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ADELA
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She should have killed Mason Ray when she had the chance.
If she had just been able to finish the job that night in Texas, then Marion wouldn't have been forced to do it herself.
It had been so dark in the labyrinth. Adela could see in the dark. Marion couldn't. Adela had gotten a full view of Mason as he fell into the pit. He'd been in pain - a lot of pain. That didn't surprise her. That night in Texas, Mason had told her that dying by a slit throat was painful, and if the killer wasn't experienced it was long. Marion wasn't experienced, and Adela knew she hadn't made it quick. For Marion's sake, that was a secret Adela would take to the grave.
On the way back from the labyrinth, Marion had looked... Adela couldn't form the words to describe how horrible Marion had looked. One thing Adela had always loved looking at was Marion's eyes. She was a little embarrassed at how long it had taken her to figure out why. Those slate-grey eyes didn't hold anything back. When Marion was happy, those eyes crinkled at the sides, and when she was angry, they seemed to pierce into Adela like a knife. Marion's eyes didn't hide anything from the world. Adela wondered if Marion knew just how honest her eyes were.
When Marion was excited, they shone with glee. That day in the labyrinth, the only thing that Marion's eyes had shone with was tears.
The first thing Adela had done when she was alone in the forest of Camp Half-Blood was throw up all over the shrubbery.
Then she'd waited until nightfall and snuck around the circle of cabins to the big house, where her hands couldn't hurt anyone ever again. It was almost a relief. This way, Adela didn't have to say anything to Marion. What could she say? She couldn't tell Marion she was sad Mason was dead. It would be a lie, and they would both know it. She couldn't say that she was sorry that Marion was in pain. No matter how true that was, all the truth in the world wouldn't make Marion's pain go away. It wouldn't bring Mason Ray back. Nothing would. Mason couldn't ever come back. Maybe that was the only silver lining here. But if Adela told Marion that, then it would break her.
Maybe she could tell Marion why Mason had been in Texas in the first place. Would that help her? Was it better to be sad, or angry? Did it even matter? Neither of those would bring Marion peace.
Maybe it was best to say nothing. At least then, Adela couldn't make things worse. Even that stupid Calla Lily had made things worse. Adela loved flowers. All plants, really. She had for as long as she could remember. Her Dad had taught her about them when she was young. He'd told her about the Greek and Latin names, but Adela had only ever been able to remember the Latin ones. She'd been so proud of herself for remembering the Greek meaning of Calla Lilies when she found a patch of them in the forest. But she hadn't realised they also meant death. Somehow, no matter how hard Adela tried, the only thing she managed to pass on was death.
So it was really a good thing that she was in the big house. Adela had to remind herself that.
Because she hated it here.
Chiron had been kind. He'd looked like he'd been hit with a chariot when he opened up the door to find Adela standing there, but he'd still been kind. He'd given her a room in the attic. There was even a soft little cat bed under the drawers for Gladys, not that the kitten used it. The little thing was too scared to sleep without Adela, and Adela couldn't sleep anymore without hugging the cat to her chest like a baby. Chiron even got up early to make her breakfast every morning, before he went to the dining pavilion. Adela didn't know he knew how to cook Spanish food, but it turned out, the centaur made a mean tortilla. He'd only given her one rule: don't go near the Oracle of Delphi. Adela was very happy to comply.
It was better than a lot of places she'd slept when she was living on the streets. But Adela hadn't ever felt more uneasy.
Every time she took a step, it was like there were eyes on her back, watching her. Glaring. Waiting to cast her out as an evil intruder. There was a shelf of books in her room, about heroes, gods and monsters. The spines were all, predictably, in Ancient Greek. It made Adela want to look away. Something about that felt wrong. She'd only been at Camp Half-Blood for a week or so when she was little, but those memories were hazy. She only recalled leaving to get her father, and the way things... went wrong from there. But she hadn't thought being at camp again would be like this. Marion hadn't described it this way. Marion had said it was a safe haven. Adela didn't feel like she was in a safe haven. She felt like she was in enemy territory.
"What do you mean, Marion is gone?!" Adela cried.
