annais min had everything to prove and no time to do it. as one of the five children of the underworld destined to lead the seven on their journey of death and destruction, annais had the fate of the universe resting on her shoulders, holding her do...
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CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN: LIES OF THE DAMNED
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"HOW LONG DO WE have?"
"I'd say five minutes. Maybe ten if we can keep them distracted."
"Well, Leo, be my guest."
For the love of Hades, if the eidolons didn't kill them first, Annais was going to rip Leo Valdez a new one! Getting them away from the eidolons was one thing, but did he have to melt their only exit shut? Now what were they supposed to do?
Leo either didn't hear Annais or decided to push his luck by ignoring her. He took a moment to scan the room, eagerly searching through clusters of what looked like scrap metal in Annais' eyes. Through hordes of rusting tools and half-finished projects, only one thing caught her attention. There was a strange black sword hanging from the wall which, she couldn't lie, she was rather tempted to take for a test run. The eidolons were the obvious choice of victim, but when Leo suddenly started whispering to himself and Annais remembered there were three eidolons and only two mannequins, she began to rethink her next move.
"Whoa! What do you think you are doing?"
Annais' brows almost immediately furrowed into a scowl.
"What?"
Her hand was still outstretched towards the sword, caught between scepticism and pure spite.
"You're asking to get cursed," Leo said obstinately.
"As long as I take you down with me, I'm willing to risk it."
Leo pouted at her. "You're being so mean to me today."
"Take a look at where we are right now, Leo," Annais grumbled, though there admittedly was no bite to her words. She didn't have the energy to be genuinely annoyed. "Sorry I can't pull the sun out of my ass for you."
Meanwhile, back out in the hallway, the eidolons were going rabid in their attempt to shake down the gates. "Leo Valdez! Annais Min!" She was surprised they knew her name. She was beginning to think she was just the protector. "Open this gate or I will kill you!"
"A fair and generous offer," Leo retorted, in a tone that was far too familiar to Ezra for Annais' liking. "Just let me finish this -- or us, I should say." Though, really, Annais wasn't doing much but glowering at him. "A last request, alright?"
There was a brief pause as the eidolons considered his words.
"Have they left?" Annais whispered.
And the shaking started again.
"Good going," Leo huffed before calling out in a falsely cheerful tone, "Who is it?"
