His Father's Glory

Chapter 7

I moaned in delight as I brought the spoon to my mouth. The soup was heavenly.

"Once again, you've outdone yourself, Damasen," I chuckled.

"You can thank yourself for that," he said as he started to clean up after our meal. "Those herbs and spices you brought are magnificent!"

I smiled. He helped Percy and Annabeth escape when Father obviously didn't want them to leave.

I pleaded for his life with Father. Both his and Bob's life.

Father gave in after a while. I'm a spoiled child. Father wants to please me at all times.

I think he wants to make up for lost time. For when he wasn't with me.

"I would like to collect my payment, now," Damasen said as he served himself a bowl. I smiled warmly.

"The usual, I presume?" I asked to which he nodded. I sat and thought for a moment before proceeding to tell him my story, starting when I arrived at the hill and finishing when I came looking for him.

"Well of course they panicked," Damasen said. "The name Castellan has a lot of power at that camp."

I frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

He rubbed his neck, his unease obvious.

"Chiron said that monsters were behaving unusually?" Damasen asked in his attempt to change the subject.

I looked at him pointedly, conveying that I saw what he was trying to do.

"Apparently the monster attacks have been much more frequent and aggressive. There haven't been any casualties, but it's only a matter of time." I said.

A thoughtful look came across his face.

"Now that I think about it, father had mentioned a large some of the monsters leaving at once when they weren't permitted."

I nod my head slightly. "You're avoiding my question, Damasen. Why is my name known at camp?"

He sighed and sat down in front of me.

"Listen, Cleo," he started. "You were here for a while and time moves differently here than on Earth. During the time you were here, May had a son. A demigod son. He went to Camp Half-Blood and started a war. He sacrificed himself to end it. He carried your stepfather's name."

I sat in silence as his words sank in.

"How long has passed on earth, Damasen?" I asked in a broken whisper. "How much of my little May's life did I miss?"

"Fifty-two years," he said.

I felt my heart shattering as I did the mental math. She should be fifty-nine now.

If she's still alive, that is.

I shook that thought from my head. She's alive. Father would have told me if she wasn't.

I stood shakily and turned to Damasen.

"I need to go. Thank you for your hospitality, brother."

I then shadow traveled to the one place I knew I could clear my head.

My mother's grave.

Genevieve Marie Castellan
Loving mother and devoted friend
1931-1999

I fell to my knees as tears streamed down my face.

I failed her. I told her I would always be there for her. That I would always protect her.