"I'm sorry, child," Chiron sighed. He was in his wheelchair form since the ceiling of the second floor was too low for him. He had dark circles under his eyes, probably from the stress of an impending attack. When he looked at her, though, he became guarded. Like he was hiding something. "It appears Quintus was not who he claimed. He abducted Marion whilst she was leaving the infirmary, five days ago."
"You should've told me sooner!"
"I have been busy, Adela." Chiron even sounded tired. "Things have progressed quickly. More quickly then even I can keep up with."
"I'm going after her again." Adela stood up, grabbing Gladys the cat and looking for her backpack.
"It will do no good," Chiron told her. "She is gone by now. Last year, I would already be organising a rescue mission. But we can't spare anyone when an invasion is imminent."
"I can't just do nothing!" Adela snapped. "I'm not leaving her alone. Not again."
"Hm," Chiron's face broke out into the ghost of a smile. "You know, when she discovered you were here, Marion said almost the exact same thing about you."
Adela stilled. Of course she did. That stupid, sweet girl. Adela violently bit her lip to stop it from trembling. Marion was gone, again. And Adela was helpless, again. She hadn't meant for things to get so far. She hadn't meant to lo - care for Marion. But now that she did, she... she couldn't take it back. She didn't want to.
But how could Marion ever feel the same way? Even if she liked girls, how could she ever like Adela? Not after Adela had kept Mason's presence in Texas from her, just because she didn't want to see Marion scared. Marion should have been scared. Adela was a fool for ever pretending otherwise. How could Marion ever forgive her, let alone... let alone... never mind.
"Adela."
Chiron put a hand on her shoulder. He seemed guilty about something.
"There are things I'm not telling you. I am sorry for that. But I cannot reveal them. There is a fight coming soon. You may be needed. I understand that you're afraid of being around... people. I will not force your hand. But I do caution you: recklessly going into the labyrinth after Marion Carter will not do you good. The fates do not tend to let heroes do the same thing twice and be lucky both times."
Adela wouldn't describe what happened to Marion as lucky.
And she didn't have to listen to Chiron.
She grabbed her backpack and went to march out of the room and towards the labyrinth, but Chiron caught her before she could get halfway to the door.
By the hand.
Adela gasped and yanked her hand away, stepping back. "You- you-"
"Di Immortales," Chiron held a hand to his forehead. "I am making a mess of this. Child, you do not have to worry. I know of your curse. I am an immortal centaur. I can only die if I am no longer needed to train heroes. You do not pose a danger to me."
What? That couldn't be possible. Adela couldn't - the only thing she could touch was Gladys, but that didn't count because the cat was already dead. She couldn't risk anything else. It felt foolish. No, it felt more than foolish. But Chiron wheeled over and held out an expectant hand. Adela felt herself nod, and Chiron gently took off one of her gloves. Then he touched her hand.
He winced. But nothing happened. Inky black veins didn't start to spread from the point of contact. Chiron didn't shudder, or convulse. His eyes didn't bulge out, or roll into the back of his head, and he didn't start coughing up blood. He didn't collapse into a heap on the floor. His flesh didn't disintegrate into ash, leaving behind only dry bones and nightmares. Instead, he frowned and shook out his hand.
"It feels rather like a static shock. Or like I'm being tickled. I can't quite decide which."
Adela started to shake. Was she imagining things?
"See?" Chiron smiled at her. "I am perfectly fine. Adela, I am going to be honest with you. Your being here is... problematic. But in a thousand years, I have not turned away a hero. I will not break my streak. But you cannot go after Marion Carter this time. It will not end well."
"Fine," she said. "On one condition. You send someone after her. She can't - don't leave her on her own. Please."
Chiron smiled. He looked sad. "I already have. Percy Jackson is alive. I know you do not know him, but I promise that this is good news. Annabeth Chase is leading him and a mortal named Rachel Elizabeth Dare into the labyrinth as we speak. Should they find Marion Carter, I have instructed them to retrieve her, though I'm sure Annabeth has been planning to do so regardless. I wish I could do more, I truly do. But that is the best we can hope for at the moment."
