chapter 31: daedalus's workshop

"Hoa!" Nico yelled. "Calm down! It's fine."

"She seemed quite... attached to you."

Nico refused to look at the empousa, knowing that it was the worst thing that he could do. He wasn't going to give into her voice that sounded sweet as honey, her touch that felt soft as a petal—

No.

For some reason, he thought he'd feel bad if he gave in. Like he was betraying Hoa. So the solution was just not to look at her. Simple.

That kind of backfired on him, though.

Kelli's hand moved from his chin to his neck, wrapping her soft fingers around his throat in a harsh manner. "Behave."

Nico choked, trying to breathe properly. He watched as Hoa froze, not wanting the empousa to hurt him.

This didn't seem to work though, since her beautiful eyes—now black—started flashing with a red hue. She was getting angrier.

"Hoa," he croaked out. "It's okay."

Kelli loosened the grip on his neck so he could speak better, seeing as he was trying to calm her down.

"Don't get angry. It's okay. I'm right here, see? Don't go killing anyone. Yet. We'll make it out of this."

He could tell that Hoa was beginning to come to her senses, so he reached a hand out for her to grab. "It's gonna be alright. Save it for later."

Hoa gripped his hand and blinked, pulling him away from Kelli. Her eyes turned red again, the menacing (and kinda hot) aura around her fading.

"What—"

Their hands were grabbed before they were chained. Spears poked their backs as they were forced to march forward.

"Bide your time, Hoa," he whispered. "We'll get out eventually. Just wait."

~•~•~

It seemed like they were reaching their destination soon. This part of the maze seemed newer, made out of stainless steel. Florescent lights glowed from the ceiling as their feet marched against the metal grate they walked on top of. It was like a space station.

Hoa squinted. This was a large contrast from the dark and gloomy maze from before. It took her a minute to focus, but by then, their captors stopped, prompting them to halt as well.

They arrived at a set of metal doors. Inscribed in the steel was a large blue delta—like the ones needed to open the entrance to the maze.

They broke the doors to the room that seemed like a workshop. The demigods were shoved inside, finding Percabeth, a hellhound (Hoa was pretty sure that was the one that helped them at the arena), and a swordsman, who she was pretty sure she had seen somewhere.

She squinted at the swordsman. "Oi, what are you doing here?"

"He's Daedalus," Percy said. "Or Quintus."

"The fuck?"

"Later," Quintus/Daedalus said, waving a hand dismissively.

Minos fixed his gaze on Daedalus. "There you are, my old friend."

Daedalus's jaw clenched. He looked at Kelli. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Luke sends his compliments," Kelli said. "He thought you might like to see your old employer, Minos."

"This was not part of our agreement," Daedalus said.

"No indeed," Kelli said. "But we already have what we want from you, and we have other agreements to honor. Minos required something from us in order to turn over this fine young demigod." She ran a finger under Nico's chin, making Hoa's jaw clench. "He'll be quite useful. And all Minos asked in return was your head, old man."

Daedalus paled. "Treachery."

"Get used to it," Kelli said.

Hoa and Nico side-eyed each other, Hoa coughing violently. "You trusted them?"

"Nico," Percy interrupted. "Are you okay?"

He nodded morosely. "I-I'm sorry, Percy. Minos told us that you were in danger. He convinced us to go back into the maze."

"You were trying to help us?"

"We were tricked," he said. "He tricked all of us."

"Not me," Hoa muttered. "Also, wasn't I your platonic daughter? What happened to my fatherly affection?"

"Nico is my son-in-law. Deal with it."

Hoa sputtered. "What—"

"Where's Luke?" Percy interrupted, looking at Kelli. "Why isn't he here?"

The she-demon smiled like she was sharing a private joke with friends. "Luke is... busy. He is preparing for the assault. But don't worry. We have more friends on the way. And in the meantime, I think I'll have a wonderful snack!" Her hands changed to claws. Her hair burst into flames and her legs turned into their disgusting true form-one donkey leg, one bronze.

"Percy!" Hoa could hear the mortal—Rachel—whispering. "The wings. Do you think—"

"Get them," Percy said. "I'll try to buy you some time."

