I shielded my face from the burning heat of the sun as I stepped into line beside Percy and the other campers from the Hermes cabin.
Finally, today was sword fighting practice for the Hermes cabin.
"Alright guys," Luke said. "We'll start with basics and the straw dummies." He clapped his hands, and the campers drifted off to different stations. Percy stood there, looking lost.
"Here, come with me," I said. leading him to the shed where the training blades were.
I stopped before the rack of swords. I looked Percy up and down. "Have you ever held a sword before?"
Percy hesitated. "Well, there was that time when. . ."
"Oh, yeah," I nodded. "How was it?"
Percy gaped at me. "Do you honestly expect me to remember how the sword felt when I was facing a Kindly One?"
My lips twitched. "I guess that's a no. In that case, you'll just have to try them yourself."
It soon became very apparent that none of the swords in the shed fit him. They were all too light, too heavy, or too long. In the end, Percy just took the sword that fit him best, and we headed back out. Or, well, he did. I crashed right into Luke when I emerged.
Waving Percy to continue, I glanced up at him. "What's up?" I asked.
Luke regarded me with a sparkle in his eyes that showed he was up to something. "I want you to help me with the campers. Then, we're going to spar. Here. In front of everyone."
"What?" I asked.
"What?" Luke smirked. "Afraid to lose?"
"No," I countered. "I just don't want everyone to see me wipe the floor with your ass."
Luke snorted. "Whatever."
We headed out towards the rest of the campers, and I helped Luke monitor everyone. Everyone was doing alright, especially Percy, who, for his first time, was good. After a while, we moved on to duelling.
"Do you guys want an example first?" Luke asked, grinning.
The campers murmured to each other. "Who are you using as the punch bag?" Travis yelled out.
I stepped forward. "Me. And he's not using me as the punch bag, I'm using him as the punch bag."
The whispers started up again.
"What, her?"
"Isn't she new?"
"A girl?"
"Don't underestimate girls," Percy warned. "They're scary."
Luke laughed. "You got that right."
I stepped into the centre of the right and flicked my wrists, my bracelets transforming into knives.
Luke clicked his tongue. "Sword."
I sighed but sheathed them, tapping the ring that Artemis gave me.
A razor-sharp sword with a three and a half foot blade and a leather handle with gold engravings and a double torch emerged in my hand.
Luke paused. "That's not celestial bronze."
I smirked. "No, it's not. It's seraphim silver."
The circle of campers became so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop.
"Mined from Olympus on the full moon, tempered in Moonfire, and cooled in the Styx under the moonlight," I said shrugging. "Sacred to Artemis, Hecate, and other gods and goddess of night, along with Stygian iron."
"Why?" I asked Luke. "Does it bother you?"
He shook his head. "It's fine. Enough stalling," he winked. "Let's start."
I relaxed, my sword ready. We watched each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. After a while, Luke lunged, sword flashing. I rolled under his sword and whapped his wrist as I passed. I sprung up behind him, smirking as he faced me. "First blow goes to me."
The campers watched on, and I was pretty sure no one was breathing. I'd heard that Luke was the best swordsman in the last three hundred years, but the issue was, I wasn't a man.
"Alright," Luke said, rolling his shoulders. "I see."
I decided to go on the offensive and slashed at him. Luke blocked my blow and parried, thrusting his sword at my face. I ducked, dodging the blow, tossed the sword to my left hand and slashed at his arm. Luke barely managed to block the blow, and our blades met in a shower of silver and bronze sparks.
My green eyes met his blue ones across the blade, and I grinned.
Luke twisted, slashing at me, and this time I went on the defence. We moved together in a deadly dance, whirling, slashing, blocking, and twisting, a whirlwind across the arena.
Finally, I ducked underneath one of his slashes and parried back. My sword caught the base of his, and I spun, taking my sword and his with me. Luke's blade hit the ground with a final clang, my blade a hair-breadth away from his neck.
I smiled. "I win."
The campers were silent.
Luke shook his head and sighed. "Fine. But I call for a rematch."
I sheathed my sword. "If you wish." I extended my hand.
"Not bad for a girl," Luke said, taking my hand. "Not bad at all."
We stood back to back, facing the circle of campers who watched us with their mouths open. Percy's jaw was positively hitting the floor.
"And that," Luke said, "is why girls are very dangerous. Now, go practice!"
Everyone dispersed into pairs, facing off with their partners.
"Percy!" Luke called, waving him over. "I'll duel with you. Ri can monitor everyone else since she's so good."
I mock-glared at him. "Prick."
Luke laughed and picked up his sword. "That's what you get for winning."
I watched as Luke showed Percy the different thrusts, parries, and blocks the hard way, shouting instructions and then whapping him.
Afterwards, he called a break, then showed everyone the disarming maneuver on Percy.
"We'll keep sparring until someone does it, alright?" Luke asked. Percy nodded. I watched as Luke slashed at Percy, expecting him to disarm him immediately, but that wasn't the case. Percy countered, keeping him from hitting the hilt of his sword and thrust up at Luke.
Luke deflected it easily, but I could see that Percy was onto something. Interesting, I thought, as Luke pressed harder. Then, Percy's blade caught Luke's hilt and he twisted, disarming luke in a clean maneuver.
I stared as Luke's sword hit the ground with a clang. Even though Luke disarmed Percy the second their swords hit the second time, I wondered what Percy would be capable of with a balanced sword and good training. He had an instinct for swordplay. I could tell Luke felt the same.
Could it be. . . I wondered as everyone finished up. Could he be the one?
I was shaken from my thoughts as Luke approached me. "Well, everyone's done."
That was true. We were the only ones left in the arena.
"And?" I asked.
"It's almost dinner," Luke replied. "But I'm hot. And you're sweating. Why don't we go get some ice cream?"
I raised my eyebrow. "Ice cream. And how do you propose we do that?"
Luke grinned mischievously. "You have pegasus right?"
"Yesss."
"So why don't we fly out to the city to get some ice cream?"
"Just the two of us?" I asked.
"Why not?" Luke said.
"Consider it as our first date," he added. "My treat."
I stared at him. Date? With him? Already?
Clari, I reminded myself. This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Take it.
"Uh-"
"Anna!" Ally called, coming into the arena. "Are you busy?"
"I'm taking her onto an ice cream date," Luke announced, slinging his arm around my shoulders.
I grimaced as Ally immediately started smirking. "I see," she said, "Tell me when you guys get back. Have fun." She winked at me and left.
I winced, my cheeks flaming. I glared up at Luke. "Alright."
Luke smiled. "Yess."
Luke and I both whistled, and Blackfire, followed by a grey pegasus, trotted out of the woods and stables.
"Ri, meet Ash," Luke said, patting the grey pegasus on the mane. "Ash, boy, this is Rianna."
Ash nickered and nudged me with his nose. Blackfire snorted. I sighed, stroking Ash's mane. "Blackfire, don't be jealous. Sorry, my pegasus is very clingy," I told Luke, swinging myself up on Blackfire.
Luke smirked, jumping on Ash. "I don't blame him."
He patted Ash. "Let's go, boy."
I stared after him as they launched into the sky.
What was that supposed to mean? I shook my head in exasperation and followed, flying away towards New York City for my first "date" with the spy of Kronos.
***
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