The maze would have been pitch black if there weren't torches lining the halls. Unfortunately, they also illuminated the bones and skeletons that littered the stone pathway. They didn't phase me as I stepped over and around them but I kept a hand on the hilt of my sword, just in case.
Mentally I rehearsed Annabeth's plan of attack in my mind. She had said to keep a goal or destination in mind - it will make it harder for the labyrinth to trick you. I created a mental image of Camp Half-Blood and began walking in a random direction. The longer I walked the more suspicious I became.
I had been warned repeatedly of how dangerous the maze was but I had been walking for what felt like hours without a single monster appearing. Stable duty was more exciting than wandering the corridors of the maze. All of the paths seemed the same and I was only relying on my intuition to guess which one to take while imaging Camp Half-Blood.
Finally, the passage split into three different paths. One looked identical to the previous hallways I had traveled. From the second I felt the same energy as I had in the trial with the Council of Cloven Elders. In the third passageway, I could hear music playing and the hallway itself looked as if Demeter and Aphrodite's campers had decorated it. It was covered with iridescent crystals and vibrant flowers of all the different colors of the rainbow.
I was bored so I took the most interesting path. As I journeyed further down the third corridor, the stone pathway turned to grass and the walls were so covered with vines and flowers I couldn't see the bricks. Eventually, the hallway emptied into a large cavern.
It looked like a garden you would find in a fairy movie. Tropical flowers grew from the floor and the walls, filling the cavern with their dizzying scent. Animals, predators, and prey, played in the flowerbeds, and birds twirled in the sky. Their chirping songs and the thunderous crash of the waterfall created a beautiful harmonious melody. Sunlight caught in the spray of the water cast a glistening rainbow across the garden. A transparent bridge seemingly made out of crystal connected the two landmasses, separated by the pond filled with clear water created by the waterfall. Mountains with shimmering snow-white peaks could be seen in the background. I wasn't sure if I was still even in the labyrinth.
"Oh, a visitor!" A cheerful voice rang. "Dearie, do come join us!" I turned. A gazebo with golden tiles appeared at the end of the crystal bridge with five beautiful women lounging in thrones of roses. I wanted monsters. Instead, I got Aphrodite wannabes.
As I got closer, the five women's smiles widened. It was obvious that they were goddesses but I didn't know which ones. They all had similar facial features; twinkling eyes, pointed nose tip, high cheekbones, full lips set in a constant smile, flawless skin, and defined face cut but different hairstyles and eye and hair colors. One had coiled black hair, sparkling dark brown eyes, and a skin tone the color of chocolate. Another had wavy red hair, freckles, and shining green eyes. The third had short platinum blonde hair and hazy ice blue eyes. Goddess number four had dark blonde hair with a flowery wreath adorning her head and hazel eyes and the last one had long glossy brown hair tied in an intricate bun and heterochromia. One of her eyes was a beautiful electric blue while the other was a stormy grey.
"Hello, my sweet!" She beamed at me. "We were just about to enjoy a small lunch; you absolutely must join us!" She snapped their fingers and a table covered with enough food to satisfy an entire village appeared. Sandwiches, cakes, a large selection of meats, fruits, drinks of every color, and more desserts appeared on the table. Her companions snapped again and another chair appeared for me. It was simple and ugly compared to their thrones.
I crossed my arms and glared at them, not even looking at the appetizing spread of food.
"Who are you?" I demanded. They giggled as if I had something hilarious. I was not amused.
"We're the Charites, of course!" The African one chirped cheerfully. "Also called the Graces, the goddesses of joy, charm, and beauty."
"And the attendants to Lady Aphrodite and Queen Hera." The redhead added. "I'm Aglaia, the goddess of splendor and adornment. These are my sisters, Pasithea the goddess of rest, relaxation, and hallucinations." The platinum blonde opened her eyes, spooked.
"Sisters, darlings, why didn't you mention we had a guest?" She chirped charmingly. Aglaia shook her head amused and continued.
