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🍦— 010. vivi hates her gift.
HERE IS A PIECE OF ADVICE ─ never follow a mechanical spider that was a creation of Hephaestus. You might end up in the mechanical shop, Underworld, Texas or hit the tree roots that appeared in the labyrinth. The spider raced along and the group were trying to keep up, but then they spotted a tunnel off to the side that was dug from raw earth, and wrapped in thick roots. Grover stopped dead in his tracks.
"What is it?" Percy said.
He didn't move. He stared open mouthed into the dark tunnel. His curly hair rustled in the breeze.
"Come on!" Annabeth said. "We have to keep moving."
"This is the way," Grover muttered in awe. "This is it."
"What way?" Percy asked. "You mean. . . to Pan?"
Grover looked at Tyson. "Don't you smell it?"
"Dirt," Tyson said. "And plants."
"Yes! This is the way. I'm sure of it!"
Up ahead, the spider was getting farther down the stone corridor. A few more seconds and they'd lose it.
"We'll come back," Annabeth promised. "On our way back to Hephaestus."
"The tunnel will be gone by then," Grover said. "I have to follow it. A door like this won't stay open!"
"But we can't," Annabeth said. "The forges!"
Grover looked at her sadly. "I have to, Annabeth. Don't you understand?"
She looked desperate, like she didn't understand at all. The spider was almost out of sight.
"We'll split up," Percy said.
"No!" Annabeth said.
"Yeah, no!" Vivi agreed with her best friend, "That's way too dangerous. There is a chance we won't find each other again. And, I don't want Grover going alone."
Tyson put his hand on Grover's shoulder. "I ─ I will go with him."
"Tyson, are you sure?"
The big guy nodded. "Goat boy needs help. We will find the god person. I am not like Hephaestus. I trust friends."
Grover took a deep breath. "Percy, we'll find each other again. We've still got the empathy link. I just. . . have to."
Vivi didn't blame him. This was his life's goal. If he didn't find Pan on this journey, the council would never give him another chance.
