chapter four

─── all this stressing and i'll get grey hairs

          ℑ needed to find a place to hide, or somewhere to run to because this man was somewhat terrifying. We had walked off along the lake shore and he hadn't said anything to me at all, merely leading me away from the group.

This is where he was going to kill me.

"My name's Luke Castellan. I'm a son of Hermes and I used to live at Camp, but I don't anymore, move out about three years ago. I'm currently in college and I work here." Luke explained, before pointing out a couple of areas of interest to me. "That's my story. So, what's yours?"

"Amnesiac." I whispered, still watching him cautiously. He turned, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Whatever you think I'm going to do, I'm not. I don't harm kids."

"I don't know. The sword kind of looks threatening." I tightened my grip on the coin, ready to flip it and go. Luke pulls a face at that like he can't really argue, and then he turned and walked on. I padded behind him, still looking for a way to go before finally seeing a gap in the trees. I wait until Luke is pointing something out, before springing for the gap to leave.

I'm almost at the tree line when a hand grabs the back of my hoodie, pulling me backwards and back onto the path.

"You think you're the first kid to try and pull a runner?" He shook his head as I scowled and struggled. "Come on."

"Let me go!" I growl, turning to try and kick him off, but he dodges and is somehow still holding me up. He's freakishly strong. "I don't want to be here, let me go!"

"I can't do that, kid." Luke shook his head, setting me down ahead of him and giving me a nudge to walk forwards though keeping a grip on my shirt just in case I try to run again. "And anyway, where are you going to go? You've just said you're an amnesiac."

"Get off me!"

"Better here with people that understand being a demigod than out on the road with monsters chasing you down." Luke bargained.

"There'll be people looking for me. Someone is trying to find me, somewhere, I know it!" I called, before getting loose from his grip. "Look, this has been a misunderstanding. Just let me go. I don't need to prove myself to anyone, let alone the camp leader, alright? I'll be alright on my own, I can fight."

"I'm not doubting you and why would I make you prove yourself?" Luke cocked an eyebrow, huffing. 

"I-" I took note of his words, taking deep breaths as I stopped backing up. "You're not going to make me prove myself?"

"No." Luke shook his head.

"So, I'm just allowed in?"

"Yes."

"No battle? No journey? No quest?"

"None of that." Luke placated. "I'm not going to make you do that."

"And the camp leader's not either?"

"I'm the camp leader, so no." Luke put his hands up in an 'I surrender' motion, as I let my adrenaline calm down.

"You're the camp leader?"

"Yes." Luke nodded. "Look, I'm sorry if I came off as scary or rude, that's not my intention. It's been a very, very long three days and I'm trying to process it as best I can. Three older demigods turning up, being supposedly unclaimed and Hera sending messages isn't doing wonders for anyone, least of all me. Now, we'll start again. My name's Luke Castellan, I'm a son of Hermes."

He held his hand out.

I stared at it for a moment, wondering what I should do, before looking back up at the man. He was right, annoyingly so, I didn't know anyone and I wasn't sure where I used to live. What happens if I couldn't get back? They did understand demigods here, and there was no trial for me to get in. I'd be safe.

"Cressida." I shook his hand as he nodded. 

"Alright, Cressida. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood." Luke nodded, before motioning for me to follow. "We've got lots of different things here, rock climbing wall, archery, sword fighting arena, amphitheatre, the dining pavilion and of course, the cabin. If you're unclaimed, you stay in Eleven which is Hermes until you're claimed and then you move to your number."

I nodded, watching everything. There were cabins being built, some already completed and others having work done to them.

"The Big House is up by the strawberry fields, forest is out of bounds at the moment but normally, we play Capture the Flag." Luke explained. "Stables down there, infirmary and classrooms if you need them. As I said, I'm camp leader, which is basically like a delegate for the demigods. If you have any issues and your camp councillor, who reports to me, can't solve it, then come find me. We also have a god, Mr D, who is normally here but has been missing for a few days and then a camp activities director, Chiron. Chiron's in charge of timetabling and planning and just general wisdom. Any questions?"

"I don't think I'm supposed to be here." I muttered, a chill running down my spine as I looked around. Everything about this camp made me feel on edge, like I was in the wrong for being here.

"That's not a question, but good start." Luke chuckled. "Look, Cressida, you're a demigod. You're supposed to be here, this is where demigods belong, where we're trained and where we meet friends. You're not out of place at all."

