I 026. I
𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔
❝ hera ❞
THEY MADE IT A HUNDRED FEET BEFORE THEY WERE HOPELESSLY LOST.
The tunnel looked nothing like the one Ariadne and Percy had stumbled into before. Now it was round like a sewer, constructed of red brick with iron-barred portholes every ten feet.
Percy had shined a light through one of the portholes out of curiosity, but neither of them could see anything. It opened into infinite darkness.
Annabeth tried her best to guide them. She had this idea that they should stick to the left wall.
"If we keep one hand on the left wall and follow it," she said, "we should be able to find our way out again by reversing course."
Unfortunately, as soon as she said that, the left wall disappeared. They found themselves in the middle of a circular chamber with eight tunnels leading out, and no idea how they'd gotten there.
"Um, which way did we come in?" Grover said nervously.
"Just turn around," Annabeth said.
They each turned toward a different tunnel. It was ridiculous. None of them could decided which way led back to camp.
"Left walls are mean," Tyson said. "Which way now?"
Annabeth swept her flashlight bean over the archways of the eight tunnels. As far as Ariadne could tell, they were identical. "That way," she said.
"How do you know?" Ariadne asked.
"Seductive reasoning."
Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "So... you're guessing."
"Just come on," she said.
The tunnel she'd chosen narrowed quickly. The walls turned to gray cement, and the ceiling got so low that pretty soon they were hunched over. Tyson was forced to crawl.
Grover's hyperventilating was the loudest noise in the maze. "I can't stand it anymore," he whispered. "Are we there yet?"
"We've been down here maybe five minutes," Annabeth told him.
"It's been longer than that," Grover insisted. "And why would Pan be down here? This is the opposite of the wild!"
Ariadne gulped once she felt a shiver run down her spine. She didn't want to be there the same amount as Grover did, and Percy picked up on that. He made sure to stick close with her and keep an eye out. She was grateful for him.
They kept shuffling forward. Just when Ariadne was sure the tunnel would get so narrow it would squish them, it opened into a huge room. Percy shines his light around the walls and said, "Whoa."
The whole room was covered in mosaic tiles. The pictures were grimy and faded, but she could still make out the colors—red, blue, green, gold. The frieze shows the Olympian gods at a feats. There was Percy's dad, Poseidon, with his trident, holding out grapes for her dad, Dionysus, to turn into wine.
Zeus was partying with satyrs, and Hermes was flying through the air on his winged sandals. The pictures were beautiful, but they weren't very accurate. Her dad did not look that young anymore, and Hermes's nose wasn't that big.
In the middle of the room was a three-tiered fountain. It looked like it hadn't held water in a long time.
"What is this place?" Ariadne muttered. "It looks—"
"Roman," Annabeth said. "Those mosaics are about two thousand years old."
"But how can they be Roman?" Percy asked.
"The Labyrinth is a patchwork," Annabeth said. "I told you, it's always expanding, adding pieces. It's the only work of architecture that grows by itself."
"You make it sound alive."
A groaning noise echoed from the tunnel in front of them.
"Let's not talk about it being alive," Grover whimpered. "Please?"
"All right," Annabeth said. "Forward."
"Down the hall with the bad sounds?" Tyson said. Even he looked nervous.
"Yeah," Annabeth said. "The architecture is getting older. That's a good sign. Daedalus's workshop would be in the oldest part."
It made sense. But soon the maze was toying with them—they went fifty feet and the tunnel turned back to cement, with brass piping running down the sides. The walls were spray-painted with graffiti. A neon tagged sign read MOZ RULZ.
"I'm thinking this is not Roman," Ariadne said, trying to be a bit of help for her sister.
Annabeth took a deep breath, then forged ahead.
Every few feet the tunnels twisted and turned and branches off. The floor beneath them changed from cement to mud to bricks and back again. There was no sense to any of it. They stumbled into a wine cellar—a bunch of dusty bottles in wooden racks—like they were walking through somebody's basement, only there was no exit above them, just tunnels leading on.
Ariadne ran a hand over a dust bottle and gulped. "My dad would love this part," she whispered.
Percy cracked a small smile before they carried on.
Later the ceiling turned to wooden planks, and Ariadne could hear voices above them and the creaking of footsteps, as if they were walking under some kind of bar. It was reassuring to hear people, but then again, they couldn't see them. They were stuck down there with no way out. Then they found their first skeleton.
He was dressed in white clothes, like some kind of uniform. A wooden crate of glass bottles lay next to him.
"A milkman," Ariadne said.
"What?" Percy asked.
"They used to deliver milk."
