ROYAL CRIES
━━ chapter nine

━━ ONE WEEK SINCE the Mount St. Helens explosion. A week since Annabeth and Elisa left the Labyrinth. No news—good or bad. Elisa had heard nothing about Grover, Tyson, or Percy. The quest had been put to a halt. Everyone walked around her and Annabeth as if they were walking in a minefield.

No one ever said anything, but Elisa got the distinct impression they were waiting for the two girls to be 'okay' enough to suggest the idea of resuming the quest.

Elisa would rather them just say it to her face while calling her a bitch than treating her like a porcelain doll. She would rather throw herself back in the Labyrinth to occupy her mind than to give herself time to think.

It seemed to everyone that the daughter of madness was numb. To some degree, they were right. She no longer felt the burning behind her eyes or in the back of her throat. She didn't have any more tears to give—in front of people or behind closed doors.

Elisa tried telling herself she wasn't the only one who lost Percy. ( Though no matter how much her mind was telling her she had lost the most. ) Camp Half-Blood had lost Percy. Percy was a friend to many, like Charles and Silena, and he was Annabeth's best friend. There weren't many campers that felt like children to Chiron, but Percy was one of them. His missing presence was felt all over Camp Half-Blood.

That's why the girl threw herself back into the investigation of the Labyrinth head first. Ignoring the disapprovements of everyone. Even Clarisse was trying to drag the girl back to Cabin Twelve to get her to rest.

Drew stood in the open doorway of the cabin. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were solemn. "Clarisse told you to sleep."

"I found a new lead that I think could help Chris," Elisa mumbled, marking out a sentence that was scrawled in a notebook.

Drew eyed the notebook; the composition notebook with Post-it notes and slivers of paper sticking out. "You're dad's gonna get back here soon, so if you just wait for him to get back—"

"I've got to try!" she snapped angrily. Elisa's eyes were cold and hardened.

She took a deep breath, closing the notebook, the pen still inside. "Sorry. I didn't ... I don't think the lead will work anyway."

"I think you need to sleep," Drew said; her voice held a calming tone to it. "You can look at that new lead tomorrow after breakfast."

Charmspeak, Elisa recognized it immediately. Her eyelids grew heavy, feeling as if her mind was glossing over. Drew watched the girl carefully, grabbing the notebook and laying it gently on the bed nearby.

"Sleep," the daughter of Aphrodite repeated.

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Dreams tormented Elisa's mind and tested her sanity. The daughter of madness expected the same one, the same one that had been haunting her since that day in Durango. Or the dreams of people descending into madness, what had been the last straw for their sanity.

But this time ... it was different. Different because her mind was taunting the girl for things she hadn't done.

The first thing Elisa noticed was the beach she was standing on. If she hadn't been so on guard, the girl might have been able to enjoy the view. The sky was orange, pink, and yellow, it looked as if Apollo had taken the time to paint the sunset. The waves were crashing softly against the shore, washing over Elisa's feet. But the hems on Elisa's pants didn't get wet, almost a comforting reminder that she was in a dream.

Nothing could harm her—physically, at least.

A laugh carried down the length of the beach. A laugh that made Elisa's heart skip a beat. She knew that laugh.

Without a second thought, Elisa started running. She struggled through to the sand. And no matter how much she wanted to yell out "Percy!" nothing left her mouth. As she made it on land and ran through the worn-down dirt path, she saw him.

Percy looked alive, and not only alive, but he also looked healthy and happy. He looked happier than Elisa had seen him in a long time. His hair was tousled from the breeze, the warm colors of the sky made his skin almost shine, and his eyes were swirling with happiness.

Percy was walking down the rest of the path, and Elisa followed him like a lost puppy. She followed him through the trees and further from the beach, and then, they came upon a beautiful garden.

And there was a girl tending to the flowers. She was undeniably gorgeous, Elisa wouldn't have been shocked to hear that she was a long-lost daughter of Aphrodite.

The girl had almost eyes, caramel-colored hair, and porcelain skin. She had on no makeup ( not like she needed any, her skin was also bare of ugly blemishes ), and was wearing a white toga with gold details. Her beauty was timeless, whoever the girl was; she didn't need makeup, or any elaborate outfit to enhance her beauty. She could've worn a paper bag and still made it fashionable.