"Thalia, the goddess of banquets and festivity." She didn't acknowledge her introduction; she was too busy arranging and rearranging the assortment of food to her liking. "Antheia," Aglaia pointed at the goddess weaving more flowers into her blonde hair. "The goddess of flowers, wreaths, and swamps." She gave me a blinding smile but kept her focus on her wreath. I didn't see how swamps were related to joy and beauty.
"And finally Euphrosyne, the goddess of good cheer and mirth." The dark-haired goddess seemed to be bursting with excitement. She clapped her hands enthusiastically.
"Oh my dear, come eat! We need to get rid of that frown. It had no place on such an, um, beautiful girl's face!"
Despite her words, I grimaced. Most kind, beautiful things or people were the most dangerous. I still sat; I was hungry and doubted the food was poisoned.
They watched me intently as I bit into a sandwich. They continued to stare at me until I had finished. I glowered at them but the goddess with different eye colors, Thalia, said something before I could.
"Well?" She pressed. "Did you love it? Did it fill you with contentment and happiness?" I gaped at her.
"It was a sandwich." Thalia's face fell and she turned back to reorganizing the feast. Antheia tsked loudly.
"There is no reason to be so belligerent, darling." She put a wreath of pink roses on my hair before I could stop her.
I could feel the blush appearing on my cheeks. Antheia snapped her fingers and the wreath in her dark blonde locks changed to match with mine.
"There sweetheart! Now we are twins!" A mirror appeared in front of us. I looked at my reflection and fought the urge to drive my fist through the glass. I looked ridiculous.
Antheia was still smiling radiantly while taking dainty sips from tea.
"Don't we look just charming! Doesn't it make you want to explode with joy?" I ripped the circlet of flowers from my head and fixed her with a murderous glare. The goddess gasped and turned her eyes to her tea.
Aglaia was eyeing me in curiosity. I could see her eyes wandering to my weapons.
"Dear guest, we didn't catch your name." I snatched another sandwich from the table. Even though they were stupid little punks, the goddesses made good food.
"Clarisse," I muttered through a mouth full of food. It was as if my name was the codeword to stop everything. Antheia stopped sipping her tea, Thalia stopped adding platters of food to the table, Euphrosyne stopped talking to Pasithea who wasn't even listening and the goddess of hallucinations finally opened her eyes. I could have sworn I saw her scoot her chair a bit away from me.
"Isn't Clarisse one of Ares' spawns? I can't have that kind of energy infecting me?" She murmured sleepily. Euphrosyne laughed pleasantly.
"So that's why you are so miserable, darling! You're a child of that war-loving brute."
"I mean he is quite handsome." Thalia giggled. I clenched my teeth and tightened my fist. If these ditzy flower-loving goddesses didn't shut up, I would make them.
"I am not miserable, you insufferable old hags!" They froze and stared at me, the smiles wiped off all of their faces.
"Well, clearly, you are, love." Antheia sniffed. "Why else would you refuse a beautiful flower wreath!"
"Or call us hags! I mean look at us!" Thalia agreed, softly caressing her hair.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Your anger is simply clouding your judgment." Pasithea said in her sweet tone. "A long long rest should help you relax and feel wonderful." They were staring at me as if I was their new science experiment. My grip on the hilt of my sword stiffened but I knew it wouldn't be effective against goddesses. I bolted out of the gazebo and raced towards the entrance back into the maze but before I could reach it, vines covered the doorway.
"Our dearest Clarisse," one of the Charities sang. "Do come back! We need to figure out how to make you happy, dearie!" Ropes of greenery wrapped around my arms and pulled me back to the pavilion. The more I cut, the more grew around me.
Euphrosyne clapped and grinned when I was back on my stool.
"Wonderful, oh wonderful! You decided to come back!" I opened my mouth to let loose a turret of curse words but vines covered my lips, effectively acting as a gag and making it impossible to speak. This was my reward for wanting to fight a monster; 5 psychotic goddesses.