"So what happens now?"
"You are a hero," said Chiron. "Despite the circumstances, you are... at Camp Half-Blood. That puts you under my care. So I will train you, as I train all heroes. Rest assured. I am on your side, child. Can you trust me on that?"
"No," Adela told him.
"...Honesty," Chiron said. "I suppose it's a start."
Chiron left after that. Adela was left alone, in the room full of Ancient Greek battle planning books. Their spines seemed to be sneering at her. Adela curled into a ball and rested her head against the wall. She didn't know what Chiron meant by 'training' her, or whatever he meant by 'the circumstances'. She had the strangest feeling he wasn't talking about her curse. He'd also asked her to trust him. Adela scoffed. Then she stared at her hands. How was she meant to do that, when she couldn't even trust herself?
She just hoped that Marion would be safe.
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MARION
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Mari did not feel safe.
"Luke." Percy's eyes flashed from Luke to Mari, and he looked angry. Luke clearly heard him, because Mari heard him and Luke was (unfortunately) right next to her, but Luke ignored Percy. Instead, he turned to Ethan Nakamura, who was standing at the back of the balcony with a few other demigods.
"Change of plans," he told Ethan. "You really want to prove yourself? Get down there and fight."
"But-"
"Go," Luke told him. Ethan's eyes hardened, and he nodded, then raced down the steps and disappeared into a side door. Mari's heart sank.
"DEATH, DEATH!" The crowd cheered.
Gods, the centaur! Mari had somehow completely forgotten about the poor centaur. In the commotion, the laistrygone had managed to get a horrible blow to the creature, breaking both legs. The centaur couldn't run anymore, and the laistrygonian giant clearly knew it.
The centaur cried out in fear, pleading for his life. Luke smiled. Antaeus held out a hand for the crowd, thumb down. Mari could only look on in horror as the giant thrust his javelin into the centaur's chest. The centaur wheezed, then went still. The crowd roared in approval.
Mari felt like slapping someone. Preferably Luke, but her hands were still chained.
The laistrygonian giant left the arena, arms out like an Olympic medallist.
Antaeus let out a bellowing laugh, clapping. "Good entertainment!" he roared. "But nothing I haven't seen before. What else do you have, Luke, Son of Hermes?"
"Lord Antaeus..."
Mari could hear Luke grit his teeth at having to put up with the giant. Good.
"You have been an excellent host! We would be happy to amuse you, to repay the favour of passing through your territory."
"A favour I have not yet granted." Antaeus, pointed out. "I want entertainment!"
Luke bowed. "I believe I have something better than centaurs to fight in your arena now. I have a brother of yours." He rose, raising a hand towards Percy. "Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon."
Mari's heart sank.
The dracaenae shoved Percy into the arena, locking the gate behind him. The crowd jeered, tossing heavy-looking stones at Percy. Mari wiggled her hands against the chains, and managed to use the leverage to get a pinkie finger free. It was nothing compared to full use of her hands, but at least she was able to send a shard of mist towards a particularly large stone heading for Percy's cheek, and bat it out of the way. That one effort took a lot out of Mari. She slumped against the railings.
"A son of Poseidon?" Antaeus smiled. It was the smile of someone hungry. "Then he should fight well! Or die well!"
"If his death pleases you," Luke asked, "will you let our armies cross your territory?"
"Perhaps!" Antaeus declared.
"Luke!" yelled Annabeth from down below. "Stop this! Let us go!"
Luke looked surprised, as if he'd been too caught up in anger at Percy's continued existence to realise that she was there. He looked... genuinely stricken. Just for a second.
Then he smoothed his expression.
Mari didn't like that. She didn't want to imagine him having human emotions. He was harder to hate that way.
So she ignored it.
"Enough time for the females to fight afterwards." Antaeus waved a dismissive hand. "The scrawny one you brought with you will be a good match with the yelling one. The redhead will be adequate fodder for later."
"Wait, Lord Anteaus." Luke held up a hand. "Bring the other two here. I'm not sure who the redhead is but she could make good leverage. The scrawny one has an older brother who'll want to talk to her... whenever he gets back. And I wish to speak with the 'yelling one' before - before I ensure our victory."