The girl stood up, dusting off her hands, and spotted a small bird's nest. One of the birds hopped down from the nest and onto her finger, the animal chirping happily to her.

That's when Elisa saw the expression on Percy's face. And that's when it felt like her heart got clawed out of her chest all over again. The son of Poseidon's eyes were peaceful, and content, and he had a small smile playing on his lips. For once, he looked relaxed.

And the mystery girl looked at him, her eyes gleaming cheerfully.

The mystery girl and Percy shared a smile. Elisa would rather face Maurelle a hundred more times if that was a sight she could have never seen.

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Whoever sent Elisa the dream of Percy and the mystery girl wanted her to suffer. And they were doing a hell of a job. She lived with that dream for two days before saying anything.

Drew's eyes were sympathetic. "You're not gonna like my answer," she confessed. "I mean, I think I know where he's at, and ..."

"You think I like any of this?" Elisa rolled her eyes. "Just tell me."

"Ogygia," said the daughter of Aphrodite. "With Calypso."

Elisa wasn't as phased as Drew expected. The daughter of love seemed to have expected her to start screaming with agony.

Drew blinked. "You do know who Calypso is—?"

"Of course I know who Calypso is!" Elisa said angrily.

The two girls were on the porch of the Big House, sitting where Dionysus and Chiron normally played pinochle. It was an odd place to have such a conversation, but it was the most private place to have a conversation at the moment. Even if people didn't talk to Annabeth and Elisa, they still hung around them, almost like they were waiting to see if they would say anything about what they had seen in the maze.

However, the last thing Elisa wanted to hear what that Percy was on the island of Ogygia with Calypso. Calypso was cursed to fall in love with whatever hero landed on her island, and the hero was cursed to fall in love with her, but there was a catch: The hero she fell in love with would never be able to stay with her, they always had some duty to attend to.

But Percy had been gone for over a week, and he looked perfectly healthy when she saw him ... so maybe ...

Elisa brushed back her hair, sighing heavily. "He looked healthy in the dream, and that was days ago, and he still hasn't shown up ..."

"So what if he is choosing to stay with Calypso?" Drew finished.

Elisa would have preferred if he did. Percy was perfectly healthy and seemed perfectly happy, so if Calypso and her stupid island made him that happy, let him rot there. It was seeming that he didn't want to come back, to prove his mother right that he wasn't dead, to see his friends again, to give everyone the relief of actually being alive.

She never vocalized this, except to Drew. The daughter of madness didn't want to disappoint everyone that their savior, Perseus Jackson, was choosing to run from his problems. Perhaps that was for the best for everyone. It was easier to believe someone is dead rather than being somewhere else happy while they were all suffering, even on the brink of a world-ending war.

Perhaps if Elisa was in Percy's shoes, having the weight of such a prophecy on her shoulders, she would take a way out that was so easily presented to her.

But that didn't stop her from being angry.

Drew's brows were furrowed as she traced the lines along the table. "Do you think he would?" she asked.

"At this point," said Elisa, "since he hasn't come back, yeah."

"If he doesn't show up by the two-week mark, Chiron is going to hold a ceremony," said Drew. "They're gonna burn a shroud made in his honor."

"I know," said Elisa, picking at the skin around her nails. "Chiron asked if I'd like to design it with Annabeth, but I told him it would be 'too hard for me' or something."

"Do you think Chiron thinks he's dead?" Drew asked. "Percy, I mean."

"Even if he doesn't believe, there's not been a sign of Percy actually alive," said Elisa. "And I'm sure as hell not telling him my dream."

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Then it became two weeks. Chiron could no longer say that Percy was only missing.

"After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his best surviving friend to do the final honors," said the centaur.

Elisa looked at the crowd of demigods watching her and Annabeth. Everyone was facing them, respectfully watching as Annabeth took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and sat it on the flames.

Annabeth looked over her shoulder at Elisa, her piercing grey eyes scanning the daughter of Dionysus. Annabeth took a deep breath before facing the audience. That's when Elisa truly noticed the daughter of Athena's appearance: She looked terrible, with her hair tangled, her eyes puffy from crying, and her lips cracked.

But Annabeth managed to say, "He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He ..." Then her eyes locked on something behind the crowd, and her face went blood red. Elisa followed her line of sight, feeling as if someone had just smacked her over the head.

