Behind the Shadows

Hermes slowly drinks his cup of tea. His eyes shift from Sapphire to Percy over the top on his cup. Everything is so fancy inside Olivias house. Sapphire had only seen the front hall and the living room, but that was enough to know that Olivia's family was loaded. Olivia sits in between Sapphire and Percy on the expensive leather corner sofa that has cup holders and an inbuilt stereo. Hermes, however is leaning on the wall across from them. He has been there for the past twenty minutes. He has not spoken a word. It was strange seeing him here living with mortals. It was possible that this was his way of hiding from the other gods. His son was the lightning thief and that was enough to embarrass any god. Or maybe he just liked hanging around in odd places.
"I can't picture you as a babysitter Hermes" Sapphire jokes with a mocking grin on her face. Hermes glares at her, failing to reply. Percy sighs and shakes his head at his sister. She could not process what she might of done wrong.
"What Sapphire means is, what on earth are you doing here?" Percy says. In Sapphires mind the way Percy had said it didn't sound any better. It was just more boring. Hermes stands up straight and sighs.
"Chiron has ask my help in locating demigods" Hermes finally replies. Olivia's eyes instantly light up.
"Are you part on the club demigod as well?" She asks sounding intrigued. Hermes looks confused. "Sapphire says she and Percy are the superiors in the demigod club!" Hermes is completely lost. Sapphire picks at her jeans to keep herself from laughing.
"I couldn't just blurt out the truth. That would take time and plus she could be normal" Sapphire admits. The confusion clears from hermes face. He nods a few times processing.
"She is a demigod. I don't know which of the gods she might be from however" Hermes replies. "I need to get her to camp soon and I think you two could help"
Sapphire groans.
"I can't right now. And she can't go at the moment because Chiron is missing and camp is under attack". Sapphire scratches the back of neck as she rambles on. "And I think it is Luke who is behind it". This gets all of Hermes attention. "Oh, So now his name gets your attention" Sapphire glares at him.
The first time Sapphire had met Hemes was when she was six years old. He had been standing at the gate leading to Lukes house. Sapphire had been on her way to ask Luke over for lunch. Her mum had made a picnic for them to eat in the garden. Sapphire was excited because her dad had just finished building the treehouse and she could not wait for Luke to see it. The memory of seeing Hermes had stayed in her head. It was the sad Look on his face that made it hard to forget. He just stared at the house. Sapphire politely waved at him as she walked by through the gate. He had noticed her and looked slightly startled. Maybe he had known who she was even back then. He didn't hang around for long, just long enough to see his son run outside to greet Sapphire with a hug. Luke didn't notice him, but Saphire watched Hermes watch the two of them for a while before he walked away. It occurred to her over the years that maybe he had made sure Luke could not see him. It was odd how easily she could see through the mist.
"My words could never convince the boy not to chose this path. You could of though" Hermes grits through his teeth. She had hit a nerve. Anger flared in her. He was accusing her of Luke's actions.
"You're blaming me?" Sapphire barks, laughing harshly. "Luke was a lost cause by the time I noticed what he was up too. And no if you think he told me of his plans, he didn't. I just saw through the crack right before he ditched camp" Sapphire tries to swallow the bitter feeling boiling in her. Luke had betrayed everyone at camp. The betrayal had hit Sapphire the hardest. He had never kept secrets or gone behind her back before. A persistent thought of him not being fixable never left her mind. Hermes shrugs and finishes off his tea.
"Maybe you two weren't as close as you thought" Hermes adds. Sapphire frowns. What was he hoping to gain by saying that. If this carried on he would be walking out of the room piece by piece.
"Maybe we weren't" Sapphire shugs in an attempt to look unaffected by his words. It was clear that he wanted a reaction. Percy and Olivia are silent but Percy looks ready to jump in between Hermes and Sapphire. "Friends come and go all time anyway"
"So do parents. Well for you they do". Ouch. Sapphire could feel the blow from those words. Hermes really was looking for a fight. This was not like him. It was unusual for a god to pick fight. Ares would be most likely to pick a fight through words until the other person cracked and threw a punch. Hermes, however was said to be a mostly peaceful god.
"The more the merrier I say" It was hard to brush it off so easily. Hermes studies her for a moment.

"What do you think all these people who have left you behind would say? If they knew what kind of person you are. A person who is not in control of her own powers. Who is a threat to anyone who crosses her or just make her emotions slightly on edge. If they knew of what you are to become" Hermes has a small smirks on his face. What was he on about? What was she to become? "Your brother is a hero now and is to become even greater. You, however are in the shadows barely on his side. You watch Luke's progress with longing eyes. Nothing at camp is holding you there so why do you remain? Your soul and mind may be clear now but your prophecy is nothing but darkness and death. Maybe it's time for you to stop pretending that your on Percy's side"
Sapphire sits still for a few passing seconds. His words swirl in her mind filling it with its poison. What if he is right. What if she is to become nothing but darkness. She could barely contain her powers whenever someone made her unhappy. What if the powers take control of her. It's all a blur and nothing makes sense.

Sapphire is on her feet. Her mind has no control over her actions. Her fists clench and unclench at each side of her. She could not put a finger on what emotion was taking over her. It could be anger, sadness or even shock. All she saw was red and Hermes smirk. A few more seconds go pass. Sapphire is halfway across the room heading straight for Hermes. He would pay for what he said. She flies at him launching her fist forward. It never reaches his face. Sapphire is yanked back and thrown across the room. The pain from hitting the floor never comes. Percy stands between Hermes and her.
"Is the truth hard to hear, Sapphire Willow?" Hermes asks. Sapphire is back on her feet and running at Hermes. Percy grabs her again and pulls her away. The look on his face is enough to tell her that Hermes words had changed him too. Percy couldn't look Sapphire in the eye. It is sadness that now flows in her. He lets her go and she sees nothing around her to keep her in this house. She turns around and flips on the autopilot switch. She leaves the house and walks away. Maybe Sapphire was never intended to be the hero. Maybe she would always remain in the heroes shadow. It was hard to tell where the line between right and wrong was. If the gods thought they could just talk to demigods like they were below them then maybe their thrones needed to be taken down a notch. All she knew now was that she had gone to the wrong person for help.

Notes