back was against the wall, and my wrists were also bound together in front of me. It was uncomfortable, but tolerable. I had expected worse when I woke up. Sure, my wrists were bound, but my hands and fingers had enough leeway to summon a lockpick to fiddle with. It would have been more difficult if my arms were bound separately. The chains around my ankles were also long enough for me to reach every corner of my cell with ease.
Thoughts of escape were put on hold as my eyes landed on my visitor, who had knelt down and placed some food - a Subway footlong, apple, and two bottles of water - on a plastic tray and slid it through the bars. I watched her silently. It seemed like she didn't know I was awake, the darkness obscuring my figure and face. She was about to leave without a word until I stopped her.
"Clare."
"Seth!" The daughter of Demeter exclaimed before giving an audible sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you're awake."
"What are you doing here?" I questioned without preamble. "How long was I out?"
"You were out for almost twenty-four hours," Clare answered, "and I came to drop off some food in case you were awake and feeling hungry." I was silent, the time taking me off-guard. Clare replied hesitantly, "A-are you feeling alright? You were unconscious when I came to check on you yesterday. I can't see you clearly from here."
"I'm fine," I said. I made sure our body was completely healed and well-rested while Seth and I had our discussion. "But I am feeling…famished. I hope you don't mind if I eat as we talk?"
"Of course not! Please go ahead," Clare said.
I finally stood up and sat down before the tray of food Clare brought. I kept a neutral expression as I unwrapped the Subway sandwich first. I could feel Clare's unwanted attention on me as I sniffed, and finding nothing amiss, I finally took a bite and slowly savored its taste.
"It's good," I said after swallowing. A perfectly ordinary sandwich.
Clare didn't look appeased. "Seth, if I wanted to poison you, it would be a lot less obvious."
I nodded, but didn't say anything. Once I took a bite, I couldn't stop- I was ravenous. I quickly unscrewed a water bottle and emptied it in seconds.
"You know, I've been wondering," Clare said as I took a bite of my apple, "how did you survive that attack from Ethan? When I was told you were still alive, I couldn't believe it."
"You gave Percy an antidote," I reminded.
"I did," she said, her face scrunching up in confusion and regret, "but I know for a fact that he would have given it to you too late. The poison should have spread too fast and too far in your body for my antidote to contain and cleanse it."
I narrowed my eyes. "You wanted me dead that much?"
"No!" Clare said, and there was even genuine hurt in her eyes when she said it. It took every bit of self-control I had to not scoff and roll my eyes. "I'm just trying to make sense of it. I never wanted you dead. I never even expected to see you there when I altered Ethan's weapon-!"
"Should that make any difference?" I interrupted. "Whether I was there or not? We were on opposite sides. I was your enemy just like every member on that Quest."
"It makes a difference," Clare insisted, "because I wouldn't have altered Ethan's weapon otherwise. I would not have bothered showing up myself. I would have followed Luke's suggestion and ordered some monsters to take care of it."
Frowning, I asked, "Why? I'll admit, back then, it was a very effective plan. You trusted in your own abilities, and made sure to see the results yourself instead of unreliably leaning on others to accomplish it for you. It's a good mindset to have."
Clare looked amused. "Should you really be saying that to me? Effective or not, I almost got you killed. I know you and I were enemies, but unlike everyone else on that Quest, I believe our core values are similar. Knowing this made me…reluctant in fighting against you. It pained me to see you squander your potential away. To knowingly fight, bleed, and die for beings that don't care. I did not want to be responsible for ending you, and I nearly was."
She wasn't lying.
Isn't that quite the discovery, I thought numbly, hearing her heartbeat continue its steady tune. My intuition also did not deny it. I could sense Seth's joy and relief after hearing his dear friend's true sentiments on the matter. She and Katie were surprisingly alike, placing so much emphasis on past bonds. It was…troubling, to say the least.
Still, I had a role to play, and I've humored Clare enough to start pressing her for answers.
"Do they know you're here?" I asked her.
"What do you mean?"
"Here," I repeated, "speaking to me. Giving me food. Were you allowed or did you have to sneak in?"
"Oh," Clare said, "I received permission."
"From the Titan Lord?" I felt the need to clarify.
Clare nodded. "Yes, I volunteered to look after you until your trial. He granted my request very easily."
That answer, if I was to take it at face-value, gave me a lot of mixed feelings I didn't have time to dwell on at the moment.
I continued, "When is my trial?"
"I overheard it was set for noon tomorrow," Clare revealed. She must have noticed how worried I was when she tried to explain. "You see, many of our allies are skeptical of you, and this trial is the Titan Lord's way of appeasing them. As long as you have the Titan Lord's favor, you will be guaranteed a place here, no matter what anyone says."
"If I have his favor," I said, before lifting my bound wrists in her face, "then why am I thrown in a cell and chained up?"