"He's right there!" Annabeth yelled. The girl was right next to Elisa, but it felt as if her voice was miles away.

Elisa was barely able to register the campers gasping, turning their heads in disbelief. After two weeks, the fucking dumbass had the gale to show his face at his own funeral. Percy was the same as he had been, perfectly healed, even wearing new clothes given to him by Calypso.

Elisa watched, rooted to the ground, as Percy was swarmed by happy campers. Loud curses were thrown from the Ares cabin, Clarisse rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe Percy had the nerve to survive. Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him.

"Well," he sighed with obvious relief. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—"

But Annabeth ran for the boy. "Percy Jackson!" she yelled, pushing aside campers to make room for herself. She hugged him tightly, looking relieved. "We thought you were dead, Seaweed Brain!"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I got lost."

Elisa rolled her eyes silently. Drew let out a shocked laugh, looking back at the girl. That's when it seemed Percy noticed Elisa wasn't there either, fawning over him like the rest of the camp.

Annabeth's jaw had dropped. "Lost?" she yelled. "Two weeks, Percy? Where in the world—?"

"Annabeth," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

Without waiting for any answers, the centaur picked up Annabeth and Percy as easily as if they were kittens, and slung them both onto his back. He started cantering over to Elisa, ready to bring her to the Big House.

"I'll walk myself," she spat, turning on her heels to march towards the light-blue house.

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Elisa refused to look at Percy while he recounted his chain of events. He explained how he'd caused the explosion at Mount St. Helens and got blasted out of the volcano, been marooned—alone, he made sure to make clear—on an island, then Hephaestus had found him magically and told him he could leave. And so, a magic raft had carried him back to Camp Half-Blood.

Elisa was insulted that Percy thought they were dumb enough to believe his story.

"You've been gone for two weeks," Annabeth said with a steadier voice. "When we heard the explosion, I thought—"

"I know," Percy said. "I'm sorry, but—"

"Oh, for the love of the gods—" Elisa said harshly, rolling her eyes. "You're so fucking sorry that you stayed on that island for two weeks?"

The malice in her tone gave Percy the idea that she knew exactly what island he had been on.

Chiron cleared his throat uncomfortably. "We can't change what has already happened," he said. "But, Percy, you said you talked to Hephaestus, did he mention anything that could be useful to navigate the Labyrinth?"

Percy licked his lips, looking away from a fuming Elisa. "Yes. I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth when I talked to Hephaestus."

"He told you the answers?" Chiron asked.

"Well, he sort of told me that I already knew. And I do. I understand now."

"Not surprising that it took so long," Elisa grumbled under her breath.

Percy acted as if she hadn't spoken, telling everyone in the room his idea.

The more he spoke, the angrier Elisa became. She wanted to scream until her throat went raw. She wanted to punch Percy's stupidly pretty face. She wanted anyway to express a different kind of rage.

It was a miracle that she didn't scream, or that she didn't punch Percy. Elisa sat there, knuckles white, her palms with clear indentions of her fingernails.

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Percy, that's fucking crazy!" She looked at Elisa, waiting for some kind of reaction. "Elisa, you can't be going along with this!"

Elisa gave the boy on the other side of Annabeth a reproachful look. "I'm not saying anything else to him."

Chiron gave the daughter of wisdom a warning look for the language but said nothing otherwise. He sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard. "There is precedent, however. Theseus had the help of Ariadne. Harriet Tubman, daughter of Hermes, used many mortals on her underground railroad for just this reason."

"But this is my quest," Annabeth said. "I need to lead it."

Chiron looked uncomfortable. "My dear, it is your quest. But you need help."

"And this is supposed to help? Please! It's wrong. It's cowardly. It's—"

"—hard to admit we need a mortal's help," Percy said. "But it's true."

Annabeth gave the son of Poseidon a withering glare. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" And she stormed out of the room.

Percy stared at the doorway. "So much for being the bravest friend she's ever had."

"She meant idiotic." Elisa stood up, her wooden chair scraping against the floor loudly. "Personally, I think it's a horrible idea to follow any of Percy's ideas considering just how much of a fucking dumbass he is. Maybe he should have stayed on that little island drinking some tropical little drink all by himself. He would've done us all a huge favor."

The brunette stormed off, ignoring Percy's gapped mouth and Chiron's tired look.

