Act II Chapter XXXVII: "Did your mom give you that scar?"

Annabeth rubbed her forehead for the fifth time in the last minute. She had already spent some time massaging her temples, but the voice of the oracle felt like it had left wounds in her brain. She moved her hand to rub her eyes. The falling rain didn't help any. Then, she readjusted her grip on the tripod chair.

Annabeth stopped outside of the large building that was dubbed "The Big House". There was a wraparound porch that Dionysus had called his home for the last few days. The building had four floors with one being an attic and the other the basement.

There was a big meeting room with a ping pong table, and there was also a room for Chiron to stay in. Not to mention the little man cave Dionysus had made. From what Annabeth had been told, it was really starting look like it used to back in the day.

"Looks like I missed some fun," Clarisse commented. She stood on top of the porch steps and had a grin on her face. Annabeth carefully walked up the stairs and put the tripod chair down. Right behind her was Reyna. "A lot of fun."

Reyna had a scowl on her face. A very wet oracle was over her shoulders. Not to mention she was soaking wet from the rain outside. Annabeth glanced behind her. Her head had been hurting too bad to carry the oracle back onto the beach.

So, Reyna helped Annabeth back to the beach, and she explained to Chiron what she had been told as Reyna retrieved the tripod chair and the oracle. Chiron went ahead to grab Luke, and Reyna just marched ahead with the oracle in hand.

"Sorry," Annabeth repeated as she looked at Reyna. Clarisse took the opportunity to grab the oracle and settle it over her shoulders.

"This is so weird," Clarisse said. She grabbed the tripod chair with her other hand and stepped inside. Annabeth looked at Reyna, who looked just as miserable as Annabeth felt.

Reyna carefully pulled off her jacket and wrung it out. She then did the same with her hair and sighed deeply. Footsteps rushed up the steps, and Annabeth turned to look behind her. Luke rushed up the steps and spoke, "Chiron told me what happened. Are you okay?"

"Just a headache," Annabeth began.

"Let's get you two inside by the fire," Chiron stated as he made it up the steps.

"I'll get towels," Luke offered. He stepped inside. Chiron gently placed one hand to Reyna's back and the other to Annabeth's. He led them inside and toward a fire place that had a roaring fire. Annabeth sat in a chair and rubbed her forehead.

Reyna leaned against the fire place and crossed her arms. Clarisse made her way downstairs and jumped over the couch to sit on it. Dionysus even sauntered in there. Luke made it with towels as Chiron stepped away.

Luke tossed a towel to Reyna, and she wrapped it around herself. Her gaze focused on the fire. Luke placed the towel over Annabeth's shoulder. It was quiet as everyone got settled around the campfire. Annabeth looked at Luke and studied his face.

"I guess everything went smooth," Luke commented. He looked at Annabeth, and she couldn't make eye contact. Her gaze shot toward Reyna, who just continued to stare down at the fire. The fire created shadows on her face that made her look colder. And not just in the shivering way.

"No, dear boy. It did not," Chiron said. Annabeth looked at Luke.

"The oracle said that a piece of her had been taken many years ago," Annabeth explained. "She told us to find that piece and find the future. To do that, we have to find a May Castellan."

"Yes, Mr. Castellan. Tell us about May Castellan," Dionysus said from his place on the couch. Chiron stood near him. Luke stood behind the couch, and his face paled as he heard the words. His gaze moved downward. A deep sigh left Luke.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Luke said to Annabeth. She stared up at him. Luke's shoulders were sagging, and she had never seem him so… defeated. Helpless.

"I...it's a bit of a story," Luke began. "I have not kept it a secret that my father is Hermes, but it's not something I like to share. I have never told anyone why. It is because I met my father once when I was younger. He approached my mother and had this grand plan of her saving the gods."

Luke grabbed the couch in front of him and gripped it tightly, "Hermes thought that my mother could find a way to bring back the gods or at least a path to it. If he brought her to Olympus. That place was not made for mortals, and whatever happened there began to crack her mind. They didn't find what they wanted there, so he took her to the oracle.

"It broke her completely," Luke said. He looked down at the ground. "And, I blame my dad."

"Is your dad still around?" Clarisse asked. "Can he help us?"

"No," Luke said in a low voice. "The coward couldn't live with what he did, and he disappeared after dropping her off. I don't know or care what happened to him. As far as I'm concerned, he's the last Olympian that we should bring back."

The scar on Luke's face rippled as he scowled. He looked much more sinister in this light. Luke shook his head, "Hermes wanted my mother to take on the spirit of the oracle, but he mentioned something about a curse. And the man downstairs. I was too young to really understand it."

"Luke, I'm so sorry," Annabeth began. Luke shook his head and turned away, crossing his arms. The room fell silent as everyone took in the story. Luke's fingernails were digging into his skin, and that seemed to be the only thing that kept him from shaking.

"Boy, did your mother have a leather necklace?" Dionysus questioned. There was a dead serious look on his face. More serious than Annabeth had ever seen before.

"I don't remember," Luke began.

"Think," Dionysus insisted. He stood and down at Luke. "That necklace is more important than all of you."

"Luke, the necklace was on the oracle when I last saw her, but it is not there now," Chiron began. He turned his head. "Unless you saw it when you found the oracle."

