Someone asked- and I'm in a good mood so I figured I'd be nice and gift you all with a second update today- not the biggest deviations from cannon but as I said last chapter, Daedalus has a soft spot for Percy and he was sorta trying to be good at first.

Daedalus almost hesitated at that question. "Because." he said after a moment, "You have a good heart Percy. Better than most- and I knew Mrs. O'Leary liked you." he turned his gaze to Percy. "I want you to know that I've never bore you any ill will child. You are one of the best young heroes I have ever met. And I've met many."

Percy felt her face flush slightly at the praise. "I don't-"

"Your loyalty to those you love- your courage. They become you child. I truly wished for no harm to come to you- so of course I gave you the whistle- I knew you would need it- I was saddened when my young sister returned alone."

"Daedalus-"

"I hoped for the first week to find Mrs O'Leary gone- rescuing you from whatever trouble you'd found yourself in." Daedalus' voice was open and honest. "But it became clear quickly enough that you were either dead or unable to get to the whistle. It's a part of
why I left when I did."

"What do you mean?"

"I had thought perhaps I could trade the string for you- it wasn't hard to discover that Alabaster had captured you."

"What?" Percy felt as if she'd been struck "You-"

"You were going to try and get her back?" Annabeth's voice was soft, "You- you'd try to rescue her?"

"They needed the string- I thought perhaps if I offered it to them it would be enough for him to hand you over-"

"It wouldn't have." Percy shook her head, "Alabaster's too obsessive for that. But... thank you. I think."

"Yes, yes I know. In any case by the time I met with him again you had already escaped and I believed you to be dead, the boy mentioned a magically binding bracelet-" the man's lips twitched very slightly, "You have a strong spirit Persephone. I should have know you wouldn't be so easily killed. I am sorry." he sighed heavily.

"Sorry for what?" Leo frowned, "You were going to help Percy why would you be sorry for that?"

"Because. Your quest has been in vain.-"

"What?" Annabeth's voice was tight, "But- you can still help us. You have to. If you give us the string then Alabaster can't get it."

"Yes…the string. I told him that the eyes of a clear-sighted mortal are the best guide, but he did not trust me. He was so focused on the idea of a magic item. And the string works. It's not as accurate as your mortal friend here, perhaps. But good enough. Good enough."

"Where is it?" Annabeth said.

"With Alabaster," Daedalus said sadly. "I'm sorry, my dear. But you are several hours too late."

Percy felt like she'd been struck again. "You gave it to him already. That- That's why he... oh gods and- the only thing in his way was the arena and I-"

"Percy no-" Annabeth's voice was tight, "Seaweed brain it wasn't your fault." she glared at Daedalus.

"Why would you do that?"

"I wouldn't have. I wouldn't have gone if Persephone hadn't been captured." Daedalus' smile was sad, "I thought perhaps I could be the hero for once. I thought I would listen to young Persephone and not trust them- but Kronos promised me freedom," Daedalus told them. "Once Hades is overthrown, he will set me over the Underworld. I will reclaim my son Icarus. I will make things right with poor young Perdix. I will see Minos's soul cast into Tartarus, where it cannot bother me again. And I will no longer have to run from death."

"That's your brilliant idea?" Annabeth yelled. "You're going to let Alabaster destroy our camp, kill hundreds of demigods, and then attack Olympus? You're going to bring down the entire world so you can get what you want?"

"Your cause is doomed, my dear. I saw that as soon as I began to work at your camp. There is no way you can hold back the might of Kronos. I hoped- at first I hoped... but then... when he offered me... it was too sweet of an offer to refuse. I'm sorry. I'm doing what I must."

Annabeth pushed over an easel. Architectural drawing scattered across the floor. "I used to respect you. You were my hero! You—you built amazing things. You solved problems. Now…I don't know what you are. Children of Athena are supposed to be wise, not just clever. Maybe you are just a machine. You should have died two thousand years ago." And Percy and Rachel both moved, Percy grabbing Annabeth and hauling her backwards and Rachel laying a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.

Instead of getting mad, Daedalus hung his head. "You should go warn your camp. Now that Alabaster has the string—"

Suddenly Mrs. O'Leary pricked up her ears.

"Someone's coming!" Rachel warned.

And Daedalus turned to them quickly. "Hide children-" and Percy and Rachel moved quickly, darting behind one of the tables, dragging Annabeth with them, Leo darting after them, concealed by several easels and things.

The doors of the workshop burst open, and Nico was pushed inside looking furious as he struggled, his hands in chains and a gag stuffed into his mouth. He had a black eye and a cut above his eye was bleeding. Then Kelli and two Laistrygonians marched in behind him, followed by the ghost of Minos. He looked almost solid now—a pale bearded king with cold eyes and tendrils of Mist coiling off his robes.

It took all of Percy's willpower not to try and rush at the monsters holding him.

And gods but where were Kayla, Grover and Tyson? What had happened, had they been separated?

Percy was ripped from her thoughts by Minos' voice- and the ghost had his gaze fixed on Daedalus. "There you are, my old friend."

Daedalus's jaw clenched. He looked at Kelli. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Alabaster sends his compliments," Kelli said. "He thought you might like to see your old employer Minos."

"This was not part of our agreement," Daedalus said.

"No indeed," Kelli said. "But we already have what we want from you, and we have other agreements to honor. Minos required something else from us, in order to turn over this fine young demigod." She ran a finger under Nico's chin. "He'll be quite useful. And all Minos asked in return was your head, old man."

