Annabeth Chase and the Battle of the Labyrinth

Chapter 37 - Percy has an unwanted family reunion

The dracaenae's flanking manoeuvre was sub-par at best. They marched on either side of us with the cheerleader and the giant behind to stop us from trying to go that way. The front was clear, but considering that it was unlikely for the tunnel to branch off any time soon, it was not a very good option for an escape. We'd just have to go along with it - for now. 

As we were marched along, Percy quickly told me that the cheerleader was the empousa that had attacked him at the school when he first met Rachel. She was called Kelli and was a close associate of Luke, which didn't exactly warm me to her. She was also still holding Rachel, so there wasn't much I could do. 

We approached massive bronze doors that towered above us and were emblazoned with a pair of crossed swords. A roar echoed from behind them, but it sounded like it came from multiple throats rather than just one. 

"Oh, yesssss," said the snake woman next to Percy. "You'll be very popular with our hosssst."

"Who's your host?" Percy asked, leaning away from her as she flicked her tongue at him. She looked pretty interested in him, I think. It was hard to tell when her eyes were black slits instead of pupils. 

She hissed in a playful sort of way. "Oh, you'll sssssssee. You'll get along famousssly. He'ssssss your brother, after all." 

Percy flinched. "My what?" 

I could tell that he was thinking about Tyson, but some how I doubted it was him. I don't think Percy had fully grasped just how many children and monsters Poseidon had fathered. 

The Laistrygonian stepped past us, making us flatten ourselves against the walls, and opened the bronze doors. Then he swung around and picked me up like a kitten by the back of my shirt. 

"You stay here," he growled in my ear. 

"Hey!" I yelled, trying to hit him, but it just make me swing around like a pendulum. He also had my knife and Riptide, so we were unarmed. 

Kelli laughed, which made Rachel freeze as she was held before her. "Go on, Percy. Entertain us. We'll wait here with your friends to make sure you behave." 

Percy looked over at Rachel, which send a wave of sadness and jealousy through me. 

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I'll get you out of this." 

She nodded slightly, trying to not cut herself on Kelli's claws. "That would be nice."

The snake women prodded Percy in the back with their javelins and he stepped through the doors. We followed slowly, the giant still carrying me. 

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We stepped into a massive arena, standing at the base of the tiers of seats leading up from a wide circular dirt floor. The seats were full of monsters, from giants to telekhines, from dracaenae to some weird bat things. There were even demigods mixed in among the crowd, some actually looking happy to be surrounded by creatures that usually would be trying to kill them. All their attention was focused on the fight happening below us, between a centaur and a giant. From the vantage point the giant provided me from being held aloft, I could see that the fight wasn't going well for the centaur. 

"Luke," Percy said suddenly, his body going rigid. 

I followed his gaze to see my old crush sitting in the emperor's type box, a banner displaying the trident of Poseidon hanging below him. I had to admit, Luke looked good with his white shirt, green camouflage combat trousers and bronze breastplate. His hair had been combed back and he looked relaxed as he leaned back in his seat. He didn't have a weapon on him, from what I could see.