𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔－ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚

[ Ryan Destiny as Lady Ariadne ]

I 030. I

𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔

❝ sphinx ❞

ARIADNE HAD NEVER EXPECTED HER LIFE TO TURN INTO A CLICHE HORROR MOVIE. There they were, standing in the dark as they were trying to summon the dead.

They did their summons after dark, at a twenty-foot-Long lit in front of the septic tank. The tank was bright yellow, with a smiley face and red words painted on the side: HAPPY FLUSH DISPOSAL CO. It didn't quite go with the mood of summoning the dead.

The moon was full. Silver clouds drifted across the sky.

"Minos should be here by now," Nico said, frowning. "It's full dark."

"Maybe he got lost," Percy said hopefully.

Nico poured root Breyer and tossed barbecue into the pit, then began chanting in Ancient Greek. Immediately the bugs in the woods stopped chirping.

"Make him stop," Tyson whispered.

Part of Ariadne agreed. Summoning the dead didn't exactly sound like the best thing. The night air felt cold and menacing. But before she knew it, the first spirits appeared. Sulfurous mist deeper out of the ground. Shadows tricked into human forms. One blue shade drifted to the edge of the pit and knelt to drink.

"Stop him!" Nico said, momentarily breaking his chant. "Only Bianca may drink!"

Percy drew Riptide. Ariadne already had Lunacy in her hand. The ghosts retreated with a collective hiss at the sight of the celestial bronze and imperial gold blades.

But it was too late to stop the first spirit. He had already solidified into the shape of a bearded man in white robes. A circlet of gold wreathed his hand, and even in death his eyes were alive with malice.

"Minos!" Nico said. "What are you doing?"

"My apologies, master," the ghost said, though he didn't sound very sorry. "The sacrifice smelled so good, I couldn't resist." He examined his own hands and smiled. "It is good to see myself again. Almost in solid form—"

"You are disrupting the ritual!" Nico protested. "Get—"

The spirits of the dead began shimmering dangerously bright, and Nico had to take up the chant again to keep them at bay.

"Yes, quiet right, master," Minos said with amusement. "You keep chanting. I've only come to protect you from these liars who would deceive you."

He turned to Percy as if he were some kind of cockroach. "Percy Jackson... my, my. The sons of Poseidon haven't improved over the centuries, have they?"