𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 | 𝐏𝐉 𝟐

𝟎𝟐𝟑.𝟑

Finding the place was easy.

Augustus led them right to it, on an abandoned stretch of hillside overlooking the ruined Forum.

Getting in was easy too. Jason's gold sword cut through the padlock, and the metal gate creaked open. No mortals saw them. No alarms went off. Stone steps spiralled down into the gloom.

"I'll go first," Jason said.

"No!" Piper yelped.

Everyone turned toward her.

"Um crazy lady, what is it?" Augustus asked.

Daphne was the one who realised and spoke, "That image in the blade...you've seen it before, haven't you?"

Piper nodded, her eyes stinging. "I didn't know how to tell you guys I saw the room down there filling with water. I saw the six of us drowning."

Juliet's breath hitched, drowning. Her prophecy from years ago mentioned drowning. Percy wrapped his arm around Juliet, frowning, "I can't drown,"

"Maybe the future has changed," Jason speculated. "In the image you showed us just now, there wasn't any water."

Piper wished he was right, but she suspected they wouldn't be so lucky.

"Look," Percy said. "I'll check it out first. It's fine. Be right back."

Juliet clutched onto him, "Don't go," she pleaded making him falter, he cupped her cheeks and gave her a quick kiss, "If i see any danger, I'll run. I won't try to fight."

That was a big promise for a demigod, to be a coward and not face the challenge, but Juliet was satisfied with those words, reluctantly nodding.

"Let me come with," Augustus said, joining Percy, disappeared down the stairwell.

Juliet counted silently as they waited for them to come back. Somewhere around thirty-five, she heard their footsteps, and both of the appeared at the top, looking more baffled than relieved.

"Good news: no water," Augustus said.

"Bad news: I don't see any exits down there. And, uh, weird news: well, you should see this...." Percy added.

They descended cautiously. Percy took the lead, with Riptide drawn, followed by Juliet who was in the middle with Augustus behind her, next was Piper with Daphne and Jason walked behind her, guarding their backs.

The stairwell was a cramped corkscrew of masonry, no more than six feet in diameter.

Eventhough Percy had given the "all clear," Juliet kept her eyes open for traps. With every turn of the stairs, she anticipated an ambush. Juliet's hand clutched her laurel ready to transform into a bow at any given time.

She saw old graffiti gouged into the stones: Roman numerals, names and phrases in Italian. That meant other people had been down here more recently than the Roman Empire, but she wasn't reassured. If monsters were below, they'd ignore mortals, waiting for some nice juicy demigods to come along.

Finally, they reached the bottom.Percy turned. "Watch this last step."

He jumped to the floor of the cylindrical room, which was five feet lower than the stairwell.

Why would someone design a set of stairs like that? Juliet had no idea. Maybe the room and the stairwell had been built during different time periods.

She let Percy hold her waist and plant her below softly as Augustus followed.

The room had curved walls that had once been painted with frescoes, which were now faded to eggshell white with only flecks of color. The domed ceiling was about fifty feet above. Around the back side of the room, opposite the stairwell, nine alcoves were carved into the wall. Each niche was about five feet off the floor and big enough for a human-sized statue, but each was empty. The air felt cold and dry. As Percy had said, there were no other exit.