Blade's Edge || Deception Book II ||

Chapter 6: The Warning

"You've done the task," Kronos said, his voice hissing through the cavern.

It wasn't a question.

"Yes, my lord," Luke replied blankly, keeping his face and voice devoid of any emotion.

"Good. As expected."

Kronos's voice was cold with no hint of satisfaction. Why should he, when Luke only did what was expected?

However, the warning undertone was unmistakable, and, to Clarianna, it seemed to say with stark clarity that the next time he hesitated, dire consequences would follow.

"And my lieutenant?"

"She's doing a good job," Luke replied. "We've already recruited over a dozen new demigods with her help."

"Good," Kronos said, a wicked smile in his voice. "Keep it that way. Or she will pay."

***

"Over here!" I called, waving my arm at Ally who had just walked into the ship cafeteria. I'd given her a tour of the open area yesterday, where rows upon rows of tables and a huge selection of food had left her in shock and pure delight when she'd spotted the desserts.

I was sitting at the edge of the cafe, where the wall was made completely of glass, with Luke, Alabaster, Chris, Silena, Nicole, and Alexei. Ally slid into the seat next to me, a bowl of hot oatmeal and a glass of orange juice in her hands.

"Hey," she said, her eyes skipping briefly to Nicole and Alex.

"Oh, you haven't met them yet," I said. "They were out yesterday for a scouting trip."

"I'm Nicole," Nicole said, her long black hair swaying over her shoulder as she shifted to look at Ally. "Nicole Lin, daughter of Melinoe. Goddess of ghosts and nightmares," she added with a smirk upon seeing Ally's lack of recognition.

"Allison Fallon," Ally replied carefully, clearly unsettled by speaking with a child of the Underworld. "Daughter of Dionysus."

"Yeah, I know," Nicole said, her dark eyes glittering with curiosity. "What's it like, to have the very life of the planet running in your veins?"

"Lin, that's enough," I cut in, sensing Ally's discomfort around the daughter of the goddess of ghosts and nightmares. Not that she could be faulted, for Nicole's aura was dark, as with all children of the Underworld. I'd found her in Maine last year in November on a scouting trip and knew immediately from her aura that she was a child of the Underworld. I'd taken to training Nicole myself and after half a year, her affinity with necromancy had grown considerably though her abilities with nightmare manipulation had yet to manifest, and, at fifteen, she was now one of the captains in Luke's army.

"Sorry," Nicole said apologetically. "I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's okay," Ally replied.

An awkward silence fell, broken a couple of moments later by Alexei, who said, "Judging from the blank look on your face, Rianna didn't tell you who I am. I'm Alexei Lebedev, son of Hecate."

I flinched, just as Ally spun around to look at me with wide eyes. This felt slightly similar to yesterday. "Rianna! You never told me you have more than one brother!"

"Sis, how dare you do that," Alex teased, his green eyes shining with mock hurt. "I'm a very good brother." I groaned, putting my head on the table. Fourteen-year-olds were impossible. Luke patted my back sympathetically while everyone else watched, amused. "I'm sorry," I said affectionately and leaned over to ruffle his black hair.