𝕸𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌-- 𝕵𝖆𝖘𝖔𝖓 𝕲𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖊 𝖝 𝕱𝖊𝖒! 𝕺𝕮 (TLH) [Hiatus]

I Tell Everyone About our Famous Relatives

According to the plaque, it was called Crown Fountain. All the water had emptied out except for a few patches that were starting to freeze. 

They stepped into the center of the pool. No spirits tried to stop them. The giant monitor walls stayed dark. The drain hole was easily big enough for a person, and a maintenance ladder led down into the gloom. 

Amber went first, what with her flying shoes and all. She didn't even climb, because her wrist definitely wouldn't let her do that, and she didn't feel like doing it with one hand, so she just lowered herself down with her shoes. She braced herself for horrible sewer smells---although she'd been in much worse before---but it wasn't bad at all. The ladder dropped into a brickwork tunnel running north to south. The air was warm and dry, with only a trickle of water on the floor.

I'm going to sleep, Emerald suddenly announced. 

Night, Emerald.

Jason, Piper, and Leo climbed down after her.

"Are all sewers this nice?" Piper wondered.

"No," Amber and Leo said at the same time. "Trust me," Leo continued.

Jason frowned. "How do you know--"

"Hey man, I ran away six times. I've slept in some weird places, okay? Now, which way do we go."

Amber's heart twisted at his words. She hated how much some demigods had to go through. Then she realized everyone was looking at her. "Oh. I was on the run for a few years, and sometimes my brother would get us into trouble, like when we were at Bill Gates's house and all that, so we had to hide in places like this."

"Wait, now that I think about it, why were celestial bronze katanas at Bill Gates's place?" Piper asked.

"He's a demigod," Amber replied matter-of-factly. "Son of Hephaestus, actually. Most famous people are somehow related to the gods."

"Wait." Leo raised his hands in a stop gesture. "You're saying I'm related to Bill Gates? He's my brother?"

"Well, half-brother," Amber corrected. "But yeah."

Jason, who had been titling his head and concentrating during their conversation, pointed south. "That way."

"How can you be sure?" Piper asked.

"There's a draft blowing south," Jason said. "Maybe the venti went with the flow."

Amber decided not to correct his Roman term. It wasn't much of a lead, but it was better than anything else she could come up with at the moment.

Unfortunately, as soon as they started walking, Piper stumbled. Amber instinctively caught her, and winced in pain as her left wrist got pressure put on it.

"Stupid ankle," Piper said the same moment Amber cursed, "Fucking wrist."

"We should probably rest," Jason said, looking at Amber and Piper with obvious worry.

"I agree," Amber said. "We could all use it. We've been going pretty much nonstop for over a day." She decided not to mention she was used to much more than that. "I have food in my bag."

Leo shook his head. "Uh-uh. I have food in my bag that we'll be using. You, Miss Castellan, should sit down and put some ice or something on your wrist or head. Chef Leo is more than happy to cook something right now."

Amber hesitated momentarily, then nodded. She, Jason, and Piper sat down on a brick bridge while Leo shuffled through his pack.

Amber looked over her friends. They all looked tired and hungry. Jason looked slightly dizzy, too. And kinda nervous. He was turning his gold coin in his hand. Amber looked a bit closer. He seemed sort of guilty, too.