They did their summons after dark, at a twenty-foot-long pit in front of the septic tank. The tank was bright yellow, with a smiley face and red words painted on the side: HAPPY FLUSH DISPOSAL CO. It didn't quite go with the mood of summoning the dead.
The moon was full. Silver clouds drifted across the sky.
"Minos should be here by now," Nico said, frowning. "It's full dark."
"Maybe he got lost," Percy said hopefully.
"Does he need to borrow my compass then?" Offered Daphne, who was messing around with Ellis and Valentina - barely paying any attention to the situation at hand.
Nico poured root beer and tossed barbecue into the pit, then began chanting in Ancient Greek. Immediately the bugs in the woods stopped chirping.
"Make him stop," Tyson whispered to Percy.
This was unnatural. The night air felt cold and menacing. But before Daphne could say anything, the first spirits appeared. She was beginning to hope that they had just gotten an Ouija board out, surely that would have been a much better option?
Sulphurous mist seeped out of the ground. Shadows thickened into human forms. One blue shade drifted to the edge of the pit and knelt to drink. Valentina let a small quiet gasp form from her lips.
"Stop him!" Nico said, momentarily breaking his chant. "Only Bianca may drink!"
Percy drew Riptide. The ghosts retreated with a collective hiss at the sight of his celestial bronze blade.
But it was too late to stop the first spirit. He had already solidified into the shape of a bearded man in white robes. A circlet of gold wreathed his head, and even in death his eyes were alive with malice.
"Minos!" Nico said. "What are you doing?"
"My apologies, master," the ghost said, though he didn't sound very sorry. "The sacrifice smelled so good, I couldn't resist."
He examined his own hands and smiled. "It is good to see myself again. Almost in solid form-"
"You are disrupting the ritual!" Nico protested. "Get-"
The spirits of the dead began shimmering dangerously bright, and Nico had to take up the chant again to keep them at bay.
"Yes, quite right, master," Minos said with amusement. "You keep chanting. I've only come to protect you from these liars who would deceive
you."
He turned to Percy as if I were some kind of cockroach. "Percy Jackson...my, my. The sons of Poseidon haven't improved over the centuries, have they?"
Daphne wanted to punch him, but she figured her fist would go right through his face. The thought was amusing nonetheless and she was almost tempted to try it out regardless.
"We're looking for Bianca di Angelo," Ellis said so coldly not even Daphne would mess with him in that moment.
"Get lost." Percy told the spirit.
The ghost chuckled. "I understand you once killed my Minotaur with your bare hands. But worse things await you in the maze. Do you really believe Daedalus will help you?"
The other spirits stirred in agitation. Annabeth drew her knife and helped Percy keep them away from the pit. Grover got so nervous he clung to Tyson's shoulder.
"Daedalus cares nothing for you, half-bloods," Minos warned. "You can't trust him. He is old beyond counting, and crafty. He is bitter from the guilt of murder and is cursed by the gods."
"The guilt of murder?" Valentina asked. "Who did he kill?"
"Do you have to steal all my lines?" Complained Percy, looking at the daughter of Aphrodite who rolled her eyes.
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A web of fates | Percy Jackson and the Olympians
FanfictionDaphne Evans, a thirteen year old girl. On the outside, she's just an ordinary girl but in reality that's not true. At the age of nine, she watched her mother die and then she was dragged to Camp Halfblood by a satyr. She's a demigod. That's what th...
