PERCY HASTILY got Annabeth untied, allowing her to untie the rest of their friends, then immediately made it over to where Magdalena was chained against one of the pillars in the room. He sliced through her chains with Riptide and removed the gag from her mouth within the span of four seconds.

Magdalena let out a heavy sigh as soon as she was un-gagged, her breath catching as her back arched off the wall in pain. She let out a quiet groan as she tried to swallow her agony.

"Lena," Percy breathed out, falling to his knees beside her. He inspected every inch of her face before his eyes finally planted on the blood that stained the wooden floors. "Are you okay? Can you talk?"

"Yes, Percy," Magdalena said, her voice strained. That didn't stop her from rolling her eyes at him. "My back got slashed, not my mouth."

Percy stared at her. "Did Eurytion do this?"

Magdalena's eyes turned to where the cowherd was still sitting lazily by the grill, his feet propped up on the picnic table. Percy's expression hardened.

"I'm going to kill him."

Magdalena exhaled. "No, you're not."

"Lena, he hurt you." Percy was practically trembling in anger, but then saw her wrists, and his rage melted into nothing. His breath caught in his throat. He gently grabbed her hand to examine the burns on her wrists. "What did you do?"

"She ran," Tyson admitted, now standing tall out of his restraints. "Lena was brave."

"She tried to escape," Magnus answered, finally free from his bonds. He quickly made his way over to his sister, followed by the rest of the group. Even Nico lingered behind them, staring wordlessly at the girl. Percy couldn't tell if he was worried or not. Nowadays, the only expression he ever saw Nico show was anger.

"Why?" Percy asked, staring at Magdalena's burnt, raw wrists. The sight made his stomach clench. "I was going to make it back for you guys. Why did you try to run?"

Magdalena hated how everyone's eyes were glued on her. She felt weak enough already— she didn't need everyone staring at her to prove it even further. "I knew Geryon would never let us go," she tried to explain. "I was trying to help."

  "You were stupid, Lena," Magnus said hardly. "I told you not to do it. I— I told you he'd kill you!"

  "Do I look dead, Magnus?" Lena asked, glaring harshly at her brother.

  "You could've easily been," he replied coldly. "And now, look at yourself! Your wrists are shredded, your back's torn up. You blindly put yourself into danger for us knowing full well that it wouldn't work. Look where it got you."

  "I don't need you to lecture me," Magdalena said, her voice thick in frustration and pain. She winced when she tried to sit up, a small cry escaping her when her back hit the wooden beam supporting her from behind. Annabeth and Percy immediately moved for her, grabbing each of her arms as she stiffened. Lena, despite her pain, was glaring harshly at her brother. "You're not my dad."

  "You need to hear it!" Magnus insisted, his eyes flashing angrily. "You're going to kill yourself if you keep doing this, Lena! You're lucky Luke wanted you alive, or else Geryon would've already had your head mounted as a trophy in the living room."

  "Magnus, enough," Annabeth warned.

"You can't keep risking your life like this," Magnus said, his voice cutting like glass through the tension in the room. "You can't keep being so stupid."

"Magnus!" Annabeth snapped, look at him incredulously. Magdalena was staring at her brother with an indescribable expression. It was almost a mix between guilt and helplessness.

A heavy silence fell across the group. Nobody knew what to say, considering this felt like more a family matter than anything else. Both Magnus and Magdalena were staring at eachother with a bright fire in their eyes, waiting for the other to say something else. It was like watching a chess match— waiting for the opponent to try and checkmate.

Percy rubbed a hand over his mouth, letting out a sharp breath. "Alright, Sunshine," he muttered, trying to change the subject back to the more important matters at hand. "You think you can stand up?"

Magdalena began to nod, then Percy stopped her. "That was a stupid question," he corrected. "You're going to say yes whether it's true or not."

Lena shrugged, which made her wince. She was in so much pain, she didn't even try to defend herself. That's how Percy knew it was bad. "You've caught me."

"If we can get her to the table, I can put a poultice on her burns," Grover said. "But we're going to need a first aid kit for her back."

Percy nodded. Carefully, he put his hands underneath Magdalena's arms, raising her up. Lena held one hand on his forearm, while the other gripped onto Annabeth's, who was watching her nervously. Slowly but surely, the two managed to get Lena over to where Eurytion was sitting, him and Orthus paying them hardly any mind as Grover began to get to work, pulling out an assortment of leaves, oils, and ointments from his pack.

  "First aid kit's in the bathroom," Eurytion said gruffly, watching Magdalena with careful consideration as she held her wrists out for Grover, who was beginning to lay the poultices over the burns.

  "I will get it," Tyson affirmed. He marched back into the house, while Percy stared hardly at the cowherd.

  "Can we tie this cowherd up now?" Nico asked.

  "Yeah!" Grover agreed, glaring at Eurytion. "He almost killed Lena. And that dog nearly killed me."

  Percy wanted nothing more than to put Riptide straight between the cowherds' eyes, but he saw the way he was pliantly sitting at the table, making no move to attack any of them. Orthus was sleeping on Eurytion's legs, unbothered.

  "How long until Geryon reforms?" Percy asked.

  Eurytion shrugged. "Hundred years? He's not as strong as other monsters, so it'll take a while before he makes it back. I've gotta thank you guys. You've helped me out."

  "You mentioned dying for him before," Annabeth recalled. "How?"

  "That creep's had me working for him for a thousand years," Eurytion said. "My dad offered me immortality, and like any other stupid, power-hungry half-blood, I took it. I've regretted it ever since. Geryon had me tied to this ranch— never allowed to leave. Never allowed to quit. We were sort of tied together."

  When Tyson returned, he handed the medical kit to Magnus, who rolled up the back of his sister's shirt, grimacing at the sight of the deep, bloody gashes that were embedded in her skin. Six cuts streaked across the center of her back like claw marks, dried blood coating the outside of the wounds. Despite the anger he felt toward his sister for making the irrational decision to try and escape, he knew he needed to swallow it. For right now, he needed to care for her.

