"This is me trying..." (Book 1 of the Storm Decology)

"What in the good gods are you doing in my cabin?"

I opened my eyes only to see Chiron standing in the doorway looking at me. I rubbed my eyes wondering if I was seeing this correctly. Why is Chiron in my room? He huffed at me.

       "Good morning Miss Grace" he said.

        "What in the good gods are you doing in my cabin?" I asked angrily.

       "Well, I'd like you to oversee Percy's training, help him along and just watch over him for me " he said as he picked a shirt off the floor.

       I ripped the shirt out of his hands, "why me?, Shouldn't you have one of the older people do it?"

      "As far as I've seen, you are known to be the greatest swordsman in a century, you know that right? The only person I would trust as much as you is luke, and you're better than Luke, Annabeth would be a good choice too but you're also better than Annabeth "

       "Well, I'm busy," I said, trying to make an excuse to get out of it.

        "Busy with what? Wallowing in your own misery?"

      He had a point, I groaned and sat back down on my bed. "Fine"

       "Luke has a lesson today I want you to be there"

 

     After Chiron left my cabin I pulled on some shorts and a camp half-blood tank top.

    I flicked some cold sink water on my face, hoping it would wake me up. As I pulled my hair into a quick ponytail that probably wouldn't last very long, I absentmindedly traced my finger over a thin, long scar behind my ear, I couldn't remember when or how I got it.

 

       I trudged in our big circular arena, still trying to blink away sleep.

      "Well look who finally decided to join us" Luke said smiling at me.

      "I don't need your sarcasm Luke, I'm here, what do you want? " I said, rolling my eyes and putting my hands on the hilts of my twin swords.

      "I want you to be Percy's partner" he said pointing over at Percy.

      "Percy!" I yelled. "Come over here" he walked over and held up his sword, his posture was all wrong. "From what I can tell right now, your sword doesn't fit you at all, I reckon it's too heavy?" I said guessing by the slight bend and strain in his arm.

       "How did you know?" He asked, holding up his sword.

        "I've been doing this for a while, straighten your back just a bit, and loosen up, during training it's not like you're gonna die" I laughed, thankfully he did as I said.

        I showed him different thrusts and parties and shield blocks, the hard way. With every swipe he got a little more battered and bruised, I was unrelenting it was the only way he was going to learn.

"Keep your guard up Percy" I would tell through gritted teeth. He pulled it up too far, I hit him in the ribs with the flat of my blade. " Not that far up! " Whap! "Lunge!" Whap! "Now, back!" Whap!

        Luke called a water break and by that time, I was a bit sweaty, not too sweaty. Everyone swarmed to the coolers, Luke and I poured ice water over each other's heads, and watched Percy copy.

         "Okay, everybody circle up" Luke ordered. "If Percy doesn't mind, I want to give you a little demo"

         I chuckled as Luke showed us how to do the disarming maneuver.