"They will calm down," the girl heard Chiron promise distantly. "Elisa is only jealous, my boy."

"That's stupid," Percy sputtered. "She's not ... It's not like ..."

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What else was there to do besides locking herself in Cabin Twelve? There wasn't much Elisa could do outside of her cabin that didn't involve the risk of running into Percy ( that was the last thing she wanted to risk ).

When she went to bed that night, she dreamt of Nico's crazy ghost guide, Minos.

She was in a king's courtroom—a big white chamber with marble columns and a wooden throne. Sitting on it was a plump guy with curly red hair and a crown of laurels. At his side stood three girls who looked to be his daughters. They all had red hair and were dressed in identical blue robes.

The doors creaked open and a herald announced, "Minos, King of Crete!"

The man on the throne just smiled at his daughter. "I can't wait to see the expression on his face."

Minos, the royal creep, swept into the room. He was so tall and serious he made the other king look silly. Minos's pointed beard had already gone grey. He looked thinner than he had the last time Elisa had dreamed of him, and his sandals were spattered with mud. But that cruel look in his eyes was still all the same and ever so present.

He bowed stiffly to the man on the throne. "King Cocalus. I understand you have solved my little riddle?"

Cocalus smiled. "Hardly little, Minos. Especially when you advertise across the world that you are willing to pay a thousand gold talents to the one who can solve it. Is the offer genuine?"

Minos clapped his hands. Two buff guards walked in, struggling with a huge wooden crate. They set it at Cocalus's feet and opened it. Stacks of gold bars glittered in the light.

Cocalus whistled in amazement. "You must have bankrupted your kingdom for such a reward, my friend."

"That is not your concern."

Cocalus shrugged. "The riddle was quite simple, really. One of my retainers solved it."

"Father," one of the girls warned. She looked to be the oldest—looking slightly taller than her sisters.

Cocalus ignored her. He took a spiral seashell from the folds of his robe. A silver string had been threaded through it, so it hung like a huge bead on a necklace.

Minos stepped forward and took the shell. "One of your retainers, you say? How did he thread the string without breaking the shell?"

"He used an ant, if you can believe it. Tied a silk string to the little creature and coaxed it through the shell by putting honey at the far end."

"Ingenious man," Minos complimented.

"Oh, indeed. My daughters' tutor. They are quite fond of him."

Minos's eyes turned cold. "I would be careful of that."

Elisa wanted to warn Cocalus: 'Don't trust this guy! Throw him in the dungeon with some man-eating lions or something!' But the redheaded king just chuckled. "Not to worry, Minos. My daughters are wise beyond their years. Now, about my gold—"

"Yes," Minos said. "But, you see, the gold is for the man who solved the riddle. And there can be only one such man. You are harboring Daedalus."

Cocalus shifted uncomfortably on his throne. "How is it that you know his name?"

"He is a thief," Minos said. "He once worked in my court, Cocalus. He turned my own daughter against me. He helped a usurper make a fool of me in my own palace. And then he escaped justice. I have been pursuing him for ten years."

"I knew nothing of this. But I have offered the man my protection. He has been a most useful —"

"I offer you a choice," Minos said. "Turn over the fugitive to me, and this gold is yours. Or risk making me your enemy. You do not want Crete as your enemy."

Cocalus paled. Elisa thought it was stupid for him to look so scared in the middle of his own throne room. He should've summoned his army. Minos only had two guards. But Cocalus just sat there, sweating, on his throne.

"Father," his oldest daughter said, "you can't—"

"Silence, Aelia." Cocalus twisted his beard. He looked again at the glittering gold. "This pains me, Minos. The gods do not love a man who breaks his oath of hospitality."

"The gods do not love those who harbor criminals, either."

Cocalus nodded. "Very well. You shall have your man in chains."

"Father!" Aelia said again. Then she caught herself, and changed her voice to a sweeter tone. "At—at least let us feast with our guest first. After his long journey, he should be treated to a hot bath, new clothes, and a decent meal. I would be honored to draw the bath myself."

She smiled prettily at Minos, and the old king grunted. "I suppose a bath would not be amiss." He looked at Cocalus. "I will see you at dinner, my lord. With the prisoner."

"This way, Your Majesty," said Aelia. She and her sisters led Minos out of the chamber.

