Forbidden (A Luke Castellan Love Story)

Chapter 31

Avery’s POV
            Next up we had Pegasus flying lessons.
            I had never been on a horse in my life let alone near one so you couldn imagine that I was scared out of my mind seeing a huge horse with an absolutely huge wing span. I mean I know it wasn’t a horse exactly but they pretty similar except Pegasus’ had wings.  
            “Come on.” Jacie encouraged, “It’s not too bad. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy.”
            Shakily, I nodded and walked towards the Pegasus.
            I have to admit that the Pegasus’ were beautiful but they were still rather large and I felt like they could trample me underfoot (or underhoof?) any second.
            Jacie walked up to a pure black horse that looked absolutely gorgeous but still gave me a wary feeling. “Put your hand on his nose like this.” She said and gently put her and on the muzzle of the horse and softly stroked it then stepped back. “Now you try.”
            I gained some courage and walked towards the Pegasus.
            Following Jacie’s example, I put my hand on his nose and he whinnied happily in response.
            “He must like you.” Jacie smiled. “This is Ace. Isn’t he a sweetie?” The horse looked at her as if he was saying, ‘you kidding? I’m a dude, I don’t do sweet.’ It was amazing that I could read him so well.
I laughed and immediately felt more comfortable around the horse and put my hand more firmly on his muzzle. Ace nuzzled me closer to him and put his nose on my back, as if he didn’t want me to leave.
        Laughing again I saw that the rest of the campers got together in the stables all picking out a Pegasus to ride. “You can have Ace,” Jacie said, “He seems to like you. He’s usually mine but honestly I don’t think he likes me very much.”
            The Pegasus bobbed his head up and down and I laughed along with Jacie.
            “I’ll just fly on Pearl.” She waved her hand dismissively when I started to ask what horse she would ride.
Jacie walked over to the side and grabbed a saddle. She put it on top of Ace but he shook it off and neighed like he was laughing. I tried to hide my smile when Jacie rolled her eyes and tried putting it back on but Ace bucked it off his back again this time having the saddle fly off and hit Jacie making her stumble back and fall on her butt when she caught it.
            I busted out laughing and Jacie only glared at the horse. “Stupid Pegasus.” She muttered then got up and pushed the saddle at me while I tried not to laugh too much.  “You put it on him.” She grumbled shoving the saddle at me.
            “How do I put it on?” I asked, my smile gone.
            She walked over and grabbed another saddle and went to the nearby horse and started to show me how to put it on.
            Ace let me put on the saddle perfectly and seemed to be looking smugly at Jacie as if saying ‘that’s what you get for calling me sweet.’
            When the whole Hermes’s cabin was mounted on their horses we trotted out of the stables and one by one the campers flew off in the sky yelling and laughing happily.
            A girl that didn’t look to be above the age of eight had her horse go full speed into the air. The Pegasus soared high in the air and you could hear her giggles of laughter.
            “Shouldn’t she have someone to go with her?” I asked worried that she was going to fall off.
            Jacie looked up at the girl, “Faith? Oh Hades no! I swear she could fly before she could crawl!”
            I looked nervously at the girl but Jacie started to tell me instructions on how to fly the Pegasus so I had to pay close attention so I wouldn’t fall off.
            “You think you’re ready?” Jacie asked once she had relayed all the commands and how to steer and- more or less- not fall off.
            “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said but even to me it sounded uncertain.
            Jacie seemed to notice that I was scared. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Right, Ace?”
            He snorted as if saying, ‘I’ll be with her right?’
            Jacie gave me one last smile and flew up into the air with one ‘gettyup’.
            I watched her until she seemed to become a dot in the sky then turned to my Pegasus. “You ready to go Ace?” I asked and he neighed impatiently. I could tell that he wanted to be in the air. “Be-be easy on me alright?” I asked timidly.
            Ace neighed and pawed at the ground telling me to hurry.
            Taking a deep breathe I said, “Alright….gettyup I guess.”
            Even though I seemed uncertain about it, Ace knew exactly what to do and immediately started running, I had to hold on to the reigns tightly so I wouldn’t fall off.
            He galloped and started to flap his wings and soon we were speeding through the air.
