Last Shadow || Deception Book III

Chapter 7 Pt. II

"I saw the partridge mark," she explained.

"The..what?"

"The mark that Athena branded me with for killing Perdix," the guy said. "So I never forget." A shadow passed over his face before he shook his head and fixed his attention on Rianna. "You. Who are you?"

Rianna bowed. "Rianna Claire, daughter of Hecate. Second in command of the titan army."

"Ah. A child of the witch goddess. No wonder you guys managed to pass through the labyrinth unscathed." He turned to me. "And I presume you're the commander?"

I nodded. "I'm Luke. Luke Castellan." He watched me with raised brows, and I swallowed the disgust that welled in me and forced out, "son of Hermes."

Daedalus nodded in appeasement and turned to the windows. "And what have you come to negotiate for?"

"Sir," I started. "If I may ask, you must know about the . . . circumstances of the world right now, yes?"

"If you're referring to the unrest of the Titans, then yes, I'm aware." He turned around to look at me with raised eyebrows. "Being sequestered in the maze doesn't mean an ignorance of the outside world."

"I meant no disrespect," I said hurriedly, mentally kicking myself for such a stupid mistake. "I just wanted to confirm this, to move this along quicker."

"We're here to ask for Ariadne's string," Rianna said boldly.

Daedalus turned to her. "And why?"

"The labyrinth stretches underneath the ground all across America," Rianna replied, "connecting cities, places, everything. Our lord wishes to use it to move his troops quickly to his destinations,"

"Camp Half-blood," I put in. "New York."

Rianna nodded. "Precisely,"

Daedalus looked at me. "You would attack your own people?"

I opened my mouth, about to say that they weren't my people, but hesitated as the faces of Travis, Connor, and all my other brothers and sisters at camp flashed in my mind. Then the face of all my former friends. Annabeth. Grover. Beckendorf.

I felt Rianna squeeze my hand and looked down to see her fingers entwined with mine. Right, I thought. They were my former friends. All those who matter to me now are by my side. With me, not against me. "I tried," I said, gritting my teeth at the thought of how Percy had repeatedly ruined everything over and over and over again. "I tried to convince them to join us. What have the gods ever done for us? Like you," I continued, nodding at Daedalus, "they've left us to suffer. Besides, I won't kill them. Once we destroy their camp, they'll realize that there's no hope anyway and they'll join us."

"You're a demigod too," Rianna put in, her face the picture of sincerity. "You must know what it's like to feel abandoned. Like you'll never be good enough for the gods." Her eyes fell onto the brand on Daedalus's neck, and I realized that she knew exactly what she was doing. "I've always admired your tenacity," she said. "Besides, what right do the gods have to punish you for what you did, when they themselves have done so much worse?"

"That's true," Daedalus murmured. He shook his head as if shaking off his thoughts, then focused his grey eyes on me. "The maze would allow you to go anywhere, yes. But that's only if you don't die a horrible death."

"Which is why we need the string," I finished. "To navigate the maze safely."

"Why not use her?" he asked, nodding at Rianna. "A child of Hecate can navigate the maze. Even-"

"I'm not nearly as capable," Rianna said quickly, ducking her head. "You overestimate my abilities, Daedalus."

Daedalus smiled slightly, a glint in his eyes, and I glanced at Ri, wondering what that was about. But her face betrayed nothing and her eyes lowered so I couldn't see her expression.

"A clear-sighted mortal would be a better choice," Daedalus continued as if nothing had happened. "The string is not always accurate, after all."

"I'm afraid we can't do that," Rianna cut in just as I opened my mouth to retort something that probably would have gotten us kicked out.

She glanced at me warningly and I sighed, scoffing internally. A mortal? Leading us through the maze? As if.

"We have . . . creatures with us," Rianna said. "I'd like to spare mortals from that terror. Besides, we don't know anyone and we don't have the time to search for one."

"And what do I get in return?" Daedalus asked, raising his brows to stare at me.

"Freedom," I said quietly. I met his gaze, which was full of intelligence and age-old sorrow. "When Kronos takes over the world, Hades will be overthrown. You won't have to hide here anymore."

"If you wish, He will also raise Icarus and Perdix back," Rianna put in. I watched, tense, as Daedalus' expression crept from intrigued to captivated at her words. Daedalus quickly schooled his features back into one of neutrality, but the damage was done. I smiled slightly. We had the string.

"I'll consider it," Daedalus finally said after a moment of thought.

Or maybe not.

"Of course," Rianna parried smoothly, poking me in the back with her finger discreetly. Don't you dare start threatening him, her finger said.

I clenched my jaw and nodded. "Very well. We shall return soon." And leave with the string, I thought.

Daedalus returned the nod and turned to Rianna. "I hope you visit again sometime," he said. "Regardless of my decision or your affiliation, I know a bright mind when I see one."

"It's an honour to have met you," Rianna replied, ducking her head in embarrassment."I'd love to visit again."

Daedalus smiled as I watched, barely able to contain my disbelief at her flawless acting. It seemed that every day, she managed to surprise me.

"We'll get going now," she called, waving at him before turning to me. "Come on, let's go."

I shot a final glance at the inventor, who was staring after us with an unidentifiable expression on his face and headed over to the doors, Rianna following a step behind.

The doors hissed open as we approached, and we headed back into the maze, empty-handed. And yet, I thought, the disappointment and anger weren't so bitter this time. Perhaps it was because there was a touch of something that felt like relief. Relief at the fact that we didn't have the string.