𐌙/𐌍 Ᏽ𐌵𐌀𐌋𐌄 & 𐌕𐋅𐌄 Ᏽ𐌐𐌄𐌀𐌕 𐌌𐌙𐌕𐋅𐌔 ¹

Chapter 5

  "Hello, Luke," Kelli smiled. She was wearing a red dress and she looked awesome, but I’d seen her real form. I knew what she was hiding: mismatched legs, red eyes, fangs, and flaming hair.

  "What is it, demon?" Luke’s voice was cold. "I told you not to disturb me."

  Kelli pouted. "That’s not very nice. You look tense. How about a nice shoulder massage?"

  Luke stepped back. "If you have something to report, say it. Otherwise leave!"

  "I don’t know why you’re so huffy these days. You used to be fun to hang around."

  "That was before I saw what you did to that boy in Seattle."

  Oh, he meant nothing to me," Kelli said. "Just a snack, really. You know my heart belongs to you, Luke."

  "Thanks, but no thanks. Now report or get out."

  Kelli shrugged. "Fine. The advanced team is ready, as you surprised. We can leave—" She frowned.

  "What is it?" Luke asked.

  "A presence," Kelli said. "Your senses are getting dull, Luke. We’re being watched."

  She scanned the stateroom. Her eyes focused right on me. Her face withered into a hag’s. She bared her fangs and lunged.

🌙🏹࿏

  I woke with a start, my heart pounding. I could’ve sworn the empousa’s fangs were an inch from my throat.

  I heard the soft sound of rustling leaves outside, and that gave my palpitating heart some breaks.

  I didn’t know how Kelli could sense me in a dream, but I’d heard more than I wanted to know. An army was ready. Kronos would lead it personally. All they needed was a way to navigate the Labyrinth so they could invade and destroy Camp Half-Blood, and Luke apparently thought that was going to happen very soon.

  I was tempted to go wake up Annabeth and tell her, middle of the night or not. Then I realized there was a water fountain in an empty corner of my cabin, one of those fountains with two bowls and falling water into a larger bowl, though the fountain was cut to fit on the corner, so it only was a quarter of a fountain. I noticed the fountain wasn't entirety built, in fact, small pieces of rock we're sticking to missing parts of the fountain. Next to it, a small pot of wood filled with golden drachmas. The water in the fountain was glowing a silver light, making the whole room go clear.

  There was a small rainbow gliding above the waterfall, and I realized there was another Iris-message being sent to me. It was almost like the water was humming.

  I got out of bed and approached.

  No voice spoke out of the water this time, asking for a deposit. I got the feeling the fountain was waiting for me to make the first move.

  I probably should’ve gone back to bed. Instead I thought about what I’d seen last night—the weird image of Nico at the banks of the River Styx.

  "You’re trying to tell me something," I said.
No response from the fountain.

  "All right," I said. "Show me Nico di Angelo."