Chapter Four

By the time I reached the entrance, both Chiron and Annabeth were running beside me. 

"Grover!" I blurted out on seeing a close friend. 

"Candi!" He was holding a boy who looked about twelve. In his hand he held a bulls horn…had this kid just slain a Minataur?

"Grover, Candi, take him to the infirmary. Annabeth, if you would please wake up Miss Code," Chiron asked. I knew he had to do something about this, so that's why he would need Tori to heal him.

So Grover and I ran to the infirmary whilst Annabeth went to get Torinthian. Grover explained what had happened as fast as he could. We reached the infirmary and put the boy, Percy, into bed.

"Parents?" I asked aloud. He was silent for a while, as I wet a cloth and folded it, putting it on Percy's forehead.

Frowning, I turned around to Grover. His expression was sadness, and I could have sworn there were tears in his eyes.

"Father, undetermined. Mother…just killed, by the Minataur."

I gulped. Grover must have felt awful. It's almost like he failed…again…

"He killed the Minataur…perhaps he's a son of Apollo?" I leaned down to his face, and pried one of his eyes open. They were gorgeous! A blue.

Tori came in with Annabeth, and Grover told them both about his parents. I began an evaluation and everyone listened closely.

"Hair, too dark to be Hermes. Features are also too lulled. Despite Payton, I believe his body is too small for a son of Ares, plus he's quite handsome. Ever seen a handsome son of Ares? Skin, too pale for a son of Hephaestus. That leaves Apollo. Right hair, right build…wrong eyes. Apollo's eyes are much different, never blue. Theres still a chance though, especially if his eyes came from his Mother's side. I'd say his chances are Apollo or a male minor God."

Maybe this kid'll have to stay with us in the minor cabin. I returned to my cabin and slept, before waking up to take over watching Percy. I had to feed him breakfast. He woke up momentarily.

"Mom! Blue cola!" He yelled, before passing out. Okay then…

Annabeth took over after me, and I went to my class.

The first class I taught, personal weapons, everyone was talking about last night's events. They all asked me questions, knowing I was there somehow. I had a feeling Grover had something to do with that.

The first person I went to talk to about it was Payton.

"What are you? Senior Citizens? GET MOVING!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her class was huge, her students were tired sweaty and irritated. I watched as they run out of the forest and up onto the boardwalk, before diving into the water.

"I've gotta' say, I'm pretty jealous of that kid. Wish I got to battle of the Minataur," Payton mumbled to me, her eyes not leaving that of her students. Of course that's what she would say.

"Anyone who gets to the shore and doesn't collapse from exhaustion has to carry the rest of the class up the hill one by one. MOVE IT!

"Ripped it's horn off," I told her. She looked up at me with excitement. Someone's warm arms came and wrapped around me. I smiled up at Luke who kissed my forehead. Xavier stood beside him watching Payton cautiously.

"Like, the whole thing with flesh and blood and bits of skull stuck to it?" She grinned. Horrified, I frowned at her. 

"No you nutcase, he broke the end of it off!" I exclaimed with a small laugh. 

"Oh, ugh," Payton pulled a disappointed face, before turning around too the water again.

"Parker! I've seen rocks who swim faster than you!" She screamed.

If any of the class were under the water, they still would have probably heard her. Both Luke and I waited for Xavier to say something. Instead he just stood behind her, frowning and shaking his head.

The four of us watched as the class dragged themselves onto the shore, all of them dying from exhaustion. 

"You've got thirty seconds," Payton announced, before turning to me. 

"Chiron said something about guard detail?"

"Yeah, you're on during dinner…since you um…" I did not want to point out that it was because she did not even eat dinner.

No one said anything, until Payton turned to her class and began barking orders. I knew she cared for her class. The reason she yells at them is to create stress, because there will be stress in the battles she is preparing them for.

"Hey, Mr and Mrs Castellan. Get out of the way you're blocking the path. Take that pretty little girl you bought with you too."

The class erupted in laughter at her calling Xavier and pretty little girl and- Did she say Mr and Mrs Castellan?"

Before I could yell at her Luke dragged both Xavier and I away. We separated, Luke and I taking a walk along the riverside. 

"Sometimes I wonder if she was dropped on her head as a baby," I mumbled with a laugh. It was pretty cold, so I slipped my hands into the pockets of my denim shorts. Seconds later, Luke grabbed my right hand and held it in his left as we walked.

"If that had happened, I bet she would have landed with a hand spring and done several backflips before standing to scream at her Mother," Luke chuckled, and I laughed because he could not have been more right.

It was quiet between the two of us, but it was nice. I hardly heard what he said next over the wind.

"Would it be so bad if you were Mrs Castellan?" 

Then I realised he took my reaction to Payton's words the wrong way.

"Of course not," I replied equally quietly. Cautiously, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him tightly. Luke and I had been together for almost five year now. Marrying him was something I'd thought about for three of those years, and this year was not one of them.

Slowly, Luke returned my hug warmly. If you were hoping for an 'I love you' or something, don't get your hopes up. I've told him I loved him before, three times, and I was never rewarded with an 'I love you too' in return. He's never said it to me at all.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he said, releasing me. I raced through my head to try and think of what he meant, before his hand wandered behind my ear, and he produced a square packet of gummy bears.

Laughing, I took the packet and kissed him. He was perfect, at times like this anyway. I felt his arm wrap around my waist and pull me closer.  I tangled my hands in his hair.

Yep, this is the Luke I knew.