𝒊𝒗. 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔

𝒙𝒊𝒊.

When he landed, the camp seemed deserted. It was late afternoon, but the archery range was empty. The climbing wall poured lava and rumbled all by itself. Pavilion: nothing. Cabins: all vacant. Then he noticed smoke rising from the amphitheater. Too early for a campfire, and he didn't figure they were roasting marshmallows. He ran toward it. 

Before Percy even got there he heard Chiron making an announcement. When he realized what the centaur was saying, he stopped in his tracks. 

"—assume they are dead," Chiron said. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked their best surviving friend to do the final honors." 

Percy came up on the back of the amphitheater. Nobody noticed him. They were all looking forward, watching as Annabeth took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames. They were burning his shroud. 

Another shroud laid waiting for its own turn to be burned. This burial cloth was silver and embroidered with a moon. Percy felt his heart ache as he assumed who it was for. He would never get to say it back.

Annabeth turned to face the audience, giving Percy's shroud time to burn before she would move on to Noelle's. She looked terrible. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she managed to say, "He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He . . ." Then she saw him. Her face went blood red. "He's right there!" 

Heads turned. People gasped. 

"Percy!" Beckendorf grinned. A bunch of other kids crowded around him and clapped him on the back. He heard a few curses from the Ares cabin, but Clarisse just rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to survive. Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him. 

"Well," he sighed with obvious relief. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—" 

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Annabeth interrupted, shoving aside the other campers. Percy thought she was going to punch him, but instead she hugged him so fiercely she nearly cracked his ribs. The other campers fell silent. Annabeth seemed to realize she was making a scene and pushed him away. "We thought you were dead, Percy!" 

"I'm sorry," he said. "I got lost." 

"LOST?" she yelled. "Two weeks, Percy? Where in the world—" 

"Annabeth," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities! We will postpone the rest of the ceremony for a later time!" 

Without waiting for them to protest, he picked up Annabeth and Percy as easily as if they were kittens, slung them both onto his back, and galloped off toward the Big House. 

~

Percy didn't tell them the whole story. He just couldn't bring myself to talk about Calypso. He explained how he'd caused the explosion at Mount St. Helens and gotten blasted out of the volcano. He told them he'd been marooned on an island. Then Hephaestus had found him and told him he could leave. A magic raft had carried him back to camp. 

All that was true, but as he said it his palms felt sweaty. 

"You've been gone two weeks." Annabeth's voice was steadier now, but she still looked pretty shaken up and a bit upset. "When we heard the explosion, I thought—"

"We?" Percy asked hopefully. "Noelle was with you? Where is she?"

Annabeth and Chiron shared a sad look at the mention of the daughter of Artemis.

"We don't know," Chiron admitted. "She's been gone just as long as you have."

Annabeth told him what happened, trying her best to keep her voice from cracking.