Tangled in Thorns | A Luke Castellan Story

Chapter 1 - The New Kid

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

I sat in a hammock tied between two large trees outside of Cabin 10, deeply immersed in my book the further I get into it. Unexpectedly I'm flipped out of the hammock, tossing my book into the air and making me land on my stomach on the grass.

"FUCK!" I scream, I stand up and see the grass stains on my leggings and my shirt. I pick up my book and make sure it's not ruined by mud or being creased. "Who the fuck?" I lift my head ot meet the amused gaze of Luke Castellan. Of course it was him. "Jesus Luke what's your issue?"

He just laughs, "What? I thought it was funny?" He continues to laugh as I roll my eyes in disappointment.

"I swear one day you're gonna get someone killed." I close the book and walk past him before he catches my arm and turns me to face him again.

"Wait, I need to talk to you." He smiles at me innocently like he needs a favor. Like he hasn't just ruined my clothes.

I raise an eyebrow, "You know normally when someone wants something from someone they don't piss them off before they ask. It usually gives them a higher chance of getting what they want."

I smirk and he pouts, giving me the most adorable puppy dog eyes that make me melt. I can see that he knows what he's doing because he smiles, "Pleaseeee."

"Fine." I roll my eyes and sigh, "What do you want Luke?"

He immediately switched back to his usual cocky demeanor, "The new kid, Percy I'm sure you've heard."

"Mhm, yeah the kid that killed the Minotaur what about him?" I place my hands on my hips and give him a quizzical look.

"Unclaimed and now my responsibility, I was hoping you could help me show him around and try to figure out what he's good at." He gives me a hopeful smile.

I laugh slightly, "But as you said, he's your responsibility. Why do I have to help?"

He pouts again which makes me roll my eyes, "Because I don't want to do it alone. I mean the kids not annoying or anything I just want to be sure that is he ends up killing me there's a witness..."

"Or you want someone else to be around so that if he does kill someone it cuts your chances in half?" I shoot him an exasparated look.

"Exactly! See I knew you'd understand." I scoff and start walking away, "Is that a yes?"

I yell back, "Sure! Archery range in twenty."

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

"A good source of glory are feats of skill. So, we gotta figure out what you're good at." Luke hands a bow to Percy after watching a few people shoot.

Percy apprehensively takes the bow, "I wanna be very clear about this, I've never done anything like this before, and it looks super dangerous." 

Luke shrugs, "And you never killed a Minotaur either, 'till you did."

I punch Luke on the shoulder, earning a yelp of pain, "Don't encourage him to be reckless Luke. It's okay Percy just be careful and try not to shoot anyone."

Percy takes an arrow from the whiver and locks it. A girl reaches to set the arrow a fire but Percy stops her, "I wouldn't..."

He draws the string and aims at the hydra target, before shooting it in the completely wrong direction, triggering a collective duck. He slips and falls to the groumd before asking, "Should I try again."

"NO!" Everyone's yelling over each other, not wanting to risk it.

It all happened so fast that no one, not even I, notices Luke jump in front of me and tackle me to the ground. "Okay Luke you can get off me now." I say as I push him off, "Jezz you're so protective, I would have ducked perfectly fine on my own."