Silver | HoO

TWELVE

According to the plaque, it was called Crown Fountain. All the water had emptied out except for a few patches that were starting to freeze. It didn't seem right to Emilio that the fountain would have water in it in the winter anyway. Then again, those big monitors had flashed the face of Gaea. Nothing about this place was right.

They stepped to the center of the pool. No spirits tried to stop them. The giant monitor walls stayed dark. The drain hole was easily big enough for a person, and a maintenance ladder led down into the gloom.

Jason went first.

Seeing that he was okay, Emilio climbed down next and Piper and Leo followed him soon after. As he climbed, he braced himself for horrible sewer smells, but it wasn't that bad. The ladder dropped into a brickwork tunnel running north to south. The air was warm and dry, with only a trickle of water on the floor.

"Are all sewers this nice?" Piper wondered.

"No," Leo said. "Trust me."

Jason frowned. "How do you know—"

"Hey, man, I ran away six times. I've slept in some weird places, okay? Now, which way do we go?"

Jason tilted his head, listening, then pointed south. "That way."

"How can you be sure?" Emilio asked, glancing up and down the sewer, both looking the same.

"There's a draft blowing south," Jason said. "Maybe the venti went with the flow."

It wasn't much of a lead, but nobody offered anything better.

Unfortunately, as soon as they started walking, Piper stumbled. Jason had to catch her.

"Stupid ankle," she cursed.

"Let's rest," Jason decided. "We could all use it. We've been going nonstop for over a day. Leo, can you pull any food from that tool belt besides breath mints?"

"Thought you'd never ask. Chef Leo is on it!"

Emilio, Piper and Jason sat on a brick ledge while Leo shuffled through his pack.

Emilio was glad to rest. He was still tired and dizzy, and hungry, too. The ache in his arm was back but was somewhat manageable.

He thought about everything they had been through so far and everything ahead of them. They had nearly been taken out by Cyclopes, how were they supposed to handle Giants? Emilio wished Elle was there with them.

"It wasn't your fault," Piper said.

Emilio looked over at Piper and realized she was talking to Jason, "What?"

"Getting jumped by the Cyclopes," she said. "It wasn't your fault."

He looked down at the coin in his palm. "I was stupid. I left you two alone and walked into a trap. I should've known..."

He didn't finish. Emilio could tell he was beating himself up over it despite it being so far from his fault.

Emilio shook his head and frowned, "No, I should've known sooner. You're the one with amnesia. I should've been able to figure out it was a trap quicker."

Jason didn't look convinced.

"Hey." Piper nudged his arm. "Cut yourself some slack. Just because you're the son of Zeus doesn't mean you're a one-man army." She then glanced over at Emilio, "You too, Emilio. It wasn't your fault either."

A few feet away, Leo lit a small cooking fire. He hummed as he pulled supplies out of his pack and his tool belt.

"I know this must suck for you," Jason said. "Not just the quest, I mean. The way I appeared on the bus, the Mist messing with your mind, and making you think I was ...you know."