"...it's for appearances." She didn't sound so sure now.
I pondered her words for a while, thinking through a myriad of options before I recalled what I was missing.
"Where are my weapons?" I said. Clare looked away.
"I don't know where they place confiscated weapons," she replied, and the uncertainty made my breath hitch. Seth had our stygian iron daggers, Nightwalker and Dark Hacker, as well as one of our handcrafted bows from Camp Half-Blood on us before he was knocked out. Those weapons held sentimental value. "But I promise you - once your trial is over, I'll make sure you get your weapons back and return them to you personally."
"I appreciate it," I said carefully.
Clare nodded. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"
I hesitated before asking, "how do these trials proceed? Do I just stand there and plead my case before a jury? Does it involve combat?"
"I don't know," she said honestly, "as far as I'm aware, we haven't had a case like yours before. If you were just a regular recruit, then you'd fight best out of three in the arena to guarantee your place. A war prisoner would be bound and gagged before the crowd as one of my superiors state their offenses before they are promptly executed."
My voice hitched. "Executed…how?"
"That won't happen to you," Clare said instead, while raising her hand to wrap her fingers around one of the bars as she leaned closer. "I vouched for your life! The Titan Lord would not go back on his word-!" She gasped when I suddenly reached over to hold her hand around the bars. "Seth?"
"I need to know," I insisted, keeping my eyes downcast and forcing my hand to tremble lightly. "The executions….just in case." I had to know the full extent of the risks that came with my new role. I couldn't afford to shy away from the ugly details.
"...Hanging," Clare finally answered, and I felt her hand grasp mine more firmly when she said it. "Or they're thrown into the pit to fight for their life. Fortunately, I was never present for one, but I heard…they can choose which." She looked away, appearing squeamish, but again, her body language and my intuition told me she was telling the truth.
"Thank you for telling me," I said, before letting go of her. "You've given me a lot to think about." Clare nodded, quickly noticing my wish to be alone.
"It's getting late anyway," Clare said, getting up. "I'll see you tomorrow…and good luck." Without waiting for a reply, she walked away and I was alone once more.
What do you think, Seth? I thought. As always, my counterpart preferred to be a silent listener in serious conversations like these, if only so we don't give away this so-called abnormality and allow the one in control to focus better. Do you think what Clare told us is true?
On what? Seth replied back. That the trial is only for appearances?
Yes.
She believes it is, Seth thought.
"She does," I whispered, shifting back until my back touched solid stone. I slowly breathed in and back out again. "Clare truly believes the Titan Lord in keeping his promises. It makes you wonder what else the Crooked One has said to inspire such faith and loyalty."
…And you think you can free her from that brainwashing was what I chose to omit.
I sensed my counterpart's unease before he spoke. The trial could be another test.
Perhaps, I thought before closing my eyes and manifesting back to where I was before Clare's unexpected arrival. Seth remained seated on the bed, watching me pace about before I sat down beside him.
"We will make it through," Seth said finally. "Whether our trial tomorrow is for appearances or the prelude to our execution…"
"...we will do whatever it takes to accomplish our goal," I finished.
Slowly, I leaned forward and pulled my dear counterpart into my arms. I relaxed when Seth returned the gesture, and I held him closer still when I felt his trembling, and quietly savored the warmth.
-o-
*I admit it, I'm guilty of doing what Seth does regarding clothes, which is why you'll likely notice a lack of in-depth descriptions on people's appearances and outfits in my fanfics. I've had it with flowery and excessive similes and metaphors (I'm looking at you, Mortal Instruments!). I always skim through those paragraphs whenever I encounter them in books, so I make an effort to tone down the physical descriptions and save the words and effort for other narrative devices. This is one of the reasons why YA romance novels are no longer my cup of tea.
A/N: So that concludes the very long-awaited chapter. Hopefully, it provided enough recollection to where this story left off last. I notice that some of you have criticisms of Clare accepting Seth 'too easily' in a previous chapter. My only defense regarding that claim is to look at how Luke treated Annabeth during Titan's Curse. They have a shared history, and seeing how close they were in the past, I felt it was realistic for Luke or Clare to let off someone they care for, even if they don't see eye to eye with them. The next chapter will cover Seth's trial. So look forward to that.
As for subsequent updates, I don't have a set schedule yet. What I do have is a detailed outline for this last story segment - which has changed significantly during the hiatus - so I'm not accepting any story suggestions. I only wanted to get this chapter up just so you're all aware of my plans and that I AM NOT DEAD :/
Also FYI, there is a fanfiction that's covering When the Moon Fades that I'm acting as a beta for. It's called 'Reading Children of Artemis: Seth Hunter Book 1' by AnimeRules4. I've given the author permission to borrow Seth Hunter for the fanfic. So check it out if you're interested!