Chapter 5

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Percy was shown a few more places after the bathroom scene went down: the metal shop (which she had to tug him away from because heavenly warmth), the arts-and-crafts room, and the climbing wall of doom that looked incredibly safe with lava underneath it (which she also had to tug him away from, as he had bent down to warm his hands over the molten heat).

They soon returned to canoeing lake, where Annabeth pointed out the trail to get back to the cabins, and then went on her way. He'd learned a lot about her during their talk, though he was sure she hadn't thought he was paying attention.

He made his way back to the cabins after dipping his feet in the water again. Most people glanced up at him, but quickly returned to their activities. He noticed how similar some looked—sharp noses, upturned eyebrows, mischievous smiles. Luke looked the same, even with the scar. Some had small short horns, a few with rooster feathers. One girl had small white wings curled close on her ankles. They were definitely Hermes' kids.

"Found you a sleeping bag," Luke said when he got close enough. "And stole you some toiletries from the camp store."

The word didn't go unnoticed, but he accepted the items easily with a thank you. Luke sat down next to him, watching him go through his bag with a critical eye. Somehow, despite the look, he knew Luke wouldn't take anything.

The others, maybe.

Two boys looked at him from across the cabin with squinted, careful eyes.

Definitely.

"Tough first day?" Luke asked. He sent a hard warning look at the two boys, who quickly ducked away.

"Hm, not really. It's a lot to take in, but I think I'll be fine."

Luke pulled out a switchblade to fiddle with. "That's good, some don't take it very well. Others, like you..."

"Are just glad to be alive and have an explanation for all the weird stuff that happens in their life?"

Luke grinned.

"Yeah."

"So your dad is Hermes...the wing-footed messenger?"

The other boy's face tensed minutely, eyes darkening, though to anyone else he would have looked just as relaxed as before.

"That's him. Messengers. Medicine. Travelers, merchants, thieves. Anybody who uses the roads. That's why you're here, enjoying cabin 11's hospitality. Hermes isn't picky about who he sponsors."

Ouch, touchy topic then.

"That's cool I guess. Still think we could build another cabin."

Luke snorted, his shoulders easing back down. The bitterness in his eyes lightened, so Percy considered it a win.

"Maybe we'll take you with us to Olympus next time there's a meeting," he said. "You've got that look on your face that makes me think you could get their approval."

"You mean the look of pleasing authority through genius, or the look of 'I don't care what you're going to say, I'm telling you I'm doing this and you can be happy about it,'?" He said dryly, and Luke grinned.

"Both." The older boy snickered and ruffled his hair.

Percy decided to ask his last question. "Clarisse was joking about me being 'Big Three' material. Then Annabeth...twice, she said I might be 'the one.' She said I should talk to the Oracle. What was that all about?"

Luke sighed. He folded up his knife. "I hate prophecies."

"What do you mean?"

His face twisted around the scar. "Let's just say, I messed this up for everybody else. The last two years, ever since my trip to the Garden of the Hesperides went sour, Chiron hasn't allowed any more quests. Annabeth's been dying to get out into the world. She pestered Chiron so much he finally told her he already knew her fate. He'd had a prophecy from the Oracle. He wouldn't tell her the whole thing, but he said Annabeth wasn't destined to go on a quest yet. She had to wait until...somebody special came to the camp."

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