The Dissonant Notes Of Fate

Twenty-One

A/N: Here's chapter 21. Lot's of things happen in this chapter. The Battle of the Labyrinth is the next and last of ARC II.

BIANCA landed on her feet in the garden of the Gods, and immediately peeled off the wings. She hated the feeling of being in the air. Sure it was exhilarating and it felt amazing, but it also felt dangerous, and she couldn't help but think that she was giving herself up to be at Zeus' mercy. She couldn't stop thinking about how he could strike her down at anytime if she was off the ground.

Nico landed beside her, and then Luke came next, followed closely by Zoë and Rachel. It was late afternoon and the place was empty. Hurriedly, they ripped off the metal wings and stashed them into the bushes. Bianca found herself staring in the direction they had come from, but the workshop was gone. There was no window, no smoke or fire. Just the hill.

"It's moved," Nico came up next to her, his voice impossibly soft. Bianca turned to face him slightly, smiling, that he was finally with her and safe. She reached out and pulled him into a hug once more. They didn't speak, they didn't communicate, but he hugged her just as tightly. When they finally pulled away, he spoke. "Minos tricked me into thinking Father wanted me to raise Mum from the dead. If I hadn't gone along with him Athena wouldn't have found me and Daedalus." He looked down, and she could tell he was blinking back tears. "And I fell for it because I wanted to remember. I wanted to know about my life before Westover, and I'm sorry that you all almost got killed because of me."

"This isn't your fault," Bianca said soothingly, repeating her words for what seemed like the sixth time that day. She squeezed his shoulder and said, "I also don't remember much before the Lotus Casino, but—"

"Wait, hold up," Luke's voice interrupted her. 'The Lotus Casino? That's they hotel you were in?" His face was impossibly white, and Bianca's brow furrowed in confusion. Nico nodded in response and Luke swore.

"Okay, Bianca, who's the President, now?" The son of Hermes asked.

Bianca sighed in exasperation. "Do we really have time for this?"

"Just answer the question," Luke said, voice insistent. "A couple of years ago, Annabeth, Thalia, Grover and I got trapped there. It's designed so you never want to leave. We stayed there for about an hour. When we came out, five days had passed." He paused. "So I want you to answer the question. Who's the President?"

Bianca frowned. It couldn't be possible. Time hadn't sped up when they had been in the Hotel. It had barely been a week. Folding her arms, she mentioned the correct name of the President.

"And who was the president before that?" Zoë stepped forward. Her lips were in a thin line and she looked worried.

"F.D.R," Bianca shrugged. "Franklin Roosevelt."

Luke swore. Rachel arched an eyebrow and Zoë ran a hand through her hair. "Bianca," She said, slowly. "F.D.R was the President seventy years ago."

Bianca stiffened, and she felt Nico do the same beside her. She felt her blood freeze and everything seemed to be going in slow-motion. Shock slammed into her and her mouth fell open. "That's not possible." She whirled on Zoë. "Do I look seventy to you?"

The huntress swallowed. Rachel looked as shocked as Bianca felt. Nico was standing still, surprise etched on his face. "Minos didn't mention this..." He murmured. Bianca's brother lifted his head. "So we were born eighty-something years ago. That's what you're saying."

Luke shoved his hands into his pockets. "Look, we'll discuss more when we get back to Camp. We'll have to speak with Chiron."

"How do we get back into the Maze?" Rachel spoke up, brushing a stray strand of red hair from her eyes. Bianca gazed towards Pikes Peak in the distance, still not able to comprehend what the others had told her.