  "I don't think you'll need stitches," Magnus said, which made Lena sigh in relief. "But they still need to be disinfected."

  Magdalena nodded. "Just do it," she said quietly. With her back turned to Magnus, she waited for the pain of the disinfectant hitting the open wounds to come, closing her eyes tight. Percy and Annabeth watched as Magnus began to clean the cuts, their stomachs clenching when they hear Magdalena cry out softly, biting her lip to try and conceal the sound.

  Grover let Lena hold his hand for support as Magnus rubbed the alcohol over her cuts, trying to ignore how tight the girl was squeezing him. He gave her some ambrosia for the pain, hoping it could help at least a little bit.

  Annabeth swallowed hard, forcing her eyes away from Lena, and back to Eurytion. "You could change things around here," she told him.

  Eurytion scoffed. "Yeah? How?"

  "Care for the animals. Properly. Don't sell their meat. Stop working for Kronos."

  Eurytion pondered this. "You may be right."

  "The animals can help you," Percy said. "And, maybe when Geryon reforms, he can work for you."

  Eurytion smiled. "I like the sound of that."

  "You're not going to stop us from leaving?" Percy asked.

  "I've got no reason to keep you here."

  Annabeth rubbed her hand on Lena's shoulder as Magnus continued to clean her wounds. She still looked suspicious of the cowherd. "Geryon said someone and paid him to give us safe passage. Who?"

  Eurytion shook his head. "Beats me. Could've just said that to fool you."

  "And the Titans?" Percy said. "Do they know about Nico yet?"

  "Geryon was going to call them after the barbecue. They don't have a clue."

  Nico was standing off to the side, glaring daggers at Percy. Percy knew Nico would never agree to follow them into the maze. But, he couldn't just leave him behind on his own.

  "You'd be safe here on the ranch," Percy said to him. "Stay here until we get back."

  "What's it to you if I'm safe?" Nico snarled. "You're the reason my sister's dead!"

  "Nico," Annabeth said. "Percy didn't kill Bianca. And you know Geryon was telling the truth on Kronos wanting you. Once he finds out who you are, he'll do anything to get you on his side."

  "I'm not choosing sides. And I'm not scared of him!"

  "You should be," Magnus said, glancing up from Lena's back to look at Nico. "Bianca wouldn't want— "

  "If any of you cared about Bianca, you'd help me bring her back!"

  "A soul for a soul?" Percy asked.

  "Yes!"

  "But, if I'm not the soul you want— "

  "I won't tell you anything!" Nico's mouth shook as he fought back tears. "And I'm going to bring her back."

  "She doesn't want to come back, Nico," Lena said weakly. "Not in the way you're trying to do it."

  "How would you know?" Nico cried. "None of you knew her! You know nothing about what she'd want!"

  Percy gazed into the burning coals of the fire pit. You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand. That had to be Minos, and he needed to get Nico to listen to him. Nico can't trust Minos. "Let's ask Bianca."

Thunder rumbled in the distance. The sky turned darker.

  "Don't you think I've tried?" Nico said. "She won't answer."

  "Do it again. I . . . I think she'll answer if I'm there."

  "You? Why?"

  "Because she's been communicating with me," Percy said confidently. "I've been getting Iris-messages, showing me what you're doing. She wants me to protect you."

  "I don't need your protection," Nico sneered. "And that's impossible. She can't send you Iris-messages if she's dead."

  His voice cracked when he said dead. It sent a sharp pang through Magdalena's chest.

  "Let's try it then, see if you're right." Percy raised an eyebrow. "You're not scared, are you?"

  Nico glared at him. "I'm not."

  "Okay then." Percy looked at Eurytion. "We need a pit, deep enough for a grave. And a lot of food and drinks."

  "Percy," Annabeth said nervously. "This isn't a good— "

  "Okay," Nico suddenly agreed. "Let's do it."

  Eurytion shifted. "There's a trench out back for the septic. That should work. Tyson, go get my cooler from the kitchen. If the dead like root beer, we're in for a party."

  IT WAS late when they began the ritual. They stood at the front of a twenty-foot long trench bordering the septic tank out back, a large smiley face printed on the machine with the words HAPPY FLUSH DISPOSAL CO. in bold lettering. That didn't quite match the mood they were bringing with ghost summoning.

The night was cold, despite it being the middle of summer. The moon glowed above them, thin, silver clouds drifting over and around it.

"It is past dusk," Nico said. "Minos should've come by now."

"Maybe he got lost," Percy said hopefully.

Nico side-eyed him, then tossed more barbecue into the trench. He started to chant in Ancient Greek, which sent a chill down everyone's spine. The temperature dropped even lower, and the cicada's in the woods fell silent.

"I don't like this," Magdalena mumbled from beside Percy. She looked healthier underneath the glow of the night sky, but she was anxious. She kept fiddling with the ring that concealed her sword as she watched Nico mumble underneath his breath.

Percy agreed. None of this felt natural. The air was menacing and taunting. But, he didn't have room to respond, as their first ghosts solidified into the air. The shadows around them melted into human form, and one blue shade knelt at the foot of the trench, cupping root beer into his hands to drink.

"Stop him!" Nico ordered, stopping his chant. "Only Bianca can drink!"

Percy unsheathed Riptide. At once, every spirit stepped back with a collective sneer. But the first spirit had already molded into the form of a man in white robes, a circlet of melded gold twisted atop his head. Even as a spirit, the man's eyes were bright with pure evil.

"Minos!" Nico said. "That is not for you."

"Apologies, master," Minos said, despite not sounding very apologetic. "The smell was so enticing, I couldn't help myself." He exhaled with a smile, looking at his body. "I feel whole; such a relief. I am close to fully— "

"You're interrupting the sermon!" Nico snapped. "Move— "

The dead spirits grew restless, their bodies glowing brighter, and Nico had to begin his chant again to control them.

