The Labyrinth // pjo

Chapter Five // Our Cookout Gets Fired Up

 I had been between Annabeth and Ric–my hands tied loosely behind my back–my legs completely free–and a gag put over my mouth.

When Eurytion had been tying me up, I know he saw my knife at my hip, hidden under my flannel–but he didn't take it.

In fact–he gave me a look that said, On your mark.

My jaw twitched at that–and I started to furiously work on getting the rest of the rope undone from around my wrists, trying to keep as still as possible.

Geryon was acting like an asshole–cooking all kinds of delicious-smelling food while listening to country music.

And I am so sorry to all you country music fans–but nooooooo.

I looked at Annabeth once, and she raised a brow at me, her eyes dancing to my hands. I subtly shook my head–my eyes widening just a little as I hoped she understood my subtle message of, Get ready.

We sat there for almost an hour–and it was almost sundown by the time Percy's voice carried over the deck.

"Let them go!" My brother wheezed as he stumbled up the steps. "I cleaned the stables!"

Geryon turned to him, making a face, "Did you, now? How'd you manage it?"

My brother was not having it even though he did explain that he used the sea shells from a river naiad to create saltwater geysers to clean out the area–and now it was spotless.

I noticed how exhausted my brother looked, and part of me wished I had fought to help him more, but he had done it, and now we were supposed to go free.

"Very ingenious. It would've been better if you'd poisoned that pesky naiad, but no matter," Geryon commented after Percy explained what he had done.

"Let my friends and sister go," Percy demanded. "We had a deal."

"Ah, I've been thinking about that. The problem is, if I let them go, I don't get paid."

Anger simmered under my skin as I pulled the rope from my wrists–keeping my arms behind my back until it was the right moment to jump up and kick ass.

"You promised!" Percy shouted.

Geryon clicked his tongue, "But did you make me swear on the River Styx? No you didn't. So it's not binding. When you're conducting business, sonny, you should always get a binding oath."

Percy pulled Riptide from his pocket–making Orthus growl, one of his heads leaning down next to Grover's head.

Grover went snowy white as Geryon rolled his eyes, "Eurytion, the boy is starting to annoy me. Kill him."

Eurytion studied Percy, then looked at me over his shoulder, raising a brow.

I blinked twice, and he heaved his club over his shoulder, "Kill him yourself."

Geryon's head snapped towards his ranchhand, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Eurytion shot back at him grumpily. "You keep sending me out to do your dirty work. You pick fights for no good reason, and I'm getting tired of dying for you. You want to fight the kid, do it yourself."

I had to restrain myself from laughing at the tantrum Geryon threw as he threw down his spatula, "You dare defy me? I should fire you right now!"

"And who'd take care of your cattle? Orthus, heel."

Orthus left Grover alone, moving to his master's side.

I maneuvered Undertow from my finger, poising my fingers to flick the ring as Geryon snarled, "Fine! I'll deal with you later after the boy is dead!"