Blade's Edge || Deception Book II ||

Chapter 20: Sparks Pt. 1

I walked aimlessly down the paved cobblestone road winding down Olympus towards the elevator, my mind a mess of thoughts. I'd been planning to catch my mother or Athena today to ask them about Sefi and the hideout, but the chance had slipped out my fingers. Hecate wasn't here, and though I didn't know why she was absent, it was clear that I wouldn't be able to ask her.

If only Athena had chosen to stay, I sighed as I passed by the markets which were starting to open.

Or I could have just said to hell with it and asked Zeus in front of all the gods. Though that probably would have only gotten me killed. Regardless, another chance of getting my answers was gone. I needed to know just exactly why they'd kept such important information from me. Who knew when the next time I'd be able to ask my mother or Athena would come up?

"What's with the long face?" Hermes asked as I heaved a sigh.

"Sorry," I muttered, glancing at the god who was leaning against a tree. "Just have a lot on my mind."

"I won't keep you long," Hermes said, falling into step beside me. "I just have a question for you."

"Shoot," I said, slowing my pace a bit.

"When I visited Percy to help him with his quest," Hermes started, "I told him to try and talk to Luke."

"And?" I replied, my guard instantly shooting up at the mention of his name.

Hermes sighed, halting to face me with those blue eyes normally sparkling with mischief, but, right now, they were filled with sadness and sorrow. "He said he couldn't. Luke wouldn't listen."

"That's not a surprise," I said wryly. "Did you think he would?"

"No," Hermes admitted. "But I can still try."

"Don't tell me you came to ask me to do the same," I said, starting off again. "Because you know I'm doing as much as I possibly can."

"I know," Hermes said. "And thank you for that. But I just need to know. Percy said Luke was beyond saving. Do you think he's right?"

I paused. "What?"

"Do you think he's right," Hermes repeated, staring at me intently. "You know him best. Is my son beyond saving?"

I felt like someone had just thrown me into a pool of ice. I wanted to believe that Luke could be stopped before he went too far, but I wasn't sure.

Unbidden, a memory of last year flashed into my mind, the memory of the first day I'd arrived at camp. Luke had taken me for a tour around camp that day, and when we'd stopped at the beach, he'd asked me what I'd thought of the gods. Though he hadn't said anything, the expression of resentment and hatred on his face had conveyed way more than words ever could.

My mind leaped forwards, bringing me to that day in the woods last year and the conversation he and Percy had had before Luke had attempted to kill him. The hatred in his voice had been bone-deep without any hesitation.

All those memories of the things Luke had said and the deeds he'd done in the name of the Titan of Time flashed through my thoughts, and somewhere, deep inside me, I knew that the grip the titan lord had on him reached far deeper than anyone knew, Luke himself included.

And yet, memories of those days we'd spent together, just the two of us, carefree of burdens, also surfaced. Going out to get ice cream, him dragging me to the arcade, chatting and laughing over trivial matters---in the end, Luke was just a demigod that had been neglected and wronged by the gods.

He didn't deserve to be given up on.

"I don't know," I replied truthfully, meeting Hermes' gaze. "Sometimes, I think he truly is beyond hope. And yet . . ."