"Yes, master," Minos mused. "Continue your chant. I have only manifested to keep you safe from these liars. They will try to trick you, master."

Minos glared at Percy like he was a spot of dirt on his shoe. "Percy Jackson . . . " his lip circled in distaste. "Poseidon's sons never seemed to improve, did they?"

Percy's fists clenched. He wanted to punch Minos, but it wouldn't do much good, since it'd just go through his ugly face. Magdalena put her hand on his bicep, squeezing it softly. That calmed him down.

"We're here for Bianca Di Angelo," Percy said. "Get lost."

Minos chuckled humorlessly. "I am aware that you slayed the Minotaur with nothing but your bare hands, some time ago. I hope your ego hasn't overruled your knowledge. Danger awaits you in the Labyrinth. Do you truly think Daedalus will help you?"

More ghosts shifted restlessly. Magnus drew his sword to help Percy keep them from the trench. Magdalena held her dagger in her hand, along with Annabeth.

"Daedalus has no love for half-bloods," Minos said. "He's bitter, and must not be trusted. Guilt eats at him, along with his curse from the gods."

"Whose murder is he guilty for?" Percy asked.

"Don't sway the subject!" Minos snarled. "You distract Nico from his ritual. You are hindering him from achieving his goal. I will give him power!"

"Minos, be gone," Nico ordered.

  Minos hissed. "Master, I only try to protect you. These people are trying to deceive you. They are enemies. Give me your command, and I shall bend their minds to madness, as I did to the others."

  Annabeth gasped. "It was you. You're the one who drove Chris Rodriguez insane!"

  "The Labyrinth belongs to me, not Daedalus!" The ghost's eyes glowed brighter with malice. "Intruders shall face madness when disturbing the maze."

  "Enough, Minos!" Nico snapped. "Leave. I need to see my sister."

  Minos's face twitched. "As you command, master. I will leave you, but you must not believe these heroes."

  With that, he dissolved into the ground.

  "Bianca, come forward!" Nico proclaimed. His chanting got more desperate as more spirits began to stir.

  "Come on, Bianca," Grover muttered.

  The group was starting to regret doing this at all, but then a whisp of silver energy manifested in the forest. It was more powerful than the other spirits' presence. As it grew closer, Percy let it pass, the spirit falling near the trench, drinking the sacrifice. When it stood, the spiritual form of Bianca Di Angelo appeared.

  Nico's voice fell, the chant halting abruptly. Percy, along with the others, lowered their weapons. Bianca, with one raise of her hand, sent all of the other spirits dashing away, leaving her alone.

  "Hello, Percy," she said. Her eyes trailed toward Magnus and Magdalena. "Magnus, Lena."

  The sight of her made Lena drop her dagger, feeling like she'd gotten all of the life sucked out of her. She looked just as she had the day they'd met her— a green visor over her dark, glossy hair. Her olive skin, and dark eyes, just like Nico. She had on her hunter attire, just as she had the day she'd passed. She smiled softly.

  "Bianca," Percy said, his voice cracking. Her death had weighed on him ever since it'd happened, but seeing her now felt like salt in the wound. The memories of searching for her through the wreckage were fresh his head. The feeling of failure after finding nothing of her remains. He felt Magdalena's hand grip his bicep tighter, and he knew she was feeling the same way.

  "I . . . I'm so sorry," Percy said.

  "I will not accept it, Percy," Bianca said. "I chose to make the sacrifice. I have no regret for it."

  "Bianca . . . " Nico's voice was so weak. He looked just as young as he did the next they'd met him, staring at the face of his dead sister.

  Bianca looked to Nico, and gazed at him sadly. "Oh, Nico. You've grown so much."

  "Why haven't you answered me?" He asked. His voice was filled with pain. "I haven't stopped trying . . . It's been months!"

  "I was hoping you would give up."

  Nico's face fell. "Give up?"

  Bianca's stare never faltered off of her brother, but it turned even sadder.

  "Give up?" He cried. "Why would you ignore me? I want to save you!"

  "I don't want to be saved, Nico. You must listen to Percy. He wants to help you."

  "How can you say that? Percy's the reason you're dead!"

  Bianca sighed, extending her hand, like she wanted to hold Nico's face in her palm. But she couldn't. Her hand faded as it grew close to living skin.

  "Percy didn't kill me, Nico," she said softly. "I did. You have held hatred toward him, despite never knowing what truly happened. It is our fatal flaw, Nico. Holding grudges. You cannot let it overcome you."

  "No!"

  "You must forgive him. You must forgive them all."

  "I can't," Nico said, trembling. "I'll never forgive them for what happened to you."

  "Percy wants to help you, Nico. He cares about you. I sent him those visions in hope that he would find you."

  Percy deflated. "It really was you, then. You sent me the Iris-messages."

  Bianca nodded.

  "Why are you doing this?" Nico cried. "Why have you been helping him and not me? I'm your brother, Bianca!

  "Nico, you know the real reason you can't move on," Bianca told him. "It's not Percy you hold a grudge against. It's me."

  "You're wrong."

  "You've felt that way since I left to join the Hunters. It only worsened when I never returned from that quest. I . . I'm sorry, Nico. I'm sorry for leaving you. But you can't let this rage consume you. Do not take your anger out on Percy for something that I did to myself. It will kill you."

  "Bianca's right, Nico," Lena said. "Kronos grows more powerful by the day. And the minute he finds out who are you, he will stop at nothing to have you by his side."

  "I don't care about Kronos," Nico said. His face was twisted in sadness, and regret. "I just want you back, Bianca."

  "I will not come back, Nico," Bianca said softly.

  "Yes, you will! I'm a son of Hades. I can bring you back."

  "Do not attempt it," she said. "I don't want it. You love me, I know you do. But don't try."

  Restless spirits began to reform near the pit, their forms flickering and twisting in the shadows. They whispered, Danger!