Mari's saw red. Luke knew Mason wasn't coming back. He knew and he was pretending. He was fucking pretending. How dare he. Mari screamed and yanked at the chains again, but only succeeded in producing a shock of pain that ran up her wrists. She had to get free, she had to get free, so she could strangle him for what he did to her brother-
The Laistrygonian huffed, like he was peeved at the lost meal, but dragged Annabeth away from the stands and up to the balcony. Kelli followed, claws still at the neck of the struggling redhead. Mari tried head butting Luke's foot, she tried kicking and she even considered trying to bite him (she decided against it - hostage or not, she had standards). It barely seemed to faze Luke, who smiled as the giant bounded up the stairs, a hand over Annabeth's mouth.
"Hello, Annabeth." Luke ignored Mari and the redhead. He eyed the Laistrygonian. "Let her speak."
The Laistrygonian removed his hand for a second, and-
"Percy!" Annabeth yelled. "His mother is Gaea! Gae-"
"-and that's enough." Luke waved his hand again and Annabeth's mouth was covered. "Sorry about that, Annie. But I can't let you ruin the surprise. I guess we'll have to talk later, instead."
Gaea? Gaea as in the grandmother of Kronos? That... that really couldn't be good.
Annabeth tried to say something but it was muffled against the Laistrygonian's hand. That was okay. Mari had plenty to say. But Luke pointed to the arena.
"Quiet," he said. "The show is about to begin."
Mari followed Luke's gaze and her heart dropped. Percy had his sword, but two of the dracaenae that had 'escorted' her through the arena were in there with him now. Mari wasn't worried about that - sure, one of the dracaenae had a trident and that was a symbol of Poseidon, but Percy was an incredible fighter. He'd make quick work of the dracaenae. No, what scared Mari was the thought of what came next.
She eyed Antaeus. He'd said he wanted to fight Percy. A faint memory touched her subconscious. From Chiron's lectures. Something important, about Antaeus and Gaea, and dirt. But dirt reminded her of Mason and she didn't want to think about Mason. That - that was a silver lining in all this, right? She didn't have to think about Mason. Not when she was this preoccupied. The fight began, and Mari's attention was diverted. As she predicted, Percy sliced one Dracaena's spear in half and vaporised both of them within less than five moves. The crowed stopped cheering, the sound replaced by pained hisses as the snake monsters died.
"No!" Antaeus boomed. "Too fast! You must wait for the kill. Only I give that order!"
"Nice job, Percy," Luke said. "You've got better with a sword, I'll grant you that."
"Round two!" Antaeus shouted. "And slower this time! More entertainment! Wait for my call before killing anybody, OR ELSE!"
Was Luke going to make Percy fight Antaeus now? But no, the gates opened and a different opponent walked out. Mari wished she didn't know who it was.
"Who are you?" Percy asked.
"Ethan Nakamura," the boy said. "I have to kill you."
"You hypocrite!" Mari snarled at Luke. "You think the gods use us as pawns? What do you call this?"
"Quiet!" Luke hissed.
"Why are you doing this?" Percy asked Ethan.
"I have to prove myself," said Ethan. "Only way to join up."
Prove himself? Prove himself?! To who? He'd already tricked Mari into giving away information by letting Luke hold a knife to his throat, but apparently that hadn't been enough. Mari glared at Luke. Just how many times was he willing to put people in danger to further his own ends? She thought of Mason again, and realised that the answer to her question would probably just make her angrier.
Ethan charged. His sword met Percy's in the middle of the arena and the monster crowd went wild.
Percy was an amazing fighter. Ethan was... not as good, but pretty good. His ill-fitting armour also made his movements clunky and predictable. Percy could have had him on the ground in seconds. Mari had seen Percy beat half-bloods more talented than Ethan multiple times during training, without breaking a sweat. But instead, Percy and Ethan circled around each other like lions. Mari realised why - Percy didn't want to hurt Ethan, not if he could help it and certainly not to keep a bunch of ravenous monsters entertained. But Ethan didn't have any such qualms. Mari had seen the look on his face before. He knew he was outmatched, and he was waiting for an opening - to kill.