"Yeah, I know what they are, but... that was when my mom was little, like a million years ago. What's he doing here?"
Ariadne stared at him. "Your concept of time is appalling," she told him.
"Some people wander in by mistake," Annabeth said. "Some people exploring on purpose and never make it back. A long time ago, the Cretans sent people in here as juman sacrifices."
Grover gulped. "He's been down here a long time." He pointed to the skeleton's bottles, which were coated with white dust. The skeleton's fingers were clawing at the brick wall, like he had died trying to get out.
"Only bones," Tyson said. "Don't worry, goat boy. The milkman is dead."
"The milkman doesn't bother me," Grover said. "It's the smell. Monsters. Can't you smell it?"
Tyson nodded. "Lost of monsters. But underground smells like that. Monsters and dead milk people."
"Oh, good," Grover whimpered. "I thought maybe I was wrong."
"We have to get deeper into the maze," Annabeth's aid. "There has to be a way to the center."
She led them right, then left, through a corridor of stainless steel like some kind of air shaft, and they arrived back in the Roman tile room with the fountain.
This time, they weren't alone.
What Ariadne noticed first were his faves. Both of them. They jutted out from either side of his head, staring over his shoulders, so his head was much wider than it should've been, similar to a hammerhead shark's, and all she saw were two overlapping ears and mirror-image sideburns.
He was dressed like a New York City doorman: a long black overcoat, shiny shoes, and a black top hat that somehow managed to stay on his double-side head.
"Well, Annabeth?" said the left face. "Hurry up!"
"Don't mind him," said the right face. "He's terribly rude. Right this way, Miss."
Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Uh... I don't..."
Tyson frowned. "That funny man has two faves."
The funny man has ears, you know!" the left face scolded. "Now come along, Miss."
"No, no," the right face said. "This way, Miss. talk to me, please."
The two faced man regarded Annabeth the best he could out of the corner of his eyes. It was impossible to look at him straight on without focusing on one side or the other. And suddenly Ariadne realized that's what he was asking—he wanted Annabeth to choose.
Behind him were two exits, blocked by wooden doors with huge iron locks. They hadn't been there their first time through the room. The two faced doorman held a silver key, which he kept passing from his left hand to his right hand.
Behind them, the doorway they'd come through had disappeared, replaced by more mosaics.
"All exits are closed," Annabeth said.
"Duh!" the man's left face said.
"Where do they lead?" she asked.
"One probably leads the way you wish to go," the right face said encouragingly. "The other leads to certain death."
"I-I know who you are," Ariadne said. She did. Two faves, two different personalities, he was obviously—
"Oh, a smart one!" the left face sneered. The brunette's brows furrowed. "You will see us again soon, Ariadne Phoenix."
He looked to Annabeth. "Do you know which way to choose? I don't have all day."
"Why are you trying to confuse me?" Annabeth asked.
The right face smiled. "You're in charge now, my dear. All the decisions are on your shoulders. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"
"I—"
"We know you, Annabeth," the left face said. "We know what you wrestle with every day. We know your indecision. You will have to make your choice sooner or later. And the choice may kill you."
Ariadne's firsts clenched tightly at her side. How dare they threaten Annabeth?
The color drained out of Annabeth's face. "No... I don't—"
"Lever her alone," Percy said. "Who are you, anyway?"
"I'm your best friend," the right face said.
"I'm your worst enemy," the left face said.
"I'm Janus," both faces said in harmony. "God of Doorways. Beginnings. Endings. Choices."
"I'll see you soon enough, Perseus Jackson," said the right face. "But for now it's Annabeth's turn." He laughed giddily. "Such fun!"
"Shut up!" his left face said. "This is serious. One bad choice could ruin your whole life. It can kill you and all of your friends. But no pressure, Annabeth. Choose!"
With a sudden chill, Ariadne remembered the words of the prophecy: the child of Athena's final stand.
"Don't do it," Percy said, seeming to remember, as well.
"I'm afraid she had to," the right face said cheerfully.
Ariadne gave Janus a glare that made his faces turn nervous, afraid she would pounce on them. "She doesn't have to do anything," she growled.
Annabeth moistened her lips. "I-I choose—"
Before she couple point to a door, a brilliant light flooded the room.
Janus raised his hands on either side of his head to cover his eyes. When the light died, a women was standing at the fountain.
She was tall and graceful with long hair the color of chocolate, braided in plaits with gold ribbons. She wore a simple white dress, but when she moved, the fabric shimmered with colors like oil in water.
"Janus," she said, "are we causing trouble again?"
"N-no, mikado!" Janus's right face stammered.
"Yes!" the left face said.
"Shut up!" the right face said.
