LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE . . . pjo

XXVII.

THEY SAILED THROUGH the night.

Naturally, Mia's stomach hated sailing, so she went down below to lie on a hammock and try and fall asleep. She'd had to take her hair out of its bun, which made her feel sad because she'd liked that bun. And if she fell asleep her makeup would come off.

But she was feeling incredibly tired, despite the relaxing day she'd had, so after a couple moments of hearing Percy and Annabeth's footsteps above and shifting to find a comfortable position, she'd fallen asleep.

As soon as she had, she wished she hadn't, though.

She'd appeared in the Underworld. She'd relaxed. This place was familiar. This place made her feel good.

This place made her feel power.

She'd let her feet take her forward toward the throne room — wondering if Hades was summoning her. He'd had a soft spot for her when she'd come to the Underworld last year.

Or, in that same direction, was the garden of Persephone. Mia's mother. Persephone hadn't talked to her since she'd appeared to her last August, but Mia needed to know more.

Like, what was the extent of her powers? Circe had just told her that she was powerful. Why hadn't Mia unlocked those powers yet? And what are they?

But instead of going toward the throne room, her feet were veered the other way. Mia frowned. Why was she going that way?

She quickly realized it when she was going down a hill, overlooking the pit. The pit that had housed Kronos. The pit that had nearly pulled her and her friends in.

But there was a golden sarcophagus waiting at the bottom. Not in the pit.

"No, no, no," Mia muttered, trying to back away, but her feet kept leading her toward the coffin, an invisible force pushing her toward it.

Don't you want to see me, Underling? Kronos's voice floated from the sarcophagus to her, halfway up the hill.

"No, not really," Mia told him, struggling against the force that was pushing her down the hill. "Let me go!"

The Titan laughed. You've got spirit, Underling. I wonder who your mother is.

So a Titan didn't even know who Mia's mother is. That's . . . reassuring.

But I will find out. I will find the source of your power, Amelia Starfury, and I will snuff it out.

"Oh, you don't really need to do all that for little ol' me," Mia chuckled nervously, but she found herself at the bottom of the hill and she found her panic rising. Just like that day where she had saved Sophia from death by car crash.

Power left unchecked is dangerous, Underling. Kronos's presence near her made time slow down, as if she was getting to him slower. But then, suddenly, she was right in front of the sarcophagus. It'd be best for you to watch yourself. When finding power, you can leave destruction in your wake.

"As long as I destroy you, it'd be worth it," Mia tried to sound brave, but her voice ended up shaking.

Kronos's stupid, evil laugh appeared again. Oh, Underling. You have power. But you don't know the extent of mine. If you don't want to find out, you should join me. You should be my soldier.

"Like Luke?" Mia snorted. "Never in a million years would I ever join you."

Instead of a laugh, a snarl came out from the coffin. Then a million years you shall wait.

Suddenly, the invisible force was back, and Mia was being pushed toward the pit. She screamed. Her body went closer and closer and closer to the pit. Her screams were louder and louder and louder in her ears.