The Untold Story of Annabeth Chase

Chapter 36

After my conversation with Silena, my time with Mitchell became stressed and intense.

It was a battle of wills, my brain versus his power. We never spoke about what Mitchell was doing, but I knew, and he knew that I knew, and I knew that he knew that I knew.

Whenever he came to my cabin to get me, I had a moment of conflict where I briefly considered just saying no. I had become a slave to his powers, and I didn't want him controlling me anymore.

But I wasn't brave enough to do it, and I always ended up going with him.

He was perfectly friendly and normal whenever we were in the public areas of the camp, but as soon as we were alone, he would turn on the creepy Aphrodite love magic. I tried my best to fight it, to dispel the fog and think my own thoughts, but as time passed, his powers grew. It was crazy how quickly he improved, and after a few days, I had stopped objecting when he tried to hold my hand or put his arm around me. I hated myself for letting it get this far, but pretty soon I was trapped. I had let it go on too long, and now there was no way out.
Silena had noticed that I still hadn't confronted him, and she wasn't happy. She refused to speak to or even look at Mitchell. I could only imagine the drama that went down behind the closed doors of Cabin 10, but Silena had kept her word and not talked to him about his powers.

My only hope was Luke. After trying again and again to refuse Mitchell, I had promised myself that I would wait until Luke got home and ask him to deal with it. He was gentle and nice when he wanted to be, and I knew he wouldn't be too harsh.
It was kind of a weak move, asking him for help, but I was out of options. Grover would be too nervous to do it, Silena would make a scene and overreact, Skye barely knew him, and there was no one else I trusted enough to ask.

My birthday came and went, and I decided not to tell anyone about it. I didn't want Mitchell making some big dramatic gesture, and there was really no point in celebrating without Luke. I wondered if he had remembered, or if he even knew what day it was. I should have been worried, because he had been gone almost two weeks, but I knew Luke could do anything. He had to be okay. There was no alternative.

The only person who remembered my birthday was Grover, and he insisted on buying me a chocolate bar from one of the 'dealers' in the Hermes cabin. He didn't ask questions when I asked him not to tell anyone about my birthday. Grover knew me well enough to know that something was off with me, and he definitely sensed how emotionally strung out I was. I hadn't told him about Mitchell, but he had noticed us spending time together. He had tried to ask about it, but every time he mentioned Mitchell I shut him down.

A few days after my birthday, Chiron galloped into sword practice and said he needed to show me something. He looked so worried, I went without question.
I followed him to the Big House, and when I entered Chiron's office I saw something that stopped my heart.
There, sitting at the table with a cup of hot chocolate in front of him and a jagged, bloody new scar on his cheek, glassy-eyed and staring at his lap, was Luke.

I froze in shock, then rushed to his side. "Luke!" I cried. "What happened to you?"

He looked up, his face showing the barest recognition, but he didn't speak.

Chiron approached and put a hand on my shoulder. "I thought you should be here when Luke told us his story. Perhaps he will feel a bit more comfortable this way."
I nodded and took the chair next to Luke. He still didn't acknowledge me, so I scooted closer, putting a cautious hand on his arm.
Chiron cleared his throat, wheeling himself to a place at the table. "Dionysus!" he called, and a minute later, Mr. D trodded down the stairs and plopped down in a chair across from Luke and I.