"We didn't, but what is so important about it?" Annabeth questioned. "Chiron told us that the oracle lived in a cave in the camp, but the cave was hidden away. I assumed it was because the Romans were attacking, but is there more to it? Did the oracle really live in that cave?"

"No," Chiron answered. "It was the last resort of the campers. We had discussed them doing it, but I never thought they would have to."

"Why is this necklace so important then?" Clarisse questioned. "You hid the oracle to hide this necklace."

"To protect the oracle," Chiron corrected. "And, the necklace holds the great prophecy."

The air was sucked out of the room. Annabeth froze and slowly looked up at Chiron. She looked down and shook her head. Then, she slowly spoke, "This prophecy that could end the world is in a necklace? I remember we received a vision of a picture of it when received the prophecy."

"Yes," Chiron answered.

"Hold on. This necklace was on her neck? Where anyone could take it!?" Clarisse demanded.

"There was supposed to be some kind of magic protecting it," Dionysus commented. "Something about Fate waiting for the right person. I guess your mother didn't care to hear that."

"My mom didn't take anything," Luke snarled. He uncrossed his arms and stepped forward.

"Luke, if there is a chance that she did, we must find the necklace," Chiron began. "This is beyond important. If that prophecy falls in the wrong hands, it could be the end of not just us but the gods."

"Wrong hands?" Annabeth asked as her eyes flickered to the ground. Chiron followed her gaze and nodded. "So, we find it and-"

"Return it. Do not read it," Chiron ordered. "It is dangerous to know too much about fate."

Luke slumped against the wall, and he looked down. His body seemed to be burdened down by their conversation, and he looked so vulnerable. Luke slowly spoke, "Are we sure?"

"Yes, Luke," Chiron answered.

"Maybe, we can try to help your mom while we're there," Annabeth began. Luke slowly looked at her. Tears brimmed in his eyes. "If you'll have us."

"I'll go with," Reyna offered. Luke looked away and brought his hand to his face, wiping away the tears. He cleared his throat.

"Chiron, if you think this is for the best... I'll do it," Luke said. He turned to look at the centaur. Chiron had a grim look on his face.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't life or death," Chiron said. Luke nodded and took a deep breath. "Whatever you need to get to your mother's house, we can get it."

"Percy comes back tomorrow," Luke began. He chewed on one of his nails. "We'll wait for him. Then, we go."

Dionysus didn't look too happy about it, but Chiron had a silent conversation with him. Annabeth turned back to focus on Luke. He seemed to have shrunk in on himself, and he almost looked scared. She had never seen him look scared.

"It's going to be okay," Annabeth promised as she moved to his side. Luke looked at her. Then, he brushed some of the wet hair out of her face and wrapped an arm around the towel.

"I know it will be because you'll be here," Luke said in a soft voice. He closed his eyes and sighed. Annabeth relaxed against him and tried to keep from shivering. The heat from the fireplace was starting to warm her up, and it helped that Luke adjusted the towel around her.

To her right, Annabeth could see that Clarisse had started to turn red in the face. It looked like she wanted to participate in their quest, but something seemed to be holding her back. Clarisse stood, "Next time, you guys aren't getting out of letting me come along."

Clarisse turned and left without another word. Dionysus stared at Luke for a long moment before he stood and looked at Chiron. He grabbed the centaur by the arm and started to lead him away, "Is Lupa staying in a cave or here? I would hate for the place to smell of wet dog."

The three were left alone in the room. Reyna shivered and moved closer to the fire. Annabeth felt her nose, causing Luke to look at her in concern. Annabeth spoke, "I'm fine."

Luke didn't look too convinced, but he didn't press, "We are going to find this necklace and return it, but I want us to be in and out as soon as we can. I don't want to spend another second in that house if I don't have to."

Annabeth nodded and rested against Luke. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Reyna had started to play with the ring on her finger, twisting it and pulling it up and down her finger. Reyna just stared at the fire.

"Luke, can I ask you a question?" Reyna whispered. Luke looked at her.

"Yeah?" Luke answered.

"Did your mom give you that scar?"

Luke's body instantly tensed. A scowl came to his lips, and his eyes narrowed. His breath hitched on him, and his lips pressed together tightly. Reyna moved her hand up her ring and toward her arm, resting at the elbow.

"I know what it feels like."

Reyna didn't elaborate, and she didn't ask Luke for his answer. Instead, she laid her head against the wall near the fire place. Her eyes closed, and she curled in on herself. Annabeth could see the painful shifting of Luke's Adam's apple as he swallowed.

Annabeth found her gaze moving to the scar. Luke looked at her and seemed to realize what she was staring at. He pulled away and stood, "I need to get some sleep."

Luke hurried out of the room. Annabeth sighed and pulled the towel closer to herself. Then, she moved to the other side of the fireplace, opposite of Reyna. The Roman didn't open her eyes, and there was a gentle rise and fall of her chest. She was either exhausted or good at pretending to be asleep. Good at lying.

Knowing Reyna, probably both.

Annabeth let out a tired sigh of her own, but she wasn't going to fall asleep. She would sit there and think of what she learned about the necklace and oracle, about Luke's past and what his mother had done. About how she wanted to comfort Luke but didn't know how to.

Annabeth would sit there and think about how there was so much to do, yet they were playing messengers to retrieve this prophecy. Her mind would race until Chiron or Luke came to collect her and tell her to go to bed. But she would still lie awake at night.

In fact, Annabeth would not rest until she found a way to help out Luke.