Chapter 2
I felt good. Something that didn't happen often. Content. Calm. My body didn't even feel sore, which I forgot what that felt like a long time ago. Somewhere nearby I heard a bird tweet as it flew by. Off in the distance I could almost feel the waves I heard crashing into a beach. I didn't dare open my eyes, fearing the feeling of peace would disappear. Rolling over, I felt the corners of my mouth turn up in a small smile.
"Serenity?" A far off voice spoke up. I took a deep breath and sighed. Yeah I know its my name, but the word itself is nice to hear. I heard it again, louder and closer this time.
"Hmph?" I responded, digging my self deeper into the feathery pillow. Wait a second. Who was talking to my anyway? I slowly opened one eye to search for my pursuer. A face swam into view. Male, blond hair, misshapen nose, my eyes continued to focus. Then I saw his eyes. Those bright, phosphorescent green eyes!
"What?" I suddenly jumped up, startled. Looking around I realized I didn't know where in the world I was. I jumped out of the bed I was in, feeling the soft nightgown brush the skin of my thighs.
"Where am I?" I demanded. The boy turned towards me. It was Benedick. But he wasn't Benedick. His eyes glowed radioactively for one thing. And his skin! He wore a vest that revealed his bare arms that looked tattooed, but these images were Celtic in design that moved like waves when he moved.
"Calm down," Benedick held his hands out cautiously, warning the wild animal of his presence.
"No I will not! Not until you tell me who you are and where the hell I am!" I yelled shrilly. Benedick advanced slowly, his calm was almost insulting to me.
"Sera, you need to sit back down, you hit your head." I was then acutely aware of the pounding that had erupted in my ears, stemming from a knifing pain in my brain. I swayed on the spot as I tried to catch my breath. Try as I might, I couldn't stay standing. My legs buckled beneath me without my consent, I was going down. I leaned heavily on a pillar that stood near me, me holding onto my head just to keep it from blowing off of my shoulders. Suddenly, Benedick was by my side, supporting me. He helped me back into the bed. I sat back, leaning my head on the rounded headboard, and breathed deeply; slowly I felt the ebb of my headache.
"That's better isn't it?" Benedick asked. I noticed he had an accent, a British one.
"Wha- what? How…?"
"Shh, I'll explain everything. Just rest your head."
"But what are you…?" I asked.
"Shut up and I can tell you, ok pumpkin?" Benedick snapped playfully. I closed my mouth.
"My name is Benedick King."
"I know." I said. Befuddlement clouded his green eyes.
"You do?"
"Yeah. Continue…" I pushed.
"I am your handler."
"Handler? Why do I need a handler? Never mind, answer the other question." I closed my eyes as more questions began to pop up.
"I'm getting there. We are here at Camp Hybrid, on the coast of California."
"California? How did I get here?"
"After your little incident we had to bring you here to treat you."
"Incident?"
"That siren that attacked you." He explained patiently. Suddenly, my memory flooded back from the attack.
"That was a siren? What's that mean? Wait, what's Camp Hybrid?" I asked, confused beyond measure.
"A safe haven for half bloods."
"Half bloods? What do you mean half bloods?"
"Half human, half god, or we call them demigods sometimes." Benedick was calm and collected, the complete opposite of me.
"So what's all that got to do with me? Why am I here?" My head was beginning to hurt from the questions and not the impact.
"Apparently, you are a half blood." Crickets.
"Beg your pardon?"
"You never knew your father, right?"
"Yeah, but…" It hit me, like a speeding train late for its arrival. "So you mean…? I'm a…"
"Yep,"
"I'm really a-a-a-"
"Oh yeah."
"But… who's my dad? What's he got to do with this?"
"You see that's the kicker. We're not exactly sure. We've narrowed it down to all the male gods though." He seemed optimistic. I wasn't impressed.
"Well that was smart." I answered sarcastically.
"We'd have to go through with the Claiming Ceremony to find out for sure. But we felt it better to wait until you recovered to on with it." I fell silent. All this was coming way too fast for me.
"I need to talk to my mom." I announced.
"She's here, downstairs in the main office I think. Once the healers clear you I'll send her up." He said with a pleasant expression. I shook my head.
