Rick Riordan The Battle of the Labyrinth - 04
I didn ’ t tell them the whole story . I just couldn ’ t bring myself to talk about Calypso . I explained how I ’ d caused the explosion at Mount St . Helens and gotten blasted out of the volcano . I told them I ’ d been marooned on an island . Then Hephaestus had found me and told me I could leave . A magic raft had carried me back to camp . All that was true , but as I said it my palms felt sweaty . “ You ’ ve been gone two weeks .” Annabeth ’ s voice was steadier now , but she still looked pretty shaken up . “ When I heard the explosion , I thought —” “ I know ,” I said . “ I ’ m sorry . But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth . I talked to
Hephaestus .” “ He told you the answer ?” “ Well , he sort of told me that I already knew . And I do . I understand now .” I told them my idea . Annabeth ’ s jaw dropped . “ Percy , that ’ s crazy !” Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard . “ There is precedent , however . Theseus had the help of Ariadne . Harriet Tubman , daughter of Hermes , used many mortals on her Underground Railroad for just this reason .” “ But this is my quest ,” Annabeth said . “ I need to lead it .” Chiron looked uncomfortable . “ My dear , it is your quest . But you need help .” “ And this is supposed to help ? Please ! It ’ s wrong . It ’ s cowardly . It ’ s —” “ Hard to admit we need a mortal ’ s help ,” I said . “ But it ’ s true .” Annabeth glared at me . “ You are the single most annoying person I have ever met !” And she stormed out of the room . I stared at the doorway . I felt like hitting something . “ So much for being the bravest friend she ’ s ever had .” “ She will calm down ,” Chiron promised . “ She ’ s jealous , my boy .” “ That ’ s stupid . She ’ s not … it ’ s not like …” Chiron chuckled . “ It hardly matters . Annabeth is very territorial about her friends , in case you haven ’ t noticed . She was quite worried about you . And now that you ’ re back , I think she suspects where you were marooned .”
I met his eyes , and I knew Chiron had guessed about Calypso . It was hard to hide anything from a guy who ’ s been training heroes for three thousand years . He ’ s pretty much seen it all . “ We won ’ t dwell on your choices ,” Chiron said . “ You came back . That is what matters .” “ Tell that to Annabeth .” Chiron smiled . “ In the morning I will have Argus take the two of you into Manhattan . You might stop by your mother ’ s , Percy . She is … understandably distraught .”
My heart skipped a beat . All that time on Calypso ’ s island , I ’ d never even thought how my mom would be feeling . She ’ d think I was dead . She ’ d be devastated . What was wrong with me that I hadn ’ t even considered that ? “ Chiron ,” I said , “ what about Grover and Tyson ? Do you think —” “ I don ’ t know , my boy .” Chiron gazed into the empty fireplace . “ Juniper is quite distressed . All her branches are turning yellow . The Council of Cloven Elders had revoked Grover ’ s searcher license in absentia . Assuming he comes back alive , they will force him into a shameful exile .” He sighed . “ Grover and Tyson are very resourceful , however . We can still hope .” “ I shouldn ’ t have let them run off .” “ Grover has his own destiny , and Tyson was brave to follow him . You would know if Grover was in mortal danger , don ’ t you think ?” “ I suppose . The empathy link . But —” “ There is something else I should tell you , Percy ,” he said . “ Actually two unpleasant things .” “ Great .” “ Chris Rodriguez , our guest …” I remembered what I ’ d seen in the basement , Clarisse trying to talk to him while he babbled about the Labyrinth . “ Is he dead ?”
“ Not yet ,” Chiron said grimly . “ But he ’ s much worse . He ’ s in the infirmary now , too weak to move . I had to order Clarisse back to her regular schedule , because she was at his bedside constantly . He doesn ’ t respond to anything . He won ’ t take food or drink . None of my medicines help .
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