Melpomene (PJO)

16. Liar liar, pants on fire

When she wasn't being attacked by snakes in her sleep, there were a lot of things that Mari enjoyed waking up to. The sound of the guitar-strumming alarm clock that Naomi had bought for her. The feeling of the sun on her face. The smell of breakfast.

Being slung over Quintus the traitor's shoulder like a sack of flour as he hummed 'Here comes the sun' off-tune was not one of those things.

Mari opened her eyes. She was in a stone huge room, with red columns supporting the ceiling. It smelled like dust. The only light was coming from a crackling stone fire pit in the centre, which illuminated walls of Ancient Minoan art. One fresco depicted a man jumping over a bull, paint vivid like it had just been finished yesterday. It wouldn't have been out of place in the palace of Knossos. Mari could only think of one place that had art like this, in such good condition. She was back in the labyrinth. And she was pissed about it.

Mari yelled, kicking Quintus in the chest and leaping off his back. Whatever Quintus had shot into her bloodstream, it had worn off. She rolled onto the floor, sprang up again, and reached for her sword. Oh. Drys wasn't there.

Quintus dug her bracelet from his pocket, nodding. "Yes, I am aware of your weapon. A sword that transforms into a simple woven band with an Oak Tree charm. Very practical. I'm afraid I won't be returning it to you. You won't be needing it, anyway. You're in no position to fight me."

Mari looked at Quintus. He was wearing a standard Camp-issued set of armour, which included a bronze breastplate. At his hip hung a sword of his own. The perfect clothes to go to battle in. Then Mari peered down at herself. Quintus had kidnapped her at curfew, so she'd already been in her pyjamas. A thin long-sleeved yellow shirt and shorts. She had fuzzy purple socks on, and neon pink crocs covered in little sun charms. Probably the worst thing she could possibly choose to wear in a fight. Not like she'd planned for any of this. If Mari had known she was going to be kidnapped, she would have worn sensible shoes.

Anyway, the smart thing to do would definitely be to surrender until she could get a better handle on her environment.

Mari charged at Quintus and kicked him in the shins, crocs and all.

Quintus tried to grab Mari's arms to hold her down again but she ducked, coming back up to punch him in the jaw. Clarisse had taught her how to do that. Unfortunately, Mari had forgotten the part about keeping her thumb on the outside of her fist. She felt a crunch and a shoot of pain ran up her hand. Mari ignored it. Quintus doubled over and she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, shoving him against the wall.

"Take me back to Camp Half-Blood," She snarled. "Now!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Quintus said. He had a weird expression in his eyes that Mari couldn't quite place. "It's likely that morning has come and gone outside the maze. Our absence will have been discovered. I expect I'll be persona non grata there by now."

"Your absence!" Mari threw Quintus against the wall, then stepped after him and snatched Drys out of his hand. "I didn't want to leave, and if you won't help me than I'll find my way back myself. I hope you get lost and fall out into a sewage pit."

"That won't be happening," said a familiar voice from behind her. Mari whirled around and her blood ran cold.

Luke Castellan had entered the room, through a white rectangular archway patterned with bright blue circles. Last time Mari had seen the traitor son of Hermes, he'd been at the bottom of a cliff, looking very dead. Mari liked him better that way. But evidently it hadn't lasted. Luke was flanked by two dracaena guards in acid green armour. Each carried a burning torch. Neither of them was Sandy, but they hissed at Mari as if they were just as willing to tear her throat out. The light of the fire cast harsh shadows across Luke's face, making him look like a movie villain. Luke smiled. "Well, I can't actually say anything as to whether Quintus will have an easy time making it through the maze, but he does have a lot of... ah, experience with that sort of thing. He certainly did a good job at distracting you."