"Luke," Mari snarled, not taking her eyes off the fight. "When you kidnapped me six years ago you told me you had a plan so that nobody would have to get hurt. Does this really look like what you had in mind?"
She didn't think Luke would really care. He'd never shown any compassion before, not to anybody but himself. Talking to him wouldn't work. But Annabeth was still unable to speak, and the redhead seemed too terrified to try with Kelli's claws at her throat, so Mari was desperate.
Luke frowned at her. "You remember that?"
"I remember everything," Mari said. "You said that, after a few years, I'd come around to see your side of things. Just another thing you were wrong about. You can't possibly tell me you're trying to help half-bloods when you're forcing two to fight to the death for a bunch of monsters' entertainment!"
"You don't understand," Luke said. "The ends justify the means."
Mari was getting really sick of hearing people say that. "Whose 'ends'? Yours, or Kronos's?"
That seemed to get to Luke. Mari couldn't be sure if he was actually taking her words in or if she'd just made him angry, but from the way his knuckles went white it was definitely one of those. "I told you to be quiet!" he snarled. "You're distracting Lord Antaeus."
Angry, then. Mari took a shuddering breath.
"You're a coward," she told him. "You spent years lying to my brother about what really happened to me, and now you won't even admit that he's dead. Not to me, not even to yourself. I was there, when he died. I told him the truth. He knew just how you betrayed him. So don't go thinking that you have anybody left who cares, because I'm pretty sure he died hating you."
Mari wasn't actually sure that was true. She might have hated Luke, but despite everything, Mari didn't think Mason did. But that didn't matter. Luke didn't deserve to think Mason cared about him. Not after he'd spent the last six years feeding him a diet of nothing but lies. The least Mari could do was return the bitter medicine in Mason's name. She felt a grim satisfaction as pain flashed behind Luke's eyes, the light of the skull-torches making them almost gold for a second. Then Luke shook his head, clenched his teeth and glared at her.
Mari glared back. Good. Let him feel some of the pain she felt for once.
Then she looked at Annabeth.
Tears had welled up in the daughter of Athena's big brown eyes as she looked between Mari and Luke. Mari's stomach deflated. Luke might be a monster in everything but genes, but that didn't mean Annabeth didn't care about him. Mari had completely forgotten about that. She hadn't meant to- she didn't think-
"QUIET!" Antaeus bellowed. "I am trying to watch the show."
"Of course, Lord Antaeus." Luke plastered on a shaky smile. "I was just making sure our prisoner remains contained. She won't disturb you anymore."
"Well, do it quickly." Antaeus turned to the fight again. "Unless you wish to lose my favour. This is becoming boring. It's been five minutes and neither of them have died yet."
"Of course," he agreed. His voice shook. "Gag her." Luke hissed at the Laistrygonian giant.
The thing manoeuvred Annabeth onto its shoulder and leant down. A disgusting hand clamped over Mari's mouth, and she was yanked up over the Laistrygonian's shoulder next to Annabeth. Mari glanced towards Annabeth, but the daughter of Athena wouldn't look at her.
But she hadn't wanted Annabeth to get caught in the crossfire. I'm sorry, she wanted to say, but her mouth was covered.
"Get it over with." Ethan Nakamura's defeated voice echoed through the arena.
Ethan was on the ground, eyes glazed. Percy was standing over him, his sword point on Ethan's chest. He looked angry. Not at Ethan, but if Mari were in Ethan's position she'd probably be scared out of her mind at the expression on Percy's face. Even from a distance, Percy's eyes looked terrifying as he glared up at Antaeus. The look on Percy's face made her feel like she was on Polyphemus's island again, drowning at the bottom of the ocean.
Antaeus huffed in agitation - clearly he'd wanted the fight to go a lot differently. He gave the crowd a thumbs down, as a signal: finish it. Percy stared at Antaeus, looking disgusted. He sheathed his sword.
"Forget it," he said.