"Excuse me?" the woman asked.
"Not you, mi lady! I was talking to myself."
"I see," the lady said. "You know very well your visit is premature. The girl's time had not yet come. So I give you a choice: leave these heroes to me, or I shall turn you into a door and break you down."
"What kind of door?" the left face asked.
"Shut up!" the right face said.
"Because French doors are nice," the left face mused. "Lots of natural light."
"Shut up!" the right face wailed. "Not you, milady! Of course I'll leave. I was just having a bit of fun. Doing my job. Offering choices."
"Causing indecision," the woman corrected. "Now be gone!"
The left face muttered, "Party pooper," then he raised his silver key, inserted it into the air, and disappeared.
The woman turned toward them, and Ariadne was on her guard. Her eyes shined with power. The woman smiled.
"You must be hungry," she said. "Sit with me and talk."
She waved her hand, and the old Roman fountain began to glow. Jets of clear water sprayed into the air. A marble table appeared, laden with platters of sandwiches and pitchers of lemonade.
"Who... who are you?" Percy asked.
Ariadne already had her suspicions, and her hand was itching for her ring.
"I am Hera." The woman smiled. "Queen of Heaven."
The daughter of Dionysus was less than happy to see her.
***
SHE PICKED AT HER SANDWICH. The brunette couldn't eat despite her friends who were busy stuffing their faces full of de that laid on the table.
Ariadne had seen Hera the few times she had been on Olympus. The most recent being last winter at the Council of the Gods, when they were debating on killing her and Percy.
Of course, the girl didn't remember her looking so normal. Usually, the gods were twenty feet tall on Olympus, but seeing her there, seated across from them looking like a regular mom, was enough for her hunger to fly out the window.
She served them sandwiches and poured lemonade, but Ariadne didn't touch them.
"Grover, dear," she said, "use your napkin. Don't eat it."
"Yes, ma'am," Grover said.
Ariadne almost grumbled out loud about how Grover could eat however many napkins he wanted, but then she remembered that Hera was temperamental, and that anything would make her blow her socks off.
Hera gave the girl a small glance and she knew she was hearing her every thought. Good, she said to herself. The girl didn't have a good feeling around Hera, and that feeling is what kept her alive most days.
It was as if Hera was going to screw them over eventually.
"Tyson, you're wasting away. Would you like another peanut butter sandwich!"
Tyson stifled q belch. "Yes, nice lady."
"Queen Hera," Annabeth said. "I can't believe it. What are you doing in the Labyrinth?"
Being a big pain in the ass, Ariadne said to herself while crossing her arms.
Hera smile. She flicked her finger and Annabeth's hair combed itself. All the first and grime disappeared from her face.
"I came to see you, naturally," the goddess said.
Ariadne glowered. Percy and Grover exchanges nervous looks. But those worried didn't keep either of them from chowing down on turkey-and-Swiss sandwiches and chips and lemonade. Tyson was inhaling one peanut butter sandwich after another, and Grover was loving the lemonade, crunching the Styrofoam cup like an ice cream cone.
"I didn't think—" Annabeth faltered. "Well, I didn't think you liked heroes."
Here smiled indulgently. "Because of that little spat I had with Hercules? Honestly, I got so much bad press because of one disagreement."
Ariadne raised an eyebrow, placing a few chips in her mouth once Percy gave her a swift kick in the leg. "Didn't you try to kill him multiple times?" Annabeth asked.
Hera waved her hand dismissively. "Water under the bridge, my dear. Besides, he was one of my loving husband's children by another woman. My patience wore thin, I'll admit it. But Zeus and I have had some excellent marriage counseling sessions since then. We've aired our feeling and come to an understanding—especially after that last little incident."
"You mean when he aired Thalia?" Percy guessed. Hera's eyes turned toward him frostily.
"Percy Jackson, isn't it? One of Poseidon's... children." Ariadne didn't care that she was a goddess, she was ready to tackle the goddess. Thankfully, the girl had taken her medicine and packed it in her bag, and that at least caused her to mellow down a bit. "As I recall, I voted to let you live at the winter solstice. I hope I voted correctly."
She turned back to Annabeth with a sunny smile. "At any rate, I certainly bear you no ill will, my girl. I appreciate the difficulty of your quest. Especially when you have troublemakers like Janus to deal with."
Annabeth lowered her gaze. "Why was he here? He was driving me crazy."
"Trying to," Hera agreed. "You must understand, the minor gods like Janus have always been frustrated by the small parts they play in the universe. Some, I fear, have little love for Olympus, and could easily be swayed to support the rise of my father.
"Your father?" Percy said. "Oh, right."
