CHAPTER XXVII:A Fruit Of Damnation And A Charming Image Of Death.

Thanatos cradled me in his strong arms, and walked over to my stepmothers pomegranate tree where he put me down under it's shade. He took the nearest fruit from the tree, and pulled out a dagger made from an amber colored bone. It was wrapped with pieces of black cloth held in place with twine that barely covered the handle, which continued from blade in a amber color.

He began cutting the fruit into two pieces, "You know, your father had this garden made. Every plant was planted by his gardeners, except this tree. This tree was planted by Hades himself, that's why it survived for so long in this abandoned place. It can't die, or it won't as long as Hades' relationship with Persephone lasts." He said while cutting the fruit.

Thanatos handed me a slice, and I hesitated at first, "Go ahead dear." He said.

I looked at the scarlet red fruit, as my mouth began to water. The damnation of Persephone was the slice of fruit in front of me, she held out so long only to be defeated by her favorite fruit. I went to accept the slice of fruit when I felt a sharp pain shoot up my leg, making me pull my arm away.

"Ow! What the hell!" I yelled out.

I looked down and saw a snake slither away from my side. My black and white snake, my familiar, reached the exit to the garden where it stared at me with piercing white eyes. It didn't even have to speak for me to know what it wanted. Don't accept this gift, it will damn you as well.

My gaze returned to Thanatos "Sorry, I can't accept this gift." I said calmly and firm.

Anger flashed across his face, but he quickly returned back to the sweet and kind Titan (if there ever was such a thing).

"Of course dear, whatever you wish." he said with a pinch of sarcasm in his voice.

He tossed the fruit to the down and pulled me close to him. I could feel the coldness of death coming off his skin.

"You ever dance before?" Thanatos asked smiling.

"Not really. A few people tried, like Achilles and Theseus, but I couldn't get the hang of it. I'm pretty sure getting struck by lightning messed up my coordination majorly." I answered.

"I'm sure I can teach you. I've seen a lot of dancers after all." Thanatos responded back chuckling, "Just follow my lead." He said moving into a dance with me.

I let him lead, and heard him humming. I followed the beat, and recognized the song. It was Come away with me by Norah Jones, I had heard it once or twice from a few of the older demigods (Typically the ones in the legions). Was I falling in love for this deathly image? I suddenly got ripped away from Thanatos, and his charm broke again.

"Keep away from her!" I heard a voice shout.

I held my head a bit confused and slightly dazed. I looked up and saw Seth holding his crossbow up aiming it at Thanatos.

"Dear boy….your pathetic little bow won't hurt me. I am a Titan! I was here long before your father, and I'll be here long after!" Thanatos shouted.

Thanatos' robes morphed into pitch black wings revealing a pure white trench coat, and pitch black cargo pants underneath.

"No! But this will!" Adam shouted.

Adam threw my dagger with precision into Thanatos' stomach. Thanatos yelled out in pain, and ripped the dagger out. Ichor flowed from wound that he quickly covered up.

"This isn't over Son of Apollo!" Thanatos yelled throwing my dagger down into the ground, quickly flying away.

Seth walked over to me putting his crossbow on his back "Sis? You okay?" he asked kneeling next to me.

I nodded sitting down trying to shake the feeling of falling for Thanatos again, "Goddammit! That charm is strong!" I said clenching my teeth a bit.

"Yeah, you stay here, ok? Penny. Watch her for me." Seth said.

"Ok Seth, handling drugged out people is my specialty." Penny responded coming from behind me sitting next to me.

Her cuts were healed similar to Seths. Adam, Olivia, and Seth jogged out continuing the hunt for the artifacts.

"You know. It's not your fault. All demigods are drawn to certain things. Poseidon kids are drawn to water, Athena kids are drawn to knowledge, Hades kids are drawn to-" Penny droned on before I cut her off.

"Death, yeah I know." I said bleakly.

I got up, and grabbed my dagger from the ground where Thanatos had thrown down.

"Blood magic, it hurts gods a lot. Your father was smart to gift it to you." Penny said trying to find anything to say.

I moved my hand along the handle, and saw two marks that made me freeze.

"What?" Penny asked.

I showed her the mark and her eyes widened as well. On the handle was two marks, the mark of Thanatos and the mark of Morpheus. Both marks were welded on intricately. It was then I realized that the dagger wasn't a gift from my father.

After fifteen minutes Seth came in with two bags followed by Olivia and Adam.

"We got the helm of invisibility, the sandals of flight, Perseus' sickle, the armor of Achilles, and Hephaestus' hammer." Seth said pulling some of Hermès' packaging stickers from his backpack.

We all sat around in silence while Seth wrote the information out, he slapped the stickers on the bags, and they vanished in a flash of gold. We all walked out still in silence. We stepped down the palace stairs, and In front of us laid an army of the dead with Thanatos standing behind them.

The army was not of flesh and blood, but of bone and magic. His eyes burned with hate, and his wings were out and ready.

"Kill them all! Except cursed hair girl, I have some business to finish with her." Thanatos said.

Everyone drew their weapons, as Penny handed me my sword, "Ready Dead Hair?" she asked brandishing her sword.

I nodded and said "as ready as I'll ever be Owl Eyes.".

I charged towards the army with my group, both of my weapons in hand.