The Labyrinth *editing*

Chapter 7

 Okaaayy..so this chapter is a scene switch. Its NOT like a dream or something, this event is actually happening in Athens...its kind of like a POV switch, except, I'm not telling it from Percy's POV, its third person. If you feel like skipping this chapter because you don't get it at all, then I think you'll be alright if you skip it. I'm going to call this type of veiw the Athens POV, just in case I write more of them. Tell me if you think I should put more of the Athens POV, or if you hated it. (I know I don't like it, but oh well...)

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ATHENS POV

In Athens, Percy walked down the walkway to his own house, thinking about how miserable he was. It was not the kind of misery that was caused by a physical pain. It was inside. Very strong. His best friend had just been taken. She was sure to die. Unless she listened to his last and only request. He found it unlikely though. Theseus was more of an every-man-for-himself person. Xenia had been gone for a week and a day, but it seemed like forever. He spent his days walking aimlessly in the city, not talking, but listening. He had become good at that recently. He had stopped being a happy-go-lucky boy. Now he was suspicious. He saw right through the best of people. He didn't like it. It didn't improve his mood. If Xenia ever got back, he would return to his happy self. But no hero has ever returned in over thirty years. All of them, the Athenians believed, had died of starvation or had been eaten by the monster. He didn't see why if even the strongest men died, Xenia should survive. But she had something different. She had Theseus. If she had listened. Which, knowing her, she wouldn't. But she has something else too. She had a knife. He was the only person in Athens who knew about it. Not even her parents knew. He hadn't told them. Because if Xenia hadn't, he knew she must have a reason. He reached the door of his own house and pushed the curtain that was their door open. There was his family. And Iona was here too, playing with Dahlia and Gaia, but they didn't look like they were having much fun. Iona was most likely to be here to keep busy. What a good idea. He knew Theseus was special. He volunteered, for his stepbrother, he found out from listening, even though he was jealous constantly of his stepbrother, because he thought his stepfather loved his stepbrother more. It was a strange act of... Of what exactly? Not kindness surely. But because maybe he felt sorry for his stepfather, and didn't want to make him sad. He wasn't sure. But every year, there was always somebody who wanted to go badly. For many different reasons depending on the person. Some wanted to prove that there was a way out. Or maybe they were just so miserable with life that they wanted to get it over with. Some had lost loved ones there and wanted to go to Crete to find them. But still others had heard of the beautiful princess, Ariadne. They went purely to see her. Then they all died. But none of those people volunteered ever. Except Theseus. Percy was lost in thought, so hopelessly lost, that he did not notice the tinny voice talking to him.

      "Percy! I'm talking to you! Can you hear me?" Iona's now clear, loud voice practically yelled at him. Percy snapped back to the world with a jolt. Then the pain hit him again as it always did, so hard it knocked the breath out of him. He needed to sit down. He stumbled to the ground on his knees, then fell back. Iona screeched. "Percy!!! You fell! Are you okay? Oh Hera! Your face! You’re very pale... You look like you just saw a ghost!" she looked at him concernedly. "Percy's not well!" she called over her shoulder to the kitchen, where his mother would probably be. She rushed in, face worried.

      "Oh, Percy! Are you okay? What's wrong?" she inquired, feeling his forehead. Percy groaned and lay back. Then he had a sudden idea. He sat up quickly, pushing his mother and Iona back gently, and put on a bright smile.

     "I'm alright mother, Iona. Really I am. It was just... Um, the heat. I ran a long way." he lied easily. He had really only walked about a  few yards- to the creek bed and back. But they didn't know that. Plus, it was a colder, cloudy day, with thunderstorms brewing in the dark sky. Oh well. He hopped up on his feet. "Thanks for being concerned though. Really though, I'm fine." Iona wouldn't let go though.