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“I don’t think it did.” She whispers, head back-glowing with gold. The small sliver of sunshine streaming high above them catches her at the perfect angle. She is queen, crowned by light itself.
“Are you sure?” A deep voice rings across the stone, “You know I never miss.”
“I know, my sweet.” She nods towards the slumped form in the middle of the room. “But I just think you didn’t want to hit him.”
A protest starts to fall from beautiful lips before quiet surrounds them. Air softly falling to the floor as the room awaits the next words. A heavy sigh, a hand scraping through long brown curls, fingers brushing along the curve of a spine ever so gently.
“He’s just so... pretty.”
“I know,” The sympathy in her voice tastes like candied apples. Cracking and sticky as you bite into it. “It’s not your fault. I would have done the same thing.”
The figure in the middle shifts slightly, not enough to raise the dust but enough to capture eagle eyes.
“Oh you’re awake.” She says brightly.
A groan is all he can give out, hands still bound against the cold marbled column behind him. Head aching enough it makes him want to slice it off.
“The blade,” Jason lifts his chin up, golden fingers against sharp angled jaw. “It clearly didn't pierce your heart, did it?”
“No, no it didn't.” Reyna kneels down next to him, smiling so widely.
“How unfortunate.” Percy croaks.
“I suppose you’ll have to stay with us till you’re healed then.” The blond king.
“I’d rather be dead.” He spits, green eyes bright with anger.
The queen tilts her head, warm brown eyes looking into his own anger. “That can also be arranged King Jackson. But first you must heal.”
“What is the point if you’re going to kill me anyway?”
“Everything is in balance.” The King looks at him, eyes of blue stone. Unyielding. “It would not be a fair fight if you were injured when you took on your death.”
Percy Jackson looks between them, head pushed up by a thumb, shoulders aching from the awkward position. He sees this all-fair queen and this well-balanced king, he sees and sees and sees… he sees madness in their eyes.
And he laughs. And the sound echoes around the room like symphony. And the gleam in his own eyes matches theirs perfectly.
Three rulers and no sanity. Oh what a tea-party they'll have. Oh what a bloodbath they'll indulge in. Oh what a kingdom they'll ruin.