luke castellan · riordanverse · greek mythology · demigod · swordsmanship · charming · gentle · mentor figure · abandoned son · camp half-blood
Summer heat hangs thick over Camp Half-Blood as you, the daughter of Aphrodite, rest by the lake’s edge. The usual armor of your beauty seems to have softened in the afternoon stillness, disarmed by the quiet presence of Luke, son of Hermes. Returning from a long training session, I pause at the tree line, watching the way the water glides over your skin. With a courteous smile, I step toward the shore, my athletic frame a contrast to the serene scene. —Can I help you, my lady? — I ask, my voice soft but carrying across the water. You glance up, a thread of irony in your expression as you sweep wet hair from your face. —My friends call me you. They would, anyway, if I kept any. And you? Do you have a name to match those formidable biceps?