  "Tartarus stirs," Bianca said. "Kronos will feel your presence soon, Nico. You are in danger if the dead do not return to the Underworld."

  "No," Nico said in desperation. "Just wait— "

  "I love you, Nico," Bianca told him. "But you have to let me go. Remember what I told you."

  Bianca's spirit began to shake, and then, with a gust of wind, the spirits disappeared, leaving the group alone with a trench, and a full, cold moon.

MAGDALENA COULDN'T sleep. Everybody had decided that they were in no hurry to reenter the Labyrinth after the night they'd had, so they agreed to sleep off the rest of the night at the ranch, then continue their quest in the morning.

  Despite the opportunity to finally sleep in a regular bed, with clean sheets and a shower, Magdalena couldn't find it in her to fall asleep. Her back ached, and her wrists were still wrapped in Grover's magical poultice's, and all the while her scar on her shoulder continued to mend itself, one stretch of skin at a time. To be honest, Lena really didn't feel her best, but she was hoping that by the morning, her wrists would've healed enough to be able to wield a sword.

  She sat underneath the stars on the front porch of the lodge, a half-sipped mug of tea sitting beside her, now gone cold. She could feel the light of the stars energizing her, showering her skin with a faint glow. It was quiet, which was nice. The distant sound of insects chirping in the woods was a calming background noise to soothe her racing mind— which was also another reason why she couldn't sleep. Her mind was too occupied; too frantic. Thoughts plagued her like an illness, running through her mind as if they were all in a competition to see who could keep Lena up the longest.

There was a creak in the wooden floorboards behind her, and Magdalena turned to see Nico Di Angelo standing behind her. His eyes were bleary and his pajamas were wrinkled, giving away that he was also unable to sleep, like her. He clearly wasn't expecting to see anybody else awake, since his face dropped when he saw her sitting in front of him.

"Hey," Magdalena said quietly. "Want to sit?"

Nico's mouth opened, almost like it was automatic response to say no, and turn the other way. But then, he closed it, and his eyes softened. Swallowing, Nico slowly padded over to where Lena was sitting, and put himself a few feet away from her on the same step of the front porch.

"Can't sleep?" Lena asked, looking at where the boy was staring at the dewy grass ahead of them. He had dark circles under his eyes, and under the light of the full moon, his skin looked transparent due to how pale he'd become. It was obvious he was hardly eating, and not sleeping on top of that made him look sickly. It made Lena feel sad. She'd always felt a weird responsibility to care for Nico, with how young and innocent he used to be, but now it felt even stronger seeing how broken he'd become.

Nico shook his head. "I don't sleep much," he admitted. "Not anymore."

Magdalena nodded. "Me neither."

Nico looked at her. His dark eyes were so empty, they reminded Magdalena of black holes. "Nightmares?"

"Sometimes," she said. "But, usually my mind keeps me awake. Too many thoughts."

Nico bit his cheek. He didn't respond to her, instead turning his gaze back to the field that stretched for miles in front of them. His thoughts were elsewhere— thinking deeply on the matters that didn't apply to the girl beside him. Lena could tell. His eyes were unfocused, and his jaw was locked. She knew that because she did the same things.

"I'm sorry about Bianca," Magdalena whispered. Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, maybe it wasn't. But, she'd been plagued with guilt for months, just as Percy had. It had hurt to see Bianca that night for her, too. She'd been thinking about it for hours.

Nico's stare hardened. "Why?" He asked, his tone cold. "You've seemed fine about it this whole time. And you watched her die."

Magdalena sighed, her eyes sad as she looked at Nico. "Nico, I didn't want her to die."

"That doesn't make it any better."

"I tried to stop her," Lena said, her thoughts drifting back to that day, when Percy had to hold her back as she watched Bianca run toward Talos. Her stomach twisted with guilt at the memory. "I was going to sacrifice myself. I . . . I tried Nico. Percy and I . . . We tried to make her stop. But she wouldn't. She knew what would happen, and she was ready for it. I know you're upset, and I know you blame us for her death, but . . . Your sister was a hero. She gave her life to save all of us."

Nico's jaw shook as he held back his tears. "Was a hero," he said bitterly. "Nobody cares anymore." He scoffed, and shook his head. "Was she even mentioned for her sacrifice at the winter solstice? Did the gods even care that she died for them?"

  Magdalena swallowed. There was pain etched across her face like it was a canvas for Algea to draw on. "No," she said truthfully. "No, they didn't. The gods don't see sacrifice as we do, Nico. Our lives are small in their eyes. We are . . . Expendable."

"Then why should I fight for them?" Nico asked. "Why should I join their cause if they don't care about me?"

  Magdalena was silent for a while. She let Nico's words sink into her skin, processing and evaluating. He was so young, yet he'd been forced to grow into his world filled with hatred and spite. The gods were to blame for that. He'd never asked for this life. But he'd been forced to accept it.

  "I ask myself that everyday," Lena finally confessed. "I . . . I wonder if Luke truly is the villain in this story. I think about everything I've done to appease the gods, and what I've gotten in return from it. It's unbalanced. There . . . There is no balance. The scales are tipped. The gods rise above, while we stand below."

  "That's not fair," Nico argued. "Why do we fight for them if they won't fight for us?"

  "It's not fair," Lena agreed. "But, every time I find myself thinking that . . . I remember what the bigger threat is. Kronos . . . " she swallowed. "Kronos will destroy us, Nico. He is evil. He wants to see the gods, and every single demigod standing, dead. He won't care if you love or hate the gods. In his eyes, we are all equal to each other. We are all one target for destruction."
 
  Nico was silent as he took in her words. He stared hardly at the ground. They didn't speak for a while.

  It was ten minutes before Nico spoke again.

  "I . . . I know I say that I'm not afraid," he said, his voice hardly over a whisper as it cut through the silence. "And sometimes, I think I'm not. But, the truth is . . . " he looked at Magdalena, and she saw a young, helpless boy staring at her. "I'm terrified."

