Anthízo, Percy Jackson

XXI. mutal feelings are confirmed

KARINA THOUGHT THAT after walking over hundreds of acres of a warehouse, she'd get some what of a break from it. but, of course, the amazon jail was at the top of a storage aisle, sixty feet in the air.

kinzie led her and hazel up three different ladders to a metal cat-walk, then tied their hands loosely behind their backs and pushed them along the past crates of jewelry, being somewhat gentler with karina for some reason.

a hundred feet ahead, under the harsh glow of fluorescent lights, a row of chain-link cages hung suspended from cables. percy and frank were in two of the cages, talking to each other in hushed tones. karina's mind immediately felt more at ease as she saw percy being perfectly intact and unharmed. she was worried that some of otrera's guards would do something to him. next to them on the catwalk, three bored-looking amazon guards leaned against their spears and gazed at little black tablets in their hands like they were reading.

"get moving, girl," she hears kinzie order to hazel from behind her, just now realizing that she wasn't in-line with karina. kinzie said that loud enough for the guards to hear. she prodded hazel with the back of her sword.

hazel and karina walked as slowly as they could, but their minds were both racing. she knew that they needed to come up with a brilliant rescue plan. so far she had nothing. kinzie had made sure they could break their bonds easily, but even then, she'd be the only one armed against three trained warriors, and she knew she couldn't defeat them all by herself. they had to act fast before they put both of them in a cage.

as they passed a pallet of crates marked 24-carat blue topaz rings, then another labeled silver friendship bracelets, karina saw hazel freeze on the spot.

karina furrowed her eyebrows, but then a feeling of realization washed over her. silver. topaz. hazel was standing next to a six-story tall mountain full of jewelry. this was basically her home planet.

"can you manipulate the ground from here, nina?" hazel rushed out in a whisper, keeping her voice low.

karina focused, and tried to feel how deep the cavern went until she could hit solid, raw, earth. she estimated about fifty miles down, and gave hazel a hesitant nod. "yes, but it would take me a minute, and a lot of focus."

"but can you do it?"

karina looked at her with a hard set stare "yes."

"what is it?" kinzie hissed. "keep moving! they'll get suspicious."

"make them come here," hazel muttered over her shoulder.

"why— "

"trust us." karina replied confidently.

the guards frowned in their direction.

"what are you staring at?" kinzie yelled at them. "there's the two other prisoners. come get them."

the nearest guard set down her reading tablet. "why can't you walk another thirty paces, kinzie?"

"um, because— "

"ooof!" hazel feel to her knees, dragging karina to the floor with her, and tried to put on her best seasick face. "i'm feeling nauseous! can't . . . walk. amazons . . . too . . . scary."

karina let out a fake moan as well, slightly puffing out her cheeks to sell the look. "yes . . . terrifying female warriors . . . too much . . . to handle."

"there you go," kinzie told the guards. "now, are you going to come take the prisoners, or should i tell queen hylla you're not doing your duty?"

the two nearest guards rolled their eyes and trudged over. karina began to focus on the ground below the cavern, and feel it's vibrations, matching her energy with the earth as to work as one.