σɾɳιƚԋαʂ (ρʝσ x ɱαʅҽ σƈ)

I Go for a Race Win

Tyson wasn't too keen on the idea of getting back in a chariot after our first experience, but he was happy to let Theo team up with Annabeth. I decided to not get on a chariot, because Theo and Annabeth had better chemistry. They would've won the last chariot race if it weren't for the Stymphalian birds.

Annabeth would drive, Theo would defend, and Tyson and I would be their pit crew. While I worked with the horses, Tyson fixed up Athena's chariot and added a whole bunch of special modifications.

We spent the next two days training like crazy. Annabeth, Percy, and I agreed that if we won, the prize of no chores for the rest of the month would be split between our three cabins. Since Athena had more campers, they would get most of the time off, which was fine by me. I didn't care about the prize. I just wanted to win.

The night before the race, I stayed late at the stables. I was talking to our horses, giving them one final brushing, when somebody right behind me said...

???: Fine animals, horses. Wish I'd thought of them.

A middle-aged guy in a postal carrier outfit was leaning against the stable door. He was slim, with curly black hair under his white pith helmet, and he had a mailbag slung over his shoulder.

Percy: Hermes?

Hermes: Hello, Percy. Didn't recognize me without my jogging clothes?

Percy: Uhh...

I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to kneel or buy stamps from him or what. Then it occurred to me why he must be here.

Percy: Oh, listen, Lord Hermes, about Luke...

The god arched his eyebrows.

Percy: Oh, we saw him alright, but—

Hermes: Theo wasn't able to talk sense into him. I know, I just saw him, he told me what happened.

Percy: He really tried, but it didn't work. Then Luke and I kind of tried to kill each other in a duel to the death.

Hermes: Oh.

I could tell he was disappointed.

Percy: I'm really sorry. I mean, you gave us those awesome gifts and everything. And I know you wanted Luke to come back. But...he's turned bad. Really bad. He said he feels like you abandoned him.

I waited for Hermes to get angry. I figured he'd turn me into a hamster or something, and I did not want to spend any more time as a rodent.

Instead, he just sighed.

Hermes: (sighs) Do you ever feel your father abandoned you, Percy?

I wanted to say, "Only a few hundred times a day." I hadn't spoken to Poseidon since last summer. I'd never been to his underwater palace. And then there was the whole thing with Tyson—no warning, no explanation. Just boom, you have a brother. You'd think that deserved a little heads-up phone call or something.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I realized I did want recognition for the quest I'd completed, but not from the other campers. I wanted my dad to say something. To notice me.

Hermes readjusted the mailbag on his shoulder.

Hermes: Percy, the hardest part about being a god is that you must often act indirectly, especially when it comes to your own children. If we were to intervene every time our children had a problem...well, that would only create more problems and more resentment. But I believe if you give it some thought, you will see that Poseidon has been paying attention to you. He has answered your prayers. I can only hope that someday, Luke may realize the same about me. Whether you feel like you succeeded or not, you reminded Luke who he was. You spoke to him.