Euphrosyne smiled charmingly.
"My sisters and I discussed and we've figured out a way to fix you!" I glared at her. Who said I needed fixing? I wanted to take a mallet to their beautifully perfect heads.
"At first," Euphrosyne continued, not realizing the murderous direction my thoughts had taken. "We had thought that we should ask you about what you want." Thalia and Antheia laughed as if the very idea was hilarious. I wasn't amused.
"Then we realized why you were so sad!" Euphrosyne smiled conspiratorially. "There's someone, isn't there?" I froze.
Pasithea clapped her hands cheerfully.
"Sweet sister, I do believe you were correct." She leaned forward curiously. "Who is it?"
I glowered and yelled through my gag. The Charites ignored me. Euphrosyne grinned.
"Don't worry, Clarisse. We are going to make you knock that boy, assuming it's a boy, off his feet." Her words brought tears to my eyes as I remembered Chris' pale face. Thalia gasped excitedly. "By Aphrodite's Girdle, she's crying tears of joy!"
Antheia created a handkerchief out of thin air to wipe my tears.
"Don't worry, dearie. We'll make it all better." She snapped her fingers and the vines restraining me fell to the floor. Tables upon tables of make-up, dresses, shoes, and other torture devices appeared in their places. Euphrosyne squealed.
"Oh, it's been so long since I have given anyone a makeover.
I bolted. Again. I have seen how Aphrodite's children act when a makeover is involved. I didn't want to see how goddesses reacted. As I was running, certain paths began to glow, guiding me further and further away from the Graces. I was by-passing all of the plants trying to drag me back to death by makeup. The glowing walkways even found me a way to get past the barricaded entrance to the maze.
Once I was back in the dimly lit corridors of the labyrinth, the doorway to the Charities' grove collapsed.
"Thank the gods," I grumbled.
"You're welcome." A voice answered. I spun around and drew my sword.
"Relax, daughter of Ares," Aglaia said calmly. "I did not help you escape my sisters to fight you." I sneered at her.
"Helped me?" Aglaia continued as if she hadn't heard me.
"You'll have to excuse them. They haven't had the chance to help a mortal girl in over a century. They were a bit excited." I narrowed my eyes as I sheathed my sword.
"Why would you help me? Have a quest you need me to accomplish for you."
She sniffed in response.
"Hardly. Most people forget my place in the story of Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and your father."
"After the scandal, Hephaestus divorced Aphrodite and remarried me." Aglaia drew her hands across the stone walls and images of the most famous affair on Olympus appeared outlined in gold.
"I could never hate Aphrodite as she is the mistress whom I have sworn to serve, however you father.." I glowered. I didn't need her to finish the sentence. She hated Ares, who didn't?
"Your presence in my grove was an offense that I would not stand. But I am still a Charite. I live to fulfill the happiness of girls and women." I snorted at that.
Aglaia pointed down another corridor and the floor began to glow a pale pink.
"That path will take you where you want to go. Hurry and follow it. My sisters will be looking for you and I would recommend trying to avoid Hephaestus. My husband is not as forgiving as I am."
"How do you know where I wa-?" I started but when I turned to face her, the goddess of splendor, adornment, and being an absolute brat had disappeared. I had no choice but to follow her road.
Aglaia's path led to an exit within a few minutes. The corridor led to a black door framed in gold. While I still wasn't sure that I could trust the annoying goddess, I wanted to get out of the maze.
The room beyond the doorway was almost as dark as the Labyrinth itself. The floor was polished black marble and a cold wind blew down the hallway making me shiver. The walls were lined with greek fire braziers, which provided the only light in the otherwise dark and gloomy room. Statues of titans decorated the chamber. If I ever see Aglaia again, I'm going to tear off her head. She had led me straight to Mount Othrys, the lair of the titans.
