LUNACY; percy jackson

4.12

[act four; chapter twelve     -     ophelia]

"This way!" Rachel yelled.

"Why should we follow you?" Annabeth 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!"

Annabeth didn't look 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 they all crouched as a huge axe swung over their heads. Then they kept going as if nothing had happened. Typical.

Andromeda lost track of how many turns they made, all she knew is suddenly she had become achingly dizzy and was struggling to keep up until Percy wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her keep up. They didn't stop to rest until we came to a room the size of a gymnasium with old marble columns holding up the roof. She and Percy stood at the doorway, listening for sounds of pursuit, but they heard nothing. Apparently they'd lost Luke and his minions in the maze.

Then Andromeda realised 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 or what. Her heart turned to lead. She'd saved their lives, and they hadn't even waited to make sure she was following them or even alive.

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."

"What—what happened to your eye?"

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