"I want to talk to her now!" I pressed. With a deep breath I stood up and hurriedly walked to the door. I made it out the door way, but then my head began to throb again. I didn't care though. Benedick grabbed my arm and tried to pull me back.
"Wait! You can't go yet." He said, a little more emotion in his voice. I turned around and walked right up to his face, glaring daggers at him.
"Watch me!" Throwing my arm out of his grip, I marched down the hall and descended the stairs, painfully at that. He followed me, but stayed back a good distance. The house looked like an oversized bed and breakfast inn. A door near the entrance hall was marked with a sign that held ancient greek writing. Luckily, I'd learned how to read that at summer came one year when I was 13. I'd learned it exceptionally fast, according to my counselor. The sign read "Main Office". I didn't even knock, just pushed the door wide open. Sitting inside was my mother, her eyes red and wet. Across a desk was a young woman with fiery red hair pulled back into a curly ponytail.
"Mom?" I asked.
"Come in, Serenity. We were just talking about you." The young woman said calmly, even pleasantly. I ignored her, yes I know its rude but I had just gotten hit in the head.
"Is it true, Mom? Am I…I… a…." I couldn't even spit it out. My mother's eyes filled with a fresh bout of tears.
"Yes, Serenity," The other woman answered for her, "it's true. You are a daughter of a god." My head overtook me, both with this new revelation and the pain. I fainted. But I don't remember hitting the floor.
"There you are, up you go." I heard a male voice in my ear as I was sat down in a chair.
"Is she all right?" I heard my mother ask somewhere.
"Mother, I'm fine." I murmured as I opened my eyes. Benedick pulled his arms out from around me where he had been situating me in the chair.
"Here, eat this." The young redheaded woman appeared next to me, holding out what looked like a chocolate bar. I looked up at her quizzically. "It's just chocolate. It'll help you get off of that adrenaline crash." I shrugged and took the bar from her. I was able to get a clearer picture of her. From just first glance I saw that she was wearing something comfortable. I could see the designer label on her hipster jeans that fit her a little too well. Between her belt around her hips and the hemline on her shirt there was a strip of skin that peeked through. A black tee shirt, emblazoned with the Nike swoosh hugged her curves just right. Her nails were a deep purple with sparkly black polka dots. Her eyes were like two gold medals, flashing in the glow of a victory. With a smile she stepped back and sat on the edge of the desk, letting me see my mom who was sitting near me in a chair like mine.
"Honey, there are a few things we need to talk about." My mom said, pain evident in her eyes.
"But that will have to wait," The woman interjected. "We need to go through with the Axiosi process first. It will make it easier to explain it all to her." My mother nodded and deferred.
"Who are you?" I asked. I know that sounded rude, but I was not in the mood for pleasantries. The woman was surprised for maybe a nanosecond but then the left corner of her mouth curved upward.
"I am Nike, goddess of victory." She stated.
"Goddess?" I asked, dubiously. "Okay, not to be rude but isn't that a little bit of the 'holier than thou' mentality?" Nike was not impressed, nor was she angry. I read annoyance on her face but her eyes held something I couldn't put a finger on.
"Oh really?" She challenged me. "I'm not going to prove anything to you. You will come to know the truth as you learn. For now, call me N." I frowned in question. "Now, we need to get you ready for the Axiosi ceremony. Follow me." I did as I was told. We all followed her out of the main office and down a set of stairs to what looked like it was once a cellar but now converted to something else. N opened up an oak wardrobe which contained a mass of white fabric. Looking through a couple, she finally chose one and pulled it out.
"Put this on." She said as she tossed me the garment. It was a short white tunic with holes for a head and arms. I shrugged and pulled off my nightgown. Benedick, who I forgot was even there, cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his back to me. I shrugged and pulled the tent dress over my head. The thing looked like a sheet you wear for Halloween as a ghost. But this had arm holes and a head hole. Standing in front of my mother I raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, N's hands appeared underneath my arms; one hand holding a wad of golden string in it. With a few expert turns the string was tightened around my chest, right under my bust. Ok, this looked a little better, I have to admit. N stood in front of me and assessed me. With gentle hands, she fixed my mussed up bed hair so there was a part in it and it lay straight, somewhat.