"Don't be a fool," Ethan told him. "They'll just kill us both."
Percy didn't listen. Instead, he held out a hand and helped Ethan to his feet.
"Nobody dishonours the games!" Antaeus boomed, gripping the edge of the skull-railing and nearly snapping it in half. "Your heads shall both be tributes to Poseidon!"
"Why don't you fight me yourself?" Percy shouted up at Antaeus. "If you've got Dad's favour, come down here and prove it!"
That was smart. Percy was putting Antaeus in a position where he couldn't refuse the challenge, not without giving legitimacy to Percy's claim. The monsters growled in anticipation, which reminded Mari of how the kids at school would egg each other on whenever a fight was about to break out. "I am the greatest wrestler in the world, boy," Antaeus growled, with all the confidence of someone who definitely hadn't checked the WWE in a couple millennia. "I have been wrestling since the first pankration!"
Oh, no. The Pankration was a sport in the Ancient Olympics. It meant 'all power', which was pretty accurate because it was a fight where no holds were barred. Only biting and gouging were prohibited, unless the athlete was a Spartan, because they still allowed it during training. Fights didn't always end in death, but it still used to happen. Mari had a feeling that this was going to be one of those times. Annabeth seemed to know what it meant, too - she was frantically shaking her head at Percy, but Percy either didn't understand or didn't see. He pointed his sword at Antaeus, eyes narrowed. "Winner takes all! I win, we all go free. You win, we die. I swear on the river Styx."
No! No. Mari didn't want to die. That wasn't Percy's fucking choice to make! She tried to yell but her voice was muffled by the Laistrygonian's hand, and Di Immortales, it tasted like spoiled milk, why did it taste like spoiled milk?!
Apollo! Mari thought. Dad! Dad, I need help. Please, you helped me back at the ranch. Please, don't let me die here.
Nothing happened.
Mari blinked back tears. Why wasn't her father listening to her? He'd helped her before, at the Triple G Ranch, hadn't he? Did he have a one piece of divine intervention a decade rule? Was it because she hadn't finished that picture of the sun she'd promised in return? Because she'd been working on that. Lee and Austin had been hanging out with her while she painted in the art pavilion - it was still drying when Quintus kidnapped her, and she just had few details left. Then another thought came to Mari, and everything made a kind of horrible sense. Of course. It seemed so obvious now.
Her father wouldn't want to help a murderer.
She hadn't killed just anyone, either. She'd killed his son. Mari couldn't blink back the tears anymore; one traitor drop raced down her left cheek. Her hands were chained, so she couldn't even wipe it away.
"This shouldn't take long. I swear to your terms!"
Antaeus braced his hands on the railing, and leapt off the balcony, snapping the skulls into pieces as he went. He rounded on Percy, cracking his knuckles like a preschool bully.
"Weapons?"
"I'll stick with my sword." Percy took a step back. "You?"
"I don't need anything else." Antaeus held up his hands, flexing his fingers. "Master Luke, will you referee this one?"
"With pleasure." Luke gave Percy a nasty smile. He was enjoying this. Mari reached a leg out, and kicked him in the ankles. Luke whirled around, sending her a glare.
Antaeus lunged at Percy.
Percy ducked out of the way, springing around Antaeus and stabbing him in the leg. Antaeus screamed and Percy leapt back. But Antaeus didn't disintegrate. Instead, the dirt of the arena rose up to meet his wound, like the world's most unsanitary bandage. Will would hate it. After a few seconds, the dirt fell back into the ground, leaving nothing but unblemished skin. Next to Mari, Annabeth deflated. Oh. Mari remembered what was so important about Antaeus and Gaea now. Antaeus's mother was the literal earth mother. She was using the dirt to heal him. Which meant that Percy couldn't win. Mari wanted to cry. She didn't want to die, not here, not like this. Not in the same maze where Mason had.
Antaeus laughed and charged at Percy again. Percy dodged, and sunk his sword into the flesh under Antaeus's arm. At the edge of Mari's vision, Luke flinched. Was he... afraid of Percy? Mari hoped so. It meant that Percy might actually have a chance.
