Percy's was standing in the arena. His sword was far to heavy. He could barely lift it. When he looked up to see who his opponent was, he saw his father. His ugly face sneering down at him. "You think you can beat me? You couldn't beat a fly." Percy heard the belt before he saw it. He tried to raise his sword to block it.

Castellan's sword came crashing down on Percy's. Everything hurt. Percy's movements were so slow. "You can't stop me." he sneered. "You couldn't even stop your mother's death."

No.

Percy watched as his father's knife rammed into his mother's stomach. His father looked at him with hatred in his eyes. "It's your fault she's dead."

Tears pricked Percy's eyes.

"Percy, Percy." A femine voice called out somewhere in the distance. "Your safe."

Percy turned toward the voice. He was in his mother's sweet shop. He automatically reached for one of the blue cookies in front of him. "Don't eat too much. You'll get a tummy ach." He turned around. There stood a woman with brown curly hair and soft brown eyes that sparkled when she smiled at him.

"Mom." Percy ran into her arms. Her warmth was so real. She smelt of chocolate and sweets.

"We have to go soon. You're father's expecting us. You know how he hates it when we are late."

"No. Don't go. Let's run away. Please, mom." Percy begged. He knew what was going to happen when they got home.

"To Athens?" She queried.

"Tell me about Athens." The words left Percy's mouth of their own accord. He had asked her about Athens a hundred times. It was one of their favorite things to talk about.

"Athens is called the city of wisdom. The queen herself is wise and encourages fair treatment among her subjects. She is very strict on crime against her subjects. As a result her subjects flourish under her rule. It is also considered one of the cleanest cities."

"Why don't we go there and leave Thebes?"

"We don't have enough money." Always the same reply.

"We would be very rich if father didn't gamble all our money away."

She bent down to his level so she could look him in the eyes. She smiled her warm smile. "You are my greatest treasure and that makes me the richest woman in all of Olympus." She then held him and kissed him on the top of his head. Percy closed his eyes and held on as tightly as he could.

"His fever's broken. He's through the worst of it."

"I want to be notified the moment he wakes."

"Yes, my lady."

Percy tried to open his eyes, but sleep overtook him again.

Hushed voices just beyond his consciousness tickled his thoughts. He slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't in his bunk like he should be. He was in a brilliant white room with marble walls. Light was pouring in through an open doorway. The bed was entirely too soft. Percy struggled to remember how he got here, but drew a blank. Then all in a rush he remembered Castellan taunting him, fighting him, then killing him.

"The queen!" He shouted. He tried to sit up, but pain shot through him causing him to groan as he tried to cradle his wound.

"Don't move, seaweed brain. You'll tear your stitches." Percy saw Princess Annabeth. She put a hand on his head, whether to check his temperature or to keep him from moving he didn't know which.

"How long have I been out." Percy stared at the sun.

"Over a week."

"A week?!" Percy began to panic. "Castellan!" Percy tried again.

"He got away. But thanks to your warning, we were able to stop him from killing my mother."

"To which I am eternally in your debt." Annabeth removed her hand from his head and stepped away from Percy to show Queen Athena herself standing by his bed.

"My lady." Percy tried to sit up again, but Annabeth again restrained him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"There will be no need for that. You are gravely wounded and lucky to be alive. You are in my palace, under my care, because of your actions. But I am also curious as to what caused Castellan to attack you before he came to attack me."

"He tried to recruit me to some other army." Percy's voice was rougher than he would have liked. "I refused."

"Tell me everything he said. Every detail could be important." Queen Athena's eyes bore into Percy's.

So he told her everything. Only stopping on occasion to drink some water for his dry throat. Percy told them how Castellan had mentioned he had been planning for months. How Percy thought he was working for someone else because of how he said 'us' and 'we,' and how he was going to ask for the city of Athens once they had won. And how he wanted to take Princess Annabeth to be his queen. This seemed to upset them as much as it upset him. He told them about how he said that Hade's crown was supposed to be on its way to Olympus.

"So if Zeus attacked Athens, then he tracked his rod to Atlantis and attacked them, then Hade's attacked Olympus to get his crown, the other cities would have to take sides and join in the war. We would destroy ourselves." Annabeth followed the strategy.

"Then this army that Castellan is recruiting for would come in and . . ." Percy started.

"Destroy what is left." Annabeth finished.

"We have to warn them." Queen Athena looked scared. "We need to call an emergency council. Enemies are stirring on our borders and who knows if the other cities have spies in them like Castellan. Action needs to be taken immediately."

"Hade's crown must surely already be in Olympus." Percy looked at the sun outside the window. "It may have already started."

"Probably not." Athena glowered. "I sent messengers to all the kingdoms with an artists drawing of Luke Castellan and a list of his crimes. Every guard in every city will be looking for him. That might be enough to discourage him. But you are right, we can't take any chances. You have done this kingdom a great service. You are to remain here under my care until you are well. Annabeth will tend to your needs. You have earned my trust, which is not easy. Now rest. I have much to do." With that she swept out of the room.

Annabeth and Percy stared at each other awkwardly for a moment, then Annabeth smirked, "You drool in your sleep."

To be continued in Percy Jackson and the Kings and Queens of Olympus: Hade's Crown.