  Magdalena felt like someone was sending a hammer at her heart. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and take Nico into her arms. She wanted to comfort him, tell him that she would protect him. She . . . She wanted him to know that she cared about him. But she couldn't. She knew better.

  Instead, she just stared back at him, her eyes filled with sympathy. "I'm terrified too," she said quietly. "Nico, I know it doesn't seem like it, but . . . We're all scared. We don't know what will happen on this quest, or with Kronos, or if by this time tomorrow, we're all dead. None of us know what is fated for us. But . . . We keep our faith by having each other. You don't have to be alone in this, Nico. We're here for you. We can help you."

  Nico was conflicted, torn between his head and his heart. He knew deep down what the right choice was for him. He knew what he needed. But . . . The mental battle he was facing was like having two full sized titans fighting for control over his mind. And it was a constant war. It never ended.

  Magdalena could only hope her words stuck to him, even if it was just a little bit. She watched him as he began to stand up, his jaw set and eyes unfocused as he turned to her.

  "I'm going to get some sleep," he said, his voice hard to hide the weakness he felt. "You should too."

  Lena visibly deflated. "Nico . . . "

  Nico swallowed, and before she could say anything else, he trudged back into the house, leaving Magdalena alone on the front porch. And the coldness he left behind made it feel like he'd never even been there to begin with.

  THE FOLLOWING morning, the group made their way to the cattle guard where they'd first come from to say their farewells.

  "Nico, you can come with us," Percy said. It was clear he hadn't slept much, along with anyone else, for that matter. But, he tried to be supportive for Nico.

  Nico looked worse than any one else in the group. Magdalena figured he hadn't slept a wink after leaving their conversation the night before, as his eyes were red and his face was stark white. He was wearing a robe that pooled at his ankles— black and silk.

  "I need time to think." He kept his stare on the ground, not meeting Percy's eyes. It was clear he was still angry about what happened last night, considering the fact his sister had appeared from his sermon for Percy and not him, after all this time.

"Bianca wants you safe, Nico," Annabeth said. "That's all she cares about."

She reached for his shoulder, but he shrugged her off, turning back to walk to the house.

"I wish he'd come with us," Annabeth said she watched him trudge away. "I'm worried if he starts talking to Minos— "

"I'll look after him," Eurytion reassured. He looked fresher than he did the day before— trimmed beard, washed jeans and an ironed button up. "That boy can hang out here as long as he pleases. He's safe here."

"And you?" Magnus asked.

Eurytion brushed his hand over Orthus's two heads. "I'm going to change things up around here. Maybe I'll start going vegan— Soybean patties. Maybe some tofu. No more sacred cattle meat, that's for sure. I'm going to make friends with those flesh-eating horses, too. Who knows, maybe I'll enlist them in the next rodeo."

The thought of that made Percy shiver. "I'm happy for you, Eurytion."

"Thanks." He cleared his throat. "I guess y'all are off to find Daedalus's workshop?"

"Yes," Annabeth said. "Any ideas on how to get there?"

Eurytion stared at the entrance the Labyrinth. "I can't help you find it, but I reckon Hephaestus could."

"Hera said the same thing," Annabeth said. "But where can we find Hephaestus?"

Eurytion pulled out a necklace from underneath his shirt— a silver disk in the center of the chain. There was a small groove in the center, where a thumb should go. He gave it to Annabeth.

"Hephaestus will pop into the ranch every so often," Eurytion said. "Looks at the beasts and take notes for his automaton replicas. Last time he visited, I, uh, did him a favor. Needed help for a small trick he wanted to play on my dad, Ares, and Aphrodite. In thanks, he gave me that chain. If I press that disk, it'll lead me to his forges, whenever I may need him. One time use."

Annabeth blinked. "And . . . You're giving it to me?"

Eurytion shrugged bashfully. "I haven't used it, and probably never will. I've got all I need here. It's yours to keep."

Annabeth exhaled, and pressed the disk. Suddenly, the thing sprouted out legs and leaped out of her hands. Annabeth cried out, jumping onto the person closest to her, which happened to be Magnus, screaming bloody murder.

"Spider!" She yelled, gripping on to Magnus for dear life. He stood there, startled, holding her as she practically climbed him like a tree.

Magnus made a face as he wrapped his arms around the girl. "Yeah . . . She's kinda afraid of spiders," he explained, as if that hadn't been made clear. "Old grudge between Athena and Arachne."

"Oh." Eurytion blushed. "I'm sorry."

The spider scuttled through the bars of the cattle guard and fled into the maze.

"That thing's not waiting on us," Percy said. "We need to go."

Annabeth hated the idea, but had no other choice. They all said farewell to Eurytion, then took off the bars and ran back into the maze.

TRYING TO keep up with the spider was practically impossible with how fast it moved. The only reason none of them lost it was due to Tyson and Grover's hyperactive hearing, which let them know at least which direction to go.

They had made a through an assortment of different tunnels and caverns, before making a sharp right and almost falling straight into an abyss. If Magdalena hadn't grabbed the back of Percy's shirt and yanked him backward, he would've fallen straight down.

"Do you have any sense of direction?" Magdalena asked as she hauled him backward, his shoulder blades colliding with her's.

Percy, despite just experiencing a near-death experience, sent her a smirk. "I have you," he replied, shrugging. Lena just rolled her eyes. She was glad it was dark in the room so he couldn't see her blushing.

The rest of the room continued on the other side of the abyss, with a hundred feet of pure darkness separating them. The only way to get across was by a collection of rusty iron bars that scaled the ceiling. The spider was already halfway across the trench, swinging on the bars with metal web fiber.

"Monkey bars," Annabeth grinned. "Awesome. I always was good at these."

"Glad you're experienced," Magnus grumbled.

Annabeth hopped up on the first bar and began to glide across the pit like it was nothing. The girl was petrified of a tiny metal spider, but could care less about monkey-barring across a bottomless pit of certain death. Go figure.