Aelia was up to something. She had a plan to get rid of Minos—Elisa didn't need to know the story to know that.

The daughter of Dionysus followed them into a bath chamber decorated with mosaic tiles. Steam filled the air. A faucet with running water was pouring hot water into the tub. Aelia and her sisters filled the tub with rose petals and the Ancient Greek version of Mr. Bubble, soon the water was covered with multicolored foam. The girls turned aside as Minos dropped his robes and slipped into the bath.

"Ah." He smiled. "An excellent bath. Thank you, my dears. The journey has been long indeed."

"You have been chasing your prey ten years, my lord?" Aelia asked, batting her eyelashes. "You must be very determined."

"I never forget a debt," Minos grinned. "Your father was wise to agree to my demands."

"Oh, indeed, my lord!" said Aelia. Elisa thought the girl was laying on the flattery thick, but Mino was enjoying every second of it. Aelia's sisters trickled scented oil over the king's head.

"You know, my lord," Aelia said, "Daedalus thought you would come. He thought the riddle might be a trap, but he couldn't resist solving it."

Minos frowned. "Daedalus spoke to you about me?"

"Yes, my lord."

"He is a bad man, princess. My own daughter fell under his spell. Do not listen to him."

"He is a genius," Aelia said. "And he believes a woman is just as smart as a man. He was the first ever to teach us as if we had minds of our own. Perhaps your daughter felt the same way."

Minos tried to sit up, but Aelia's sisters pushed him back into the water. Aelia came up behind him. She held three tiny orbs in her palm. At first, Elisa thought they were bath beads, but she threw them in the water and the beads sprouted bronze threads that began wrapping themselves around the king, tying him up at the ankles, binding his wrists to his sides, and circling his neck. Even though Elisa hated Minos, it was pretty horrible to watch. He thrashed and cried out, but the girls were much stronger. Soon he was helpless, lying in the bath with his chin just above the water. The bronze strands were still wrapping themselves around him like a cocoon, tightening across his body.

"What do you want?" Minos demanded. "Why do you do this?"

Aelia smiled. "Daedalus has been kind to us, Your Majesty. And I do not like you threatening our father."

"You tell Daedalus," Minos growled. "You tell him I will hound him even after death! If there is any justice in the Underworld, my soul will haunt him for eternity!"

"Brave words, Your Majesty," Aelia said. "I wish you luck finding your justice in the Underworld."

And with that, the bronze threads wrapped themselves around Minos's face, making him a bronze mummy.

The door of the bathhouse opened. Daedalus stepped in, carrying a traveler's bag. He'd trimmed his hair short. His beard was pure white. He looked frail and sad, but he reached down and touched the mummy's forehead. The threads unraveled and sank to the bottom of the tub. There was nothing inside them. It was as if King Minos had just dissolved.

"A painless death," Daedalus mused. "More than he deserved. Thank you, my princesses."

Aelia hugged him. "You cannot stay here, teacher. When our father finds out—"

"Yes," Daedalus said. "I fear I have brought you trouble."

"Oh, do not worry for us. Father will be happy enough taking that old man's gold. And Crete is a very long way away. But he will blame you for Minos's death. You must flee to somewhere safe."

"Somewhere safe," the old man repeated. "For years I have fled from kingdom to kingdom, looking for somewhere safe. I fear Minos told the truth. Death will not stop him from hounding me. There is no place under the sun that will harbor me, once word of this crime gets out."

"Then where will you go?" Aelia said.

"A place I swore never to enter again," Daedalus said. "My prison may be my only sanctuary."

"I do not understand," Aelia said.

"It's best you do not."

"But what of the Underworld?" one of her sisters asked. "Terrible judgment will await you! Every man must die."

"Perhaps," Daedalus said. Then he brought a scroll from his traveling bag—a scroll with all sorts of notes and drawings on them. "Or perhaps not."

He patted Aelia's shoulder, then blessed her and her sisters. He looked down once more at the coppery threads glinting in the bottom of the bath. "Find me if you dare, king of ghosts."

He turned towards the mosaic wall and touched a tile. A glowing mark appeared—a Greek Δ—and the wall slid aside. The princesses gasped.

"You never told us of secret passages!" Aelia said. "You have been busy."

"The Labyrinth has been busy," Daedalus corrected her. "Do not try to follow me, my dears, if you value your sanity."

