Jɪɴx ➪ 𝙡. 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙯

a thousand words

"Uh, big guy?" Leo said. "Could you not freak out on us? Please and thank you."

Frank's friends were all looking at him with concern.

"I'm okay," he managed. "Just...a voice."

Nico nodded. "I did warn you. It'll only get worse. We should—"

Hazel held up her hand for silence. "Wait here, everybody."

"Scary room ahead," she warned. "Don't panic."

"Those two things don't go together," Leo murmured. He couldn't help himself but glance at Jinx's way.

Though she didn't see him, too busy already panicking. Nico made eye contact and rolled his eyes. He wasn't all aware of what was going on with his cousin and the fire hazard and he convinced himself he didn't care, but he wasn't about to let Jinx talk to the guy.

"Prick," Nico muttered.

Jinx looked at him, "what? Don't say those words. You're too young."

He rolled his eyes again. "I'm way older than you." He gripped her hand and followed his sister into the cavern.

The place was like a circular cathedral, with a ceiling so high it was lost in the gloom. Dozens of other tunnels led off in different directions, each echoing with ghostly voices. The floor was a gruesome mosaic of bones and gems—human femurs, hip bones, and ribs twisted and fused together into a smooth surface, dotted with diamonds and rubies. The bones formed patterns, like skeletal contortionists tumbling together, curling to protect the precious stones—a dance of death and riches.

"Touch nothing," Hazel said.

"Wasn't planning on it," Leo muttered.

Jason scanned the exits. "Which way now?"

For once, Nico looked uncertain. "This should be the room where the priests invoked the most powerful spirits. One of these passages leads deeper into the temple, to the third level and the altar of Hades himself. But which—?"

"That one." Frank pointed. Jinx nodded in agreement.

Hazel frowned. "Why that one?"

"You don't see the ghost?" Frank asked.

"Ghost?" Nico asked.

"I don't see it, but I definitely sense it." She breathed in and out, "there's no doubt about it. There's a ghost there and it feels like it has the ghost hots for Frank." She pat his back, relieved that the ghost showed no interest in her.

"We need to get to that exit," Frank ignored her comment, focusing on the ground."Now!"

Hazel almost had to tackle him to restrain him. "Wait, Frank! This floor is not stable, and underneath...well, I'm not sure what's underneath. I need to scout a safe path."

"Hurry, then," he urged.

The urgency in his voice frightened Jinx. She was even more startled when the others prepared for an attack. She felt like she had to be ready too. She drew her sword, letting go of Nico's hand and clasped the handle.

Frank drew his bow and herded Hazel along as fast as he dared. Leo scrambled behind him to provide light. The others guarded the rear. Frank could tell he was scaring his friends, but he couldn't help it.

The cavern reverberated with monstrous roars—dozens, maybe hundreds of enemies coming from every direction. Frank recognized the throaty bellow of the Earthborn, the screech of gryphons, the guttural war cries of Cyclopes—all sounds he remembered from the Battle of New Rome, amplified underground, echoing in his head even louder than the war god's voices.

She tightened her grip on her sword, hoping nothing jumped out from the dark.

"Hazel, don't stop!" Nico ordered. He pulled the scepter of Diocletian from his belt. Piper and Jason drew their swords as the monsters spilled into the cavern.

"Oh for fuck's-" Jinx clashed with a monster, holding the Earthborn back. "Why me?"

A vanguard of six-armed Earthborn threw a volley of stones that shattered the bone-and-jewel floor like ice. A fissure spread across the center of the room, coming straight toward Leo and Hazel.

Jinx kicked the Earthborn back and turned to protect Hazel and Leo but Frank had beaten her to the punch.

Frank tackled his friends, and the three of them skidded across the cavern, landing at the edge of the ghost's tunnel as rocks and spears flew overhead.

"Go!" Frank yelled. "Go, go!"

Hazel and Leo scrambled into the tunnel, which seemed to be the only one free of monsters. Frank wasn't sure that was a good sign.

Two meters in, Leo turned. "The others!"

He made eye contact with Jinx.

She had never understood the meaning of "a thousand words can be spoken through the eyes" until now. She knew he was sorry. And he knew she couldn't forgive him.