Percy went next, then Magdalena, who kept pestering him to move faster.

"Percy, my hands are starting to sweat," Lena complained from behind him. "Hurry up!"

If Percy could turn around, his glare would've burned straight into her skull. "I'm trying not to die?"

"Yeah, and my wrists feel like they're about to peel off my body. Hurry— up!"

"Both of you start swinging," Magnus ordered. "I've got about fifteen seconds before I'm dropping."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Most dramatic siblings I've ever met," he muttered, but continued forward anyways.

He helped Lena get off the last rung once he finished, noticing that her wrists had started to flare up again from the burns. Suddenly, he felt embarrassed that he was annoyed at her just moments before. He thought she was kidding about her wrists hurting— just a jab at him to prove how slow he was going. He'd forgotten that her wrists were still fried from burning herself the day before.

Gods, he was a total loser.

"Lena, I'm sorry," he said, staring at her angry red wrists. She rubbed them distractedly as she watched Tyson give Grover a piggyback ride across the monkey bars. "I . . . I forgot about your wrists."

Magdalena gave him a wiry smile. "I was just messing with you, Shark Boy," she said. "My wrists are fine."

Percy pursed his lips. "I hate when you do that."

Lena grinned. "Do what?"

"That." Percy pointed at her accusingly.

Lena frowned. Her eyes sparkled with amusement. She was totally fucking with him, and he knew it. "I'm not sure I understand."

Percy huffed, poking her chest with his finger. "Lena— "

"Let's go, you slowpokes!" Annabeth yelled from deeper in the tunnel.

  Magdalena grinned again. "Guess your lecture will have to wait."

  She turned and ran down the tunnel, the rest of the group following behind her. They continued deeper into the maze, sprinting to keep track of the spider the best they could until they broke through into a large room.

  Almost immediately, and blazing light casted down on them, momentarily blinding the group. When Lena's eyes settled, the first thing she saw were skeletons. Dozens of them, scattered around the room. Some were old and white, while others were . . . Not so old, and not just dry bones.

  Then her eyes turned to the monster. She was perched on a dazzling stool on the other end of the cavern. Her body was sleek and muscular of that of a lion, while her head was female. Her hair was slicked back and she had on pounds of face makeup, which seemed to distort her beauty. There was a pendant clipped on her chest that said: THIS MONSTER HAS BEEN RATED EXEMPLARY!

  Tyson took a step back. "Sphinx."

He had every reason to be scared. When he was a baby cyclops, he'd gotten attacked by a Sphinx in New York. The scars on his back were still there to show it.

The only way out was behind the beast. The metal spider glided across the room, disappearing down the tunnel across the room.

Annabeth moved to follow it, but the monster snarled, and steel beams slammed down on the entrance and exit of the room, trapping them.

But then, a radiant smile on the Sphinx's face.

"Welcome, worthy heroes!" She beamed. "Are we ready to play ANSWER THAT RIDDLE?!"

  Artificial applause sounded through the entire room, blasting through speakers that were lined on the ceiling. The spotlights flashed across the room as confetti rained down on to the skeletons around them.

  "Where the hell are we?" Magnus deadpanned.

  "Great rewards!" The Sphinx beamed. "If you pass my test, you get to move forward! If you fail, I get to eat you! Which of you will be our lucky contestant?"

  "I'll handle this," Annabeth whispered. "I've heard of this before. I know the riddle."

  Nobody argued much. Of course, none of them wanted Annabeth to get eaten alive by the Sphinx, but Annabeth was a daughter of Athena. Riddles and tests were kind of her thing.

  Annabeth approached the stage, having to push off an old skeleton wearing a janitor's uniform. It clattered on to the floor, its bones scattering across the ground.

  "Sorry," Annabeth said to it.

  "Welcome, Annabeth Chase!" The Sphinx bellowed, seemingly already knowing her name. "Are you ready to begin?"

  "Yes." Annabeth nodded. "Ask the riddle."

  "Ah, twenty riddles, actually!" The monster cried happily.

  Annabeth frowned. "Twenty? I thought there was only— "

  "We have raised our expectations! In order to advance, you must correctly answer all twenty questions. So wonderful!"

  Annabeth turned to the group nervously. Magdalena smiled encouragingly, Percy and Magnus sending her two thumbs up.

  Annabeth took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

  A drumroll exploded from the speakers. The Sphinx was practically shaking with excitement. "What . . . Is the capital of Bulgaria?"

  Annabeth stared at her, her face falling into confusion.

  "Uh . . . Sofia," she answered. "But— "

  "Correct!" A round of applause. "Do be sure to bubble in your answer fully with your number 2 pencil."

  "Huh?" Annabeth shook her head in disbelief. A scantron sheet appeared in front of her, along with a stack of number 2 pencils.

  "If you must change your answer, please be sure to fully erase your previous one. The machine will invalidate your test if there are two answers marked."

  "Machine?"

  The Sphinx's paw gestured to a large mechanical machine with dozens of levers and switches around it. A big Greek letter Êta was engraved in the bronze, the mark of Hephaestus.

  "Moving on," the monster said, "what is— "

  "Stop," Annabeth cut her off. "I thought the riddle was 'What walks on four legs in the monrning'?"

  The Sphinx sighed, her excitement quickly dulling into annoyance. "Excuse me?"

  "The riddle about man. He walks on four legs in the morning, like a baby, two legs in the afternoon, like an adult, and three legs in the evening, like an old man with a cane. That was the riddle you asked back in the old days."

  "Precisely why we raised our standards!" The monster exclaimed. "You knew the answer before I even asked it. Now, what is the square root of sixty four?"

  "Eight," Annabeth answered. "Hold on— "

  "Good! Which U.S president signed the Emancipation Proclamation?"

  "Lincoln, but— "

  "Correct! How much— "

  "Stop it!" Annabeth screamed.

