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He stumbled toward it I tried to stop him, but he pushed me out of the ith such force I landed next to Annabeth and cracked my head on the base of Athena's throne

"The knife, Percy," Annabeth muttered Her breath was shallow "Herocursed blade"

Whenhis sword Then he bellowed in pain and dropped it His hands were srown red-hot, like the scythe wasn't co in the ashes, frowning at Kronos with disapproval

Luke turned and collapsed, clutching his ruined hands "Please, Percy"

I struggled to my feet I moved toward him with the knife I should kill him That was the plan

Luke see He moistened his lips "You can'tcan't do it yourself He'll break my control He'll defend himself Only my hand I knohere I cancan keep hi now, his skin starting to smoke

I raised the knife to strike Then I looked at Annabeth, at Grover cradling her in his ar to shield her And I finally understood what she'd been trying to tell me

You are not the hero, Rachel had said It will affect what you do

"Please," Luke groaned "No time"

If Kronos evolved into his true for hiround bully

The line froreat prophecy echoed in my head: A hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap My whole world tipped upside down, and I gave the knife to Luke

Grover yelped "Percy? Are youum"

Crazy Insane Off rasped the hilt

I stood before him--defenseless

He unlatched the side straps of his ar a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit With difficulty, he stabbed himself

It wasn't a deep cut, but Luke howled His eyes glowed like lava The throne rooy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter I shut my eyes and felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister my skin and cracktime

When I opened my eyes, I saw Luke sprawled at the hearth On the floor around him was a blackened circle of ash Kronos's scythe had liquefied intointo the coals of the hearth, which noed like a blacksmith's furnace

Luke's left side was bloody His eyes were open--blue eyes, the way they used to be His breath was a deep rattle

"Goodblade," he croaked

I knelt next to him Annabeth limped over with Grover's support They both had tears in their eyes

Luke gazed at Annabeth "You knew I almost killed you, but you knew"

"Shhh" Her voice treo to Elysium"

He shook his head weakly "Thinkrebirth Try for three times Isles of the Blest"

Annabeth sniffled "You always pushed yourself too hard"

He held up his charred hand Annabeth touched his fingertips

"Did you" Luke coughed and his lips glistened red "Did you love me?"

Annabeth wiped her tears away "There was a tiht" She looked atin the fact that I was still here And I realized I was doing the sa that really mattered to me was that she was alive

"You were like a brother to me, Luke," she said softly "But I didn't love you"

He nodded, as if he'd expected it He winced in pain

"We can get aulped "You're the bravest satyr I ever knew But no There's no healing" Another cough

He gripped my sleeve, and I could feel the heat of his skin like a fire "Ethan Me All the unclaiain"

His eyes were angry, but pleading too

"I won't," I said "I promise"

Luke nodded, and his hand went slack

The gods arrived a fewinto the throne roo a battle