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Elisa, Annabeth, and Argus stood in silence the next morning, waiting for Percy to arrive. Annabeth was thumbing the beads around her neck, quickly murmuring to herself, as if mulling over a conversation she had.

"Hey, Elisa," Annabeth started to say as they caught a glimpse of Percy's head rising on the crest of Half-Blood Hill.

"Yeah?" Elisa responded, heaving the door to the white van open.

Annabeth watched the girl oddly. "I am not sitting between you and Percy."

"And I'm not sitting next to him," countered Elisa. "I guess he'll have to sit on the top of the van. Hopefully, he'll fall off."

Annabeth looked like she would've smiled if she knew that Elisa wasn't joking. "Elisa, be serious."

"I am," insisted the brunette.

"You can't stay this mad at him forever," Annabeth pointed out.

"I can try." Elisa climbed inside, sitting on the other side of the van. She reached out and grabbed Annabeth by the arm when she didn't move and Percy started getting too close. A look of hurt flashed across the boy's face. Elisa acted as if she didn't notice and it didn't bother her.

The four didn't talk much in the van. Argus never spoke, not that Elisa blamed him considering that he had eyes all over his body. Elisa was sitting behind the driver's seat, arms crossed, and looking out the window. Annabeth looked queasy, as if she'd slept even worse than the girl beside her.

But Percy had a hard time sitting in silence. "Bad dreams?" he asked the blonde.

Annabeth shook her head. "An Iris Message from Eurytion."

Elisa suddenly became interested in the conversation. "Eurytion? Did he call about Nico?"

"He left the ranch last night, heading back into the maze."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" grumbled Elisa. "Why didn't Eurytion try to stop him?"

"Nico was gone before he woke up. Orthus tracked his scent as far as the cattle grid. Eurytion said he'd been hearing Nico talk to himself the last few nights. Only now he thinks Nico was talking with the ghost again, Minos."

"He's in danger," Percy pointed out the obvious.

"No shit," Elisa said cooly. "Minos has a mean streak a mile wide. I don't even want to think about what he wants with Nico—"

"That's not what I meant, Elisa," said Percy. "I had this dream last night ..." The son of Poseidon told the two about his dream about Luke, how the son of Hermes mentioned Quintus, and how Luke's men had found a half-blood alone in the maze.

Elisa paled. She rubbed at her eyes. "Gods, I hope that half-blood isn't Nico."

Percy had his eyes trained on Elisa worriedly. "What do we do?"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Well, it's a good thing you have a plan to guide us, huh?"

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It was Saturday, and traffic was heavy going into New York City. The three arrived at Jackson's apartment around noon. When Sally, Percy's mom, answered the door, she brought her son into a huge hug. Elisa's mind gave her the painful reminder of what kind of mom she had growing up, but all the girl did was try and shake that thought of her mind.

"I told them you were all right," Sally said, but she sounded like the weight of the sky had just been lifted off her shoulders—and Elisa knew exactly what that felt like.

Percy's mother sat them down at the kitchen table and insisted on feeding them her special blue chocolate-chip cookies while they caught her up on the quest. Percy seemed to be taking out the frightening part as best as he could ( which was pretty much the entire quest ), but his avoidance of the story only made things sound more ominous.

When Percy got to the part about Geryon and the stables, his mother pretended like she was going to strangle him. "I can't get him to clean his room, but he'll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some monster's stables!"

Elisa chuckled to herself. If the state of Cabin Three was anything to go by, she knew what to expect from his bedroom. Mid laughter, the girl caught Percy looking at her, smiling to himself. For a second, everything seemed normal—as normal as things could ever be between them. However, the moment ended when Elisa stopped laughing and looked away from him.

"So," Sally said when Percy was done with the story, "you wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St. Helens explode, and displaced half a million people, but at least you're safe."

"Yep," the son of Poseidon agreed. "That pretty much covers it."

"I wish Paul were here," she said, half to herself. "He wanted to talk to you."

"Oh, right. The school." Percy swallowed nervously. "What did you tell him?"

Ms. Jackson shook her head. "What could I say? He knows something is different about you, Percy. He's a smart man. He believes that you're not a bad person. He doesn't know what's going on, but the school is pressuring him. After all, he got you admitted there. He needs to convince them the fire wasn't your fault, and, since you ran away, that looks bad."

