author note: spoilers for the battle of the labyrinth

trigger warnings: talking about torture but no torture takes place

1st person pov (nico's pov)

     when I woke up I saw myself back in the cell from earlier, 'had I not escaped? was it just a dream?' I thought to myself, I then looked up and saw that the cell was filled with light, cant shadow travel away now.

     "I told you to keep an eye on him!" I heard luke exclaim.

     "I did!" I heard henchman number 1 argue.

     "Obviously not!" luke screamed, "if you HAD kept an eye on him, we wouldn't have found him outside of the arena, then we would've lost out ONLY ticket to defeating the gods."

     "Will you two please stop screaming." I heard a female voice say, "you're scaring the boy."

     "I don't really care kelli." luke said annoyed, "I really don't."

     "fine then," kelli snapped, "I just think it would be easier to get him on our side, if we treated him with respect, and not scare him."

     luke turned to me and turned back to kelli, I realized was an empousa.

     "I don't care if he's scared," luke replied, "he will be joining our side whether he likes it or not!"

     "I'm not helping you," I spoke.

     luke turned to me.

     "you will," luke said, "even if I have to torture you to listen."

     I shrunk back into the corner, luke gave me a fake smile and turned to look at kelli, 'oh how I wish I could kick him where it hurts!' i thought.

     "kelli," luke said, "keep watch of him, don't let him escape, we need him for the big plan."

     kelli looked offended, "baby sitter duty?! really!"

     "yes." luke answered, "deal with it."

     luke then stormed off, kelli turned and looked at me and glared.

     "don't think of trying anything!" Kelli threatened, she then grabbed a chair and sat down facing my cell.

     "How did you find out about me anyways?" I asked, "the only people who knew were percy and Geryon. did he tell you guys before percy killed him?"

     "Geryon knew!" kelli exclaimed, "that little snake!"

     "if he didn't tell you," I started, "then how did you guys find out?"

     kelli shook her head smiling evily, "you really don't know do you?"

     "no?" I replied, "am I supposed to?"

     "you're so dumb." kelli laughed.

     "rude," I spoke.

     kelli rolled her eyes, "I can't believe you don't know."

     I stood up and walked to the bars annoyed, "are you going to tell me or are you just going to keep laughing at me?"

     kelli thought it over, "minos."

     "What?" I asked confused.

     "minos." kelli repeated, "that's how we found out, wanted real bad to get back at Daedalus', he promised us a son of hades in return for revenge."

     I was fuming, how could minos betray me like that?!

     "I won't help." I told kelli.

     "you will," kelli said, "in time."

author note: the next chapter will be the last chapter, it's basically going to be the escape scene from nico's pov, anyways, hope yall enjoyed this chapter! bye for now!