Chapter 6: We Make More Friends

I followed Robyn blindly through the passageways. At least until we bumped into a startled Chris. My mouth moved before I knew what my plan was.

"Which way to the new arrivals?" I blurted. Here's to him still not knowing that I'm not a visitor.

Chris looked at me confused.

"It's that way," Robyn told me and dragged me away. "Jailbreak!" she called over her shoulder.

"But-" Chris looked more confused.

"Exactly," Robyn yelled back. "Cover for us! Thanks!"

Then we darted around a corner.

"Why in the world would you stop to talk?" Robyn reprimanded.

"He might be able to give us instructions," I puffed. "He gave them to me earlier and they worked out fine."

"But what if he stopped us? Or got in our way? Or raised the alarm? Or-" Robyn swallowed cutting herself off. "Let's just get to our travel pairs and get out of here. It's not like we need him. I know where we're going."

"You do?" I'd kind of assumed we were running blind.

"Why wouldn't I?" Robyn asked me.

"I thought you'd never been here before."

"I haven't," Robyn told me. "You can't sense your keeper's location? You don't feel her pulling you towards her."

"Keeper?"

"The person you were travelling with."

"Andromache's not- We're traveling together. We're friends."

"Oh, I didn't know human friends did that." humans?

"We don't normally," I rambled. "This is sort of a special circumstance. I kind of joined her when we were sort of got kicked out of my house." What did Robyn even mean by keeper? Was that a new word for travel buddy?

"We're almost there," Robyn's smile widened. Her whole body suddenly untensed. "Fynch! I'm here!"

She yanked open a sturdy side door. I assumed that Fynch was the brother she kept referring to.

We'd entered a hall that seemed rather dark. There were a handful of doors on either side. Behind one, I heard someone- who sounded exactly like Andromache- swearing and pounding away at the door.

The pounding paused.

"It won't break," an unfamiliar voice called from the door right across. "We've tried."

Andromache swore and the door shuddered, again.

I couldn't help feeling excited. There had to be an easy way to open the doors on this side. This was a cruise ship, not a prison barge. I'd actually done it. I'd been useful.

A giddy wave of happiness passed through me. I felt like I was floating. My head spun. I leaned into a wall. It suddenly hit me how exhausted I was. My head continued floating but in a much more lightheaded manner. It felt like I was pushing through a bed of soft, thick sand.

I blinked and did my best to push past it. We still hadn't freed anyone or gotten away. I managed to push the sandy feeling away. The lightheadedness… that stayed. I couldn't forget, we weren't in the clear yet.

Robyn seemed to be having none of my issues. She continued marching forward.

"Footsteps," the door next to Andromache warned. "Everyone, line up."

I thought I faintly heard a distant 'meep.'

"We're in cells," Andromache pointed out. "How are we supposed to line up if we're stuck in a stupid room."

"I don't know," the neighbor threw back. "That's just what they always tell us to do."

"Fynch?" Robyn called out. "You here?"

"Robyn?" the door across from Andy asked. "What in Tartarus are you doing here?"

"The typical?" Robyn replied. "I'm assuming it is you, correct?"

"Yes, it's me." Fynch sounded like he was rolling his eyes. "I'm just shocked you're here. You know and all."

"Believe it or not little brother," Robyn gritted her teeth. "But I can be brave when the situation demands it."

"I know you can… I just thought-"

"Wait… that doesn't sound like any of the guards…" Andromache's neighbor sounded concerned.

"I should think not. Someone finally got around to trying to rescue us."

"Yeah, but you've got to be an idiot to try to escape. They told me that they'll feed you to the dogs if you try to escape."

Andromache snorted. "If all they've got is a few dogs…"

"How do I get you out of here?" Robyn nervously murmured. "I don't see a key. There's no lever. I can't even find a handle."

"Mighty fine job on the rescuing front then," Andromache drily joked. "Considering we're still trapped in here."

Robyn flushed. "Considering neither of us are dead or drowned or… or anything, I'd say that we're doing a mighty fine job so far."

"Leave off my sister," Fynch called. "She's dealing with enough as it is. You'll be lucky if she even lets you out."

"Right… because I'm supposed to be oh so accommodating when I got literally kidnapped and wake up with a pounding headache and then the person who shows up to rescue us doesn't even know how to make doors open." Andromache took a deep breath. "I would love to get rescued, but I'd like it to actually have a plan of succeeding. Do you have any plans for how to get out? I would recommend someone setting off a distraction…" Andromache cut off. "Wait you said 'we' and 'neither of us.' Did you come with someone?" Andromache almost sounded hopeful.

"Um… hi?" I blurted.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"Nora, I mean this in the nicest way possible," Andromache spoke slowly. "What in the world are you doing trying to run a rescue attempt?" The words were biting, yet she couldn't have done a worse job hiding how much her voice had perked up. My heart thumped happily. I felt like I could run a marathon. I'd made Andromache happier. She'd perked up! Everything was possible.

"Other than apparently failing at it?" I smiled. "Mostly making new friends."

"You would," Andromache half-jokingly complained. My cheeks felt warm. "Do you have a bobby pin?" Her voice suddenly turned to determination.

"Uh… no."

"Well, then with any luck I've got an idea. These idiots forgot to hold onto my bracelet. I'm getting you out of here."

Bracelet? Andromache's bracelet! She still had her spear! I grinned and ran around the nearest corner.

"Are you and whoever you came here with out of the way? I'm not sure how much damage this will cause."

Robyn immediately scurried toward the door. She pressed against the wall as close to the entrance as possible. Robyn nudged it the rest of the way shut. It closed with a click.

