𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑺 • 𝑃𝐸𝑅𝐶𝑌 𝐽𝐴𝐶𝐾𝑆𝑂𝑁 ²

ELEVEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN
—dumb tests

🗡🗡🗡

  —WHEN taking a vote on the next step in their plan, Judith had voted to go straight back into the maze. Because, apparently, it had been seven days since she entered the maze the first time. It had only felt like two or three days max, but of course, time moved differently in the labyrinth. So truly, that meant that they had to utilize every minute possible.

  But every other hand had gone against her, saying they needed a night of actual rest.

  "Judith, you look dead on your feet," Percy said as explanation, like it would convince her that they weren't on a tight schedule. "When was the last time you slept?"

  "Not important. I'm not keen on returning to the labyrinth either, but if we're going to get to Daedalus before Luke, we really can't afford to stay up here."

  Annabeth walked up and was about to settle a hand on Judith's shoulder before thinking better of it. "We can afford one night. At first light, we'll head out."

  And that had been the compromise.

   The daughter of Ares was able to get a few hours of shut eye in one of the guest bedrooms, her body relishing in the comfortable, plush bedding until the nightmares struck. With her heart racing, Judith jerked awake. The labyrinth was able to play tricks on her even as she slept miles away from it.

  The girl huffed and threw the heavy comforter off. The morning was just starting to bring in the warmth through the open windows so the temperature was almost perfect. She walked over to the closet and dressers in curiosity, hoping to find some alternatives to her ripped shirt and pants.

  And she found the jackpot.

  When Geryon said that questers came through all the time, he wasn't kidding. There was a large sum of orange Camp Half-Blood shirts, some dating back way before their time as the font was faded and the dust layer was massive. There was another collection of purple shirts that had the letters S.P.Q.R. scrawled on the front. She lingered on them for a moment, wondering where they they came from before moving on. Purple wasn't her color.

  The girl's eyes fluttered to a close as she noticed a shimmery jacket out of the corner of her eye. The recent memory of Bianca and Zoë Knightshade was too fresh. Judith reached out to finger the material but retracted her hand within an inch.

  She then scanned the assortment of miscellaneous shirts and jackets, finding a baggie, black, graphic t-shirt with some Greek band logo, 'Harmonic Harpies.' Judith matched it with an equally as dark leather jacket, an item she had always wanted.

  In that moment, looking in the mirror near the door, Judith looked like her father.

  Satisfied with a simple pair of jeans, the daughter of Ares exited the room and quietly creaked down the stairs to the living area.

  "What are you doing up?" She asked, spooking the boy sat upright on the couch.

  Percy jumped and looked at her over his shoulder. "A little warning, maybe?"

  Judith just shrugged and made her way to lounge on the sofa as well. "We'll see. So?"

  "Couldn't sleep," he said absentmindedly as his stare was glued to the National Geographic Channel on the tv.