  Magdalena internally sighed. She wanted to be mad at Annabeth, but she knew it was in her nature to challenge herself. These questions were almost offensive with how easy they were. Her hubris was practically in overdrive.

  "These questions are easy," Annabeth said.

  "No they are not!" The Sphinx snapped. "They are riddles, specifically designed to— "

  "These aren't riddles," Annabeth argued. "You're asking me random, meaningless facts. Riddles are supposed to challenge you. Make you think."

  "Think?" The monster retorted. "Why would I give a test on thinking? There's no point in that! Riddle four, how much force is needed— "

  "I'm not answering these!" Annabeth said hardly. "This test is ridiculous."

  "Annabeth," Grover called nervously. "I know you're annoyed, but, maybe just answer then first and complain after?"

  "I'm a daughter of Athena," Annabeth said. "This test is offensive to my skill. I'm not completing it."

  The excitement in the room grew tense, fast. The Sphinx's dark eyes glared at Annabeth.

  "Well, my dear," she said collectively. "If you choose to not complete the test, then you failed. Which means you'll be EATEN!"

  The Sphinx bared her fangs, and pounced straight at Annabeth.

  "No!" Tyson charged. He hated when people threatened Annabeth and Magdalena, but for him to attack the Sphinx after having such a traumatic experience with one as a baby, was extremely brave.

  The monster and Tyson collided midair and slammed on to the floor into a pile of skeletons. Annabeth was given just enough time to draw her dagger, while Tyson rose, his shirts in pieces. The Sphinx roared, her eyes scanning the room.

  Magnus unsheathed his sword and stood in front of Annabeth.

  "Turn invisible," he told her.

  "I can fight!"

  "Not right now!" He ordered. "That thing is after you! We'll handle it."

  To prove Magnus's point, the Sphinx tossed Tyson aside and went to bolt past Magnus. Magdalena took a swipe at her with her sword, managing to cut her underbelly. She wailed in pain. Annabeth, realizing the danger, stuck her cap on her head and disappeared, just as the beast when the pounce on the place she was just standing.

  "What?!" She yelled. "Cheater!"

Without Annabeth to attack, the Sphinx wheeled toward Percy and Magdalena. She wasn't able to make a move, since Tyson launched the monster's grading machine at her head, the industrial box shattering into pieces.

"No!" The Sphinx wailed. "My grading machine! I can't be exemplary without my scores!"

The steel grates blocking the exits disappeared. At once, the entire group bolted for the back tunnel, hoping Annabeth was following their lead.

The beast quickly turned on them, but they were ready this time. Magnus grabbed one of the brass pipes that had fallen of the grading machine and threw it like a javelin straight at the Sphinx's head. The beast got nailed with the blunt side of the pipe, sending her ten feet backwards, but it gave the group just enough time to escape.

Just as Grover bolted through the exit, the bars slammed down behind them.

"Annabeth!" Lena yelled.

"I'm with you!" She said in the girl's ear. "Keep going!"

They raced through the corridors, the faint sound of the Sphinx wailing about how she's going to have to hand-grade the rest of her tests fading as they went deeper and deeper into the Labyrinth.

  THEY RAN until the spider finally stopped in front of a large, submarine-style metal door, the little creature banging its head against it. On the center of the door was a Greek Êta symbol— they'd made it to Hephaestus's forge.

  Everyone glanced at each other.

  "Ready?" Annabeth asked.

  "No," Percy admitted.

  "Yes!" Tyson beamed, and turned the wheel for the door to open.

  Immediately, they were brought into a room that seemed to never end, with ceilings so high they couldn't see the stop. It was like a mechanic's repair garage but times fifty. There were deconstructed automatons suspended by cords above them, while different car parts were hanging off the sides of vehicles. There was an entire war chariot that was made of fire, and a bronze lion that was hooked to a battery charger the size of a truck.

  On the ground level, there was dozens of smaller projects littering the worktables that were scattered all around. Magdalena tried to take everything in, but once she saw one thing, she turned her head and saw twenty other different projects that blew her mind.

  Then, they heard a scuffle, and they saw a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a 98' Toyota Corolla. One of the legs was in a metal brace, with both feet wearing shoes that were bigger than Tyson's.

  The mechanical spider whizzed beneath the car, and the drilling sound stopped.

  "Well," a gruff voice said from beneath the car. "What've we got here?"

  The man slid out from the car and stood. Even though Lena had seen Hephaestus last winter on Olympus, his presence still sent a chill down her back.

  He was large— and she meant large. He had on a gray, faded jumpsuit with the name Hephaestus engraved on the chest pocket. It was stained with oil and dirt, and every time he stepped, his metal brace creaked. He had a disproportionate head and black, smoky beard that occasionally sparked with flames. His fingers were thick and dirty, but he held and dissected the spider with insane skill. He took it apart and put it back together within seconds.

  Hephaestus grunted in approval. "Better."

  The spider jumped a few times in his hand, then swung away along the pipes on the ceiling.

  When Hephaestus saw them, he scowled. "I didn't make any of you, did I?"

  "Um," Annabeth swallowed, "no."

  "Thank gods," he muttered. "Bad craftsmanship."

  Magnus looked offended.

  The god observed the four humans. "Half-bloods," he confirmed. "You four don't look like automatons. Not bulky enough."

"Sir, we've met," Percy said.

"We did?" Hephaestus asked, not paying much attention to the conversation as he continued to study the workings of each of them. Seeing how their elbows were geared, maybe how their jaws were set. "Well, if I didn't kill ya' when we last met, guess I have no reason to now."

He glanced over Grover. "Satyr." But then he stopped when he saw Tyson. His eyes twinkled. "Cyclops. Very good. What's your business traveling with these folk?"

Tyson stared mystically at the god. "Gah . . . "

Hephaestus nodded. "Right." He turned back to the rest of them. "I hope you lot have a valid reason for barging into my forge. This Corolla's underbelly's got some serious issues that aren't gonna hold much longer."

