Chapter 15: Luke, Hermes, and May Castellan

When Luke tried to put me down, I realized I couldn't stand up. At all. So, Luke carried me to the safe house to find it burned down! Who in Zeus's great world would do that to kids? Gods, people are so stupid these days!

In a matter of thirty seconds we were running through the woods with a wild boar chasing us. It was someone – more like something – that had torched our safe house. Luke led the way through the woods desperately trying to get to his house. Annabeth stayed close behind him stumbling all the while Luke grabbed her hand to catch her. I brought up the rear limping, with blood running down my leg. I had Aegis up trying to keep it back. We were all beat up and the wild boar didn't really help, at all.

"It's just a little farther!" Luke promised Annabeth. She stumbled again and Luke grabbed her hand and didn't let go this time. I kept limping and every step hurt but we had to out run the boar. Medusa's head kept the boar away but I could drop it any second.
We scrambled to the end of the woods and we seen a white Colonial house in front of us – May Castellan's house.

"This is your house?" I said. "Luke, the way you talked about I thought it was a haunted mansion of some sort."

He laughed. "Yeah, Thalia I wish."

We were silent for a moment then Luke said, "All right. I'll just sneak in and grab some food and medicine. You two wait here."

"Luke, are you sure?" I said. "You swore you'd never come back here if she catches you–"

"We have no choice!" he growled. "They burned our nearest safe house and we have to treat that leg wound."

"This is your house, Luke?" Annabeth had been so silent I almost forgot she was there.

"It was my house," Luke mumbled. "Believe me, if this wasn't an emergency–"

"Is your mom really that horrible?" Annabeth asked. "Can we see her?"

"No!" Luke snapped. He made a deep growling sound in the back of his throat.

She shrank away from Luke. I knew exactly why, Luke was never, ever mad at Annabeth and me.

"I'm sorry Annabeth," Luke apologized. "This house is a bad place for me." Excuses, excuses Luke.

A golden light flashed in the distance and we winced. The voice boomed like thunder: "Luke Castellan, You and your demigod friend should not have come!"

We ignored the voice and walked into May Castellan's Colonial home. As it turns out Hermes was in there with Ms. Castellan.

In the living room Luke and Lord Hermes stood two feet apart staring at each other. I sat at the kitchen table as Ms. Castellan treated my wound. Annabeth sat on the floor playing with a Medusa beanbag toy.

Hermes's face looked like liquid with all the candles around him. He was wearing winged Reeboks and a navy blue jogging suit, real formal for a god.

"Why show yourself now?" Luke demanded. His shoulders were tense, as if he expected a fight. "All these years I've been calling to you, praying you would show up, and nothing. You left me here with her." Luke pointed towards the kitchen like he couldn't bear to look at his own mother, much less say her name.

"Luke, do not dishonor her," Hermes warned. "Your mother did the best that she could. As for me, I could not interfere with your path. The children of the gods must find their own way."

"So it was for my own good. Growing up on the streets, fending for myself, fighting monsters."

"You're my son," Hermes said. "I knew you had the ability. When I was only a baby, I crawled from my own cradle and set out for–"

"Well, I'm not a god! Just once, you could have said something. You could've helped me when" –Luke took an unsteady breath. Quickly he lowered his voice so Annabeth and his mother could not hear but he knew I could. –"when she was having one of her fits, shaking me and saying crazy things about my fate. When I used to hide in the closet so she wouldn't find me with those glowing green eyes. Did you even care that I was scared? Did you even know when I finally ran away?"

I ignored Luke and Hermes for moment. Ms. Castellan aimlessly poured Kool-Aid for Annabeth and me as she told us stories about Luke as a baby. They were a little bit disturbing. I rubbed my bandaged leg nervously. Annabeth held up a totally burnt cookie for Luke to see. She mouthed, Can we go now?

I turned back to the boys. "Luke I care very much," Hermes said slowly, "but gods must not interfere directly in mortal affairs. It is one of our Ancient Laws. Especially when your destiny …." His voice trailed off. He stared at the candles as if remembering something unpleasant.

"What?" Luke asked. "What about my destiny."

"You should not have come back," Hermes muttered. "It only upsets you both. However, I see that you are getting too old to on the run without help. I'll speak with Chiron at Camp Half-Blood and ask him to send a satyr to collect you."

"We're doing fine without your help," Luke growled. "Now, what were you saying about my destiny?"

The wings on Hermes's Reeboks fluttered restlessly. He studied his son like he was trying to memorize his face, and suddenly a cold feeling washed through me. I realized Hermes knew what May Castellan's mutterings meant. I didn't know how but by looking at his face I was absolutely certain.

"My son," he said. "I'm the god of travelers, the god of roads. If I know anything I know you must walk your own path, even though it tears my heart."

"You don't love me."

"I promise I … I do love you. Go back to camp. I will see that you get a quest soon enough. Perhaps you can defeat the Hydra of steal the apples of Hesperides. You will get a chance to be a great hero before …"

"Before what?" Luke's voice was trembling now. "What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me, tell me!"

Hermes's expression tightened. "I cannot and you know that."

"Then you don't care!" Luke yelled. His voice finally loud enough that May and Annabeth heard it, not just me and Hermes. The talking at the table stopped.

"Luke?" Ms. Castellan called. "Is that you? Is my boy alright?"

Luke turned to hide his face but I could see the tears in his eyes. "I'm fine. I have a new family. I don't need either of you."

"I'm your father," Hermes insisted.

"A father is supposed to be around. I've never even met you. Thalia, Annabeth, come on! We're leaving.

"My boy don't go!" May Castellan called after us as we walked out the back door. "I have your lunch ready!"

Luke stormed out the door, Annabeth and I scrambled after him. Ms. Castellan tried to follow but Hermes held her back.