"Alright, you're all set."
"Set for what?" I asked, as she turned me to face a gilded door. N opened it up and gave me a little push in.
"Good luck, it isn't a test. Just be yourself."
"What?" And with that she pushed me fully through the door and shut it behind me. The room was dark, darker than dark.
"Uh… hello?" I called out. "Anybody in here?" Still no answer. I took a few steps forward. I became aware that the hardwood floors I had just been standing on had turned to soft dirt. I wiggled my toes in it, suddenly nervous about what I was facing. Suddenly, I heard whispers; in the air, all around me. I couldn't make anything out.
"Hello?" I called again. No one answered but the whispers continued. A slight breeze picked up, and at the far end of the room I saw a faint blue light. Moving closer I saw it get brighter and brighter. Looking around, I searched desperately to find the source of the whispers.
"Listen, I don't mean to be rude, but I got pushed in here and they said something about some ceremony so if you could help me out I would really appreciate that." I called out to the voices. The blue light grew even brighter, making me squint to look at it. I couldn't keep my eyes open, I tried to see what was going on by shielding my eyes with my hand but I still had to turn away. The light dissipated, but there was still a faint light emanating from something in front of me.
I was suddenly away of a personage in front of me. Finally looking, I took in the sight. A man, looking about middle aged with brown black hair and a goatee with luminescent blue-green eyes. The guy stood about 6'4, about 250 pounds with broad shoulders and strong arms.
In the dim light if it was hard to make out everything about him. I did, however, catch the wink he threw in my direction. In a moment, my mind stopped working on all its other tasks and I just stared at the guy.
"Dad?" I whispered. A bashful smile crossed lips and he looked down for a moment. This is him? Is it real? My brain wanted to explode with questions. Suddenly, in my head I heard a voice.
"Hold out your hand, child." Looking around, I searched for the source, but in my heart I knew what it was. My eyes locked onto his. I saw something familiar. With a shock, I realized that I have seen those eyes every time I look in the mirror. They were mine.
I did as he told, his deep rumbling voice still resonating in my head. Tentatively, I held my arm out towards him. With great care and gentle hands, he took my arm and wrapped his gigantic hands around it. His tanned skin made my own look pasty and unhealthy.
"Hold onto me." His voice came again in my head. My fingers looked like spindles wrapped halfway around his thick forearm. After I had fixated my hand, I looked to him, wondering what next. With a soft smile, he studied my face.
"Take a deep breath." He instructed. Breathing in deeply, I caught the faint scent of the ocean. Whether it was from outside or from just from him, I couldn't be sure.
Suddenly, there was a searing pain etched in the vulnerable flesh of my underarm. All that air I had just taken in was gone in a whoosh. It was hard to endure the pain without screaming, but as big a baby I was I didn't cry. I hissed though. I made every other sound of pain as I sucked air past my tight lips and set jaw. Take it, I told myself, take it. I felt my nails dig into his arm, but he didn't seem to mind.
At the point where I thought I couldn't take it anymore, it all stopped. I hadn't noticed the glowing blue light coming from my arm until it began to fade away. I stood there panting, confused, even angry. Dad let go and leaned down so we were eye to eye. Gently, he rested his hand on my cheek.
"Storm's a-comin', batten down the hatches and get ready." He actually spoke this time, I watched as his lips moved in perfect synchronization with the sound emitting from them. With that, he stepped back and was engulfed with that blue light again and was gone. Blackness, inky, sucking blackness filled the room and filled me. With my arms out in front of me, I began my search for the door. To my great surprise, the door was right behind me. Putting my hand on the door handle I hesitated. I couldn't help but look back. I'd never seen my father, in my 17 years of life. I guess I should be happy that I was a daughter of a god. But I wasn't. In fact, I was downright upset. Upset at the far too long list of event and circumstances that man deprived me of, of the years of heart wrenching sideline watchings of other little girls spending time with their daddies. But most of all, I was mad at him for my mother. He left her, alone and pregnant with me. He broke her heart and I don't know if I can forgive someone who hurts my mother or me.