Antaeus turned around, the momentum causing Percy to drop the sword and stumble across the arena. Antaeus howled in pain. Once again, the dirt rose up and wrapped around his injury, healing it in the span of a few seconds. "You see why I never lose, demigod!" Antaeus boasted. "Now, come here and let me crush you! I'll make it quick!"
Percy tried to sidestep around to his sword, but Antaeus got in the way, laughing. "Puny boy! Not a worthy son of the sea god!"
The monster crowd seemed to thrum in excitement, like they were sharks smelling blood. They shrieked for Antaeus to kill Percy, but Antaeus seemed to be having too good a time. He turned to the front rows, a grin on his face as if he was about to break into a soliloquy about how cool killing children was and everyone should totally do this more often. While his attention was diverted, Percy charged between his legs. Mari wanted to cry - that was a terrible idea! Antaeus would get him for sure, especially when he didn't have his sword to defend himsel-
His sword.
When Antaeus had pulled it out of his underarm, he'd carelessly tossed it behind his back, and it had landed on the other side of the arena. It wasn't there anymore. Of course it wasn't, Percy's sword always came back to him when he lost it! And Antaeus didn't know that... Percy must have a plan. He was smart. Mari hoped he had a plan. Antaeus crouched to catch Percy, but Percy took advantage of the giant's sudden height change, leaping onto his arm and scrambling up his shoulder like a rabid squirrel. Percy situated himself on Antaeus's shoulders and kicked him in the back of the head. When Antaeus stood up to try and shake him off, Percy used the momentum to leap into the chains hanging from the ceiling, catching one and clinging on for dear life. This was good. This was really good, actually. If Percy held out for long enough, then maybe he could catch his breath and think of a way to get them out of this.
"Come down here, coward!" Antaeus stomped his foot, looking alarmingly like a toddler in his loincloth. Percy gave him a mocking grin, sawing a chain off with his sword.
"Come down and get me!" Percy yelled. "Or are you too weak and stupid?"
What was Percy doing? Baiting Antaeus was more of a Clarisse move. He was going to give up his advantage! Antaeus snarled, grabbing at Percy, but he couldn't quite reach. He managed to catch a chain and climb up. Percy swung his free chain around like a lasso, managing to catch it on Antaeus's loin cloth. He clipped the ends of the chain to another fastening hook dangling from the ceiling, so that Antaeus was hanging from a metal loop around his single clothing garment. Mari was stunned. Percy wasn't just smart, he was a legit genius.
But he didn't stop there, either. Percy swung around like he was a child on a go ape treetop challenge. He looped chains around Antaeus's shoulders, around his legs and around his neck. He used chains, hooks, and he even threaded a couple of links through an old skull. Every few seconds he glanced up at the three of them, his face desperate. Mari tried to give him a thumbs up but her hands were tied. Percy was barely up there for more than a couple of minutes, but by the time he was done, Antaeus was thoroughly secured.
Percy fell to the floor, looking exhausted.
"Get me down!" Antaeus wailed. "Now!"
"Free him!" Luke snarled down at Percy. "He is our host!"
"I'll free him." Percy pulled his sword out, reached up, and stabbed Antaeus in the stomach. Antaeus screamed, but he was disconnected from the earth. His mother couldn't help him this time. With no dirt to heal his wounds, Antaeus disintegrated into nothingness, leaving behind only his disgusting loincloth and the smell of sulphur. He'd won. Percy had won, he'd won and they might just get out of this now!
"JACKSON! I should have killed you long ago!" Luke shot to his feet, rage painted across his face like a bad Picasso.
"You tried." Percy glared up at Luke, gripping his sword. "Let us go, Luke. We had a sworn agreement with Antaeus. I'm the winner."
"Antaeus is dead. His oath dies with him. But since I'm feeling merciful today, I'll have you killed quickly."
Mari wasn't sure what else she'd expected. Luke was never going to be fair. Nothing that he had ever done was fair.
Luke pointed to Annabeth. Mari might have been misinterpreting Luke's voice, but when he spoke, his next words sounded terrified. "Spare the girl. I would speak with her before - before our great triumph." He glanced towards Mari, and his jaw set. "Let her live, too."