            My hair whipped behind me and I dug my face in the Pegasus’ neck. I was holding on for dear life and felt as I would plummet hundreds of feet down. “Slow down, Ace!” I begged, my face not leaving his neck.
            At that point, Ace seemed to realize I was new. He whinnied, which sounded like an apology, and slowed down until we were flying gently through the air.
            My knuckles were white as I held on but when I realized he had slowed down I loosened my grip and raised my head from his back to look into the air. “Wow.” I said as I stared down at the camp below me.
            Ace was smoothly gliding through the air, lighting flapping his wings so we would stay up in the air.
            I smiled and let go of the reigns with one hand and raised it into the air then slowly let go of the other one trying to feel the air around me and touch the beautiful scene all around me. I laughed and said amazed, “This is… wow.”
            “Speed up a little.” I urged, “I can go faster now.”
            My Pegasus neighed happily and started to pick up speed but not to quickly. Soon I was encouraging him to go as fast as he could and we were soaring through the air doing loop-da-loops, dives, and stunts through the air with Ace neighing content fully and me laughing; feeling like I was on top of the world!
            After the end of a loop-da-loop I had to tell him to fly gently again because my head was spinning. I giggled when Ace shook his head, as if to gain his balance.
            Suddenly I saw another Pegasus fly past us. It was a rusty red and flew around us in circles until it flew to the side of me.
            “Hey Avery.” Luke smiled as he held on to the reigns of his Pegasus.
            “Um… Hi Luke.” I managed to say, my cheeks tinted pink still remembering the almost kiss.
            “How you liking Pegasus flying?” Luke asked.
            “I love it!” I exclaimed smiling widely. “Ace and I are having a blast!”
            Luke smiled and was about to say something when a horn blew.
            “What was that?” I asked looking at where the noise had come from.
            “Time to bring the Pegasus’ back.” He responded and I suddenly felt really sad. I didn’t want to go yet. I looked down at Ace who neighed sadly as if he wanted to go back just as much as I did.
            When I looked back at Luke he was grinning mischievously at me. “What?” I asked, supicious.
            “I bet I can get there faster than you.” He challenged.
            “Oh?” I said, smiling. “I don’t think you know how fast Ace is.” Ace snorted boastfully as if saying ‘Darn right I’m fast.’
            “Please,” Luke smirked and patted his horse. “I don’t think you’ve ever met Phoenix here. She’s the fastest Pegasus in camp”
            Ace seemed to look at Luke and say, ‘You kidding? The fastest Pegasus would be me.’ My Pegasus looked back at me neighing I swear I could hear the challenge in his neigh as if he was saying. ‘Let’s whip these guys’ butts!’
            “You think you’re Pegasus can handle it?” I asked teasingly while I petted Ace’s mane.
            Luke smirked. “I could be asking you the same thing. Seeing as you’re new and all.”
            “I would say see you later but we’ll be so far ahead you won’t be able to see us at all.”
             “We’ll see about that.” Luke laughed, his scar rippling.
            We both turned our horses around. I leaned down in Ace’s ear, “Ready to win?” I whispered and he neighed in response telling me that he was born ready.
“On three.” Luke suggested and I nodded, agreeing.
“One,” I started.
            “Two.” Luke said but right before I was about to call three Luke sped off.
            “Hey!” I yelled at him.
            “Didn’t Jacie tell you?” Luke called over his shoulder laughing, “Never trust a Hermes kid!”
            “Come on Ace!” I urged and leaned forward, digging my heel in his side but not enough to hurt him. “Hieya!”I yelled, snapping the reigns and Ace sped off.
            We zoomed towards him with speeds that seemed impossible.  Soon we caught up to Luke and I smirked, “Hi.”
            Luke’s face was priceless. He managed to stutter out, “How- you were- there’s no way-”
            “Guess my Pegasus is just faster than yours,” I smiled then leaned forward more signaling Ace to go faster.
            We passed Luke and for a minute it seemed like we were going to win until Luke came speeding up to us.
            Both Pegasus’ were neck and neck, racing to win.
            “Faster!” Luke yelled over the wind rushing in our ears.
            The stables were coming up fast and Luke started to pull ahead. “Come on!” I encouraged Ace but he was already tired and was straggling behind. The good news? So was Luke’s Pegasus.
