𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

031

(chapter xxi - screams of love, sobs of pain)

SELENE BELIEVED SHE had tripped on enough roots for this quest.

"Shit!" She cursed softly — as she tripped on another one for the twentieth time. She groaned — wedging her shoe out of the root before kicking it slightly out of spite.

Annabeth eyed her strangely, but she didn't care. All she wanted, was to be done tripping on these stupid tree roots, in this stupid labyrinth, in the middle of stupid nowhere —

Suddenly, Grover gasped. He was stopped dead in his tracks, and Selene, who was jogging at his side, stopped soon after as well. She raised a brow.

Percy seemed to notice Grover's strange behavior too. "Grover? You okay....?"

The satyr suddenly turned to Selene. "Can't you sense it?" He asked her — his eyes wide, his face pale.

Selene shared a disturbed glance with both Percy and Annabeth. "Uhm....what?"

"Grover, we have to keep moving. That spider isn't slowing down!" Annabeth said hurriedly — watching as the spider hit further and further away.

Suddenly, the wind whistled in Selene's ears. She felt Gaea's presence. Although she didn't speak to her directly quite yet, Selene could tell she was being watched by the goddess. She swallowed thickly, "Annabeth is right. We shouldn't stay here."

Grover shook his head — letting out a breath of disbelief as he ignored both of them. "This is the way," He told them. "This is it."

"Okay what the fuck Grov —"

"What do you mean, Grover? The way to what?"

"To Pan."

As soon as he spoke those words, the wind whistled harder.

Selene grew too uneasy. She backed away — watching as the spider got even further. "You guys, we're seriously going to lose this spider if we don't hurry."

Grover looked towards Tyson. "Don't you smell it, Ty?"

Tyson shrugged. "Smells like dirt to me. Plants too."

"Exactly!" Grover cheered. "You guys, this is the way! I'm sure of it!"

Selene tapped her foot impatiently. "Guys, I'm serious. We need to go!"

Annabeth nodded in agreement. "We'll come back, on our way back to Hephaestus."

"The tunnel will be gone by then!" Grover insisted. "I have to follow this. I might never get the chance to again!"

"But we can't!" Annabeth argued. "The forges! We'll lose that spider if we don't go now!"

"But Annabeth — I have to! Don't you understand!?" Grover said desperately — stomping his hoof in frustration.

Selene's eyes darted in between the spider which she could barely even see at this point and Annabeth and Grover, who were still arguing. She sent a look to Percy, which he could probably translate easily — figure this out.

Percy gave her a look right back. I don't know what to do!? Why is this falling to me?

Because you always know what to do! Selene said him a glare — communicating with her eyes. C'mon, think of something.

Percy rolled his eyes, but he sighed in defeat. Then he turned to them. "Let's split up, then?"

Selene quite literally face-palmed. But at least he suggested something.