"Sorry, sir," Lena said nervously. "We need your help, that's all. We're trying to find Daedalus— "

"Daedalus?" Hephaestus bellowed. His beard exploded into flames. "You dare find that old inventor? That rascal?"

Magdalena blinked. "Uh . . . Yes."

Hephaestus's flames stopped, and he huffed. "Don't waste your energy." He hobbled over to one of his work tables and picked up a pile of scrap metal. His hands blurred, and when they stopped, a bronze pigeon extended wings and flew around the room.

  Tyson cried out in glee as the pigeon sat on his shoulder, nuzzling its metal face against Tyson's cheek.

  Hephaestus stared at him with affection, though his scowl never faded. "You have something to tell me, young Cyclops."

  Tyson's happiness faded. He nodded solemnly. "My lord, we . . . We met a Hundred-Handed One."

Hephaestus pursed his lips, unsurprised. "Briares?"

"Yes. He was afraid. He left us."

"And you did not like that."

"It upset me!" Tyson said sadly. "Briares is supposed to be strong! He is supposed to lift mountains! But he abandoned us."

Hephaestus nodded. "I too admired the Hundred-Handed Ones, back in the old days. But, everyone changes, Cylcops. Even gods, and even creatures as strong as Briares. Think about my innocent, loving mother, Hera. She will gloat about keeping the family together, right? That didn't stop her from tossing me off Mount Olympus as a baby after seeing my ugly face."

"I thought Zeus did that," Percy said.

Hephaestus chuckled, which sounded like a faulty car engine. "She enjoys telling people that, doesn't she?"

He cleared his throat. "Pushing the blame on dad makes her look better. My mother always says family is important, but she likes a specific type of family. A perfect one. She saw me for one second and decided I don't quite fit the image she's trying to present."

The god plucked the metal pigeon from the air, and took the entire thing apart by plucking out its wing.

"Look, Tyson," Hephaestus grumbled. "It's easier to trust yourself, not others. The work of your own hands will never fail you."

Magdalena didn't exactly agree with that. She thought back on their quest last summer, and how Talos had been the cause of Bianca Di Angelo's life. But, to the god, it was just another defective model in his junkyard. It didn't mean anything.

Hephaestus's eyes zeroed in on Percy. He hummed. "This one doesn't like me much," he mused. "Good thing I've gotten used to that. What do you want from me, little hero?"

"We've already told you," Percy said. "We need directions to Daedalus's workshop. If we don't find him before Luke does, he'll use Ariadne's string to navigate the Labyrinth. He's going to attack camp— "

"Listen here, boy," Hephaestus interrupted. "You're searching for a man who doesn't want to be found. He won't help you."

"Why not?"

The god shrugged. "That inventor learned not to trust people the hard way. Request gold, or a flaming steed. I can give it you without problem. But directions to Daedalus? That is a rich request."

"So you do know where he is," Annabeth said.

"It's not wise to seek him out, girl."

"My mother says looking is the nature of wisdom."

"And who is your mother?" Hephaestus asked.

"Athena."

"Should've known." Hephaestus huffed. "Great goddess, Athena. Always disappointed that she pledged to never marry. Very well, girl. I shall give you the answers you desire, but with a price. I need a favor done."

"Name it," Annabeth said.

Hephaestus laughed, for real this time, like a mallet pounding against a gong. "Silly heroes," he bellowed, "never thinking twice on their promises. So invigorating!"

  He pulled a small lever down on a worktable, and a huge TV screen slid out of the wall, showing a smoking mountain surrounded by deep forest.

  "Mount St. Helens," Grover recognized. "Lovely woods around there. Great vegetation."

  Hephaestus nodded. "Used to be my favorite forge."

  "Used to?" Magnus said. "What happened?"

  Hephaestus stared grimly at the screen. "That mountain's where Typhon remains, trapped beneath the surface. He was originally under Mount Etna, but he transferred to Mount St. Helens when we shifted to America. We always run the risk of him escaping, more so now than ever. There's been frequent eruptions lately. He's going restless with the rise of Kronos."

  "And . . . What?" Percy asked. "You want us to fight him or something?"

  Hephaestus scoffed. "That's a one way ticket to the Underworld, my boy. Even us gods turned tail and ran when he was free in the first Titan war. I pray you never encounter him. But, in these times of tension, I've felt intrusion in the forges. Every time I go to investigate, it is barren, but I know they're being used. The little scoundrels disappear when they sense me coming. I've tried sending my automatons to look, but none come back. There's something ancient there. Evil. I want to find out what beast dares to intrude on my territory, and if they plan to release Typhon."

  "So you want us to go look for you," Percy summed up.

  "Correct," the god said. "Investigate the mountain. They most likely won't know you're coming. You're not gods."

  "Thanks for making that clear," Magnus muttered.

  "Investigate all you can," Hephaestus ordered. "Come find me after, and I'll answer your questions on Daedalus."

  "Deal." Annabeth nodded. "But how do we get there?"

  Hephaestus snapped his fingers. Their spider-friend came scuttling back toward them. Annabeth took a few steps back when it stopped by her shoes.

  "Our little friend will lead you there," Hephaestus said. "You'll be there soon enough. The forge is not very far from here. But, do try and keep your heads, please. Human lives are much weaker than those of automatons."

ANNA'S NOTES!
Who's gonna tell Magdalena that suicidal tendencies aren't going to get Percy on his knees for her

Also let's talk about the fact that Nico is literally 12 and is having to go through this shit... Lena pls rise as the mother who stepped up

Side note— GUYS. Please don't be silent readers!!! Yalls comments are literally what motivate me to keep writing and I giggle and kick my feet every time I see them so PLSPSLLS comment (this is me begging.. take this seriously)

I love all of you guys sm and love seeing ur thoughts on my book and responding to them💝💗💗💝U guys fr make life worth living (good morning Justin Bieber)