I felt like I was on enemy ground. Stopping as I almost hit a column and I noticed that Luke glanced above my head, before looking back at me.

"You're waiting for a sign," I guessed, still looking around, all my muscles tense like I wanted to run. "Like what popped over Leo's head."

"Yes." Luke didn't beat about the bush, answering quickly which was actually good for me. "You're far older than thirteen, so your parent should be claiming you as soon as you got into camp. That's the rules."

"Why?"

"Long story." Luke shrugged. "Come on."

He led me up the hill towards the Big House as I tried to fight the urge to run as fast as I could.

"Where are we going?"

"We're talking to Chiron. Something tells me we need his expertise." Luke replied. "Also, I'm shattered and stressed so best to pass you off to a calmer individual."

"You're leaving me on my own?"

"I'm not leaving you on your own." Luke placated. "You're a demigod, you're still under my care both as an unclaimed cause I'm a son of Hermes, and generally because I want to make sure that you guys are all safe."

I nodded, glancing up at the eagle weathervane, that pointed away like it was warning me to run. Then, I heard hooves on the front porch of the Big House and Luke looked up.

"Chiron, this is Cressida. She was at the Grand Canyon, Annabeth just brought her and two others back!" He called.

I backed up so fast that I almost tripped over the loose laces of my shoe. Rounding the corner of the porch was a man on horseback. Except he wasn't on horseback—he was part of the horse. From the waist up he was human, with curly brown hair and a well-trimmed beard, but from the waist down, he was a white stallion.

Chiron started to smile at me. Then the colour drained from his face.

"You..." The centaur's eyes flares, his tail swishing. "You should be dead."

"Welcoming." Luke snarked. "Maybe you should have stuck with me."

"Yeah." I think I should have because at least Luke didn't say that I should be dead.

After he recovered from his shock, Chiron trotted over to the empty wheelchair on the porch. He slipped off his quiver and bow and backed up to the chair, which opened like a magician's box. The centaur's lower half disappeared and the chair folded up, popping out a set of fake human legs covered in a blanket, so Chiron appeared to be a regular guy in a wheelchair.

"Follow me," The man ordered, and Luke nodded, waving me forward after the man. "We have lemonade."

The living room looked like it had been swallowed by a rain forest. Grapevines curved up the walls and across the ceiling, which, I have to admit, I found a little strange. It was the middle of winter and there were grapes everywhere.

But the weirdest thing was the stuffed leopard's head above the fireplace. It looked so real, its eyes seemed to follow me. Then it snarled, and I nearly threw something at it.

"Now, Seymour," Chiron chided. "Cressida is a friend. Behave yourself."

"It's alive?" Luke nodded, grabbing a pack of Snausages and throwing one at the leopard, who snapped it up and licked his lips.

"Mr. D had a weird sense of humour," Luke pulled the large sword off of his back, that I could now see was two toned, and placed it against the coffee table, slumping on one of the couches. For a moment, the smirk and the wit dropped and I saw a tired man beneath that with eyes that looked like they'd seen far too much. Then it was up again and I wasn't sure if I was dreaming it or something.

"Mr. D," I mused. "Dionysus."

"Very good," Chiron nodded, sounding like a teacher, as he poured lemonade for the three of us. "Seymour was liberated from a Long Island garage sale by Mr. D. The leopard is Mr. D's sacred animal, you see, and Mr. D was appalled that someone would stuff such a noble creature. He decided to grant it life, on the assumption that life as a mounted head was better than no life at all. I must say it's a kinder fate than Seymour's previous owner got."

Seymour bared his fangs and sniffed the air, as if hunting for more Snausages.

"If it's only a head," I asked, perching on the couch that Luke sat on, as far away from him as I could, "where does the food go when he eats?"

"Don't ask," Luke shook his head, leaning down to tighten his shoes as I realized that they had wings on them. He had flying shoes? Hermes, flying shoes, made sense.

I drank some of the lemonade, hoping that it would soothe my stomach, but there was no such luck. Especially with Chiron watching my every move, his eyes piercing.

"So, Cressida," He cleared his throat, "would you mind telling me—ah—where you're from?"

"Still an amnesiac." I shrugged, before telling him and Luke the whole story of my terrible day so far, from waking up on the bus to crash-landing at Camp Half-Blood. The pair listened attentively, both seeming to run things over in their heads.