            “Just a little more,” Is said and Ace neighed as if saying, ‘You don’t think I’m trying?’
I leaned down again, but this time to his ear, “I’ll give you sugar cubes if you win.” I told my Pegasus, trying to encourage him; it worked a little more than I thought it would have.
            That simple promise seemed to bring him new energy and he started to race forward and pulled ahead, speeding towards the stables. We dashed forward and managed to get to the stables, winning by a whole 6 feet.
            The campers cheered and both Luke’s horse and mine slowed down and landed, trotting a little before they stopped completely panting and trying to catch their breathes.
            I smiled and hugged Ace’s neck while I still sat on his back, “You did it!” I congratulated him.
            ‘That-was-nothing-.’ He seemed to say in between pants.
            Luke looked over to me and his smile was as bright as mine, as if he was the one that had won and not lost. “Good race.” He said.
            I nodded, smiling. “It was fun.”
            “Ah- well I let you win this time. Next time- I’ll try and it won’t be so fun for you.” He teased and I laughed to have him join me.
            Luke dismounted off Phoenix and came over to help me off my Pegasus. “I’ve got it,” I said and started to dismount but Ace shifted his weight, making me fall of and into Luke’s arms. I blushed when he caught me. I glared at Ace, knowing that he had done that on purpose. He only neighed and nodded his head like he thought it was funny.
            I looked back and Luke and blushed when I saw his beautify blue eyes locked with mine. “You’ve got it huh?” He said and I laughed.
            “I just let you catch me,” I teased, doing what he had done to me only seconds before, “Next time I won’t fall off and be so nice.”
            Luke laughed and I got butterflies at how wonderful it sounded.
            He let me down still smiling. “Let’s go get our Pegasus’s watered.” He suggested and I nodded then walked over to Ace, who was still panting.
            “Let’s go get you some water Ace,” I said, patting his neck and started to lead him toward the water whole. He tilted his head as if asking me, ‘Where’s my sugar cubes?’ I laughed and patted his neck again.
             “Don’t worry, I’ll give it to you but I can’t have the other campers see. Those things are bad for you, ya know.”
            He didn’t seem to care that they weren’t good for him and instead seemed happy that I was at least going to give him some. 
            Luke came up to the side and lead his horse along with mine. “He seems to like you a lot.” Luke noticed as Ace kept trying to push me closer to Luke and neighed at me, knowing exactly what he was doing.
            Smiling I answered, “I really like him too.” Then glared at him when he pushed me extra hard, “Sometimes.” I added at Ace, teasingly. He started walking and looked around like he hadn’t done anything.
            I smiled and rubbed his neck again, as we walked. “Took Phoenix almost a year to finally get used to me, and still I think she has a grudge against me.” Luke said, “I can’t believe that he likes you so quickly.”
            Shrugging I said, “I don’t know but I can tell that we’re going to buds. Right Ace?” I asked and he neighed and shook his head up and down wildly. Both Luke and I laughed until we got to the watering hole and let our Pegasus drink and then took them back when they were done.
            We were silent on the way back until I spoke, “When did you come to camp?”
            Luke’s face darkened and I knew that I hit a sore subject. “I was fourteen.” He said, not seeming to want to talk anymore about it.
            “Oh.” I said quietly realizing he didn’t want to really talk about it. I understood that, there were things I didn’t want to talk to people about as well so I stayed silent while we put the Pegasus’ back in the stables.
            We were putting away the saddles and the rest of the gear. I finished before Luke and heard Jacie call me over. I gave her the one minute signal and then turned to Luke. “See ya later Luke.”
            He looked over at me and smiled but his mind seemed to be somewhere else. “Bye, Avery.”
            I smiled and jogged over to catch up with Jacie but not before turning back to look at Luke first. He seemed like his mind was in a different place when I asked him about when he came to camp. He must have had it rough to think about it so much.
            “Avery?” Jacie called and I looked back.
            “Sorry,” I apologized shaking my head to clear my worries about him.
            “No, no,” Jacie said a smile forming to her face. “I would stare at him too.”
            A blush formed on my cheeks. “I was not staring at him.” I protested.
            “Sure you weren’t” She said and shoved me playfully. “Come on, it’s time for the next activity.”  
            With that, she pulled my arm towards the lake where we would be canoeing.