Mari was floored. Why the bloody Hades was Luke letting her live? She was pretty sure he hated her and the feeling was very much mutual. So why would he want to keep her alive? She didn't have time to dwell on it, because all around the room, there were clink sounds. It was the cacophony of metal clashing together, as every monster drew a weapon. Mari exchanged a worried look with Annabeth. There was no getting out of this. Too many monsters, too little planning and Mari didn't even have a weapon. On Luke's other side, the redhead squeaked in fear.
Percy tore a whistle from his pocket and whistled with all his might.
The whistle seemed to melt in Percy's hold, like it was an ice lolly on a sunny day.
"What was that supposed to do?" Luke burst out laughing.
Apparently the son of Hermes hadn't been expecting an answer, but he sure got one. In the blink of an eye, a huge mass of fur was pounding the Laistrygonian that had been holding her and Annabeth hostage to a pulp. Annabeth scrambled up and rubbed at her arms. Mrs. O'Leary the terrifying hellhound tore into the Laistrygonian with zero mercy. She ended up tossing him over the stands, sending him smashing into the wall behind Percy with a thud.
The giant dog didn't stop there. It made a beeline for Kelli the Empousa. Kelli screamed, releasing the redhead as the hellhound picked her up and tossed her to the air like she was a stick in a game of fetch. The evil empousa went flying the exact same way as the laistrygonian had, landing with a perfect flip in a pile of broken skulls. The dog crouched down, and Mari realised what it wanted. The redhead went first, scrambling up the hellhound's dark fur and onto its back. Then Annabeth.
The hellhound turned to Mari, determination in its eyes. Di Immortales, Mari thought. I'm dead. She hated hellhounds. Hated hated hated. Hellhounds had killed Oak. Hellhounds had torn Francesca Ray, a four year old girl, to pieces. They never brought anything good into Mari's life. Think happy thoughts that aren't about dog food, think happy thoughts that aren't about dog food, think happy-
Mari's world tilted upside down as the hellhound's jaws closed over her entire body.
She shrieked like a siren (not the bird-woman kind) and had to grab onto one of the hellhound's teeth to keep from falling down its throat, because godsdamnit she was not going to die like this. There was a screeching sound and Mari felt pressure around her wrists. The chains snapped in half between the teeth, taking one of the railings with it.
The hellhound opened its mouth and Mari barely had the time to grab the broken railing to try and defend herself before the hellhound was wrapping its tongue around Mari's torso and settling her between its jaws. It was almost like the hellhound was using it's tongue as a barrier... so Mari wouldn't get hurt? But that couldn't be right, could it?
"Let's go!" Percy yelled. "Heel, Mrs. O'Leary!"
With that, the hellhound leaped off the viewing platform. Mari screamed as they descended, clutching onto the clumps of dog fur around the jaw for dear life. They landed with a thump and were about to set off, when-
"Not so fast!" Kelli screeched. Apparently she'd managed to disentangle herself from the skulls. She had a jawbone hanging off one of her flaming ponytails. "You won't be getting away tha-"
Mari bonked Kelli over the head with the balcony rail. She must have been more aggressive than she'd thought, because Kelli fell to the ground, unconscious.
Bounding alongside Percy, the hellhound made a mad dash for the exit. Ethan Nakamura raced behind them. Mari turned back as they headed towards the doors. Luke's face was practically boiling with rage. The monster audience seemed to have descended into chaos. There was a baby dracaena trying to use Antaeus's loin cloth as a makeshift swing, and Mari really, truly, honestly wished it the best of luck with what must be a horrifying stench. The rest of the monsters were scrambling after them but they had been caught completely by surprise. They weren't going to catch up. Mari lifted up one hand, and gave them all a middle finger as they reached the far exit. Then they were through the doors, racing away and into the maze.
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Dafne Keen as Adela García-Sánchez
Hannah Murray as Marion Carter
Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan
Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase
Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson
Kanata Hongo as Ethan Nakamura
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◦•≫ MEME TIME :D ≪•◦