Forbidden (A Luke Castellan Love Story)

Chapter 10

Avery’s POV
            As soon as Grover saw me he immediately started rambling to me. His eyes were filled with tears as he begged me to forgive him. “Avery! I swear that I had to do that! It wouldn’t have been safe! The mist only can do so much! If I said anything about what really happened-” He suddenly stopped and turned to look to my right.
            I looked at my right too and found Grey standing there. “Who’s your friend?”
            Both my eyes, and Grey’s eyes widened. I suddenly forgot about how much I resented Grover at the moment and stuttered out, “You-you can see her?”
            Grover raised an eyebrow, “Um… am I not supposed to see her?”
            This only confused me more. “Only-only I can see her. No one has ever been able to see her before.”
            We all stood watching each other, not really knowing what was happening until Grey finally seemed to get over her confusion and ripped Grover’s hat off of his head. “HEY!” Grover yelled at her and tried to snap his cap back on but it was too late.
            When Grey took Grover’s hat off, he had his normal curly hair but he also had horns. Small horns that were sticking out from his head!
            “What. The. Heck.” I said my eyes wide.
            Grover seemed alarmed and started to panic but before he could explain he turned to Grey. “Who, who are you? A nymph?” He demanded.
            She balled her fists and her cheeks flushed red from anger. “I’m a φάντασμα; a Spiritus! Not one of those stupid-” She started to say but I cut her off.
            Surprisingly, when she said those words, φάντασμα and Spiritus, I understood what she said. “Ghost?” I asked and she nodded but quickly turned her attention back to Grover.
            “And you,” Grey said pointing a finger at Grover accusingly, “You’re a satyr!” Her anger was rolling off her in waves. At this point confusion was rolling off me in waves. What the heck was going on?
            Grey continued to yell at Grover, not bothering to enlighten me. “You’re supposed to protect her from monsters! Why haven’t you taken her to camp yet? You should be sent to Hades for taking so long!” She yelled at him.
            They continued bickering back and forth while I watched, not sure what was happening. “Hey, guys.” I said, trying to step in but they continued to fight. “Guys.” I repeated again, this time louder. Still nothing. “GUYS!” I yelled one last time.
            Both Grover and Grey stopped mid fight and turned to me. “Would someone tell me what the heck is going on!” I yelled at them.
            Grover looked from me to Grey then to me again as if wanting her to explain. She sighed, “Avery, we can’t tell you right now.”
            “And why the heck not?” I demanded.
            “Just wait,” Grey pleaded, “I promise we’ll explain but I need to get you something first. Then we’ll talk once we’re safe.”
            I bit my lip, deciding what to do. I finally sighed and nodded my head, I trusted Grey. She knew what was better.
            She gave me a thankful/relieved smiled and raced into the house leaving me and Grover standing outside the orphanage.  
            I was still extremely mad at him so I crossed my arms and turned away from him, waiting for Grey to come back.
            “Avery,” Grover started but couldn’t form words. “Avery, I know that you probably hate me right now, but I did it to protect you.” He waited for me but I pretended to become suddenly very interested in my feet. “Avery, I really am sorry I-” He choked up with tears, which was strange coming from a 17 year old. Even though I felt bad that he was crying, I wasn’t exactly ready to forgive him so I just continued to stare at my feet.
            He sighed and bent his head down at his feet.
            We both continued to look at our feet until we heard a scream come through the house. Immediately I recognized it, “Grey!” I shouted and was going to rush towards the house but Grover held me back. I struggled, trying to get to Grey but when I saw her running out the door and someone running after her. I stopped, frozen.
            Running  after Grey was… Mrs. Gretcher. “I should have gotten rid of you the first time that I saw you!” Mrs. Gretcher sneered.
            Grey screamed and ran behind me.
            Mrs. Gretcher smirked, “Well if it isn’t the little ghost, satyr and the demigod.”
            Demigod what?
            “I have to admit, I didn’t know that you were a demigod until now! I had always smelt a satyr on you, but I only assumed that you were around him a lot. Your scent has been hidden well! They were desperate to keep you safe but nothing can get past me! I finally found your little friend and now I have found the satyr that you have been with this whole time! I can smell the sent clearly on you now!  Now, young demigod, you will perish through my hands!”
