The Story of Paul Cooper: Book Two

The Roman?

After standing around for a few minutes, we eventually decided to as someone for directions to the practice grounds. I mean, gods have to train, too, right? Seriously, Zeus had to practice for a while before he took down Kronos, Mr. Evil Father. Wait…that would mean that Kronos was- is?- my great-grandfather. Ew.

                Anyway, the person that just-so-happened to walk by when Zach, Kate, Arlia, Jack, Zoë, Emily, and myself needed directions, was our favorite, Calypso Devine.

                She was wearing a silver-type headband in her hair, Greek style, but it seemed to have a pinkish glow about it, probably because her mom was Aphrodite.

                “Hey, um, Calypso, we need directions to the training grounds,” Jack said, stumbling on her name. How can you blame him? It’s not everyday you meet someone with an ancient Greek name, who is also named after a sorceress-daughter of Kronos, who was banned from the living and dead worlds after the gods put the Titans back into Tartarus. Sorry, I went all ‘history-lesson’ there.

                “Of course,” Calypso said, her voice sounding calm, but her eyes showed that she was on red-alert. She began walking, and we all began following her. Let’s just say that the walk to the training grounds wasn’t a short one.

                “So, all of you are demigods,” Calypso said. It wasn’t a question, believe me. “Except for you two,” she added, nodding in my direction, and in Jack’s.            

                “Yeah,” Kate replied, a hand gently resting on the hilt of her sword. She still had that with her? Nevermind.

                “Just curious, but tell me about yourselves. I already know the basics, but there’s no harm in knowing more,” Calypso said coolly, as we all continued walking. I didn’t want to tell her more, but she looked at Jack and I as if we were gods…ok, maybe we were, but that’s not the point.         

                “I’m Kate Bartholomew, a daughter of Poseidon,” Kate said first, relieving the rest of us. “I’ve been at Camp H.O.O.P since I was little, and I’m one of the best sword-fighters there.”

                Wow, Kate, way to go all-out.  I could detect some annoyance in Kate’s voice, and she definitely looked defiant enough. I knew she wasn’t a big fan of Calypso, either.

                Kate was obviously finished, and she rolled her eyes once Calypso wasn’t looking. Calypso didn’t say anything, but waited for the next person to go.

                “I’m Zoë, and my mother is Athena. I guess our mothers aren’t great friends,” Zoë said, sounding pleasant, but I knew she disliked Calypso and her mother as much as I did. I saw Calypso clench her fists.

                “They never have been. Since you know about my mother, I’ll tell you something about me. I’m not a normal demigod. I see things, but not like an Oracle, and I know when someone is not telling the whole truth, Zoë. Some of you,” Calypso said, angrily, “think you are the greatest demigods and fighters of your time. Some are. But the rest of you are only lying to yourselves, and people have been telling you false truths your entire life. I know who will go on to succeed.”

                “Succeed?” Arlia said, her silver Grecian-outfit glowing. Literally. “And who do you think you are, Aphrodite’s messenger?”

                What was Arlia talking about?

                “Or are you another Eros? Another Cupid, if you prefer the ‘C’ thing. Calypso and Cupid, god and goddess of love, children of Aphrodite. You’re no more a god than I am, and if you stop lying to yourself, everyone might like you better,” Arlia continued.