JAWBREAKER

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

"This way!" Rachel yelled.

"Why should we follow you?" Warren demanded. "You led us straight into that death trap!"

"It was the way you needed to go," Rachel said. "And so is this. Come on!"

Warren wasn't happy about it, but she ran along with the rest of them. Rachel seemed to know exactly where she was going. She whipped around corners and didn't even hesitate at crossroads. Once she said, "Duck!" and everyone crouched as a huge axe swung over their heads. Then they kept going as if nothing had happened.

Warren lost track of how many turns they made. They didn't stop to rest until they came to a room the size of a gymnasium with old marble columns holding up the roof. Warren stood at the doorway, listening for sounds of pursuit, but she heard nothing. Apparently they'd lost Luke and his minions in the maze.

Then Warren realized something else: Mrs. O'Leary was gone. She didn't know when she'd disappeared. She didn't know if she'd gotten lost or been overrun by monsters. Her heart turned to lead. Mrs. O'Leary saved their lives, and Warren hadn't even waited to make sure she was following them.

Ethan collapsed on the floor. "You people are crazy." He pulled off his helmet. His face gleamed with sweat.

Annabeth gasped. "I remember you! You were one of the undetermined kids in the Hermes cabin, years ago."

He glared at her. "Yeah, and you're Annabeth. I remember."

Warren felt guilty. She didn't remember him at all. But she couldn't stop herself from asking, "What happened to your eye?"

Ethan looked away, and she got the feeling that was one subject he would not discuss.

"You must be the half-blood from my dream," Warren changed the conversation. "The one Luke's people cornered. It wasn't Nico after all."

"Who's Nico?"

"Never mind," Percy said quickly. "Why were you trying to join up with the wrong side?"

Ethan sneered. "There's no right side. The gods never cared about us. Why shouldn't I—"

"Sign up with an army that makes you fight to the death for entertainment?" Warren said. "Gee, I wonder."

Ethan struggled to his feet. "I'm not going to argue with you guys. Thanks for the help, but I'm out of here."

"We're going after Daedalus," Warren said. "Come with us. Once we get through, you'd be welcome back at camp."

"You really are crazy if you think Daedalus will help you."

"He has to," Annabeth said. "We'll make him listen."

Ethan snorted. "Yeah, well. Good luck with that."

Warren grabbed his arm. "You're just going to head off alone into the maze? That's suicide."