And with that, all hell broke loose. Percabeth charged at Kelli. The giants came right at Daedalus, but the hellhound leaped to his defense. Nico and Hoa were pushed to the ground and struggled with their chains while the spirit of Minos wailed, "Kill the inventor! Kill him!"

Rachel grabbed the wings off the wall. Nobody paid her any attention. Kelli slashed at Annabeth. Percy tried to get to her, but the demon was quick and deadly. She turned over tables, smashed inventions, and wouldn't let us get close. Out of the corner of Hoa's eye, she saw the hellhound chomp her fangs into a giant's arm. He wailed in pain and flung her around, trying to shake her. Daedalus grabbed for his sword, but the second giant smashed the workbench with his fist, and the sword went flying. a clay jar of Greek fire broke on the floor and began to burn, green flames spreading quickly.

Nico had somehow managed to get out of his chains, using his Stygian iron sword to cut Hoa's chains and help her up.

"To me!" Minos cried. "Spirits of the dead!" He raised his ghostly hands and the air began to hum.

"No!" Nico cried.

"You do not control me, young fool," Minos sneered. "All this time, I have been controlling you! A soul for a soul, yes. But it is not your sister who will return from the dead. It is I, as soon as I slay the inventor!"

Soul for a soul.

Something inside Hoa resonated when he mentioned that phrase.

Spirits began to appear around Minos—shimmering forms that slowly multiplied, solidifying into Cretan soldiers.

Hoa drew her father's sword, Cánh, as she prepared to fight.

"I am the son of Hades," Nico insisted. "Begone!"

Minos laughed. "You have no power over me. I am the lord of spirits! The ghost king!"

"No." Nico raised his sword, pointing the tip to the ground. "I am."

He stabbed his black blade into the floor, and it cleaved through the stone like butter.

"Never!" Minos's form rippled. "I will not—"

The ground rumbled. The windows cracked and shattered to pieces, letting in a blast of fresh air. A fissure opened in the stone floor of the workshop, and Minos and all his spirits were sucked into the void with a horrible wail.

The bad news: the fight was still going on, and Hoa had just wasted time watching Nico. Kelli pounced on Percy, making his sword skitter away. He hit his head on the worktable as he fell.

Hoa ran over to them, sheathing Cánh and pulling out Lửa. She stabbed Kelli in the back, making her go rigid.

Her last words were "No... school... spirit..."

Weird, she thought.

Hoa took her knife out of the empousa's back. With an awful screech, Kelli dissolved into yellow vapor.

She helped Percy up. "C'mon. Quintus—I mean Daedalus—and the hellhound are still fighting the giants."

"Her name is Mrs. O'Leary."

"What?"

"Mrs. O'Leary," he repeated. "The name of the hellhound."

"Got it." Hoa nodded.

They stopped talking. They could hear more monsters coming.

"We have to help Daedalus!" Percy shouted, getting his sword.

"No time," Rachel said. "Too many coming!"

She'd already fitted herself with wings and was working on Nico, who looked pale and sweaty from his struggle with Minos. The wings grafted instantly onto his back and arms.

"Now you!" Rachel told Percy.

In seconds, Nico, Annabeth, Rachel, Percy, and Hoa had fitted themselves with copper wings. Already she could feel herself being lifted by the wind coming through the window. Greek fire was burning the tables and furniture, spreading up the circular stairs.

"Daedalus!" Percy yelled. "Come on!"

Quintus/Daedalus was cut in a hundred different places but bled golden oil instead of blood. He'd found his sword and was using part of a smashed table as a shield against the giants. "I won't leave Mrs. O'Leary!" he said. "Go!"

There was no time to argue. Even if they stayed, Hoa wasn't sure if they could help.

"None of us know how to fly!" Nico protested.

"Great time to find out," Percy said.

And they jumped out of the window.

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hi im madi, your loyal author ♥️

this is one of those chapters -_-

anyways

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MY MD BOOK IS FINISHED

anyways again

how was the chapter?

also, what are some questions of your own?

anyways, tysm for reading this crappy book! 😃