Chapter 9

Percy's P.O.V

Before I walked out the door to go talk to Luke I remembered what Chiron and I had talked about. He wanted Mary to stay in the big house in case she had another…episode as he had called it. After the scare at the stage we had all been worried it would happen again.

"Mary," I said.

"Yes," she replied.

"Chiron wants you to stay at the big house for a while. Just to make sure that-" I started

"Yeah I know what you're talking about. I'll be there soon," she cut me off with a wave of her hand.

I hurried out of the cabin and went to find Luke. I found him walking around by the big house.

"Luke!" I shouted over to him.

He looked over at me and smiled. I hurried up to him.

"Hey. What's up Percy?" he said kindly.

"I need to talk to you about Mary," I answered sternly.

"What about Mary?"

I felt the words grow sour on my tongue so I just spit it out.

"Did you sleep with my baby sister?" I blurted quietly.

Luke looked astonished, like he was trying to say, "How on earth could you think that Percy? I would never do something like that!" But instead his answer was:

"You want the truth?"
"What the heck else would I want?" I spat.

He frowned. "That's none of your business."

"Um, yes it is Luke. She's my little sister. I have a right to know."
He didn't say anything.

"If you don't tell me than I'm just going to take that as a yes," I warned him.

Nothing. I got up in his face.

"You stay away from my baby sister, you hear me? I don't want to see you anywhere near her, understood?" I demanded.

"Percy, you can't tell me what to do," he protested.

"Yes I can. And I will. Now stay away from my little sister," I said.

"I won't have a choice starting Friday!" he shouted as I walked away.

I stomped back to him. "What?"

"Chiron is sending and army of campers to go do something that has to do with a war. I'm not certain about all the details but I'm going. Mary isn't. So I'll be long gone by then. You won't have to worry. But Percy, you obviously don't understand," he explained.

"What don't I understand Luke?" I questioned.

"I love Mary. If you think she's like my sex toy or something you have it all wrong. All completely wrong. I love her," he said.

We continued to glare at each other for a minute. Finally I said,

"You stay away from my sister."

I stamped away back to my cabin. But on the way there, I wondered if he had told Mary he was leaving yet. I wondered how bad she would be when he left. And if they loved each other as much as Annabeth and I did, I know they'd both be going through hell.