            Mrs. Gretcher started to transfer into something almost even more dreadful than my orphanage keeper. She already evil eyes but suddenly they started to turn red and glow while her fingers stretched to talons. Her over coat melted into a thick, bat liked, wings. She bared her teeth, which were now huge fangs about the size of my pointer finger!
            Suddenly, I felt very upset that Grey was the one that was hiding behind me, when I wish I could be hiding behind her.  
            “Avery,” Grey whispered to me. She prodded me with something and I took it in my hands to further exam it as an ancient Greek knife, only it looked brand new.
            Mrs. Gretcher sneered without humor, “You think that you will be able to protect yourself? Pha, I have fought much worse than you! Now, prepare to die Averill Hawkins!”
            If I thought I couldn’t have been shocked I was wrong. “How-how do you know my name?” I asked. Avery wasn’t short for anything but my birth name was Averill. My parents, for some unknown reason, changed my name to Avery just before they died. The only reason I actually knew what my real name was, was because of Grey.
            Mrs. Gretcher smiled evilly. “We’ve searched for you longer than you know! We are the reason you have no family today.”
            That really ticked me off and set me back in motion. I gripped the knife handle tighter in my hand until my knuckles were white. “You-you killed my family?”
            “Ah yes.” She smiled evilly. “Me and my two sisters did. We are the reason that you do not have your precious family today!”
            My vision turned red and I completely lost control.
            I charged towards Mrs. Gretcher, catching her off guard, and made her loose her balance. I sliced at her and ended up cutting a claw off of her finger. She hissed in pain and swept at me but I suddenly felt as though I knew where every attack would come from. I dodged it and tried to throw my knife at her, only to have her grab it at lightning speed and throw it behind her. My eyes widened and I looked back and forth from my knife and her face. Deciding that I need the knife, I acted like I was going to tackle her again and she got ready in a stance to keep her ground only at the last second I ducked under her legs and skidded towards my knife.
            When I finally reached it I grinned triumphantly when it was in my hand, only to have Mrs. Gretcher claw at my arm. I yelped in pain and grabbed my new injury.
            With a lot of effort, I managed to my feet and faced the snarling Mrs. Gretcher. She lunched at me and suddenly I threw my hands up, shielding my face and yelled, “προστασία!”
               Mrs. Gretcher suddenly was knocked down my and invisible force. She looked at it confused and tried to run at me again only to have herself be knocked back. Only later did I realize that I created a small force field.
            Getting frustrated, Mrs. Gretcher rushed at the force again and again. The more she hit it the more I felt stars clouding my vision.
            Finally with one last hit, she broke through and I fell on my knees, exhausted and breathing hard, trying to not to black out.
            “AVERY!” Both Grey and Grover shouted and were going to run towards me but Mrs. Gretcher stopped them.
            “Stay back! Unless you’d like to see her suffer more, I suggested you stay back!” She hissed. “Stay back or I will end your lives as well.”
            “You belong in Tartarus!” Grey said and spat on her.
            Mrs. Gretcher laughed humorously. “Just wait- I will kill you after I kill her,” She said jerking her head towards me. “Even though you are a ghost you can still be sent back to the deepest pits of Hades!”
            Grey seemed to take a step back while Grover clenched his fists and looked ready to charge. I caught his eyes and weakly shook my head. He looked ready to argue but I mouthed, ‘I have a plan.’ He nodded and stepped back.
            Mrs. Gretcher faced away from Grey and towards me again. She walked slowly towards me, knowing that she won. “Now, Averill, prepare to die!”
            At that moment I gained some strength and stood up on shaky knees. “I don’t really want to die, so no thanks.” I said trying to joke and gain me some more time.
            “I’m tired of stalling. I will kill you already and Lord Hades will greatly reward me!” She said and stalked towards me but I jumped and tackled her to the ground then took my knife and stabbed it right through where her heart should be. Mrs. Gretcher howled in pain and clawed one more time, managing to scratch down from just above my elbow, to my wrist. I screamed and then she disappeared in dust.
            My sudden adrenaline was gone and I collapsed to the floor. I faintly remembered Grover and Grey rushing over to me and calling my name. I tried to respond but my vision started to get blurry and the world went dark.