"We must watch the minor gods," Hera said. "Janus. Hecate. Morpheus. They give lip service to Olympus, yet—"
"That's where my father went," Ariadne remembered. "He was checking on the minor gods."
"Indeed." Hera looked at the brunette who had her arms crossed tightly against her chest. She flicked her wrist and Ariadne's hair was yanked back into a tight ponytail, a few hairs framing her face as she hissed. "Ariadne Phoenix, it's good to see you again. We all heard of what happened in Miami. Well, I heard from your stepmom. Terribly sorry about that scar."
Ariadne grit her teeth and resisted the urge to yell at the goddess.
Hera stared at the fading mosaics of the Olympians. "You see, in times of trouble, even gods can lose faith. They start putting their trust in the wrong things. They stop looking at the big picture and start being selfish. But I'm the goddess of marriage, you see. I'm used to perseverance. You have to rise above the squabbling and chaos, and keep believing. You have to always keep your goals in mind."
"What are your goals?" Annabeth asked.
She smiled. "To keep my family, the Olympians, together, of course. At the moment, the best way I can do that is by helping you. Zeus does not allow me to interfere much, I am afraid. But one reason every century or so, for a quest I care deeply about, he allows me to grant a wish."
"A wish?"
"Before you ask it, let me give you some advice, which I can do for free. I know you seek Daedalus. His Labyrinth is as much of a mystery as it is to you. But if you want to know his fate, I would visit my son Hephaestus at his forge. Daedalus was a great inventor, a mortal after Hephaestus's heart. Thee head never been a mortal Hephaestus has admired more. If anyone would have kept up with Daedalus and could tell you his fate, it is Hephaestus."
"But how do we get there?" Annabeth asked. "That's my wish. I want a way to navigate the Labyrinth."
Hera looked disappointed. "So be it. You wish for something, however, that you have already been given."
"I don't understand."
"The means is already sighing your grasp." She looked at Percy. "Percy knows the answer.""
"I do?"
"But that's not fair," Annabeth said. "You're not telling me what it is!"
Hera shook her head. "Getting somewhere and having the wits to use it... those are two different things. I'm sure your mother Athena would agree."
The room rumbled like distant thunder. Hera stood. "That would be my cue. Zeus grows impatient. Think on what I have said, Annabeth. Seek Hephaestus. You will have to pass through the ranch, I imagine. But keep going. And use all the means at your disposal, however comments they may seem."
She pointed toward the two doors and they melted away, revealing twin corridors, open and dark. "One last thing, Annabeth, Ariadne. I have postponed your day of choose, Annabeth, I hav won't prevented it. Soon, as Janus said, you will have to make a decision. Ariadne, the hand that curses the land may not be by you, but your doing. Farewell!"
She waved her hand and turned into white smoke. So did the food, just as Tyson chomped down on a sandwich that turned to mist in his mouth. The fountain trickled to a stop. The mosaic walls dimmed and turned grungy and faded again. The room was no longer any placed you'd want to have a picnic.
Annabeth's tamped her foot. "What sort of help was that? 'Here, have a sandwich. Make a wish. Oops, I can't help you!' Poor!"
"Poor," Tyson agreed sadly, looking at his empty plate.
Ariadne glared at the ground, kicking away a small stone. "And what did she mean 'by my doing'? Is she saying I'm gonna force someone to do something?"
"Well," Grover sighed, "she said Percy knows that answer. That's something."
They all looked at him.
"I don't," he said. "I don't know what she was talking about."
Annabeth sighed. "All right. Then we'll just keep going."
"Which way?" Ariadne asked. She really wanted to ask what Hera had meant—about the choice Annabeth needed to make. But Grover and Tyson both tensed. They stood up together liked they'd rehearsed it.
"Left," they both said.
Annabeth frowned. "How can you be sure?"
"Because something is coming from the right," Grover said.
"Something big," Tyson agreed. "In a hurry."
"Left is sounding pretty good," Percy decided. Together they plunged into the dark corridor.
Ariadne had stumbled slightly, only for Percy to pull her ahead. She gave him a thankful look before they let running into the tunnel, which never gave the slightest clue of what was on the other side.
authors note:
Who's gonna curse the land? It ain't Ariadne.
Also, uptown-slug has made me think of Ariadne in platform shoes and now I'm imaging her wearing them on a date with Percy in a dress like that strawberry dress but it's black with grapes on it. She's only wearing the shoes because she wants to be taller than Percy.
This would be after BOO.
Hope you guys are enjoying the book!
Love you guys!
I have decided that the chapter with my face reveal will be the Mount St. Helen's chapter so... be ready for that.