"I see," Chiron said. "And you must have questions for me."

"Only one," I admitted, as there was one burning question at the forefront of my mind. "What did you mean when you said that I should be dead?"

Chiron watched me as if waiting for me to break into song and dance or something. "Do you know what those marks on your arm mean? The colour of your shirt? Do you remember anything?"

I ran my hand along the tattoo, rubbing my thumb across the eagle carefully before shrugging.

"Nothing,"

"Do you know where you are?" Chiron continued to ask. "Do you understand what this place is and who I am?"

"Chiron, she has no memories. She's still an amnesiac, don't think the lemonade cured that," Luke cut in, defending me quickly. "How do you expect her to know what-?"

"You're Chiron the centaur," I wasn't sure how but the answers were coming to mind as I thought, my head starting to pound as I recalled the memories. "The same one from the old stories, I think, the one who used to train the Greek heroes like Heracles. This is a camp for demigods."

"So you believe those gods still exist?" Chiron cocked an eyebrow, as I tried to avoid his and Luke's piercing glare.

"Yes." The answer came out of my mouth instantaneously. "I mean, I don't think we should worship them or sacrifice chickens to them or anything, but they're still around because they're a powerful part of civilization."

"I don't think you've said it better yourself, Chiron," Luke muttered, watching me cautiously.

"If you know the gods are real, then you've been claimed, haven't you?"

"I'm not really sure, it's possible."

Seymour the leopard snarled.

Chiron waited, and it took me a moment to realise what had just happened. The centaur had switched to another language, something that I had recognized and responded to him in. I turned to Luke, my eyes going wide as I tried to find the words, my head muddled. I need to process what language I was in.

"Quis erat—" I faltered, translating it again in my head until I was sure that I was in English before speaking aloud. "What was that?"

"You know Latin," Chiron observed. "Most demigods recognize a few phrases, of course. It's in their blood, but not as much as Ancient Greek. None can speak Latin fluently without practice."

"And no one practices it because it's useless for us," Luke chimed in, pulling a Latin dictionary from a bookshelf behind him as he flipped through it, humming. "Maybe it's time to brush up on our knowledge."

"I think you might be correct," Chiron murmured, as I tried to wrap my head around this all. Neither of them seemed threatening, but the centaur was concerned for me and my safety, which I doubted meant anything good for me. "I've seen many heroes come and go. Occasionally, they have happy endings. Mostly, they don't. It breaks my heart, like losing a child each time one of my pupils dies. But you—you are not like any pupil I've ever taught. Your presence here could be a disaster."

"Brilliant," I muttered. "You must be an inspiring teacher."

"You should hear him before battles," Luke nodded, a slight glint in his eyes. "He's even better then."

"I am sorry, child. But it's true," Chiron ignored Luke for the most part. "But after Andromeda's success-"

The room went still. Chiron had paused, looking at the son of Hermes.

"Andromeda Jackson, you mean. Annabeth's sister, the one who's missing." Luke froze, setting the dictionary back. He didn't meet anyone's eyes,

"I had hoped that after she and Luke succeeded in the Titan War and saved New York, we might have some peace," Chiron shook his head. "I might be able to enjoy one final triumph, a happy ending, and perhaps retire quietly. I should have known better. The last chapter approaches, just as it did before. The worst is yet to come."

"Andi was right." Luke muttered, arms folded across his chest as he groaned. "She knew that we weren't done, that we'd be dragged back in and I agreed. But you and everyone else said, don't worry, it won't be you. Then I wake up and she's not there one day."

"How do you know Andromeda? Are you related to Annabeth?" I muttered. This family tree was confusing. Chiron was muttering to himself, thinking as Luke turned.

"Andromeda is my girlfriend, Annabeth is under my care, sort of like a daughter or sister. I have guardianship over her. Technically, Annabeth is Andi's daughter if you want to think that way. They're more like siblings." Luke explained, making a vague hand diagram as I nodded.

"You're dating Andromeda, Andromeda's gone missing. Got it." I nodded, processing before it occurred to me that Luke must have just gone to bed next to Andromeda one day and then woken up and had no one beside him. She must have just been stolen from him and a horrible thought occurred to me.

Was there someone waiting for me who didn't know that I was here, or alive? Was there someone worrying?