Daedalus paled. "Treachery."

"Get used to it," Kelli said- then she sniffed the air, "I smell Half-Bloods. Who else has been here?"

"You've just missed them." Daedalus' voice was cold, "I'm sure your master will be happy- Percy Jackson and her friends just left to warn their camp of the attack."

And Percy felt just a sliver or gratitude to the other Demigod. At least he was trying to do the right thing- better late than never right?

Percy was drawn from her panicked thoughts by Rachel jabbing her arm and pointing towards the wings- and Percy stared at her for a long moment before nodding and nudging Leo, who nodded in agreement.

Then her gaze swung to Annabeth who nodded, mouthing 'You two get the wings, we'll get Nico and buy ourselves some time.'

"You're telling us you had the girl here and you didn't capture her?" Kelli demanded, "It seems we were right to betray you-" and Nico cursed very loudly through his gag at that, thrashing and trying to get free even more- at which point Percy and Annabeth surged into action, bursting up past the easels into view, uncapping Riptide and shoving it through one of the giants chests in a smooth movement, knocking Nico to the side as she did- and it burst into monster dust even as she was pulling the blade out- they had the element of surprise but that wouldn't last long.

Kelli reacted quickly, her hands changed into claws. Her hair burst into flame and her legs turned to their true form—one donkey leg, one bronze.

Percy joined Annabeth in lunging at the empousa as the other giant went straight for Daedalus, but Mrs. O'Leary jumped to his defence.

Percy could see Nico struggling with his chains as the spirit of Minos wailed, "Kill the inventor! Kill him!"

Rachel grabbed the wings off the wall with Leo's help. Nobody paid them any attention. Kelli slashed at Annabeth. Percy tried to get to her, but the demon was quick and deadly. She turned over tables, smashed inventions, and wouldn't let them get close. Out of the corner of her eye, Mrs. O'Leary chomp her fangs into the giant's arm. He wailed in pain and flung her around, trying to shake her. Daedalus grabbed for his sword but the giant smashed the workbench with his free fist, and the sword went flying. A clay jar of Greek fire broke on the floor and began to burn, green flames spreading quickly.

"To me!" Minos cried. "Spirits of the dead!" He raised his ghostly hands and the air began to hum.

"No!" Nico cried. He was on his feet now. He'd somehow managed to remove his shackles, honestly Percy was kind of surprised- he looked like he'd taken a beating and it was always harder to focus on stuff like that when you were in pain.

"You do not control me, young fool! You thought that if you stopped summoning me I would go away! But I followed you, I tracked you and watched you and when the time came I led them to you. I am the one with the power!"

Spirits began to appear around Minos—shimmering forms that slowly multiplied, solidifying into Cretan soldiers.

"I am the son of Hades," Nico insisted. "Be gone!"

Minos laughed. "You have no power over me. I am the lord of spirits! The ghost king!"

"No." Nico drew his sword. "I am."

He stabbed his black blade into the floor, and it cleaved through the stone like butter.

"Never!" Minos's form rippled. "I will not—"

The ground rumbled. The windows cracked and shattered to pieces, letting in a blast of fresh air. A fissure opened in the stone floor of the workshop, and Minos and all his spirits were sucked into the void with a horrible wail.

That was good, the bad thing was the fact that the fight was still going in and Percy had gotten distracted by Nico's battle of wills with Minos and Kelli pounded on her so fast that she had no time to defend herself. Riptid skittered away and she hit her head so hard on a worktable as she felt that her eyesight went fuzzy and she couldn't raise her arms.

"Oh I will enjoy this." Kelli snarled, "I'll tell Lord Kronos I had no choice but to kill you!" She bared her fangs. Then suddenly her body went rigid. Her red eyes widened. She gasped, "No…school…spirit…"

And Annabeth took her knife out of the empousa's back. With an awful screech, Kelli dissolved into yellow vapor.

Annabeth was pulling her to her feet immediately, one arm around her waist to steady her- Percy felt dizzy, she could barely stand but there was no time to lose. Mrs. O'Leary and Daedalus were still locked in combat with the giant and there came loud shouting from the tunnel. More monsters heading towards the workshop.

"Daedalus- Mrs. O'Leary-" Percy's voice was slightly slurred.

"There's no time." that came from Rachel, who was suddenly in front of them, sliding the wings onto Percy's back and arms- Leo and Rachel were both already fitted up and Percy could see Leo helping a slightly pale looking Nico get a set on.

In seconds all five of them were fitted with coppery wings- already Percy could feel herself being lifted by the wind coming through the window. Greek fire was burning the tables and furniture, spreading up the circular stairs.

"Daedalus!" Percy cried out, managing to focus better. "Come on!"

He was cut in a hundred places—but he was bleeding golden oil instead of blood. He'd found his sword and was using part of a smashed table as a shield against the giants. "I won't leave Mrs. O'Leary!" he said. "Go! You owe me no loyalty child- no after what I've done- leave me!"

There was no time to argue. Even if they stayed, Percy wasn't sure she could help, but still she did try- because even if she knew it was her fatal flaw Percy didn't care. She was loyal to a fault. "But Daedalus please! Come with us, help us you can fix this-"

"It's too late for that! Annabeth, get her out of here-" and Annabeth nodded, tears flooding her eyes as she dragged Percy towards the window.

"None of us know how to fly!" Nico protested as Leo shoved him towards the window too.

"Great time to find out," Leo gave his trademark impish grin. And together, the five of them jumped out the window into open sky.