TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< ASTRAL PROJECTION >

Pandora glanced around lazily as she looked for the strong headed girl. The twins and the rest of their cabin had busied themselves versing Hermes cabin in volleyball, Luke among the playful campers.

After the bird attack, she knew the counsellers had called a meeting. Usually Pandora was included not this time. A group of monsters that size in camp was no practical joke. Someone had invited them in.

"I, Pandora Walker, allow the flock to enter Camp Half Blood."

Searching for the girl again, a voice entered the midst of her thoughts. Sounding from the director's cabin. Dionysus and Chiron sat lazily outside the cabin, Chiron in his wheelchair. "Miss Walker! Join us for a game!" Dionysus groaned louder throwing his head back. Pandora would've taken offence if she cared.

"Sir, Im perfectly—" He insisted again reluctantly Pandora pulling a chair out for herself. She slumped into the chair eyeing Mr D wearily as she watched them play the card game.

"Let me deal." She stated eagerly earning her odd looks from both the men. If she was going to play she was going to win. "Where's the fun if you deal Mr D, I'd bet you'd win if you did." With a grumble he reluctantly handed the deck of cards over to the demi god.

Mr. D rolled his eyes at the scene. "Let's just get this over with. I have more important matters to attend to than playing cards with you." She snickered under her breath. She quite liked Dionysus. He hated the world, she thought it fair.

Ignoring Mr. D's grumbling, she dealt the cards, the deck seemingly responding to her touch. As the first hand progressed, Chiron and Mr. D exchanged glances, somewhat impressed with her swiftness. She'd played Pinochle once or twice. It just so happened to be Hades favourite game.

Chiron laid down a group of Aces and Tens, earning a nod of approval from Pandora. "Not bad, Chiron, my father usually played put up more of a fight." Dionysus cursed clearly having a horrid dealing.

He scoffed, as he tossed a low card onto the pile. "Beginner's luck. Let's see how you handle this, girl of death." Pandora smirked at his words, dealing her own card winning the first round.

"Beginner's luck, you say? Didnt think you were a sore loser Mr D- wait I take that back." She sunk back into the seat a moment with a smirk, knowing she had riled up the camp director.

The game continued, until Chiron and Pandora were in a tight race for the win, Mr. D trailing behind, muttering about the unfairness of it all. Finally she placed her last card down revealing a winning hand.

"My bad Chiron, Mr D, probably should've mentioned I've played once or twice." She
smirked as Dionysus swore slumping back into his seat.

"Well played Pandora." Chiron sounded impressed, congratulating the smug teen.
On the other side of her, Mr. D grumbled something unintelligible, but even he couldn't hide a begrudging smirk.

"Alright be gone hellion, don't come back." She pushed herself up leaving the table with a grin. Fools.

LUKE'S POV

Volleyball was almost Luke's favourite activity. The only thing better was winning. With a playful punch, Jerry wandering off sulking from the game. Luke was ecstatic third week in a row Hermes cabin had beaten Apollo's. His siblings were just more agile.

"Hey." Her voice startled him. It was soft, friendly. His expression shifted from confusion to relieve. She was talking to him.

They stood opposite, Luke watching Pandora's fingers wrap around herself, while his rested by his side. Sweat dripped down the side of his face from the heat, as he analysed the girl opposite.

"Hey." He sifted his sword back into place by his hip. He wasn't even sure why he had had it out. He always did seem to find his grip on his sword. "Are you- Are you alright?" Her distance was clearly noticeable over the days, the first time Pandora had approached him first.

Especially after the previous events. The talk of his mother, then Dahlia, then the birds. Camp was practically falling apart.

"Perfect.. just wandering." She looked hesitant, her eyes drifting across the camp. "Did you win?" He rubbed his fingers together roughly, watching the twins get over their loss tackling each other in the distance.

"Yeah, 'course I did." He watched as she couldn't help but smile a smirk breaking out on his own face. "About.. about our conversation." Her smile dropped as she clutched at her hands again.

"Luke.. it's—

"It's not your fault." Once again it looked as if his words had burnt her, her eyes narrowing. "It's not Pans." Silence filled the pair again. "The gods sins are not their childrens." He was serious, he despised her for thinking it was her fault his mother had died. It was the gods. Her father, Hades.

"Everyone thinks it was me don't they?" He knew she was talking about the monster attack a few days before. "The birds." She was right, with Dahlia and Clarisse siding for once, they thought it was her.

"They don't." He chuckled awkwardly, sweeping it under the carpet, "Why would you invite a flock of man eating birds into camp, besides they are Are's type of weaponry. Probably just a practical joke or something Pans." She didn't believe him, he could see it.

Suddenly Pandora jolted back Luke's hand reaching out to steady her. She gasped a few times as if a pained feeling was flowing through her, her grip on his forearm tightened. "Two more days." His eyes widened as she cursed under her breath flinching away from him.

"Pandora, two more days? Are you alright, what's—" He watched her trembling hand run through her hair.

"Shit, sorry, nothing. Just something with my father, nothing important." He watched her splutter out words. He couldn't make sense of it. Hades? Hades wanted her to do something. "Sorry Luke, I- I- need to go." He watched her disappear back towards the dark cabin in the distance.

Step one. Step two. Hades.