"We're out of the way," I called.

Robyn glanced nervously at the closed door.

"Excellent," Andromache smiled right as something large and loud slammed into her door. There were two more loud slams right where the lock ought to have been before it silently swung open.

Andromache stepped out and glanced nervously around.

"That was pretty loud," Robyn nervously whispered. "What do you think the odds are that someone heard?"

"Almost certain. Nora?" Andromache asked. "You ready to get out of here? We've probably got a few seconds before someone comes to investigate." She tossed a knowing glance at the door.

"What about everyone else?" I replied.

"We have to rescue my brother!" Robyn squeaked.

"We can come back?" Andromache offered. She shrugged. "As much as I would love to express my feelings at my kidnappers, I have a feeling this hallway is not the spot to be caught in. They're bound to have something for that purpose in this area."

"You can't leave us though," Fynch argued. "We've been here longer. They're supposed to take us to some orientation video thing tomorrow…"

My stomach lurched. After the orientation, they'd be offered the choice to join or die. We wouldn't have another chance at a rescue if we didn't do it now.

"Andromache," I forced the words out. "We're not leaving anyone behind."

"Would it help if I held the door?" Robyn nervously asked. "I know some tricks that'll give us some time."

Andromache looked ready to protest but finally swallowed and nodded.

"Alright, who wants out?"

Fynch called for release. So did Andromache's neighbor.

"I've got common sense," the neighbor argued. "I do not want to be the last person here when they come in demanding to know where everyone is."

Robyn ran to the door and started dropping something tiny. I could faintly make out the scent of strawberries. Andromache started on the door across from her own. It took her a few noise-filled seconds to break the lock. The door swung open to reveal a boy about our age with dark skin, kinky hair, and facial features reminiscent of his sister. His eyes were a deep brown.

"Thanks, I'm Fynch," he moved towards his sister. I thought I spotted her tossing him a sheath with silver handles poking out. He snatched them with a grin.

I started moving down the hallway to see if it ended or if we might be able to find a way out.

"Andromache," Andromache called back before moving to the door that had been beside hers.

It took her even less time to crack this one open.

From that door exited a rather skittish white boy. He had straight black hair and silvery grey eyes.

"Hi," he nervously put out a hand. He had a British accent. "My name is Noa."

"Andromache."

"I'm Nora!"

The door we entered let out a loud shudder.

"I think someone's noticed our rescue mission," Robyn called.

"Alright," Andromache looked back at me and down the hallway. "Let's go."

"Robyn?"

"That should hold for a bit longer."

Whatever Robyn had done had completely darkened the area we had come in. I thought I saw vines…

We tore down the hallway.

Robyn and Fynch quickly tore ahead of us. Andromache kept switching between taking the back and trying to catch up with Robyn and Fynch. We spun around corners.

Then the loudspeaker crackled and came to life.

"Attention!" It was Luke's voice. "We appear to have a jailbreak attempt in progress. Please remain calm and help us take care of it. The usual rules in this sort of situation apply. Be on the lookout for five or possibly more half-bloods on the run."

Andromache swore. I considered it.

"What do they mean usual rules?" Noa whispered.

"As for the escaping half-bloods," Luke continued on the loudspeaker. "I strongly recommend turning yourself in, if you know what's best for you."

"Luke made it sound like those who didn't agree to work with them would be allowed to be eaten."

"WE'RE GOING TO GET EATEN?!"

"If you were so concerned about getting eaten, why did you agree to leave with us?"

"I don't know, because I didn't know cannibalism was on the table?"

"We're not going to be cannibalized," Fynch ran back. "Firstly, if monsters eat you, they're not human so it can't be cannibalism. Secondly, we found an exit."

"Thank the fates," Andromache breathed. "How close? What sort of protections do they have? What are escape route options?"

Fynch swallowed. "It's a bit tricky. You'll see. Follow me."

"That's never a good sign," Andromache muttered under her breath.

The rest of the passages passed swiftly. The child still managed to keep up with Noa and me. At this point, he had mostly taken to poking at shadows muttering 'meep.'

Finally, we made it. Fynch slowed. "Robyn?" he called nervously.

He glanced around nervously.

"She ought to be here somewhere," he muttered "She wouldn't have gone out."

He put up a hand. Andromache already put out an arm to stop Noa and me. Behind us, I thought I heard growling.

"If you know what's good for you, you will come out," Luke's voice echoed from the outside. "We have one of your members. You wouldn't want anything to happen to her, do you?"

Fynch slammed the door open, growling softly.

Surrounding the entrance was a few dozen more monsters than I was really comfortable with. On the perimeter were hellhounds. Then a circle of beautiful women, at least until I absentmindedly scratched my wrist and they turned into vampiric women with flaming hair and both a donkey and metal leg. Great, much less friendly. Then Luke, Chris, who was holding his sword to Robyn's face, and a third boy I had no idea his identity. Robyn had her eyes shut. Her face was white. She looked green.

Fynch swore.

"Come out and surrender," Luke calmly addressed us. "If you drop your weapons, we can handle this in a manner that doesn't involve anyone dying. You'll come with us, and we'll explain everything as best we can. None of us want this to be more unpleasant than it has to be."

Luke turned and smiled coldly at me. My mouth went dry.

"I am sure your dear Nora can fill in the consequences of- shall we say- not listening if she hasn't already."

"That's more than a few dogs," Andromache muttered.

We were caught. Again.

A/N: This chapter was a lot. A big welcome to my too many new characters. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

As always, thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! Comments, concerns, and conjectures of what's to come are always welcome!