A hand grasped his elbow, "Don't do it, sweetie. If you cross the wall, you will die."
Percy looked up at Maria. "What?"
"Please. Don't do it."
An explosion sounded as Iris blew off the locked doors and got out. She grabbed the cord and pulled Maria to her. "Where have you taken me, you wretched slave?"
Luke's carriage came to a stop near Iris HE got out, and looked at Percy. "Planning to enter the wall, were you? If death is what you wish, my dear, I'd be more than happy to assist you."
Iris looked at Luke in confusion, "Are you talking to me?"
Luke looked at her, "Hello, No. I was speaking to the star."
Iris looked at him in confusion. "What star?"
She looked at Maria, and Luke. "My slave girl's no star, any fool can see that. If she was, I'd have had the heart out of her chest a long time ago. Trust me."
While Iris spoke, Luke was stroking the necklace Percy wore. On those words, Luke spoke, "Trust you? Not a mistake I'd be likely tot make again. What's it going to be, Dancing Iris. Heads or tails?"
As Luke spoke, the sky became darker and Luke looked threatening. He summoned magic and threw it at Iris. She tried to summon her own, but he overpowered her quickly, and she lost her head. Percy and Maria held each other as they watched the magic happen. Iris body ran around, before hitting the wall and falling to the ground. Burning away, the body disappeared. The chain that kept Maria bound to Iris disappeared.
Luke laughed. Then he spoke, "OK Time to go."
"He's not going anywhere!" Maria glared.
"Oh, I think you will find he is. It's alright, you can come too."
HE made a hand motion, and the same type of cord that had bound Maria to Iris was used to tie Maria and Percy wrists together, and Maria looked at Percy and nodded. They moved to the carriage and sat side by side. Percy weeping into Maria's shoulder as she comforted him.
As all this was going on, Chiron watched from the other side, his eyes growing huge in fear. He watched as the carriage took off.
Nico ran through the forest, and toward the wall. He managed to intercept Chiron who was leaving. Chiron looked at him in fear, "For years, I've tried to keep humans from entering the wall. What I should have been worried about was those people coming in!"
"Alright, what happened, Chiron?"
Chiron explained it all. Nico let out a loud "NO!" as he ran through the hole. He ran to the back of the caravan and looked around. Seeing the flower he had exchanged, he grabbed it and smiled.
He ran to the front, detached the horse from the caravan and took off to follow the tracks of the carriage.
Luke rode the carriage as fast as he could toward home, inside was Maria comforting Percy as he cried.
Ares stopped at the hole and looked around. HE saw the outline of Iris body and then took off to follow the same tracks as Nico.
The carriage with Luke, Maria and Percy soon reached the mansion. Maria held Percy close as he regained himself. By the time the carriage arrived, Maria knew everything Percy had gone through.
Luke got down from where he had been sitting and walked to the carriage door. He opened it and grabbed the rope. Maria got out first, closely followed by Percy.
Luke waved his hand and the front door opened. Inside, they were met by Chris and Alabaster. Both smiling at Percy and peering at Maria. Alabaster exclaimed, "The star! And who else?"
Luke smiled, "A slave for us. It would be nice to have someone help mop up when we're finished with our guest."
Percy wrinkled his nose, and Maria glared at Luke.
"Oh good work, Brother! And just in time I see! You look awful." Chris smirked.
Luke, Chris and Alabaster laughed outrageously. Chris grabbed Maria, Alabaster linked arms with Percy. Luke took Percy other arm and the two pulled him down the length of the mansion toward the stairs.
Nico rode the horse fast through the woods and over a field toward the mansion.
Luke pushed Percy toward Alabaster and walked up one set of stairs, The others walked up the other set. Just think of a u shape with stairs on either side and a flat surface in the middle. In between the two stairways was a fountain. This will come in later.
Ares is also on horseback running the same path as Nico, trying to get to the mansion.
We see Nico making his way over the field and down a hill which hides the mansion. Ares would soon follow the same path.
Inside, The two brothers had Percy strapped to a table, Luke was sharpening his knife in preparation. Alabaster fixed straps around Percy, and smiled at him.
Outside, Nico is looking through a window, trying to find Percy. A knife is suddenly at his neck. A voice asked him, "Who are you?"
He turns and sees a wolf tattoo on the hand. He smirked.
"What business have you here, boy?" Ares asked him.
Nico looked at him, "Ares?"
Ares looked at him in confusion. Nico kept talking, "I knew your brother,Posiden."
"Unless you wish to meet him in the hereafter, I suggest you answer my question. Why are you here?"
"I might ask you the same thing." Nico peered at Ares. Ares felt a knife at his ribs. He looked down to see that Nico had a knife at his ribs. They both withdrew their knives, and looked into the window.
Ares spoke up, "There are four of them. Do as I ask, and we may stand a chance."
Nico glared, "How do I know you can be trusted?"
"You don't. Do you have a choice?"
Nico thought about it and shook his head.
"Let's go!"
They burst into the mansion.