"Can we go back to the part where Cressida is supposed to be dead?" Luke steered the conversation around as I thought about who I left behind, if anyone. Were they worried? Were they scared or angry, as Luke obviously was, or were they searching for me?

"I'm afraid I can't explain. I swore on the River Styx and on all things sacred that I would never..." Chiron frowned. "But she's here, in violation of the same oath. That too, should not be possible. I don't understand. Who would've done such a thing? Who—"

Seymour the leopard howled. His mouth froze, half open. The fire stopped crackling, its flames hardening like red glass. I stopped thinking to leap to my feet, ready to fight.

"Chiron, what's going on?" There was no answer. "Luke?"

But both had frozen. I jumped off of the couch, but Chiron and Luke had frozen in the same place.

Cressida, a voice echoed around the room.

For one, dreadful moment, I thought the leopard had spoken. Then dark mist boiled out of Seymour's mouth, and an even worse thought occurred to me: storm spirits.

I pulled the gold coin from my pocket, flipping it in my hands until it changed into a sword. Holding it up with one hand, I pointed it at the neck of whatever it was, getting ready to charge as my instincts took over.

The mist took the form of a woman in black robes. Her face was hooded, but her eyes glowed in the darkness. Over her shoulders she wore a goatskin cloak. I'm not sure how I knew, I just knew that she was important.

Would you attack your patron? the woman chided. Her voice echoed in my head. Lower your sword.

"Who are you?" I demanded, lowering my sword reluctantly, but still ready to spring. "How did you-"

Our time is limited, Cressida. My prison grows stronger by the hour. It took me a full month to gather enough energy to work even the smallest magic through its bonds. I've managed to bring you here, but now I have little time left, and even less power. This may be the last time I can speak to you.

"You're in prison?" I cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know you.

You do, she insisted. I have known you since your birth.

"I don't-I can't remember anything."

No, you don't, she agreed. That also was necessary. Long ago, your father gave me your life as a gift to placate my anger. I named you Cressida, after the original Cressida and gave you my blessing.

"Blessing?"

Now is the time to pay your debt, she said. Find my prison. Free me, or their king will rise from the earth, and I will be destroyed. You will never retrieve your memory.

"Do you know who has my memories?"

You have until sunset on the solstice, Cressida. Four short days. Do not fail me.

The dark woman dissolved, and the mist curled into the leopard's mouth.

Time unfroze. Seymour's howl turned into a cough like he'd sucked in a hair ball. The fire crackled to life and Chiron said, "—would dare to bring her here?"

"Probably the lady in the mist," I offered, still standing as I gripped the sword a little tighter. I felt more sure of myself now with a weapon in hand.

Luke looked around in surprise.

"Why do you have a sword?"

"I think that your leopard just ate a goddess," I added helpfully, letting the tip of my sword touch the floor before leaning it by Luke's and sitting down. I then proceeded to tell Chiron and Luke about the dark, misty figure that disappeared into Seymour's mouth.

"Oh dear," Chiron murmured. "That does explain a lot."

"Well that's great." Luke hissed, obviously also knowing what was going on. It was just me who was out of the loop. "Of course, we have peace and now, now we're being dragged into something else? Chiron, now, even you must see that the gods are just pla-"

"Can you explain it, please?" I begged, wanting to know more and cutting Luke off.

Before Chiron could say anything, footsteps reverberated on the porch outside. The front door blew open, and Annabeth and another girl, a redhead, burst in, dragging Piper between them. Piper's head lolled like she was unconscious.

"What happened?" I asked, my jaw dropping. I'd left them alone for half an hour at most.

"Annie, what have I told you about knocking people unconscious?" Luke called, grabbing his sword. He looked angry now but I didn't know at who.

"Wasn't me!" She called back in indignation. "We were in Two. There was a vision and it was bad."

The redheaded girl looked up, and I saw that she'd been crying.

"I think..." The redheaded girl gulped. "I think I may have killed her."

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

So, Cress' normal options are to fight someone or run away and Luke is just tired of it. I do love Luke just catching her and dragging her back, it's like a dad and his feral child. Also, poor Luke is not having a great time, he's going through all the stages of grief and yes, in all technicalities Luke and Andi are Annabeth's parents (legal guardians) in a sense. Anyway, lots in here, enjoy

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx