Never was I ever happier to return to the ocean until when I stepped aboard the Andromeda after being stuck at that mountain palace for so long. Although I didn't accept Poseidon's bloodline and his godliness in my blood, the sea still felt like home. I guess there's just some things you can't help. Plus, the Andromeda felt glad to have me back, seemingly sighing with contentment and relaxing the moment I was back on deck. I herded the kids aboard and made good on my promise to get them a suite to themselves. I kitted it out with beds enough for all of them, even if it was just a mattress on the floor but for some of these kids that's more than they'd ever had since some had been living on the streets after running away from home. You have no idea how many runaways are actually demigods. It's why they run. They know they're different but they can't explain how, and when accidents happen that they get blamed for, they run from it. There were numerous monsters prowling the streets of the major cities searching for them, though they had strict instructions not to eat them. Any that were caught eating the half-blood children were vaporised on the spot, and I was not opposed to making them suffer first. I still had no love for monsters.
Keeping the kids together was easier because it was safer for them to be together, though they were so used to one another now that they didn't even complain about sharing, though they argued about who was going to use the bathroom first. It was nice to see them cheerful, so with fresh clothes and an all you can eat buffet, I was satisfied they were well taken care of. Very few other half-bloods came with us, I think only Ethan and two others came aboard the Andromeda whilst the others were training or recruiting elsewhere. I had my duties here, and just like Luke, Kronos liked to keep me close. It was probably because I was his biggest wild card, and he also didn't really know how I was going to act next. I think it entertained him, which was why he was constantly calling me back and forth until it was totally ridiculous. One time I got all the way to the end of the corridor before he'd summoned me again. That time I'd let off a curse, which earned a deadly scowl from the titan but he didn't comment on it. That one had been a close call and I didn't dare curse again. After all passengers and prisoners were aboard, the Andromeda set sail though she wasn't pleased to be carrying monsters again. I sympathised with her. I hated living with them.
At the very least I was given the old suite that Luke and I used to share together, though now it made my heart twist every time I walked in as I'd expect to either sitting at his desk working or taking a nap on the couch. Both were empty, and I hadn't sensed Luke at all since Kronos had taken over his body. Not even Snowstorm was here to keep me company, so in the dead of night when I was lying awake on the bed, I felt desperately alone and depressed, like this massive pressure was forcing itself down on me until I couldn't breathe. Many times I almost threw myself over the side of the boat to let the ocean just have me, but something would always pull me back at the last moment. The kids. The other half-bloods. Luke. Percy. I had to remember who I was doing it for, and even if I felt I had no strength left, I kept soldiering on because I couldn't stop. If I stopped I'd crumble, and then I'd never get back up again. Life continued to move onwards, and I had to keep up, though sometimes I would have happy moments, like when I was spending time with the little ones and we'd watch movies, pig out on popcorn and fall asleep in our pillow and blanket fort which was the most awesome thing ever. It was the little moments that made it all worth it, and gave me the courage I needed to face Kronos every time he summoned me. He now demanded a daily report on all activities, both on and off the ship, and I as his supposedly 'faithful' commander was the one to do it. Honestly I doubt anyone else would want my job. Most of the ancient monsters and demons had been vanquished at the battle of the Labyrinth, meaning there were a lot of gaps to be filled in Kronos's army. I entered as I always did and I'd find Kronos lounging somewhere, usually eating, where I would have to kneel in front of him and deliver the report. This time, however, was different.
"Don't bother." He said to me as my knee started to dip, making me freeze and look up unintentionally to blink at him, half lowered to the ground and balanced rather precariously as he studied me. When he made no further comment, I tentatively stood back up. Clasping my hands behind my back, I began my report. I recited it from memory, telling him if there had been any incidents, the total number of our forces as well as our weapons and ammunitions count, boring things like that. Today however he didn't seem to be listening, continuing to look at me with that nerve-wracking look that I wish I could just slap off his face, but that would probably end with me disintegrating on the spot. "Enough." When he raised his hand I immediately closed my mouth like a trained lapdog, always responding to the master's command. "I have given great consideration to your request, and have decided to agree to it." Kronos announced to me in Luke's voice and for a moment I could almost fool myself that it was Luke speaking and looking at me. "You may have your pick of the ranks and have your own battalion that will lead the first wave when we reach New York. If all goes well and your soldiers do not fail you, you shall be the first to storm the streets of Olympus beside me." Immediately I was suspicious.
"What's the catch?" I found myself saying before I could stop myself. It was lucky that Kronos found impudence amusing when he was in a good mood. Pray this was one of his good moods.
"There is no catch, Lily Jackson. Is this not what you wanted? I had planned to offer you more, seeing as you are working so well as commander of my army. Perhaps even better than Luke." At first I opened my mouth to defend Luke and say that even though it had been for a stupid cause, Luke had been an excellent commander, but then I had realised that Kronos had not used my real name as he usually did. He'd called me Lily. It had almost been…endearing. For a brief moment I hoped to sense Luke, but he was nowhere to be found, only the chilling presence of a titan who had spent so long in an endlessly black pit it had seeped into his very being. "We will discuss battle plans soon, and I should like your input in how best to utilise our soldiers and the monsters we have gathered. I am intrigued to know your thoughts." Now I was starting to freak out, because I could deal with Kronos being cruel and unfathomably terrifying, but this was bordering on pleasant and speeding towards friendly and I was not prepared for that. "You still make those faces." Realising my mouth was hanging open, I slammed it shut so hard I rattled my own teeth.
"You honour me, my lord." Having spent so long hearing Luke speak to Kronos, I had learned how to correctly respond so that he was satisfied. I watched as he straightened up in his chair, his brow twitching for a moment and it almost seemed like an expression Luke might make, but then it vanished before he opened his hand towards a platter of fruits, nuts, berries and crackers. Was he offering me some? Kronos? Titan of Time and the biggest headache of the last two millennia? "Um…no thank you, my lord. I already ate." A sound like a click of his tongue came from him before he drew his hand back. I had a desperate feeling of wanting to run and hide, but my boots stayed anchored to the ground. "Shall I finish making my report, sir? Or would you prefer I finish later?"
"No, that will not be necessary. You are capable enough to deal with whatever needs attention. Simply ensure that we remain on course, there are many places we must get to and time is running short. Ensure that we do not fall behind schedule." With an automatic 'yes my lord' I bowed and left, leaving that place so quickly that I was a blur of movement before I was gone. I felt rattled, like someone had dunked me in freezing cold water and shaken me something silly. That had been an entirely new side of Kronos, and I had no idea how to deal with it because he'd never shown it to Luke. Everything I was doing was an imitation of Luke's manner, only I tried to be braver for his sake so that I could get as close as I could to Kronos and somehow find out his Achilles Heel. Luke had never told it to me, no matter how much I'd begged him. It was like his tongue had been magically sealed, and I was damn sure Kronos had something to do with it. I was fairly certain that he and Luke did not now share memories, otherwise Kronos would have killed me already after learning how many times I'd tried to persuade Luke to run away. Whatever happens now I have no choice but to do all that I could, though if you'd sat me down four years ago and told me that I would soon be fighting for my life in the middle of an immortal war with the Lord of Time breathing down my neck and likely to kill me, I'd have thought you were off your rocker. Wouldn't anyone?
Moving swiftly away I returned to training, making sure that the monsters knew their formations because until now, they had mostly just fought from their own experience and almost never teamed up. Now they were expected to fight shoulder to shoulder, and considering their tempers and egos, it took some work. Luke had been precise and particular as a trainer, making sure that no one fell below the standard, but now I was in charge I changed things slightly. Oh the wall would be solid alright, but I manipulated things so that I would know their weak spots, know where to strike them or how to break their line, or how to easily defeat certain monsters. I figured nets for the giants to catch their legs and make them fall, binding their arms too if possible. So long as you got them before they broke free, they weren't overly difficult to deal with if you had a well-trained team. I wanted so badly to take all that I was learning to Chiron, but I held myself back. There was at least one spy at Camp Half-Blood that I knew of, so if Chiron suddenly revealed that he'd gotten information from someone in Kronos's army, my cover could be blown, and it would be the same if I didn't reveal myself and only gave Chiron the tactics. The moment he starts training his heroes, the spy would tell Kronos what their methods were, and I'd have to start all over again. No. It had to be the very last second, then I'd tell them everything, and we'd have to throw together some kind of desperate plan to try and succeed with a great deal of luck and hope thrown in the mix to pull it off. The best kind of plans. I hope all this ends soon, I don't think I could tolerate much more of this kind of life with so many ups and downs. I wanted a quiet, easy going life where it was quiet and peaceful. Maybe on an island somewhere, with a nice house that I could build for me and mom, and Percy too if he wanted to visit.
It was these kind of dreams that sent me off to sleep at night, overcoming the nightmarish life I was leading, and when I did finally find sleep, I'd hope to carry on dreaming of my idyllic island with the Queen moored offshore, sipping from a coconut and bathing in the billowing sunlight.