As angry as Elisa was with Percy, she almost felt sympathetic for him. It was never easy for demigods in the mortal world.

"I'll talk to him," promised Percy. "After we're done with this quest. I'll even tell him the truth if you want."

His mom put her hand on his shoulder. "You would do that?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, he'll think we're crazy."

"He already thinks that."

"Then there's nothing to lose."

"Thank you, Percy. I'll tell him you'll be home ..." She frowned. "When? What happens now?"

Annabeth broke her cookie in half while Elisa stuffed her mouth with a blue cookie. "Percy has this plan," said the blonde.

Reluctantly Percy told his mom.

She nodded slowly. "It sounds very dangerous. But it might work."

"You have the same abilities, don't you?" Percy asked. "You can see through the Mist."

Sally sighed. "Not so much now. When I was younger it was easier. But, yes, I've always been able to see more than was good for me. It's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. Just be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."

"We'll try, Ms. Jackson," said Elisa. "It's kinda hard, though." She looked out the kitchen window, her jaw clenched. Percy picked at his napkin, gnawing on his bottom lip.

Sally frowned. "What's going on with you two? Have you been fighting?"

Neither Elisa nor Percy said anything.

"I see," said Ms. Jackson; her tone made Elisa wonder if she could see through more than just the Mist. It sounded like she understood what was going on with Elisa and Percy, even if they weren't sure. "Well, remember," she said, "Grover and Tyson are counting on you two."

"I know," Elisa and Percy said at the same time, making the brunette's face burn in embarrassment.

Sally smiled. "Percy, you'd better use the phone in the hall. Good luck."

Once Percy was out of the kitchen, Elisa's tense shoulders deflated. Annabeth and Sally chatted aimlessly, the daughter of Athena helping Sally put away the cookies.

"So," said Ms. Jackson, shutting the container to that batch of blue cookies, "you're Elisa?"

"Are you asking that as a good or bad thing?" responded the daughter of Dionysus. "'Cause that really depends on who you ask."

Sally smiled warmly. "Think of the question as a good thing. Everything I've heard from Percy has been good."

Annabeth grinned slyly from behind Sally's shoulder. Elisa flushed, wondering if Sally truly knew more than she was letting on. A ringer went off and Sally looked at the blonde. "Annabeth, would you be a dear and get that for me?"

"Of course, Ms. Jackson," said the blonde, making her way further into the kitchen.

Sally turned around to face Elisa again, leaning against the cabinets behind her. "I don't know what my son did," she admitted, "but I hear the way he talks about you. He cares for you more than either of you even realize."

Elisa was saved from answering when Annabeth called for the mother, asking where to set the freshly-bake batch. She ducked her head, swallowing the bile that gathered in her throat.

ˋˏ [ 👑 ] ˎˊ

Percy arranged a meeting in Times Square. They found Rachel Elizabeth Dare in front of the Marriott Marquis, and she was completely painted gold.

What Elisa meant was the mortal's face, her hair, her clothes—everything. She looked like she'd been touched by King Midas. She was standing like a statue with five other kids all painted metallic—copper, bronze, silver. They were frozen in different poses while tourists hustled past or stopped to stare. Some passersby threw money at the tarp on the sidewalk.

The sign at Rachel's feet said, URBAN ART FOR KIDS, DONATIONS APPRECIATED.

The three stood there for five minutes, staring at Rachel, but if she noticed them, she didn't let on. She didn't move or even blink, from what Elisa could see. The daughter of madness was growing more bored by the minute, she felt the longer she stared, the more likely her brain would turn to mush.

"Maybe if we push her over," Annabeth suggested.

"Maybe she'll move if we throw something at her," Elisa said, looking around for anything to grab.

Percy was frowning. "That's mean."

Elisa scowled at him. "Mean? Honestly, I think it's nice compared what I could do."

If Rachel heard them, she never let on. After another few minutes, a kid in silver walked up from the hotel taxi stand, where he'd been taking a break. He took a pose like he was lecturing the crowd, right next to Rachel. Rachel unfroze and stepped off the tarp.

"Hey, Percy." She grinned. "Good timing! Let's get some coffee."

"Right," Elisa muttered, "like I'm not here at all ..."

