MY DREAM • percy jackson

chapter 19

ALORA HAD MET HERMES BEFORE, but that didn't stop her confusion when she spotted him in the casino. The god was playing poker with a group of people, cracking jokes like there was no tomorrow.

"That's him?" Percy asked in disbelief.

"That's him alright." Alora said as she nodded awkwardly. "Come on, we're running out of time."

She grabbed the blonde boys wrist and dragged him over to where Hermes stood.

"Hey, demigods!" He greeted when he saw them. "Welcome!"

Alora and Percy shared a look of confusion before turning back to the god.

"We were sent to find you." Alora said, getting straight to the point.

"Well, you found me." Hermes still had a bright smile on his face. "Come join us. You kids know how to play craps?"

"Look, we don't have a lot of time." The girl said as they approached the table. "We need your help to..."

"I know what you need my help for." Hermes cut her off. "You want my help to sneak into the underworld."

"Wow." Percy said shocked. "You're a really good guesser."

Alora rolled her eyes as she tried to hold back a smile and the comment.

"I exist beyond space and time, kid. Why do you think they put me in charge of delivering the mail?" Alora and Percy looked at each other at his bluntness. "Look, you're not the first demigods to ask and, trust me, you won't be the first demigods to walk away disappointed. So you might as well at least play a little.."

"We're friends of Luke's." Alora cut him off as thr god started to approach them, holding her arm out in front of Percy protectively. She knew this would gain Hermes attention.

"Yeah." Hermes nodded, the smile dropping from his face. He threw the poker chips down before directing the two through space, into a room further in the casino, taking a seat on the couch. "Time and space are easy, kids. Parenting is something else entirely. Have a seat."

Percy looked at Alora for confirmation, to which she nodded and they both sat in the chairs facing Hermes.

"I remember you." Hermes spoke, Alora already knew what the man was talking about. "You were there. Last time I saw Luke."

"Yes." Alora said as she breathed in quickly, avoiding Percys deep gaze and keeping hers on Hermes. "I saw you argue. I heard what he said. That what happened to his mom was your fault. That it was all your fault. That he hated you."

Hermes finally looked up at the girl and she instantly felt his shame and guilt.

"Help us get to the underworld." The girl said, playing on the gods emotions towards his son. "Help us retrieve Zeus's master bolt from Hades, and he'll see that you care. Even if he doesn't, I can always put in a good word."

"There is a way into the Underworld." Hermes said after a moment of silence. "A secret way. I've helped others find it before. And do you know what happens every time?"

"No but I bet you're gonna tell me." Alora mumbled and Percy bit back a laugh.

"You don't want my help." Hermes replied to the sarcastic remark. "Trust me."

"No, we actually kind of do." Percy said slowly, waiting for the god to finally give in.

"I was warned to stay away from Luke and his mother." Hermes announced, still not convinced. "Warned that no matter how much I tried to help, I would just make things worse. And i went anyway. And it wasn't just awful for Luke, it was awful for all of us."

The god suddenly leaned forward on the table.

"Do you know what that feels like?" He pried on. "To be so close to someone you love, knowing neither of you has any choice but to keep hurting each other?"

He looked between the two before reaching for Percys hand.

"I know you do." Hermes put a hand on top of Percys and he seemed to go into a trance of sorts, until Hermes pulled away. He then turned to Alora who was looking at Percy in worry. "Should I remind you too?"

"I'm good, thanks." Alora replied sarcastically.

The girl was more than sure that Hermes was talking about the moment that happened not long before they entered the casino. She most certainly did not want to relive that moment she wished she could forget.

"Are you gonna help us or not?" The girl snapped, her patience running thin.

"I don't get involved anymore." Hermes leaned back into the couch, drink in hand. "It's just not worth it. I'm sorry."

Percy swore he could see steam coming out of Aloras ears by how angry she was. He had never seen her like this.

"Just you wait." Alora muttered as she stood up and stormed out of the room.

Percy looked between the girl and Hermes, quick to follow but didn't move as Hermes began to speak to him.

When he came to the realisation that the god was stalling them, he ran as quickly as he could out of the room to find Alora. He found her leaning against the wall at the front of the casino.

"We have a huge problem." The boy said, causing Alora to look up at him. "I know it seems like we've only been here for like 20 minutes, but it's already Thursday. We've been here for days. Time moves differently here. Faster."

"Hermes was stalling us." Alora said in realisation.

"Yes."

"Now I don't feel so bad for taking his keys."

"Exactly," Percy then realised what Alora said, "Wait, what?"

He turned to the girl who held up a set of keys with a key chain dangling from it.

"He should be the god of yapping with all of that stuff he was coming off with." The girl shook her head at the thought of it. "All I had to do was shape shift and it's like i don't exist."

"You picked Hermes pocket?" Percy smirked, feeling proud of Alora.

"One of my many talents." She shrugged, a big smile on her face.

It was moments like these when Percy took in her beauty. Her hair, that looked so soft he just wished he could reach out and touch it. Her smile, that seemed to light up any room she was in. And, oh gods, her eyes. Percy couldn't think of anything more captivating than his girls eyes.

But he didn't just take in her physical beauty, but how incredibly skilled she was although she tended to be underestimated. He loved how she was now defying all expectations set for her and making sure people knew she was more than what they limited her too. After meeting her mother, the urge to do this seemed to just increase.

And in that moment, Percy knew he would do anything to help her achieve that.

em speaks:

tell a friend to tell a friend, shes back!!!!!! i feel like my writing is a lil rusty here but i just reread the books and it gave me such motivation to write. hopefully ill be able to squeeze in some time to write again soon aswell as my school work. thank u sm for 90k reads im actually tweaking its insane!!! i love yall and i hope u enjoy this chapter😘