When I walked through the door, three expectant faces met me. My spirits were darkening by the second. I shut the door behind me. For the first time, in this enlightened state, I looked at my mom. Everyone said I looked a lot like her, same hair same face, but taller and a bit sharper (don't tell her I said that). I realized I had just now begun to hate the characteristics I shared with my father. Oh, which reminds me, I don't even know which god is my father. I saw him, sure, but did he tell me who he was? No. Did he explain himself? No. Did he give any indication that he loved me? No… well there was something close to affection when he gave me that warning. Speaking of which, what was that all about? I don't understand him.
"So?" N asked as she stood up. Holding out her hand expectantly, I had a feeling I knew what she wanted to see. Holding out my arm, she took it a little roughly and held it to the light. There on the underside of my arm appeared a shimmering blue symbol. At closer inspection, I saw it was the image of a wave, circumscribed.
"Mmm, just as I suspected." She said aloud. "Here," She showed my arm to my mother. Mom voiced what I was thinking.
"And what does that mean?"
"Congratulations, you have a child with Poseidon, god of the seas." N said with a hint of boredom. Poseidon? Holy crap.
"Okay, lets get you upstairs, we'll get you situated and get this all straightened out." I walked in a heated haze as we ascended the stairs.
"Hey," said a far away voice. I didn't stop but felt a hand around my wrist. "Are you ok?" Benedick asked. I could feel my eyes narrow at him.
"Oh yes, I am just peachy keen because I found out that my father, who is a god by the way, left my mother alone not because he died but because he had 'duties'. This whole thing is whacked out." I felt my voice begin to rise. "Not to mention all these secrets kept from me. No thanks to you." I spat. Benedick was quiet and looked down for a moment. Gosh dang it, this is why I only have one friend. I suck at being nice.
"I'm sorry." I finally apologized. "I've just… I just got a lot on my mind right now."
"I understand. I know exactly what you're feeling."
"You do?" I asked. "Who's son are you?"
"Not the son of a god, no." He then led me up the stairs so we could catch up with my mom and N. "You see I grew up normally with my parents in Bristol, but then on my thirteenth birthday I began sprouting scales." My eyes widened.
"Scales?" I asked.
"Yeah,"
"So are you like some sea monster or something like that?" I asked, a little nervous. Benedick only laughed.
"No, no, not quite that far."
"Then what are you?" I finally asked. He looked at me funny.
"You don't remember?"
"Remember what?"
"Wow, you really hit your head hard."
"Apparently. So refresh my memory." We stopped for a moment, I wanted the truth out of him.
"I'm part Merfolk." He said, his face deadly serious.
"What?" I asked, giggling kind of. "Merfolk? As in have faces and bodies of humans and fish tails?" I felt myself begin to laugh harder. "The only mermaid I am familiar with wears a sea shell bra and sings of land." I could see he wasn't as amused as I was. "…so you'll forgive me." I added on quickly. Benedick just folded his arms.
"Well, no offense, but the only child of Poseidon I'm familiar with has a long face, whinnies, and craps her tail every hour on the hour." With that he smirked and walked off. My jaw dropped. Okay, I may have deserved that one. Touche, my friend, touché. I ran to catch up to him.
"Listen," I started, "Can we just rewind and start over?" I asked as we approached the main office again. I held out my hand to him. "Hi, I'm Serenity, call me Sera." He just stopped and stared at me. "Now its your turn." I point to my waiting hand. "Usually, when a person introduces them-self the other person does so as well then they shake hands." Pursing his lips, he unfolded his arms.
"My name is Benedick, call me Ben. But I don't shake hands like that." Reaching out, he grabbed my forearm (kind of like how Dad did in that room back there) and held it straight out. I'm not going to lie, when he did it, it was kind of hot. I smiled.
"Very nice to meet you, Ben. Let's be friends. I promise to be your friend no matter what happens. Even if you are a jerk to me."
"And I," Ben dipped his head respectfully, "am honored to meet you, Sera. I promise to be your friend too. Even if you are a jack ass." He winked as he opened the door to the main office. This could be an interesting friendship.