They walked down to a place called the Java Moose on West 43rd. Rachel ordered an Espresso Extreme, the kind of stuff Grover would like. Annabeth, Elisa, and Percy got fruit smoothies and they sat at a table right under the stuffed moose. Nobody even looked twice at Rachel in her golden outfit.

"So," she said. "It's Elise, right?"

"Elisa," the girl corrected through gritted teeth.

"Do you always dress in gold?" asked Annabeth suddenly.

"Not usually," Rachel said. "We're raising money for our group. We do volunteer art projects for elementary kids 'cause they're cutting art from the schools, you know? We do this once a month, take in about five hundred dollars on a good weekend. But I'm guessing you don't want to talk about that. You're both half-bloods, too?"

"Shut up!" Annabeth said, looking around. "Just announce it to the world, how about?"

"Okay." Rachel stood up and said, really loud, "Hey, everybody! These guys aren't human! They're half Greek god!"

Nobody even looked over. Rachel shrugged and sat down. "They don't seem to care."

"You think you're fucking hilarious, don't you?" Elisa hissed. "None of this is a joke, so stop treating it like one."

"Hold it," Percy said. "Let's chill for a second."

Elisa glared at him. "Tell me to calm down and I'll—"

"I'm calm," Rachel insisted. "Every time I'm around you, some monster attacks us. What's to be nervous about?"

"Your life," Elisa mumbled.

Percy sent the brunette a warning look. "Look," he said. "I'm sorry about the band room. I hope they didn't kick you out or anything."

"Nah. They asked me a lot of questions about you. I played dumb."

"Was it hard?" Annabeth sneered.

"Okay, stop!" Percy intervened. "Rachel, we've got a problem. And we need your help."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Annabeth and Elisa. "You two need my help?"

Elisa stirred the straw in her grape smoothie around. "Not me, this isn't my quest. Look at blondie over there."

The redhead turned to Annabeth, waiting for an answer.

"Maybe," the daughter of Athena admitted.

Percy told Rachel about the Labyrinth, and how they needed to find Daedalus. He told her what had happened the last few times they'd gone in.

"So you want me to guide you," said Rachel. "Through a place I've never been."

"You can see through the Mist," Percy said. "Just like Ariadne. I'm betting you can see the right path. The Labyrinth won't be able to fool you as easily."

"And if you're wrong?"

"Then we'll get lost. Either way—"

"And then we could die," Elisa added with a fake smile.

Rachel paled. "I could die?"

"Painfully." The daughter of Dionysus nodded.

"I thought Percy said monsters don't care about mortals. That sword of his—"

"Yeah," he said. "Celestial bronze doesn't hurt mortals. Most monsters would ignore you. But Luke ... he doesn't care. He'll use mortals, demigods, monsters, whatever. And he'll kill anyone who gets in his way."

"Nice guy," Rachel said.

"He's under the influence of a Titan," Annabeth said defensively. "He's been deceived."

"Deceived is not the word I would use ..." Elisa said to herself.

Rachel looked between the three demigods. "Okay," she said, "I'm in."

Percy blinked. He looked almost impressed. Elisa sank in her seat, scowling heavily.

"Are you sure?" he asked the redhead.

"Hey, my summer was going to be boring. This is the best offer I've had yet. So what do I look for?"

"We have to find an entrance to the Labyrinth," Annabeth said. "There's an entrance at Camp Half-Blood, but you can't go there. It's off-limits to mortals."

She said mortals like it was some sort of terrible condition, but Rachel just nodded.

"Okay. What does an entrance to the Labyrinth look like?" Rachel asked.

"It could be anything," Annabeth said. "A section of wall. A boulder. A doorway. A sewer entrance. But it would have the mark of Daedalus on it. A Greek Delta, glowing in blue."

"Like this?" Rachel drew the symbol 'Δ' in water on their table.

Elisa leaned forward. "You know Greek?" she asked.

"No," Rachel admitted. She pulled a big blue plastic hairbrush from her pocket and started brushing the gold out of her hair. "Let me get changed. You'd better come with me to the Marriott."

"Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Because there's an entrance like that in the hotel basement, where we store our costumes. It's got the mark of Daedalus."

👑  NOV. 7TH, 2022  /  elisa is such a jealous person so she's not gonna be happy in tlo

and that's all i'm gonna say on that :)

anyways, thoughts?? opinions??